Copenhagen, Denmark (AHN) - A Danish warship guarding commercial ships against pirates in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday rescued seven suspected pirates from a stalled boat that had been drifting off Yemen's coast for eight days.]]> Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:46:54 +0000

Moscow, Russia (AHN) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Thursday Moscow has received positive signals from U.S. president-elect Barack Obama's circle and his government can respond accordingly to improve Russia-U.S. relations.]]> Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:46:54 +0000

Strasbourg, France (AHN) - The European Court of Human Rights on Thursday ruled that a U.K. law allowing its police to keep DNA samples of criminals and suspected criminals is illegal because it violates the right to privacy.]]> Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:46:54 +0000

Jerusalem, Israel (THE MEDIA LINE) - As the Bush administration's term draws to a close without an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in sight, the idea of a Palestinian-Israeli confederation is re-emerging.]]> Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:46:54 +0000

Baghdad, Iraq (AHN) - Four bomb explosions hit three cities in Iraq killing 20 people, including two U.S. soldiers, on Thursday, when the Iraqi government officially approved a new security pact with Washington.]]> Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:46:54 +0000

Geneva, Switzerland (AHN) - The yearly death toll from measles worldwide has dropped by 74 percent since 2000 from 750,000 to 197,000 last year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).]]> Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:46:54 +0000

Buenos Aires, Argentina (AHN) - Argentina and Chile on Thursday sent two vessels to Antarctica's Wilhelmina Bay to rescue 122 stranded passengers and crew from a cruise ship that ran aground off the coast of the icy continent.]]> Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:46:54 +0000

Washington, DC (THE MEDIA LINE) - The Syrian ambassador to Egypt has left Cairo in what some observers note is an indication of tension in Syrian-Egyptian relations.]]> Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:46:54 +0000

Bangkok, Thailand (AHN) - Because of a throat infection Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej failed to make his traditional birthday eve address on Thursday. It will be his 81st natal day on Friday.]]> Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:46:54 +0000

Toronto, Ontario (AHN) - The Ontario government will unveil on Wednesday its poverty reduction strategy which has a target to reduce child poverty by 25 percent within the next five years.]]> Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:46:54 +0000