Obama uses G8 debut to issue warning to Iran

U.S. President Barack Obama warned Iran on Friday the world will not wait indefinitely for it to end its nuclear defiance, saying Tehran had until September to comply or else face consequences.
Obama, speaking at the end of a G8 summit in Italy, said leaders had sent a message condemning the “appalling” events surrounding Iran’s disputed [...]

U.K. Troop Deaths in Afghanistan Exceed Iraq Total

Eight more British soldiers were killed in Afghanistan, taking the total number of U.K. troops to have died in the country since 2001 above that for Iraq.
The latest deaths occurred in a 24-hour period in Helmand province, with five troops killed during one patrol yesterday, the Ministry of Defence said in an e-mailed statement. Next [...]

Israel criticised for thwarting medical mission to Palestinian territories

Israel was yesterday criticised after it refused to allow a group of doctors on a humanitarian mission organised by the French government to enter Gaza.
The team, including three British medics, was turned back by Israeli border guards on Sunday and Monday. They say their mission is purely humanitarian, aimed to helping those in medical need, [...]

Suicide attacks kill dozens in northern Iraq

Bombs in Baghdad and northern Iraq killed at least 41 people on Thursday, police said, underscoring doubts about local forces’ ability to keep Iraqis safe after U.S. troops pulled out of city centres.
The attacks in the north, where tensions between Arabs and Kurds threaten to descend into Iraq’s next conflict, appeared to be part of [...]

Iranian envoy: CIA involved in Neda’s shooting?

The United States may have been behind the killing of Neda Agha-Soltan, the 26-year-old Iranian woman whose fatal videotaped shooting Saturday made her a symbol of opposition to the June 12 presidential election results, the country’s ambassador to Mexico said Thursday.

“This death of Neda is very suspicious,” Ambassador Mohammad Hassan Ghadiri said. “My question is, [...]

Egypt to deport Chechen warlord son to Russia

CAIRO, EGYPT – Human rights group Amnesty International said Egypt planned on Thursday to deport six students from Chechnya, including the son of a warlord, to Russia where they are at risk of torture.
Mashkud Abdullaev, the son of Chechen rebel leader Supyan Abdullaev, and five other students were detained on May 27 in a wave [...]

US sees both Iran rivals as hostile

The US president has played down differences between Iran’s two main presidential election rivals, saying both were hostile towards the US.
Barack Obama said on Tuesday that he would continue his policy of “tough diplomacy” towards Tehran, as protests in support of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, and his rival Mir Hossein Mousavi, continued.
“It’s important to [...]

Thousands return to streets of Iran’s capital

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Thousands of Iranians swarmed the streets of Tehran on Tuesday in rival demonstrations over the country’s disputed presidential election, pushing a deep crisis into its fourth day despite a government attempt to placate the opposition by recounting a limited number of ballots.
Iran’s supreme ruler drew a firm line against any threats [...]

Pro-Western bloc beats Hezbollah in Lebanon vote

Lebanon’s Western-backed coalition defeated Hezbollah and its allies, according to official results Monday that dealt a stunning setback to the Iranian-backed militants and set the stage for renewed political deadlock in the volatile nation. The winners celebrated in the streets, setting off fireworks and driving around in motorcades honking hours before the official results [...]

Iran ’steps up’ nuclear programme

Iran has significantly increased its production of enriched uranium, with almost 5,000 centrifuges now operating, according to a report by the the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The IAEA report, seen by the media on Friday, said that Iran had stepped up production at its Natanz facility where uranium gas is processed into enriched material.

Over 2,000 more centrifuges are ready [...]