Main news of September 5

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney visits Italy

Russia accuses Ukraine over 'vicious' blacklisting of officials

Ukraine has confirmed it is continuing its "vicious" policy by turning away a Russian MP and political scientist at Kiev's Borispol airport, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Friday.

U.S. provides extra $9 million for Palestinian refugees

Cyprus's MPB buys Russian industrial bank for $83 mln

Floating nuclear power plant gets new "birthplace"

PACE to send envoys to Georgia-S.Ossetia conflict zone

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will form a working group to monitor the situation in the zone of the Georgia-South Ossetia conflict, a senior Russian lawmaker said Friday.

Suspected U.S. drone attack in Pakistan kills six villagers

A suspected U.S. aerial drone fired missiles at a Pakistani tribal village in North Waziristan, killing six and wounding at least four people, an Afghan news agency reported Friday.

CSTO condemns Georgia's actions in S.Ossetia, backs Russia

Leaders of a post-Soviet regional security bloc have censured Georgia over its actions in South Ossetia and backed Moscow, the Russian president said Friday.

U.S. lifts sanctions against two Belarus firms - 2

Russian opera diva Anna Netrebko gives birth to son in Austria

What the Russian papers say

Russia defeats Georgia in under-21 Euro 2009 qualifier in Minsk

USS Mount Whitney arrives in Georgian port of Poti

The third U.S. Navy vessel to bring humanitarian aid to Georgia arrived in the Black Sea port of Poti on Friday, a Russian navy source said.

U.S. lifts sanctions against two Belarus firms

Jordan transfers 1,000 Kalashnikovs to Palestinian Fatah group

Jordan has sent 1,000 Kalashnikov rifles to Fatah with the blessing of Israel, which hopes the weapons will help the Palestinian party to better promote security and oppose Hamas, local radio said Friday.

Russia agrees to buy Oman's 7% in Caspian pipeline project

Govt. approves transfer of 20% stake in Kharyaga to Zarubezhneft

Russia plans to sell $6.1 bln worth of weaponry in 2008

Russian arms exports may reach at least $6.1 billion by the end of 2008, a senior official at Rosoboronexport, Russia's largest state arms exporter, said on Friday.

Rosnanotech aims for $157 bln in output by 2015

Iran says again it has no plans to possess nuclear weapons

Ahmadinejad threatens West with sanctions

Iran could impose unilateral sanctions against Western powers in response to measures to punish Tehran over its nuclear program, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said.

Forming new AiRUnion-based airline to take at least 9 months

It will take at least nine months to form a new Russian national carrier on the basis of the crisis-hit AiRUnion alliance, the state-run Russian Technology Corporation said Friday.

Ukraine highly values strategic ties with U.S. - Yushchenko

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko told U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney on Friday that he greatly values the strategic bilateral relationship between Kiev and Washington.

Geomagnetic field: when will compass fail?

Labor's western showdown

THE WA Government is in danger of becoming the first Labor team to fall from power in more than a decade.

Chase ended before fatal crash, say police

TWO women are dead and a man earlier pursued by police critically injured following a head-on crash in a suburban area.

Death adds to devastation of 'lotto curse'

THE curse of the family who scooped a $10 million jackpot has led to another death, with the shooting of their grandson.

Big-girl clothes range not necessarily a plus

THE introduction of plus-size fashion ranges for girls as young as 16 makes being overweight socially acceptable, a critic says.

Student assaults boy, 5, on first day of school

A FIVE-YEAR-OLD boy has been sexually assaulted by another student in a toilet block during his first day at school.

Thrillseekers left dangling in blackout chaos

A BLACKOUT has plunged a city's show celebrations into darkness, causing chaos and trapping frightened revellers on rides.

Footy pressure cooker will kill, says Johns

FOOTBALL legend Andrew Johns fears a high-profile player will try to take his own life because of the 'unbearable' pressure.

Fran Drescher to become voice of US

TELEVISION star Fran Drescher will serve as the newest envoy for US public diplomacy, with trips planned later this month to eastern Europe.

Rees to have 'red-hot go" at fixing NSW

POLITICAL unknown Nathan Rees admitted yesterday Labor had let down the people of New South Wales but promised a "red-hot go" to turn the state around.

Father settles claim in Mildura crash case

THE devastated father of a teenager killed by Thomas Towle has settled his million-dollar claim against thefatal driver.

Kenya: Obama or McCain - Does It Matter?

Tanzania's foreign minister said recently that the result of the US presidential election would have no impact on the two countries' good relations.

Libya: Rice Makes Historic Visit to Gaddafi

Condoleezza Rice headed for Tripoli on Friday in the first trip by a United States Secretary of State to Libya in more than half a century.

Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai Rejects Mugabe Ultimatum

MAIN opposition MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai has rejected President Robert Mugabe's ultimatum — whose deadline was yesterday — for him to sign a power-sharing agreement or risk being left out of his cabinet.

Nigeria: American Admits Bribing Officials

A former executive of Houston-based Global Engineering, Construction and Services company, Albert Stanley, has pleaded guilty to bribing Nigerian officials in order to secure contracts to build liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities in Bonny Island, THISDAY has learnt.

Mozambique: Food Crisis Can Be Solved, Says Guebuza

The world food crisis can be solved, Mozambican President Armando Guebuza declared on Thursday, if major investments are made in countries such as Mozambique, which possess large amounts of arable land that is still unused or underused.

East Africa: Three Million Children at Risk of Death

Almost three million children across the Horn of Africa are at risk of death, disease and malnutrition due to a combination of drought, rising food prices and conflict, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned today.

Africa: Meet Your Aid Promises, Says UN Official

The head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has urged countries to make good on the promises they made this week at a high-level conference in Ghana devoted to making international aid more effective.

Libya: Italy to Pay Reparations

Italy has signed an agreement to pay Libya USD5 billion for its colonial occupation of the North African nation.

Namibia: Conservation Could be Engine For Growth

TOP business personalities and conservation experts from 26 countries are gathering in Namibia this weekend to discuss links between business expertise and environmental projects in Africa to unlock the potential of protected areas for socio-economic development.

Namibia: Nation Switches On to Solar Power

THE huge increases in electricity tariffs and soaring fuel prices experienced recently are causing many Namibians to rethink their energy needs and where to cut costs in order to save money as southern Africa is also experiencing a power crunch due to increased demand for electricity against dwindling supply capacity.

Liberia: Liberty Party Rejects Commission

The Liberty Party has rejected an investigative commission set up by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to probe an alleged e-mail scandal linking several officials of the Unity Party led government.

Nigeria: Journalists Challenge Shell on Detentions

The Warri Chapel of the Nigeria Union Journalists (NUJ) yesterday demanded a written apology from the Anglo-Ducth oil company, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) over its alleged role in the arrest and detention of journalists at the Utorogun Gas Plant in Delta State.

Nigeria: Govt Accuses Donors Over Transparency

The Federal Government yesterday identified lack of transparency and openness in administering aid and assistance as factors militating against derivation of benefits from about N384 billion disbursed in about one decade, for development projects.

Angola: Nation Begins 'New Cycle," Says Dos Santos

The Angolan Head of state, José Eduardo dos Santos, on Friday here said the country is facing a very important and historic moment, ANGOP has learnt.

Zimbabwe: SA's Mbeki to Revive Talks

South Africa President Mbeki will next week try to revive Zimbabwe's deadlocked power sharing talks after the opposition ignored a Thursday ultimatum by President Robert Mugabe to sign a power sharing agreement.

Africa: Britain, World Bank Launch Plan for Aid

Britain and the World Bank have launched an initiative to make delivery and management of aid more open and accountable.

Africa: Donors and the Poor Agree Aid Agenda

Delegates from both developing and developed countries have adopted the Accra Agenda For Action (AAA) as a guide to improve the way aid is given and spent.

Zimbabwe: Zanu PF, MDC Going Their Separate Ways

ZIMBABWE’S two main political parites — Zanu PF and the Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC — have chosen positions they will pursue in the event that the inter-party talks collapse.

Africa: Top Soccer Teams Play Away Games

Many of Africa’s leading soccer teams are playing away games this weekend as the fifth and penultimate round of qualifying matches for the 2010 World Cup and 2010 Cup of Nations soccer tournaments takes place.

Zimbabwe: Party Rejects 'Bullying Tactics'

Zimbabwe's power sharing talks looked set to completely collapse on Thursday after Mugabe issued an ultimatum to the MDC to join a proposed unity government or be left out. The ZANU PF leader threatened to appoint a new cabinet if the MDC did not sign up.

Kenya: Errors Marred Polls, Says Commission

The team looking into last year's presidential poll results indicated Thursday that its report will show widespread and systematic incompetence throughout Kenya's electoral system.

Nigeria: Yar'Adua Not Returning Yet

AILING President Umaru Ya'Adua is not returning home from Saudi Arabia immediately, contrary to public expectation in the last few days.

Angola: Show Me a Better Life and I'll Vote

Last-minute radio jingles have been trying to persuade people like Almerindo Malessu to vote on Friday but, like many other Angolans, the jobless father of two thinks the parliamentary elections - the first in the country for 16 years - are a waste of time.

Angola: Economy Weighing on Voters' Minds

Angola's economy may be booming on the back of high oil prices and strong diamond exports, but six years after a peace deal ended the 27-year civil war, unemployment stands at around 65 percent.

Cameroon: Microfinance Succeeding Despite Obstacles

Mrs Adjoumi Hamidou is the President. One of three surviving widows of Ali Hamidou, she heads Akoldiningnal, a collective that runs a multi-cereal mill at Gashiga village, 15 kilometres from the capital of Cameroon's North Province, Garoua.

Obama, seeing hope in Ohio, shifts schedule there

So much for the full-on 50-state strategy. Call Barack Obama's implementation of national Democrats' coast-to-coast plan "Fifty-State Lite." Barack Obama's strategists say they will pick and choose where to spend time and money.

Judge OKs bankruptcy filing for Vallejo, Calif.

A federal judge ruled Friday that the city of Vallejo could push forward with its bankruptcy case, rejecting a legal challenge by police and firefighters unions.

Bruce's slam leads Reds over Cubs 10-2

Jay Bruce hit his first career grand slam and Joey Votto added a two-run homer Friday night, an all-rookie power display that sent the Cincinnati Reds to a 10-2 victory on a day when nothing went right for the first-place Chicago Cubs.

UC Berkeley begins felling disputed trees

The University of California, Berkeley has begun cutting down trees at the center of a dispute over its plans to clear the area to make way for a new sports center.

Obama: McCain focused on biography over economy

Democrat Barack Obama called Republican rival John McCain's acceptance speech the final piece of an out-of-touch convention that focused on its nominee's biography instead of the struggles of the middle class.

Davis slams Orioles, Oakland walks to lopsided win

Rajai Davis' grand slam was the only Oakland hit in an eight-run eighth inning, and the Athletics topped the six-run barrier for the first time in 41 games, beating the Baltimore Orioles 11-2 Friday night.

Davis leads Ball State over Navy 35-23

Nate Davis passed for 326 yards and four touchdowns and Ball State's defense repeatedly came up with big stops in the second half in a 35-23 victory over Navy on Friday night.

Protesters paralyze Bolivian highways, airport

Protesters stormed a small airport Friday and blocked major highways across eastern Bolivia in a standoff over central government reforms designed to empower Bolivia's indigenous majority.

Myers, Dobbs lead Phillies past Mets in opener

Brett Myers buzzed through the New York Mets' lineup, pitching eight dominant innings and leading the Philadelphia Phillies to a 3-0 victory Friday night that cut their NL East deficit to two games.

Rocker Bon Jovi hosts Obama fundraiser

Unlike his Republican opponent, Democrat Barack Obama is still raising money for his presidential campaign, and he turned Friday to rock legend Jon Bon Jovi for help.

UN sees storms add to hard-hit Haiti's food crisis

Flooding in Haiti from three major storms has killed scores of people and "washed away" progress toward dealing with ongoing food shortages, the top-ranking U.N. humanitarian official said Friday.

Halladay, Rios help Blue Jays beat Rays 6-4

Roy Halladay pitched seven solid innings to win his fifth straight start, Alex Rios hit two homers and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-4 on Friday night to extend their season-high winning streak to six.

Cyclists want apology from USOC over mask flap

The four American cyclists who arrived for last month's Beijing Games wearing black masks and were subsequently ordered to apologize for offending the host nation are seeking an apology from the U.S. Olympic Committee.

Russia is testing West and Crimea could be target

A key Czech leader said Friday that a resurgent Russia has begun testing the West and warned that Ukraine's strategic Crimea peninsula could become a target.

Palin church promotes converting gays

Gov. Sarah Palin's church is promoting a conference that promises to convert gays into heterosexuals through the power of prayer.

Roof back in play at US Open as 1st men's SF moved

In the not-too-distant future, there could be a retractable roof on the U.S. Open's main stadium, and organizers won't have to worry about tropical storms the way they were worrying Friday.

Bomb scare spurs search of freight train in NJ

A suspicious package found aboard a freight-train Friday evening contained an electronic device that bomb squad members doused with a water cannon, but it wasn't immediately clear if was capable of causing damage, authorities said.

Schmidt: Mets know Phillies are better than them

In a pep talk via e-mail, Mike Schmidt reminded the Philadelphia Phillies of their big comeback to win the NL East last season and said "the Mets know you're better than they are."

Man in wheelchair robs Texas 7-Eleven of condoms

A robber rolled into a Dallas convenience store came armed with a bat and a knife. He left with a lot of condoms and an energy drink.

Oldest gorilla in captivity dies in Dallas at 55

The oldest gorilla in captivity, a 55-year-old female named Jenny, has died at the Dallas Zoo — her home for more than half a century, a spokesman said Friday.

Most Clinton backers say Palin's too far a stretch

Sandy Goodman was deeply disappointed when Hillary Rodham Clinton didn't get the Democratic nomination, then again when she was bypassed for the VP spot. So Goodman, a longtime Florida Democrat, flirted with thoughts of shunning Barack Obama, and perhaps even voting Republican.

Ohio teen gets 44 years for beating disabled woman

A judge has sentenced an Ohio teenager convicted in the torture beating of a mentally disabled woman to 44 years in prison.

Red Sox activate Beckett, Lowell and Casey

The Boston Red Sox got three key players back Friday, activating right-hander Josh Beckett, third baseman Mike Lowell and first baseman Sean Casey from the 15-day disabled list.

Many flee Turks and Caicos as 'Ike' approaches

Hurricane Ike barreled toward the Turks and Caicos as a powerful Category 3 storm on Friday, prompting an exodus of tourists and even longtime residents from the normally idyllic Atlantic island chain.

Divorce papers reveal Hulk Hogan's net worth

Thousands of dollars spent on clothing, grooming and vacations are among the average monthly expenses for Hulk Hogan's wife, according to financial affidavits filed in the couple's impending divorce case near Tampa.