Saturday, March 13, 2010

03/13/10

* Clinton rebukes Israel over East Jerusalem homes US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has sharply rebuked Israel over its recent decision to build new settlements in East Jerusalem.

* China's oil demand increase 'astonishing', says IEA China's demand for oil jumped by an "astonishing" 28% in January compared with the same month a year earlier.

* U.S. promises to halt Israeli building in East Jerusalem A Palestinian official told the newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi Saturday that U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell promised Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that the U.S. will bring a halt to Israeli building in East Jerusalem.

* UN worried by war of words between Israel and Lebanon A recent wave of bellicose rhetoric between Israel and Lebanon has fueled fears the two hostile neighbors could be headed for another conflict.

* India and Russia ink pacts in defence and strategic spheres NEW DELHI: India and Russia on Friday sealed agreements in the defence and strategic spheres.

* Iraq PM uses early lead to pursue new govt allies Seizing on an early lead in Iraq's election, the prime minister's political coalition began reaching out to rivals Friday.

* Somali official to residents: Flee battle zones Frightened Somalis stacked household goods on carts pulled by donkeys and fled the heaviest fighting the capital has seen in almost a year Friday.

* Iraq Election May Leave Kirkuk Status Uncertain Early election results appear to reflect a hardening of divisions between Kurds, Arabs and Turkmens in northern Iraq.

* Obama Nasa plans 'catastrophic' say Moon astronauts Former Nasa astronauts who went to the Moon have told the BBC of their dismay at President Barack Obama's decision to push back further Moon missions.

* Pakistan Army Digs In on Turf of the Taliban From a forward base in the bare brown foothills of the soaring mountains of South Waziristan, Pakistani soldiers fired artillery at insurgents sheltering in scrub across the valley.