The Star Online: World Updates

WORLD UPDATES

Egypt sends troops to calm clashes in Cairo, 11 dead

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's army said on Wednesday it was deploying extra troops to control clashes that erupted at a protest near the Defence Ministry in Cairo, where medical and security sources said the death toll had risen to 11.

How do you count the world's hungry people?

LONDON, May 2 (AlertNet) - Two years ago, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched a petition to fight hunger with the slogan: "1,000,000,000 people live in chronic hunger and I'm mad as hell."

Can an African "green revolution" help feed the world?

SABA SABA, Kenya, May 2 (AlertNet) - Her bare feet coated with mud, Sabena Gitau trudged down the rain-sodden hillside to her banana plantation, machete in hand.

"Green bullet" innovations aim to feed world of 9 billion

LONDON, May 2 (AlertNet) - In flood-hit fields in the Philippines, farmers are testing a hardy new variety of rice that can survive completely submerged for more than two weeks.

Barefoot lawyers bring food security to India's tribes

KHAMMAM, India, May 2 (AlertNet) - It was a deal struck almost 40 years ago by a poor, illiterate Indian farmer, driven by desperation after a drought wiped out his crops and left his family close to starvation.

China dissident "to stay in China", says U.S

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng left the U.S. Embassy in Beijing on Wednesday "of his own volition" after six days, the Foreign Ministry said, and a senior U.S. official said he planned to stay put in China.

French presidential rivals to face off in TV debate

PARIS (Reuters) - Nicolas Sarkozy faces Francois Hollande in a "moment of truth" television debate on Wednesday that could be the French president's last chance to avoid defeat at the hands of his Socialist challenger in Sunday's election runoff.

Suu Kyi makes historic debut in Myanmar parliament

NAYPYITAW, Myanmar (Reuters) - Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi took a historic oath on Wednesday to join a parliamentary system crafted by the generals who locked her away for much of her long struggle against dictatorship, ushering in a dramatic new political era.

Iran says optimistic about nuclear talks

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran is optimistic about talks with world powers about its nuclear programme but it will never give up its right to the peaceful use of atomic energy, a senior Iranian official said on Wednesday.

Rebels kill 15 Syrian security forces - activist

BEIRUT (Reuters) - A rebel ambush in northern Syria killed 15 security force members on Wednesday, including two colonels, as fighting flared in Aleppo province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Chongqing looks to sell distressed assets after Bo scandal - source

CHONGQING/HONG KONG (Reuters) - China's biggest municipality, Chongqing, has approached Hong Kong investors with the aim of selling distressed property assets and bolstering its finances, which are under a cloud after the fall of its ambitious leader, Bo Xilai, a source said.

North Korea suspected of jamming flight signals in South

SEOUL (Reuters) - More than 250 flights in and out of South Korea have experienced GPS signal jamming since the weekend, with North Korea high on the list of suspects, officials said on Wednesday.

Valencia, a cruel reflection of Spain's economic woes

VALENCIA, Spain (Reuters) - Once the beacon of Spain's new economic grandeur, the Mediterranean region of Valencia has become a symbol of all that is wrong with the country.

Car bomb kills 6 after Obama leaves Afghan capital

KABUL (Reuters) - A car bomb exploded outside a compound housing Westerners in Kabul on Wednesday hours after U.S. President Barack Obama signed a security pact during a short visit to a city that remains vulnerable to a resilient insurgency.

Dozens arrested during May Day protests across U.S

NEW YORK/OAKLAND, California (Reuters) - Occupy Wall Street protesters smashed windows in Seattle, were chased through New York streets by police on scooters, and clashed repeatedly with officers in Oakland on Tuesday in May Day demonstrations intended to revive their movement against economic injustice.

Obama swoops into Afghanistan on bin Laden death anniversary

BAGRAM AIRBASE, Afghanistan (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama marked the anniversary of Osama bin Laden's death with a speedy trip to Afghanistan, signing a strategic pact with Kabul on Wednesday and delivering an election-year message to Americans that the war is winding down.

Mexico shaken by several quakes

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Several earthquakes rattled Mexico on Tuesday, but there were no reports of injuries or damage as the country celebrated a national holiday.

Magnitude 6.3 quake hits off southwest Mexico

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck off the coast of southwest Mexico near the Guatemalan border on Tuesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Mali junta foils counter-coup bid

BAMAKO (Reuters) - Soldiers from Mali's ruling junta foiled a counter-coup bid by presidential guardsmen on Tuesday, overrunning their base in the capital and fending off their assaults on the airport and the state broadcaster.

Exclusive - U.S., allies urge sanctions for North Korea firms; China resists

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States, European Union, South Korea and Japan have submitted a list of about 40 North Korean companies to the U.N. Security Council's sanctions committee for possible blacklisting due to Pyongyang's recent rocket launch, envoys said on Tuesday.

Western authorities fear militants will carry implanted bombs

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. and allied officials said they are increasingly concerned that doctors working with al Qaeda's Yemen-based affiliate will implant bombs inside living militants in order to try to circumvent airport security measures and bring down aircraft.

Clinton heads to China and into dissident drama

BEIJING/MIDLAND, Texas (Reuters) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was set on Wednesday to begin a high-stakes trip to Beijing, where a blind dissident is reportedly holed up in the U.S. embassy as China and the United States try to work out a solution before high-level talks.

Mexico presidential front-runner with steady lead - poll

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican presidential front-runner Enrique Pena Nieto, of the opposition Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), saw his big lead over the ruling party candidate recede slightly ahead of the July 1 election, a survey showed on Tuesday.

Myanmar's Suu Kyi poised for historic debut in parliament

NAYPYITAW, Myanmar (Reuters) - Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is set to make her debut in parliament on Wednesday marking a historic development for the country and for the Nobel laureate who waged a two-decade struggle against military dictatorship.

Europeans protest austerity at May Day rallies

ATHENS (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of workers across southern Europe protested against spending cuts at May Day rallies on Tuesday, before weekend elections in Greece and France where voters are expected to punish leaders for austerity.

News Breaks

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

China denounces U.S. as dissident Chen leaves embassy

BEIJING(Reuters) - Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng left the U.S. Embassy on Wednesday in Beijing "of his own volition" after being there for six days, state media said on Wednesday, as China denounced the United States for interfering in its internal affairs.

North Korea suspected of jamming flight signals in South

SEOUL (Reuters) - More than 250 flights in and out of South Korea have experienced GPS signal jamming since the weekend, with North Korea high on the list of suspects, officials said on Wednesday.

Works by Cezanne, Matisse each sell for $19 million

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The spring art sales got off to a solid start at Christie's on Tuesday, with works by Cezanne and Matisse each selling for $19 million as the auction house moved $117 million worth of Impressionist and modern art.

Myanmar's Suu Kyi poised for historic debut in parliament

NAYPYITAW, Myanmar (Reuters): Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is set to make her debut in parliament on Wednesday marking a historic development for the country and for the Nobel laureate who waged a two-decade struggle against military dictatorship.

Libya says to wind up Gaddafi son investigation soon

AMSTERDAM (Reuters): Libya said on Tuesday it would complete its investigation into Muammar Gaddafi's son, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, within weeks for crimes including murder and torture, and asked the International Criminal Court once again to hold off ordering his surrender.

Nigeria Islamist video warns of more attacks on media

KANO, (Reuters): Islamist group Boko Haram released a video late on Tuesday celebrating its bombing of a Nigerian newspaper and warning of more attacks on local and foreign media if they published reports that were biased to the sect or insulting to Islam.

Mexico shaken by several quakes

MEXICO CITY, (Reuters): Several earthquakes rattled Mexico on Tuesday, but there were no reports of injuries or damage as the country celebrated a national holiday.

Obama swoops into Afghanistan on bin Laden death anniversary

KABUL (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama marked the anniversary of Osama bin Laden's death with a speedy trip to Afghanistan, signing a strategic pact with Kabul on Wednesday and delivering an election-year message to Americans that the war is winding down.

Across the Causeway