Negotiations end for the day in McCourt divorce case that could determine Dodger ownership

Mediation ends for the day in McCourt divorce case

LOS ANGELES – Negotiations have ended for the day in the divorce case of Jamie and Frank McCourt that could determine future ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Mediation began Friday in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom before Superior Court Judge Peter Lichtman.
Court spokesman Allan Parachini says negotiations, …. Read the original article  : here.

Sudanese officials seek world support as critical independence referendum nears

Sudan seeks global support as vote nears
UNITED NATIONS – Sudanese officials are asking world leaders including President Barack Obama to provide the international support needed to maintain peace as they near a critical independence referendum on south Sudan that could split Africa’s largest country in two.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Obama and other leaders on Friday …. Original article  : Sudanese officials seek world support as critical independence referendum nears.

Obama touches all time low in opinion poll

WASHINGTON – With just a month to go for the US Congressional elections, opposition Republicans have the clear advantage as President Barack Obama contends with the lowest approval rating of his 20-month presidency, a new poll shows.

Obama’s approval rating now stands at 42 percent — an all time low in CNN polling and 8 [..] Read the original article: here.

India backs UN push for global disarmament

UNITED NATIONS – India has strongly backed UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon’s push for efforts to rid the world of weapons of mass destruction with the Conference on Disarmament (CD) giving it political impetus.

“India remains committed to the objective and vision of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s Action Plan of 1988 for ushering in a … Read more : India backs UN push for global disarmament.

David Cameron’s new baby girl ’sleeps in cardboard box’

LONDON – UK Prime Minister David Cameron has revealed that his newborn baby girl sleeps not in a cot, but in a cardboard box.

Cameron said when Florence Rose Endellion Cameron was born last month, she did not have a cot so his six-year-old daughter Nancy decorated the box for her to sleep in.

Cameron told the …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : David Cameron’s new baby girl ’sleeps in cardboard box’.

Advani and Uma Bharti visit Somnath on Rath Yatra anniversary

SOMNATH – Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lal Krishna Advani visited the Somnath temple in Gujarat along with former BJP leader Uma Bharti on Saturday.

The two leaders landed at Keshod airport in Junagadh district on Friday evening from where they left for Somnath to offer prayers at the temple.

Advani had started his rath yatra …. Source article  : Advani and Uma Bharti visit Somnath on Rath Yatra anniversary.

India, Brazil, Germany, Japan seek UNSC expansion

UNITED NATIONS – India, Brazil, Germany and Japan (collectively known as G4 nations) have reiterated the need for urgent reform of the Security Council, including expansion of permanent and non-permanent membership, to make it more responsive to 21st century realities.

The call was made after a meeting Friday of the foreign ministers of G4 countries, including … Read more »»».

Clinton meets with Abbas as Israeli-Palestinian talks in jeopardy over settlements issue

Peace talks in jeopardy, Clinton and Abbas meet

NEW YORK – Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton spent nearly a half-hour Friday meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as the Obama administration tried to prevent Israeli-Palestinian peace talks from collapsing.
The Palestinians have threatened to walk out of the talks if Israel does not extend a slowdown … Original source on Gaea Times at : Clinton meets with Abbas as Israeli-Palestinian talks in jeopardy over settlements issue.

Boehner criticizes Democrats’ postponement of vote on whether to extend Bush-era tax cuts

Boehner criticizes postponement of tax cut vote

HARRISBURG, Pa. – U.S. House Republican leader John Boehner is criticizing Democratic leaders in Congress for postponing a vote on extending Bush-era tax cuts until after the Nov. 2 election.
Boehner (BAY-ner) spoke Friday night at a dinner for Pennsylvania Republicans in the state capital of Harrisburg.
He says Democrats postponed …. Source article  : Boehner criticizes Democrats’ postponement of vote on whether to extend Bush-era tax cuts.

Judge to approve $75M Citigroup settlement once bank adds assurances against future actions

Judge ready to approve $75M Citigroup settlement

WASHINGTON – A federal judge says she plans to approve the government’s $75 million settlement with Citigroup Inc. over charges it misled investors about billions in potential losses from subprime mortgages.
U.S. District Court Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle said she first wants assurances that Citigroup will maintain new policies it …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Judge to approve $75M Citigroup settlement once bank adds assurances against future actions.

Friending Newark: Facebook founder gives $100M to school system after he and the mayor click

Newark mayor’s crime-fighting led to $100M gift

NEWARK, N.J. – Just two months ago, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was at a conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, and found himself seated at dinner with Newark Mayor Cory Booker.
Booker, a charismatic, 41-year-old former Stanford football player, regaled the other guests around the table with stories about how he … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Friending Newark: Facebook founder gives $100M to school system after he and the mayor click.

Minister fired for having sex with Swaziland king’s wife

LONDON – The king of Swaziland, who has 14 wives, has sacked his justice minister after the politician was caught red-handed having sex with one of the women in the southern African kingdom, media reports here said.

King Mswati III, 42, an “enthusiastic practitioner” of polygamy and father to 23 children, was shown pictures by police … Original article on : Minister fired for having sex with Swaziland king’s wife.

African Union asks Security Council to delay genocide prosecution of Sudan’s president

Africans ask UN to delay al-Bashir prosecution

UNITED NATIONS – The African Union asked the U.N. Security Council in a letter circulated on Friday to delay for a year the prosecution of Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir on charges of genocide and other alleged crimes.
In a letter to the council circulated Friday, the continent-wide organization said it …. Original article  : African Union asks Security Council to delay genocide prosecution of Sudan’s president.

Mass. Sen. Brown headlines Pa. Senate fundraiser for Republican candidate Pat Toomey

Mass. Sen. Brown headlines Pa. Senate fundraiser

PHILADELPHIA – Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown is headlining a fundraiser in Philadelphia for Pennsylvania’s Republican candidate for Senate, Pat Toomey.
The freshman Republican senator said Friday that Toomey is an independent thinker like himself and would be a valuable ally in Washington.
Toomey’s a former congressman and is in a close … Original source on Gaea Times at : Mass. Sen. Brown headlines Pa. Senate fundraiser for Republican candidate Pat Toomey.

UN chief condemns Ahmadinejad’s remarks about 9/11

NEW YORK – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon Friday condemned “in no uncertain terms” remarks made by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad alleging a US government role in the Sep 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Ahmadinejad said in a speech Thursday to the UN General Assembly that some “segments” of the US government “orchestrated” 9/11 to “reverse the declining … Read more »»».

AP-GfK Poll: Both parties disliked, Democrats struggle to overcome election enthusiasm gap

AP-GfK Poll: GOP more fired up as elections near

WASHINGTON – A political enthusiasm gap is helping Republicans in their effort to roll up big gains in the congressional elections. GOP supporters are a lot more interested in getting their party’s candidates elected than Democrats are in electing theirs, a new AP-GfK poll shows.
Democrats struggling to … Read more »».

Federal judge OKs 1st Calif execution since ‘06 after state revises lethal injection procedure

Judge clears way for 1st Calif execution since ‘06

SAN FRANCISCO – A federal judge has cleared the way for California’s first execution since 2006 after the state revised its lethal injection procedures.
Corrections officials have scheduled the execution of Albert Greenwood Brown for next Wednesday.
U.S. District Court Judge Jeremy Fogel said Friday that Brown’s execution could …. Source  : Federal judge OKs 1st Calif execution since ‘06 after state revises lethal injection procedure.

Queen sought funds aimed at Britain’s poorest to pay for heating at Buckingham Palace

Queen tried to get UK poverty fund to heat palace

LONDON – Even a monarch needs a little help from time to time – especially when the cost of heating those drafty old palaces spirals past $1.5 million a year.
But a request for assistance from a government fund that provides subsidized heating to low-income Britons has … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Queen sought funds aimed at Britain’s poorest to pay for heating at Buckingham Palace.

Former DOJ official says department won’t prosecute minorities for voting rights violations

Ex-DOJ official blasts voting rights enforcement

WASHINGTON – A former Justice Department official says his higher-ups told lawyers they are not interested in pursuing Voting Rights Act accusations against minorities. The department denies the allegations.
Christopher Coates is the former chief of the Justice Department’s Voting Section. He says some within the Justice Department have “deep-seated opposition …. Source  : Former DOJ official says department won’t prosecute minorities for voting rights violations.

IED beams Added to U.S. Joint Forces ‘will change the face of this war’

NEW YORK (GaeaTimes.com) — Many suffered a painful death due to IED blasts.
IEDs happen to be an insurgent weapon that is responsible for the dreadful fate and maiming of thousands of U.S. servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The latest technology that has been developed will probably save the lives of many from these IEDs. Reportedly, …. Read the original article  : IED beams Added to U.S. Joint Forces ‘will change the face of this war’.