Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Fire Kills Over 100 at Dhaka, Bagladesh
A devastating fire raced through several apartment complexes in the capital, Dhaka, on Thursday night, killing more than 100 people and injuring dozens, officials and local media reported. A fire official, Nazrul Islam, said the blaze started when an electric transformer exploded, igniting a three-story apartment building in the Najirabazar area of old Dhaka. He said “many bodies” had been recovered. The television station ATN Bangla reported Friday that at least 104 people had died, and that more than 100 people were injured.
source by-nytimes.com, you tube
source by-nytimes.com, you tube
Obama meet to discuss immigration enforcement
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) said Thursday that President Obama assured her that he would send White House staff members to her state to talk with officials about efforts to secure the U.S.-Mexico border. The governor said her meeting with Obama in the Oval Office was cordial, despite their disagreement over the widely criticized state law she signed in April, which gave police greater powers to enforce federal immigration laws. The White House said in a statement that the meeting went well but that Obama reiterated his concerns about the law, including that a patchwork of state immigration regulations would complicate the federal government's role in setting and enforcing immigration policy.White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters that, in particular, the president hoped Brewer would help persuade Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to support broad immigration legislation, as he did several times earlier this decade. "I doubt we are going to get comprehensive immigration reform if we don't have John McCain doing what he did during those years," Gibbs said. But as she was leaving the White House, Brewer said that she thinks the border must "be secured" first.
source by-washingtonpost.com
source by-washingtonpost.com
Weighs Easing Gaza Blockade
Israel's leadership is considering changing its Gaza policy amid mounting international pressure, as it emerged Thursday that an American citizen was among the dead and another was injured in a deadly raid on an aid mission this week.The review comes as condemnations grow on the blockade—including a new push for a change in Gaza policy by the U.S.—after nine activists died in the confrontation Monday. The policy may be changed in an effort to allow aid to reach the territory's citizens more easily, according to Israeli officials."The relations between Israel and Turkey will never be the same again," President Abdullah Gul said. "Protecting the welfare of American citizens is a fundamental responsibility of our government and one that we take very seriously,'' she told reporters. "We are in constant contact with the Israeli government attempting to obtain more information about our citizens."State Department officials visited the morgue where Mr. Dogan's body was being held, said spokesman P.J. Crowley, and confirmed that he had been killed by multiple gunshot wounds."We have the option to conduct our own investigation," Mr. Crowley said.Mrs. Clinton said, "As we have stated continuously, we expect the Israeli government to conduct a prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigation that conforms to international standards and gets to all the facts surrounding this tragic event. We are open to different ways of assuring that it is a credible investigation, including urging appropriate international participation."On Monday, Israeli naval boats intercepted the six-ship flotilla and commandoes boarded the crafts, dozens of miles from Gaza's shores. On one ship, a deadly melee ensued, leaving nine activists dead.Israel's review of its Gaza policy could result in little or no real change to the blockade. But with Israeli officials scrambling to counter growing international outrage over the flotilla incident, its review of Gaza policy represents the first, tentative concessions aimed at defusing the matter."We are currently exploring additional ways to implement these principles," the official said, without giving details. He didn't say whether the easing of a naval blockade of Gaza was specifically being considered.Israeli official said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to explore "creative solutions" to facilitate the flow of goods into Gaza. But this official said Israel hasn't agreed to lift the blockade.Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman proposed attaching international observers to an internal Israeli probe. He told the Ynet news website that he has proposed setting up a commission of inquiry, headed by a respected former Israeli Supreme Court judge. "If they'll ask to include foreign observers, we'll include them," Mr. Lieberman said.Senior U.S. officials said the Obama administration would "redouble" its efforts to get Israel to ease the blockade. But these officials indicated the White House wasn't going to ask Mr. Netanyahu to formally end the blockade."We don't think it's in Israel's interest to maintain the status quo," said the State Department's Mr. Crowley. But he added: "Given the history and reality, Israel has a very legitimate interest to inspect and control the flow of materials into Gaza."Free Gaza spokeswoman Greta Berlin said the group wants to send a large number of vessels on the next voyage as a deterrent to any aggressive military response from the Israeli army."Our boats are small and we don't want them sunk," she said.
source by-online.wsj.com
Roman Catholic death by stabbed in Turkey
A Roman Catholic bishop was stabbed to death in southern Turkey on Thursday.Luigi Padovese, 63, the apostolic vicar in Anatolia, was attacked outside his home in the Mediterranean port of Iskenderun. The killing was not believed to be politically motivated.Dogan news agency video footage of the scene showed the bishop lying dead in front of a building.He was scheduled to leave for Cyprus to meet with the pope, officials and reports said."The initial investigation shows that the incident is not politically motivated," Lekesiz said. "We have learned that the suspect had psychological problems and was receiving treatment."In 2007, a Roman Catholic priest in the western city of Izmir, Adriano Franchini, was stabbed and slightly wounded in the stomach by a 19-year-old man after Sunday Mass. The man was arrested."I have been deeply affected by the death of a colleague with whom I had been working together on projects for the region, Turkey and world peace,"Mustafa Sinanoglu said."These kinds of incidents are damaging our country's image," he added.Turkey's Culture Minister Ertugrul Gunay paid tribute to Padovese saying he had "made important contributions to the culture of tolerance through his services in Hatay."The Foreign Ministry said the death of Padovese was an "important loss from a religious and scholarly point of view," adding that the Bishop had written extensively on Turkey
In a 2006 telephone interview with the AP, following another knife attack that injured another priest, Padovese expressed concern over the safety of Catholics priests in Turkey.
"The climate has changed," he said. "It is the Catholic priests that are being targeted."
In a 2006 telephone interview with the AP, following another knife attack that injured another priest, Padovese expressed concern over the safety of Catholics priests in Turkey.
"The climate has changed," he said. "It is the Catholic priests that are being targeted."
japan leadership: Candidate profiles
Two candidates from the ruling Democratic Party of Japan are vying to become the country's next prime minister, following the abrupt resignation of Yukio Hatoyama. The BBC profiles the two rivals.Mr Kan became deputy prime minister when Yukio Hatoyama swept to power in September.He was also appointed to head the National Strategy Bureau, a new body charged with wresting control of policy-making from the powerful bureaucracy. In a news conference where he announced his candidacy, he emphasised his ordinary background.
"I grew up in a typical Japanese salaryman's family. I've had no special connections," he said.
"If I can take on a major role starting from such an ordinary background, that would be a very positive thing for Japanese politics."
Mr Tarutoko, 50, is something of an unknown quantity to Japanese voters - and certainly the underdog in this race.An economics graduate from Osaka university, he represents the city's 12th district in parliament.He currently heads the DPJ's environment committee in the lower house.Not much is known about his policies. He has called for a rise in consumption tax to be delayed until after the general election in 2013.
Activists Return to Turkey
Hundreds of activists deported from Israel after a failed attempt to breach the blockade on the Gaza strip have returned to Turkey. The activists received a warm reception on their pre-dawn arrival."Twelve or 13 boats attacked us, along with four or five helicopters," one man said. " They just opened up fire on us. I heard the captain saying on the VHF radio we are unarmed."
Israel says its troops only used their pistols after they were attacked, and released a video showing soldiers in riot gear descending from a helicopter into a crowd of men with sticks and clubs. Three or four activists overpowered each soldier as he landed, beating each one to the deck.Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has held back from major diplomatic sanctions, other than recalling Turkey's ambassador. But Mr. Erdogan is facing increasing pressure to do more.
The Turkish Parliament passed a motion calling for a complete review of all political, economic and military ties with Israel. The country's powerful Islamic media, which traditionally supports the government, has called for severing ties.
source by-voanews.com
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Japan's ruling Democrats manoeuvre before picking PM
Japanese ruling Democratic Party lawmakers manoeuvred on Thursday to pick a new leader, and hence premier, after fiscally conservative Finance Minister Naoto Kan threw his hat in the ring to replace unpopular Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who quit a day earlier ahead of an election.The Democrats will vote on Friday to pick a new leader, but the political turmoil could delay efforts to thrash out plans set to be announced this month to cut Japan's bulging public debt and craft a strategy to engineer economic growth in an ageing society. Ozawa, widely seen as pulling the strings behind Hatoyama's government, quit on Wednesday as party secretary-general.
But as the de facto chief of the Democrats' biggest bloc of lawmakers, his backing could prove key. The Democrats, who swept to power last year in a landslide election victory but whose support has since plummeted, are trying to boost the party's fortunes in the upper house election that they need to win to pass bills smoothly.
It was unclear whether a change at the top would improve the Democrats' chances in the upcoming election.Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, who was seen as a potential candidate, told reporters that he would back Kan, who doubles as deputy prime minister, as long as Kan seeks to lessen the influence of Ozawa in a new government.Japan's new leader will face a tough task keeping ties with Washington on track, since Hatoyama's deal with Washington to shift a U.S. airbase to northern Okinawa is staunchly opposed by local residents and will be hard to implement.A new cabinet is expected to be formed on Friday.
source by-reuters.com
But as the de facto chief of the Democrats' biggest bloc of lawmakers, his backing could prove key. The Democrats, who swept to power last year in a landslide election victory but whose support has since plummeted, are trying to boost the party's fortunes in the upper house election that they need to win to pass bills smoothly.
It was unclear whether a change at the top would improve the Democrats' chances in the upcoming election.Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, who was seen as a potential candidate, told reporters that he would back Kan, who doubles as deputy prime minister, as long as Kan seeks to lessen the influence of Ozawa in a new government.Japan's new leader will face a tough task keeping ties with Washington on track, since Hatoyama's deal with Washington to shift a U.S. airbase to northern Okinawa is staunchly opposed by local residents and will be hard to implement.A new cabinet is expected to be formed on Friday.
source by-reuters.com
He’ll Push for Clean Energy Bill commented by Obama
President Obama said Wednesday that it was time for the United States “to aggressively accelerate” its transition from oil to alternative sources of energy and vowed to push for quick action on climate change legislation despite almost unanimous opposition from Republicans and continued skepticism from some Democrats. Mr. Obama promised to find the lagging votes in the Senate to get the climate change and energy bill passed this year. Last year, the House passed a version of the bill, which tries to address global warming by putting a price on greenhouse gas pollution and provides incentives for alternative clean energy sources. “If we refuse to take into account the full cost of our fossil fuel addiction — if we don’t factor in the environmental costs and national security costs and true economic costs — we will have missed our best chance to seize a clean energy future,” Mr. Obama said. “The votes may not be there right now, but I intend to find them in the coming months.”“From our efforts to rescue the economy to health insurance reform to financial reform, most have sat on the sidelines and shouted from the bleachers,” the president said. “They said no to tax cuts for small businesses, no to tax credits for college tuition, no to investments in clean energy. They said no to protecting patients from insurance companies and consumers from big banks.”“Out-of-control Washington spending,” Mr. Cantor said, “has created a massive debt, private-sector businesspeople — small and large — are preparing for additional tax increases, and the government keeps on growing.”A day after disclosing that the federal government is conducting criminal and civil investigations of BP and other companies in connection with the spill, Mr. Obama did not directly criticize BP or the oil industry generally. A day after disclosing that the federal government is conducting criminal and civil investigations of BP and other companies in connection with the spill, Mr. Obama did not directly criticize BP or the oil industry generally.
Taleban send message
The scene was set for something dramatic as President Karzai approached the lectern yesterday. Mr Karzai’s opening address, however, he was interrupted by the whistle and thud of an incoming rocket. The Taleban conspicuous by their absence had, nonetheless, managed to get their point across. t least five rockets were fired during the morning, police said, with two suicide bombers killed and a third arrested after they were found hiding in the shell of a house under construction barely 500 metres from the Loya Jirga, or Grand Assembly tent. Undeterred by either the risk to his life he has survived at least three assassination attempts or to the credibility of his conference, Mr Karzai urged his audience not to panic. “Sit down, nothing will happen,” he said. “I have become used to this.” In a direct appeal to his “dear Taleban brothers”, he said: “May God bring you to your homeland. Don’t destroy your homeland, don’t destroy yourself.” Mr Karzai’s message was clearly designed to fit in with the White House’s rhetoric about possible amnesties for senior Taleban but strictly no talks with al-Qaeda. “I can’t forgive al-Qaeda or those who kill students, teachers, scholars there is no room for them in the jirga,” Mr Karzai said. However, he admitted that his Government, and the international troops which secure it, were partly to blame for some people supporting the insurgency. “Those Taleban compelled to flee are welcome to come and join us,” he said. “This attack was the Taleban’s answer,” said the Herat MP Ahmad Behzad. “It shows they are not ready for peace.” The UN special representative to Afghanistan, Staffan de Mistura, who was among about 200 diplomats invited, predicted a tough road ahead. “Every difficult negotiation starts with an attempt of strength by either side,” he said.
source by-timesonline
End dependence on fossil fuels :Obama
President Barack Obama on Wednesday called on Congress to roll back billions of dollars in tax breaks for oil and pass a clean-energy bill that he says would help the nation end its dependence on fossil fuels."The votes may not be there right now, but I intend to find them in the coming months," Obama told an audience at Carnegie Mellon University. "I will continue to make the case for a clean energy future wherever and whenever I can, and I will work with anyone to get this done. And we will get it done."
Obama said the country's continuing dependence on fossil fuels "will jeopardize our national security, it will smother our planet and will continue to put our economy and our environment at risk.""The time has come, once and for all, for this nation to fully embrace a clean energy future," the president said.Obama said that the Gulf spill "may prove to be a result of human error — or corporations taking dangerous shortcuts that compromised safety" — but that deepwater drilling is inherently risky and the U.S. cannot rely solely on fossil fuels.
Obama also used the speech to lash out at Republicans with partisan rhetoric, saying they have mostly "sat on the sidelines and shouted from the bleachers" as he's tried to restore the economy.
The GOP, Obama said, has fought him on tax cuts for small businesses, tax credits for college tuition, new spending on clean energy and more.The president said that as the election approaches, he expects Republicans to make the same economic argument they have for decades."To be fair, a good deal of the other party's opposition to our agenda has also been rooted in their sincere and fundamental belief about government," Obama said. "It's a belief that government has little or no role to play in helping this nation meet its collective challenges."
source by-google.com, you tube
daily Amar Desh shuts down
The Bangladesh government has cancelled the declaration of Bengali daily Amar Desh, shutting its publication, citing that it has no authorised publisher.Mahmudur Rahman, owner and acting-editor of the anti-government daily, was arrested on a cheating charge.
source by-thehindu.com
Dhaka building collapse 14 killed, many injured
At least 14 people have died and dozens more are reported trapped in debris after a five-storey building collapsed in Dhaka on Wednesday.Police and witnesses said at least 50 people were hurt.
Police blamed bad construction for the collapse of the building.
source by- bangladeshnews.net
Search for New Japan Leader
The sudden resignation of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on Wednesday, the ruling Democratic Party of Japan immediately launched the process of selecting its new leader, in a race against the time to prepare for an uphill battle in a national election next month.Naoto Kan, finance minister, was the first to announce his intention to run for the top job.
"During the short time under Prime Minister Hatoyama, we were unable to fulfill the expectations presented to us from the voters last fall," Mr. Kan told reporters. "I would like to take over the job and make sure it gets done."
"We have had four prime ministers stepping down one after another with less than a year in job," said Hideo Kumano, an economist for Dai-Ichi Life Research Institute. "The government can talk great policies but if they don't even last for a year, Japan's weakened economy will never get a chance for getting rebuilt."Some question whether Mr. Kan is the right man to usher in such changes and whether he can sever the vicious cycle in which the country's prime ministers have changed nearly every year. The Liberal Democratic Party, a long-serving conservative party ousted by the DPJ, named three prime ministers in its last three years in power in its desperate attempt to appeal to voters.
"Hatoyama and Kan could both be just transitional characters," said Norihiko Narita, a political scientist and president of Surugadai University. "In the post-Kan and Hatoyama era, we will see a completely different culture in the DPJ and new ways of conducting politics."These two are popular with voters. An informal online survey conducted by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) daily Wednesday showed 1,442 respondents naming Mr. Maehara as their favorite candidate for next prime minister. Mr. Kan followed with 1,096 votes and Mr. Okada with 878. Mr. Maehara said nothing has been decided on this candidacy and Mr. Okada hasn't made any remarks.Hatoyama is his receptiveness toward a rise in consumption tax. After becoming finance minister, he soon mentioned the need to begin studying a consumption tax hike, which by then was a taboo because of Hatoyama's election pledge not to raise the tax for four years. If he becomes the prime minister, the timing of a consumption tax hike could come earlier.
source by-online.wsj.com
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
"wants credible flotilla probe" :Obama
US President Barack Obama said Wednesday that he supports an 'independent' probe that would examine the events leading to Israel's Monday raid on the Gaza-bound protest flotilla, Army Radio reported.Obama spoke with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday, where he expressed his condolences and was "working in close consultation with Israel to help achieve the release of the passengers, including those deceased and wounded, and the ships themselves.""The President affirmed the importance of finding better ways to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza without undermining Israel's security," the White House statement said.
Obama also made clear the US support for a credible investigation.
source by-jpost.com
freeing aid activists Israel
Israeli government has deported to Jordan more than 100 activists seized from the Gaza aid flotilla, and has promised to release the rest of the detainees within 48 hours.Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, said earlier on Tuesday that all of the activists - a total of 682 people from 35 countries – "would be deported immediately".Nine activists were believed to have been killed when Israeli troops, using helicopters and fast dinghies, stormed the Mavi Marmara, the lead vessel of the six-ship convoy dubbed the Freedom Flotilla, on Monday.
The military said it opened fire in self defence when it encountered resistance from activists wielding metal rods and chairs, and released pictures which appeared to show a handful of soldiers being beaten and clubbed by dozens of activists.
source by-english.aljazeera.net
The military said it opened fire in self defence when it encountered resistance from activists wielding metal rods and chairs, and released pictures which appeared to show a handful of soldiers being beaten and clubbed by dozens of activists.
source by-english.aljazeera.net
Bangladesh joins Pakistan in blocking Facebook
Bangladesh has blocked the Facebook social networking site because of “objectionable” materials it contained about the Prophet Mohammad and the country’s political leaders, a telecoms regulatory official said on Sunday. Facebook was barred last week by a court in Pakistan, also overwhelmingly Muslim, because of an online competition to draw the Prophet Mohammad.Hundreds of protesters marched through Dhaka on Friday demanding action against Facebook and those accused of defaming the Prophet.The elite security force Rapid Action Battalion on Saturday arrested a man in Dhaka for posting “obnoxious” images of the country’s political leaders, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Begum Khaleda Zia.Facebook, popular among Bangladeshis, especially young people, triggered protests by users.“This was a wrong decision and should be withdrawn immediately,” Mohammad Zafar Iqbal, professor of Computer Science at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, told a television interviewer.
source by- nationalpost.com
Building collapses Dhaka
A four-storey building collapsed late on Tuesday and fell on several tin-roofed shanties in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka.At least 15 people were rescued alive with some suffering bruises and cuts, police inspector Abul Kalam told reporters, but more people were trapped under the shanties and in the toppled building.
" Our rescue work has been slowed due to fragile conditions. We are carrying out work carefully so that the building does not cave in completely," Dhaka fire brigade chief Abdur Rashid said.
source by-www.iol.co.za
President Sarkozy urges revamped trade ties at Africa-France Summit
French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Monday brought a number of new proposals to boost business ties with Africa during the 25th Africa-France Summit in Nice, France.“Africa is our future … the African continent is asserting itself more and more as a major player in international life," said Sarkozy. "We cannot govern a 21-century world with a 20-century institution.”oday, Sarkozy says it is in France’s interests to change that relationship into one of equal partners.
"I am deeply convinced that it is no longer possible to discuss major world issues without the presence of Africa," Sarkozy said in an opening speech at the summit.
source by-csmonitor.com
Israel's convoy raid account
Eyewitness accounts from ships raided by Israeli commandos have cast doubt on Israel's version of events that led to the deaths of at least 10 people. Israel says its soldiers were attacked with "knives, clubs and other weapons" and opened fire in self defence.
The six ships, carrying aid and campaigners, had sailed from Cyprus in a bid to break Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.
"This was not an act of self-defence," said Mr Paech, a politician, as he arrived back in Berlin wrapped in a blue blanket.
"Personally I saw two and a half wooden batons that were used... There was really nothing else. We never saw any knives.
"This was an attack in international waters on a peaceful mission... This was a clear act of piracy," he added. Hoeger said they had been on the ships "for peaceful purposes".
"We wanted to transport aid to Gaza," she said. "No-one had a weapon." "The captain... told us 'They are firing randomly, they are breaking the windows and entering inside.Diplomatic sources in Ankara have said at least four of those killed were Turkish. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the assault was a "bloody massacre" and must be punished. He said Israel should not test Turkey's patience.
source by-news.bbc.co.uk
Israelis are upset
Israelis haven't expressed much sympathy for Gaza freedom flotilla activists attacked in an Israeli raid Monday. But they're upset that their government walked into what they say was a trap, and botched the mission.Israel gets an international scolding for the deaths in a botched Israeli raid on the Gaza freedom flotilla that challenged Israel's three-year blockade on the coastal strip, the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under a storm of criticism from Israelis themselves."It’s the military failure combined with the international damage. Most people could live with that if it had been done successfully,'' says Tom Segev, a leading Israeli historian. "It's not that people are angry that people in Gaza are hungry. It was an operation that was ill-conceived and didn't go well enough. They hate when things go wrong.''Meanwhile Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, arguably Netanyahu's strongest ally in the Arab world, lifted Egypt's blockade on the Gaza Strip and allowed aid to be delivered through the Rafah crossing.
Israelis said they were disturbed by black-and-white video footage, which the army says shows activists beating commandos with clubs and even casting one soldier over the side of a ship deck.
"It's not the nicest feeling in the world'' to watch the video, says Tomer, a software engineer. "Soldiers were coming down and [activists] were waiting to attack them. It was bizarre that they went one after the other into the situation.''"This is the Palestinian Exodus," wrote Ari Shavit, a centrist political commentator, in Haaretz. "In one threat of folly, the government of Israel succeeded in positioning [Hamas] as the victims and the Israeli Navy as an Navy of Evil."
Israelis haven't expressed much sympathy for Gaza freedom flotilla activists attacked in an Israeli raid Monday. But they're upset that their government walked into what they say was a trap, and botched the mission.Israel gets an international scolding for the deaths in a botched Israeli raid on the Gaza freedom flotilla that challenged Israel's three-year blockade on the coastal strip, the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under a storm of criticism from Israelis themselves."It’s the military failure combined with the international damage. Most people could live with that if it had been done successfully,'' says Tom Segev, a leading Israeli historian. "It's not that people are angry that people in Gaza are hungry. It was an operation that was ill-conceived and didn't go well enough. They hate when things go wrong.''Meanwhile Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, arguably Netanyahu's strongest ally in the Arab world, lifted Egypt's blockade on the Gaza Strip and allowed aid to be delivered through the Rafah crossing.
Israelis said they were disturbed by black-and-white video footage, which the army says shows activists beating commandos with clubs and even casting one soldier over the side of a ship deck.
"It's not the nicest feeling in the world'' to watch the video, says Tomer, a software engineer. "Soldiers were coming down and [activists] were waiting to attack them. It was bizarre that they went one after the other into the situation.''"This is the Palestinian Exodus," wrote Ari Shavit, a centrist political commentator, in Haaretz. "In one threat of folly, the government of Israel succeeded in positioning [Hamas] as the victims and the Israeli Navy as an Navy of Evil."
Israelis haven't expressed much sympathy for Gaza freedom flotilla activists attacked in an Israeli raid Monday. But they're upset that their government walked into what they say was a trap, and botched the mission.Israel gets an international scolding for the deaths in a botched Israeli raid on the Gaza freedom flotilla that challenged Israel's three-year blockade on the coastal strip, the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under a storm of criticism from Israelis themselves."It’s the military failure combined with the international damage. Most people could live with that if it had been done successfully,'' says Tom Segev, a leading Israeli historian. "It's not that people are angry that people in Gaza are hungry. It was an operation that was ill-conceived and didn't go well enough. They hate when things go wrong.''Meanwhile Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, arguably Netanyahu's strongest ally in the Arab world, lifted Egypt's blockade on the Gaza Strip and allowed aid to be delivered through the Rafah crossing.
Israelis said they were disturbed by black-and-white video footage, which the army says shows activists beating commandos with clubs and even casting one soldier over the side of a ship deck.
"It's not the nicest feeling in the world'' to watch the video, says Tomer, a software engineer. "Soldiers were coming down and [activists] were waiting to attack them. It was bizarre that they went one after the other into the situation.''"This is the Palestinian Exodus," wrote Ari Shavit, a centrist political commentator, in Haaretz. "In one threat of folly, the government of Israel succeeded in positioning [Hamas] as the victims and the Israeli Navy as an Navy of Evil."
source by-csmonitor.com
Israelis said they were disturbed by black-and-white video footage, which the army says shows activists beating commandos with clubs and even casting one soldier over the side of a ship deck.
"It's not the nicest feeling in the world'' to watch the video, says Tomer, a software engineer. "Soldiers were coming down and [activists] were waiting to attack them. It was bizarre that they went one after the other into the situation.''"This is the Palestinian Exodus," wrote Ari Shavit, a centrist political commentator, in Haaretz. "In one threat of folly, the government of Israel succeeded in positioning [Hamas] as the victims and the Israeli Navy as an Navy of Evil."
Israelis haven't expressed much sympathy for Gaza freedom flotilla activists attacked in an Israeli raid Monday. But they're upset that their government walked into what they say was a trap, and botched the mission.Israel gets an international scolding for the deaths in a botched Israeli raid on the Gaza freedom flotilla that challenged Israel's three-year blockade on the coastal strip, the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under a storm of criticism from Israelis themselves."It’s the military failure combined with the international damage. Most people could live with that if it had been done successfully,'' says Tom Segev, a leading Israeli historian. "It's not that people are angry that people in Gaza are hungry. It was an operation that was ill-conceived and didn't go well enough. They hate when things go wrong.''Meanwhile Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, arguably Netanyahu's strongest ally in the Arab world, lifted Egypt's blockade on the Gaza Strip and allowed aid to be delivered through the Rafah crossing.
Israelis said they were disturbed by black-and-white video footage, which the army says shows activists beating commandos with clubs and even casting one soldier over the side of a ship deck.
"It's not the nicest feeling in the world'' to watch the video, says Tomer, a software engineer. "Soldiers were coming down and [activists] were waiting to attack them. It was bizarre that they went one after the other into the situation.''"This is the Palestinian Exodus," wrote Ari Shavit, a centrist political commentator, in Haaretz. "In one threat of folly, the government of Israel succeeded in positioning [Hamas] as the victims and the Israeli Navy as an Navy of Evil."
Israelis haven't expressed much sympathy for Gaza freedom flotilla activists attacked in an Israeli raid Monday. But they're upset that their government walked into what they say was a trap, and botched the mission.Israel gets an international scolding for the deaths in a botched Israeli raid on the Gaza freedom flotilla that challenged Israel's three-year blockade on the coastal strip, the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under a storm of criticism from Israelis themselves."It’s the military failure combined with the international damage. Most people could live with that if it had been done successfully,'' says Tom Segev, a leading Israeli historian. "It's not that people are angry that people in Gaza are hungry. It was an operation that was ill-conceived and didn't go well enough. They hate when things go wrong.''Meanwhile Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, arguably Netanyahu's strongest ally in the Arab world, lifted Egypt's blockade on the Gaza Strip and allowed aid to be delivered through the Rafah crossing.
Israelis said they were disturbed by black-and-white video footage, which the army says shows activists beating commandos with clubs and even casting one soldier over the side of a ship deck.
"It's not the nicest feeling in the world'' to watch the video, says Tomer, a software engineer. "Soldiers were coming down and [activists] were waiting to attack them. It was bizarre that they went one after the other into the situation.''"This is the Palestinian Exodus," wrote Ari Shavit, a centrist political commentator, in Haaretz. "In one threat of folly, the government of Israel succeeded in positioning [Hamas] as the victims and the Israeli Navy as an Navy of Evil."
source by-csmonitor.com
Guatemala City storm which killed at least 150
The death toll from Tropical Storm Agatha is growing, with 123 reported killed in Guatemala, 14 in Honduras and nine in El Salvador.At least 90 people are missing in Guatemala and another 69 are injured, the nation's emergency agency reported late Monday.The previously reported toll for Guatemala was 92 deaths, 54 people missing and 59 injured.Pacaya is located about 18 miles (30 kilometers) south of Guatemala City.Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom declared a 15-day state of calamity after the volcano eruption. Damage from Tropical Storm Agatha added to the devastation. At least nine rivers had dramatically higher levels and 13 bridges collapsed, the emergency services agency said.Nearly 3,500 people have been evacuated from their homes and nearly 3,300 are living in shelters, the Honduran emergency agency said Monday. More than 140 homes have been destroyed and another 700 have been damaged, the Permanent Commission for Emergencies reported.It was the first named storm for the Pacific hurricane season. The Atlantic hurricane season started Tuesday.
Guatemala City storm which killed at least 150
The death toll from Tropical Storm Agatha is growing, with 123 reported killed in Guatemala, 14 in Honduras and nine in El Salvador.At least 90 people are missing in Guatemala and another 69 are injured, the nation's emergency agency reported late Monday.The previously reported toll for Guatemala was 92 deaths, 54 people missing and 59 injured.Pacaya is located about 18 miles (30 kilometers) south of Guatemala City.Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom declared a 15-day state of calamity after the volcano eruption. Damage from Tropical Storm Agatha added to the devastation. At least nine rivers had dramatically higher levels and 13 bridges collapsed, the emergency services agency said.Nearly 3,500 people have been evacuated from their homes and nearly 3,300 are living in shelters, the Honduran emergency agency said Monday. More than 140 homes have been destroyed and another 700 have been damaged, the Permanent Commission for Emergencies reported.It was the first named storm for the Pacific hurricane season. The Atlantic hurricane season started Tuesday.
Obama Coalition Style
Artur Davis wins the Democratic primary here on Tuesday, placing him within one step of becoming the first black governor of Alabama, he will have reached this milestone in the most improbable of ways bypassing the hierarchy of the state’s oldest civil rights organizations.President Obama’s policies are fueling a fierce debate in midterm races across the country, there is a different test under way in Alabama. Can Mr. Obama’s coalition style of victory — winning over white voters before gaining support from black leaders — be replicated in the Deep South?“Some people have said during the course of this race that this is a good idea, but Alabama’s not ready for it,” Mr. Davis said, rallying supporters at his campaign headquarters on Monday afternoon.Mr. Davis announced his plan to run for governor early last year, the president’s popularity was at its peak. Mr. Obama had won the state’s primary, and even though he suffered a 20-point defeat in the general election, the enthusiasm surrounding the arrival of the first black president added to the notion that voters in Alabama, too, might be ready for change.Mr. Davis said he opposed the health care bill because it was too expensive and he preferred a targeted approach. But his rival, Mr. Sparks, and other critics said that Mr. Davis’s vote was merely an attempt to build his appeal to white voters for the fall election.
Glen Browder, a former Democratic congressman from Alabama who last year wrote “The South’s New Racial Politics,” said a victory by Mr. Davis would “change the dynamics of Alabama politics” and loosen the establishment’s “grip on the black vote.”
“He’s taking a bold and risky gamble with an eye toward the general election, trying to establish himself as a new-style candidate, who is not the black candidate for the Alabama governorship,” Mr. Browder said. “The course he is taking is a roll of the dice.” “There’s no question that many of President Obama’s policies are unpopular in the state, but that’s not going to determine who the next governor is,” Mr. Davis said in his office, where a painting of the president was hanging on the wall. “National issues just simply aren’t relevant to the questions that are going to decide this race.”
source by-nytimes.com
Ahmadinejad calls for strong UNSC resolution over flotilla raid
Iranian president on Tuesday demanded a strong UN Security Council resolution against Israel over its raid on an aid flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip.Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on the Security Council to adopt a resolution that would "cut off" Israel's hands, thus preventing it from committing more "crimes."At least nine people were killed when Israeli navy commandos raided the Gaza-bound flotilla Monday.
"I ask the Security Council to keep the crimes of the Zionists on its agenda and to cut off their hands from committing crimes with a strong resolution," Ahmadinejad said.He said such a resolution by the Council would secure international confidence in the body and send a message that it doesn't issue "resolutions only against countries the US and its allies want."He said such a resolution by the Council would secure international confidence in the body and send a message that it doesn't issue "resolutions only against countries the US and its allies want."He said such a resolution by the Council would secure international confidence in the body and send a message that it doesn't issue "resolutions only against countries the US and its allies want."
He warned Israel against further raids on Gaza, saying that a "storm of anger from the nations of the region will uproot you." Four other permanent Security Council members — Russia, China, Britain and France — and Germany for a new set of UN sanctions against Iran over its refusal to stop enriching uranium.
"I ask the Security Council to keep the crimes of the Zionists on its agenda and to cut off their hands from committing crimes with a strong resolution," Ahmadinejad said.He said such a resolution by the Council would secure international confidence in the body and send a message that it doesn't issue "resolutions only against countries the US and its allies want."He said such a resolution by the Council would secure international confidence in the body and send a message that it doesn't issue "resolutions only against countries the US and its allies want."He said such a resolution by the Council would secure international confidence in the body and send a message that it doesn't issue "resolutions only against countries the US and its allies want."
He warned Israel against further raids on Gaza, saying that a "storm of anger from the nations of the region will uproot you." Four other permanent Security Council members — Russia, China, Britain and France — and Germany for a new set of UN sanctions against Iran over its refusal to stop enriching uranium.
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