World News Briefs -- May 29, 2009

South Korean Army's heavy armored vehicles are carried during a military exercise near the border village of Panmunjom that separates the two Koreas since the Korean War, in Paju, north of Seoul, South Korea, Friday, May 29, 2009. Tensions surrounding North Korea rose further Friday as Chinese fishing boats pulled away from its coast, but U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said the situation is not a crisis and no additional U.S. troops will be sent to the region. (AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man)

US Officials: North Korea May Launch New Missiles -- Yahoo News/AP

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea on Friday vowed to retaliate if punitive U.N. sanctions are imposed for its latest nuclear test, and U.S. officials said there are new signs Pyongyang may be planning more long-range missile launches.

With tensions rising, the communist nation punctuated its barrage of rhetoric with yet another short-range missile launch — the sixth this week.

Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

Obama takes tough and risky stance on Israeli settlements. New peace setback as Binyamin Netanyahu rejects US settlement call.

Amnesty: Israel responsible for truce collapse.

Hamas gives fighters total freedom to avenge death of militant.

Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad hands out potatoes to poor to buy presidential votes. Gunmen in Iran wound 3 at President's campaign office.

ASIA

South Koreans pay respects to former leader.

Suu Kyi health a 'grave concern'.

Asia Security Summit set to open.

Kyrgyzstan closes border after riots in Uzbekistan.

AFRICA

African officials ask for climate change funding.

Scores die in Sudan horse battles.

Kadhafi wants Somali exclusion zone to fight piracy.

Africa's growth to slump to 2% in 2009: UN.

EUROPE

Russian chemical weapons destruction plant opens.

Germans angry with US role in Opel negotiations.

Several policemen beaten by opposition in Georgia.

Why Germans are starting to strike – like the French.

Muslims in fresh Athens demo over alleged Koran insult.

AMERICAS

60 Haitian migrants held captive by smugglers.

Vargas Llosa: Venezuela moving to Cuba-like regime.

The brilliance Of Bogota (A commentary)

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Al-Qaeda spreads its tentacles.

Europe objects anew to detainees.

ECONOMIC/FINANCIAL CRISIS

Leap in U.S. debt hits taxpayers with 12% more red ink.

US economy sinks at a 5.7 percent pace in 1Q.

Amnesty: economic crisis is a "human rights time bomb".

Oil is plentiful, demand weak. Why are gas prices going up?