Mubarak’s health reports send journalist in jail

The verdict sentencing an Egyptian outspoken journalist to two months in jail has been upheld by an appeal court. Ibrahim Eissa was convicted in March, for stories he wrote on President Hosni Mubarak’s health.

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South Africa has a new president

Kgalema Motlanthe (photo, from nouvelobs.com), the deputy leader of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, has been sworn in as president, replacing Thabo Mbeki who resigned.

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Quartet ‘failing’ in Middle East

A coalition of 21 aid organisations has issued their report on Thursday, charging the so-called Quartet of Middle East negotiators with failing to make significant progress towards peace in the region.

The report says that the EU, Russia, the US and the UN had not delivered on half of their goals, adding that in some instances, the situation had even become worse since the much-hyped Annapolis conference last year.

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US president to meet both presidential hopefuls

While the White House says lawmakers are making progress on a proposed $700bn plan to aid failing firms, and George W.Bush (photo, from nouvelobs.com) is pushing for a quick agreement, he is preparing to meet John McCain and Barack Obama, the two presidential candidates.

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South Africa’s president resigns

South African president, Thabo Mbeki (photo), as formaly resigned in a televised address, a day after accepting a call by the governing African National Congress to quit.He said he had handed a resignation letter to the speaker of the National Assembly and added that as soon as a new president was chosen, he would leave his post.

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Livni wins Kadima election

Tzipi Livni (photo, from economist.com), Israel’s foreign ministry, has won the election to replace Ehud Olmert, the current prime minister, as the leader of the ruling Kadima party.

Early on Thursday, Ms Livni said in a victory speech, that she would now begin efforts to form a coalition government, putting her on track for the premiership.

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Teenager shot in Toronto school

After a student was shot on  school property on Tuesday, a Toronto high school has been locked down by the police.

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‘Oil war’ declared by Nigeria’s rebels

An “oil war” against foreign-owned oil compagnies working in the Niger Delta (photo), has been declared by Nigeria’s main militant group.

On Sunday, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) said it had launched “hurricane Barbarossa” and destroyed flow stations and oil pipelines, killing 22 Nigerian soldiers.

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Saudi most senior judge against ‘immoral programmes’

It is permissible to kill the owners of satellite TV channels which broadcast immoral programmes, said Sheikh Salih Ibn al-Luhaydan, the most senior judge in Saudi Arabia.

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Alaska to subpoena Palin’s husband

In the US state of Alaska, politicians have voted to subpoena Todd Palin, the husband of Sarah Palin (photo, from bostonherald.com), the Republican nominee for US vice-president, as part of an investigation into alleged abuse of power by the Alaska governor.

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