Israel may no longer be battling Hezbollah, but the political fallout from the conflict is growing. Support for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the Israeli military leadership has plunged. Meanwhile, the United States is investigating Israel's use of US-made cluster bombs in civilian areas in Lebanon. Amid increasing criticism over the handling of Israel's month-long campaign against Hezbollah, Israeli army chief Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz has admitted making mistakes and announced there will be an investigation."Parallel to our successes there were in certain areas mistakes, particularly on the logistical and operational levels, as well as from the command," he said in a written statement to the army. "This investigation concerns us all from me down to the last soldier."... http://service.spiegel.de censor News |
Editor - 10:19:00 08-25-06 |
Ice Age gives clues to global warming: study |
Ice Age evidence confirms that a doubling of greenhouse gases could drive up world temperatures by about 3 Celsius (5.4 Fahrenheit), causing havoc with the climate, a study showed on Friday. The researchers made a novel check of computer climate forecasts about the modern impact of heat-trapping gases, widely blamed on use of fossil fuels, against ice cores and marine sediments from the last Ice Age which ended 10,000 years ago. "A doubling of carbon dioxide concentrations would cause a global temperature increase of around 3 Celsius," said Thomas Schneider of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research who led the report. The findings broadly back up other Potsdam forecasts about the effects of a build-up of carbon dioxide emitted by power plants, cars and factories. Some skeptics dismiss such models as exaggerations. Temperatures have already risen by 0.6 Celsius since before the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century. Many scientists project that higher temperatures will ... http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2356646
full News |
Editor - 10:16:00 08-25-06 |
Philippine oil spill 'a calamity' |
Philippine President Gloria Arroyo has said that an oil spill caused by a sunken tanker is a national calamity. Mrs Arroyo made the comments two weeks after the tanker went down, amid delays to clean-up and containment operations. A salvage ship sent to assess the state of the vessel had developed problems and would be delayed, officials said. The spill, near the central Philippines island of Guimaras, has affected hundreds of kilometres of coastline and threatens rich fishing grounds. Oily sludge and dead wildlife have been washing up on beaches, with reefs, marine reserves and the tourist industry all affected. The pollution is also causing health problems to residents and health officials say one man died on Wednesday after breathing toxic fumes from the spill. ... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5286118.stm
full News |
Editor - 10:13:00 08-25-06 |
US Army reviewing combat deaths |
The US Army is to conduct a review of several hundred deaths of its soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. The move comes in response to complaints from families of those who died that they have not always been given accurate information. In one high-profile case, the family of former American football star Pat Tillman were told he had been killed by enemy fire in Afghanistan. Corp Tillman died in friendly fire but the truth took five weeks to emerge. The review will compare initial reports of casualties since 2001 with the results of follow-up investigations to check for discrepancies. A spokesman for the US Army, Brig General Anthony Cucolo, described the review as rigorous and routine. ... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5284336.stm
full News |
Editor - 10:11:00 08-25-06 |
'Wicked' Tornadoes Hit Northern Plains 1 Man Killed In Minnesota; Homes, Cars Damaged By Severe Weather In Several States |
Deadly storms swept across the northern Plains, bringing tornadoes that ripped roofs off houses and hail that smashed car windshields. A 90-year-old man was killed when a tornado hit his home in Minnesota on Thursday, and in Wisconsin, lightning apparently killed a dozen cows and struck a woman as she left a supermarket. Twisters, heavy rain and hail as big as grapefruit also struck the Dakotas, stripping trees of their leaves, and power was knocked out around the region. The dangerous weather even spread to the east coast. The prospect of a rare tornado in New York loomed over the city briefly Friday morning, but the National Weather Service canceled its warning and said no tornado touched down anywhere... http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/08/25/national/main1934374.shtml?source=RSS&attr=U.S._1934374
full News |
Editor - 10:09:00 08-25-06 |
Majority of Israelis 'want Olmert to go' |
The Israeli government came under increased pressure today with the publication of a newspaper poll showing that for the first time a majority want Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to resign over perceived failings in his handling of the war with Hizbullah.A poll in the mass-circulation Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper showed 63% want Mr Olmert to go. The defence minister, Amir Peretz, appears even more vulnerable with 74% calling for his resignation, while 54% want the chief of staff, Lieutenant General Dan Halutz, to resign as well.The poll reflects growing disillusionment within Israeli society about the 34-day conflict with Hizbullah and the fact that the country emerged without any clear victory over the Lebanese militia. The two Israeli soldiers whose capture triggered the conflict are still not free. The war claimed the lives of more than 1,100 people in Lebanon, and 157 Israelis, mostly soldiers.... http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1858513,00.html
full News |
Editor - 10:06:00 08-25-06 |
|
post The Good, The Bad and The Ugly |
|