Carter says Hamas may recognize Israel if Palestinians approve peace deal; Lugo ousts Paraguay's Colorado party after 61 years in power...

21 April :: Carter says Hamas leaders may be willing to recognize Israel's right to exist, in exchange for lasting peace, even if negotiated by rival Fatah group, so long as accord is submitted to Palestinian people in referendum; CNN cites Carter saying at the start of his trip: "I'm not a negotiator, I'm just trying to understand different opinions and communicate, provide communications between people that won't communicate with each other"... Paraguay opposition leader, Fernando Lugo, a former Roman Catholic bishop, won 40.9% of the vote, against ruling Colorado party candidate Blanca Ovelar's 30.7%; the win means a change in party for the first time in 61 years; some observers predict a volatile power struggle may ensue, though under Paraguay law, the candidate with the most votes wins, regardless of margin of victory... Obama goes on the offensive in Pennsylvania, characterizing Clinton as a "compromised Washington insider"; Clinton fires back that Obama's attacks are effort to cover for last week's controversial ABC debate, in which a barrage of personal questions put the frontrunner on the defensive; Obama has been outspending Clinton 2-to-1 in ads in PA, and has narrowed her lead from 16% to between 4% and 6% in just a few weeks; NYT reports "Mr. Obama was using his fund-raising advantage to pay for a multimillion-dollar campaign that included sophisticated demographic targeting to find supporters in smaller cities" but is "also relying on old-fashioned tools, including sending supporters door-to-door, renting sound trucks to drive through urban neighborhoods and having volunteers serve as “town criers” to pass out literature on city buses"; Hillary and Bill Clinton have appeared across the state, trying to ensure Obama doesn't gain in the delegate race... NYT reporting that "In Japan and South Korea, some manufacturers for the first time have begun buying genetically engineered corn for use in soft drinks, snacks and other foods"; mounting international food shortages, coupled with soaring prices are causing what could be a fundamental shift in food production methods, with as yet unforeseeable consequences; some critics believe genetically modified foods could cause negative genetic and health-related impact in the human population...

4,000th US soldier killed in Iraq, 5 years into war; NASA scientist says administrations have tried to "control" release of scienctific data...

23 March :: US military has reported 4,000th soldier killed in Iraq conflict; BBC reports 4 US soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in southern Baghdad, "In Baghdad, the heavily-fortified Green Zone suffered sustained mortar and rocket fire, which killed at least 15 civilians"... Dr. James Hansen, NASA's leading climate scientist, says both Republican and Democratic administrations have slowed the release of vital scientific findings, seeking to "control" science in line with political goals... US VP Dick Cheney has said the establishment of a Palestinian state is "long overdue", as some expect he will apply pressure to Israel to cease settlments in the West Bank; Financial Times reports "Dick Cheney, US vice-president, on Sunday met Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, as part of his tour of the Middle East. He criticised Hamas for the rocket attacks launched from Gaza on Israeli cities, saying they posed a threat to peace talks"...

Sharif, Zardari form Pakistan governing coalition; Obama wins Wyoming, Democrats take Hastert's old seat in special election...

9 March :: Sharif, Zardari form coalition gov't in Pakistan, calling into quesiton the viability of Pres. Pervez Musharraf, politically; Musharraf has lost substantial support for his hardline attempts to reform the nation's government structure in his favor, declaring martial law, throwing out judges who ruled against him, detaining lawyers and muzzling the press; former PM and Musharraf arch-rival Sharif is quoted by VOA saying "The restoration of the deposed judges, as it was on 2nd of November 2007, shall be brought about through a parliamentary resolution to be passed in the National Assembly within 30 days of the formation of the federal government"... Barack Obama wins Wyoming caucus, by margin of 61% to 38% over rival Hillary Rodham Clinton, with 7 and 4 delegates going to the candidates, respectively; though the vote has little effect on the overall delegate totals, it is considered important as a show of momentum over the long-term, after Clinton picked up 3 wins last week... Bill Foster, a Democrat, has won the seat of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, in a special election called after Hastert's resignation last year, defeating Bill Oberweis by a margin of 53% to 47%; Republicans have sought to play down the loss, while Democrats say it is a rebuke of presidential candidate John McCain, who supported the local GOP candidate... In move that could inflame already flashpoint tensions, Israeli PM Ehud Olmert has approved a plan to build 750 new settlement homes in the West Bank; the US and EU have called for Israel to halt its settlement construction in the Occupied Territories and to phase in a withdrawal in the interests of a peace initiative sponsored by the US pres. George W. Bush; Israel, Palestinians have clashed heavily over last few weeks as Israel launched raids and missile attacks on Gaza in effort to deter Hamas rocket attacks into Israel...

Grain prices to soar by 35% in poor countries in 2008; US Senate bans harsh interrogations; bomb kills top Hezbollah agent in Damascus...

14 February :: Record-high grain prices will cause an untenable 35% minimum increase in poor nations' expenditures for cereals imports through July 2008, reports UN Food and Agriculture Organization; prices have increased rapidly due to record oil prices, dramatic deterioration of arable land in China — turning world's most populous nation into net importer of grain—, and diversion of crops in US, Brazil (world's top grain exporters) to bio-ethanol fuel production; combination of economic pressures expected to force a net reduction in expenditure for grain imports, signaling likely severe food shortages in poor countries... US Senate votes to ban waterboarding, other coercive interrogation techniques used by CIA in terrorist cases where gov't claims existing laws do not limit agents' behavior; Pres. Bush has said he will veto the intelligence bill if the ban were included; Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), a former PoW in Vietnam, who was subjected to torture, voted against the ban, while Democratic presidential candidates Clinton (D-NY) and Obama (D-IL) did not vote, as they are hotly contesting upcoming primaries across the nation... Top Hezbollah "security strategist" Imad Mughniyeh assassinated in car bombing in Damascus, Syria, Israel said to be bracing for reprisals; many speculate Israeli security forces were behind the killing, though Israel's prime minister Ehud Olmert has issued a statement saying "Israel rejects the attempts of terror elements to attribute to Israel any involvement"; Mughniyeh was considered responsible for many of Hezbollah's most serious attacks in the 1980s; a Lebanese parliament minister said of Mughniyeh "This is a loss of a major pillar in resistance work. He was an expert at making victories and building fighting capacities against Israel. He played an essential role in all resistance activities, especially the last war", some speculate the killing could lead to another Israel-Hezbollah war along the disputed Lebanese border areas...

Cuban gov't hints Castro may be retiring permanently; Hamas leadership floats peace deal with Israel, no talks as yet...

19 December :: Cuban gov't announces official consideration of Fidel Castro's retirement; ailing leader will likely not return to power, leading to wide-ranging speculation about successor to the world's longest ruling dictator; no timetable has been set for his official withdrawal from public life... Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who served as PM in their short-lived elected gov't of the Palestinian Authority, has said he is open to negotiating a permanent ceasefire with Israel; Israel has reacted with caution and has given no indications of accepting the offer, as various figures cite past refusals by Hamas to recognize Israel or honor negotiated settlements...

100,000 march for democracy in Burma; Ahmadinejad says no nukes, no war with US; Gore, Schwarzenegger push emissions protocol...

24 September :: Estimated 100,000 march in Rangoon (Yangon) to support Buddhist monks calling for end to military rule in Burma; some fear junta will impose another harsh crack-down... Iran pres. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said his nation does not need nuclear weapons and is not headed for war with US; news comes amid heightened tensions between Western powers and Teheran, over nuclear allegations, apparent French threat, upcoming UN General Assembly... Reuters reports "U.S. troop movements are being monitored by Iran using satellites and other technology and would be in range of Iranian missiles if an attack was launched, a top Iranian military official said"; Yahya Rahim Safavi, an advisor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also said he does not expect a US strike, as Iraq is taxing its military resources... US has said it considers Syria a "natural invitee" to Mideast peace conference it will host in November, but urges all participants to renounce violence, commit to peaceful, negotiated solution that recognizes Israel... CA gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and fmr. US vice pres. Al Gore to join world leaders at climate policy summit, aimed at establishing new solutions for global emissions reductions... Pudding Media, a new VoIP venture, is planning to monitor users phone calls in order to harvest keywords and target advertising to their computer screens as they talk; some say business method is one step too far in handing private information to online service providers... The NY Times has apologized for running a political ad criticizing the Petraeus report at a discounted rate; Moveon.org, who purchased the ad has already said it will wire the difference between the "standby rate" —for "political and advocacy groups willing to be flexible about the day their ads run"— and the full rate, according to Reuters...

Israel raid on Syria turns up alleged 'nuclear-related' material; Cheney said to have "mulled" Israel strike on Iran; Merkel meets Dalai Lama...

23 September :: Sunday Times reports "Israeli commandos seized nuclear material of North Korean origin during a daring raid on a secret military site in Syria before Israel bombed it this month, according to informed sources in Washington and Jerusalem"; nuclear-related material not named, report also says Israel raid carried out with US backing... Newsweek has reported fmr. aide to US vice pres. told "a small group" Cheney was "mulling" plan to ask Israel to strike Natanz nuclear site in Iran in hopes of provoking Iranian attack on Israel, then using Iran action as justification for massive air campaign against the Islamic republic... FBI reported to be investigating neo-nazi site that calls for lynching of the young African Americans known as the "Jena Six"; activists have called for Justice Dept. to provide full security for youths, families... FBI reported to have secretly recorded Sen. Ted Stevens' conversations in corruption investigation, long before he made public information that he was being investigated... US Senate has blocked legislation that would have ordered withdrawal of most US combat troops from Iraq within 9 months; 3 Republicans voted with 44 Democrats in favor of passage, bill needed 60 votes to pass... German chancellor Angela Merkel has defied Beijing and held a private audience with the Dalai Lama; the Chinese regime considers the meeting an implicit vote of support for Tibet's independence movement, for whom the Dalai Lama has long been the most visible spokesman...

North Korea denies nuclear assistance to Syria; French FM plays down call to war with Iran...

18 September :: North Korea's gov't says rumors it provided nuclear assistance to Syria are "conspiracy" designed to prevent its normalizing relations with the US... Russia, China have raised "alarm" over comments by French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner that the nation should prepare for war with Iran; Reuters reports "Kouchner sought, however, to play down his weekend remarks, saying they were meant as a 'message of peace'"... Israel's PM Olmert has said he respects Syrian pres. Bashar al-Assad and does not rule out dialogue with Damascus; Syria accuses Israel aircraft of firing on its territory earlier this month; alleged intel leaked to press suggests Israel may seek to defend actions claiming target was facility where Syria was working on nuclear technology obtained from North Korea; Syria, N. Korea deny allegations... Venezuelan man wakes up as coroners begin autopsy surgery; no official word on how death certificate was issued, autopsy ordered, on man whose heart, brain were still functioning; Reuters has published images provided by Carlos Camejo to a El Universal newspaper, showing his facial scar and the document ordering his autopsy...