Iran’s foreign minister used a speech to a U.N. conference on the illegal trade in small arms Wednesday to condemn Israel and comment on the threat he said was posed by its presumed nuclear arsenal.While stemming the illicit trade in small arms was the meeting’s focus, “fighting proliferation in weapons of mass destruction, and combating the threats posed by those who possess such weapons — and particularly the Zionist regime — will always remain our greatest goal,” said Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki.His remarks veered from the prepared text of his statement, which made no reference to Israel. Iran has argued repeatedly that the West is using a double standard against it by ignoring Israel, which is assumed to have about 200 nuclear weapons but has never confirmed having any and, unlike Tehran, has not joined the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.... http://www.msnbc.msn.com censor News |
Editor - 13:15:00 06-28-06 |
Ford a Bigger Default Risk Than GM, Derivatives Show |
Ford Motor Co., which had its credit rating cut further into junk territory by Standard & Poor's today, is now a bigger risk of default than General Motors Corp., credit derivatives show. Investors are paying $980,000 a year to insure $10 million of Ford debt against default for five years with credit default swaps. Similar protection for GM costs about $970,000, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co. prices. Prices for Ford default swaps are rising on speculation the company has farther to go in its turnaround than GM. S&P slashed Dearborn, Michigan-based Ford's rating to B+, or four levels below investment grade, from BB-. It has a B rating for GM. ``This will be a more difficult year for Ford than previously anticipated especially if sales actually decline rather than remain somewhat robust,'' Robert Schulz, S&P's auto analyst, said on a conference call today with investors. He added that GM was ahead of Ford on cost reductions. ... http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a8PnLfKy7dBY&refer=top_world_news
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Editor - 13:11:00 06-28-06 |
'Fahrenheit 9/11' Marine killed in Iraq |
A U.S. Marine and one-time recruiter who appeared in Michael Moore's acclaimed documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" has died in a roadside bombing in Iraq.Although Staff Sgt. Raymond J. Plouhar willingly appeared in a segment of the 2004 film, his father, Raymond, said Tuesday that his son did not realize that it was for a movie critical of the war.The 57-year-old Plouhar said his son took four years off from active duty to serve as a recruiter in Michigan after donating one of his kidneys to his uncle.During that time, the Marine was filmed as part of "Fahrenheit 9/11," about the Bush administration's actions after the September 11 terrorist attacks.Raymond Plouhar said that all his 30-year-old son ever wanted to do was serve his country.... http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/06/28/soldier.fahrenheit.ap/index.html?section=cnn_us
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Editor - 13:10:00 06-28-06 |
A Home Wrecker ... Literally |
The evidence of a crime was easy to see: a house partly reduced to splinters and rubble, and a police car bashed by a mechanical digger. Police on Tuesday were questioning a 52-year-old man arrested a day earlier at the scene of devastation in Bradwell-on-Sea, 45 miles east of London. "If you want to see an earthquake zone, come to Bradwell," said James Harvard, owner of the house. His partner, Janice Gledhill, said she recognized the suspect, who arrived at about 7 a.m. Tuesday, as someone who owed rent from the couple's trailer park. Vincent Frostick, who lives opposite the house, said the man operating the digger was "very, very calm." "He wasn't shouting or anything. He demolished the guy's two cars in the drive by lowering the bucket on to them. For about 10 minutes he just smashed into the house," Frostick said. ... http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/06/28/world/main1760345.shtml?source=RSS&attr=World_1760345
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Editor - 12:58:00 06-28-06 |
Growing Taliban violence, drug-smuggling, corruption and deteriorating foreign relations are eroding Afghan president Hamid Karzai's authority |
The grumbling men gathered in Maiwand, a southern town of slouching shops, greasy truck stops and alarming violence. Days earlier a roadside bomb killed four police, they said. Taliban spies roamed the bazaar. Foreign soldiers visited infrequently.But for a moment inside the pokey shop, the current of debate swirled angrily around Afghanistan's amiable leader, Hamid Karzai."Pah," said Abdul Ali Maiwandi impatiently. "He speaks well but fails to act. He would be a good president if he delivered on his promises. But there is nothing but trouble."The southern shopkeeper is not the only one raising uncomfortable questions about Mr Karzai's leadership as Afghanistan lurches through its worst crisis since the Taliban's ouster in 2001. Surging Taliban violence has caused 600 deaths in the past six weeks. Corruption is rife and drug smuggling is virtually holding the economy hostage.... http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,,1807805,00.html
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Editor - 12:49:00 06-28-06 |
At least 45 people including two US soldiers were killed in the latest wave of violence to hit Iraq. |
Twenty-five Iraqis including children were killed when a motorbike bomb exploded in a market square where villagers were watching a World Cup football match on Monday, according to a new toll Tuesday. The booby-trapped motorcycle exploded in the midst of a crowd of youngsters packed into the square in the Shia village of Khairnabat near Baquba, some 70 kilometres northeast of Baghdad to watch the Italy-Australia clash. “Many young men and children were among the dead,” a security source said. About 40 people were also injured in the blast.The source said that tensions were running high in impoverished Khairnabat, with villagers brandishing weapons fearing further attacks by militants during the funeral for the victims. The Baquba area, with its explosive mix of Sunnis and Shias, is one of the main fronts in the sectarian violence ravaging Iraq.... http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C06%5C28%5Cstory_28-6-2006_pg7_49
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Editor - 12:44:00 06-28-06 |
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post The Good, The Bad and The Ugly |
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