Daily Brief

Greece calls new election, slides toward chaos »

accrop

01:57 pm | Times247.com Greece abandoned a nine-day hunt for a government on Tuesday and called a new election that threatens to hasten the nation’s slide towards bankruptcy and a future outside the euro zone. ……

Donald Trump, Germany and the Fox News media culture »

germanecon

04:35 pm | By Uwe Siemon-Netto, FreePressers.com A nauseating remark by Donald Trump on Fox News about Germany this week made me wonder if today’s American and European conservatives are living on the same planet –…

................................................................................................................
Top Stories

Chinese media mounts all out propaganda offensive against the Philippines »

Two Chinese surveillance ships near the Scarborough Shoal, a small group of rocky formations whose sovereignty is contested by the Philippines and China, in the South China Sea.  /Reuters/Philippines Army

02:21 pm | Special to WorldTribune.com By Willy Lam, East-Asia-Intel.com Judging by the rhetoric of the official Chinese media and military commentators,…

As West falters, Asia Pacific region emerging as new global economic engine »

The Korean stock index is reflected on glass at the Korea Exchange in Seoul.  /AFP

02:14 pm | John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — Despite the persistent economic headwinds which are expected to slow economic expansion this…

EU launches air strikes against Somali pirates after hijacking of tanker »

A pirate commander told the Associated Press the EU raid destroyed speed boats, fuel depots and an arms store.  /AP

02:10 pm | Special to WorldTribune.com LONDON — In an unprecedented move, the European Union has directed air strikes against Somalia. The…

Gaza fishing industry devastated by fuel crisis »

Fishing boats lay empty on the Gaza seashore.  /ICRC/Iyad El baba

01:48 pm | Special to WorldTribune.com GAZA CITY — The fishing industry in the Gaza Strip was said to have been suspended…

Palestinian Airlines returns after being grounded in 2005, but not to West Bank or Gaza »

Palestinian Airlines has resumed operations with flights between El Arish, Egypt and Amman, Jordan.

12:53 pm | Special to WorldTribune.com CAIRO — An airlines established by the Palestinian Authority has resumed operations after an absence of…

.....................................................................................................................................

missile offense

china boost

Is there a clergyman in the house? Obama’s constantly evolving gift to the GOP »

01:26 pm | Wesley Pruden This is not what Barack Obama expected for a coming-out party. The “historic” revelation that he is now fully evolved, as from tadpole to frog, and now grooves on same-sex marriage, was meant to be marked with quiet ceremony. No music, no flowers, no kiss, no dancing, not even a cupcake. Rage and…

Newsweek-obama_2218519i

Communism muddles along in the Middle Kingdom »

01:09 pm | Sol W. Sanders   [See Archive] Chen Guangcheng and Bo Xilai represent the two poles of the Chinese political spectrum. Chen is a blind, self-taught lawyer and provincial activist for human rights, in a life and death struggle to reinterpret the system. Bo is a pampered scion of a famous Communist family, until recently a…

China's President Hu Jintao speaks with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Beijing, May 4. Clinton told Hu on Friday that relations between their two countries were the strongest they had ever been.  /Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

Obama makes it clear: He wants a secular, post-Christian, homosexual America »

01:00 pm | Jeffrey T. Kuhner President Obama has made it official: He now supports same-sex marriage. It is his latest onslaught on traditional America. Mr. Obama has made history. He is our first commander in chief to openly embrace legalizing homosexual and lesbian unions. He has crossed a cultural watershed, paving the way for the eventual triumph…

President Barack Obama steps off Marine One May 10, on arrival at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, enroute to Hollywood for a George Clooney-hosted fundraiser tipped to make a record-breaking $15 million.  /Mandel Ngan/AFP

As West falters, Asia Pacific region emerging as new global economic engine »

02:14 pm | John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — Despite the persistent economic headwinds which are expected to slow economic expansion this year, “growth in the Asia and the Pacific area remains better than in any other region; continuing as an anchor of stability and a new growth pole for the world economy.” That’s the guardedly optimistic prognosis…

The Korean stock index is reflected on glass at the Korea Exchange in Seoul.  /AFP

Putin’s play at democracy is over: The gloves are off »

04:34 pm | Lev Navrozov It seems that quite recently things looked so promising in Russia. In my recent columns, I happily noticed that there are quite a few burgeoning signs of freedom in Russia that were impossible even to think of in my time: freedom of travel, freedom to leave the country, or start your own business.…

President-elect Vladimir Putin, center, enters St Andrew Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace on May 7 during the inauguration ceremony.  /RIA Novosti / Alexsey Druginyn

Intel Brief

Two Chinese surveillance ships near the Scarborough Shoal, a small group of rocky formations whose sovereignty is contested by the Philippines and China, in the South China Sea.  /Reuters/Philippines Army

Chinese media mounts all out propaganda offensive against the Philippines »

02:21 pm | Special to WorldTribune.com By Willy Lam, East-Asia-Intel.com Judging by the rhetoric of the official Chinese media and military commentators, the Chinese Communist Party authorities seem to be readying a small-scale…

Putin presses offensive against U.S. missile defense network »

Russian President Vladimir Putin is sworn in for his third term, which will keep him in power until 2018, with the option of running for a fourth term.

01:47 pm | Special to WorldTribune.com Compiled by Miles Yu, Geostrategy-Direct.com Vladimir Putin was sworn in Monday to be Russian president for a six-year term…

Russian admiral pours cold water on idea of China ‘military alliance’ »

A Xinhua photo of the Russia-China joint naval exercise in the Yellow Sea of the Pacific Ocean, April 26.  /Xinhua/Zha Chunming

01:41 pm | Special to WorldTribune.com Compiled by Miles Yu, Geostrategy-Direct.com Week-long Chinese-Russian naval exercises in the Yellow Sea ended April 27 with much official…

Kim Jong-Un’s ‘special actions’ commando group targets S. Korea leadership by name »

Soldiers in the parade to celebrate the centenary of the birth of North Korea's founder Kim Il-Sung in Pyongyang on April 15.  /Reuters

12:59 pm | Special to WorldTribune.com By Lee Jong-Heon, East-Asia-Intel.com SEOUL — North Korea’s new ruler Kim Jong-Un has invented his own military group dedicated…

Africa / Europe

EU launches air strikes against Somali pirates after hijacking of tanker »

A pirate commander told the Associated Press the EU raid destroyed speed boats, fuel depots and an arms store.  /AP

02:10 pm | Special to WorldTribune.com LONDON — In an unprecedented move, the European Union has directed air strikes against Somalia. The EU said a…

Greece calls new election, slides toward chaos »

accrop

01:57 pm | Times247.com Greece abandoned a nine-day hunt for a government on Tuesday and called a new election that threatens to hasten the nation’s…

Putin presses offensive against U.S. missile defense network »

Russian President Vladimir Putin is sworn in for his third term, which will keep him in power until 2018, with the option of running for a fourth term.

01:47 pm | Special to WorldTribune.com Compiled by Miles Yu, Geostrategy-Direct.com Vladimir Putin was sworn in Monday to be Russian president for a six-year term…

The Korean stock index is reflected on glass at the Korea Exchange in Seoul.  /AFP

As West falters, Asia Pacific region emerging as new global economic engine »

02:14 pm | John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — Despite the persistent economic headwinds which are expected to slow economic expansion this year, “growth in the Asia and the Pacific area remains better…

CARTOON