At least eight Afghan soldiers have been killed and several wounded by two roadside bombs in Kunar province, according to officials. Two soldiers were killed by the first blast and a second device went off as troops rushed to the scene. "The situation is very bad. We've come under attack throughout the night," regional deputy police chief Mohammed Hasan told the Associated Press. The mountainous Kunar province lies on the eastern border with Pakistan. US forces targeted insurgents in Kunar last year and 16 American soldiers died in June when their helicopter was shot down over the province. Kunar is a stronghold of renegade former prime minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, whose followers are believed to be working with Taleban and al-Qaeda militants. ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk
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Editor - 18:16:00 02-10-06
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 Canadian dollar parity with US dollar looms |
It might have been unthinkable only a few years ago, but parity between the U.S. and Canadian dollars some day is not that much of a long shot any more.Even though the Canadian dollar has appreciated by almost 50 percent against the greenback over the last three years, analysts say buoyant global commodity prices, Canada's relatively favorable economic fundamentals and prospects of rising interest rates suggest there's room for even more upside.Further gains of only around 15 percent from current levels would put the U.S. dollar at C$1.00 for the first time ever."We will get there," said David Durrant, chief strategist at Julius Baer Investment Management, LLC, in New York."We would think that's in the cards. Will it be in six, 12, 18 or 24 months? The timeframe's all that's missing ... (but) that's where we're going," he said....
http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=businessNews&storyID=2006-02-09T203345Z_01_N09241163_RTRIDST_0_BUSINESS-MARKETS-FOREX-CANADA-COL.XML&archived=False
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Editor - 18:13:00 02-10-06
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| Intel pros say Bush is lying about foiling 2002 terror attack |
Outraged intelligence professionals say President George W. Bush is "cheapening" and "politicizing" their work with claims the United States foiled a planned terrorist attack against Los Angeles in 2002."The President has cheapened the entire intelligence community by dragging us into his fantasy world," says a longtime field operative of the Central Intelligence Agency. "He is basing this absurd claim on the same discredited informant who told us Al Qaeda would attack selected financial institutions in New York and Washington."Within hours of the President’s speech Thursday claiming his administration had prevented a major attack, sources who said they were current and retired intelligence pros from the CIA, NSA, FBI and military contacted Capitol Hill Blue with angry comments disputing the President’s remarks.“He’s full of shit,” said one sharply-worded email....
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/blog/2006/02/intel_pros_say_bush_is_lying_a.html
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Editor - 13:26:00 02-10-06
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| US trade gap hits record in 2005 |
The US trade deficit widened in December, pushing the shortfall for 2005 to record levels. In December, the deficit was $65.7bn (£37bn) compared with $64.7bn in November. The 2005 deficit was $725.8bn, almost 18% more than in 2004. While exports have climbed, they have struggled to keep up as record oil prices, strong consumer demand and cheap foreign goods boosted imports. Analysts have questioned how long this size of deficit can be sustained. "There have been historical precedents where people have spent well in excess of what they've earned from foreign trading partners for extended periods of time and nothing has happened," said Drew Matus of Lehman Brothers. He added that the US's situation was eased by the fact that the dollar remains the global benchmark and reserve currency. But he warned: "How much extra room does that give you? "That's the $100,000 question, or the $100m question, or the $1 trillion question." ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4701160.stm
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Editor - 13:15:00 02-10-06
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| Spyware warriors call for action |
Computer users whose machines have been hijacked by potentially dangerous software are being asked to add their tales of woe to an online campaign. Security experts say that growing numbers are being conned into paying for fake anti-spyware programs. Now grassroots online security activists in the UK hope testimonies can raise awareness of the problem. The number of malicious infections worldwide soared in 2005, said security firm Webroot. In its annual report into spyware, Webroot, which develops legitimate anti-spyware software, expressed concern over the increasing sophistication of attacks. New laws in the US allow disgruntled computer users to petition the Federal Trade Commission about unsolicited software. If the FTC gathers evidence of a crime, it can - and does - launch prosecutions. Last month two companies were ordered to hand back more than $2m (£1.14m) garnered through selling fake anti-spyware products. ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4696532.stm
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Editor - 13:11:00 02-10-06
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| School fulfills immigrant's dream |
An ornate crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling and floral chintz drapes cover the windows of this classroom in an east Fort Worth neighborhood. About a dozen teen- agers clad in gray and navy sit on metal fold-out chairs conjugating verbs in Spanish.It's 11 a.m. and they have already worked their way through a biology class, a physics test and a short break to shoot hoops. This is how many of the days go at a school where the teachers outnumber the students. Yet for the 19 faculty members of St. Ignatius College Preparatory School most of whom are related to the school's founder, Oanh Nguyen this ordinary day is a dream fulfilled. The school that he envisioned, where its 14 students learn biology from a surgeon or chemistry from a pharmacist, has become a reality. In January, the Nguyen family opened the private nonprofit school in a white brick house on 4 acres. An open house is planned for noon to 3 p.m. Sun at the school, ...
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/13838798.htm
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Editor - 13:07:00 02-10-06
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