World Headlines
Colombia rescue hinged on rebel disarray, payback
AP - Thursday, July 3, 2008 3:34 p.m.
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- The plan was nothing if not audacious: An infiltrator persuades rebels to bring together their most prized hostages and march them 90 miles through Colombia\'s wilderness. A month later, disguised commandos primed with acting lessons land in a helicopter and trick the rebels into handing them over....
US 'pregnant man' has baby girl
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 3:10 p.m.
An American man who was born female but underwent gender realignment surgery, gives birth, US media report.
Rescued American Hostages Return Home
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 2:49 p.m.
Three Americans rescued Wednesday in Colombia from FARC rebels have returned to the United States. Five years ago, their plane was shot down over FARC-held territory. One of them met with family members. The other two were expected to do the same.
Oil price hits yet another record
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 2:32 p.m.
Oil prices continue to climb with US light crude at a record closing price and London Brent above $146.
Colombian hostages say life grew more dire
AP - Thursday, July 3, 2008 2:23 p.m.
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- A meal was rice and beans. Bed was the ground under a patched plastic tarp. They bathed in rivers, and when they weren\'t chained by the neck to trees, they were forced on long marches to new hideouts under the jungle canopy....
FARC Has Ability To Keep Fighting, Expert Says
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 2:11 p.m.
The Colombian military has rescued hostages from left-wing FARC rebels. Marc Chernick, associate professor at Georgetown University, says though the rebels have been weakened, they can continue fighting the military for a long time.
FARC Has Ability To Keep Fighting, Expert Says
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 2:11 p.m.
The Colombian military has rescued four hostages from left-wing FARC rebels. Marc Chernick, associate professor at Georgetown University, says though the rebels have been weakened, they can continue fighting the military for a long time.
Iraqi PM to parade progress on trip
AP - Thursday, July 3, 2008 2:06 p.m.
BAGHDAD (AP) -- Iraq\'s prime minister plans trips to Europe and the Persian Gulf this month, apparently hoping improved security at home will pay dividends in greater international support - including from a country that did not back the U.S. invasion....
Bush to attend Olympic ceremony
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 2:06 p.m.
US President George W Bush will attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, the White House says.
Eurozone rates increase to 4.25%
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 1:50 p.m.
Interest rates in eurozone countries increase for the first time in 12 months in a bid to combat inflation.
Betancourt reunited with family
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 1:46 p.m.
French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt holds an emotional reunion with her children after six years as a hostage.
Google must divulge YouTube log
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 1:19 p.m.
Google must divulge the viewing habits of every user who has ever watched avideo on YouTube, says a US court.
U.S. Role Seen In Colombia Hostage Rescue
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 1:12 p.m.
Colombia told the U.S. about the raid to rescue four hostages from FARC rebels two weeks ago, Pentagon sources say. The U.S. was asked to provide help in the form of surveillance aircraft to eavesdrop on rebels. No Americans were on the ground.
U.S. Role Seen In Colombia Hostage Rescue
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 1:12 p.m.
Colombia told the U.S. about the raid to rescue hostages from FARC rebels two weeks ago, Pentagon sources say. The U.S. was asked to provide help in the form of surveillance aircraft to eavesdrop on rebels. No Americans were on the ground.
Rescued Hostages To Hold News Conference
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 1 p.m.
Three Americans rescued Wednesday in Colombia from FARC rebels are to hold a news conference. They were hostages for nearly five years.
Lucknow Is For Lovers
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 12:33 p.m.
Young Indians have their own reasons to celebrate a 19th century shrine to national independence.
200 fearful Mugabe foes seek refuge at US Embassy
AP - Thursday, July 3, 2008 12:29 p.m.
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) -- Some 200 opposition supporters crowded outside the U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe on Thursday, appealing for protection amid new reports of violence aimed at dissenters against the heavy-handed rule of President Robert Mugabe....
Israeli rabbi invited to Saudi interfaith meeting
AP - Thursday, July 3, 2008 12:29 p.m.
JERUSALEM (AP) -- Saudi Arabia has invited an Israeli rabbi to an interfaith conference in Spain, potentially the first step in wider contacts between the kingdom and Israel, the rabbi told The Associated Press on Thursday....
G-8 meets amid calls to take on new members
AP - Thursday, July 3, 2008 12:16 p.m.
TOKYO (AP) -- The Group of Eight nations, holding their annual summit in Japan starting Monday, have always been a club for the world\'s biggest and brightest economies. Now a growing chorus is saying it\'s time the clubhouse doors swing open to some newcomers....
After attack, Israeli Jews fear for security
AP - Thursday, July 3, 2008 11:50 a.m.
JERUSALEM (AP) -- A day after a Palestinian construction worker\'s deadly rampage in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Thursday called for reviving the practice of demolishing the homes of attackers\' families, and his chief deputy proposed cutting some Arab neighborhoods off from the rest of the city....
Italy starts fingerprinting Gypsies
AP - Thursday, July 3, 2008 11:24 a.m.
ROME (AP) -- Italian authorities have started fingerprinting tens of thousands of Gypsies living in nomad camps across the country - adults and children alike - brushing aside accusations of racism by human rights advocates and international organizations....
Illegal migration from Africa to Yemen on the rise
AP - Thursday, July 3, 2008 11:23 a.m.
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) -- More than 20,000 Africans have crossed the Gulf of Aden to Yemen this year, paying brutal smugglers who cram them into boats and often throw the weakest overboard, an aid group said Thursday....
Lesson learned, Poles get tough over US missiles
AP - Thursday, July 3, 2008 11:21 a.m.
WARSAW, Poland (AP) -- Not so long ago, the U.S. enjoyed something akin to a mythical status in Poland. Ronald Reagan was a hero, the dollar was king and Washington was a trusted guardian against Russia....
German woman's assisted suicide fuels debate
AP - Thursday, July 3, 2008 11:16 a.m.
BERLIN (AP) -- Bettina Schardt knew that the combination of drugs she drank in the living room of her home in Wuerzburg last week would kill her, and she died alone....
Mongolian capital calm after post-election riots
AP - Thursday, July 3, 2008 11:13 a.m.
ULAN BATOR, Mongolia (AP) -- Military vehicles withdrew from streets as life in Mongolia\'s capital largely returned to normal Thursday just days after rioting sparked by an electoral dispute left five people dead....
Turkey's AKP Party Defends Itself In Court
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 11:07 a.m.
Turkey\'s ruling Justice and Development Party faces charges of imposing Islamic law in a secular state. If convicted, the party could be dissolved and Turkey\'s prime minister and president could be banned from politics for up to five years.
Turkey's AKP Party Defends Itself In Court
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 11:07 a.m.
Turkey\'s ruling Justice and Development Party faces charges of imposing Islamic law in a secular state. If convicted, the party could be dissolved and Turkey\'s prime minister and president could be banned from politics for up to five years.
Venus powers into Wimbledon final
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 10:54 a.m.
Venus Williams reaches her seventh Wimbledon final in fine style, beating Elena Dementieva 6-1 7-6 (7-3).
China: Dalai Lama must disavow Tibet independence
AP - Thursday, July 3, 2008 10:32 a.m.
BEIJING (AP) -- China insists the Dalai Lama prove he doesn\'t support Tibetan independence or disruption of the Beijing Olympics, telling two envoys for the spiritual leader that such "positive actions" are needed before further talks, a state news agency said Thursday....
Algae Overload Threatens Olympic Sailing Course
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 10:32 a.m.
A vast amount of stinky green algae is threatening the Olympic sailing course in China; more than 14,000 workers are rushing to remove it all before the competition starts in five weeks. Olympic officials are confident the algae will be removed, but competitors are finding training difficult.
Undercover Agents Free 15 FARC Captives
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 10 a.m.
The Colombian government completed a daring hostage rescue right out of a Tom Clancy novel Wednesday. Undercover agents freed 15 captives of the FARC rebel group, without negotiating or firing a shot.
Why Rural U.S. Towns See More Casualties
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 10 a.m.
Residents of Hemet, Calif. know all too well about military casualties. They\'re not alone — that town\'s story has been repeated in rural communities across the country. We examine why soldiers from rural areas are more likely to die in combat and how voters in those areas see the Iraq war.
Undercover Agents Free 15 FARC Captives
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 10 a.m.
The Colombian government completed a daring hostage rescue right out of a Tom Clancy novel Wednesday. Undercover agents freed 15 captives of the FARC rebel group, without negotiating or firing a shot.
Why Rural U.S. Towns See More Casualties
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 10 a.m.
Residents of Hemet, Calif. know all too well about military casualties. They\'re not alone — that town\'s story has been repeated in rural communities across the country. We examine why soldiers from rural areas are more likely to die in combat and how voters in those areas see the Iraq war.
Turning the Chinese Quake Comic
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 10 a.m.
Tales of heroism and survival following the Sichuan earthquake last May inspired graphic artist Coco Wang to turn those stories into a comic book. Wang says that the images and the stories helped people outside of China understand more about the humanity of the Chinese people.
Russia military 'deeply corrupt'
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 9:59 a.m.
A third of all money spent by the Russian government on its armed forces is lost to corruption, according to a senior Russian official.
Pakistan's future in the balance
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 9:52 a.m.
When a civilian coalition took power in Pakistan there were high hopes for the future. But Barbara Plett reports that the democratic government is not fulfilling people\'s expectations.
Turkish party fights for survival
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 9:37 a.m.
Turkey\'s ruling AK Party defends itself in court against charges that could see it closed down.
French president kept in dark on hostage rescue
AP - Thursday, July 3, 2008 9:27 a.m.
PARIS (AP) -- As it meticulously planned and executed its daring rescue of Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages, Colombia kept a very important person out of the loop: French President Nicolas Sarkozy....
Zimbabweans seek embassy refuge
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 9:23 a.m.
More than 200 people gather outside the US embassy in the Zimbabwean capital, seeking refuge or help.
Cricket: ICC delays Zim ruling again
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 9:20 a.m.
Cricket\'s top bosses are trying to persuade Zimbabwe to pull out of the ICC World Twenty20.
Renegade S Lanka leader goes home
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 9:13 a.m.
Former Tamil Tiger renegade Col Karuna arrives in Sri Lanka after being jailed in the UK, British embassy officials say.
Hostages Rescued In Colombia After Long Captivity
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 9 a.m.
Fifteen hostages, including former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and three Americans who were held for years by Colombian rebels, are now free. John Otis, South American bureau chief for the Houston Chronicle, explains details of the rescue.
Hostages Rescued In Colombia After Long Captivity
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 9 a.m.
Fifteen hostages, including former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and three Americans who were held for years by Colombian rebels, are now free. John Otis, South American bureau chief for the Houston Chronicle, explains details of the rescue.
Indonesia arrests bomb suspects
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 8:53 a.m.
Ten men suspected of planning bomb attacks in Indonesia are arrested in Sumatra.
Zimbabweans seek refuge with US
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 8:49 a.m.
Some 200 people seek refuge at the US embassy in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, the US ambassador says.
Congo ex-leader sent to The Hague
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 8:26 a.m.
The former vice-president of DR Congo, Jean-Pierre Bemba, is extradited to The Hague to face trial for war crimes.
Militants 'fire rocket' from Gaza
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 8:22 a.m.
A rocket from the Gaza Strip lands in southern Israel, the Israeli army says, putting more strain on a fragile truce.
Romanian girl in UK for abortion
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 7:55 a.m.
An 11-year-old Romanian rape victim is to have an abortion in the UK despite being cleared to have one in Romania.
Thousands face death row reprieve
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 7:52 a.m.
Thousands of prisoners on death row in Pakistan are to have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment, officials say.
Zambia leader's 'death' confusion
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 7:35 a.m.
South Africa\'s president says the Zambian leader has died - but then retracts his comments.
Fisherman survives 20-minute fight with man-eating tiger
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 7:27 a.m.
A fisherman in India who father was killed by a Royal Bengal tiger 20 years ago dramatically survives a similar attack in the state of West Bengal.
Call to sever Jerusalem Arab area
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 7:24 a.m.
Israel\'s vice-premier calls for the neighbourhood of Wednesday\'s bulldozer attacker to be cut off from the rest of Jerusalem.
US loses 62,000 jobs during June
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 7:11 a.m.
US firms cut jobs for a sixth month in June, stoking fears the world\'s largest economy is heading for a recession.
Colombian Envoy Recounts Hostage Rescue Efforts
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 7:05 a.m.
The Colombian military on Wednesday freed 15 people held by the FARC rebel group. The hostages include Ingrid Betancourt, who was running for president when the FARC kidnapped her six years ago, and three American military contractors. Carolina Barco Isakson, Colombia\'s ambassador to the U.S., talks about the rescue operation.
Britain doubles aid to Pakistan
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 7:03 a.m.
Britain is doubling the aid it gives Pakistan to nearly $1bn over the next three years as part of efforts to tackle Islamic militancy.
Freed hostage Ingrid Betancourt embraces children
AP - Thursday, July 3, 2008 6:42 a.m.
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- The children of rescued hostage Ingrid Betancourt are embracing their mother for the first time in six years....
Betancourt hails 'perfect' rescue
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 6:38 a.m.
French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt says her release from captivity along with 14 other hostages is a "miracle".
Analysis: Hostage Rescue Is Latest Blow To FARC
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 6:10 a.m.
The captivity of more than a dozen hostages ended Wednesday in an elaborate rescue operation in the Colombian jungle. It\'s one of a series of blows this year for FARC, the rebel group that had nabbed the 15 hostages.
Paulson: no quick fix for oil price
AP - Thursday, July 3, 2008 4:41 a.m.
LONDON (AP) -- U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson warned Thursday that rising oil prices are likely to prolong the world economic slowdown....
French fire victims 'stabbed'
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 4:38 a.m.
Two French students found stabbed to death in a London flat had suffered "horrific" injuries, police say.
Five to face Concorde crash trial
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 4:31 a.m.
A US airline and five people are to be tried for manslaughter over the 2000 Concorde crash, French judicial officials say.
Denmark is 'world's happiest nation' - Zimbabwe 'unhappiest'
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 4:25 a.m.
Denmark is the happiest country in the world, according to a survey published by the US National Science Foundation.
Paulson admits regulatory errors
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 4:02 a.m.
The system for regulating US banks should have performed better, US Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson admits.
Iran attack?
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 4:02 a.m.
US military \'steps back\' but Israeli threat remains
U.S. Hostages Rescued In Colombia Arrive In Texas
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 4:01 a.m.
The three American military contractors rescued by Colombian authorities have returned to the United States, landing in San Antonio after being held for five years by FARC rebels. Keith Stansell, Marc Gonsalves and Thomas Howes were captured in 2003.
U.S. Hostages Rescued In Colombia Arrive In Texas
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 4:01 a.m.
The three American military contractors rescued by Colombian authorities have returned to the United States, landing in San Antonio after being held for five years by FARC rebels. Keith Stansell, Marc Gonsalves and Thomas Howes were captured in 2003.
Rescue Frees 15 Hostages From Colombian Guerillas
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 4 a.m.
Fifteen hostages were freed in Colombia yesterday, after being held by the guerrilla group FARC. Among the hostages was Ingrid Betancourt, a former Colombian presidential candidate who had been held for six years.
Rescue Frees 15 Hostages From Colombian Guerillas
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 4 a.m.
Fifteen hostages were freed in Colombia yesterday, after being held by the guerrilla group FARC. Among the hostages was Ingrid Betancourt, a former Colombian presidential candidate who had been held for six years.
Hour Two: 15 Hostages Rescued From Colombian Guerillas
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 4 a.m.
Fifteen hostages were freed in Colombia yesterday, after being held by the guerrilla group FARC. Among the hostages was Ingrid Betancourt, a former Colombian presidential candidate who had been held for six years.
Hour Two: 15 Hostages Rescued From Colombian Guerillas
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 4 a.m.
Fifteen hostages were freed in Colombia yesterday, after being held by the guerrilla group FARC. Among the hostages was Ingrid Betancourt, a former Colombian presidential candidate who had been held for six years.
Washington diary
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 3:44 a.m.
Why it is time to end our love affair with the car
China confirms Tibet envoy talks
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 3:34 a.m.
China confirms an official met envoys of the Dalai Lama, in its first statement on two-day talks this week in Beijing.
Mascherano gets Olympics call-up
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 3:33 a.m.
Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano is named in Argentina\'s squad for the Olympic Games in August.
Police foil terror attack on Indonesian capital
AP - Thursday, July 3, 2008 3:28 a.m.
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) -- Anti-terror police arrested 10 suspected Muslim militants and seized a large cache of high-powered bombs, foiling a major attack targeting Westerners in the Indonesian capital, police and media reports said Thursday....
5 Afghan soldiers killed in blast
AP - Thursday, July 3, 2008 3:19 a.m.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- A police chief says a roadside blast has killed five Afghan soldiers in central Afghanistan....
UN appeals court acquits Bosnian Muslim war hero
AP - Thursday, July 3, 2008 3:17 a.m.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) -- A U.N. appeals court on Thursday overturned the war crimes conviction of Naser Oric, a Bosnian Muslim considered a war hero by many in his country for fighting Serbs in the embattled Srebrenica enclave during Bosnia\'s 1992-95 war....
Hostages Of Leftist Rebels Rescued In Colombia
NPR - Thursday, July 3, 2008 3 a.m.
Co-host Ari Shapiro reports on Wednesday\'s rescue operation that freed 15 hostages from a Colombian rebel group.
Srebrenica Muslim chief cleared
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 2:47 a.m.
The former commander of Bosnian Muslim forces in Srebrenica has had his conviction for war crimes quashed by a UN tribunal.
Kenya 'fraud' minister told to go
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 2:33 a.m.
A government report says Kenya\'s finance minister should be suspended over alleged fraud.
Nigeria charges ex-air ministers
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 2:30 a.m.
Two Nigerian ex-aviation ministers are charged over missing money for new radars.
Jerusalem attacker 'acted alone'
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 2:17 a.m.
A Palestinian who went on a bulldozing rampage may have acted alone, contrary to militant claims, police in Jerusalem say.
SA mourns victims of xenophobia
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 1:49 a.m.
South Africa holds a day of national mourning for those killed during May\'s xenophobic attacks.
Pakistan's Sharif rebuffs US official's comment
AP - Thursday, July 3, 2008 1:47 a.m.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday rebuffed a senior U.S. official for saying that Pakistan should focus on food prices and militancy rather than the fate of President Pervez Musharraf....
Colombia hostage Betancourt freed
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 1:04 a.m.
Politician Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages held by Colombian rebels are rescued by the military.
US 'to boost Afghanistan force'
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 12:16 a.m.
US President George W Bush says more US troops will be deployed in Afghanistan by next year.
Streets calm in riot-hit Mongolia
BBC - Thursday, July 3, 2008 12:13 a.m.
Quiet returns to the streets of the Mongolian capital, Ulan Bator, two days after rioting that left five people dead.
Most Patients Happy With German Health Care
NPR - Wednesday, July 2, 2008 9:54 p.m.
German health benefits are very generous, and there\'s usually little or no wait to get elective surgery or diagnostic tests, such as MRIs. It\'s one of the best health care systems in the world. It\'s visible in little ways that most Germans take for granted.
S Asia climate 'crisis' talks due
BBC - Wednesday, July 2, 2008 9:53 p.m.
South Asian environment ministers are due to discuss a plan to tackle climate change.
Three killed in Philippine attack
BBC - Wednesday, July 2, 2008 9:14 p.m.
Three people are killed and 10 injured in suspected communist rebel attack in the Philippines, officials say.
Dogs could be getting millions from US tycoon's estate
BBC - Wednesday, July 2, 2008 8:31 p.m.
The late US real estate tycoon Leona Helmsley reportedly wanted her estimated $8bn fortune spent on dogs.
Algae bloom is China's latest Olympic nightmare
AP - Wednesday, July 2, 2008 7:31 p.m.
QINGDAO, China (AP) -- China\'s latest Olympics nightmare is a vast algae bloom that covers one-third of the sea where the world\'s best sailors are supposed to be competing in just over a month. Athletes call it the blob, the carpet, the fairway....
Ocean robbery
BBC - Wednesday, July 2, 2008 4:55 p.m.
Illegal fishing is a blight on nature and the poor
Betancourt's children rejoice as she is freed
AP - Wednesday, July 2, 2008 4:54 p.m.
PARIS (AP) -- For Ingrid Betancourt\'s children, her release Wednesday after being held hostage for six years in the Colombian jungle filled an immeasurable void they had lived with as they grew into adulthood....
US admiral urges caution on Iran
BBC - Wednesday, July 2, 2008 3:25 p.m.
The top US military officer says opening up a new front in the Middle East with a strike on Iran would be "stressful".
Race return disappoints Pistorius
BBC - Wednesday, July 2, 2008 3:20 p.m.
Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius finishes fourth on his return to track action.
Hostages Rescued In Colombia
NPR - Wednesday, July 2, 2008 3:10 p.m.
Colombia says it rescued three Americans and a French-Colombian politician from leftist FARC rebels who held them for years. John Otis, South America bureau chief for the Houston Chronicle, says all the former hostages are in reasonably good health.
Dow Jones becomes a bear market
BBC - Wednesday, July 2, 2008 2:56 p.m.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes more than 20% below its October peak, making it a bear market.
