Iraq has the world’s third largest oil reserves. BBC News reports:
A joint venture between the UK’s Shell and Malaysia’s Petronas oil companies has won the right to develop Iraq’s giant Majnoon oil field.
A total of 44 companies took part in a bid for 10 fields in the second such auction since the invasion in 2003. Shell and Petronas beat a rival bid from France’s Total and China’s CNPC.
Although Majnoon is a huge oil field, with reserves of 13 billion barrels of oil, it currently produces just 46,000 barrels per day.
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12 Dec 2009
Extent of Blackwater and CIA Collaboration Uncovered
New details of Blackwater participation in clandestine CIA raids detail the extent to which private security contractors were involved in covert government antiterror operations.
According to former employees and current and former American intelligence officials, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity because they feared repercussions, Blackwater security guards participated in clandestine raids to capture or kill suspected insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan and in transportation of detainees on CIA flights.
The raids against suspects were said to occur almost nightly between 2004 and 2006, the height of the Iraqi insurgency. Several of the former Blackwater employees said the lines dividing the government-sanctioned agencies (the CIA and the military) and Blackwater began to blur.
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According to former employees and current and former American intelligence officials, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity because they feared repercussions, Blackwater security guards participated in clandestine raids to capture or kill suspected insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan and in transportation of detainees on CIA flights.
The raids against suspects were said to occur almost nightly between 2004 and 2006, the height of the Iraqi insurgency. Several of the former Blackwater employees said the lines dividing the government-sanctioned agencies (the CIA and the military) and Blackwater began to blur.
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Copenhagen climate change summit: The world is COOLING not warming says scientist Peter Taylor
In his provocative book Chill, he warns that the world is cooling not warming and that solutions proposed at Copenhagen ignore the risks of a possible return of the Ice Age...
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11 Dec 2009
President Obama 'creating torture impunity'
A US civil rights group says that President Barack Obama by creating impunity is following his predecessor into allowing torture policies to continue in the country.The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said on Thursday that the US president has failed to provide accountability on torture.
Director of ACLU's National Security Project Jameel Jaffer said "the Bush administration constructed a legal framework for torture and now the Obama administration is constructing a legal framework for impunity."
"We're frustrated by the growing gap between (the) Obama administration's rhetoric on accountability and the reality," Jaffer added.
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Israel arrests leader of 'apartheid wall' protesters
Israeli soldiers arrest the leader of non-violent protests against Israel's segregation wall in the West Bank.
Friends of the 38-year-old Abdullah Abu Rahmeh say that Israeli soldiers broke into his home on Thursday night and arrested him.
They said the sole reason for his arrest was part of the Israeli plan to crush the anti-apartheid non-violent movement and also stop rallies being conducted every week for the last five years.
Since 2005, demonstrators led by Abu Rahmeh have marched every Friday from the village of Bilin to the wall that slices off 60 percent of the village land.
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Friends of the 38-year-old Abdullah Abu Rahmeh say that Israeli soldiers broke into his home on Thursday night and arrested him.
They said the sole reason for his arrest was part of the Israeli plan to crush the anti-apartheid non-violent movement and also stop rallies being conducted every week for the last five years.
Since 2005, demonstrators led by Abu Rahmeh have marched every Friday from the village of Bilin to the wall that slices off 60 percent of the village land.
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Another US soldier loses life in Iraq
The United States military says another American soldier has lost his life due to non-combat injuries in conflict-stricken Iraq.
"A Multi-National Division-Baghdad soldier died Dec. 10, of non-combat related injuries," according to a US military statement issued on Thursday.
The United States military also announced that the incident is currently under investigation. The name of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of the next of kin.
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"A Multi-National Division-Baghdad soldier died Dec. 10, of non-combat related injuries," according to a US military statement issued on Thursday.
The United States military also announced that the incident is currently under investigation. The name of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of the next of kin.
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10 Dec 2009
Food Stamps Go to a Record 37.2 Million, USDA Says
A record 37.2 million people, or about one out of every eight Americans, received food stamps in September, as the recession drove a surging jobless rate, according to a government report.
Recipients of the subsidy for retail-food purchases climbed 18 percent from a year earlier, according to a statement posted today on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Web site. Participation has set records for 10 straight months.
The government boosted food aid as unemployment soared, heading to a 26-year high of 10.2 percent in October. The jobless rate cooled to 10 percent last month, the Labor Department said on Dec. 4.
“We’ve been working to get that money out the door” to families that need assistance, Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan said last week in an interview.
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Recipients of the subsidy for retail-food purchases climbed 18 percent from a year earlier, according to a statement posted today on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Web site. Participation has set records for 10 straight months.
The government boosted food aid as unemployment soared, heading to a 26-year high of 10.2 percent in October. The jobless rate cooled to 10 percent last month, the Labor Department said on Dec. 4.
“We’ve been working to get that money out the door” to families that need assistance, Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan said last week in an interview.
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Chomsky says Israel, 'US military base'
Renowned American sociopolitical analyst Noam Chomsky says Israel functions as Washington's main weapons storage base in the Middle East."Israel is essentially a US military base, the US positions weapons there, that's a very close military and intelligence tie," the Jewish academic told Press TV on Wednesday while explaining the complexity of relations between Washington and Tel Aviv.
Commenting on the weapons that Israel received from the US before launching its 2007-2008 offensive in the Gaza Strip, Chomsky said that the exchange of weapons between the two sides was not surprising.
"[Israel] is receiving weapons constantly. In fact, weapons were sent during the invasion of Gaza. They tried to send them, they were supposed to send them from Greece, and Greece refused to ship them," he said.
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Afghans protest civilian killings by US forces
Hundreds of Afghans have taken to the streets of the capital Kabul to protest a recent NATO airstrike which killed a number of civilians in the war-ravaged country.
About 300 people marched towards the UN office in Kabul to express their anger.
Similar demonstrations have been held in the cities of Nangarhar and Mehtar Lam.
The air raid which was coordinated between Afghan and foreign forces was carried out over the eastern province of Kunar on Monday.
The rising number of civilian casualties has surged Afghan anger with foreign troops in the country.
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About 300 people marched towards the UN office in Kabul to express their anger.
Similar demonstrations have been held in the cities of Nangarhar and Mehtar Lam.
The air raid which was coordinated between Afghan and foreign forces was carried out over the eastern province of Kunar on Monday.
The rising number of civilian casualties has surged Afghan anger with foreign troops in the country.
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HRW: US cluster bombs threaten Iraqi lives
The Human Rights Watch has raised alarm over the cluster ammunitions left strewn all over Iraq by the US-led coalition forces attacks during the Persian Gulf wars.
The organization says during 1991 and 2003, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom dropped over 61,000 cluster bombs on Iraqi soil.
The rights group adds the shocking extent of unexploded cluster bombs, dropped by coalition planes in Iraq, shows the vast area of the country is at danger from cluster bombs lying in cities, farmland and on the main arteries across the country.
Experts in clearing conflict zones of unexploded bombs say that millions of Iraqi adults and children are at risk, along with humanitarian aid workers, United Nations workers, and military personnel.
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The organization says during 1991 and 2003, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom dropped over 61,000 cluster bombs on Iraqi soil.
The rights group adds the shocking extent of unexploded cluster bombs, dropped by coalition planes in Iraq, shows the vast area of the country is at danger from cluster bombs lying in cities, farmland and on the main arteries across the country.
Experts in clearing conflict zones of unexploded bombs say that millions of Iraqi adults and children are at risk, along with humanitarian aid workers, United Nations workers, and military personnel.
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Israel continues WB settlements building apace
Israel's largest extra-parliamentary and oldest peace movement, Peace Now, has presented evidence that shows Tel Aviv is not fulfilling its promise to freeze West Bank construction activities.According to data gathered by Peace Now, the rate of construction in the West Bank was far more than any other area in the occupied Palestinian lands.
Israel has approved construction of some 3,492 housing units for approximately 300,000 settlers living in the settlements. This averages to approximately 1,167 units for every hundred thousand inhabitants.
The non-governmental Israeli organization went on to note that Israel is currently building 836 housing units for every hundred thousand inhabitants across the West Bank.
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8 Dec 2009
Pakistan seals border with Afghanistan
Pakistani authorities have sealed their border with neighboring Afghanistan, after reports suggesting that the Taliban militants are fleeing into country's tribal areas.
“Border security forces in Killa Saifullah of south western Balochsitan province have sealed the Pak-Afghan border in order to halt illegal entry of people into Pakistan from Afghanistan,” an interior ministry official told Press TV correspondent in Islamabad on Monday.
The official said the border was sealed amid allegations that the Taliban leaders travel across borders to find shelter in Pakistan's tribal areas.
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“Border security forces in Killa Saifullah of south western Balochsitan province have sealed the Pak-Afghan border in order to halt illegal entry of people into Pakistan from Afghanistan,” an interior ministry official told Press TV correspondent in Islamabad on Monday.
The official said the border was sealed amid allegations that the Taliban leaders travel across borders to find shelter in Pakistan's tribal areas.
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100th British soldier killed in Afghanistan in 2009
With the loss of the 100th British soldier in Afghanistan, the year 2009 is the bloodiest year for the UK military since the 1982 Falklands War with Argentina.
The British defense ministry reported on Monday evening that the soldier was shot dead in Helmand Province in the south of the war-torn country.
In a condolence message, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the entire nation stands by the families and friends of all the 100 soldiers killed in 2009.
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The British defense ministry reported on Monday evening that the soldier was shot dead in Helmand Province in the south of the war-torn country.
In a condolence message, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the entire nation stands by the families and friends of all the 100 soldiers killed in 2009.
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US raid kills 12 civilians in east Afghanistan
More than a dozen people have been killed in a nighttime raid by US forces on a civilian house in Afghanistan's eastern province of Laghman, witnesses say.
The attack took place on Monday night when US soldiers stormed a house at Armal locality in the provincial capital Mehtar Lam, witnesses told Press TV correspondent.
At least 12 people, among them a woman, were killed in the attack.
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The attack took place on Monday night when US soldiers stormed a house at Armal locality in the provincial capital Mehtar Lam, witnesses told Press TV correspondent.
At least 12 people, among them a woman, were killed in the attack.
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Massive truck bomb kills 12 in east Pakistan
A massive blast has hit near military and security installations in the eastern Pakistani city of Multan, killing at least a dozen people and leaving more injured.The explosion happened around noon on Tuesday when an explosive-laden truck went off at Qasim Bela in Cantt area, leaving 12 people killed, Press TV correspondent reported.
Police officials said there were security guards among the dead and that nearly 32 people were injured in the incident.
The bomb, apparently aimed at the local office of Pakistan's secret agency (ISI), jolted a number of surrounding buildings and broke the windows of houses half a kilometer away.
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Israel to build wall on border with Egypt
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to build a wall on the border with Egypt to prevent African migrants from changing Israel's racial balance.
Netanyahu believes building a wall along the southern borders with Egypt is an "unavoidable and strategic" measure, which Tel Aviv must take to ensure that thousands of migrants do not cross over from Africa, Israel's Maariv daily reported Tuesday.
According to Maariv, the prime minister sees the migration of Africans as a problem that may escalate in the coming years and disrupt the demographic balance of southern Israel.
The paper writes that from Netanyahu's point of view migration from Africa has already changed the faces of the two cities of Arad and Eilat in southern Israel.
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Netanyahu believes building a wall along the southern borders with Egypt is an "unavoidable and strategic" measure, which Tel Aviv must take to ensure that thousands of migrants do not cross over from Africa, Israel's Maariv daily reported Tuesday.
According to Maariv, the prime minister sees the migration of Africans as a problem that may escalate in the coming years and disrupt the demographic balance of southern Israel.
The paper writes that from Netanyahu's point of view migration from Africa has already changed the faces of the two cities of Arad and Eilat in southern Israel.
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US Drone Strike Kills at Least Three in Pakistan
A US drone launched a pair of missiles at a car in Aspalga Village, North Waziristan overnight, killing three suspected militants and injuring three other apparent bystanders in the tiny village outside of Miranshah.
The attack was the first US drone strike since President Obama’s Afghan escalation speech, at which time he is also said to have quietly approved an escalation of US strikes against Pakistani territory.
It is just the latest of several dozen air strikes against Pakistan’s tribal areas in recent years. President Obama has dramatically increased the rate and severity of the attacks since taking office.
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The attack was the first US drone strike since President Obama’s Afghan escalation speech, at which time he is also said to have quietly approved an escalation of US strikes against Pakistani territory.
It is just the latest of several dozen air strikes against Pakistan’s tribal areas in recent years. President Obama has dramatically increased the rate and severity of the attacks since taking office.
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7 Dec 2009
CIA can access EU bank records
The CIA is to be given broad access to the bank records of millions of Britons under a European Union plan to fight terrorism.The Brussels agreement comes into force in two months and requires the 27 EU member states to grant requests for banking information made by the US under its terrorist finance tracking programme.
In a little noticed information note released last week, the EU said it had agreed that Europeans would be compelled to release the information to the CIA “as a matter of urgency”. The records will be kept in a US database for five years before being deleted. Critics say the system is “lopsided” because there is no reciprocal arrangement under which the UK authorities can easily access the bank accounts of US citizens in America.
They also say the plan to sift through cross-border and domestic EU bank accounts gives US intelligence more scope to consult our bank accounts than is granted to law enforcement agencies in UK or the rest of Europe, where a judge must authorise a specific search after receiving a sworn statement from a police officer.
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In a little noticed information note released last week, the EU said it had agreed that Europeans would be compelled to release the information to the CIA “as a matter of urgency”. The records will be kept in a US database for five years before being deleted. Critics say the system is “lopsided” because there is no reciprocal arrangement under which the UK authorities can easily access the bank accounts of US citizens in America.
They also say the plan to sift through cross-border and domestic EU bank accounts gives US intelligence more scope to consult our bank accounts than is granted to law enforcement agencies in UK or the rest of Europe, where a judge must authorise a specific search after receiving a sworn statement from a police officer.
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Six more US banks fail
Amid recession and loads of bad assets, six more banks have been shut down bringing the number of US banks failed in 2009 to 130.On Friday, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) took over AmTrust Bank — the fourth-largest Cleveland-based bank to fail this year. With about USD 8 billion in deposits and USD 12 billion in assets, it is expected to cost the federal deposit insurance fund an estimated USD 2 billion.
Last year regulators had told the bank to limit their loans since they were concerned that the bank's reserves against potential losses were dangerously low.
AmTrust also had branches in Phoenix and Florida.
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Roadside bomb kills foreign troop in Afghanistan
An International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) soldier has been killed in a land mine explosion in Afghanistan.
The foreign convoy hit a land mine when on patrol in Sayed Abad district in Wardak province late Saturday, Shahedullah Shahed, spokesman for Wardak's governor, told a Press TV correspondent on Sunday.
A military vehicle was also damaged in the roadside bomb explosion, Shahed added.
The nationality of the killed soldier was not declared.
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The foreign convoy hit a land mine when on patrol in Sayed Abad district in Wardak province late Saturday, Shahedullah Shahed, spokesman for Wardak's governor, told a Press TV correspondent on Sunday.
A military vehicle was also damaged in the roadside bomb explosion, Shahed added.
The nationality of the killed soldier was not declared.
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Viva Palestina will head to Gaza
An international aid convoy is scheduled to take humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip from London, marking the first year anniversary of Israel's three week war against Gazans.
The Viva Palestina convoy of 250 vehicles will deliver medical, humanitarian and educational aid to Palestinians who are suffering a long-running Israeli blockade on their territory since Hamas took control of the region in June 2007.
The convoys will depart from London on Sunday to pass through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Italy, Greece and Turkey.
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The Viva Palestina convoy of 250 vehicles will deliver medical, humanitarian and educational aid to Palestinians who are suffering a long-running Israeli blockade on their territory since Hamas took control of the region in June 2007.
The convoys will depart from London on Sunday to pass through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Italy, Greece and Turkey.
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6 policemen killed in Iraq violence
At least six Iraqi policemen have lost their lives in the latest string of terrorist attacks targeting security forces across Iraq.
In the first development, two members of Iraqi police personnel were killed on Sunday after a blast from an improvised explosive device (IED) ripped through southern Kirkuk.
The explosion happened on al-Korneesh Street while an emergency police patrol vehicle was passing the location. The incident claimed the lives of two security agents and inflicted heavy damage to the vehicle they were aboard, according to Brig. Sarhad Qadir.
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In the first development, two members of Iraqi police personnel were killed on Sunday after a blast from an improvised explosive device (IED) ripped through southern Kirkuk.
The explosion happened on al-Korneesh Street while an emergency police patrol vehicle was passing the location. The incident claimed the lives of two security agents and inflicted heavy damage to the vehicle they were aboard, according to Brig. Sarhad Qadir.
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Pakistan huge blast rocks Peshawar
At least five people have been killed and 49 others wounded in a blast outside a court building in Pakistan's northwest city of Peshawar.The explosion occurred Monday following recent attacks in Peshawar that lies on the edge of Pakistan's lawless tribal belt.
Senior police official Mohammad Karim Khan confirmed the casualties to AFP.
The cause of the blast was yet to be determined, Khan added.
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US sounds fresh warning to Iran again
While the Western powers have been pressuring Iran to accept a US-backed proposal over Iran's nuclear fuel supply, the White House says it is still open to nuclear negotiations with Tehran but the time is running out.
US National Security Advisor Jim Jones said on Sunday that the White House is "still open to nuclear talks" with Tehran, but "the clock is ticking" towards the end of the year.
The remarks comes as Western powers, spearheaded by the US, have been keeping the heat on Iran to accept a proposal which would see Iran ship its Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) abroad for further processing and have it returned for use in the Tehran research reactor, which produces medicine.
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US National Security Advisor Jim Jones said on Sunday that the White House is "still open to nuclear talks" with Tehran, but "the clock is ticking" towards the end of the year.
The remarks comes as Western powers, spearheaded by the US, have been keeping the heat on Iran to accept a proposal which would see Iran ship its Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) abroad for further processing and have it returned for use in the Tehran research reactor, which produces medicine.
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4 Dec 2009
Patriot Act Renewal Moving Forward
Renewal of two controversial Patriot Act provisions set to expire at the end of the year have been approved by House and Senate Committees over the past month, and appear headed for floor votes in both bodies. President Obama has endorsed extending the provisions.
The two provisions include the “records” rule and the “roving wiretaps” provision. The so-called “records” rule grants federal officials with a court order the power to force private parties such as businesses, hospitals, and libraries to hand over "any tangible thing" they believe has "relevance" to a terrorist investigation.
“Roving wiretaps” allow wiretapping multiple lines of communication without informing F(Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) courts which specific phone lines or communication media are being targeted.
President Obama has reversed himself on the issue, since he once opposed Patriot Act provisions as a fishing expedition by federal snoops in a December 15, 2005 Senate speech.
Nine killed in Tikrit bombing attack
At least nine people have lost their lives and ten others sustained injuries in a bomb explosion that ripped through a popular market in Tikrit, located in Iraq's northern Salahuddin province.
The terrorist attack on a crowded street targeted Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed Subhi al-Fahal, who was conducting a patrol in the vicinity of al-Atibaa market, in central Tikrit, an Iraqi police source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency on condition of anonymity.
He added that Fahal -- the commander of the Salahuddin riot police -- alongside four of his bodyguards, as well as four civilians were killed in the incident. Ten people, among them two police officers, were wounded in the bombing in Tikrit, situated 140 km (87 miles) northwest of Baghdad on the Tigris river.
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The terrorist attack on a crowded street targeted Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed Subhi al-Fahal, who was conducting a patrol in the vicinity of al-Atibaa market, in central Tikrit, an Iraqi police source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency on condition of anonymity.
He added that Fahal -- the commander of the Salahuddin riot police -- alongside four of his bodyguards, as well as four civilians were killed in the incident. Ten people, among them two police officers, were wounded in the bombing in Tikrit, situated 140 km (87 miles) northwest of Baghdad on the Tigris river.
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EU: Israel illegally annexing Al-Quds
The European Union accuses Israel of actively pursuing the annexation of East Jerusalem Al-Quds, undermining hopes for peace with Palestinians.Diplomats in Brussels say an EU meeting on Monday is to likely to discuss the stalled Middle East peace process, which is continuously being obstructed by Israel.
East Jerusalem Al-Quds has been seen for years as the prospective capital of a future Palestinian state. This is one of the most sensitive issues in the Middle East peace talks, which have been suspended for almost a year.
The annual report drafted by the EU heads of missions in Jerusalem Al-Quds has condemned Israel's policy of expanding illegal settlements and demolishing Palestinian homes and eviction orders in 2009.
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Kucinich: Afghan war, threat to US national security
Democratic congressman Dennis Kucinich has severely reprimanded US President Barack Obama for sending additional troops to Afghanistan.
Kucinich said in a statement on Thursday that extending the Afghan war would destabilize the United States at home.
"We are deeply in debt. Our GDP is down. Our manufacturing is down. Our savings are down. The value of the dollar is down. Our trade deficit is up. Business failures are up. Bankruptcies are up," his statement read.
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Kucinich said in a statement on Thursday that extending the Afghan war would destabilize the United States at home.
"We are deeply in debt. Our GDP is down. Our manufacturing is down. Our savings are down. The value of the dollar is down. Our trade deficit is up. Business failures are up. Bankruptcies are up," his statement read.
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Obama 'to expand drone strikes' in Pakistan
The administration of Nobel peace laureate, President Barack Obama, has authorized an expansion of drone attacks on Pakistan's troubled tribal regions, a new report says.The New York Times report also says US and Pakistani officials are discussing the possibility of CIA operated drone strikes in Pakistan's Baluchistan province for the first time.
The purported aim of the American air strikes is to target militants. But Pakistani media outlets say the raids have mostly killed civilians.
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3 Dec 2009
Govt. Investigation Confirms ABC News Report on Secret CIA Prison
A Lithuanian government investigation has confirmed an exclusive ABC News report that the CIA operated a secret black site prison in the country, according to a report on Lithuanian television.
According to Lithuania's LNK TV, sources have told investigators that state security was involved in coordinating the construction of the prison, and have also provided the code name of the operation to transport terror detainees to the prison.
Arydas Anusauskas, head of the parliamentary committee investigating the prison, told ABC News he would not comment on the investigation until it is completed. He has previously said the results of the probe will be made public Dec. 22.
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According to Lithuania's LNK TV, sources have told investigators that state security was involved in coordinating the construction of the prison, and have also provided the code name of the operation to transport terror detainees to the prison.
Arydas Anusauskas, head of the parliamentary committee investigating the prison, told ABC News he would not comment on the investigation until it is completed. He has previously said the results of the probe will be made public Dec. 22.
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Two Children Die in The Netherlands After Swine Flu Shot
Two children in The Netherlands died after getting the swine flu shot according to the newspaper, De Telegraaf.
One of the children had a severe heart disease and died 5 days after getting the shot.
The second child developped a fever after being vaccinated. The child appears to have had no underlying condition or sickness that could be attributed as the cause of death.
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One of the children had a severe heart disease and died 5 days after getting the shot.
The second child developped a fever after being vaccinated. The child appears to have had no underlying condition or sickness that could be attributed as the cause of death.
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'Many Palestinians deprived of living in Al-Quds'
Official Israeli figures reveal that the regime stripped a record number of Palestinians of their right to live in East Jerusalem Al-Quds last year.Some 4,577 Palestinians had their residency rights revoked in 2008, according to the Israeli Interior Ministry.
More than a third of the total number of Palestinians lost their residency since Israel occupied the city in 1967, based on the figures released on Wednesday.
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Gates: no deadline for US pullout from Afghanistan
The US administration clearly says plans to start bringing soldiers back from Afghanistan in 18 months might slip and that no deadlines can be set.
"Quite frankly, I detest the phrase exit strategy," US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said, promising "a narrow focus" on routing al-Qaeda with "observable progress on clear objectives."
"What is essential -- for our national security -- is that we have two long-term partners in Afghanistan and Pakistan," he said.
"I think the president, as commander in chief, always has the option to adjust his decisions," Gated added a day after US President Barack Obama unveiled a plan to send 30,000 extra troops to Afghanistan.
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"Quite frankly, I detest the phrase exit strategy," US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said, promising "a narrow focus" on routing al-Qaeda with "observable progress on clear objectives."
"What is essential -- for our national security -- is that we have two long-term partners in Afghanistan and Pakistan," he said.
"I think the president, as commander in chief, always has the option to adjust his decisions," Gated added a day after US President Barack Obama unveiled a plan to send 30,000 extra troops to Afghanistan.
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US middle class hit hard by current economic vows
America might witness the fall of its middle class as findings by a Congressional committee reveal disturbing data on the latest economic recession woes.
A recent study by the Congressional Oversight Panel on the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) illustrates the exposure to economic dangers of an increasing number of middle class families in the years to come.
The late November research conducted under the supervision of the TARP chair, Professor Elizabeth Warren of Harvard Law School, details information on how poverty edges its way upward from the underclass citizens to middle class Americans.
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A recent study by the Congressional Oversight Panel on the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) illustrates the exposure to economic dangers of an increasing number of middle class families in the years to come.
The late November research conducted under the supervision of the TARP chair, Professor Elizabeth Warren of Harvard Law School, details information on how poverty edges its way upward from the underclass citizens to middle class Americans.
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2 Dec 2009
NATO pledges 5,000 more troops to Afghanistan
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says the alliance will send at least 5,000 more troops to fight militancy in Afghanistan.
On Wednesday, Rasmussen told reporters in Brussels that the NATO member states were ready to throw their support behind US President Barack Obama's new Afghan strategy.
"I can confirm that the allies and our partners will do more, substantially more. In 2010, the non-US members of this mission will send at least 5,000 more soldiers to this operation, and probably a few thousands on top of that," he said.
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On Wednesday, Rasmussen told reporters in Brussels that the NATO member states were ready to throw their support behind US President Barack Obama's new Afghan strategy.
"I can confirm that the allies and our partners will do more, substantially more. In 2010, the non-US members of this mission will send at least 5,000 more soldiers to this operation, and probably a few thousands on top of that," he said.
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West prepares to draw up sanctions against Iran
Britain said it could begin drawing up proposals before the end of the year as international condemnation of Tehran's announcement grew.
A spokesman for Gordon Brown said time was running out for Iran to engage in talks.
"The priority always is to get the talks to work," he said. "We would then review at the right moment, and maybe it's towards the end of this year, whether we pursue the second route of a dual track policy which is obviously, you think about things like sanctions."
Germany's foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, also said new measures were possible. "If Iran rejects the hand that has reached out, it must expect heavier sanctions," he said.
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A spokesman for Gordon Brown said time was running out for Iran to engage in talks.
"The priority always is to get the talks to work," he said. "We would then review at the right moment, and maybe it's towards the end of this year, whether we pursue the second route of a dual track policy which is obviously, you think about things like sanctions."
Germany's foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, also said new measures were possible. "If Iran rejects the hand that has reached out, it must expect heavier sanctions," he said.
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Britain faces return to Victorian levels of poverty
Labour's strategy for tackling poverty has reached the end of the road and Britain risks a return to Victorian levels of inequality, according to a major two-year study seen by The Independent.With 20 per cent of the population still stuck in poverty, the report calls for sweeping reform of the tax and welfare systems under which higher earners would finance more generous, universal benefits. The £43,888-a-year ceiling on national insurance contributions (NICs) would be abolished, so people earning more would pay NICs at 11 per cent on all their income above that level, instead of the current 1 per cent.
The study, by the Labour-affiliated Fabian Society and Webb Memorial Trust, argues that Gordon Brown's "quiet redistribution" of wealth now lacks public support – and declares that one of the reasons is Labour's tough language about benefit fraud and claimants.
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South Korean student dies after receiving A/H1N1 vaccine
Digital Journal reported earlier this month that two Chinese people immediately died after taking the H1N1 vaccine, a Quebec man passed away moments after the vaccine and that others have been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
Now, according to Xinhua, a South Korean student has died four days after receiving the A/H1N1 vaccination.
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs revealed that the student, whose identity will not be released to the public, died of cerebral hemorrhage but was unrelated to the inoculation. The Ministry came to this conclusion after the health ministry, the Korea Food and Drug Administration and the National Institute of Scientific Investigation suggested there was no direct link.
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Now, according to Xinhua, a South Korean student has died four days after receiving the A/H1N1 vaccination.
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs revealed that the student, whose identity will not be released to the public, died of cerebral hemorrhage but was unrelated to the inoculation. The Ministry came to this conclusion after the health ministry, the Korea Food and Drug Administration and the National Institute of Scientific Investigation suggested there was no direct link.
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US military suicides reach new high
The number of serving American military personnel who took their lives in 2009 has already exceeded last year’s record. These suicides are first of all tragic. Secondly, they indicate the immense psychological harm that the neo-colonial wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have inflicted on members of the armed forces.
The US Army, the largest branch of the military, suffered the most dramatic increase. By 16 November, 140 soldiers on active duty and 71 National Guard and Reserve personnel had taken their lives this year—a total of 211. By comparison, there were 52 Army suicides in 2001. The number steadily rose over the following years, reaching 197 in 2008.
The overall suicide rate in the US Army has reached 20.2 per 100,000 personnel. The Marine Corp recorded 42 suicides as of October 31—the same number as in all of 2008 and a rate of more than 19 per 100,000 personnel.
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The US Army, the largest branch of the military, suffered the most dramatic increase. By 16 November, 140 soldiers on active duty and 71 National Guard and Reserve personnel had taken their lives this year—a total of 211. By comparison, there were 52 Army suicides in 2001. The number steadily rose over the following years, reaching 197 in 2008.
The overall suicide rate in the US Army has reached 20.2 per 100,000 personnel. The Marine Corp recorded 42 suicides as of October 31—the same number as in all of 2008 and a rate of more than 19 per 100,000 personnel.
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Obama's Afghan gambit to cost $30bn
The financial burden on the US military has increased, as US President Barack Obama announced that a recent troops surge will cost $30 billion this year.
After months of mulling over a new strategy for the deteriorating mission in Afghanistan, Obama finally announced on Tuesday that the US would increase the number of American soldiers in Afghanistan by some 40 percent — or 30,000 extra troops.
In an emphatic speech, Obama told cadets at the prestigious West Point military academy that the troop surge was "in our vital national interest".
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After months of mulling over a new strategy for the deteriorating mission in Afghanistan, Obama finally announced on Tuesday that the US would increase the number of American soldiers in Afghanistan by some 40 percent — or 30,000 extra troops.
In an emphatic speech, Obama told cadets at the prestigious West Point military academy that the troop surge was "in our vital national interest".
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US to increase troops in Afghanistan by 40%
The US president has decided to raise the number of American troops in Afghanistan by some 40 percent, a move that would see Washington deploy another 30,000 soldiers.In a live televised speech at the US Military Academy at West Point, New York on Tuesday, Barack Obama said the troops would be deployed in the first part of 2010.
“As commander in chief, I have determined that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 US troops to Afghanistan,” he told the cadets.
He stated that the fresh troops, who will increase the number of US forces in Afghanistan from 68,000 to 100,000, would focus on targeting the resurgent Taliban, securing key population centers, and training military personnel.
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1 Dec 2009
Brown commits 500 extra troops to Afghanistan
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has confirmed plans to deploy of 500 more soldiers in Afghanistan in early December.
"I can confirm that we will move to a new force level of 9,500 — the extra troops will deploy in early December to thicken the UK troop presence in central Helmand," Brown told the parliament on Monday.
The UK's total contribution to the eight-year war, however, would amount to 10,000 given the presence of special forces, who are involved in training and civilian activities.
The announcement comes just two days after Brown said London will host a conference on Afghanistan in January 28 to discuss ways of handing over security to the local forces.
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"I can confirm that we will move to a new force level of 9,500 — the extra troops will deploy in early December to thicken the UK troop presence in central Helmand," Brown told the parliament on Monday.
The UK's total contribution to the eight-year war, however, would amount to 10,000 given the presence of special forces, who are involved in training and civilian activities.
The announcement comes just two days after Brown said London will host a conference on Afghanistan in January 28 to discuss ways of handing over security to the local forces.
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Police official kills six colleagues in Afghanistan
An Afghan policeman has fired on a checkpoint in Khashrod district in Nimroz province, killing six fellow officers, officials have said.
Authorities said Monday that the policeman escaped to Dil Aram district in the province after killing the six colleagues in the shootout that took place in southern Afghanistan.
Later reports said the shooter was identified and killed in the ensuing gun battle when he started to shoot again.
Earlier this month, an Afghan policeman opened fire at the British convoy killing five UK soldiers in the southern Afghan province of Helmand.
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Authorities said Monday that the policeman escaped to Dil Aram district in the province after killing the six colleagues in the shootout that took place in southern Afghanistan.
Later reports said the shooter was identified and killed in the ensuing gun battle when he started to shoot again.
Earlier this month, an Afghan policeman opened fire at the British convoy killing five UK soldiers in the southern Afghan province of Helmand.
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Israeli tanks target houses in Gaza
Israeli army tanks have opened fire on houses and farmlands in the northern sector of the Gaza Strip, according to a report.
A number of Israeli tanks commenced firing Monday afternoon while withdrawing from an area southeast of the town of Beit Hanoun, which they had entered in the morning, witnesses told Ma'an news agency.
The area where the gunfire was reported lies approximately 800 meters from the Green Line in the farming region of Abu Sufiyah, according to local Palestinian sources.
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A number of Israeli tanks commenced firing Monday afternoon while withdrawing from an area southeast of the town of Beit Hanoun, which they had entered in the morning, witnesses told Ma'an news agency.
The area where the gunfire was reported lies approximately 800 meters from the Green Line in the farming region of Abu Sufiyah, according to local Palestinian sources.
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US urges France to send more troops to Afghanistan
The US has asked France to send an additional 1,500 troops to join the coalition forces in Afghanistan as Washington is expected to send at least 30,000 more reinforcements.
On Monday, The daily Le Monde published a report on its website, saying US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made the request on Thursday in a telephone call to French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.
The French Foreign Ministry has neither confirmed nor denied the report.
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On Monday, The daily Le Monde published a report on its website, saying US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made the request on Thursday in a telephone call to French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.
The French Foreign Ministry has neither confirmed nor denied the report.
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Terrorist attacks claim more lives in Iraq
At least two people have been reported killed and twelve others injured in separate terrorist attacks across violence-ridden Iraq.In the first incident, eleven persons -- including five policemen and six civilians -- were injured Monday evening when two thermal bombs exploded at the crowded artists' syndicate in Kirkuk's al-Hawijah district.
Security forces quickly moved in to cordon off the area and launched an investigation into the motives behind the attack. The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital and two persons were detained on suspicion of involvement in the bombings, Brig. Sarhad Qader told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.
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Israel constructs 25 new units in West Bank
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has okayed the construction of 25 new housing units in the West Bank settlement of Keidar despite international calls to the contrary.
During a phone conversation with Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Monday, Netanyahu instructed Barak to stop preventing the construction of the new units in the West Bank, claiming the units do not fall under the cabinet's decision to halt settlement construction activities for 10 months.
Tel Aviv had earlier agreed to freeze all settlement activities, except in Jerusalem Al-Quds, for 10 months in a bid to re-launch stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
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During a phone conversation with Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Monday, Netanyahu instructed Barak to stop preventing the construction of the new units in the West Bank, claiming the units do not fall under the cabinet's decision to halt settlement construction activities for 10 months.
Tel Aviv had earlier agreed to freeze all settlement activities, except in Jerusalem Al-Quds, for 10 months in a bid to re-launch stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
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28 Nov 2009
NATO allies may provide 6,000 additional troops for Afghan war in response to Obama's call
NATO governments may increase their fighting forces in Afghanistan by up to 6,000 soldiers in response to President Barack Obama's expected call for tens of thousands of additional U.S. service members, diplomats said Friday.
On Tuesday, Obama is expected to announce his new battle plan for Afghanistan, including an increase in U.S. forces and a strategy for ending America's military involvement there. Administration officials say Obama's plan will likely include the deployment of about 30,000 additional U.S. and allied soldiers.
NATO has scheduled a conference for Dec. 7 during which other allied nations will be able to pledge their own reinforcements.
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On Tuesday, Obama is expected to announce his new battle plan for Afghanistan, including an increase in U.S. forces and a strategy for ending America's military involvement there. Administration officials say Obama's plan will likely include the deployment of about 30,000 additional U.S. and allied soldiers.
NATO has scheduled a conference for Dec. 7 during which other allied nations will be able to pledge their own reinforcements.
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