Rajapakse rejects early pardon for 'fool' Fonseka (AFP)

Rajapakse rejects early pardon for 'fool' Fonseka (AFP)


Rajapakse rejects early pardon for 'fool' Fonseka (AFP)

Posted: 17 Mar 2010 10:17 PM PDT

A Sri Lankan walks past a poster of Sarath Fonseka in Colombo on March 17. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse has ruled out an early pardon for his election rival Sarath Fonseka and dismissed the former army chief as a AFP - Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse has ruled out an early pardon for his election rival Sarath Fonseka and dismissed the former army chief as a "fool" who was unprepared for politics.



Tibetan high school students protest in west China

Posted: 17 Mar 2010 10:33 PM PDT

BEIJING (Reuters) - Tibetan high school students protested in the streets of at least two towns in western China this week to mark the anniversary of an uprising against Chinese rule, and some have been detained, residents said on Thursday.


Obama's Jakarta home district sees shift in Islam

Posted: 17 Mar 2010 10:33 PM PDT

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Some things in the central Jakarta district of Matraman have barely changed since the late 1960s, when United States President Barack Obama lived and played there.


Deaths in riot after Uganda fire

Posted: 17 Mar 2010 10:04 PM PDT

Three people killed in clash with security forces after blaze destroys royal tombs.


Clinton in Moscow for talks on arms pact, Mideast (AP)

Posted: 17 Mar 2010 09:52 PM PDT

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks during a meeting with Ireland's Foreign Minister Michael Martin, not shown, Tuesday, March 16, 2010, at State Department in Washington. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)AP - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is in Moscow to meet with senior Russian officials and to join top international diplomats in assessing the stalled Mideast peace process.



Italy sees self as resilient to economic collapse (AP)

Posted: 17 Mar 2010 09:38 PM PDT

FILE - In this file photo taken Feb. 3, 2010, oncoming demonstrators shout slogans during a labour strike outside the Fiat Mirafiori assembly plant in Turin, northern Italy. Will the Italian economy be the next to face a crisis? Italians, by nature prone to living in the moment, aren't much worried. But even as Greece wins temporary respite from its debt crisis, Italy remains in the sights of the world's euro-skeptics for good reasons. (AP Photo/Massimo Pinca, File)AP - As Greece wins at least temporary respite from its debt troubles, will Italy be the next to face a crisis?



Australian Senate rejects Scientology inquiry call (AP)

Posted: 17 Mar 2010 10:00 PM PDT

AP - Australia's Senate on Thursday overwhelming rejected a call for an inquiry into allegations against the Church of Scientology made by former members who claim to have been abused, harassed or coerced into having abortions.


Avalanche kills eight in Tajikistan

Posted: 17 Mar 2010 09:56 PM PDT

DUSHANBE (Reuters) - An avalanche killed eight people on a mountain road in the Central Asian state of Tajikistan, the emergencies committee said Thursday.


Obama's Jakarta home district sees shift in Islam

Posted: 17 Mar 2010 09:48 PM PDT

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Some things in the central Jakarta district of Matraman have barely changed since the late 1960s, when United States President Barack Obama lived and played there.


China faces important negotiations on yuan - U.S.

Posted: 17 Mar 2010 10:01 PM PDT

BEIJING (Reuters) - China faces important negotiations over its exchange rate in coming weeks, the U.S. ambassador to China said on Thursday, adding that it was not just the United States that wanted action on the Chinese yuan.


North Korea executes official for blunder - report

Posted: 17 Mar 2010 10:01 PM PDT

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea has executed a ruling party official blamed for a botched currency reform, in a desperate attempt to quell public unrest and stem negative impact on Pyongyang's power succession, a news report said on Thursday.


China says probing report on deadly faulty vaccines

Posted: 17 Mar 2010 10:01 PM PDT

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Health Ministry is probing a report in a domestic newspaper that faulty vaccines in northern Shanxi province were responsible for killing four children and making dozens of others sick.


Clinton to attend Mideast session amid crisis (AP)

Posted: 17 Mar 2010 09:25 PM PDT

A Palestinian man works on a construction site for a new home in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo, Tuesday, March 16, 2010. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Tuesday that Israel must prove it is committed to the Mideast peace process with actions but brushed aside suggestions that U.S.-Israeli relations are in crisis and reaffirmed America's steadfast commitment to the security of the Jewish state. Clinton said U.S. and Israeli officials are in intense talks about how to repair the damage caused by last week's Israeli announcement of new Jewish housing in east Jerusalem while Vice President Joe Biden was visiting the country. (AP Photo/Tara Todras-Whitehill)AP - With the Mideast peace process stalled and U.S.-Israeli relations in crisis, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton headed Wednesday to a Mideast strategy meeting of top international diplomats.



Court OKs ex-Guatemalan leader's extradition to US (AP)

Posted: 17 Mar 2010 09:20 PM PDT

AP - A Guatemalan court has approved former President Alfonso Portillo's extradition to the U.S. to face money laundering charges.


Australia concerned about Rio Tinto trial (AP)

Posted: 17 Mar 2010 09:24 PM PDT

AP - Australia expressed disappointment Thursday that charges of stealing business secrets against one of its citizens would be tried in a closed court in China, and some lawmakers doubted the mining executive involved would get a fair hearing.


Australia demands Rio trial access

Posted: 17 Mar 2010 09:24 PM PDT

Controversial Rio Tinto industrial espionage trial to begin in Shanghai on Monday.


China faces important negotiations on yuan - U.S.

Posted: 17 Mar 2010 09:32 PM PDT

BEIJING (Reuters) - China faces important negotiations over its exchange rate in coming weeks, the U.S. ambassador to China said on Thursday, adding that it was not just the United States that wanted action on the Chinese yuan.


U.S. yuan critics are like cruel "Avatar" troops - China paper

Posted: 17 Mar 2010 09:32 PM PDT

BEIJING (Reuters) - First it was environmentalists and indigenous activists; now China's beleagured financial officials are being compared to the giant, blue-skinned heroes of the mega blockbuster film "Avatar".


South Korea green growth to hurt environment - report

Posted: 17 Mar 2010 09:32 PM PDT

SEOUL (Reuters) - A massive river restoration project at the centre of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's green growth strategy will harm globally threatened bird species and destroy critical habitat, a conservation group's report said.


What American Dream?

Posted: 17 Mar 2010 10:01 PM PDT

Fewer people in the U.S. believe they will ever achieve it.