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US president Barack Obama signed a bill that will give Pakistan US$7.5 billion worth of nonmilitary aid into law on Thursday. The bill was signed by the president at the White House. The White House spokesman, Robert Gibbs, said that the law demonstrated the "tangible manifestation of broad support for Pakistan in the US." The plan will provide money for projects to help fund energy generation, roads, schools, and water resource management in Pakistan, among other things. Congress, however, will still need to allot the money indicated in the

Luis Armando Peña Soltren surrendered to United States law enforcement at 1:30 Sunday, at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Soltren had arrived on a flight from Havana, Cuba, where authorities say he has resided 41 years to avoid prosecution. Soltren is charged with air piracy and kidnapping, for allegedly participating in the November 24, 1968 hijacking of Pan Am Flight 281, which took off from JFK. According to the December 1968 indictment against him, by then-United States Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau, Soltre

U.S. military censors blocked a Pentagon lawyer's donation of a book by U.S. dissident intellectual, Noam Chomsky, to an inmate at the U.S military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Arabic version of the book, 9/11, was donated to the Guantanamo Bay library's collection of over 16,000 items, but rejected with a standard note of unacceptable material for the collection. Activist and intellectual Noam Chomsky responded by saying, "This happens sometimes in totalitarian regimes." Adding, "[o]f some incidental interest, perhaps, is the natu

Police in South Africa clashed with thousands of demonstrators in two communities east of the city of Johannesburg on Tuesday. The demonstrators, who were protesting poor housing conditions and lack of public services, had blockaded roads and set a municipal office in the town of Belfast on fire. Riot police responded by firing rubber bullets and tear gas at the protesters to restore order, and arrested several residents. Two police officers were injured after some of the residents started to throw stones at security officials. Residents al

The United States Senate Committee on Finance approved a proposal to reform health care on Tuesday, clearing it to move forward. The bill passed by a 14-9 vote, gaining support from the committee's thirteen Democrats, and one Republican. Senator Olympia Snowe was the only senator from the Republican party to back the bill. However, she said this might change as the bill moves through Congress. "There are many, many miles to go in this legislative journey. My vote today is my vote today. It doesn't forecast what my vote will be tomorrow," Sno

American singer and actor Al Martino died yesterday, aged 82. Martino was born as Alfred Cini in Philadelphia, US state of Pennsylvania on October 7, 1927. One of the ways in which he was best known was for his first single, "Here in My Heart", which became the first ever number 1 single in the UK Singles Chart on November 14, 1952. It stayed at the top spot for nine weeks before being succeeded by "You Belong To Me" by Jo Stafford. More recently, Martino was known was for his character Johnny Fontane in the 1972 film The Godfather. He repris

Turkey and Armenia signed an historic agreement, agreeing to normalize bilateral relations and reopen borders after a century of animosity. It was signed in Zurich, Switzerland. The signing ceremony was delayed because of the Armenian delegation. After three-hour long discussion, the dispute resolved and the protocol signed by the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and the Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandyan, with participation of the United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey, F

Preliminary results from Sunday's local and regional elections in Russia indicate that the United Russia party won a significant majority of votes throughout the country. Central Elections Commission official Leonid Ivlev said vote counts on Monday showed the United Russia party won nearly 80% of the local races. These included elections for mayors, as well as regional and city legislatures. In Russia's capital of Moscow, the pro-Kremlin United Russia obtained 66% of the vote for city council. The opposition Communist Party came in second, wi

An autopsy performed on Tuesday revealed that the late Boyzone singer Stephen Gately "had died of natural causes". Officials from the Spanish island of Majorca that Stephen had suffered from an accumulation of fluid on the lungs, or as it is known in scientific terms, a pulmonary edema. The 33-year-old singer was found dead on a sofa in the lounge of his apartment. He had been out of the accommodation for the night while he was partying with Andrew Cowles, who was his partner. There was a court hearing held earlier today in Majorca. The heari

Gabon's constitutional court has upheld Ali Ben Bongo's win in the August presidential election. Nine opposition candidates had challenged those results, alleging vote fraud. After recounting results from more than 2,800 polling stations, Gabon's constitutional court confirmed the election of the son of the country's long-time leader Omar Bongo. Announcing the results on state television, constitutional court president Marie Madeleine Mborantsuo reaffirmed Ali Ben Bongo's win with nearly 42 percent of the vote. Former interior minister Andre

China and Russia has signed billions of dollars worth of deals during Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's visit to Beijing on Tuesday. The trip was aimed at bolstering business, political and military ties. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said that Putin came to Beijing to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. He said that the Russian leader would also meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao. The two sides are to sign a joint statement of regular high level meetings between the two countrie

George Papandreou, the new Greek Prime Minister, paid his first foreign visit to neighbouring Turkey on Friday. Papandreou arrived in Istanbul to attend an informal Balkan countries' ministerial meeting. He first visited the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I, where he said both countries must work together to unify Cyprus. Bartholomew said Papandreou's arrival in Turkey for his first foreign visit is very important for Greek–Turkish relations, which are tense due to Cyprus and Aegean Sea disputes. Later, he met with the Tur