U.S. forces denied on Wednesday a new accusation, from Iraqi officers, that American troops killed unarmed civilians in their home this month. Amid mounting public interest in the United States in an inquiry into a suspected massacre at Haditha, the allegations about the deaths of three people at Samarra are among many that Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said this week were trying his patience with the U.S. military's "excuses" over "mistakes". Iraqi army and police officers and several people who said they were witnesses and relatives of the dead said U.S. soldiers killed two women, aged 60 and 20, and a mentally handicapped man in their home on May 4 after insurgents fired on the troops. Spokesmen for the 101st Airborne Division, which controls Samarra and Salahaddin province north of Baghdad, said soldiers from its 3rd Brigade Combat Team killed two unnamed men and a woman in a house who had "planned to attack the soldiers". ... http://today.reuters.com censor News |
Editor - 22:34:00 05-31-06 |
New Orleans Sinking At Rapid Rate Report: Parts Of City Sinking More Than One Inch Per Year |
Parts of New Orleans are sinking far more rapidly than scientists first thought, more than an inch a year, new research suggests. That may explain some levee failures during Hurricane Katrina and raises more worries about the future. The research, being published Thursday in the journal Nature, is based on new satellite radar data for the three years before Katrina struck in 2005. The data show that some areas are sinking — from overdevelopment, drainage and natural seismic shifts — four or five times faster than the rest of the city. And that, experts say, can be deadly. "My concern is the very low-lying areas," said lead author Tim Dixon, a University of Miami geophysicist. "I think those areas are death traps. I don't think those areas should be rebuilt." ... http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/05/31/katrina/main1671860.shtml?source=RSS&attr=U.S._1671860
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Editor - 22:29:00 05-31-06 |
Louisiana House OK's Ban on Most Abortions |
The Louisiana House approved a ban on most abortions, a largely symbolic bill that could go into effect only if the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark 1973 decision is overturned. The measure would allow abortion in cases when the woman's life is in danger or childbirth would permanently harm her health. The bill passed 85-17 and heads to the Senate. It could take effect only under two circumstances: if the U.S. Constitution is amended to allow states to ban abortion; or if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down its own Roe v. Wade ruling, which provided for a woman's right to an abortion. The bill is similar to a South Dakota law passed this year that is expected to land before the high court. ... http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2026797
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Editor - 22:26:00 05-31-06 |
Bush's Offer on Iran Talks Aimed at Winning Over China, Russia |
The Bush administration's offer to join European allies in nuclear talks with Iran is aimed less at Iranian leaders and more at persuading Russia and China that it will take every diplomatic step before forcing a confrontation. The U.S. offer yesterday to join France, Britain and Germany in negotiations as soon as Iran stops enriching uranium is a shift in the administration's previous stance that it wouldn't engage the Iranian government. Yet it is conditioned on Iran taking a step that its leaders have repeatedly rejected. ``The U.S. calculation is that Iran might not take this bait, and if that happens, Iran will look like the obstructionist,'' said Charles Ferguson, a former State Department nuclear safety official who's now at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington. ``The U.S. has feared that it was becoming isolated from its partners on this issue because while it's had a pretty tight relationship with the EU, cracks have been appearing.'' ... http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=aMSTw2qZURyY&refer=home
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Editor - 22:23:00 05-31-06 |
Taiwan leader surrenders powers |
Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian has ceded some of his powers amid a growing political crisis caused by a corruption scandal involving his family members. He said he was handing control of the cabinet to the prime minister and would take no part in political campaigning. But Mr Chen said he would retain diplomatic and military portfolios and would also oversee ties with China. Mr Chen's announcement comes a week after his son-in-law was arrested on suspicion of illegal stock trading. The case against Chao Chien-ming has prompted calls by opposition politicians for the president to resign. ... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5035838.stm
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Editor - 22:20:00 05-31-06 |
Milosevic not poisoned, UN finds |
There is no evidence to suggest that former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic was poisoned, according to a United Nations investigation. The Hague tribunal's report said he died of a heart attack - despite claims "in some segments of the media that he was the victim of murder". Mr Milosevic died in his cell on 11 March while on trial for war crimes. The report said security breaches did allow him to self-medicate but said he had received "proper care". The UN report is based on the investigations by the Dutch public prosecutors, coroner and police. Doctors from Serbia, Russia, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, who had treated him before or during his time in detention were also consulted by the inquiry. To bad this happened just when he was trying to call the Scumbag Clinton to the court. Now that would have been an eye opener and maybe set the stage to get these other Powerful Leaders who commit War Crimes in court. He is dead, so it did not happen... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5032736.stm
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Editor - 12:02:00 05-31-06 |
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