In tonight’s news: According to the World Bank, Israel is to blame for the economic crisis in “Palestine”. A senior Al Qaeda leader was killed in Iraq. An FBI review downplaying the accuracy of reports of terrorist threats was edited by someone named “Mohammad”. Rahm Emanuel was director of Freddie Mac during the subprime mortgage scandal. Al Qaeda in Iraq sends a “mild” message to President-Elect Soetoro. And much, much more!
Tonight’s news feed is full of rich, bloggy goodness.
Thanks to Abu Elvis, Aeneas, C. Cantoni, Heroyalwhyness, Insubria, JD, Steen, TB, and all the other tipsters who sent these in. Headlines and articles are below the fold.
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Emanuel Co-Authored Book Calling for Compulsory Universal Service
‘These young people will be available to address their communities’ most pressing needs’
The following excerpt is from pages 61-62 of the 2006 book:
It’s time for a real Patriot Act that brings out the patriot in all of us. We propose universal civilian service for every young American. Under this plan, All Americans between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five will be asked to serve their country by going through three months of basic training, civil defense preparation and community service. …
Here’s how it would work. Young people will know that between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five, the nation will enlist them for three months of civilian service. They’ll be asked to report for three months of basic civil defense training in their state or community, where they will learn what to do in the event of biochemical, nuclear or conventional attack; how to assist others in an evacuation; how to respond when a levee breaks or we’re hit by a natural disaster. These young people will be available to address their communities’ most pressing needs.
Emanuel and co-author Bruce Reed insist “this is not a draft,” but go on to write of young men and women, “the nation will enlist them for three months of civilian service.” They also warn, “[s]ome Republicans will squeal about individual freedom,” ruling out any likelihood that they would let people opt out of universal citizen service.
| — Hat tip: JD | [Return to headlines] |
Emanuel Was Director of Freddie Mac During Scandal
New Obama chief, others on board, missed ‘red flags’ of alleged fraud scheme
President-elect Barack Obama’s newly appointed chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, served on the board of directors of the federal mortgage firm Freddie Mac at a time when scandal was brewing at the troubled agency and the board failed to spot “red flags,” according to government reports reviewed by ABCNews.com.
According to a complaint later filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, Freddie Mac, known formally as the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, misreported profits by billions of dollars in order to deceive investors between the years 2000 and 2002.
Emanuel was not named in the SEC complaint (click here to read) but the entire board was later accused by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) (click here to read) of having “failed in its duty to follow up on matters brought to its attention.”
| — Hat tip: JD | [Return to headlines] |
FBI Finds Most Terrorism Threat Reports Baseless
By Randall Mikkelsen (Editing by Mohammad Zargham)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The FBI tracked about 108,000 potential terrorism threats or suspicious incidents from mid-2004 to November 2007, but most were found groundless, a Justice Department review found on Friday.
The department’s office of inspector general gave the figure in an audit of the FBI’s terrorism case-tracking system, called Guardian, launched in 2002 after the September 11 attacks.
“The FBI determined that the overwhelming majority of the threat information documented in Guardian had no nexus to terrorism. However, as a result of information reported in Guardian the FBI initiated over 600 criminal and terrorism-related investigations from October 2006 to December 2007,” the inspector general’s report said.
The report did not discuss the result of the investigations.
FBI policy requires that each threat or suspicious incident reported by the public or other government agencies and law enforcement officers be reviewed to determine whether there is a link to terrorism.
The report expressed concern over delays in the development of a related system, called E-Guardian, for sharing terrorism-related information with local law enforcement. It said the automated Guardian system had improved since it was first implemented, and the number of incidents tracked had grown dramatically.
FBI spokesman John Miller said the agency had implemented steps to resolve concerns and it accepted recommendations made by the inspector general.
| — Hat tip: Heroyalwhyness | [Return to headlines] |
‘Obama Haters’ Attack Black-Muslim Youth in US
As celebrations of Barack Obama’s historic victory broke out across the United States, a group of hooded white men brutally attacked a young black-Muslim immigrant while shouting “Obama,” press reported Friday.
Liberian immigrant Ali Kamara, 17, said he was on his way home on the Nov. 4 Election Night when four white men jumped out of a car and began beating him with baseball bats near his Staten Island home, ABC News reported.
“I see the car coming. They looked at me and said, ‘Obama!’ They were not happy. They had hoodies on. They started hitting me with bats and my body started vibrating,” the young high school student was quoted by several U.S. media outlets as saying.
“I was bleeding all over. I did not know them,” the teen said. “I think it was a racist crime,” Kamara said, adding he has had to have several stitches to close a severe wound in his head.
U.S. Islamic civil rights organization, CAIR, called for an FBI investigation into the assault.
“This incident should be of great concern to all Americans, not only because of the apparent bias motive, but because of its possible negative impact on equal participation in the political process,” said Aliya Latif, civil rights director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ (CAIR) New York office.
The New York Police Commissioner said an investigation was currently under way to determine if the attack was a hate crime.
“Our hate crimes task force is investigating and treating this as a possible bias crime,” New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly told local press.
Kamara and his family moved to Staten Island from Liberia in 2000.
| — Hat tip: TB | [Return to headlines] |
Obama’s Chief a Closet Hawk?
Emanuel’s support of Israel, Iraq war could generate White House tension
In his 2006 book, “The Plan,” Emanuel devotes a whole chapter to “the War on Terror,” in which he asserts that Democrats should not be afraid to “take the fight to the enemy.”
“We need to use all the roots of American power to make our country safe,” he added.
Among other things, he proposes creating a new domestic counter-terrorism force like Britain’s MI5 to protect the homeland.
Emanuel also staunchly believes in Israel’s right to exist and is not as conciliatory as Obama on the issue of Palestinian rights.
[…]
However, colleagues say Emanuel is still a liberal when it comes to domestic policy. He and Obama are in alignment on left-wing policy ideas, ranging from universal health care to mandatory youth service.
And not everyone believes Emanuel is as hawkish as he appears.
As a then-Clinton aide, “Emanuel is the one who forced Israeli Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin to shake terrorist Yasser Arafat’s hand at the White House, a most disgusting moment,” opined columnist Debbie Schlussel on her blog
| — Hat tip: JD | [Return to headlines] |
Obama to Appoint Talk Radio’s Executioner?
Expected FCC transition chief served during ‘Fairness Doctrine’ days
Democrat Henry Rivera, a former commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, is expected to head President-elect Barack Obama’s FCC transition team, a move that has sparked fear in media circles that the Fairness Doctrine may return to silence conservative talk radio.
If reenacted, the “Fairness Doctrine” would require broadcasts over the public airwaves to give equal time to opposing political views. For talk radio, which boomed after the law’s repeal in 1987 by building an audience devoted to conservative talk, the law’s return would decimate the industry’s marketability.
Many fear the “Fairness Doctrine” would drive talk radio hosts — like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Michael Savage — out of business.
Brian Maloney of the blog The Radio Equalizer said in his post, “Meet Talk’s Executioner,” he believes Rivera will use his position to bring back the law for that very purpose.
| — Hat tip: JD | [Return to headlines] |
Obama and Acorn Officials Set Sights on Gun Owners
ACORN, the publicly funded national organization linked to voter fraud in several states is now actively interfering with the exercise of firearm civil rights in New Jersey, and the Second Amendment Foundation is calling for an immediate federal investigation.
One example of ACORN’s gun control activism is when its officials intervened in an unsuccessful attempt to defend Jersey City, New Jersey’s local gun control ordinance, which was struck down December 13, 2006 in New Jersey state court as a violation of state law pre-empting stronger local gun ordinances.
“ACORN has, since 1998, received an estimated $31 million in government funding,” said SAF founder Alan Gottlieb. “Now they have intervened in a New Jersey gun rights case in defense of an illegal Jersey City one-gun-a-month ordinance that violates the state preemption statute.”
| — Hat tip: JD | [Return to headlines] |
The Bankruptcy of the Nation and Conservatism
This is not a natural disaster, like a hurricane or earthquake. It has been brought about by reckless decisions made by people on Wall Street and in the federal government, including Congress. It was man-made, and President Bush clearly deserves much of the blame. But why aren’t the media demanding accountability for how the Bush Administration and the Congress permitted the nation to come to this point?
Incredibly, we still know very little about what happened behind closed administration doors. Rep. Scott Garrett, Republican of New Jersey, is one member of Congress who wants some answers from the Bush White House. One White House official simply shrugged his shoulders when I asked him how this crisis just happened to emerge six weeks before the election. Either they don’t know or don’t care to know. Either way, it borders on criminal negligence.
We do know that the powerful pro-China investment banking firm of Goldman Sachs, which backed Obama and the Democratic Party, has its fingerprints all over this debacle. Not surprisingly, the firm now benefits (so far to the tune of $10 billion) from the “rescue” package forced through Congress by its former chairman, Henry Paulson, and even got $5 billion from Obama booster Warren Buffett.
The secretive financial hedge funds, such as those run by John A. Paulson and George Soros, who made $3.7 billion and $2.9 billion in 2007 respectively, also deserve serious scrutiny.
| — Hat tip: JD | [Return to headlines] |
French Weekly Magazine — 2 Covers
Saint Barack
L’Express, one of France’s leading news weeklies, similar to Time Magazine or Newsweek, was ready for anything. Two separate editions were prepared, with two covers. At the top we see the winner with the headline: Barack Obama: The man who can change the world. Below we see the alternative with this ominous headline: McCain, Palin: The couple that arouses fear; their conservatism, their failings, their militarism.
| — Hat tip: JD | [Return to headlines] |
Mortgage Crisis: G20; Spain to Take Part, France Cedes Place
(ANSAmed) — BRUSSELS, NOVEMBER 7 — The problem of Spain’s participation at the G-20 summit in Washington has been resolved. “France has no problem with ceding one of its two seats” to the Spanish government, said the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, just at the end of an extraordinary EU summit France has two seats at the G-20: one to represent the country, and the other in its capacity as current president of the EU. However, the problem of the participation of Holland — the sixteenth largest global economy — remains. “We need to commit to making sure that this country can participate”, said Sarkozy. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Mortgage Crisis: Zapatero: Sarkozy OK, But Lacking Decision
(ANSAmed) — BRUSSELS, NOVEMBER 7 — While appreciating the gesture made by EU President, Nicolas Sarkozy, in including it in the G20 summit, Spain notes that the final decision is down to the organiser of the meeting — that is, the USA, and so “much prudence and patience” is still needed. The statement came from Spanish Premier, José Luis Zapatero, speaking at the close of the extraordinary EU summit: “Spain deserves to be present at the meeting on reform of the international financial system both for its political and its economic weight. It has been an objective of ours for some time, but we know it won’t be easy”, Zapatero stated. “We have to be cautious. Calm and patience”, the Spanish Premier repeated to correspondents who pointed out that out-going US President George W.Bush held no objections to a Spanish presence at the summit. “Let us wait the time it takes. Await what events bring forth and then evaluate”, Zapatero insisted. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Swedish Town Marches Against Violence
The northern Swedish town of Gällivare joined together on Friday evening to take a stand against recent violent attacks that have rocked the remote locality north of the Arctic Circle and left two women dead.
More than 700 residents marched through the town in a torchlight protest to put a stop to the recent violent attacks that have seen the murder of two young women.
“It was fantastic. I am mighty impressed over the show of support. Bystanders just stood in wonder at how many people had come,” said local town councillor Tommy Nyström.
The murder of 29-year-old Carolin Stenvall, who went missing on September 14th and whose body was found on October 22nd, has darkened the mood of residents of the northerly municipality.
The dark mood was compounded by news last weekend that a young woman had been found beaten to death in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Tommy Nyström decided last week that it was time to act to act and raised the prospect of a public march at a meeting of the local council.
The response was resounding support from across the political spectrum.
The march also gave indications that the violent trend could be about to be broken.
An organisation called The Angels (Änglarna) has previously patrolled the streets and has now announced that it is prepared to resume its operations. A further organisation, Föräldrar på stan (Parents on the town), a group that has not been active for several years, has also given indications that it may re-form.
Furthermore two local companies also took the chance to announce that they had each donated 10,000 kronor ($1,266) to the Gällivare women’s refuge.
“That was also very pleasing. When I asked if we should tolerate this type of violence in Gällivare the answer was a resounding no!,” Nyström said.
| — Hat tip: TB | [Return to headlines] |
UK ‘Too Racist’ for Black PM: Equality Chief
Barack Obama would never have become prime minister in Britain because the political system is “institutionally racist”, the head of Britain’s equality watchdog said Saturday.
Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, told the Times newspaper that while voters would be prepared to vote for a black candidate, the political “machine” would prove a huge obstacle.
“If Barack Obama had lived here I would be very surprised if even somebody as brilliant as him would have been able to break through the institutional stranglehold that there is on power within the Labour Party,” Phillips said, referring to Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s governing party.
“The parties and the unions and the think-tanks are all very happy to sign up to the general idea of advancing the cause of minorities but in practice they would like somebody else to do the business. It’s institutional racism,” he added.
But Phillips, who is black, said he did not think that British voters “would be at all resistant to electing a black prime minister” after seeing Americans vote in their first black president.
Despite Obama’s historic win Phillips believes the U.S. is still divided on racial lines and said Britain is less racially divided.
“Here it’s more about class. It is about culture, a different way of life and speaking. The Muslim community occupies the space that black Americans have in the United States. If you asked British voters whether you could have a Muslim prime minister their mouths would drop open, but not with a black one,” he said.
Philips showed is admiration for Obama and said: “this guy walks on water, he is a miracle, he does things none of us thought could be done in politics — but don’t expect him to end war and racial discrimination, give everyone a home and engender love and peace by Christmas.”
Labour lawmaker Sadiq Khan said Labour’s system of selecting candidates and its party leader did allow for ethnic minorities to be widely represented.
“I work with very talented, very able black politicians and I know from talking to constituents around the country, that our constituents are very sophisticated and we judge our politicians by their policies, not by the color of their skin,” Khan told the BBC.
| — Hat tip: TB | [Return to headlines] |
UK: The £6 Million Squatters
Artist gang flies the black flag of anarchy over Mayfair mansion
But yesterday this £6.25million Mayfair mansion — owned by the billionaire Duke of Westminster — was revealed as the latest address to be invaded to a group of squatters calling themselves the Da! Collective.
They got in after posing as builders in high visibility jackets.
Then they changed the locks and flew a Union Flag dyed anarchist black from its flagpole.
Just after noon yesterday a 21-yea-rold woman in a mask and a raggedy mini-skirt stood on a balcony overlooking puzzled passers-by, and read aloud a statement about liberty and legality.
Then she disappeared behind the French doors to return to the fading splendour of what she and her companions proudly declared to be the finest and most grandiose addition to a property portfolio which, if they actually owned it, could be worth up to £100million.
[…]
The mastermind behind the group is Simon McAndrew, an architecture student who lives in a West London apartment on full housing benefits of nearly £17,000 a year, plus unemployment and child benefits. His wife Bogna, 28, said the couple are expecting a second child.
McAndrew, 29, has attracted a following of well-educated middle class squatters. His wealthy mother Aban, 54, told how she finds her “free spirited” son’s lifestyle “difficult to reconcile”.
| — Hat tip: JD | [Return to headlines] |
Slovenia: Pahor Charged to Form New Centre-Left Government
(ANSAmed) — LJUBLJANA, NOVEMBER 3 — The Slovenian president , Danilo Turk, entrusted Borut Pahor, leader of the Social Democratic Party and head of the centre-left coalition that won on September 21, even if for a handful of votes, defeating Premier Janez Jansa, to form the government. Pahor will present himself on Friday to Parliament, and if he doesn’t obtain support, he will have another two weeks to nominate ministers. Given the long period which has passed since the elections, the coalition is ready to be formalised and Pahor can count on 50 votes in Parliament out of 90 representatives. The stability of the future Slovenian government will depend on the relations between Pahor’s Social Democratic party and that of the liberals of Zares, led by Gregor Golobic, the second largest party in the coalition and heir to the policies of the late President Janez Drnovsek. Next to them, the ministers will be nominated, also from the rank and file of the Liberal Democrats, led by the young lawyer, Katarina Kresal, who is among the candidates for the Foreign Ministry. A final agreement with the Pensioners’ Party (Desus) has not been reached yet, even if it is practically taken for granted that it will be a part of the new government, passing from Jansàs centre-right to the left. Pahor announced that the absolute priority for his government will be to maintain economic and financial stability in Slovenia, in a context of global crisis that, the current Prime Minister is convinced “the country will come out of in the next two years”. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Islam: Morocco Calls Over 100 Imam Resident in Spain
(ANSAmed) — MADRID, NOVEMBER 7 — The Moroccan Minister for Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Toufliq, called to Marrakech for the weekend over 100 imams and directors of Islamic communities in Spain, the newspaper El Pais reported today. The objective of the meeting is that of directing and orienting, with “teachings that are adequate to the Islamic religion”, the community of 600,000 Moroccans that live in Spain and to avoid radicalism. In any case, the invitation caused controversy in the Islamic community, divided into those that have declined it, out of loyalty to the country that is hosting them, and those that emphasise on the other hand the necessity of a common fight against radical Islam. “We will go to the meeting to speak of the organisation of Moroccan immigration is Spain from a religious point of view”, assures Mohamed Kharchich, in a declaration to El Pais, as the secretary general of the Federation of Islamic Associations in Spain (FEERI), that with the Islamic Communities Union (UCIDE) is the primary Muslim association on the Iberian peninsula. Other members of FEERI, like the president of the Islamic Commission of Melilla, Abderraman Benyaya, have on the other hand declined the invitation, considering it “excessive Moroccan interference into Spain’s internal affairs”. In Morocco, Malekita Islam is practiced, a tolerant doctrine, established by a supreme council of wise-men, the Ulema, led by King Mohamed VI as spiritual leader of Moroccan Muslims. This weekend in Marrakech, representatives of Islamic communities in Italy will meet, while two weeks ago imams were called from the Netherlands to the city. The latter was an invitation that caused controversy among 35 Muslim religious leaders present in Northern Europe and the government in Rabat, to the point that the Dutch Parliament asked for an explanation on what was considered the interference of a foreign nation in the life of Islamic communities established in Holland, some of which for over 10 years. (ANSAmed).
2008-11-07 13:46
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Libya: Boniver, Craxi Denied Permit to US, Warned Gaddafi
(ANSAmed) — ROME, OCTOBER 30 — On the eve of the US attack on Libya on April 14 1986, it was the Prime Minister at the time Bettino Craxi who warned the Libyan leader Gaddafi of the imminent bombing. This was confirmed to ANSA by Margherita Boniver, at the time head of Foreign Affairs office of the PSI, commenting on the statements made by Libyan Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdel-Raham Shalgam, at that time Libyan ambassador to Rome. “A few weeks before the attack, American Secretary of State George Shultz came to Europe for talks with heads of state and government on the American intention to bomb Libya as a retaliation” for the attack on the La Belle nightclub in Berlin, as Boniver reminded her listeners, and “to ask for fly-over authorization for American bombers”. “All European governments refused except for Thatcher. Craxi not only refused, but even used all the channels at his disposal to warn the Colonel” of the imminent attack. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Libya: Andreotti Confirms, We Warned Tripoli in 1986
(ANSAmed) — ROME, OCTOBER 30 — Italy warned Tripoli before an American raid on April 14 1986. This was confirmed today in the Foreign Ministry by the Foreign Minister at the time, Giulio Andreotti, after the revelations of the Libyan Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdel-Rahman Shalgam. Andreotti, speaking with reporters, defined American bombings on Tripoli and Bengasi in 1986 as “an inappropriate initiative, an international error”. And responding to journalists when asked if Italy had warned Tripoli of American intentions, the lifetime senator responded: “I believe so”. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Islam: Morocco Against Radicalism, European Imams Gather
(ANSAmed) — ROME, NOVEMBER 7 — The government of Morocco exports the battle against radical Islam abroad and commits itself to defending Muslim immigrants from the spreading currents of extremism. To this end, the executive branch in Rabat is assembling imams and Muslim leaders from the Moroccan community in Europe — from Spain, Holland and Italy in particular for now — to implement directives on the concrete way to divulge religious teachings. This hasn’t, however, missed the occasion to cause controversy and divisions. For this weekend, the minister of Islamic affairs, Ahmed Toufiq, has assembled over one hundred imams and community leaders who live in Spain to Marrakech, while two weeks ago, imams from the Netherlands were assembled. The objective of the meetings is to direct and orient, with ‘‘teaching adequate to the religion of Islam’’, the large communities (there are 600 thousand Moroccans living in Spain, 336 thousand in Italy) and to avoid radicalism. However, the invitation caused controversy in the Spanish Muslim community, which divided itself between those who wanted to send it back to the sender, out of loyalty to their new country of residence, and those who think that a combined effort against radical Islam is necessary. ‘‘We will go to the meeting to speak about the organisation of Moroccan immigration in Spain from the religious point of view’’, assured the declaration in El Pais of Mohamed Kharchich, secretary general of the Federation of Islamic Religious Associations in Spain (FEERI), that with the Union of Islamic Communities (UCIDE) is the most important Muslim organisation on the Iberian peninsula. Other members of FEERI, like the president of the Islamic commission of Melilla, Abderraman Benyaya, said no on the other hand judging it to be ‘‘excessive Moroccan interference into the interior affairs of Spain’’. At the end of October, more than 50 imams from the Dutch community had already returned to Morocco after having been assembled by the government of Rabat ‘‘to receive new instructions’’. The issue alarmed the Dutch parliament, which fearing an excessive influence on the community, judged the behaviour strange and unacceptable: ‘‘The imam are paid by the mosques, but the influence of Morocco is still so strong that they back their bags for Rabat whenever they are called, and many of them do it out of fear’’. However, it must be remembered that Morocco practices Malekita Islam, considered to be a tolerant version, whose supreme council of wise-men, or ‘Ulema’, is led by King Mohamed VI in the guise of the country’s spiritual leader. During the end of Ramadan, the government in Rabat decided to send some 30 imams to Italy, along with some ‘mourchidat’ (preachers), to follow the local community. The particular attention to the influence of extremists and their ‘jihadist’ counterparts, was demonstrated by the intent to invest over 16 million dollars in the education of imams that work abroad and for the construction of mosques in Europe. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Libya: Four Dead and 29 Hurt in Skirmishes in South
(ANSAmed) — CAIRO, NOVEMBER 7 — Four Libyans have been killed and a further 29 have been hurt in fighting between Libyan security forces and elements of the Tabu tribe which make up 20% of the Libyan population in the city of Al Kafra, in the south of the country. According to an Arabic newspaper, Asharq al Awsat, the fighting took place due to escalating protests from the tribes’ members — who are also present in Chad and Niger — against acts of discrimination and political and cultural oppression by Libyan officials. Citing eyewitnesses, the newspaper clarified that the protesters were armed. A memo signed by the leader of the Tabu, Issa Abdel Meguid, makes reference to the arrest of several hundreds of people belonging to the tribe, including women and children. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Terrorism: Twelve Defiant Algerians Sentenced to Death
(ANSAmed) — ALGIERS, NOVEMBER 7 — Twelve death sentences, all in defiance of the court, have been passed by Boumerdes criminal court on the twelve accused of having taken part in an attack using a car packed with explosives on Thenia police station, near Boumerdes, a township about fifty kilometres east of Algiers, on January 29. The blast killed three persons and injured several others, causing major material damage. The attack was claimed by the group Al Qaida for an Islamic Maghreb. Apart from the twelve death sentences, the court also passed sentences ranging from eighteen months to twenty years’ imprisonment on nine further members of the group. Three walked free. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Israel: Olmert Still Interrogated by Police
(ANSAmed) — JERUSALEM, NOVEMBER 7 — Officials from the Israeli police anti-fraud unit were present today, for the ninth time, at the residence of the outgoing Premier, Ehud Olmert, in Jerusalem to collect additional information for two investigations that are still open on him. The first regards some aeroplane tickets for which Olmert allegedly received compensation on more than one occasion from several organisations without their knowledge. The second concerns the management of the government investment centre when Olmert acted as minister of industry and commerce. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Israel Responsible for Economic Crisis, Accusations From World Bank Also
“The insecurity in the region and, especially, the restrictions imposed on the movement of goods and people, gravely obstruct the flow of investment”: so said a manager at the World Bank, an institution not exactly known for having anti-Israeli prejudices, blaming Israel directly for the economic crisis in the Palestinian Territories. Daniela Gressani, responsible for the Middle East at the World Bank, spoke of the Palestinian situation at the end of a visit to Gaza, where she participated at the inauguration of a drain water collection plant. The Palestinian economy — said the leader of the World Bank — had an incredible potential (…) but, clearly, to work in Gaza in such conditions is very difficult”. Under Hamas control, Gaza has endured over a year of embargo by Israel; the economic crisis of the region was aggravated in a decisive manner by the closure of all the major crossing points into Israel or Egypt. The difficulties no to merely affect Gaza; they have negative repercussions on the West Bank also. At the end of the Annapolis conference, last year, the Palestinian National Authority (ANP) was promised foreign aid worth some EUR 6 billion within 2010; so far only EUR 1.24 billion have been deposited.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Mideast: Gaza, Rockets Fired on Neghev, No Victims
(ANSAmed) — TEL AVIV, NOVEMBER 7 — Tension along the Gaza border remains high also today as for the third consecutive day, rockets were fired by Palestinian militants in the direction of Naghev in Israel. Local sources reported that at least five rockets were launched but did not provoke damage or victims. After a five month truce in the area, violence flared up two days ago when an Israeli unit penetrated a few hundred metres into the Gaza Strip to neutralise a tunnel dug by Hamas used to launch offensives. In successive combat seven Palestinian militants were killed. As a reaction, more than sixty rockets have been fired from Gaza. Israeli military officers stated that they were interested in maintaining calm in the area. But a spokesperson of the armed branch of Hamas, Abu Obieda yesterday denounced an Israeli decision to keep transit passageways towards Gaza closed for the moment. This, he added, is the reason that the sporadic rocket launches from Gaza have not stopped. In the meantime, the Israeli city of Ashqelon, about ten kilometres north of the Gaza Strip, protests were held for the repeated Palestinian attacks. According to demonstrators, the Israeli government has shown to be incapable of guaranteeing their safety. (ANSAmed)
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Al-Qaeda’s ‘Mild’ Message to Obama
Al-Qaeda in Iraq have reacted to the US presidential election by issuing a statement on Friday directed at President-elect Barack Obama and his incoming administration.
The 22-minute audiotape was posted on several jihadist internet websites and includes an audio message from Abu Umar al-Baghdadi, the pseudonym adopted by the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq, al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Iraq.
The US military said on Friday that al-Baghdadi was “an actor who provided a voice for al-Qaeda’s propaganda”.
The statement issued in his name calls on the incoming US administration and allied Western leaders to embrace Islam, withdraw troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, and release Muslim prisoners from there and from Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.
Compared to previous statements issued by the group this one is relatively mild, imploring America to return to what it calls “impartiality” and even offering not to disrupt Western oil supplies if its conditions are met.
“We promise that we will not stop the trading of oil or other commodities with you, provided that justice is achieved,” the audio message said.
‘Public relations’
Al-Qaeda’s affiliates in Iraq have suffered major setbacks in recent months, having been largely driven out of their former strongholds in central and western Iraq by a combination of US firepower and, more significantly, a tribal uprising by predominately Sunni Iraqis who rejected al-Qaeda’s extreme brutality.
Those who wrote the latest statement will have probably been under no illusions that their appeal to withdraw US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan is likely to be ignored…
| — Hat tip: Abu Elvis | [Return to headlines] |
Arabs Urge Obama to Change Past Flawed Policies
Leaders across the Middle East congratulated U.S. President-elect Barack Obama Saturday and urged the Democratic winner to move away from past foreign policies and move towards peaceful change.
From the United Arab Emirates to Syria leaders called on Obama to pursue plans that encouraged dialogue instead of aggression to solve the numerous crises plaguing the region.
Irked Iran
“Obama understands that change does not only mean a change of color and superficial differences, change must also have a strategic basis “
Iranian MP
In his first news conference since his election win Obama, who previously said he would negotiate with U.S. foes, called on Iran to stop its support of terrorists and said a nuclear armed Iran would be “unacceptable,” irking the Islamic Republic.
The calls were slammed by Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani who said such rhetoric showed a pursuit of the same flawed policies of previous administrations.
“This signifies a pursuit of the same erroneous policy as in the past,” Larijani said when asked about Obama’s comment on Friday.
“If the United States wants to change its standing in the region it should send good signals,” he said.
“Obama understands that change does not only mean a change of color and superficial differences, change must also have a strategic basis,” the country’s news agency quoted Larijani as saying.
“Brain not brawn”
“ I say to the new (U.S.) administration that crises are not solved by wars, force and arms … God gave us brains and brawn “
Ruler of Dubai
Meanwhile, The ruler of Dubai urged the incoming U.S. administration to use “brain” instead of “brawn” in solving world crises, in a clear dig at the outgoing administration of President George W. Bush.
“I say to the new (U.S.) administration that crises are not solved by wars, force and arms … God gave us brains and brawn,” Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid al-Maktoum said, addressing a World Economic Forum event in the booming Gulf emirate.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad congratulated Obama and called on him to pursue dialogue in the Middle East, two weeks after U.S. planes raided Syria.
The state news agency said Assad sent a congratulatory telegram to Obama “expressing hope that dialogue would prevail to overcome the difficulties that have hindered real progress toward peace, stability and prosperity in the Middle East”.
Iraq jihadists
“ On behalf of my brothers in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Chechnya, I offer you what is better for you and us: you return to your previous era of neutrality, you withdraw your forces, and you return to your homes “
Iraq jihadist
Meanwhile, Iraq’s jihadists said Obama will offer nothing positive but urged the president-elect to adopt a policy of neutrality.
“On behalf of my brothers in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Chechnya, I offer you what is better for you and us: you return to your previous era of neutrality, you withdraw your forces, and you return to your homes,” said an audiotape attributed to Omar al-Baghdadi, head of the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq.
The message also said the “unjust” wars launched in Muslim countries were the “principal cause of the collapse of the economic giant.”
Earlier this week, the Islamic Army in Iraq, an ultra-conservative Sunni Muslim insurgent group, said Obama would not do anything beneficial for Iraq.
On Friday afternoon Obama called foreign heads of government from Egypt, Italy, Pakistan, Poland, Spain and Saudi Arabia, after speaking Thursday with leaders of Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, Mexico and South Korea.
| — Hat tip: TB | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Formal Complaint About Filmmaker’s Arrest in Iran
Rome, 7 Nov. (AKI) — The Italian government has made a formal complaint to Iran about the arrest of documentary maker Esha Momeni and called for her immediate release.
Momeni, a 28-year-old Iranian who now lives in southern California, returned to Tehran just over two months ago to make a documentary about women’s rights. She was arrested in Iran three weeks ago.
The Foreign Affairs Minister, Franco Frattini, has instructed the Italian ambassador in Tehran to formally convey the government’s concerns and express its strong expectations for a positive outcome.
Frattini has also asked the head of his department to meet the Iranian envoy on Monday to discuss the issue and to receive a direct explanation for the reasons behind the filmmaker’s arrest and the prospects for her release.
According to media reports Momeni is being held in Section 209 in the notorious Evin Prison. A report in the US daily, The Los Angeles Times said she was being held without charge and was being denied access to legal counsel.
Active in women’s rights, she participated in the One Million Signatures Campaign for Equality, a group that links activists in Iran with activists in the West.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Lebanon-Syria: Hariri Movement Denies Damascus Attack Role
(ANSAmed) — BEIRUT, NOVEMBER 7 — The anti-Syrian, Sunni movement ‘al Mustaqbal’ (the Future) has today strongly denied accusations that it financed Fatah al Islam, an extremist group, which according to Syria, is behind the terrorist attack in Damascus that took place at the end of September and caused the deaths of 17 people. Syrian national television yesterday showed the confessions of 12 presumed members of Fatah al Islam, the al-Qaida inspired group, who admitted to having taken part in the planning of the 27 September attack in Damascus. One of the presumed terrorists, who is known as ‘Abu al Walid’, has said that the attack was “partly” financed by al Mustaqbal, whose leader, Saad Hariri, is the son and political heir of the Lebanese ex-premier, Rafik Hariri, who was assassinated in Beirut in 2005. Syria is accused by many of being behind the assassination, but the Syrian government has always denied any involvement. This morning the Beirut press cited an “al Mustaqbal source” who called the confessions of the presumed members of Fatah al Islam as “Syrian security service propaganda”. “It is no surprise to see the Syrian regimés intelligence services offer us another television series of prefabricated lies”, said the al Mustaqbal souce, according to whom the appearance of presumed Fatah al Islam members on Syrian national television “shows the link between the Syrian security services and the group”. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Saudi-Syria Fallout to Hit U.S.?
Middle East factions could cause ripple effect in policy
BEIRUT — Saudi Arabia’s problems with Syria may be putting the U.S. on a collision course in northern Lebanon that could put it in the untenable position of supporting Sunni Salafists that are linked to al-Qaida, according to a report from Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin.
| — Hat tip: JD | [Return to headlines] |
Senior Al-Qaida Leader Killed in Iraq
Dead terrorist responsible for roadside bombs, recruiting women, kids for suicide attacks
The U.S. military said a senior al-Qaida in Iraq leader has been killed in a weapons cache-clearing operation north of Baghdad.
A statement Friday said Abu Ghazwan was killed Thursday in the Tarmiyah area.
It said the operation was carried out by coalition-supported Iraqi security forces and Sons of Iraq, [also known as Awakening Councils], the Sunni paramilitary groups composed mainly of former insurgents who now work with U.S. forces to fight al-Qaida in Iraq.
| — Hat tip: JD | [Return to headlines] |
Islamabad, Internet Law Sets Death Penalty for Cyber-Terrorists
The government has approved a measure against electronic crimes, in order to confront cyber-terrorism. The law includes a long list of activities involving the internet and computers. Penalties range from the death penalty to imprisonment with stiff fines. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan decries the easy recourse to capital punishment.
Islamabad (AsiaNews) — “Whoever commits the offence of cyber terrorism and causes death of any person shall be punishable with death or imprisonment for life and with fine and in any other case he shall be punishable with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, or with fine not less than ten-million rupees [more than 96,000 euros], or with both.” Thus reads the text of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Ordinance 2008, approved yesterday, September 7, by the president of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari.
Considered in effect as of September 29, the ordinance specifies that “any person, group or organization who, with terroristic intent utilizes, accesses or causes to be accessed a computer or computer network or electronic system or electronic device or by any available means, and thereby knowingly engages in or attempts to engage in a terroristic act commits the offence of cyber terrorism.”
The expression “terroristic intent” contained in the text includes actions “with the purpose to alarm, frighten, disrupt, harm, damage, or carry out an act of violence against any segment of the population, the government or entity associated therewith.”
The expression “terroristic act” “includes, but is not limited to stealing or copying, or attempting to steal or copy, or secure classified information or data necessary to manufacture any form of chemical, biological or nuclear weapon, or any other weapon of mass destruction.”
The law also establishes that it is forbidden to use electronic means (including the internet and e-mail) “with intent to coerce, intimidate, or harass any person uses computer, computer network, internet, network site, electronic mail or any other similar means of communication to communicate obscene, vulgar, profane, lewd, lascivious, or indecent language, picture or image.” According to the text, there are many cases to be considered acts of “cyber stalking.” These include “to make any suggestion or proposal of an obscene nature; threaten any illegal or immoral act; take or distribute pictures or photographs of any person without his consent or knowledge; or display or distribute information in a manner that substantially increases the risk of harm or violence to any other person.”
There is a long list of acts that can be carried out using the internet and computers which the new law considers subject to punishment. The penalties range from 3-7 years in prison, and fines that vary depending on the seriousness of the act.
“This Ordinance extends to the whole of Pakistan,” the text reads, “and it shall apply to every person who commits an offence under this Ordinance irrespective of his nationality or citizenship whatsoever or in any place outside or inside Pakistan, having detrimental effect on the security of Pakistan or its nationals or national harmony or any property or any electronic system or data located in Pakistan or any electronic system or data capable of being connected, sent to, used by or with any electronic system in Pakistan.”
The fact that the ordinance contemplates the execution of those found guilty of “cyber terrorism” has revived discussions of the death penalty in the country. Last month, the government was urged by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) to pass a moratorium on executions until the definitive abolition of the death penalty in the country.
The director of the commission, Asma Jahangir, has noted that despite the defense of the death penalty as the best deterrent to the spread of violence and corruption, the systematic and generalized recourse to it has not brought an improvement in law and order in the country. Today, Pakistan is among the leading countries in the world for the number of prisoners condemned to death, with about 7,000.
On the occasion of the world day against the death penalty, last October 10, the HRCP had affirmed in a document that Pakistan was taking the initiative to proceed with abolition. Today, the commission highlights the fact that death sentences and executions continue, while it is well known and well documented that there are deficiencies in the law, the judicial system, the investigative methods of the police, and chronic and widespread corruption, in addition to the prejudice and harassment directed against women and religious minorities.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
Pakistan: Lawyers May be Prosecuted Under Terror Laws
Karachi, 7 Nov. (AKI) — By Syed Saleem Shahzad — The Pakistani government is threatening to take legal action against 100 lawyers under the country’s terrorism laws a year after emergency rule was imposed by former President Pervez Musharraf. While no arrests are expected yet, the government listed the cases in Lahore on Friday in a remarkable move that is likely to draw the US-backed Pakistan Peoples Party into serious political conflict with the civil rights movement.
The controversy between the lawyers and the government emerged as the government announced a decision to re-employ 11,000 people, sacked by the government of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during the mid-1990s on charges of political corruption.
Several Pakistan Peoples Party leaders including the incumbent Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani were also arrested on charges of abusing their powers for illegal appointments.
Although police from the state of Punjab have refused to admit it, independent sources told Adnkronos International (AKI) that police have registered cases against 100 lawyers based on TV footage and newspaper photos in which they were seen boycotting court proceedings and locking up the courts.
The cases have been registered in several police stations of Lahore and the report has been sealed.
“Now this sealed FIR (First Information report) shall be a dangling sword over the heads of lawyers who refuse to surrender to the government’s authority,” commented a senior police official on the condition of anonymity.
However, the lawyers, who played a major role in the defeat of the previous Pakistan Muslim League Q’s government and the eventual political demise of President Musharraf were unimpressed by government pressure.
In an address to the Karachi Bar Council on Thursday, Secretary of the Bar Salahuddin Gandapur announced the boycott and a court lockdown to remember 4 November. The lawyers also threatened to lock up the courts in the entire country.
On Tuesday lawyers boycotted court proceedings in the city of Lahore and locked up courts elsewhere in the country to protest against the dismissal of 60 independent-minded judges and the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary a year go.
This clash between the lawyers and the government has emerged at a time when the government does not have any excuse for its financial mismanagement and the opposition is blaming government incompetence.
An enlarged cabinet of 55 members was largely a decision by the Pakistan Peoples Party to appease all the coalition partners besides its own party leaders but the second largest Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz group had serious reservations about the move.
“We don’t see any justification of such a large cabinet especially when the government is face a near default situation.” said spokesperson of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz Siddiqul Farooq.
Of the 11,000 workers sacked by the Nawaz regime, 6000 alone belonged to Pakistan International Airlines which recently announced an after tax loss of Rs 38.4 billion(474 million dollars).
The others were employed by Sui Southern Gas company and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited. The workers, all Pakistan Peoples Party workers, shall be given salary arrears backdated to the date when they were sacked and the promotions according to their seniority.
Officials from the Sui southern Gas Company told AKI that the company which is already facing financial collapse due to the non-payment of billions of rupees, shall fall into a serious financial quagmire.
In coming days, the Pakistan Peoples Party, whose leaders have survived jail terms for corruption or years in exile, is expected to face intense political heat.
| — Hat tip: C. Cantoni | [Return to headlines] |
13-Year-Old Somali Girl ‘Was Stoned to Death’
Amnesty International has condemned the stoning of a 13-year-old girl in southern Somalia. The human rights organisation claims the teenager was stoned to death after her father informed the authorities that she had been gang-raped. She was reportedly accused of adultery and the stoning, in front of a crowd of around 1,000, was her punishment. Reporter Jon Manel and Kate Allen, director of Amnesty International, discuss the influence of militant Islamist group Al Shabab, which has control of some areas in Somalia.
| — Hat tip: Aeneas | [Return to headlines] |
Caritas: No Reporting Immigrants in Hospital
(ANSAmed) — ROME, NOVEMBER 6 — “Deeply worrying” was the reaction expressed today by the National Immigration Coordination of Caritas over the suggestion to modify part of the law on immigration concerning health. If approved, in a modification of Article 35 proposed by the Lega Nord, of the law on immigration, — the current ban on reporting irregularities over foreigners in hospitals and clinics would be lifted. Currently doctors and health workers are not allowed to report immigrants without proper papers who ask for medical treatment. “The risk is that a parallel, clandestine health service will be created, with serious risks to health for the people forced to use it” said a statement from Caritas at the end of the first meeting of the Coordination today in Rome with the 220 Caritas dioceses throughout Italy which met on the theme of security and human rights. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Malta: 67 Migrants Rescued
(ANSAmed) — VALLETTA, (MALTA) NOVEMBER 5 — Seventy-seven migrants were rescued yesterday evening by container-carrying cargo ship flying a Russian flag. The immigrants were intercepted on a large raft about 60 miles south of Malta by the crew of the Yelenia Shatrova ship. According to the captain, the raft was at the mercy of the storm. While a Maltese Navy patrol boat was on its way to the Russian ship to take the immigrants on and bring them to the Valletta port, an Italian military helicopter from the mission on Malta picked up a pregnant woman and a four-year-old child to take them to the Mater Dei hospital on the island. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Psychosis Rates Higher in Immigrant Groups in London
A higher risk of psychosis is found in first and second generation immigrants to the United Kingdom, in comparison to white British people, according to a report released on November 3, 2008 in Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Psychosis is a serious manifestation of mental illness that is associated with disorders such as schizophrenia which are characterized by an interruption with reality. Generally, schizophrenia is considered to have uniform prevalence among world populations, with some potential genetic influence. However, higher rates of psychoses were been observed in migrant groups as early as 1932 when a Norwegians moving to the United States showed higher incidence rates, according to the article. “Immigration is an important life event and difficulties in assimilation may remain chronic as conceptualized within the stress-vulnerability model of risk for psychosis, although individual risk is still considered to be mediated through genetic susceptibility,” write the authors.
To investigate the potential association between immigration and psychotic disorders, Jeremy W. Coid, M.D., of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, and colleagues examined 484 patients in innder-city East London who had first psychotic episodes between 1996 and 2000. Information was collected about the patients regarding ethnicity, place of birth, and parents’ place of birth. The ethnic subgroups included white British, white “other” (such as Irish and European), black Caribbean, black African, Asian (such as Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi group) and all other groups (including Chinese, other Asian and those of mixed ethnicity.) The subjects ranged in age from 18 to 64 years.
The researchers found that all types of psychoses were increased for certain subgroups. Raised incidence of both non-affective [not related to emotion or mood] and affective psychoses were found for all of the black and minority ethnic subgroups compared with white British individuals,” they write. “The risk of non-affective psychoses for first and second generations varied by ethnicity.” The latter can be seen in the example of black Caribbean second-generation immigrants, who were at higher risk for psychoses than first-generation counterparts of the same ethnicity. In contrast, Asian women had an increased risk in comparison to white British individuals, while Asian men had no increased risk…
| — Hat tip: Steen | [Return to headlines] |
Senegal’s President Takes Swipe at EU Immigration Policy
(DAKAR) — Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade used the historic win of Barack Obama, the first black president-elect of the United States, to take a swipe at the European Union’s tough immigration policies.
In comments broadcast by Senegalese media Thursday, Wade said that “at the very moment the United States succeeded in electing the first black man as president,” current EU president “France is still trying to close its doors and Europe’s doors to blacks.”
“In reality that’s why we see these immigration agreements that are spreading throughout Europe,” Wade said, referring to the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum, which sets out sweeping new immigration guidelines.
Adopted on October 16, the pact focuses on allowing skilled workers to enter the 27-member EU rather than refugees.
“Why did they do that? They did it to close the doors to black people except for officials, managers, engineers, doctors: the people they need. There the racism disappears,” the 84-year-old president said.
Getting the immigration pact voted through was a priority for the French EU presidency, which lasts until the year’s end.
France, the former colonial ruler of Senegal, is still an important destination for both legal and illegal immigrants of Senegalese origin.
| — Hat tip: Steen | [Return to headlines] |
Spain: Avalanche of Immigrant Minors
(by Paola Del Vecchio) (ANSAmed) — MADRID, NOVEMBER 7 — The wave of immigrant arrivals in the last few hours in Spain is worsening the immigration emergency in the country. In the most recent arrivals (140 in Tenerife and 30 in Tarifa), 25 were less than 18 years old. It is becoming ever more common for young, unaccompanied immigrants to arrive in Spain. So far government and autonomous region policies aimed at dealing with the emergency and repatriating immigrants have failed. Over the last four years, 5,000 young immigrants have arrived in the Canary Islands. The President of the Regional Government, Paulino Rivero, said that they ‘‘have saturated reception centres up to the point of collapse’’. Currently there are 1,500 minors being held in facilities that have a capacity of 300. Schools, and some sports facilities which have been transformed into reception centres to deal with the avalanche of young immigrants, are destined to remain this way due to the impossibility of starting a programme of repatriations. Rivero has indicated that this has cost the regional administration 30 million euros a year. The central government will contribute 15 million a year, drawing on the 130 million euro fund for the integration of immigrants which was assigned to Spain yesterday by the European Commission. The efforts of the Zapatero government to control the entry of illegal child immigrants have recently caused alarm at Human Right Watch (HRW), which has asked the government to suspend repatriations ‘‘until they have been assured of adequate treatment and the right to legal assistance guaranteed to adults under Spanish law’’. HRW’s report denounces the decision of the government of Andalusia — another region that receives a lot of migrants — to send around 1,000 foreign, unaccompanied minors back to Morocco. The decision, according to HRW, could expose these children to ‘‘danger, maltreatment, and prison’’, because, ‘‘instead of sending them back to their own families, the Moroccan security authorities will abandon the children to the streets, and to their fate’’.. To guarantee the protection of foreign, repatriated minors, Spain signed up to an agreement with Morocco in March. Through this agreement, the Rabat authorities commit to observing current Spanish laws and international agreements for the protection of children. Under the agreement, the Spanish Foreign Minister is responsible for the protection and repatriation of minors, cooperating ‘‘in the prevention of illegal immigration and helping socio-economic development’’ in the regions of the Maghrebi country which have strong migratory potential. Spanish authorities have one month to inform their Moroccan counterparts of the illegal entry of minors. The Moroccan authorities then have three months to supply the details on the identity of the minors and their country of origin. It is then up to Spain to decide if repatriated minors should be reintegrated with their original families, or, in the case of no information on these families, whether they should be accommodated in social centres, built in collaboration by both of the countries. The agreement has thus far produced few results: in one year, in Catalonia, only 7 out of 300 foreign minors were moved from reception centres and repatriated. At the same time, in the fight against immigration and organised crime, the Spanish government has announced a change to its penal code, providing for harsher punishment of people smugglers. (ANSAmed).
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Same-Sex Marriage Rowdies Single Out Mormons
Protesters riot at temple, vow further action against Latter-day Saints
Police arrested two people, and photographs from the scene show angry crowds and violent confrontations in front of the Los Angeles Mormon temple yesterday as part of continued protests over the passage of California’s Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriage.
As WND reported, since the ballot measure was approved by voters earlier this week, supporters of same-sex marriage have made profane and violent threats against Christians and churches.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, however, has become a focused target of anger after the church’s leadership urged members to support the Yes on 8 campaign and opponents of the measure, according to the Los Angeles Times, estimate LDS members gave over $20 million to pass the ballot initiative.
| — Hat tip: JD | [Return to headlines] |
Women in Combat Okay With Obama
Obama will consider combat positions and selective service registration for women
The female college students who enthusiastically supported Barack Obama for president might not know that he wants women to register with the Selective Service at age 18, just as men do. Or that he wants the military to officially open combat positions to women.
Although the topic was drowned out by campaign rhetoric and statements on policies that college students find more congenial, his position on registration of women is clear. And Obama’s national security spokeswoman stated before the election that Obama intended to change current policies on women in combat. Women are “already” serving in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, said Wendy Morigi, Mr. Obama’s national security spokeswoman. If elected president, she said, Obama will “consult with military commanders to review the constraints that remain.”
In other words, he wants to eliminate gender discrimination from the armed services. No doubt president-elect Obama views both of these stances as leveling the playing field for women, an extension of the equal opportunity he wants to create for all Americans.
And maybe this is a plank that today’s 18-year-old females think is cool.
I don’t. Senator Obama’s two positions threaten women’s liberty and safety.
I can agree with the Senator, and feminists, to a point. No one should be disqualified from a position based solely on sex. However, there is at least one big problem with opening combat positions to women — currently, women do not have to meet lower physical fitness standards than men. The military’s tests for strength, speed and stamina are scaled according to age and gender. In direct combat, having women who are weaker and slower than men could be disastrous.
| — Hat tip: JD | [Return to headlines] |
“James Ossuary” a Fraud
These and other lessons can be gleaned from Unholy Business: A True Tale of Faith, Greed, and Forgery in the Holy Land (Harper Collins), a new book about the James Ossuary, once purported to have held the bones of Jesus’s brother and now exposed as a fake, unveiled to the world six years ago this week at the Royal Ontario Museum. In a narrative befitting the intrigue and mystery surrounding the shadowy world of antiquities and archeology in Israel — “the only country of origin in the world where it is legal to sell such things “ Nina Burleigh tells a tale of greed and ambition mixed with political and theological yearning.
The owner of the ossuary, Oded Golan, is now on trial in Israel for forging the inscription on the bone box reading “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus,” and a tablet claimed to have come from the first Temple of Solomon.
| — Hat tip: JD | [Return to headlines] |
Studies Show Rise in Birth Defects, Infertility Among Men
Male infertility rates are on the rise and the quality of an average man’s sperm is declining, according to some studies.
But perhaps the most disconcerting of all trends is the growing gender imbalance in many parts of heavily industrialized nations, where the births of baby boys have been declining for many years.
What many scientists are calling the most important — and least publicized — issue surrounding the future of the human race will be highlighted in a CBC documentary that features two Windsor researchers who’ve studied the phenomenon. …. Although the link between pollutants and human reproduction has not been firmly established, there is growing evidence that the birth sex ratio can be altered by exposure to certain chemicals, such as dioxin, PCBs and pesticides. Brophy said studies done in the United States, Japan and Europe seem to support the theory that the so-called endocrine disrupting chemicals have a particular effect on males.
Some of these chemicals are found in commonly used products such as baby bottles and cosmetics. They can also cause miscarriages and a “whole host” of disorders in a male child, Brophy said.
| — Hat tip: JD | [Return to headlines] |
Emanuel Co-Authored Book Calling for Compulsory Universal Service
It’s time for a real Patriot Act that brings out the patriot in all of us. We propose universal civilian service for every young American.
Isn’t this what communist Russia and China less euphemistically called “cadres”?
FBI Finds Most Terrorism Threat Reports Baseless
Well, that certainly eases up their collective workload, now doesn’t it? Some might even go so far as to call such a de-emphasizing assessment a conflict of interest but what do I know?
French Weekly Magazine — 2 Covers
At the top we see the winner with the headline: Barack Obama: The man who can change the world. Below we see the alternative with this ominous headline: McCain, Palin: The couple that arouses fear; their conservatism, their failings, their militarism.
I must hope against hope that our world manages to escape any glimpse of the “militarism” that Obama might evince.
Such a militaristically unversed dove as Obama can only be more likely to implement the very worst-case responses to critical situations that our nation might encounter.
Be it abject surrender to our Islamic foes or total annihilation of the MME (Muslim Middle East), few intermediate options present themselves to someone so totally ignorant of military strategy as Obama clearly is.
This greenhorn carpetbagging Chicagoan ward-heeler has every prospect of betraying American values when they are most crucial to any sort of positive outcome.
Congratulations to George Bush and the entire republican party. Between your constitutional end-runs and interminable “good-old-boy” cronyism, you could not have done more to thrust into America’s hesitating embrace the likes of an incompetent turd like Obama.
Islam: Morocco Calls Over 100 Imam Resident in Spain
Does anyone else get a sense of this article’s language being so convoluted as to enable any and every sort of interpretation available?
Islam’s propensity for ambiguity should serve as adequate warning to anyone that considers trusting Muslims farther than they can throw them.
Att: RBC Bank President Gordon Nixon – Salary – 11.73 Million!!
$100,000 – MISTAKE (FISHERMEN’S LOAN)
I’m a commercial fisherman fighting the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC Bank) over a $100,000 loan mistake. I lost my home, fishing vessel and equipment. Help me fight this corporate bully by closing your RBC account.
Website http://www.corporatebully.ca
YouTube http://www.youtube.com/CORPORATEBULLY
There is no monthly interest payment date on the contract.
Date of first installment payment (Principal + interest) is approximately 1 year from the signing of my contract.
Demand loan contracts signed by other fishermen around the same time showed a monthly interest payment date on their contract,(agreement).
The lending policy did change at RBC from one payment (principal + interest) per year for fishing loans to principal paid yearly with interest paid monthly. This lending practice was in place when I approached RBC.
Only problem is the loans officer was a replacement who wasn’t familiar with these type of loans. She never informed me verbally or in writing about this new criteria.
Phone or e-mail:
RBC President, Gordon Nixon, Toronto (416)974-6415
RBC Vice President, Sales, Anne Lockie, Toronto (416)974-6821
RBC President, Atlantic Provinces, Greg Grice (902)421-8112 mailto:greg.grice@rbc.com
RBC Manager, Cape Breton/Eastern Nova Scotia, Jerry Rankin (902)567-8600
RBC Vice President, Atlantic Provinces, Brian Conway (902)491-4302 mailto:brian.conway@rbc.com
RBC Vice President, Halifax Region, Tammy Holland (902)421-8112 mailto:tammy.holland@rbc.com
RBC Senior Manager, Media & Public Relations, Beja Rodeck (416)974-5506 mailto:beja.rodeck@rbc.com
RBC Ombudsman, Wendy Knight, Toronto, Ontario 1-800-769-2542 mailto:ombudsman@rbc.com
Ombudsman for Banking Services & Investments, JoAnne Olafson, Toronto, 1-888-451-4519 mailto:ombudsman@obsi.ca
“Fighting the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC Bank) one customer at a time”