Kagan, searching for confirmation backing, drops hints on her judicial approach

Kagan campaigns for Supreme Court job
WASHINGTON – Reaching out to potential converts, Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan is dropping carefully calculated hints about her judicial approach on issues ranging from political speech to national security.
Kagan, who stepped aside from her post as solicitor general Monday, isn’t revealing much as she plods through a … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Kagan, searching for confirmation backing, drops hints on her judicial approach.

Richard Blumenthal Defends Himself

HARTFORD (GaeaTimes.com)- On Monday night the Democrat U.S. Senate candidate and the Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal went on to defend his position after a reputed media source brought out a report that claimed that the Attorney General had wrongly stated his military service in Vietnam war. The news source came up with the … Read : Richard Blumenthal Defends Himself.

Venezuelan leftist party rules out alliance with Hugo Chavez ahead of congressional vote

Dissident party: No election pact with Chavez

CARACAS, Venezuela – Leaders of a leftist party said Monday they won’t form an alliance with President Hugo Chavez’s governing party for September congressional elections because of the socialist leader’s uncompromising attitude.
The announcement by Fatherland For All – a longtime member of a pro-Chavez coalition – is a setback … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Venezuelan leftist party rules out alliance with Hugo Chavez ahead of congressional vote.

Standoff with Red Shirt protesters continues in Thailand as UN urges talks on a cease-fire

Thai chaos: UN urges talks as standoff wears on

BANGKOK – Security forces arrested a 12-year-old boy Tuesday for allegedly setting fire to several houses during the mayhem gripping the Thai capital as the United Nations urged the government and Red Shirt protesters to negotiate.
At least 37 people – mostly civilians – have been killed and …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Standoff with Red Shirt protesters continues in Thailand as UN urges talks on a cease-fire.

Launch stir like the one in Bangkok to oust Hasina, Zia told

DHAKA – A section of opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) wants to “replicate red shirts” of Thailand by launching a similar movement against the Sheikh Hasina government, a media report said Tuesday.
Senior party leaders pressed party chief Begum Khaleda Zia for an all-out campaign against the Hasina government. Zia is scheduled to … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Launch stir like the one in Bangkok to oust Hasina, Zia told.

BJP makes Ananth Kumar Bihar in-charge

NEW DELHI – The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has appointed its general secretary Ananth Kumar in-charge of poll-bound Bihar.

According to a party statement, former MP Dharmendra Pradhan has been appointed as “co in-charge” of the state.
The party had appointed former union minister C.P. Thakur as party chief of Bihar last month.
Assembly … Read more >>.

Thai protest leaders say they will accept Senate offer to mediate in talks with government

Hopes raised for brokered talks in Thai chaos

BANGKOK – Hopes rose Tuesday for an end to deadly mayhem in Thailand’s capital as leaders of a protest movement occupying central Bangkok said they would unconditionally accept an offer by the Thai Senate to mediate talks.
Scattered violence continued Tuesday in the standoff between soldiers and anti-government Red …. Source article  : Thai protest leaders say they will accept Senate offer to mediate in talks with government.

Russian chess great Kasparov says he doesn’t regret leaving game for politics

Chess great Kasparov doesn’t regret leaving game
NEW YORK – Russian chess luminary Garry Kasparov said Monday that doesn’t regret trading the game for politics.
“I just did what I believe is right for my country,” the former world champion told The Associated Press at a fundraiser for his former opponent Anatoly Karpov, a fellow …. Read the original article  : Russian chess great Kasparov says he doesn’t regret leaving game for politics.

Manmohan Singh calls high level meet to review Naxal strategy

New Delhi, May 18 (ANI): Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has called a high level meeting on Tuesday to review the government’s strategy to tackle the Maoists.
The meeting is likely to be attended by Home Minister P Chidambaram, Home Secretary …. Source article  : Manmohan Singh calls high level meet to review Naxal strategy.

NY congressman questions need to move Plum Island animal disease lab to Kansas

NY lawmaker questions Plum Island disease lab sale

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – A New York congressman whose district includes an island where a federal lab studies dangerous animal diseases is questioning plans to move the lab.
Rep. Tim Bishop said Monday he’s written to leaders of a House homeland security subcommittee to say he’s concerned about the …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Judge rules for Delta Air Lines in long-running dispute with regional carrier Mesa Air Group

Judge rules for Delta in dispute with Mesa Air

PHOENIX – A federal judge has ruled against regional carrier Mesa Air Group in a long-running dispute with Delta Air Lines over the larger carrier’s right to cancel a regional jet service contract.
Mesa said in a statement that it may now have to lay off 500 workers … Original source on Gaea Times at : Judge rules for Delta Air Lines in long-running dispute with regional carrier Mesa Air Group.

‘Left faces life and death battle in West Bengal’

NEW DELHI – For the first time, Left leaders are betraying their jitters, saying in public what the comrades have been introspecting and analysing in their politburo and other inner party forums – that West Bengal’s ruling Left Front is facing a “life and death battle” in the state whose first electoral test … Read more >>.

Standoff continues in Thailand as protest leader, gov’t discuss possible cease-fire

Thai chaos: Cease-fire talk, but standoff drags on

BANGKOK – The tense standoff between thousands of Thai protesters and soldiers entered its sixth day Tuesday after negotiators for both sides spoke for the first time since Bangkok was gripped by spasms of violence.
The United Nations urged a negotiated solution, saying “there is a high risk that … Read more »».

Motion Picture spent $370,000 to lobby federal government in 1st qtr on blocking TV recording

MPAA spent $370,000 to lobby US government in 1Q

WASHINGTON – The Motion Picture Association of America spent $370,000 in the first quarter to lobby the federal government on the ability to block recording devices when new-release movies are sent to homes and other issues, according to a disclosure report.
That’s down from the $450,000 that the …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Motion Picture spent $370,000 to lobby federal government in 1st qtr on blocking TV recording.

Supreme Court backs Kagan’s view in favor of federal law on imprisonment of sex offenders

Kagan wins case on imprisonment of sex offenders

WASHINGTON – Supreme Court justices on Monday handed a victory to the woman who could soon be joining them, upholding a federal law allowing for the indefinite imprisonment of inmates considered “sexually dangerous.”
The case was one of six Solicitor General Elena Kagan argued on behalf of the government … Original source on Gaea Times at : Supreme Court backs Kagan’s view in favor of federal law on imprisonment of sex offenders.

Dominican leader’s party dominating election returns, poised for big gains in Congress

Dominican leader’s party poised to win big gains

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – The president’s party seemed headed toward a much bigger majority in Congress, according to preliminary returns released Monday by the Dominican Republic’s electoral board.
With more than half the ballots from Sunday’s vote counted, the Dominican Liberation Party of President Leonel Fernandez appeared likely …. Read the original article  : here.

Judge in Blagojevich corruption trial says juror names will be kept secret to prevent contact

Judge: Names of Blagojevich jurors to be secret

CHICAGO – The judge presiding over former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s corruption case says the names of the jurors will be kept secret from the public.
U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel said Monday he has ordered the anonymous jury to prevent anyone from contacting them to discuss the case. … Read : Judge in Blagojevich corruption trial says juror names will be kept secret to prevent contact.

McCain campaign manager resigns; polls show Pa. Senate race tight on eve of primary

McCain shakes up campaign; Pa. Senate race tight

WASHINGTON – Sen. John McCain’s re-election bid lost its campaign manager and another veteran Republican official, part of a shake-up for the Arizona lawmaker locked in a tight primary race with radio host and former Rep. J.D. Hayworth.
The pair of GOP hands – who started before Hayworth entered … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : McCain campaign manager resigns; polls show Pa. Senate race tight on eve of primary.

Grayson says his chief rival is overconfident, but Paul says he’s going to win ‘big’

Paul predicts Ky. win; Foe slams ‘overconfidence’

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Rand Paul is predicting a big victory in Tuesday’s Republican U.S. Senate primary in Kentucky, though his chief opponent hammered the tea party favorite as being overconfident.
Paul told The Associated Press that he “would be surprised” if he doesn’t win the race with polls showing … Read more >>>.

UN renews call for restraint in Thailand’s deadly demonstrations

NEW YORK – UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Monday repeated his call for both sides in Thailand’s deadly street demonstrations to show restraint as the toll rose to at least 36.

UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said UN mediation is possible only if the Thai government and the demonstrators both agree to seek it, which has not …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : UN renews call for restraint in Thailand’s deadly demonstrations.