Guatemala's president pledged Friday to revive constitutional reforms promised in peace deals that ended the country's civil war a decade ago, saying Guatemalans must conquer the social inequalities that helped give rise to the conflict.His pledge came two days before the 10th anniversary of the U.N.-brokered peace accords that ended Latin America's bloodiest conflict of the 20th century. In the days leading up to the anniversary, Guatemalan leaders have acknowledged that while the Central American country has made some advances in education and health, it has yet to overcome extreme poverty. About 200,000 people — mostly Mayans Indians — died or vanished during the civil war, in which U.S.-backed military and civilian governments destroyed entire villages as they stamped out leftist guerrillas. President Oscar Berger said he will send a bill to Congress on Jan. 13 with the reforms, including the official recognition of Mayan languages, the strengthening of the ...
http://www.usatoday.com
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Editor - 17:57:00 12-29-06
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 Final preparations being made for Saddam Hussein's execution before 10 p.m. Friday EST |
The official witnesses to Saddam Hussein's impending execution gathered Friday in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone in final preparation for his hanging, as state television broadcast footage of his regime's atrocities.With U.S. forces on high alert for a surge in violence, the Iraqi government readied all the necessary documents, including a "red card" _ an execution order introduced during Saddam's dictatorship. As his time waned, Saddam received two of his half brothers in his cell Thursday and was said to have given them his personal belongings and a copy of his will.Najeeb al-Nueimi, a member of Saddam's legal team in Doha, Qatar, said he too requested a final meeting with the deposed Iraqi leader. "His daughter in Amman was crying, she said, 'Take me with you,'" al-Nueimi said late Friday. But he said their request was rejected....
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/30/ap/world/mainD8MARP600.shtml
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Editor - 17:41:00 12-29-06
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| ANTI-GLOBALIZATION RAGE Protesters Carry Out Series of Attacks Ahead of G8 Summit |
Protesters in Germany have attacked a luxury hotel where the next G8 summit will be held in June. The action comes just days after an arson attack on a politician's house. Meanwhile politicians bicker over who will pay for the massive security operation. Anti-globalization protests have become a routine part of the annual G8 economic summits, and activism against the meeting in Germany planned for June 2007 has already started with attacks this week on a politician's house and the luxury hotel that will host world leaders. The Kempinski Grand Hotel in Heiligendamm on Germany's Baltic coast was attacked with paint balls in the early hours of Thursday morning. According to the interior minister of the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where the hotel is located, the attack caused damage to a value of ($2,500). Leaders from the G8 member states will meet in the hotel at the summit in June 2007.An unnamed group sent a letter to the German news agency DPA claiming responsibility ...
http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,457017,00.html
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Editor - 14:02:00 12-29-06
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| SPIEGEL INTERVIEW WITH BRITISH AUTHOR FREDERICK FORSYTH |
Frederick Forsyth talks about researching intelligence activities for his new novel, "The Afghan" -- as well as western torture methods in Afghanistan and who would have killed Litvinenko if he had written the plot. SPIEGEL: Mr. Forsyth, at the beginning of your new thriller "The Afghan," an al-Qaida member is eliminated when he uses his cell phone and is immediately located by American intelligence services. Do you own a cell phone? Forsyth: No, and I don't own a computer either. I'm obviously much mocked for being such a dinosaur, but I have my reasons. With my typewriter I've never sent seven chapters into cyberspace and lost them. Secondly, try hacking into my typewriter ... (Chuckles). I also don't use the Internet for searches, because frankly I don't trust it. SPIEGEL: Despite all your skepticism you have used the Internet for marketing purposes. ...
http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,457074,00.html
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Editor - 13:58:00 12-29-06
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| Homeowner kills 2 in bizarre burglary Man used AR15 rifle to defend himself after 'guest' shot him in ear |
A Packwood, Wash., man is wounded, but alive, after an evening of entertaining visitors turned into a gunfight when one of his guests opened fire on him while attempting to steal his gun collection. The homeowner, whose name was not released by authorities, told Lewis County Chief Criminal Deputy Joe Doench that a male friend from nearby Morton, Wash., had arrived Wednesday morning for a visit, bringing with him two women and and a man from Las Vegas who he did not know. The homeowner became suspicious, believing he was being distracted by three of the guests, so he retrieved his AR15 semi-automatic rifle and directed the visitors to another part of the house where he discovered that the fourth visitor had broken into his gun safe. According to Seattle's KING-TV, the homeowner found one of the women loading guns from his collection into a truck and he told her to stop. She fired, hitting him in the ear. He said he fired back, killing her instantly. ...
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53555
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Editor - 13:04:00 12-29-06
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| U.S.: Saddam Not In Iraqi Custody However, Ex-Iraqi President's Execution Said To Be Imminent By Iraqi Judge |
The United States denied that Saddam Hussein has been turned over to Iraqi authorities, contradicting a statement by the former Iraqi president's lawyer. "There has been no change in Saddam's status," U.S. State Department spokesman Tom Casey said Friday, according to CBS News. Casey said the information he had was provided by the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. "I don't have any more details to offer you," he told reporters at the State Department. Casey reiterated the Bush administration's view that "we think it's very important there be accountability." He said "it was up to the Iraqis" to formally request that Saddam be brought forward for execution. Asked when that might occur, Casey said, "I really don't have a timeline on this." The White House declined to comment on the timing of the execution. ...
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/29/iraq/main2309460.shtml?source=RSSattr=World_2309460
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Editor - 10:14:00 12-29-06
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