Politics

Al-Qaeda's notional leader Osama Bin Laden has released a new audio tape in which he delivers a message he describes as from "Osama to Obama". Bin Laden tells the US President that Americans can expect further attacks. In the tape, aired by al-Jazeera, Bin Laden describes Umar Farouq Abdulmutallab, who tried to blow up a US airliner on Christmas day, as "a hero" who was reaffirming the message of the September 11 attacks. He commented that "If it was possible to carry our messages to you by words we wouldn't have carried them to you by planes.

The Haitian government Communications Minister states that over 150,000 people in Port-au-Prince, the country's capital, are confirmed dead from the recent magnitude 7.0 earthquake there. Minister Marie-Laurence Jocelyn Lassegue commented that the figure is based on corpses found and collected in the city by a state company, CNE. "Nobody knows how many bodies are buried in the rubble — 200,000, 300,000? Who knows the overall death toll?" the Associated Press reports Lassegue as commenting. Yesterday, the United Nations reported the Haitian

Three successive suicide car bombs in Baghdad, capital of Iraq killed at least 36 people, according to the Iraqi ministry. The incident occurred just before the country's election, scheduled for March 7. "There were three explosions, one near the Sheraton hotel the other near the Babylon hotel. The third we are checking into," stated Baghdad security spokesman Major General Qassim al-Moussawi. The Ministry of Interior, Iraq stated that 36 people had died and 71 wounded. The three explosions occurred in rapid succession and sent smoke clouds i

British prime minister Gordon Brown said in his monthly news conference today that a conference on the war in Afghanistan and another on security concerns in Yemen, due to take place over two one-day sessions in London this week, will announce an expansion of the British military presence in Afghanistan. Brown says that the conference on Thursday will outline projections on forces and training for Afghan soldiers and military police, with the ultimate objective of British forces leaving as soon as the Afghan forces are able to provide their ow

Reza Nakhjavani, head of Iran's Civil Aviation Organization, has publicly stated that he blames yesterday's jet crash on pilot error. Nobody was killed when the Tupolev Tu-154 crash-landed and caught fire on the runway. Media reports at the time said the aircraft was performing an emergency landing in Mashad owing to a passenger requiring medical attention. Nakhjavani said that he is yet to see confirmation of this passenger's existance, and accused the pilot of placing one life before over 150 others; there were a combined 170 passengers and

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Brian Cowen, the current Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland, have met in Northern Ireland for emergency talks about policing and justice. The talks follow a failed lunchtime meeting between Northern Irish politicians Peter Robinson, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, and Martin McGuinness, the Deputy First Minister. The meeting between Robinson—who recently stood down as First Minister temporarily due to a sexual and financial and scandal concerning his wife Iris—and McGuinness lasted less than o

Speaking Thursday in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, United States President Barack Obama presented new proposals for financial reform. "While the financial system is far stronger today than it was a year one year ago, it is still operating under the exact same rules that led to its near collapse," said President Barack Obama. "My resolve to reform the system is only strengthened when I see a return to old practices at some of the very firms fighting reform; and when I see record profits at some of the very firms claiming tha

Republican State Senator Scott Brown has won the Massachusetts United States Senate seat formerly held by the late Ted Kennedy in a major upset victory, becoming the first Republican that state has elected in 38 years. The state senator from Wrentham beat Massachusetts's Attorney General, Martha Coakley, in a closely watched race that many believe may have a nationwide impact. With higher than expected turnout — despite snow and rain blanketing much of the state — Brown won with 51.9% of the vote, as Coakley lagged behind closely with 47.1% o

The Iraqi government has started collecting signatures from victims of incidents involving the US security company Blackwater. This recent development comes after the Iraqi prime minister publicly vowed to launch lawsuits against the security company approximately two weeks ago. It was a reaction to the dismissal by a US federal judge of all charges held against five security guards, employed by the security company, for their involvement in an incident that resulted in the deaths of 17 Iraqis in 2007. The security guards opened fire at civil

On Sunday, at a Bapist church originally founded by freed slaves, US President Barack Obama addressed the congregation about the "Dream" of slain civil rights activist Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.—whom Obama credits with paving the way for his 2008 election—and about the importance of hope and faith in his own life. On Monday, Obama, with his family in tow, served hot lunches at a local Washington soup kitchen—one of several ways America's first black president planned to pay tribute to the late Dr. King on the federal holiday that honors

Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj has announced a moratorium on executions, and will begin to seek their abolition. On January 14, 2010, in a speech to parliament, Elbegdorj announced that he would pardon all persons sentenced to death, stating that most countries in the world had abolished the death penalty, and Mongolia should follow suit. He also suggested that the death penalty be replaced with a 30 year prison sentence. The decision was controversial: when Elbegdorj finished his speech, representatives of the Mongolian People's

Abdoulaye Wade, the president of Senegal, has offered free land in his country to Haitians who were affected by the recent 7.0 magnitude earthquake. Wade described his offer as "repatriation", as he said Haitians were descendents from Africa since Haiti was founded by slaves, some of which were thought to be from Senegal. "The president is offering voluntary repatriation to any Haitian that wants to return to their origin," said Mamadou Bemba Ndiaye, the president's spokesman. "If it is just a few people, we will offer them a roof and a patch