World

2 Australians charged in vicious attack on tourist

By msnbc.com on March 10, 2010

Two Australian teenagers have been charged in a brutal attack in a Sydney train station on a Canadian tourist in a wheelchair.

Mexican telecom king unseats Gates atop richest list

By CNN on March 10, 2010

New York (CNN) — Forbes magazine released its annual list of the worlds richest people Wednesday, and for only the second time since 1995, Microsoft founder Bill Gates name was not at the top.

This year, the title of "Worlds Richest" went to Mexican telecom mogul Carlos Slim, with a net worth of $53.5 billion.

Slim, whose holding company America Movil contains a sprawling collection of telecom assets, is the first non-American to be declared Forbes richest person since 1994, when Japanese real estate kingpin Yoshiaki Tsutsumi held that honor. (He has since disappeared from the list entirely).

But Slims financial edge over Gates is, well, slim, at least by billionaire standards — just $500 million. A $1 increase in Microsoft shares, the compilers of the Forbes list noted at a press conference Wednesday, could send Gates net worth ahead of Slims.

Also, were it not for his extensive philanthropy, Gates would have a net worth in the ballpark of $80 billion, Forbes Matthew Miller estimated.

Gates is the worlds second richest person, with a net worth of $53 billion. Warren Buffett came in third this year, with a net worth of $47 billion.

Billionaires total net worth rose 50 percent to $3.6 trillion. After sharply contracting the previous year, the total number of billionaires also increased from 793 to 1,011, Forbes list showed. The number is still lower than the record 1,125 billionaires recorded in 2008.

Not only are there more billionaires than last year, but the ones at the top are even richer than last year. The top 10 billionaires have a combined net worth of $342 billion, up from $254 billion in 2009, Forbes said.

In terms of the international scorecard, the United States still boasts more billionaires than any other country — 403, or nearly 40 percent of all billionaires. New York, similarly, has more billionaires than any city on the globe.

But Americas billionaires have not rebounded from the recession as strongly as other countries billionaires.

"The United States is not doing as well as the rest of the world in coming back," publisher Steve Forbes said.

As U.S. billionaires dominance of Forbes list wanes, Asian countries are seeing their ranks of billionaires swell, especially China. Mainland China has the second-most billionaires after the United States, overtaking Russia for the first time. Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong and India also saw significant upticks in their billionaire tallies.

Elsewhere, Turkeys billionaire community expanded notably, jumping to 28 members from 13, while Western Europe, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates underperformed by comparison.

As in years past, the Forbes list showed a severe gender imbalance in the worlds billionaire population

Eighty-nine of the 1,011 billionaires are women. Fourteen of those female billionaires are self-made, including Oprah Winfrey, whose net worth dipped $300 million to $2.4 billion. Half of the worlds self-made female billionaires are from China.

For three years running, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, 25, secured the distinction of being the lists youngest billionaire, climbing to the 212th rung with a net worth of $4 billion.

On the opposite end of the age spectrum is Switzerlands 99-year-old Walter Haefner, ranked 287th.

The years biggest winner was Brazilian minerals magnate Eike Batista, who added $19.5 billion to his net worth in 12 months, enough to catapult him to eighth place on the list, from 61st. Modesty is apparently not one of Batistas many possessions: He has vowed to become the worlds richest person.

On the flip side, German heiress Madeleine Schickedanzs bank account had a hideous year. After clocking in as Forbes 142nd richest person in 2007, she plunged into relative penury and now "claims to be living on several thousand dollars a month," said Forbes senior editor Luisa Kroll.

Obasanjo: Nigerian violence fed by ethnic, economic issues

By CNN on March 10, 2010

(CNN) — Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo insisted Wednesday that this weeks explosion of violence that claimed at least 200 lives is not driven by religious tensions between Christians and Muslims — but by ethnic, social, and economic problems.

In Sundays violence near the central city of Jos, Christian villagers said a mob armed with guns, knives and machetes killed and burned at will, leaving a trail of death and destruction. The attack came in the same area that 150 Muslims were killed in January.

In an interview with CNNs Christiane Amanpour, Obasanjo said, "If you have one group or a community that has land thats been encroached upon by another community or even by itinerant cattle farmers, then the people who lay claim to the land will fight back."

"If there are job opportunities in an area, and persons believe they are indigenous to that area, and (are) not getting enough out of the jobs that are available, they will fight those who are getting the jobs," Obasanjo said.

Obasanjo said hes convinced the conflict in the oil-rich nation does not have religious roots, because Nigerian religious leaders have come together and deliberated on the problems in Jos, which lies on a faith-based fault-line between Muslim dominated northern Nigeria and the mainly Christian south.

Obama pledges to continue Haiti aid, says situation \’remains dire\’

By CNN on March 10, 2010

Washington (CNN) — President Obama met Wednesday with Haitian President Rene Preval to discuss relief, recovery and reconstruction efforts in Haiti.

The two leaders pledged to continue working for a more coordinated, sustained global relief effort to help Haiti recover from a massive 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck January 12.

Much of Haitis capital, Port-au-Prince, was destroyed, and more than 217,000 people were killed, according to the latest figures from international relief organizations.

The situation on the ground in Haiti "remains dire," Obama said at the White House. A continuing desperate need for food, medicine and shelter will be exacerbated by the onset of Haitis spring rain season, he said.

"You will continue to have a steady and reliable partner in the United States of America," Obama promised Preval.

Preval extended his thanks "not only for the material aid" from the United States, but also for Americas "psychological response," which made Haitians realize "we were not alone."

Washington has already provided $700 million in aid to Haiti. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Tuesday a donors conference is planned in New York for the end of March. More than half of all United States households have made private contributions to Haitian relief, Clinton said.

Preval said Tuesday his country is working to get its election timetable rescheduled, telling reporters after meeting with Clinton that political stability is "fundamental" for the development of a country. "I think that is what constitutes a guarantee for investors, for the population — that theres some guarantees, that theres some security about their future," he said.

Parliamentary elections set for February were postponed, and it is unclear whether a presidential election scheduled for the fall can proceed.

Clinton said she assured Preval "that the United States would work with the international community to hold elections as soon as appropriate."

CNNs Charley Keyes contributed to this report.

Britain confronts debt of Greek proportions

By msnbc.com on March 10, 2010

The woes of Britain show that the troubles for Europe, and the West, extend far beyond the traditionally laggard countries of southern Europe.

U.K. millionaire to move to mud hut

By msnbc.com on March 10, 2010

An ex-con U.K. millionaire is selling his 16th-century farmhouse and businesses to start a children’s charity in Uganda.

Biden: U.S. will hold Israelis, Palestinians accountable

By CNN on March 10, 2010

Ramallah, West Bank (CNN) — The United States will hold both Israel and the Palestinians responsible for any steps that make peace between them more difficult, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said Wednesday.

He said both sides must "build an atmosphere of support for negotiations and not complicate them," specifically criticizing an Israeli announcement that it would build more apartments on disputed land.

The move "undermines that very trust, the trust that we need right now in order to begin as well as produce profitable negotiation. That is why I immediately condemned the action," Biden said.

Israel announced Tuesday it would build 1,600 new apartments on land which both Israel and the Palestinians claim.

The Palestinians contend the area is in East Jerusalem; Israels Interior Ministry says it is not. Biden referred to the disputed site as being in East Jerusalem — land which Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 war.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat reacted to the announcement with fury and despair.

"The choice the Israeli government has right now is settlements or peace," a visibly agitated Erakat said on CNNs "The Brief."

"Stopping settlements is not a Palestinian condition, its an Israeli obligation under the road map," he said, referring to the internationally backed peace plan. "They did not stop settlements, they did not stop incursions, they did not stop dictation … who is to be blamed now?

"This kills the process, this kills the efforts being exerted to revive the peace process," he said.

"Why would the Israeli government … why would they throw in the face of Mr. Biden 1,600 housing units knowing that this undermines the efforts being exhibited?" he demanded.

New death threats for Swedish cartoonist

By msnbc.com on March 10, 2010

The Swedish cartoonist whose sketch of the Prophet Muhammad has angered Muslims says he’s received more death threats since arrests were made this week over an alleged plot to kill him.

Biden: Palestinians deserve ‘viable’ state

By msnbc.com on March 10, 2010

Vice President Joe Biden voices displeasure over an Israeli plan to enlarge an east Jerusalem settlement and reassures his Palestinian hosts that they deserve an independent state.

U.S. condemns new Israel housing units

By CNN on March 10, 2010

Jerusalem (CNN) — Vice President Joe Biden said Tuesday that the United States condemns Israels decision to build 1,600 housing units in a Jerusalem neighborhood, calling it "a step that undermines the trust we need right now."

"I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem," Biden said in a statement issued just hours after he met with Israeli leaders in the region.

"The substance and timing of the announcement, particularly with the launching of proximity talks, is precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now and runs counter to the constructive discussions that Ive had here in Israel."

The construction, announced earlier Tuesday, will be in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood, located in disputed territory in East Jerusalem. The Israeli Interior Ministry denies the territory is in East Jerusalem.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs echoed Bidens condemnation at a briefing in Washington.

"I dont believe that either the substance or the timing [of the announcement] is particularly helpful, and I think [it] runs counter to the very productive talks the vice president was having in the region," Gibbs said.

Biden is the highest-ranking member of the Obama administration to visit Israel, and he emphasized Americas close ties with Israel earlier Tuesday during meetings with top Israeli leaders. He said the bond between the two nations is unshakable.

On efforts to restart the peace process, Biden said, "We are at a moment of real opportunity. I think that the interests of the Israeli and Palestinian people, if everybody stops and takes a deep breath, are actually more in line than they are opposites."

After the plan for construction was announced, lead Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said the Israeli government is "determined to undermine" efforts to jump-start peace negotiations and called the plan "a disaster."

The area where the construction is to take place is "in occupied Palestinian territory, and thats the issue we are supposed to negotiate, and now they are dictating rather than negotiating," Erakat said.

The Israeli Interior Ministry said the construction plan was approved by a district committee, and the public can express objections to it over the next 60 days.

The minister of interior did not approve the plan, as expanding an existing neighborhood is in the hands of the district committee, the ministry said.

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