Part two:

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China, Turkmenistan seal $3 billion energy loan

Philippines captures 'rebel base'
Troops in the Philippines seize a separatist camp and killed 30 rebels on Mindanao island, the country's military says.

Taiwan considering dropping bid for United Nations
Lost cause, or smushie reconciliation goop?

Alaskans fired up about North Korea's missiles

New Orleans mayor, wife quarantined in China
Can they stay there? Please?

North Korea Sentences 2 American Journalists to 12 Years of Hard Labor

China’s Pockets Aren’t Deep Enough During Crisis: William Pesek

China influence to grow faster than most expect: Soros
He'd know.

China is now world No. 2 arms spender, report says
Check out this list.

Global military spending hits a record in 2008

World Bank boss sees China spurring global recovery

Obama and South Korea's Lee to discuss North Korea

China Forges Strategic Links with Gulf
Many believe that the growing urgency by Asian countries, particularly China, Japan, India and South Korea, to secure energy sources is beginning to shape profound changes in international relations, both economic and political.

U.S. not seeking to topple North Korea government: envoy

N. Korea Warns of 'Merciless' Nuclear Offensive

China’s Commodity Buying Spree
Shipping and commodity executives are questioning China’s motives as it piles up extra quantities of products.

Fire forces Jetstar A330 emergency landing

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Top official assassinated at wedding in Russia's Dagestan

Russia To Rev Up Car Industry?

Russian ambassador to Azerbaijan says discords between the two countries over CIS, Georgia and Caspian

Putin taps beer tycoon to head Olympics construction


'Sign this!' Putin shows oligarchs who's boss
'Sign this!' Putin shows oligarchs who's boss. "Oleg Vladimirovich, have you signed the agreement? I don't see your signature. Come here and sign it now," growled Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. He threw a pen down on the table and beckoned the man towards him with his hand.


Gazprom eyes takeover of Slovenia's fuel retailer

Russia eyes Asia Pacific grain market

Arctic conference emphasizes cooperation to address new issues

Egypt orders 'contaminated' Russian wheat sent back

Russia ready to fully meet China’s gas needs: Deputy PM Sechin

Medvedev Tells Executives Russia to Rebound Unexpectedly Fast

Europe's pipeline politics
Energy fuels new 'Great Game' in Europe
Light bulbs going on...

Russia calls for action to stabilize grain prices

Gazprom receives Ukraine gas payment for May

Western Banks Woo Russia's Rich

Russia's New Measure Causes Concern for Minority Christians
Minority Christian leaders in Russia have expressed concerned over Russia's reconstruction of Ministry of Justice as a sign of returning to a "Soviet era" persecution of Christians.

Georgia and Armenia want to reopen Russian border


Medvedev does not want to meet with Lukashenka
As we have informed, recently relations between Belarus and Russia have take a turn for the worse. After exchange of critical remarks, Russia refused to grant the second tranche of loan to Belarus, $500 mln. In his turn, Lukashenka called actions of official Moscow “blackmailing”, stating that the Russian authorities demand Minsk to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The last episode in the aggravated relations was an import ban for 1,300 names of Belarusian milk products.


Russia builds Baltic oil route to bypass Belarus

Iran courts Russia, Kazakhstan for oil

Gazprom aims to supply 5-10 pct of US gas needs

Oil sector faces investment crunch - Gazprom CEO

Gates: Russia wary of growing Iranian threat

Russia Changes Its WTO Strategy
Moscow will pull its long-delayed application to join the WTO and reapply as part of a bloc with neighbors Kazakhstan and Belarus.

Russia ready for nuclear-free world, Putin says
All nukes but his, I'm sure.

A wake-up call for Georgia, Ukraine – and the West
Bickering and divisiveness among democrats within former Soviet states could lead to authoritarian, anti-Western rule.

Russia, Brazil Plan to Buy $20 Billion IMF Bonds

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As U.S. presses Israel, EU may join fray

Conservatives Gain in European Parliament Elections
European elections 2009: Ukip claims political breakthrough
European elections 2009: how the two party system is ebbing away

UK - Police fear rioting gipsies if potholes are fixed

Voters could 'recall' errant MPs, says Gordon Brown

Human trafficking organization busted in Europe
ROME -- Police rounded up suspects in eight European countries on Tuesday as they cracked down on a human trafficking organization that had smuggled thousands of Iraqi Kurds into Europe aboard trucks, sometimes stuffing them into cages or hiding them in vending machines, authorities said.


Gaddafi calls for meeting with Libyan Jews in Rome

Libya's Gaddafi asks to meet 700 Italian women
okie dokie.

Libya to set up commercial bank in the Caribbean

Libyan oil tanker thwarts pirates

Somali pirates free Nigerian tugboat held 10 months

Somali pirates 'expanding reach'

Mob runs riot as part of Hargeisa runs out of water - Somaliland

ICC prosecutor urges Sudan to arrest Beshir

South Sudan rebels disarm in biggest UN demobilisation

Egypt orders 'contaminated' Russian wheat sent back

Egypt arrests 28 African migrants near Israel border

Nigerian militants give oil workers 72 hours to quit

Nigeria rebels say Chevron oil facility attacked
Chevron confirms fire at facility in Nigeria

Kony kidnaps 200 in Congo


Mugabe calls on Africans to end conflicts
VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe (AFP) — Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe called Sunday for an end to conflicts ravaging African economies as regional leaders met to launch a huge customs union.

Mugabe, who took over the chairmanship of the continent's largest trading bloc, the 19-member Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), said regional integration was the only path to real progress.

Happy, happy, joy, joy.


Zimbabwe May Miss Wheat Production Target, Chronicle Reports

Obama to welcome Zimbabwe's prime minister

Zimbabwe's MDC leaders 'on hit list'
Zimbabwe could be heading towards a new wave of violence, after a claim by a government minister that she and other MDC leaders are receiving daily threats, and that their names are on an assassination hit list.


World Economic Forum on Africa Opens With Call for Global Governance Reforms

Four Female Arms Dealers Declared Wanted

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Shootout kills 16 in Mexico's Acapulco resort

Mexico day care fire kills 31 children

Boy, 10, shot by police during Haiti protest

At least 30 reported killed in Amazon land protest

Search on for missing Peru police

Peru protest leader takes refuge

Peru's Deadly Battle Over Oil in the Amazon

Brazil says 17 bodies recovered from jet crash

Two Air France Passenger Names Probed for Terror Links
Two names on doomed Air France Flight 447's passenger list also appear on a list of radical Muslims considered a threat to France, according to French investigators.

Libya to set up commercial bank in the Caribbean

Pakistan welcomes Argentinean interest

Russia, Brazil Plan to Buy $20 Billion IMF Bonds

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Taiwan considering dropping bid for United Nations


IMF Says New Reserve Currency to Replace Dollar Is Possible
“There are many, many attractions in the long run to such an outcome,” Lipsky told a panel discussing reserve currencies at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum today. “But this is not a quick, short or easy decision,” he said, adding that it would be “quite revolutionary.”

The SDRs would have to be delinked from other currencies and issued by an international organization with equivalent authority to a central bank in order to become liquid enough to be used as a reserve, he said.


World Economic Forum on Africa Opens With Call for Global Governance Reforms

Scoop: Governance System For World Food Security
A strengthened global governance system is crucial to ensure world food security, the head of the United Nations agriculture arm said today, calling for changes to be made to the parts of the international trade system that led to increased hunger and poverty.
...
"Now is the time for action. The food crisis has taught us that to defeat hunger, we have to deal with its root causes and not to continue coping with the consequences of past mistakes," he added.


Early warning on protectionism needed

Global commodities prices shoot up again

Obama to pursue global uranium fuel bank

Japan MOF: G8 may discuss exit from unusual steps

Canada Official:Currencies Unlikely Dominant Topic At G8
Oh, really?

Russia, Brazil Plan to Buy $20 Billion IMF Bonds

Brazil Throws Its Weight Into Global Currency Debate

The first step towards a global currency

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5 tornadoes touch down in Colorado, mall damaged

Tornado in Italy injures 20

Thunderstorms drop heavy rain, hail west of Spokane

Penny-sized hail pelts Texas Panhandle

Melbourne dam water levels dwindling to historic low
The grim statistics mean Melbourne's dams are holding enough water to supply the city for about 500 days — without further rainfall — given typical water consumption rates.

Flash flood sweeps car away, driver presumed dead - Idaho

Wales - Hospital patients evacuated in flash floods

Jellyfish threaten to 'dominate' oceans
World Jellyfish Boom to Sting Israel

Global grains output likely to fall this season : IGC
International Grains Council (IGC) on Sunday said global grains output is estimated to fall short of demand by 15 million tones in 2009-10 due to bleak crop prospects in the EU and the US.

Grain Prices Will Be Buoyed by Supply Shortfalls, Syngenta Says

Russia calls for action to stabilize grain prices
By 'stabilize' he means 'raise'.

Global commodities prices shoot up again

Two weeks ago: EU set to support olive oil sector with storage aid
European Union regulators suggested granting olive oil producers subsidies for private storage from as early as June as a way to prevent more price falls, the European Commission said on Monday.

India Purchases Record Wheat from Farmers on Prices

Blackbird terrorises San Francisco city workers in scenes reminiscent of The Birds

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Magnitude 6.0 - NORTHERN MID-ATLANTIC RIDGE
Strong quake hits mid-Atlantic Ocean

Magnitude 5.3 - CENTRAL PERU

Magnitude 4.8 - SOUTHERN XINJIANG, CHINA

Magnitude 5.1 - SUMBAWA REGION, INDONESIA

Magnitude 4.7 - GREECE
Earthquake shakes Greece, causes property damage

Magnitude 5.4 - FIJI REGION

Magnitude 4.8 - OFFSHORE EL SALVADOR

Magnitude 4.1 - JILIN-HEILONGJIANG BORDER REGION, CHINA

Magnitude 5.1 - VANUATU REGION

Magnitude 3.2 - SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, CALIFORNIA
Small East Bay Weekend Earthquake Widely Felt

Volcano erupts in southern Colombia

Hawaii Volcano Glows

Massive landslide buries dozens in China

Magnitude 5.4 - CHIAPAS, MEXICO

Magnitude 5.3 - CHIAPAS, MEXICO

Magnitude 5.0 - SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA
Moderate earthquake felt in Juneau

Magnitude 2.6 - NORTHERN TEXAS
Magnitude 2.3 - NORTHERN TEXAS
USGS reports 2.3 earthquake near Cleburne this morning
Magnitude 2.4 - NORTHERN TEXAS
Magnitude 2.1 - NORTHERN TEXAS
Cleburne quakes probably related to gas drilling, expert says
Fourth earthquake in a week hits Cleburne
Cleburne hires geologist after rash of earthquakes

Magnitude 5.0 - TONGA REGION

Magnitude 5.3 - SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS

Magnitude 5.7 - OFFSHORE HONDURAS
Earthquake shakes Honduras; no reported damage

Magnitude 4.8 - SOUTHERN EAST PACIFIC RISE

Volcano still unstable - Redoubt

Galeras volcano erupts for 2nd time in 24 hours
Eruption forces thousands to evacuate

Low-intensity earthquake hits Valandovo - Macedonia

Sangiang Volcano Closed for Hiking

Magnitude 5.0 - ACRE, BRAZIL

Magnitude 3.9 - OFFSHORE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Magnitude 3.5 - SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, CALIFORNIA

Magnitude 5.4 - SOUTHEAST OF THE LOYALTY ISLANDS

Magnitude 5.0 - ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION

Magnitude 5.2 - SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION

Magnitude 5.3 - SOUTHERN EAST PACIFIC RISE

Magnitude 5.0 - SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS

Magnitude 5.0 - KURIL ISLANDS

Halemaumau lava lake bubbling up?

Magnitude 5.0 - LAKE BAYKAL REGION, RUSSIA

Magnitude 5.2 - WEST CHILE RISE

Typhoons trigger earthquakes on Taiwan: scientists

Magnitude 5.4 - VANUATU

Magnitude 5.7 - WEST CHILE RISE

Magnitude 5.2 - SOUTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA