Top Stories –
Entente non-concordial –
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has reacted to criticism of China in a speech on Internet censorship made by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, calling on the United States government “to respect the truth and to stop using the so-called Internet freedom question to level baseless accusations.”

One very big step for a man –
50 years since the American Joe Kittinger made the highest skydive by leaping from a balloon at 102,800ft, Austrian Felix Baumgartner, who is famous for stunts such as jumping off the Petronas Towers, plans to jump from a balloon sent up to 120,000 ft (37km) later this year. Red Bull will sponsor the attempt.
Felix Baumgartner

Top Video –
Joe Kittinger’s record breaking skydive

Top News –

• Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama says he will resign if proven guilty of receiving illegal political fund donations.(Mainichi Shimbun) (UPI)
• Ten rhinoceros horns seized in recent weeks at Shannon Airport in Ireland are said to be “rare” and “of international significance”. (RTÉ)
• Operation Aurora:
  • China rejects criticism by the United States of its internet controls, saying it could harm relations between the two countries. (China Daily) (BBC)
  • A White House spokesman says U.S. President Barack Obama is “troubled” by the cyber attacks and wants “some answers”. (BBC) (Bangkok Post)
• U.K. Home Secretary Alan Johnson announces the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre has raised the terrorist threat levelfrom “substantial” to “severe”. (BBC)
• A U.S. Justice Department task force recommends 47 Guantanamo Bay detainees should be held indefinitely without charge. (BBC)
• Former U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel James Fondren is sentenced to three years in prison for providing classified documents to Chinese spy Tai Shen Kuo. (BBC)
• A Nuremberg court issues an arrest warrant for former Argentine leader Jorge Rafael Videla, on suspicion of killing aGerman man. (BBC) (Deutsche Welle)
• The Electoral Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church meets in Belgrade and chooses Bishop Irinej of Niš as the newpatriarch. (B92) (BBC)
• European banking stocks drop sharply following U.S. President Barack Obama‘s plans to restrict activities of the biggestAmerican banks. (BBC)
• The Supreme Court of Nigeria gives the government 14 days to decide whether ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua is fit to rule the country. (BBC)
• Turkish police arrest 120 suspects in a major anti-terrorism operation against Al-Qaeda. (Today’s Zaman) (BBC)
• A security alert is issued at all of India‘s airports after intelligence reports of a plot to hijack an Indian plane. (Indian Express) (Al Jazeera) (AFP)
• The home of an opposition activist is bombed in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo days ahead of the presidential election.(Press Trust of India) (BBC)
• Alexey Dymovskiy, the Russian policeman who became famous for denouncing police corruption on YouTube, is arrested on charges of fraud and corruption. (BBC)
• The internationally renowned Waterford Crystal tourist centre in Kilbarry, Ireland, ceases to function. (RTÉ)
• Conan O’Brien hosted the late night variety television show, The Tonight Show, on NBC for the final time.(tvbythenumbers.com)

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