Saturday, July 11, 2009

07/11/09

Gore: U.S. Climate Bill Will Help Bring About 'Global Governance' Former Vice President Al Gore declared that the Congressional climate bill will help bring about "global governance."

* Medvedev sees single currency dream in G8 coin gift Even if Russia's call for a global currency failed to gain much traction at a G8 summit, President Dmitry Medvedev took home a coin meant to symbolize that the dream may one day come true.

* Obama speaks of hopes for Africa US President Barack Obama, on his first trip to sub-Saharan Africa since taking office, has said Africa must take charge of its own destiny in the world.

* Obama tells pope he wants to reduce abortions in U.S. President Barack Obama promised Pope Benedict on Friday that he would do everything possible to reduce the number of abortions in the United States.

* Iran to offer West 'new package' Iran's government says it is preparing a new package of proposals to put to the West.

* Major mosques close in Urumqi, China Five major mosques near the center of violence last weekend in Urumqi, the capital of China's far-west Xinjiang region, were closed Friday morning.

* Tribal region poses harsh test for Pakistan army After relative success against Islamic extremists elsewhere, Pakistan's military faces its toughest test yet — a surgical operation against the country's most dangerous militant.

* U.S. –Russian Summit: Will the Results Match the Rhetoric? After the glow produced by an exchange of warm words by U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev at the Moscow summit earlier this week, many regional analysts and news commentators are looking to the future with a somewhat chillier glance.

* French FM meets Hizbullah legislator France's foreign minister held talks Friday with a Hizbullah legislator in the latest European outreach to the Iranian-backed terror group.

* Egypt drops bid for Palestinian unity government Egypt has ceased efforts to mediate the formation of a national unity government between the rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah, Israel Radio reported on Saturday.