World

S'pore, Thailand on human trafficking watch list

The United States has put allies Singapore and Thailand as well as Vietnam on a human trafficking watch list, accusing them of failing to prevent women from being forced into prostitution.

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Australia plane bomb hoaxers face decade in jail

Hoaxers who claim a bomb is onboard a plane or passengers who attack flight crew could be jailed for 10 years under tough new Australian laws announced Monday.

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Nine killed in plane crash of Mexican politician: staff

Nine people have been killed when a plane belonging to a politician running for governor in a Mexican state crashed Sunday, his staff said.

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Israel announces commission to investigate Gaza flotilla

Israel said Sunday "an independent public commission," including two foreign observers, would investigate its naval raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in which nine Turkish activists were killed.

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The Philippines' problematical new veep

There is one big fly in the ointment of reform and clean government promised by the soon-to-be installed administration of Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III: his vice-president Jejomar (JesusJosephMary) Binay.

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Foreign media protest Thai violence against reporters

The foreign media in Thailand have demanded that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva launch an independent probe into attacks on reporters and a condemnation of violence against them during the weeks of confrontation that wracked Bangkok throughout May.

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Argentine football violence exported to South Africa

No one admits to providing them with support, but hundreds of Argentine football hooligans known as 'barras bravas' flew to South Africa for the World Cup.

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Obama urges support for Iranian 'freedom'

US President Barack Obama urged the world to support the Iranian people in their fight for 'freedom', one year after disputed elections triggered major demonstrations.

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Hope for two-state solution 'beginning to erode'

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas warned that lack of progress toward Middle East peace was eroding faith that a two-state solution could end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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South Africa unites for World Cup as party begins

South Africa began the World Cup party Thursday with revellers flocking to a star-studded concert and fan festivals on the eve of Africa's first staging of the biggest show on earth.

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Iran could downgrade ties with UN atomic watchdog

A defiant Iran threatened on Thursday to downgrade ties with the UN atomic energy watchdog in response to new UN sanctions targeting its controversial nuclear programme of uranium enrichment.

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Obama: Mideast 'progress' possible this year

US President Barack Obama is pledging unwavering commitment to forging significant progress in the Middle East this year, despite the furor whipped up by Israel's raid on a Gaza aid flotilla.

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Defiant Iran rejects new UN sanctions

World powers have slapped new military and financial sanctions on Iran aiming to rein in its suspect nuclear program, but stressed that the door remains open for talks.

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US presses China to rein in N Korea

The US is pressing China to rein in North Korea, voicing 'dismay' that the Asian power has not put more pressure on its ally as tensions build over the sinking of a South Korean warship.

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UN slaps fourth set of sanctions on Iran

World powers on Wednesday slapped new military and financial sanctions on Iran aiming to rein in its suspect nuclear program, but stressed that the door remains open for talks.

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Israel working out details of flotilla raid probe

Israel was working out details on Wednesday of a limited internal investigation into its deadly raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla and reportedly was considering easing its blockade of the territory.

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UN to slap fresh sanctions on Iran

The international powers stepped up their battle with Iran over its nuclear program Wednesday with the UN Security Council ready to pass a tough fourth round of sanctions.

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Aquino proclaimed Philippine president

Benigno Aquino was Wednesday proclaimed the next Philippine president after securing one of the most emphatic election wins in the impoverished, corruption-prone nation's history last month.

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UN to vote on new Iran sanctions Wednesday

The UN Security Council is set to slap new sanctions on Iran Wednesday for refusing to rein in its suspect nuclear program, despite warnings from Tehran it will break off talks on the standoff.

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Restoring trust after 'horrible' Copenhagen conference

Six months after failing to reach a binding agreement on climate change, negotiators are meeting in Bonn to try to get the process back on track.

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Gaza flotilla: Beatings, doctored evidence emerge

In the audio one of the ‘activists’ allegedly tells the Israelis, amongst other things, to "go back to Auschwitz" in what appears to be a fake accent from the United States’ deep south.

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Obama wants to know 'whose ass to kick' over oil spill

The fragile economy and environment of the southeastern US coast will take years to recover from the worst oil spill in US history, US officials said, as President Barack Obama bared a spot of raw emotion over the disaster.

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55 bodies found dumped in Mexican mine

Fifty-five bodies were pulled out of a mine airshaft in southern Mexico that authorities say was used for dumping victims of drug-related violence, Guerrero officials said.

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Police deport hooligans, vow to beef up World Cup security

The spectre of hooliganism and crowd trouble stalked the World Cup countdown Monday as a group of hardcore Argentine fans were deported and organisers distanced themselves from a stadium stampede.

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