Egypt TV show stirs debate over Muslim Brotherhood (AP)

AP - The bearded young cleric yells at a young woman for lifting her traditional veil from her face while speaking to him on the street, and rants against Egyptians who adopt Western lifestyles and values. His followers beat up an opponent.

Gates visits US forces in southern Afghanistan (AP)

AP - As the last of 30,000 U.S. reinforcements arrive in Afghanistan, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Friday got a firsthand look at operations in the dangerous south where Afghan and international troops are ramping up security.

Mexico: Soldiers kill 25 in troubled border state (AP)

AP - Soldiers killed at least 25 suspected cartel members Thursday in a raid and gunbattle in a Mexican state near the U.S. border that has become one of the most dangerous battlegrounds in the country's drug war.

Pakistan Taliban take responsibility for bombings (Reuters)

Reuters - Pakistan's Taliban on Friday took responsibility for triple bombings at a Shi'ite Muslim procession this week, challenging the civilian government further as it struggles with a flood crisis.

Pakistan Taliban take responsibility for bombings

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan's Taliban on Friday took responsibility for triple bombings at a Shi'ite Muslim procession this week, challenging the civilian government further as it struggles with a flood crisis.

US, SKorea to hold further naval drills (AP)

AP - South Korea and the United States will hold joint anti-submarine exercises in another show of force against North Korea, officials said Friday, as Pyongyang renewed threats against the drills.

Villagers flee as Indonesia volcano erupts again

SURBAKTI (Reuters) - An Indonesian volcano that lay dormant for 400 years erupted yet again on Friday, shooting a mushroomed-shape plume of smoke 3 km (2 miles) into the air and prompting the second evacuation of terrified residents.

Religious Minorities Suffering Worst in Pakistan Floods (Time.com)

Time.com - Amid the catastrophes, the country's religious minorities are under assault -- and one group has allegedly been denied official assistance

Mideast peace talks under way

Direct talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders resumed with pledges of support for a peace process leading to a comprehensive settlement within a year.

NASA to present options for miners

NASA experts will present options and recommendations Friday evening after assessing the situations and needs of the 33 miners trapped far below the surface of the Earth.

Capello looks to silence critics in Euro opener (AFP)

AFP - Fabio Capello launches his quest for redemption on Friday knowing only a convincing victory by a makeshift England team over Bulgaria can hush a growing band of critics clamouring for his dismissal.

Japan approves economic sanctions against Iran (AP)

AP - Japan approved fresh economic sanctions against Iran on Friday after the United Nations asked Tokyo to tighten restrictions against Tehran over its controversial nuclear enrichment program, an official said.

BOJ to stand pat next week, eyes easing next month

TOKYO (Reuters) - The Bank of Japan is expected to hold off on easing monetary policy next week but is gearing up for further action in October as the strong yen threatens to derail its forecast of a moderate economic recovery, sources said.

Drug shootout with army kills 25 in Mexico

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - At least 25 suspected drug gang members were killed in an army raid in rural northeastern Mexico on Thursday, the army said in a press release.

Federer progresses as seeds fall

Roger Federer overcomes windy conditions to beat Andreas Beck and reach the US Open third round, but seeds Nikolay Davydenko and Maran Cilic crash out.

Salvador bans gang membership after bus massacre (AP)

AP - El Salvador has made it illegal to belong to a street gang in the wake of an attack on a passenger bus that killed 17 people.

Pakistan trio hit by ICC charges

Three Pakistan cricketers accused of corruption are set to be questioned again by police, after being charged and provisionally suspended by the International Cricket Council.

Bermuda under tropical storm warning

As Hurricane Earl approached the U.S. East Coast on Thursday, two other tropical storms were churning in the Atlantic Ocean, with one prompting a tropical storm watch for Bermuda.

Wozniacki through after whitewash

Top seed Caroline Wozniacki cruises into the third round of the US Open with a blistering 6-0 6-0 win over Chinese Taipei's Kai-Chen Changon.

Swing-vote Australia MP hints at possible Labor deal

CANBERRA (Reuters) - One of three independent MPs needed by Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard to form a minority government hinted on Friday he could negotiate on Labor's mining profits tax he has previously opposed.

Murray ready for Jamaica's Brown

Britain's Andy Murray takes on Dustin Brown of Jamaica in the second round of the US Open, with the threat of Hurricane Earl hanging over New York.

IMF Tingkatkan Bantuan untuk Korban Banjir Pakistan

Dana Moneter Internasional (IMF) mengumumkan akan menambah dana untuk Pakistan yang dilanda banjir, selagi PBB memperingatkan bantuan internasional tertinggal secara signifikan.

IMF mengatakan bulan ini pihaknya akan memberi Pakistan 450 juta dollar dalam bantuan darurat banjir. Langkah itu mengikuti penambahan dana serupa oleh Palang Merah dan Bank Dunia. Hari Rabu, Bank Dunia menyatakan pihaknya akan menambah dana sebesar 100 juta dollar, menjadi satu milyar dollar.

Para pejabat PBB berulang kali mendesak masyarakat internasional agar mempercepat pengiriman bantuan ke Pakistan, di mana para korban banjir mulai memperlihatkan rasa frustrasi dan penolakan karena lambannya pemberian bantuan.

Pejabat Komite Palang Merah Internasional, Jacques de Maio mengatakan para pekerjanya terpaksa meninggalkan tempat pembagian bantuan dua kali dalam seminggu terakhir karena massa yang marah. Menurutnya, sangat penting untuk menjaga agar kerusuhan demikian tidak menjalar atau menghalangi upaya bantuan.

Bencana banjir itu telah menewaskan sekitar 1.600 orang, menyengsarakan hampir 20 juta lainnya, dan menggenangi wilayah yang sangat luas.

 

Sudan's north-south faultline worries about war (AP)

AP - Four months before Southern Sudan is scheduled to hold an independence referendum, tensions are already rising in this oil-rich region that sits on the expected future border, with allegations the central government is using violence and ethnic cleansing to sway the vote.

Israel and Palestinians agree to more peace meetings

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreed to a series of direct talks on Thursday, seeking to forge the framework for a U.S.-backed peace deal within a year and end a conflict that has boiled for six decades.

U.N. tackles discrepancies over Congo rapes

The United Nations appears to have been aware of rape by rebels in eastern Congo earlier than it originally said it was, according to an internal e-mail and a humanitarian bulletin.

Verdict due in high-profile Portuguese abuse case

LISBON (Reuters) - A Portuguese court will render its verdict Friday in one of the country's highest profile legal cases, a shocking story of alleged child abuse at a state orphanage that has gripped the nation for over half a decade.

Cheap And Accurate Tuberculosis Test Gives Results In Under Two Hours

A tuberculosis test, called Xpert® MTB/RIF, can successfully identify 98% of all culture-confirmed TB cases, including more than 90% of those with smear-negative disease, a study published in NEJM (New England Journal of Medicine) reveals. The test is highly sensitive for tuberculosis as well as drug resistance to the powerful anti-TB drug rifampicin (RIF) in low resource settings, the authors write. The study revealed that the Xpert® MTB/RIF was accurate in more than 97% of patients with drug resistance...

Mexico media czar's cousin briefly kidnapped: reports

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Armed men abducted and held the cousin of the owner of Mexico's top broadcaster, Televisa, for four hours on Thursday in one of the hotspots of the country's drug war, local media reported.

Malaysia Sambut Seruan Presiden SBY untuk Jalin Hubungan Baik

Para pejabat Malaysia mengatakan pidato Presiden Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono telah membantu meredakan ketegangan antara kedua negara bertetangga di Asia Tenggara itu.

Menteri Perdagangan Malaysia Mustapha Mohamed hari Kamis mengatakan para investor merasa lega oleh pidato itu, di mana SBY mendesak masyarakat Indonesia agar tidak bereaksi berlebihan terhadap percekcokan baru-baru ini mengenai perbatasan maritim yang disengketakan.

Dalam pidato Rabu malam itu SBY juga menyerukan agar diupayakan penyelesaian segera atas sengketa itu untuk menghindari gesekan lebih lanjut.

Di Indonesia telah berlangsung serangkaian demonstrasi terhadap kepentingan Malaysia setelah terjadi insiden baru-baru ini di mana ke-dua negara saling tangkap warga negara lainnya di perairan yang disengketakan.

Malaysia mengajukan protes keras setelah terjadi demonstrasi pekan lalu di mana kotoran manusia dilemparkan ke kompleks kedutaan Malaysia di Jakarta.

Beckham eyes 11 September return

Former England captain David Beckham hopes to play for the LA Galaxy against Columbus Crew on 11 September.

Uni Eropa Desak Tiongkok Dukung Sanksi atas Iran

Kepala kebijakan luar negeri Uni Eropa Catherine Ashton telah mendesak Tiongkok agar mendukung sanksi internasional terhadap Iran.

Ashton mengatakan dia mendesak Menteri Luar Negeri Tiongkok Yang Jeichi agar menjamin bahwa perusahaan-perusahaan Tiongkok tidak masuk untuk mengisi kekosongan yang ada akibat penarikan perusahaan asing lain yang sebelumnya berbisnis dengan Teheran.

Dia berkomentar dari Beijing, hari Kamis, setelah berkunjung ke kawasan itu sebelumnya minggu ini untuk membahas isu perdagangan dan keamanan dengan Tiongkok.

Sebelumnya tahun ini, PBB menerapkan sanksi babak ke empat terhadap Iran karena menolak untuk menghentikan pengayaan uranium. Amerika dan Uni Eropa sejak itu telah memberlakukan sanksi tambahan. Iran mengatakan program nuklirnya hanya bertujuan damai.

Tiongkok mendukung sanksi PBB itu tapi masih tetap menjadi mitra dagang paling besar bagi Iran. Pada bulan Agustus, Tiongkok membela hubungan ekonominya dengan Teheran.

 

Afghanistan assures bank customers amid graft fears

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan's government sought to avert a run on the country's top private bank by nervous investors after directors at Kabulbank resigned, ostensibly to meet new rules but also amid media allegations of graft.

McCulloch & Naismith in for Scots

Lee McCulloch and Steven Naismith are among six Rangers players in the Scotland team to face Lithuania on Friday.

Hamas among intractable issues in Mideast talks (AP)

AP - To relaunch Middle East peace talks on Thursday, the Israeli and Palestinian leaders and their American mediators quietly agreed to push aside the question of Hamas — the Islamic militant group that controls one of the two Palestinian territories and rejects negotiations.

Petraeus: Taliban reconciliation holds promise

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Afghanistan Thursday to consult with political and military officials.

Stephen Hawking: God didn't create universe

God did not create the universe, world-famous physicist Stephen Hawking argues in a new book that aims to banish a divine creator from physics.

Organic Strawberries Have More Antioxidants And Vitamin C But Less Potassium And Phosphorus

Organic strawberries were found to have more vitamin C and antioxidants than non-organic ones, and they also had a nicer taste, but are 13.4% smaller and have considerably lower levels of dietary minerals potassium and phosphorous, according to a study published in the peer-reviewed journal PloS One. As consumers, we are usually willing to pay a bit more for organic produce for reasons of nutrition, health, the environment and/or the quality of life of farm animals...

Manassero leads European Masters

Italian teenager Matteo Manassero shoots a seven-under-par 64 to take a first-round lead in the European Masters.

Hatton fighting career is 'done'

Former light-welterweight world champion Ricky Hatton says he is unlikely to fight again.

The Face Of An Infant's Suffering; Can It Be Sugarcoated?

When your newborn infant is crying with uncomfortable teething or otherwise obviously suffering, feeding sugar to the little one has been a home remedy for years based on not only perceived behavior, but also physiological reactions. However, a new article by Dr. Rebeccah Slater of University College London that appears in the current issue of The Lancet, shows there is no direct connection between pain reduction activity in the spinal cord or brain and the administration of sucrose...