Six In The Morning

Israel's Netanyahu strikes surprise coalition deal

 Netanyahu calls off early elections after reaching a deal with Kadima opposition for a unity government

Associated Press in Jerusalem
Tuesday 8 May 2012 06.12 BST
The Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, has called off early elections after reaching an agreement to broaden his coalition by including the main opposition party, which would put a more moderate face on his government.
President Shimon Peres's office confirmed media reports earlier on Tuesday that Netanyahu had reached an agreement to bring the centrist Kadima party, parliament's largest, into his governing coalition.
The move could have implications regarding a possible Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities and help Netanyahu fend off challenges over an array of issues from nationalist and religious parties in his governing coalition.

Ukraine postpones summit boycotted over Tymoshenko

  

Dmitry Vlasov

Tuesday 08 May 2012 

Ukraine today called off a regional cooperation summit of central
and eastern European nations that has been boycotted by most heads of
state over the treatment of jailed former prime minister Yulia
Tymoshenko.

More than a dozen heads of state have refused to attend the summit on Friday and Saturday in the Crimean resort city of Yalta after Tymoshenko went on a hunger strike to protest an alleged beating by prison officials.

China expels al-Jazeera journo

May 8, 2012 - 3:51PM

A reporter for al-Jazeera's English-language channel with a reputation for hard-hitting journalism has been expelled from China.
The station announced the expulsion on Tuesday, saying it was believed to be the first expulsion of a foreign correspondent from China in almost 14 years.
The Chinese government's refusal to renew credentials for Melissa Chan or to issue a visa for a new correspondent forced al-Jazeera English to shut down its China operations, the Qatar-based satellite news network said in a statement.

Algeria Islamists hoping for Arab Spring factor in polls

Algeria's Islamists are hoping they can surf the post-Arab Spring "green wave" and win Thursday's polls, but divisions and dark memories of their previous electoral victory could hamper their chances.

After previously banned Islamist movements seized upon the wind of change sweeping the region to win polls in neighbouring Tunisia and Morocco, Algeria's Islamists were bristling with confidence ahead of the legislative election.
"Our alliance will be the top political force in the next national popular assembly," Kamel Mida, a spokesman for the Green Algeria movement, which groups three of the seven Islamist parties contesting the May 10 vote.

 Several factors set Algeria apart however, not least among them the fact that the Islamists are already in power.

Google gets Nevada driving licence for self-drive car

 Driverless cars will soon be a reality on the roads of Nevada after the state approved America's first self-driven vehicle licence

The first to hit the highway will be a Toyota Prius modified by search firm Google, which is leading the way in driverless car technology.
Its first drive included a spin down Las Vegas's famous strip.
Other car companies are also seeking self-driven car licences in Nevada.
Accident

The car uses video cameras mounted on the roof, radar sensors and a laser range finder to "see" other traffic.
Engineers at Google have previously tested the car on the streets of California, including crossing San Francisco's Golden Gate bridge.

Are airplane seatbelts strong enough for overweight passengers?

'If a heavier person completely fills a seat, the seat is not likely to behave as intended during a crash' 

By CHRISTINE NEGRONI

 

More than six decades ago, when the federal standards on the strength of airplane seats and seat belts were written, government regulations specified that seats be designed for a passenger weight of 170 pounds. But now the average American man weighs nearly 194 pounds and the average woman 165.

Now, some engineers and scientists have raised questions about whether airplane seats, tested with crash dummies that reflect the 170-pound rule, are strong enough to protect heavy travelers.
“If a heavier person completely fills a seat, the seat is not likely to behave as intended during a crash,” said Robert Salzar, the principal scientist at the Center for Applied Biomechanics at the University of Virginia. “The energy absorption that is built into the aircraft seat is likely to be overwhelmed and the occupants will not be protected optimally.”