French hostages in Afghanistan appeal for freedom

PARIS (AP) -- Two French TV journalists held hostage in Afghanistan appeal in a recent video to France's government to help release them.

The families of the hostages viewed the video in the French Foreign Ministry on Tuesday. It has not been released publicly.

Stephane Taponier and Herve Ghesquiere were kidnapped a year ago, on Dec. 30, 2009 east of Kabul. French authorities have been working to try to secure their release.

Taponier's mother, Arlette, said on France-3 television after seeing the video that the two ask "for the French government to do everything possible to free them as soon as possible."

The two men, who work for France-3, have lost weight but are "rather calm" in the video, according to Taponier's father.

Time Warner Cable customers may lose TV networks

NEW YORK (AP) -- Time Warner Cable Inc. customers from Portland, Maine, to Pensacola, Fla., could lose access to one of their network TV stations because of a contract dispute with Sinclair Broadcast Group.

The dust-up between Sinclair and Time Warner is one of a growing number of disputes over the fees that cable providers pay broadcast stations to include their signals in channel lineups. The last high-profile dispute that caused a blackout came earlier this year when Cablevision Systems Corp. customers went without Fox programming for 15 days - missing two World Series games.

Broadcast companies used to allow cable providers to carry their channels for free and made their money selling commercial time. But competition with cable networks for ad dollars has intensified, and the recession underscored how quickly ad spending can fall off when businesses need to cut spending. Now broadcasters see these fees from cable providers as a crucial second revenue stream.

In the latest dispute, Sinclair is asking for more cash for the right to carry signals from its stations, but Time Warner Cable is resisting the increase.

If a deal isn't reached, 33 Sinclair stations in 21 markets - among them Fox, NBC, CBS and ABC affiliates - could go dark for Time Warner customers after midnight Friday. Sinclair said Tuesday that Time Warner has not presented a counterproposal since rejecting Sinclair's most recent offer. But in a statement, Time Warner said it is still ready to negotiate.

Sinclair, which is based in Hunt Valley, Md., doesn't have as much clout in these negotiations as the big networks themselves, which have stations in major markets such as New York and Los Angeles and are owned by media conglomerates, which also operate cable networks. Sinclair's stations are located in smaller cities, including San Antonio, Texas, Buffalo, N.Y., and Pittsburgh.

Quest for Palin e-mails may exceed her time in office

Sarah Palin's administration, 966 days. The time her
former office proposes for releasing her public
records, 986 days.

You can do the math.

Alaska state regulations require public officials to make public records available to the public within 10 days in most cases.

On Monday evening, Sarah Palin's former staff in the Alaska governor's office requested another delay in making public 25,000 e-mails exchanged by Palin, her husband and her senior aides.

The governor's office is asking the state's attorney general to approve a delay of five more months, until May 30, 2011.

At that point, the request filed by msnbc.com and other news organizations will have been pending for 986 days.

Sarah Palin was governor of Alaska for 966 days.

In other words, if the delay is granted, the wait for the e-mails will have lasted longer than the Palin administration.

News organizations, including NBC News, msnbc.com and the Associated Press, requested the e-mails in 2008 after the relatively unknown Palin was chosen as Republican Sen. John McCain's vice-presidential candidate.

We're told that there are about 25,700 e-mails, with an unknown number of pages. That's not exactly what any of the news organizations asked for, as explained below, but it's what the governor's office says it will consider releasing.

They include these e-mails: anything sent to or from the governor or her husband, Todd Palin (either from their government or private Yahoo accounts) to the government accounts of 53 people: the governor, her husband, and 51 key state employees, including current and former top aides, gas pipeline commission members and members of her Cabinet.

Tech tools for the 'snowpocalypse'

(CNN) -- They won't keep you warm or replace a good pair of snow boots, but a few digital tools have popped up to help people figure out how to respond to a major snowstorm that hit the northeastern United States this week.

Two "snowmageddon" websites, for example, highlight reports from the blizzard and put them on maps of New York and Boston.

Some of the citizen reports, such as a blocked street or a snow-stuck police car in Manhattan, may be useful to local residents. 

Others are just for fun. 

"Going to be making a snowman in Madison Square Park for my next year holiday cards," one of the site's users wrote. "Got an 'I love NY' T-shirt, top hat and some other cool stuff to decorate him. Feel free to come out and help me build him."

Train across France completes 'hell on wheels' journey

France's state railway company is better known for its
smooth running

A night train on France's famed SNCF rail network arrived 13 hours late after a series of unfortunate events delayed its journey across the country.

The fate of the 4295 train and its 600 passengers, travelling from Strasbourg in the north-east to the Spanish border at Portbou, made national headlines.

Bad weather, a late driver, a bad engine, a blockage on the line and disruptive drunks all played a part.

It was "hell on wheels", one traveller tweeted as the SNCF offered refunds.

Leaving Strasbourg on the German border at 2130 (2030 GMT) on Sunday, the 4295 had been scheduled to arrive in Portbou on the border with Spain at 0830 on Monday.

Part of the train, which was to split in Lyon, had been destined for Nice on the French Riviera.

However, when the train reached Belfort, just 120km (75m) out of Strasbourg, it was decided to replace the driver on health and safety grounds, as the individual had been working for three days.

A replacement had to be brought up from Lyon and did not arrive until about 0600, the SNCF said.

Feinberg strikes deals to settle oil spill claims

(Reuters) - The administrator of BP Plc's $20 billion compensation fund has paid $43 million to residents of the U.S. Gulf Coast who agree not to sue the company for damages stemming from the nation's worst offshore oil spill.

The spill closed commercial and recreational fishing waters, hurt tourism and shut down deepwater drilling, causing job and income loss for those industries that are critical to the region's livelihood.

Fund administrator Kenneth Feinberg announced a "quick pay" option on December 13 for those who are satisfied with the emergency compensation they have received from the Gulf Coast Claims Facility.

In that process, people receive a final lump-sum payment of $5,000 and businesses receive $25,000, and forfeit the right to pursue additional claims against BP.

The "quick pay" option has come under criticism from lawyers and politicians. In a December 16 statement, the attorneys general of Mississippi and other Gulf Coast states urged people to carefully evaluate any final claim offers from the GCCF, citing the uncertain nature of future damages.

Apart from the "quick pay" option, residents have the option to file for interim payments and final payments.
To date, the GCCF has paid $2.6 billion in claims to 467,889 claimants. Only one final claim of $10 million has been paid to a business, but most payments have been for emergency compensation for lost earnings and profits.

Feinberg, whose salary BP pays, has hired lawyers from firms in Mississippi, Florida and Louisiana to work in Gulf claims offices and assist residents, the GCCF said on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Anna Driver. Editing by Robert MacMillan)

US: No way to seal Afghan-Pakistan border

WASHINGTON (AP) -- There's no practical way for U.S. troops to seal Afghanistan's vast border with Pakistan and stop all Taliban fighters from slipping through, so they are focusing on defending vulnerable towns and fighting insurgents on Afghan soil, a U.S. military commander said Tuesday.

Army Col. Viet Luong said that "to secure the border in the traditional sense" would "take an inordinate amount of resources." He said it also would require far more cooperation from the tribes inside Pakistan who often provide Taliban fighters safe passage.

Other senior U.S. military officials have said they hope the Pakistan military does more to shut down Taliban hideouts. But the U.S. has denied reports that American forces are pushing to expand special operations raids inside Pakistan's tribal areas to target militants.

"It's naive to say that we can stop . . . forces coming through the border," said Luong, who oversees troops in a part of eastern Afghanistan that includes the volatile Khost province and 261 kilometers of border.

Instead, Luong said, he is choosing to fight insurgents outside Afghan villages where they are more vulnerable anyway.

Luong said troops under his command are still working to control the border. But he recently shut down one platoon-sized checkpoint known as "Combat Outpost Spera." Luong said he thought the platoon would be more useful protecting more populated areas.

Khost province has been the site of frequent enemy attacks, including a high-profile suicide bombing at a remote CIA outpost last year.

AT&T to expand Times Square Wi-Fi by New Year's Eve

(CNN) -- Ahead of the annual New Year's Eve celebration, wireless provider AT&T says it will expand a Wi-Fi hotspot in New York City's Times Square.

So if you plan to tweet "OMG it's 2011!!!" from Times Square early Saturday, you may have an easier time of it than you would have in 2010.

The "hotzone," as AT&T calls it, is part of a company effort to improve wireless data transmission to smartphones in certain urban areas. These public, outdoor Wi-Fi connections are intended to supplement the company's 3G cellular service, the company said in a press release on Tuesday.

That 3G network has drawn complaints from smartphone users, who say it's difficult to send and receive data from their phones, particularly in high-traffic areas like New York and San Francisco.

Connection problems often are compounded when large numbers of AT&T smartphone users gather in a certain area and are trying to send and receive data via their mobile phones at the same time.

Balotelli hat-trick as City go top of English Premier League

(CNN) -- Manchester City crushed Aston Villa 4-0 with Mario Balotelli scoring a hat-trick to go top of the English Premier League ahead of city rivals Manchester United's trip to Birmingham Tuesday.

Although City may only be at the head of affairs for a few hours, the manner of their victory suggested they will be a factor in the title race, but for Gerard Houllier's Villa it was another dispiriting defeat.

Tottenham Hotspur, who won 2-1 at Villa on Boxing Day, beat Newcastle 2-0 in another afternoon kick-off to leapfrog Chelsea into fourth place.

Goals from Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale in the second half maintained Tottenham's impressive recent run and spelt a second straight defeat for Newcastle under new manager Alan Pardew.

Bale scored the clinching second after a trademark surging run after Younes Kaboul had been sent off for the home side after tangling with Cheick Tiote.

At Eastlands, Balotelli proved a real handful for Villa, winning an early penalty after being hauled down by Eric Lichaj.

Uganda plans mass vaccination in yellow fever outbreak

(CNN) -- Uganda is planning to inoculate 2.5 million residents in the East African nation's northern districts, where a yellow fever outbreak has killed 45 people and sickened another 183.

The outbreak began in early November but was not confirmed as yellow fever until December 23 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Nathan Kenya-Mugisha, director general of the Ugandan Health Ministry, said Tuesday.

He said the cause of the outbreak was not known but that it could have originated in animals.

"We are doing all we can to contain the disease," Kenya-Mugisha said. "We are working with our partners to mobilize our resources to vaccinate (in) the affected areas."

Yellow fever is a viral disease transmitted to human beings through the bite of infected mosquitoes. It can lead to severe hepatitis and hemorrhaging, according to the CDC.

There is no specific treatment for yellow fever, and care is based on symptoms that include fever, backache, nausea and vomiting. People can pass on the illness without ever having its symptoms.

The World Health Organization estimates there are 200,000 cases of yellow fever and 30,000 deaths worldwide each year. Uganda's last outbreak of yellow fever, a disease endemic to tropical regions, was in the early 1970s, Kenya-Mugisha said.

Man City 4 - 0 Aston Villa

Mario Balotelli scored a hat-trick as Manchester City moved to the top of the Premier League table with an emphatic victory over out-of-form Aston Villa.

Balotelli struck from the penalty spot after he had been fouled by Eric Lichaj before Joleon Lescott headed home. 

City's Italian converted a rebound and scored another penalty after Marc Albrighton tripped Adam Johnson. 

City will slip back to second if Manchester United avoid defeat against Birmingham in Tuesday's late game. 

But nonetheless, it is proving to be a happy Christmas for City, who won comfortably at Newcastle on 26 December and increasingly look like serious title contenders. 

Perhaps most pleasing of all for manager Roberto Mancini was the hat-trick by former Inter Milan forward Balotelli, who has reportedly been feeling homesick. 

Obama Praises Vick Ahead of “Wuss” Bowl; Pakistani Problems

“Wuss” Bowl Stars Obama’s Pick Vick

"He said, 'So many people who serve time never get a fair second chance.’ He was ... passionate about it. He said it's never a level playing field for prisoners when they get out of jail.''

-- Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie relaying to Sports Illustrated President Obama’s praise to him for signing quarterback Michael Vick despite Vick’s conviction on dog-fighting charges.

First Fan Barack Obama took time to call Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie to praise Lurie’s decision to sign Michael Vick after Vick’s 2009 completion of a 21-month federal sentence for being part of a dog-fighting ring.

Lurie, a major Democratic donor, gushed about the call to Sports Illustrated columnist Peter King, saying how good it felt to be recognized for “our faith in giving someone a second chance.”

While the White House said that the purpose of the call was to congratulate Lurie for a plan to install wind turbines and solar panels at Lincoln Financial Field, a spokesman did confirm that the president talked about Vick and restated the president’s position on the need for ex-convicts to find opportunities for rehabilitation.

Vick, second on the all-time rushing list for NFL quarterbacks, and the recipient of a $1.5 million bonus on top of a contract worth $5 million this year, is hardly typical of most of the folks rotating out of America’s prisons. But his return to mainstream acceptability following public outrage over an extensive dog-fighting ring has been a favorite story in the sports press. ESPN even had a reality series.

The ex-cons looking for gigs after being in the joint aren’t generally subjects of bidding wars. Some team was going to hire Michael Vick and make millions from his high profile and prodigious talents. The same is not true of the guy looking for a dish washing job after prison. Obama may feel Lurie has done a good deed, but it is one for which the Eagles owner has profited handsomely.

Vick has returned to his pre-prison form on the field, winning the starting job in Philly and is on track to surpass his best performance with the Atlanta Falcons, the team that dropped him after the charges emerged. He has led the team to a 10-4 record and a playoff berth as the NFC East division champions.

Bomb strikes U.S. convoy in Iraq

(CNN BREAKING) -- There were no U.S. casualties when a bomb struck an American military convoy in Iraq, the U.S. military said.

The incident occurred in northern Baghdad on Tuesday, the military said.

There was no immediate word on any other casualties.

Police arrest man in case of body found in suitcase

New York (CNN) -- New York police have arrested a man in connection in the death of a woman whose body was found in a suitcase last week.

Hassan Malik, 55, has been charged with murder in the second degree, police said late Monday.

As police were leading Malik away, a reporter asked if he was sorry for what he allegedly did.

"Yes," Malik replied.

The victim, 28-year-old Betty Williams from the Bronx, was found Wednesday -- strangled and then stuffed into a dark-colored piece of luggage, authorities said.

Blood was leaking from suitcase when it was found, police said.

Shortly after the find, police released a surveillance video that showed a man dressed in a dark knit hat and leather jacket with light-colored pants, pulling a suitcase near a stoop in East Harlem.

The man pauses as three people walk by before hauling the suitcase past a dark-colored sport utility vehicle and out of the camera's sight.

On Friday, police released a second video that showed a man, wearing a black winter hat and a heavy jacket, at a store. He appears to be carrying several items when he enters the store, takes money from his wallet, and eventually leaves after making some purchases.

Police did not detail how they got the new footage, where it came from, or at what time it was shot.

Laxman, bowlers put India on top in SA Test

DURBAN, South Africa (AFP) – VVS Laxman made a polished 96 before India's bowlers grabbed three wickets to give their side the advantage on the third day of the second Test against South Africa at Kingsmead on Tuesday.

When bad light stopped play, South Africa were 111 for three, still 192 runs short of a victory target of 303.

Laxman said India were confident they could square the three- match series but identified Jacques Kallis as the man who could take the match away from his team.

"If we can get Kallis early it will put a lot of pressure on South Africa," he said.

Kallis (12) and AB de Villiers (17) will resume batting for South Africa on Wednesday morning on a pitch which played easier on Tuesday after bowlers dominated the first two days.

"It's a wicket on which you cannot say you are settled," said Laxman. "There is always a chance for the bowlers but if you can get through the tough periods you get value for your shots."

South African spin bowler Paul Harris said the home team were quietly confident.

"The wicket has got a lot better to bat on and Jacques says it has quickened up a bit which is helping stroke play. All we need is one partnership and the game is in the bag."

Home Prices in U.S. Decrease More Than Forecast

Home prices dropped more than forecast in October, a sign housing will remain a weak link as the U.S. recovery accelerates into the new year. 

The S&P/Case-Shiller index of property values fell 0.8 percent from October 2009, the biggest year-over-year decline since December 2009, the group said today in New York. The decrease exceeded the 0.2 percent drop projected by the median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. 

A wave of foreclosures waiting to reach the market means home prices will remain under pressure in 2011, representing a risk to household finances. Federal Reserve policy makers this month said “depressed” housing and high unemployment remained constraints on consumer spending, reasons why they reiterated a plan to expand record monetary stimulus. 

“We’ll remain in negative territory for several more months,” said Dean Maki, chief U.S. economist at Barclays Capital Inc. in New York, who forecast a year-on-year drop of 1.3 percent. “The housing market does remain weak and none of the recent data suggest a substantial pickup.” 

After retreating briefly, stock-index futures remained higher after the report as a jump in holiday sales boosted the outlook for consumer spending. The contract on the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index maturing in March rose 0.2 percent to 1,255.5 at 9:23 a.m. in New York. The yield on the benchmark 10-year note rose to 3.36 percent from 3.33 percent late yesterday. 

Canadian dollar hits parity

The loonie hit and surpassed parity with the

U.S. dollar on Tuesday. (Mark Blinch/Reuters)

The Canadian dollar hit and surpassed parity with the U.S. dollar on Tuesday, the first time it had accomplished the feat in more than a month.

Early in the morning, the loonie surged to hit the $1 US level. That was the first time the Canadian currency had hit the benchmark since Nov. 10. By 8:30 a.m., the loonie was changing hands at 100.13 cents US, up 0.94 of a cent on the day.

On Monday, the Chinese government hiked interest rates in an attempt to get inflation under control. That should have sent investors flocking to safety havens such as the U.S. dollar, but so far that hasn't happened. The U.S. dollar was lower against most of its major benchmarks on Tuesday.

Underwhelming data on the U.S. housing market this week also worked to drag the U.S. dollar lower. "Cheap housing prices … make investors hesitate to buy the dollar, especially when the market thins at the end of the year," Tokyo-based currency analyst Toshiya Yamauchi told Bloomberg.

The Toronto Stock Exchange was closed on Tuesday, and is set to reopen Wednesday. U.S. markets in New York, however, are poised to open. The futures market suggests the Dow Jones, Nasdaq and S&P are all poised for early gains.

2 ISAF deaths in Afghanistan

(CNN) -- Two troops were killed on Tuesday in southern Afghanistan, NATO's International Security Assistance Force said.

Both died after improvised explosive device attacks in the volatile southern region, where fighting has raged for years.

Their nationalities and the precise locations of the incidents were not available.

Madonna plays Santa for Malawi children

Madonna wasn't able to visit Malawi this Christmas, but she let the children in the six orphanages she funds there know they were very much on her mind this holiday season.

Boxes of toys, chocolate, other sweets and clothes were shipped with a handwritten note from the star, which read, "To my Malawi children on Christmas and Boxing Day. I wish I was with you. See you soon M."

Inside the goodie boxes were miniature Christmas cards signed by Madonna, Lourdes and Rocco.

"How so sweet this woman is!" said Lucy Chipeta, director of Home of Hope Orphanage in Mchinji, where Madonna adopted son David in 2006, as more than 500 children scrambled for toys and bars of chocolate.

Near another orphanage, Consol Homes, more than 1,000 people from surrounding villages were invited to an open-air party. All the orphans and under-privileged children who registered with the center received clothes.

"Madonna says she always enjoys the traditional dances the villagers perform for her when she visits," said Yacinta Chapomba, director of Consol Homes. "She asked us to invite as many villagers as possible for the Christmas party."

The singer planned to return to Malawi in November alongside U2 singer Bono, but the trip, according to sources, was rescheduled for the spring. 

MTV 'Teen Mom' star faces domestic battery charges

Prosecutors have failed in the state of Indiana to the Central Interior aggravated battery and child neglect charges against the reality TV star T - Anderson, Indiana) (AFP) "I am the mother."

Police began investigating 20-year-Anderson Amber Portwood, after the workshop in September showed him slapping, kicking, choking and a 24-year-old father of her daughter.

And Portwood was arrested on Monday and jailed for less than 24 hours until Tuesday afternoon.

Said Detective Mitch Carroll Herald Bulletin described the charges arising from the neglect of children Portwood then 1 year old daughter) in the current cases of domestic violence.

Left of The Associated Press telephone messages seeking comment on Tuesday, and the Office of Lawyer Robert Portwood Schembs.

Said Ann Houseworth, Indiana University Child dozens of viewers called the child abuse hotline to report the state of the explosion of Portwood.

Pakistan govt in turmoil as party to quit Cabinet

He said a key party in the ruling coalition in Pakistan that it would be the government on Tuesday to close a threat to stability in the United States in the country's already troubled allied with the government - Karachi (Pakistan) (AFP).
Last political pressure on the government of President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan comes face a host of problems, including the violent Islamic insurgency and the financial crisis that has left the government to rely on loan 11 billion dollars from the International Monetary Fund.
Government can also instability hinders U.S. efforts to persuade Pakistan to take further action against Islamist extremists and al Qaeda affiliated groups hiding in the tribal areas in Pakistan to take. Pakistanis are also suffering from massive floods this year, and the continuing shortage of electricity.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement, a secular party primary key is the city of Karachi in the south of the country, and has two ministers would resign Tuesday, which is usually a prelude to joining the opposition to submit. The leaders of the MQM, but they would not move to the 25 seats on the opposition - until now.
Said Farooq Sattar, a Minister of the United National Movement Party, said his party was not satisfied with the lack of progress in solving the problems in Pakistan and Zardari's Pakistan People's Party, who did not adequately consult the MQM.
Earlier this month, said another member of the coalition, Jamiat Ulema Islam, was from the opposition to join. If the MQM decides to join the opposition, as well as, the ruling coalition 172 seats under the threshold needed to maintain a majority in parliament.

Obama's economist pick seen as sign of new agenda

Honolulu (AFP) - one of the first President Barack Obama will make his return from his vacation in Hawaii to make is a candidate for the post of economic advisor to the summit, a decision that a new direction for the administration as it struggles could indicate to move the economy struggling through unemployment.

It is more than just the transfer of personnel. He replaces former director of the National Economic Council, Lawrence Summers, one hand guiding every decision Obama makes on the economic and the selection of the President of the close watch for signs of what he wants for his economic program in the second half its mandate.

He said he will benefit from the business with a character like Roger Altman, an investment banker and Clinton graduates who are sometimes too much baggage of its association with Wall Street? He said that instead of resorting to the academic community, an appeal to scientists such as Yale President Richard Levin? Or go with a depth of experienced insiders like Gene Sperling Hawk deficit in the treasury or Jason Furman, director of the Council Vice?

Where unemployment was 9.8 percent in the private sector, struggling with a steady growth and economy in general, the top concern, and to safeguard the issue of Obama's address in the coming months certainly a crucial role in the effort for re-election.

And caused the selection process for the position of the Council for the month. Summers announced his resignation in September, and many in the administration knows very well that time that he planned to return to Harvard after spending two years in the White House.

He said Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama is expected to issue an announcement in early January, the debt and any delays in the frenzied legislative session that consumed the White House until the end of the year.


The evolution of the thinking of the administration on how to fill this position, because Summers announced his resignation. It was Obama's name should be the leader of the company to another, in a bid to the private sector a greater voice in managing and reducing the perception that the president of the anti-business - preview - inside and outside the White House .

Russia rejects criticism of Khodorkovsky's trial

Launched the Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday back in the U.S. and European criticism of the second sentence of imprisonment of oil magnate Mikhail Khodorkovsky, said Western leaders to their own affairs to interfere - MOSCOW (AFP).

Khodorkovsky was convicted, the billionaire oligarch who is a challenge to Vladimir Putin early in his presidency, on Monday to steal oil from his own company and the laundering of the proceeds.

Led U. S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton chorus of political figures in the United States and Europe in condemning the decision, saying that "serious questions about the selectivity and prosecution of law is dominated by political considerations."

The Russian Foreign Ministry claims baseless and accused the West of trying to put pressure on the job.

"We expect everyone to mind their own - at home and in the international arena," said a ministry statement.

Sentence, expected to be announced before the end of the week, probably to keep Khodorkovsky behind bars for several years. The judge on Tuesday continued his rule, a summary of a long trial in 20 months to read.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the case against Khodorkovsky and his partner Platon Lebedev involved serious allegations of tax evasion and money laundering, crimes punishable by law in each country.

"In the U.S., by the way people sentenced to life imprisonment for such crimes," said a ministry statement.

This was repeated a recent statement by Putin, the current prime minister, that Khodorkovsky's punishment was less severe than the 150-year prison sentence issued in the United States funded shame Bernard Madoff, who duped thousands of investors losses estimated at $ 20 billion.

"Everything seems to be more liberal here," said Putin.

Khodorkovsky's nearing the end of eight years in prison after being convicted of tax evasion in a case seen as a punishment for challenging the authority of the Kremlin's economic and political, in part, by funding opposition parties in parliament.

Putin, who was president at the time and was the driving force behind the attack on Khodorkovsky's legal, does not preclude a return to the presidency in 2012. He does not seem prepared for the possibility that free Khodorkovsky could help to unite and lead his political opponents risk.

The White House said it was moved by what seemed to be "the abuse of the legal system for the purpose of an inappropriate" and said the ruling may hurt Russia to relations with the United States improve.

I have worked on the Obama administration relations, "reset" with Russia in the era of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who promised to strengthen the rule of law, as part of its mission to modernize Russia and to increase foreign investment. But Khodorkovsky's conviction shows how little has changed in Russia since Putin Medvedev managed more than two years.

WikiLeaks: UAE considered keeping Hamas hit quiet

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (AFP) - diplomatic cable published recently by the UAE authorities Wikileaks clarify the issue of whether to remain silent on the assassination of a high-level Hamas members in Dubai in January.

The documents also show that the UAE has sought the assistance of the United States in tracking down details of the Dubai Police believe that the use of credit cards by foreign commandos participate in the killing. The wide range of fiction murder, espionage, and a false passport and murderers in disguise, as the work of Israeli intelligence agents.

Dubai officials did not mention the death of Mahmoud al-publicly until Jan 29 - discovered nine days after her body in the hotel room and closed the airport just after Hamas declared itself and murder.

Belated recognition, and after discussions at the highest levels of the Government of the United Arab Emirates, where officials discussed whether "to say nothing at all, or that the full range or more less than the investigations of the United Arab Emirates," according to a cable.

He noted at the outset to the police, the killers as "a gang of criminals experienced" travel with a European passport, and blamed later in the Israeli spy agency Mossad directly. Hamas also accused Israel of the assassination.

Israel has never admitted the statement made by the fire.

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Intel: 2 suspected US strikes kill 8 in Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) -- Pakistani intelligence officials say a second suspected U.S. missile strike has hit a house in a Pakistani tribal region near Afghanistan, killing people who were retrieving bodies from the first attack.

At least two people died in the second strike Tuesday in North Waziristan's Ghulam Khan area. The first strike occurred three hours earlier and killed six suspected militants.

The two intelligence officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk to the media.

U.S. missile strikes nearly always target North Waziristan, a region that hosts several militant groups battling U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan, including the feared Haqqani network.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) - A suspected U.S. missile strike killed six militants in a tribal region along the Afghan border on Tuesday, Pakistani intelligence officials said.

Blast at Karachi University

KARACHI: Two people were reportedly injured as a result of a blast near the cafeteria in Karachi University on Tuesday.

Initial reports indicate that it was a low intensity bomb and was planted in the bushes close to the Masjid-ul Imran. The bomb went off when people were headed to the mosque for Zuhr prayers.

According to Express 24/7 correspondent Sheheryar Mirza there were no major injuries and the injured have been shifted to a nearby hospital.

Police and rangers have cordoned off the area and the bomb disposal squad has also arrived at the scene of the blast.

A large number of students had been present at the university as it had re-opened after a recent closure due to clashes on campus.