Fiat plans to buy majority stake in Chrysler

Fiat announced on Friday that it intends to purchase the six percent of automaker Chrysler that the US government currently owns, which would give the Italian company a 52 percent majority stake in Chrysler.

According to Fiat's announcement, the company has told the US Treasury that it intends to use its option to buy the share in Chrysler held by the US government, a deal that will be finalized by June 10. If a price is not agreed on by that time, Fiat will pay the average of the estimates of two investment banks.

In 2009, Fiat bought a twenty percent stake in Chrysler, which had just exited bankruptcy, and has since increased its holding to 46 percent, expected to increase to 57% by the end of this year.

According to analyst Maryann Keller, the deal is a good one for both companies, as "[n]either one has the ability to compete alone in the kind of global environment that they face." Analyst Rebecca Lindland said that the move will also benefit the companies by getting "them out from underneath any hint of government ownership and any of that negativity that went along with the bailout."

Water main bursts in west Edinburgh; traffic, utilities disrupted

In Edinburgh, capital of Scotland, part of an underground water piping system has exploded, forcing local residents to be evacuated. The pipe broke around 03:30 BST (0230 UTC) today, within Allan Park Road, causing flooding in the Slateford area of the city.

A spokesperson for Scottish sewerage and water corporation Scottish Water explained: "Early this morning reports were received of flooding in Allan Park Road and Scottish Water operatives attended the scene. A large diameter water main had burst. The water was shut off and re-routed via other pipes to keep supplies flowing to households in the area. Repairs are under way and the customers affected by the flooding are being offered assistance."

Stating that repairs to resolve this problem had commenced and would take a few hours to conclude, Lothian and Borders Police have advised that the floods may disrupt the supplies of water and other utilities, as well as transportation on roads and railways in the west of Edinburgh. Hospitals and rest homes in the region have been notified of the incident and bottled water is now anticipated to be supplied at these buildings.

According to local residents, Slateford Road (A70), a major throughway, was closed for several hours this morning. Telephony and broadband in the area is disrupted, with local residents and businesses having to rely on cellphones. Further work, such as digging up the road and using temporary traffic lights, will be required to restore these services in the area.

As of 13:15 BST (1215 UTC), Scottish Water has excavated around the burst main, but has not yet begun work on replacing the damaged section of pipe.

Ratko Mladić arrested for war crimes

Ratko Mladić, otherwise known as "The Butcher of Bosnia," has been arrested after being sought for over a decade. The 69-year-old former Serbian general and war crimes suspect was arrested on May 26 by Serbian special police in Lazarevo, Serbia. Mladić was accused of war crimes shortly after the 1992–1995 Bosnian War. He was wanted for genocide and crimes against humanity, including the orchestration of a massacre of over 8000 Muslim Bosniak men and boys in Srebrenica.

The arrest has prompted protests from Serbian nationalists, who herald Mladić as a national hero and patriot. However, the international reaction to Mladić's capture is more positive. French President Nicolas Sarkozy praised Serbia's actions, saying it is another step for Serbia on the path to joining the European Union. Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt gave similar praise, saying that the Serbia's prospects of joining the EU are "brighter than ever."

Serbia's war crimes court ruled that Mladić is fit for trial, despite claims from family and supporters to the contrary. Ratko Mladić's son Darko claims that his father is too weak to face extradition to The Hague for trial. Mladić could face extradition within a matter of days.

US military to withdraw military trainers from Pakistan

The United States military plans to begin to withdraw military training troops from Pakistan after the Pakistani government requested the departure of the troops.

Pentagon spokesperson David Lapan said that official sources from the Pakistani capital of Islamabad requested a scaling down of the American training force, which is estimated to be composed of between 120 and 300 troops, on Wednesday.

"We were recently notified in writing that the government of Pakistan wished for the US to reduce its footprint in Pakistan. Accordingly, we have begun those reductions."

The majority of the US presence in question is comprised of Special Forces troops, who train, prepare and give advice to Pakistani soldiers as part of a wider effort to counter Islamist fighter and terrorist groups, such as al-Qaeda. Mr. Lapan did not specify exactly how many troops would be leaving, though unnamed military sources have said that the total force will number around 50 after the reduction.

The impending withdrawal of troops highlights the tensions between the US and Pakistan in the wake of the American raid on bin Laden’s Abbottabad home, resulting in the death of America's most wanted terrorist. Prior to this announcement, concerns within Pakistan have been raised about whether the attack violated Pakistan's sovereignty, and some lawmakers have called for a review of Pakistani–US relations.

In the days following the raid Pakistan's army chief, General Ashfaq Kayani, said that any comparable raids in Pakistan in the future would lead to a re-evaluation of the nation's military and political collaboration with the US. He also told his commanders of the desire to have the numbers of American troops in Pakistan be brought down to "the minimum level."

UN accuses Australia of 'demonising asylum seekers'

The United Nations Human Rights Commissioner has questioned Australia's tough asylum seeker policies this week, stating that Australia's mandatory detention regime has "cast a shadow" over its human rights record. Navi Pillay, the UN's Human Rights watchdog, was particularly critical of Prime Minister Julia Gillard's asylum seeker trade deal with Malaysia.

This bilateral agreement, if signed, would see 800 refugees attempting to get to Australia by boat immediately transported to Malaysia instead. In return, Australia would take 4,000 genuine refugees from Malaysia over a space of four years. However, Malaysia has not signed either the international Refugee Convention, or the Convention Against Torture. In an interview with the ABC, Ms Pillay voiced concern over this, stating that Australia may "violate refugee law" by sending asylum seekers to a country where no laws are in place to protect them.

Pillay, a South African former anti-apartheid protester, also voiced distress over the omnipresence of political "demonising" of these asylum seekers stating, "[t]he consequence of the constant political refrain that Australia is being 'flooded' by people who are 'queue jumpers' has resulted in a stigmatisation of an entire group of people, irrespective of where they have come from or what dangers they have fled".

In her six-day trip to Australia, the UN Human Rights Commissioner visited two detention centres and said she was overwhelmed with the "grim despondency" of asylum seekers, many of whom wait over 18 months to have their case assessed.

The mistreatment of refugees was today reinforced with the release of an Australian Rights Commission report, which revealed extensive problems of self-harm and depression among detainees at the Villawood Detention Centre in Sydney.

'George Davis is innocent - OK': UK court partially vindicates campaign after 36 years

Thirty-six years after he was found guilty of an armed robbery in London, a court has quashed the conviction of George Davis, ruling it unsafe. The court stopped short of ruling he was definitely innocent, leaving a prominent 1970s campaign that saw "George Davis is innocent - OK" graffiti daubed across the city only partially vindicated.

The case dates back to April 1974, when armed robbers raided the London Electricity Board. A police officer was wounded by a gunshot to the leg. Davis was one of four put on trial the following year, but only he was convicted following two policemen who witnessed the robbery. He received twenty years imprisonment for wounding and armed robbery.

By 1976 he was back out of prison with a Royal Pardon after doubts about his identification were raised by then-Home Secretary Roy Jenkins. The 1970s saw the slogan "George Davis is innocent - OK" written across bridges and buildings around the capital, some of which remains today. Support came from The Who frontman Roger Daltrey, who wore a t-shirt promoting his case, and punk band Sham 69 writing a song about it.

One incident saw a cricket pitch vandalised in 1975, leading to the abandonment of an Ashes Test match in its final day at Headingley. By 1977, however, Davis was back in prison and admitted a role in a different armed robbery, at a Bank of Cyprus branch.

"I have been protesting my innocence since 1974," Davis said yesterday. Lawyers have said evidence that should have overturned the 1975 conviction "had been in the hands of the authorities since 1977."

Following the conviction the case was reviewed by Detective Chief Superintendent Jack Moulder from Hertfordshire Police, who reported back to the Home Office in 1977. Journalist Andy McSmith, writing in The Independent, claims the result "was so damning that for 34 years the Home Office refused to let anyone, including Davis's lawyers, see it."

Moulder's report drew on evidence from Inspector Brian Reynolds, who began the investigation into the robbery before responsibility was passed to the specialist Robbery Squad. Reynolds had criticisms of the Robbery Squad, but said senior officers warned him not to obstruct Davis's conviction in any way. The Robbery Squad was being led by Jack Slipper, whose claim to fame is that he tracked down the Great Train Robbers.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission, which investigates alleged miscarriages of justice, collected evidence in the Davis case and referred it back to the Court of Appeal. 36 years ago, a young barrister called David Whitehouse defended Davis. Yesterday, Whitehouse's last day in court before retiring was in the Court of Appeal, hearing Davis's conviction overturned.

"If George Davis had not been so stupid as to rob a bank I might have got the conviction quashed [in the 70s]," he remarked outside court. Asked about being called stupid, Davis remarked "He can call me what he likes after [all] he's done for me."

The appeal was heard by a panel of three judges. Lord Justice Hughes said they were in a "state of ignorance whether or not the defendant committed this robbery and we are unable positively to exonerate him". "We do not know whether Davis was guilty or not, but his conviction cannot be said to be safe," Hughes concluded.

"I have pursued this appeal for all these years because I wanted all those people who worked for, and helped, the campaign in the 1970s to know that their support was justified," Davis said.

Employees killed in Foxconn manufacturing factory

On Friday evening, an explosion in Chengdu, China caused partial shutdown of a facility operated by Foxconn, one of the world's biggest electronics manufacturers and a major supplier to companies like Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Sony, Apple, Motorola and Nokia. Initial investigations now suggest the explosion was caused by poor ventilation, which lead to high concentrations of combustible dust.

The blast happened at 7:18PM, around the time workers change shifts. A fire followed. Emergency services had control by 7:30PM. At least three people were killed, at least fifteen injured. Foxconn halted production to investigate, saying "All operations at the affected workshop remain suspended and production at all other workshops that carry out similar processing functions have also been halted pending the results of the investigation. All other production operations in our facilities in China continue operating normally."

On Monday, city officials gave the cause as combustible dust in the air at a polishing workshop. Hong Kong-based labor rights group Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior said they reported aluminium dust problems in March when they reviewed working conditions at Foxconn. After the explosion, they commented that workers were complaining "the ventilation of the department is poor. Workers polish the iPad cases to make them shiny. In the process, there is lots of aluminum (aluminium) dust floating in the air. Workers always breathe in aluminum dust even though they put on masks. When workers take off their cotton gloves, their hands are covered with aluminum dust."

Foxconn responded by saying the group was trying to "capitalize on the tragic accident" and misrepresented "Foxconn's commitment to the health and safety of our employees."

Foxconn is responsible for making iPads and iPhones for Apple. Research group IHS iSuppli said the explosion may cause loss of production of 500,000 iPads during this quarter of the year. They said there is a larger facility in Shenzhen, but it cannot cope with re-compensating the possible loss.

The end of an era for Winfrey

The final episode of popular US talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show was recorded yesterday, with audience members saying the host gave an emotional, yet simple farewell.

In contrast with the 25-year running afternoon show's usual proceedings, there were no special guests or surprise gifts. Instead, Winfrey sat solo on her stage in Chicago and used the time to thank her fans and to talk about her life and the importance of striving for one's goals.

Tammy Brownlee, 31, who was in the audience, said "she talked about her upbringing, and that it’s a miracle that she became the person she became". "It was just her the whole time, a recap of what she believed in, what we’ve given her as viewers and what she hopes she has given us," said Nancy Evankoe, 60, who was also present.

Although Winfrey was tearful in her farewell, she made it clear to her fans she will be back. "This is not going to be goodbye. This is the closing of one chapter and the opening of a new one."

Winfrey leaves her show to focus on her new cable channel OWN.

NATO intensifies attack on Libya

In the ongoing attempt to force Muammar Gaddafi from power, NATO aircraft struck at least 15 targets in central Tripoli early yesterday morning.

Libyan state TV station Jamahiriya says nineteen people are dead and 150 more are wounded in what was the largest NATO bombing of Libya yet. The strike lasted 30 minutes and targeted a military facility that had been used to attack civilians, according to a NATO official who spoke with Reuters.

The bombings are part of the U.S. initiative to remove Gaddafi from power, which has since been taken over by NATO. The campaign to halt Gaddafi's 41-year rule of Libya began in response to violent action taken against a public uprising in March. The United Nations approved the NATO bombing campaign to protect Libyan citizens in the civil war.

While the air strikes on the current Libyan regime are being increased, the rebels accepted the U.S. invitation yesterday to open an office in Washington. This does not indicate formal recognition, but it may indicate that the U.S. is following the lead of France and other countries in partnering with the Libyan opposition.

Despite the rebel forces possessing much of eastern Libya and the intensifying attacks on Gaddafi's government, no breakthrough seems imminent in the battle for power, according to the The New York Times.

Gaddafi scoffs at NATO's attacks, claiming he is untouchable as he "lives in the hearts of millions".

Expedition 27 crew successfully returns to Earth

The Expedition 27 crew returned to Earth safely from the International Space Station (ISS) yesterday. The crew landed in Kazakhstan aboard the Soyuz TMA-20 spacecraft, the same craft they launched on last December.

The crew, consisting of commander Dmitri Kondratyev and flight engineers Catherine Coleman and Paolo Nespoli, spent approximately five months in space aboard the ISS.

After landing, recovery teams helped the crew exit their Soyuz capsule and adjust to surface gravity again. While Kondratyev returned to the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Coleman and Nespoli returned to Houston, Texas.

While in space the crew worked on over 150 microgravity experiments and saw the arrival of several spacecraft: a Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle, two Russian Progress cargo ships, the European Johannes Kepler ATV and the space shuttles Discovery and Endeavour on their final flights.

This was Russian cosmonaut and commander Dimitri Kondratyev's first spaceflight, the third for NASA astronaut Catherine Coleman, and the second for European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli.

The crew of STS-134 and Expedition 28 remain aboard the ISS. Three new crew members are expected to launch on June 7 to join their colleagues aboard the orbital outpost.

Police arrest train passenger for a 16-hour loud cellphone conversation

A 39-year old woman, Lakeysha Beard, talked for more than half a day while on an Amtrak train going from Oakland, California to Portland, Oregon. The loud cellphone conversation lasted sixteen hours last Monday, after which police stopped the train for twenty minutes at Salem, Oregon to arrest the woman.

According to the British newspaper Daily Mail, Amtrak has no policy forbidding passengers from talking on the phone on a moving train.

In the train's car, a few passengers asked the woman to put the phone away or to stop a few times during the conversation prior to notifying the train staff. Staff members were unable to convince the woman to end the conversation and stopped the train to arrest the woman and halt the disruption.

As British newspaper Metro mentioned, this cellphone conversation doesn't beat the record 51-hour phone call by Sunil Prabhakar of New Delhi in 2009.

Sydney, Australia etiquette expert Alex Travers, remarking on a train incident in March, said there is a lack of respect for public transportation from younger generations. The U.S. woman in the current incident, Lakeysha Beard, is 39 years old. Travers said, "I'm afraid we are all in a very bad place as far as we feel about our public transport. People think poorly of it, so therefore they are getting on it with a poor attitude." She called youths "me-oriented" and said that they "do what they want to do" without thinking about others on the vehicle.

London policeman charged over G20 protest death

An officer with London's Metropolitan Police has been charged with causing the death of a man caught up in the G20 protests in 2009. PC Simon Harwood is accused of the manslaughter of Ian Tomlinson, who died after Harwood hit him with a baton before pushing him to the ground.

Homeless paper-seller Tomlinson was pushed from behind outside the Bank of England as he walked back from work. He died within minutes. The death was filmed and attracted international media attention.

Last year, Keir Starmer, Director of Public Prosecutions for England and Wales, announced that no charges would be brought due to conflicting medical evidence. That decision was placed under review after an inquest jury ruled last month that Tomlinson had been unlawfully killed.

Starmer met with the Tomlinson family today, informing them of his changed decision before the Crown Prosecution Service released a statement by him. In it, he explained that the inquest evidence had changed his position.

He named two areas in which the inquest has had an impact: One is extra medical evidence and the other is questioning in court to assess conflicting medical evidence from different sources. "But for the inquest, the significant conflicts in the evidence that had previously existed could not have been addressed; and the inquest process, which is less confined than a criminal trial, has allowed a degree of clarity to emerge," said Starmer.

He adds that "the position in relation to the medical evidence about the cause of death has clearly changed," although he cautioned that the prosecution will remain difficult owing to conflicting medical evidence. Starmer continued, saying that "it is clearly in the public interest that criminal proceedings be brought. Accordingly, a summons charging PC Harwood with the manslaughter of Mr Tomlinson has been obtained .... He will appear before [City of Westminster Magistrates' Court] on 20 June 2011."

Tornado touches down in Joplin, Missouri

A tornado touched down yesterday in Joplin, Missouri, causing widespread damage. At least 89 were killed.

The path of the tornado was reported to be from one half to three quarters of a mile wide. City spokeswoman Lynn Onstot estimated the path to be nearly four miles long; Jasper County emergency management director Keith Stammer put its length around six miles.

Witnesses described entire blocks of buildings destroyed. Steve Runnels of the National Weather Service said "We have reports of significant structural damage to strong buildings. Automobiles have been flipped, bark was stripped off trees."

Among the properties damaged was a local hospital, St. John's Regional Medical Center. Some patients were hurt, and all were evacuated to other regional hospitals. The local high school, Joplin High School, was also hit. Describing the damage, its principal, Kerry Sachetta, said "You see pictures of World War II, the devastation and all that with the bombing. That's really what it looked like. I couldn't even make out the side of the building."

Joplin has a population of about 50,000.

President Barack Obama has ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support state and local efforts in response and recovery. He issued a statement with condolences to the families of victims.

Pakistani militants take hostages in Karachi base revenge attack; ten soldiers killed

Pakistani militants killed ten soldiers and injured fifteen more during an attack on PNS Mehran, a military base in Karachi, in a revenge strike after the killing of Osama bin Laden. Commandos have cleared the base of militants; three of the attackers were reported also to have been killed. The militants reportedly took hostages inside the base but officials said they all had been rescued unharmed.

Military forces continued to fight off the militants on Monday morning, hours after the attack began the night before when as many as twenty militants stormed hangars at the base and used rocket-propelled grenades to destroy a number of military aircraft, including a P-3C Orion. Witnesses reported hearing a number of loud explosions and heavy gunfire as the militants continued to attack the base. "They were carrying guns, rocket-propelled grenades and hand grenades," a spokesperson for the Pakistan navy said. Yusuf Raza Gilani, the prime minister, said the attack was a "cowardly act of terror".

Reports last night indicated hostages may have been taken at the base, but officials have confirmed all foreigners at the base are safe and any hostages taken have been freed. Commandos moved in after the attack begun and fighting continued throughout the night, and more loud explosions and gunfire were heard in the base on Monday morning.

Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan has claimed responsibility for the attack; a spokesperson said it was a revenge attack for the killing of Osama bin Laden by U.S. special forces earlier this month. "It was the revenge of martyrdom of Osama bin Laden," the spokesperson said. "It was the proof that we are still united and powerful." The group warned after the death of bin Laden that they would attack Pakistani military targets.

Unrest spreads to Morocco; police violently break up demonstrations

Pro-democracy protests by Moroccans in the capital of Rabat and city of Casablanca on Sunday were violently broken up by police. Protesters called for a reduction in the power of the monarchy, a strengthening of the power of the Prime Minister and a reformation of the judiciary.

Police, armed with batons and shields, were seen violently beating protesters and chasing them away. The protesters in Casablanca chanted "[p]rotest is a legal right, why is the Makhzen afraid?" in reference to the royal court, and "Makhzen get out. Down with despotism." Others chanted "we want our rights, even if we are condemned to death," before fleeing to avoid armed police.

The police and the government were acting to try to stop a mass camp out protest similar to that seen earlier this year in Egypt's Tahrir Square, which eventually lead to the falling of the government. One senior police officer stated "we have been called here to preserve order because of this unauthorised protest."

The king called for a constitutional reformation on March 9, and the changes are expected to be announced in June. This is not the first protest that has been held recently. On May 15, protesters attempted to hold a rally outside intelligence headquarters in Rabat; this protest too was violently dispersed.

Two dead as earthquake strikes Kütahya, Turkey

Two people were killed in a magnitude 5.9 earthquake in Turkey shortly before midnight local time on Thursday. The epicenter was located in Simav, Kütahya, and was at a depth of 7.6 km. In the hours following the initial earthquake, Kütahya was shaken by several aftershocks.

Officials said two people were killed; one was thought to have suffered a heart attack and the other died after jumping from a window in panic. Dozens more were injured. Emergency services dispatched search and rescue crews and gave out blankets, food and water. Officials said a wastewater dam had not been damaged by the earthquake, and it posed "no risk."

The earthquake was felt as far away as the Aegean province of İzmir, the northwestern provinces of Bursa and İstanbul, and even the city of Edirne, not far from the Bulgarian and Greek and borders, because the depth was very shallow. More than 18,000 people died following two earthquakes with a magnitude of more than 7.0 in northwestern Turkey in 1999.

Pope speaks with astronauts in orbit for first time

Pope Benedict XVI spoke with astronauts aboard the International Space Station yesterday, marking the first time a pope has conversed with astronauts in orbit.

Organized by the European Space Agency (ESA), the call originated from the Vatican Library at 7:11 am Eastern time. German ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter, president of the Italian Space Agency Enrico Saggese, and General Giuseppe Bernardis of the Italian Air Force were also in the room at the Vatican. Aboard the spacecraft were Italian, U.S., and Russian crew members of the Endeavour STS-134 mission and Expedition 27.

Endeavour commander and U.S. astronaut Mark Kelly greeted His Holiness aboard the spacecraft. The Pope wished Kelly's wife, Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, well as she recovers from an assassination attempt that took place in January. Doctors inserted a hard plastic implant, or a bone flap, into Giffords's skull last Wednesday. The Pope also asked of the astronauts' impressions of the planet from space.

"We fly over most of the world and we don't see borders, but at the same time we realize that people fight with each other and there is a lot of violence in this world," Kelly said. The Pope sent his condolences to Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli, whose mother died earlier this month while he was in space.

Four killed in militant attack on Karachi military base

At least four people have been killed in a militant attack on a Pakistani military base in Karachi. Explosions and gunfire were heard inside the base during the latest militant attack since U.S. forces killed Osama bin Laden in a raid on his compound in the country earlier this month.

Officials said as many as twenty militants may have attacked PNS Mehran in Karachi, the largest city in the country, and confirmed four had been injured and five wounded. Reports indicate Pakistani forces at the base are fighting back against the attackers; one military aircraft has been destroyed.

There are likely to be questions over how militants were able to infiltrate the base, even after warnings from the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan that there will be reprisal attacks for the killing of Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda, in Pakistan this month. A spokesperson for the militant group said they would launch attacks on Pakistani military forces to avenge the terrorist leader.

Libya releases four foreign journalists

Wednesday saw Libya release four journalists, detained for six weeks and, accused of entering the country illegally. The two Americans, one British, and Spanish correspondents were taken to Tripoli's Rixo hotel upon their release.

James Foley, Clare Morgana Gillis, Nigel Chandler and Spanish photographer Manu Brabo were captured on April 4 by Muammar al-Gaddafi's military; the day prior to their release, a suspended sentence of one year and $154 fine were imposed for their illegal entry to Libya.

Moussa Ibrahim, a government spokesman, said the detainees are free to stay and carry on reporting in Libya or, if they requested to leave, could be escorted to the Tunisian border. Claiming their detention was due to confusion over the journalists' identities, and citing foreign combatants fighting with rebel forces, as the cause of the mix-up, Ibrahim offered an apology and stated that, as journalists, they are harmless.

The journalists worked for The New York Times, GlobalPost, the Atlantic, USA Today, and the BBC. The fate of South African photographer Anton Hammerl is still unclear and he is believed to be still missing.

The foreign journalists were held in different detention centres around Tripoli and refused contact with the outside world.

The conflict between uprising rebel forces and Gaddafi's Libyan government continues from February this year.

Under the UN, NATO forces are currently carrying out air strikes across Libya recently focussing attacks in Tripoli. Aiming to protect civillians from Col Muammer Gaddafi trying to quash the anti-government rebellion.

Obama supports Middle East protesters in speech

U.S. president Barack Obama has put the support of his administration behind protesters demanding democracy in the Middle East and North Africa, demanded Syrian president Bashar al-Assad embrace reforms or resign, and warned a failure to address the uprisings in the region could lead to deep division between the U.S. and Muslim nations.

In a speech in Washington, D.C., Obama said it was a "historic opportunity" for his government to "promote reform, and to support transitions to democracy" in the region. Warning of "a deepening spiral of division between the United States and Muslim communities," he pledged to invest in a democratic future for Tunisia and Egypt, where protesters have overthrown dictators in the past few months. "Strategies of repression and diversion won’t work anymore," he said, announcing a "new chapter" in Washington diplomacy.

He also criticized the government of Bahrain for attacking peaceful protesters and conducting mass arrests. A crackdown on protesters, he said, "will not make legitimate calls for reform go away." Obama defended his decision to launch military action in Libya, saying "thousands would have been killed," and accused Muammar Gaddafi of launching "a war against his people, promising to hunt them down like rats." Gaddafi, he said, will "inevitably" leave or be forced from power.

After imposing sanctions on Syria this week as military forces in the country clamp down on demonstrators in the capital, Damascus, Obama again condemned violence against peaceful protesters. He demanded the administration of president Assad stop shooting protesters and allow peaceful demonstrations, release political prisoners, and pass democratic reforms. "The Syrian people have shown their courage in demanding a transition to democracy," he said. Assad, he added, could either lead the transition or "get out of the way."

Speaking at the U.S. State Department, Obama said he would react to the uprising in the region "in a way that advances our values and strengthens our security." He pledged to broaden the approach of his government beyond counterterrorism and ceasing the spread of nuclear weapons, to crack down on oppressive dictatorships which would harm U.S. interests. Unveiling a series of new economic initiatives intended to force out dictators, Obama pledged aid for Tunisia and Egypt to help them transform into democratic states.

The speech is being seen by analysts as an attempt by Obama to reach out to Muslim communities abroad amid U.S. unpopularity. The president is also trying to convince his U.S. audience that the outcome of the Arab Spring will have an impact on the future of the U.S. and is worth spending money on during tumultuous economic times in Washington.

The push for democracy began in January, as protesters in Tunisia overthrew president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in January. A month later, Hosni Mubarak was forced to resign from the Egyptian presidency. In Libya, demonstrators continue to try to topple Gaddafi, but have faced heavy bombardment from government forces.

Obama also signaled that al-Qaeda is "losing its struggle for relevance" amid the uprising in the region, and said Osama bin Laden was rapidly losing followers before his death earlier this month. As the uprising spread, the agenda of the terrorist organization responsible for the attacks of September 11, 2001, was at a "dead end," he said. "Through the moral force of nonviolence, the people of the region have achieved more change in six months than terrorists have accomplished in decades."

He called on Israel and Palestine to begin talks based on the 1967 borders as the conflict stalls. "No peace can be imposed upon them, nor can endless delay make the problem go away," Obama said. "A lasting peace will involve two states for two peoples." But Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu tonight rejected the suggestion because it would endanger Israeli security.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn resigns as head of IMF

Dominique Strauss-Kahn has resigned as the head of the International Monetary Fund after he was arrested and charged with sexually attacking a chambermaid at a hotel in New York. In a statement to the executive board of the IMF, he said he was resigning from his position "with immediate effect" to "devote all my strength, all my time, and all my energy to proving my innocence." Officials at the IMF said they would soon be releasing information about his successor.

In the statement to the board, he said it was "with infinite sadness" that he had to resign, and paid tribute to the IMF. "To all, I want to say that I deny with the greatest possible firmness all of the allegations that have been made against me," he said.

The politician is currently being held at the notorious Rikers Island, where he has been put on suicide watch, after a judge at a court in Manhattan denied him bail for fears he was a flight risk after he reportedly tried to flee the country on a passenger jet. In court earlier this week, where Strauss-Kahn appeared tired, he denied the charges against him and offered $1,000,000 bail, but the judge refused.

Prosecutors allege Strauss-Kahn sexually assaulted a chambermaid at a luxury hotel near Times Square. "The maid described being forcibly attacked, locked in the room and sexually assaulted," a spokesperson for the New York Police Department said.

Detectives said the politician was detained in the first class cabin of the Air France passenger plane which was minutes from leaving for Paris. Strauss-Kahn had reportedly fled the hotel "in a hurry" after the attack, leaving a number of personal effects behind. He was charged with committing a criminal sexual act, attempted rape, sexual abuse, unlawful imprisonment and forcible touching.

Investigators have this week continued to search the hotel room where the alleged attack took place, removing a piece of carpet in the suite which they hope will prove the allegation by the chambermaid that he forced her to have oral sex. Benjamin Brafman, the lawyer defending Strauss-Kahn, said forensic evidence found in the room at the Sofitel New York hotel "will not be consistent with a forcible encounter".

Strauss-Kahn is to make another court appearance to plead for bail again this morning, Brafman said; the defence is reportedly considering telling the judge he will surrender his passport, wear an electronic tag, and remain under strict living conditions.

The IMF has said it will soon release information about Strauss-Kahn's successor; John Lipsky, the deputy head, has been acting as head since the arrest at the weekend. The incident comes at a critical time for the IMF as it tries to the financial states of struggling eurozone countries. Strauss-Kahn was meant to discuss the bailouts of Greece and Portugal with European Union financial officials at a meeting in Brussels earlier this week.

Before his arrest he was expected to announce his candicacy in the race for the French presidency, and analysts suggested he posed a real threat to Nicolas Sarkozy, but the charges will likely put and end to the hopes of his supporters.

Elizabeth II begins state visit to Ireland amid protests, security fears

Elizabeth II has begun the first state visit by a British monarch to Ireland and yesterday laid a wreath at the Garden of Rememberance in Dublin, which commemorates Irish republicans who fought for independence. The tour comes amid protests by republicans and a massive security crackdown—this morning the Irish Army destroyed a pipe bomb on a bus destined for the capital described as "viable".

Mary McAleese, the president of Ireland, greeted Elizabeth—wearing a jade green outfit—and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, when she arrived at Aras an Uachtarain after landing at Baldonnel military airbase yesterday morning. The Irish tricolour and the Union flag flew above the home of the president; Elizabeth was welcomed with a flypast and 21 gun salute.

After lunch, she was shown the Book of Kells—an ancient Latin manuscript containing the gospels of the New Testament—at Trinity College. Arriving at the Garden of Remembrance shortly afterwards, she bowed her head stood for a moment of silence after laying a wreath to remember Irish republicans who fought for independence against British rule. The laying of the wreath is seen as a hugely symbolic moment in the first visit to the country by a British monarch since 1911, when George V travelled to Ireland while it was still part of the United Kingdom.

While most of Ireland seems to support the visit by the head of the British monarchy, the military and the Garda have launched the largest security operation in the history of the country amid fears republican dissidents might launch an attack. More than 6,000 police and soldiers have been deployed in Dublin, and much of the city has been closed off. On Monday night, a bomb—described as "viable"—was found in the luggage compartment of a bus in County Kildare. All the passengers were evacuated from the bus and the Irish army later performed acontrolled explosion on the device to make it safe. Police in London also warned on Monday they had received a bomb threat, which, according to sources, was from republican dissidents and was written in code.

Hundreds of republican protesters opposed to the peace process clashed with Garda on the streets of Dublin yesterday, throwing cans, bottles and fireworks at police lines. Riot officers fought off demonstrators throwing bricks, and 21 protesters were arrested. "Whatever the turnout the problem in Ireland has not gone away, namely the British presence in the north of our country," Ruarai O'Bradaigh, a prominent republican dissident and a former chief of staff at the IRA, said. "Resistance to that presence just like the presence of the English Queen will continue."

The visit is to last four days, during which time Elizabeth is to visit Croke Park, a football stadium where British forces fired on football supporters in 1920 during the Irish War of Independence, killing 14 players and spectators. She is also to travel to County Tipperary to see the Rock of Cashel and will see the Irish National Stud in County Kildare. Although there have been small demonstrations, journalists in Ireland say the mood is largely supportive of the visit. "It was one small step for the Queen—one huge moment in British-Irish history. It is 100 years since a British monarch has been in Ireland. Many thought a king or queen would never be welcomed back," Mark Simpson, a BBC reporter, said. "Whatever the security concerns, this has been a landmark moment in Dublin. In truth, it's one that most people living in Ireland today thought they would never see."

Dominique Strauss-Kahn refused bail after appearance in New York court

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the head of the International Monetary Fund, has been refused bail after appearing in court in New York charged with sexually assaulting a chambermaid at a hotel in Manhattan. The decision by the judge to remand him in custody yesterday will likely disrupt emergency talks over the European debt crisis, demolish hopes that he will challenge Nicolas Sarkozy for the French presidency, and spell the end of his political career.

In court, Strauss-Kahn appeared sombre and tired. The judge agreed with the argument by the prosecution that the French politician was a flight risk after he reportedly tried to flee the country on a passenger jet for Paris. The defence said Strauss-Kahn denied the charges against him and offered $1,000,000 bail and said he would reside in Manhattan with an electronic bracelet, but the judge refused. Afterwards, defence lawyer Benjamin Brafman said: "This battle has just begun."

The politician appeared in court charged with three crimes, including attempted rape, after a chambermaid told detectives she had been sexually assaulted by Strauss-Kahn in a luxury hotel near Times Square. "The maid described being forcibly attacked, locked in the room and sexually assaulted," a spokesperson for the New York Police Department said. Detectives said the politician was detained in the first class cabin of the passenger plane which was minutes from leaving for Paris. Strauss-Kahn had reportedly fled the hotel "in a hurry" after the attack, leaving a number of personal effects behind.

Prosecutors have last night announced they are investigating claims made by a French author, Tristane Banon, that she was sexually assaulted by Strauss-Kahn in 2002. At the time, her mother—socialist councillor Anne Mansouret— persuaded her not to press charges against him, but yesterday she told French television that Strauss-Kahn had an "addiction" to "preying" on women, and had "a difficulty in controlling his impulses." The author's lawyer has announced he is planning to file a complaint with Banon to officials about the alleged attack. Kahn can be convicted and sentenced over the alleged attacks on the chambermaid and on Banon because he does not have diplomatic immunity.

Strauss-Kahn was considered a serious contender and was expected to announce his candidacy against Sarkozy this month, but the allegations are expected to destroy the hopes of his supporters, increase infighting among the French left, and leave his political career in tatters. His arrest comes at a critical moment for the IMF, and will likely plunge efforts to stabilise the financial states of struggling eurozone countries into chaos. Strauss-Kahn was meant to discuss the bailouts of Greece and Portugal with European Union financial officials at a meeting in Brussels this week.

Former Louisiana Tech University President F. Jay Taylor dies aged 87

F. Jay Taylor, the former president of Louisiana Tech University, died Sunday aged 87. Taylor held the post from 1962 until his retirement in 1987. During his tenure, Taylor made major changes to the university, securing funds to improve campus infrastructure. He started his career as a historian and was also a Naval aviator who served during World War II.

Dan Reneau, the current president of the university and vice president under Taylor, released a statement shortly after Taylor's death. He paid tribute to the former president, saying, "Dr. Taylor was a great leader and great president. I was privileged to serve seven years under him as vice president. A senior statesman and point guard in the Tech family has fallen, and we will miss him greatly."

While president of Louisiana Tech, Taylor worked on adding buildings to the site, as well as improving the school's athletics program. He said in a 2003 interview that "[his] goal was to help bring Louisiana Tech onto the national and international scene."

Taylor is survived by his wife, Lou. Funeral arrangements were not immediately announced.

Space Shuttle Endeavour launches for final time

The Space Shuttle Endeavour launched on its final mission, STS-134, at 8:56 AM EDT Monday. The mission's primary objectives are to deliver Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer 2 and ExPRESS Logistics Carrier 3, as well as other materials and supplies, to the International Space Station (ISS).

The shuttle launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida with six crewmembers aboard, including mission commander Mark Kelly, pilot Gregory Johnson, and mission specialists Roberto Vittori, Andrew Feustel, and Gregory Chamitoff.

The shuttle is scheduled to arrive and dock with the ISS on Wednesday morning (EDT) to begin a two-week stay aboard the orbiting laboratory. While aboard the station, the crew is scheduled to perform four extra-vehicular activities, or spacewalks, to install components to the exterior of the ISS.

Endeavour is scheduled to land for the final time on June 1st.

Mission commander Mark Kelly is the husband of U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who was wounded in the 2011 Tucson shooting. Rep. Giffords flew to Kennedy Space Center to witness the launch.

The launch was originally scheduled for April 29, but was delayed hours before the launch after the discovery of a technical problem that required that the launch be scrubbed in order to be fixed.

Before liftoff, commander Mark Kelly shared his thoughts on the mission: "As Americans, we endeavour to build a better life than the generation before and endeavour to be a united nation. In those efforts we are often tested. This mission represents the power of teamwork, commitment and exploration. It is in the DNA of our country to reach for the stars and explore. We must not stop."

Approximately 500,000 spectators came to Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the launch, but a passenger aboard a commercial flight from New York to Palm Beach, Stefanie Gordon, obtained video from her seat on the airplane.

STS-134 is the 25th and final mission of the Space Shuttle Endeavour, and the 134th and penultimate mission of the Space Shuttle Program. Endeavour, NASA's youngest space shuttle, was originally built to replace the Space Shuttle Challenger after the 1986 disaster that killed its seven crewmembers during the ill-fated launch of the STS-51-L mission. Endeavour's first flight was STS-49 in May 1992.

There is only one scheduled shuttle mission remaining after STS-134, which will be STS-135. That mission, using Space Shuttle Atlantis, is currently scheduled for a July launch.

"Today's final launch of Endeavour is a testament to American ingenuity and leadership in human spaceflight," commented NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, who is a former astronaut and veteran of four spaceflights himself. "As we look toward a bright future with the International Space Station as our anchor and new destinations in deep space on the horizon, we salute the astronauts and ground crews who have ensured the orbiter's successful missions. The presence of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords at the launch inspired us all, just as America's space program has done for the past 50 years."

Shriver speaks out over Schwarzenegger’s affair and love child

Maria Shriver has broken her silence and spoken out after revelations her husband Arnold Schwarzenegger had an affair and fathered a love child with a household staff member 10 years ago.

"This is a painful and heartbreaking time," she said in a statement released to American news organizations. "As a mother, my concern is for the children. I ask for compassion, respect and privacy as my children and I try to rebuild our lives and heal."

Shriver, 55, and Schwarzenegger, 63, have four children together: Katherine, 21, Christina, 19, Patrick, 17, and Christopher, 13.

On their Twitter accounts, the couple’s children expressed their feelings. Patrick, who changed his name on the account from Schwarzenegger to Shriver, wrote, "Some days you feel like shit, some days you want to quit and just be normal for a bit, yet i love my family till death do us apart. #family."

Katherine, the eldest of the four children, wrote, “This is definitely not easy but I appreciate your love and support as i begin to heal and move forward in life. I will always love my family!”

The former California first couple’s split went public yesterday after Schwarzenegger, admitted to fathering a child with a member of their household staff.

The Los Angeles Times reports that the staff member, whose name will not be released for her and her child’s privacy, worked for the family for 20 years, retiring in January.

"After leaving the governor's office I told my wife about this event, which occurred over a decade ago," Schwarzenegger said in the statement on Monday night to the Los Angeles Times.

"I understand and deserve the feelings of anger and disappointment among my friends and family," Schwarzenegger said. "There are no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused. I have apologised to Maria, my children and my family. I am truly sorry."

In his statement, Schwarzenegger, most famous for his role in the Terminator movies, asked the media to respect his privacy and to "respect my wife and children through this extremely difficult time."

"While I deserve your attention and criticism, my family does not," he said.

Tasmanians protest against pulp mill

Over 3000 protesters, dressed in black, marched the streets of Launceston, Australia on Saturday to show their opposition to the construction of a pulp mill by Gunns Limited. This follows the release of a survey, which showed that 40 percent of Tasmanians oppose the project.

The mill has previously been opposed by the Launceston Environment Centre [LEC] and the Tasmanian branch of the Australian Medical Association [AMA], due to concerns about negative environmental and social impacts of liquid waste and air pollution. The LEC claims that there will be eight deaths per year from increased air pollution, and the AMA has already expressed concerns about Launcestons' current air quality,

"Launceston has one of the worst air qualities within Australia," according to a written statement the AMA made in 2006. The statement also attacks the quality of modelling conducted by Gunns during the assessment of the mill. It says that PM_2.5 scale particulates are "closely associated with the adverse health effects of particle air pollution", but were not measured in the assessment process.

The pulp mill was green-lighted by environment minister Tony Burke in March, although no reassessments of air quality have been undertaken by Gunns. The company has stated that more work needs to be done to convince Tasmanians that air quality will not be reduced by the project.

Judge Dannii Minogue exits UK X Factor over 'Australia's Got Talent' scheduling clash

Australian singer Dannii Minogue has made the decision to depart from the judging panel of The X Factor, a televised singing competition in the United Kingdom. In a statement, she said: "I am so disappointed that I can't be a part of The X Factor this year. I'm going to miss the show and the amazing team who work so incredibly hard on it."

Since her first appearance on The X Factor in 2007, Minogue has gone on to mentor two series-winning acts, Leon Jackson and Matt Cardle. When attributing the reason for her departure, which occurred a short time period before the launch of the eighth series of the competition, Minogue stated, "[d]uring discussions for me to return [to The X Factor] it became clear that unfortunately, this year, the X Factor audition dates in the UK clash with the live shows of Australia's Got Talent [on which she is a judge] during June and July. For this reason I am unable to return."

According to Metro.co.uk, British musician Tulisa Contostavlos from English group N-Dubz will be employed in the position Minogue was on The X Factor. Various users of social networking website Twitter reacted negatively to this news, the Metro reported.

One source close to the programme told Sky News that Contostavlos is "not a reality TV creation, she's created herself" and that "[e]veryone on the show has met her, and they loved her. She's the real deal." He also reported that "the singer from north London also fits 'the right age demographic'".

Police warn of possible bomb threat in central London

British police have announced there is a possible bomb threat to central London. Reports indicate the warning may have come from Irish republican dissidents opposed to the peace process, only a day before Elizabeth II is to travel to Ireland.

"A bomb threat warning has been received relating to central London today," Metropolitan Police force said in a statement this afternoon. "The threat is not specific in relation to location or time." There are suggestions the warning may have come to the police last night in coded form.

Sky News has reported sources have indicated the threat was made by Irish republican dissidents, although British police tried to play down fears. "The threat level from Irish-related terrorism has not increased and remains at substantial," they said in the statement.

IMF head remains in New York prison; charged over alleged hotel sex attack

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the head of the International Monetary Fund, remained in jail last night after being charged with sexually attacking a chambermaid at a New York City hotel. Strauss-Kahn has agreed to undergo forensic screening before he appears in court, and has vowed to "vigorously" defend himself against the charges, which are likely to create a leadership void at the IMF, disrupt emergency talks over the European debt crisis, and spell the end of his political career.

Strauss-Khan was the favourite candidate for the French presidency, and was expected to announce he would stand against Nicolas Sarkozy this month. But the allegations are expected to destroy the hopes of his supporters, increase infighting among the French left, and leave his political career in tatters. His arrest comes at a critical moment for the IMF, and will likely plunge efforts to stabilise the financial states of struggling eurozone countries into chaos. He was meant to discuss the bailouts of Greece and Portugal with European Union financial officials at a meeting in Brussels this week.

Eswar Shanker Prasad, a professor of international economics at Cornell University, said: "This sordid episode – no matter how it ultimately plays out – will spell the end of Strauss-Kahn as an effective leader of the IMF even if he retains his position, which is highly unlikely." The IMF, however, insisted it remained "fully functioning and operational."

Strauss-Kahn was to appear in court in Manhattan yesterday charged with three crimes, including attempted rape, but the hearing has been delayed so he can undergo forensic tests. He was taken into custody by officials while on an Air France passenger plane which was about to take off from John F. Kennedy International Airport for Paris; when detectives approached him in the first class cabin in the aircraft he reportedly asked: "What is this about?" Strauss-Khan reportedly fled the hotel "in a hurry" after the attack, leaving a number of personal effects behind. "If our officers had been ten minutes later he would have been in the air and on their way to France," a spokesperson for the New York Police Department said.

The chambermaid reported that she had been sexually assaulted by a man staying in a "luxury suite" at the Sofitel hotel near Times Square. "The maid described being forcibly attacked, locked in the room and sexually assaulted," the police spokesperson said. Strauss-Kahn came out of the shower naked while the chambermaid was working in the room, tried to pull the woman onto the bed and locked the door, The New York Times reported, quoting police sources. She allegedly fought him off, but he sexually assaulted her again after dragging her to the bathroom, before he locked her in the room; she was reportedly hospitalized afterwards with trauma.

In 2008, a year after becoming the leader of the IMF, Strauss-Kahn was reprimanded by the organization's board after being involved in an extramarital affair with another senior executive at the bank. More recently, he was pictured driving a luxury car in Paris, causing a media furore over whether his lifestyle fitted with the socialist attitude he claims to represent. But his wife, former television star Anne Sinclair, has dismissed the accusations. She said: "I do not believe for one second the accusations brought against my husband. I have no doubt his innocence will be established."