Politics

Two Santa Clara, Utah teenagers were critically injured today after being struck by lightning. Two seventeen-year-old boys were hit at about 3 p.m. when they were caught outside of the Snow Canyon High School during a sudden lightning storm. They were standing beneath a tree in view of other students at the time. School employees took the boys inside and began administering CPR straight away; an ambulance carried them to the Dixie Regional Medical Center. According to the St. Georgia police, a helicopter forwarded them to the University Medica

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel stepped down today after holding the position for twenty months, leaving to run for Mayor of Chicago. Political advisor Peter 'Pete' Rouse is named interim Chief of Staff by US President Barack Obama. In a White House ceremony held earlier today, Obama called the departure "the least suspenseful announcement of all time," jokingly referencing the lack of secrecy surrounding the departure. "We are all very excited for Rahm as he takes on a new challenge for which he is extraordinarily well qualified," sai

Fatmir Sejdiu, the President of Kosovo, has resigned from his post. He resigned after a court ruled that he had breached the constitution by holding the post of president and being the leader of a political party at the same time. President Sejdiu is also the leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK). Sejdiu announced his resignation during a press conference. He said "I presented my resignation for the post of Kosovo president today. I was convinced that keeping the function of the president of the Democratic League of Kosovo without ex

Pope Benedict XVI concluded a journey to the United Kingdom on Sunday. During the four-day tour, the Pope presided over Mass in Westminster, London, performed the Beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman in Birmingham, and spoke with UK Prime Minister David Cameron. Speaking about the sex abuse cases which have brought criticism on the Catholic Church, Benedict XVI described his "deep sorrow" at the "unspeakable crimes" that had caused "shame and humiliation" onto him and his church. As the Pope departed from Birmingham International Airpo

Greenpeace activists demanded the creation of marine parks to Chilean President Sebastián Piñera, in the middle of Revista Naval (an exhibition of ships of the Chilean Navy), with a large banner which said "¡Parques Marinos Ahora!" (Marine Parks Now!). The activists want the protection of 10% of each marine eco-region in Chile, in the context of the forthcoming Convention on Biological Diversity to be held in October in Nagoya, Japan. People opposed to President Piñera, on a Facebook page, are unhappy that the television broadcast did not sho

Christine O'Donnell has defeated Mike Castle in a Republican primary election for U.S. Senator from Delaware, CNN and the Associated Press have announced. With 325 of 325 precincts counted, O'Donnell, who has received the endorsement of the Tea Party movement, led Representative Castle by 30561 votes to 27021, 53.1% to 46.9%. The Republican O'Donnell will likely face Democrat Christopher A. Coons in a special election on November 2. The Senate seat from Delaware was vacated when Joe Biden became Vice-President of the United States in January 2

Riad al-Saray, an Iraqi television presenter, has been shot dead. He was killed at 06.00 am (03.00 GMT) on Tuesday in western Baghdad by unknown gunmen while he was heading to his work place in Karbala. Saray presented several political and religious programs on al-Iraqiya TV. Television journalist Ahmed al-Mullah said that traffic police saw Saray's car veer off the road and crash but did not hear any gunshots. He said that police have reported a silencer was used in what is thought to have been a planned attack. In addition to being a tele

British Prime Minister David Cameron today cancelled his political engagements and missed Prime Minister's Questions to be with his ill father in France. 77 year-old Ian Cameron suffered a stroke and heart complications while on holiday. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg took Cameron's place in the House of Commons to answer the questions. A spokesman at number 10 Downing Street, the official office of the Prime Minister, said "The Prime Minister was informed this morning that his father Ian is seriously ill after suffering a stroke and heart c

The father of British Prime Minister David Cameron died in France today. 77 year-old Ian Cameron suffered a stroke while on holiday. David Cameron travelled to France this morning after hearing the news that his father was ill. A Downing Street spokesman said that Ian died shortly after the Prime Minister arrived at the hospital. It has been reported that the Prime Minister will stay in France overnight. Ian Cameron was born with both legs deformed, and during his life he underwent numerous operations. Speaking of his father in March, Cameron

ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna), a separatist group based out of the Basque region of northern Spain, announced in a recorded and written message that it would end its armed campaign for independence, instead focusing on political means for achieving its goals. The Spanish government has rejected the ceasefire. In the video sent to the BBC, ETA stated that, while the autonomy framework enshrined in the Spanish constitution is "not the way to satisfy the wishes of the Basque people", the organisation was committed to finding a democratic solution t

In the hopes of resolving Australia's political gridlock of a hung parliament after the 2010 Australian federal election, Independent member of Parliament (MP) for Kennedy in Northern Queensland Bob Katter has released a list of policy initiatives such as indigenous housing which he considers to be the criteria that will determine who he will side with to form a government. Katter, who was a former State Minister for Indigenous Affairs in Queensland, suggests that past governments have oppressed indigenous Australians and put issues pertaining

__NOTOC__ Rain in Guatemala kills eighteen President Alvaro Colom says torrential downpours causing flooding and landslides have undone the country's reconstruction from Tropical Storm Agatha in May. Up to eighteen people are reported killed in rain-related incidents across the country as weather systems in both the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific batter the region, and forecasters expect another 48 hours of precipitation. At least ten people were killed, 20 rescued, when a landslide buried a bus as it traveled on the Inter-American highway in