WikiLeaks suspect Manning seeks dismissal of charges at Maryland hearing
Bradley Manning, accused of the biggest leak of government secrets in US history, is returning to a military courtroom in Maryland. The pretrial hearing for the army private begins Wednesday morning at Fort Meade. Manning, a 24-year-old intelligence analyst is seeking dismissal of 10 of the 22 charges he faces, AP said. He is charged with causing hundreds of thousands of classified war logs and diplomatic cables to be published on the whistleblowing website WikiLeaks in 2009 and 2010. The defense says the government used unconstitutionally vague language in eight counts charging Manning with unauthorized possession and disclosure of classified information.
Two suicide bombers blamed for Afghan market blast
At least 22 people have been killed and 50 others injured when two suicide bombers blew themselves up near a market in southern Afghanistan’s Kandahar province. One suicide bomber detonated his motorbike with explosives first, and another blew himself up as people rushed to assist those injured, Kandahar province spokesman Javid Faisal said. All those killed were civilians. The Taliban has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack that happened 5 kilometers from the main gate to Kandahar Air Field.
Russia, China to boost military cooperation
Moscow and Beijing will work to bring cooperation between the two countries' armed forces “to a new level,” Chinese President Hu Jintao has said. President Vladimir Putin, who is visiting China, also said on Tuesday after a meeting with Hu that Russia and China will maintain relations between defense ministries, including a joint initiative to boost security in the Asia-Pacific region. Putin said that recent joint naval exercises were held in the Yellow Sea, “and they were the first of such exercises.” He added the two leaders had agreed that such cooperation will continue.
Assad appoints new Syria prime minister
Syria's president on Wednesday appointed Riad Farid Hijab as prime minister following last month's parliamentary elections. The new PM is the former agriculture minister and a member of the ruling Baath party. President Bashar al-Assad earlier described the May 7 elections as an example of the reforms in Syria.
20 civilians killed in blast near air base in Afghanistan’s Kandahar
An explosion has killed 20 civilians in Kandahar, the largest city in Afghanistan’s south. At least 22 others were wounded in Wednesday's blast, Javid Faisal, a spokesman for Kandahar province, said, as cited by AP. The blast occurred in a market area several kilometers from Kandahar Air Field, used by the US-led coalition. The explosives were placed in a vehicle in an area where logistical supplies for the military base are sold.
Colombian navy seizes 2.9 tons of cocaine
Colombia's navy has seized a shipment of 2.6 metric tons (2.9 tons) of cocaine aboard a boat off the country's Pacific coast. The drug shipment bound for Central America was seized on Monday in a joint operation with the US Coast Guard. The seizure that occurred about 110 kilometers off the Colombian state of Choco was the largest in four years in the area. Earlier, $650,000 was found in apparent drug money aboard another boat returning from Central America, Navy Vice Adm. Hernando Wills said.
Kim Jong-un makes second public speech at massive children's rally
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has addressed a massive children's rally with his second public speech on Wednesday. About 20,000 children from across North Korea attended the event in Pyongyang's Kim Il-sung Stadium, AP said. The rally is seen as an attempt by the new leader to win the young generation's support.
Syria expels western ambassadors
Damascus has declared the ambassadors of the countries which earlier banished Syrian diplomats as persona non grata. The list of diplomats who have fallen out of grace with Damascus includes the ambassadors of France, Great Britain, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and temporary charge d'affaires of Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada and Germany. The American ambassador, who has already left the country, is on the list, too. Syria’s Foreign Ministry expressed hope relations with the west will return to normal one day.
American regional bloc backs Argentine claim to Falklands
The Organization of American States (OAS), a regional bloc created in 1948, has supported Argentina’s claim to the Falkland Islands during an annual meeting in Bolivia. The OAS also called on the United Kingdom to begin talks toward a peaceful resolution of the dispute. Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman said his country had extended its hand to Britain and was ready to start a dialogue to end the “colonial conflict.” While most participants of the meeting backed Argentina, the United States refrained from taking a stand on the issue, and Canada echoed the British position: that the islands’ future is to be decided by their own residents. Both Argentina and Britain claim the Falkland Islands, known as the Malvinas in Latin America. The two countries fought a war over the territory in 1982.
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker survives recall – exit polls
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker won a recall vote that took place on Tuesday, according to exit polls. With 37 per cent of ballots counted, Scott Walker, a Republican is ahead of his Democratic opponent, Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett, with 59 per cent to Barrett’s 40 per cent. The recall effort was largely initiated after Walker backed a law banning collective bargaining for most public employees and teachers. The election was the third recall vote in United States history. On the two previous occasions, in 1921 and 2003, the respective Governors of North Dakota and California were successfully recalled.
Israel strikes two Gaza weapons facilities
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has attacked two weapons storage facilities in the Gaza Strip in response to recent rocket fire emanating from the territory. No casualties have been reported in the strikes. The air force stated it would not tolerate attacks on Israeli civilians and that it holds Hamas, which it calls a “terror organization,” responsible in Gaza. Israel has long conducted air strikes in retaliation for rocket attacks coming from Gaza. On Saturday, the IAF attacked three weapons facilities, as well as two tunnels in the Gaza Strip. Seven people, most of them children, were reportedly injured as a result.
Vancouver schools receive packages containing body parts
Two schools in the Canadian city of Vancouver have received packages containing human body parts, police say. The first was delivered to False Creek Elementary and contained a hand, while the second arrived at St. George’s School some time later and contained a foot. Police say the remains are to be examined by a coroner. The report comes a day after German police arrested a man accused of murdering an international student in Montreal, dismembering him and sending his body parts to the local offices of the Conservative and Liberal parties. Police in Vancouver are investigating whether there is a link between the two cases.
Mississippi executes man for killing children
A man who was found guilty of killing his four nieces and nephews back in 1990 has been executed in Mississippi. Henry “Curtis” Jackson was executed by lethal injection despite pleas by his two sisters, whose children he had killed, to spare his life.
Former President Clinton calls for Bush tax cut extension
Former US President Bill Clinton has called for the tax cuts enacted under his successor George W. Bush to be extended without any amendments to exclude the wealthiest Americans from enjoying the benefits. In an interview with CNBC, Clinton argued that doing so would give lawmakers time to reach a long-term deal on tax reduction that would exclude the rich. Clinton’s comments came in contrast to President Barack Obama’s stance on the issue. Obama has been opposed to extending tax cuts to people making over $250,000 a year. The tax cuts adopted under President George W. Bush are set to expire in January, and Democrats have been wrangling with Republicans over whether to prolong them with amendments, or in their current, unmodified form. Democrats have been calling for the richest Americans to be excluded from the tax break, while Republicans have long opposed such a measure.
Report of first doctor to reach shot President Lincoln uncovered
Dr. Charles Leale’s report on his attempts to save mortally wounded US President Abraham Lincoln back in 1865 was uncovered in a box at the National Archives late last month. The Army surgeon, who sat some 40 feet away from Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, DC, saw actor-turned-assassin John Wilkes Booth jump the stage brandishing a dagger. Leale then made his way to Lincoln, believing he had been stabbed. Leale’s report provides a detailed description of the President’s injury, which the doctor found to be a bullet wound. Historians that discovered the report believe it was filed, packed in a box and stored out of sight for 147 years.
19 killed in Nigerian violence – military
Nineteen people have been killed in violent clashes between authorities and Islamist sect Boko Haram throughout northern Nigeria, the country’s military says. Most of the deaths took place in Maiduguri, where Boko Haram once had its main mosque. Gunfire was reportedly exchanged between the military and the militants, and there were also reports of intermittent explosions. While the military says that all those killed were members of Boko Haram, a local witness reported that some civilians were also caught in the crossfire. Authorities also say at least two police officers, as well as a retired police official, were killed in the city of Kano.
McCain accuses Obama administration of intentional classified leaks
US Senator John McCain (R-AZ) has accused the Obama White House of intentionally leaking classified information in order to boost the president's national security reputation and garner support ahead of the November presidential election. Speaking on the Senate floor, McCain singled out the latest report by The New York Times that Obama authorized the launch of the Stuxnet virus, which attacked the computer systems that run Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities. The Senator cited published reports of drone attacks against terrorists, and called on the administration to appoint a special counsel to investigate the leaks. McCain’s speech was interrupted by a man who burst into the Senate gallery, shouting that abortion is a sin and thanking Senator McCain, who accepted the "compliment." The man was removed by police. McCain was Obama’s principal rival in the 2008 presidential election.
Berlin man admits to killing wife, throwing her head off roof
Orhan Sircasi, a 32-year old man, has admitted to murdering his wife, severing her head, and throwing it off the roof of their apartment building, the Daily Mail reports. Witnesses at the Berlin murder scene report that the man stabbed his wife screaming “God is Great you Devil!” in Arabic. He then reportedly took the decapitated body of his wife into his apartment and made his six children watch as he chopped the corpse into small pieces. Police soon arrived on scene, and Sircasi tried to resist arrest by lunging at officers with his knife. He was eventually tackled on the balcony, but not before he managed to throw his wife's head off the rooftop of the apartment complex. After Sircasi was taken into custody, he reportedly told officials that he "regretted nothing." Sircasi’s children are being administered psychological care.
US federal judge rejects petition for full access to Idaho executions
US District Judge Edward J. Lodge ruled against a request filed by 17 news groups, including the Associated Press, to strike down an Idaho policy restricting full access to the state’s executions. Lodge argued that while the public has an interest in viewing the entire execution process, the timing of the lawsuit was inappropriate as it came just two weeks before the scheduled execution of Richard Leavitt, a man sentenced to death for a 1984 murder. The judge said removing the restrictions would change the execution protocol and disrupt the execution procedure. The news group's attorney said the ruling will be appealed to the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals.
Michelle Obama applauds, but doesn’t endorse NYC drink ban
In an interview with the Associated Press, US First Lady Michelle Obama commended New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg for his effort to combat obesity by limiting portion sizes of sugary drinks to 16 ounces at the city’s restaurants, delis, food trucks, movie theaters and sporting arenas. However, Obama stressed that there was no “one-size-fits-all” solution for the problem and that her husband's administration wasn’t pursuing a similar policy at the federal level. She also said she did not specifically endorse or condone the proposed limits. Bloomberg’s proposal has been derided by the soft-drinks industry and other critics, who accused the mayor of trying to institute a “nanny state.” However, the proposal is expected to win the support of the city’s Board of Health and may take effect as early as March of next year.
Magnitude 6.1 quake hits off Japan coast
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck 120 miles (194 kilometers) southeast of the Japanese city of Mito, off Honshu, the country’s main island, according to the US Geological Survey. The tremor occurred at 8:31 pm British time. The quake was very shallow, at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers). No casualties, damage or tsunamis have been reported.
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