Arming Libya’s Rebels: A Debate in Doha

Guns, money, oil, and an ex-spy chief slinking in the shadows: that’s what it came down to Wednesday in Qatar’s capital Doha when the NATO-led alliance marshaling air strikes on Libya gathered to defend its actions and brainstorm on how to help a ragtag rebel army finally dethrone Colonel Muammar Qaddafi. The coalition dismissed recent criticism and claims of inner discord with an early statement that the “international community remained united and firm in its resolve.” The same statement boasted that the alliance’s “efforts to date had exerted significant pressure on Gaddafi, protected civilians ..

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Bomber who tried to kill Thatcher faces Parliament

The man jailed for trying to kill British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in a hotel bombing in 1984 appeared in Parliament Tuesday with the daughter of one of his victims. Patrick Magee, a former Irish Republican Army activist, held a public discussion with Jo Berry, whose father died in the bombing in Brighton, southern England 25 years ago Monday.

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Abbas tables report slamming Israel, cites lack of support

Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday defended a controversial decision to defer action on a United Nations report accusing Israel and Hamas of war crimes. Abbas said the draft resolution backing the so-called Goldstone report “did not gather the number of voices that we needed

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Report: North Korea open to talks

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has again indicated willingness to participate in bilateral talks with the United States and return to six-party talks over its nuclear program, China’s Xinhua news agency reported. The attitude shift by North Korea — which pulled out of talks in April to protest the United Nations’ condemnation over its nuclear test and missile launches — came amid Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s weekend visit to Pyongyang, Xinhua reported Monday.

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Chelsea to appeal FIFA’s player-transfer ban

English Premier League side Chelsea have said they will mount the “strongest appeal possible” following the transfer ban placed on the club by world football’s governing body FIFA. The punishment, which would prevent any new member joining the squad until 2011, was dished out after the club were found to have “induced” Gael Kukuta to breach his contract in a transfer from French league side Lens in 2007

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