Saturday, February 09, 2008

02/09/08

* Palestinians grow by a million in decade The Palestinian population in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem has reached 3.76 million, up from 2.89 million a decade ago, according to census results released Saturday.

* Turkey eases ban on headscarves Turkey's parliament has approved two constitutional amendments easing the ban on women wearing Islamic headscarves in universities.

* Egypt boosts troops on border Egypt boosted troop security along the volatile border with Gaza on Friday.

* Sudan agreement over Darfur force UN-led peacekeepers in Darfur are to be allowed full unrestricted movement in a deal agreed with Sudan's government.

* PA official: Peace talks at a standstill "Final status talks between the Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams have reached a severe standstill, due to Israeli stubbornness,".

* French parliament backs EU treaty France's parliament has voted to adopt the EU reform treaty, three years after a French No dealt a fatal blow to the European Constitution.

* Putin accuses West of starting new arms race Russian President Vladimir Putin lambasted the West for its military expansion toward Russia's borders and laid out an ambitious agenda for his successor to restore the country's economic.

* Archbishop 'must quit' in Sharia row The head of the Anglican Church has tried to damp down controversy surrounding comments he made suggesting that some aspects of Muslim Sharia law could become part of British law.

* UN warns of 'full war' in Darfur Senior UN officials have said that the situation in Sudan's western Darfur region has sharply deteriorated.

* Creationists seek foothold in Europe After the Sunday service in Westminster Chapel, where worshippers were exhorted to wage "the culture war" in the World War II spirit of Sir Winston Churchill, cabbie James McLean delivered his verdict on Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.