Hefty quake hits Japan
A 5.2-magnitude earthquake has hit eastern Japan near Tokyo, shaking many buildings in the capital. No casualties or damage have been reported, and no tsunami warning was issued. The previous quake in Japan was registered on May 24.
Kosovo Serbs clash with NATO troops
At least five Kosovo Serbs and a NATO soldier were wounded in a gunfight on Friday, Reuters reports. The clashes happened as peacekeepers tried to dismantle Serb roadblocks blocking traffic. NATO troops in Kosovo (KFOR) reportedly fired tear gas and small arms and some protesters fired back with handguns. Hundreds of Serbs confronted KFOR troops near a barricade outside the town of Zvecan in a Serb-dominated northern area of Kosovo.
Intelsat 19 satellite enters orbit
The telecommunications satellite Intelsat 19 atop a Zenit-3SL carrier rocket has entered the intended orbit. The carrier rocket lifted off from the Odyssey launch pad from the equatorial part of the Pacific Ocean under the Sea Launch program early on Friday. After all systems are checked, the satellite will be handed over to the customer, sources in the Russia’s Rocket Space Corporation Energia told Interfax. Intelsat 19 was built by US company Space Systems/Loral to replace Intelsat 8. The satellite's service life is 15 years and it weighs 5.6 tonnes.
Talks over Quebec student rallies collapse
Quebec’s Premier Jean Charest has suspended negotiations with university students aimed at ending weeks of protests over proposed tuition hikes. The talks reached an impasse and a huge gap remains after four days of talks, Charest said on Thursday, as cited by AP. The decision could lead to more protests. Student groups are calling for a tuition freeze. They also object to an emergency law put in place to limit protests.
French government to boycott Euro 2012 in Ukraine
The French government will boycott the European soccer championship to be held in Ukraine in June in protest at the treatment of jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. “No member of the government will travel to Ukraine during the European championships,” France's Sports Minister Valerie Fourneyron said on Thursday, as cited by Reuters. She had informed Ukrainian authorities of the decision and said that France's national soccer team would still play in the tournament.
Israeli soldier, gunman from Gaza killed in border clash
An Israeli soldier and a gunman from the Gaza Strip were killed in a rare border clash on Friday, the army said. The gunman, who was not identified, crossed the fortified boundary into Israel from the Palestinian enclave and opened fire on troops, Reuters said, citing the military. Palestinian witnesses heard an explosion and shooting near Abassan, a border village in southern Gaza, close to the Egyptian frontier.
Venezuela bombs drug smugglers’ airstrips
Venezuela's military say they has recently bombed and destroyed 36 clandestine airstrips in the country to shut down air routes used by drug smugglers. Justice Minister Tareck El Aissami said drug smuggling flights into Venezuelan airspace had been reduced 50 per cent since the beginning of the year, AP reports. Two suspected drug smugglers wanted in Colombia and the US, Miguel Camacho and Luis Alberto Ramirez, will soon be turned over to Colombian authorities after their May 16 arrest in Venezuela.
Thai protesters block parliament over ‘reconciliation bill’
Anti-government protesters in Thailand have blocked parliament trying to stop the opening debate on the so-called reconciliation bill. Many fear the legislation could pave the way for the return of deposed leader Thaksin Shinawatra. About 2,000 people from the Yellow Shirt movement that opposes Thaksin on Friday blocked roads leading to Parliament, AP reports. The bill is supposed to grant amnesty to all parties involved in political violence and wrongdoing from 2005 through mid-2010.
Coca-Cola Co.: NYC mayor’s initiative to ban oversized sugary drinks unnecessary
The Coca-Cola Co. and McDonald's slammed the New York City mayor's initiative to cut sales of sugary drinks in the city's restaurants and cinemas. In an attempt to stifle the city's overwhelming obesity burden, Michael Bloomberg proposed to set the maximum size of sold bottles and glasses of soda at 0.47 liters (16 ounces). The Coke manufacturer and fast-food giant, however, say it is an unfit measure. The Coca-Cola Co. said the proposed ban, which has to be approved by the Bloomberg-appointed Board of Health, is unnecessary because calories are already listed on its products. The Big Apple has an extremely poor obesity record, with research showing that over 50 per cent of its residents are overweight.
Thousands of Turks mark anniversary of deadly Israeli raid on flotilla
Thousands have taken Thursday to the streets of Istanbul to mark the second anniversary of a deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. Nine Turkish activists were killed when Israeli commandos stormed the largest ship of the convoy which was trying to break the blockade of the Palestinian territory. On Monday, a Turkish court charged a former Israeli army chief and other senior officers over the deaths. The raid has strained relations between the countries, with Israel refusing to apologize, saying its troops acted in self-defense.
UN rights body to call for full Houla massacre inquiry
The UN Human Rights Council is going to call for a full UN inquiry into the massacre in the Syrian town of Houla, Reuters reports. The UN top right body will hold emergency session on Friday after over 100 people, including many children, were slaughtered in Houla on May 25. A draft resolution, circulated late on Thursday at the council, condemns the "killings confirmed by UN observers" in attacks that involved "the wanton killings of civilians by shooting at close range and by severe physical abuse by pro-regime elements and a series of government artillery and tank shellings of a residential neighborhood".
Bodies of 91 Palestinians handed over to West Bank authorities
Israel has handed the bodies of 91 Palestinians to authorities in the West Bank. The remains belong to those who died in past decades while carrying out attacks on Israel. The move is aimed at encouraging peace talks which collapsed in 2010 after Israel refused to stop building settlements on land seized from Palestinians. If the talks fail again, the country's Defense Minister says Israel could define the borders of a future Palestinian state unilaterally.
No comments:
Post a Comment