[Environmental crime (Video)] [Allegedly,] it's not the apocalyptic fallout from a secret US weapon lab as some have theorized. But the government acknowledged Thursday that it had a hand in one of a string of mysterious mass bird deaths that have spooked residents in Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, South Dakota, and Kentucky in the last month. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) took responsibility for hundreds of dead starlings that were found on the ground and frozen in trees in a Yankton, S.D., park on Monday. The USDA's Wildlife Services Program, which contracts with farmers for bird control, said it used an avicide poison called DRC-1339 to "cull" a roost of 5,000 birds that were defecating on a farmer's cattle feed across the state line in Nebraska. But officials said the agency had nothing to do with large and dense recent bird kills in Arkansas and Louisiana.

Google: A Google map of mass animal deaths across the world

At least 10 people have been killed in the latest spate of air raids conducted by US-led forces in eastern Laghman province in Afghanistan, the military alliance said. The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in statement on Saturday that coalition forces targeted the Taliban shadow district governor for Hisarak in Laghman province -- 260 km east of Afghan capital city of Kabul, killing more than 10 militants with two air strikes, Xinhua news agency reported. Despite the presence of NATO forces, violence and daily militant attacks have not been subdued in Afghanistan. NATO-led ISAF has some 140,000 troops in Afghanistan, two-thirds of which are from the United States, fighting a nine-year militancy by the Taliban.

Foreign powers holding talks with Iran about its nuclear programme have said they are "disappointed" little progress has been made in Istanbul. Two days of talks between six world powers and Iran, aimed at persuading Tehran to rein in its nuclear programme, have concluded with no agreement. Iran tried to impose preconditions on any deal, said the EU foreign policy chief, Lady Catherine Ashton. Ashton, who led an international delegation at the talks, said Iran had insisted the UN Security Council lift sanctions imposed because of its refusal to stop uranium enrichment. Iran was also seeking recognition by the six countries that it had a right to enrich.

"For every person who dies in a terrorist attack globally, 58 people in the US die due to lack of health care. Invade a hospital."

Floyd Rudmin: The Politics of Paranoia and Intimidation

Several people have been injured after police broke up a banned pro-democracy demonstration in the Algerian capital, Algiers, the leader of the opposition party that organised the rally has told AFP news agency. About 300 people defied a ban in an attempt to hold the demonstration on Saturday but were confronted by dozens of police armed with batons, tear gas and plexiglas shields, Said Sadi, head of the Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD), said. "There are several injured ... and numerous arrests," he said. Among those arrested was the head of the party's parliamentary group, Othmane Amazouz, he said. The demonstration comes as protests continue in neighbouring Tunisia, with people demanding the dissolution of the interim government after the country's authoritarian president, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, was forced to flee a week ago due to the popular uprising.

Norway: Still awesome. Most of the nations atop our list are democratic, business-friendly, and boast strong social safety nets. Think about it for a minute: What does happiness mean to you? For most, being happy starts with having enough money to do what you want and buy what you want. A nice home, food, clothes, car, leisure. All within reason.

But happiness is much more than money. It's being healthy, free from pain, being able to take care of yourself. It's having good times with friends and family. Furthermore, happiness means being able to speak what's on your mind without fear, to worship the God of your choosing, and to feel safe and secure in your own home. Happiness means having opportunity--to get an education, to be an entrepreneur. What's more satisfying than having a big idea and turning it into a thriving business, knowing all the way that the harder you work, the more reward you can expect? With this in mind, five years ago researchers at the Legatum Institute, a London-based nonpartisan think tank, set out to rank the happiest countries in the world. But because "happy" carries too much of a touchy-feely connotation, they call it "prosperity."

INC.: In Norway, Start-ups Say Ja to Socialism

LONDON, United Kingdom — Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair returned to give testimony to the Iraq Inquiry today, almost exactly a year after his last appearance. Two things — probably related — became immediately clear. The former prime minister can no longer pull a crowd and this is a one-act play. A year ago the area around Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, across the street from Westminster Abbey and 100 yards from Parliament, was filled with several thousand demonstrators showing their undimmed anger over the Iraq War. Today, barely 70 people — mostly middle-aged — stood around in the cold waving the now traditional "Bliar" posters.

PressTV: Ex British PM Tony Blair uses reference to Iran as a decoy at Iraq War Inquiry.

Tunisian media have witnessed an abrupt and jarring change: After years of oppressive censorship, all restrictions have vanished. Newspapers report freely, journalists work through the night -- and it seems as if every Tunisian wants to talk politics.

The new Tunisian government is still holding between 500 and 1,000 prisoners accused of often vaguely worded terrorism offences, despite a promise to release all political detainees. While hundreds of prisoners of conscience have already been released since the fall of the government of the dictator Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali last week, concern is mounting over the uncertain fate of a second group convicted under draconian anti-terror laws. According to those familiar with their cases many were tried under deeply flawed legal procedures or had confessions tortured out of them, often after being targeted for their religious beliefs. "There is a question that needs to be answered about who is a political prisoner," said Denis Robiliard, who was with an Amnesty International team in Tunisia when Ben Ali was deposed.

Norway announces it will be among the first to recognize Palestinian State IF negotiations with Israel fail to make headway by september.

Iceland Doing it Right : Special prosecutor into the banking crisis confirms raids and arrests have been made today.Central Bank of Iceland is among the institutions under investigation.One of the arrested parties is former National Bank of Iceland treasury boss.