| Shaky truce holds between Israel, Palestinians |
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| By News services | |
| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 01 July 2008 ) | |
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The delicate Israeli-Palestinian truce is holding for a second week but signs of tension remain. Israel closed all Gaza
crossings last week after Islamic Jihad fired several homemade rockets
at southern Israel in retaliation for killing of one of its West
Bank leaders, violating the truce.
Palestinians challenge Israel for not increasing fuel shipments into the Gaza Strip in line with the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire. But an Israeli foreign ministry spokeswoman said the
total lifting of the embargo on Gaza will take place only when Hamas
releases an Israeli soldier it holds hostage in Gaza.
Many Palestinians question Israel's ceasefire sincerity: Truce promised to lift blockade but commercial crossings into Gaza fall short of expectations. | Xinhua/China View Israel denies Palestiian journalist's claims of abuse: Hospitalized reporter tells of hostile search, detention; Israeli authorities say he "fell." |Reuters/Ynetnew |
World's water needs demand attention: Annual World Water Week conference seeks ways to extend access to clean water, sanitation as world's poor try to join industrial age. | Economist
Discount grocery stores catching on in Europe: Rising food prices send shoppers searching for new ways to save money. | The Economist
South African strike shuts down gold mines, factories: Workers protest high electricity, other prices, calling on government to provide relief to the poor. | International Herald Tribune
In "do or die" moment, world trade talks collapse: The seven-year effort foundered over insistence from China and India that developing nations have flexibility to protect their farmers. American leaders rue the lost opportunity to promote free trade. | Washington Post
Russia's Putin says U.S. had hand in Georgia conflict over breakaway regions: White House officials say prime minister's claims are "not rational." | BBC
Russian, U.S. warships stage in Black Sea: Moscow sends missile cruiser, two smaller craft on "peacekeeping" duties on coast of breakaway Abkhazia region, while Americans take humanitarian aid to southern Georgia-controlled port. | Guardian
Israeli settlements not helping peace process, Rice say: U.S. secretary of state cites limited progress, tells Israelis, Palestinians that both should avoid "anything that undermines confidence between the parties." | AFP
Thai protesters call for Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej
to step down: Accusing Samak's government of corruption, thousands storm grounds of prime minister's office compound as police stand by. | Bloomberg
Spain's civil aviation authority defends Spanair's safety record, procedures despite criticism after fatal crash: Newspapers link crash to airline's financial problems, cost-cutting. | Forbes
Investigators look for cause of Spanair crash: McDonnell Douglas-built aircraft made second takeoff attempt before breaking apart, killing 153. | Los Angeles Times
At least 146 die in Madrid plane crash: Tourist jet bound for Canary Islands ran off runway in emergency landing; airport shuts down. | AFP
Former East St. Louisan Dawn Harper wins Olympic gold in 100-meter hurdles: 2002 graduate from East St. Louis Senior High School sails to 12.54-second finish after U.S. favorite Lolo Jones stumbles. | Chicago Tribune
John McCain should resist temptation and not select Joe Lieberman as his running mate. | Robert Novak, townhall.com
Just a small difference in productivity and tax rates can make a big difference in just a few years. Is the lack of an income tax the main reason Tennessee has pulled ahead of Missouri in per capita gross state product? Joseph Haslag of the Show-Me Institute outlines the case.
The Obama campaign claims that Ed Martin's anti-Obama group violates federal election law. Election law experts say that the group may violate the law, but that federal election authorities won't do anything about it until after the election.
Are college presidents who are proposing a national discussion of lowering the drinking age slackers or realists? Do fatality numbers so a correlation between a lower drinking age and more deaths or are other factors at play. M.W. Guzy puts the issue in perspective.
Who's the leader of the club that sues for excess use?
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