http://www.earthtimes.org The Earth Times online newspaper, serving the planet with news that matters. Covering current affairs, world news, environmental affairs and sport en-us PHP/4.4.4 http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296518,analysis-german-afghan-woes-highlight-europes-nato-worry.html Berlin/Brussels - The resignation Thursday of Germany's top military officer over an airstrike in Kunduz encapsulates many of the difficulties that NATO's European allies face in Afghanistan. General Wolfgang Schneiderhan, the military's chief of sta... Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:04:11 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296518,analysis-german-afghan-woes-highlight-europes-nato-worry.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296517,nato-chief-seeks-troops-for-afghanistan-amid-german-crisis--summary.html Berlin - NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Thursday that European states would have to send more troops to Afghanistan, as a scandal over civilian casualties in the country rocked the German government. Two of Germany's highest milita... Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:40:16 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296517,nato-chief-seeks-troops-for-afghanistan-amid-german-crisis--summary.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296516,leonardo-dicaprio-back-with-bar.html Leonardo DiCaprio and Bar Refaeli are rumoured to have rekindled their relationship after jetting off to the Bahamas together last weekend. US,Entertainment Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:31:11 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296516,leonardo-dicaprio-back-with-bar.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296515,michael-jackson-was-always-innocent.html Michael Jackson's older brother Jermaine has claimed the suicide of Evan Chandler proves the late pop star was innocent of the child sex abuse allegations made in 1993 against his 13-year-old son Jordan. US,Entertainment Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:30:35 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296515,michael-jackson-was-always-innocent.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296514,jon-voight-not-impressed-with-fox.html Jon Voight insists Megan Fox is nothing like his daughter Angelina Jolie because the 'Changeling' star is a better actress. US,Entertainment Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:30:35 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296514,jon-voight-not-impressed-with-fox.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296513,pressure-mounts-on-iran-at-nuclear-watchdog-meeting--2nd-update.html Vienna - International pressure mounted on Iran Thursday at a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in which six world powers aimed for a resolution censuring Tehran for secretly building a new nuclear site. As the 12-year t... Middle East,World Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:16:15 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296513,pressure-mounts-on-iran-at-nuclear-watchdog-meeting--2nd-update.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296512,extra-merkel-calls-for-explanation-over-afghan-airstrike.html Berlin - Amid a mounting political crisis in Berlin over a lethal, German-ordered airstrike two months ago in Afghanistan, Chancellor Angela Merkel Thursday called for an inquiry into the aftermath. She spoke only hours after Defence Minister Karl-Th... Europe,World Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:04:20 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296512,extra-merkel-calls-for-explanation-over-afghan-airstrike.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296511,analysis-israeli-moratorium-a-pr-stunt-or-enough-to-revive-talks.html Jerusalem - Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement of a 10-month suspension of Israeli construction in the occupied West Bank - and his earlier endorsement in June of a demilitarized Palestinian state - may be a giant leap for the right-wing in Israel. Bu... Middle East,World Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:46:24 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296511,analysis-israeli-moratorium-a-pr-stunt-or-enough-to-revive-talks.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296510,icc-prosecutor-prosecute-kenyan-election-violence-suspects--summary.html The Hague - The suspects behind the violence in Kenya's 2007 presidential elections should be prosecuted, the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, said Thursday. Speaking at a press conference at The Hague-based court,... Legal,General Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:46:23 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296510,icc-prosecutor-prosecute-kenyan-election-violence-suspects--summary.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296509,norway-protests-confiscation-of-iranian-nobel-laureates-medal.html Oslo - Norway has protested strongly against reports that Iranian authorities have confiscated the medal awarded to 2003 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi, the foreign ministry said Thursday. This is the first time a Nobel Peace Prize has been... Europe,World Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:34:13 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296509,norway-protests-confiscation-of-iranian-nobel-laureates-medal.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296508,anti-islamic-dutch-politician-cancels-prague-visit--summary.html Prague - Anti-Islamic Dutch politician Geert Wilders cancelled his planned visit to Prague after his hosts had problems booking a venue for his speech, organizers said Thursday. Wilders was invited to give a speech Monday and show his film Fitna by E... Europe,World Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:28:22 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296508,anti-islamic-dutch-politician-cancels-prague-visit--summary.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296507,extra-former-german-minister-pressed-over-afghan-airstrike.html Berlin- A revelation that top German defence officials were less than frank about a lethal airstrike in Afghanistan two months ago put pressure Thursday on a former defence minister, Franz Josef Jung. Amid calls from the opposition for him to either ... Europe,World Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:28:20 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296507,extra-former-german-minister-pressed-over-afghan-airstrike.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296506,eu-regulators-charge-philips-others-over-cathode-ray-tube-cartel.html Brussels - European Union regulators Thursday formally charged Dutch electronics giant Philips and other manufacturers of cathode ray tubes (CRT) of forming a cartel aimed at inflating the price of television sets and computer monitors. The announcem... Business Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:28:18 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296506,eu-regulators-charge-philips-others-over-cathode-ray-tube-cartel.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296505,namibias-swapo-in-huge-lawsuit-against-opposition-on-eve-of-polls.html Windhoek - Namibia's new opposition Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) party is being sued by the ruling party of 20 years for 100 million Namibian dollars (14 million US dollars), it emerged on the eve of the country's fifth democratic president... Africa,World Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:22:15 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296505,namibias-swapo-in-huge-lawsuit-against-opposition-on-eve-of-polls.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296504,palestinians-reject-israeli-settlement-move--summary.html Ramallah/Jerusalem - Palestinians rejected Thursday Israel's announcement that it would halt settlement construction in the occupied West Bank for 10 months, but Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak predicted that the suspension would lead to a resump... Middle East,World Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:16:24 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296504,palestinians-reject-israeli-settlement-move--summary.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296503,no-swiss-justice-appeal-polanski-expected-to-be-freed-on-bail.html Bern - The Swiss Federal Office of Justice in Bern confirmed on Thursday that it will not block a decision by a lower court to grant film director Roman Polanski release on bail. The Federal Criminal Tribunal (TFP) in the town of Bellinzona on Wednes... Entertainment Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:16:23 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296503,no-swiss-justice-appeal-polanski-expected-to-be-freed-on-bail.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296502,early-military-decisions-dictated-rush-into-iraq-war-diplomat-says.html London - The US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 became inevitable because the military timetable was set before weapons inspectors could do their work, prompting a frantic search for a smoking gun, an inquiry in London heard Thursday. Christopher Me... UK,World Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:16:20 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296502,early-military-decisions-dictated-rush-into-iraq-war-diplomat-says.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296501,ukraine-focus-for-new-energy-efficiecy-programme.html Stockholm - The European Commission and several other donors Thursday launched an energy efficiency programme to fund projects in eastern Europe beginning with Ukraine. We expect commitments to the support fund of around 100 million euros (150 milli... Energy,Environment Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:16:20 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296501,ukraine-focus-for-new-energy-efficiecy-programme.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296500,one-dead-in-shooting-on-university-campus--update.html Budapest - A young man was killed and three people injured when a student opened fire with a pistol during a university class on Thursday in the southern Hungarian town of Pécs, local media reported. A spokesman for the university, Zoltan Gyorffy, sa... Europe,World Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:52:24 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296500,one-dead-in-shooting-on-university-campus--update.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296499,eu-officials-eye-37-per-cent-pay-rise-despite-crisis.html Brussels - European Union officials in Brussels have raised eyebrows by eyeing 3.7-per cent pay rises at a time of deep economic crisis and near-zero inflation. The proposed hikes reflect increases in the cost of living in Brussels. They also take in... Business Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:46:16 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/296499,eu-officials-eye-37-per-cent-pay-rise-despite-crisis.html