Less than two years ago, Roy Velez got the worst news a father could get: His oldest son was dead, killed during combat in Iraq.This week, his pain only deepened with news that his youngest son had died in Afghanistan.Military officials notified the Velez family Tuesday of the death of Army Spc. Andrew Velez, 22. His brother, Army Cpl. Jose A. Velez, 23, died in November 2004 in Fallujah when his unit came under fire while clearing an enemy stronghold. “I can’t be angry. I feel like my heart’s been pulled out,” Roy Velez said Tuesday. “We’ve done what the Lord allowed us to do for our country.”The family lost its only sons; there is one daughter.The military does not have a regulation prohibiting the deployment of family members at the same time. But families can request that relatives return home if one is killed or disabled.... http://www.msnbc.msn.com censor News |
Editor - 23:45:00 07-26-06 |
China warns Canada on award for Dalai Lama Commercial interests may be at stake with honor for Tibetan leader in exile |
An unhappy China said Wednesday that Canada’s decision to bestow honorary citizenship on the Dalai Lama could hurt commercial relations between the two countries, which have been steadily growing stronger.The Tibetan leader-in-exile, who fled his homeland in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule, is considered by Beijing to be a separatist.Canada’s Parliament unanimously approved the award of an honorary citizenship last month, which will be bestowed on the Dalai Lama when he visits Vancouver in early September. The honor will mark the third time Canada has bestowed honorary citizenship. The others are former South African President Nelson Mandela and Swedish businessman Raoul Wallenberg, who saved the lives of thousands of Jews in World War II.Zhang Weidong, political counselor at the Chinese embassy in Ottawa, said his officials had already complained to the Foreign Ministry about the award.... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14045372/
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Editor - 23:42:00 07-26-06 |
Reports: Israel bombing new sites in Lebanon 9 Israeli soldiers killed in fierce firefights; Hezbollah’s Tyre offices destroyed |
Israel hit an army base and an adjacent relay station belonging to Lebanese state radio at Aamchit, 30 miles north of Beirut, knocking down a transmission tower early Thursday, local broadcasters and witnesses said. It wasn’t immediately clear if the attack was by air or shelling from ships. The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the reports. The day before, Hezbollah dealt Israel its heaviest losses in the Lebanon campaign, killing nine soldiers in fierce firefights. With key Mideast players failing to agree on a formula for a cease-fire, an Israeli general said the operation could last weeks. Israel said it intends to damage Hezbollah and establish a “security zone” that would be free of the guerrillas and extend 1.2 miles into Lebanon from the Israeli border. Such a zone would prevent Hezbollah from carrying out cross-border raids such as the one two weeks ago that triggered the Israeli military response. ... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14021722/
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Editor - 23:39:00 07-26-06 |
Navy Laptops With Information on 31,000 Recruiters Stolen in New Jersey |
Two laptop computers with personal information on about 31,000 Navy recruiters and their prospective recruits were stolen from Navy offices in New Jersey in June and July, the Navy disclosed on Wednesday. It was the third time in little more than a month that personal data on Navy personnel has been lost or unintentionally released publicly over the Internet."There have been no reports of illegal usage of personal data identified by these incidents," said Navy spokesman, Lt. Bashon W. Mann, adding that the Navy is identifying the affected individuals.... http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,205833,00.html
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Editor - 23:34:00 07-26-06 |
Mideast diplomacy shifts to Asia |
Middle East diplomacy moved to Asia on Thursday as U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice flew to Malaysia for a regional security meeting straight from talks in Rome to end the fighting in Lebanon. But she was not likely to find a sympathetic ear among the Asian powers gathered here. Ahead of Rice's arrival, foreign ministers of the so-called ASEAN plus three on Wednesday issued a statement calling for an immediate ceasefire and criticized Israel for an "apparently deliberate" attack on a U.N. post in Lebanon that killed four, including a Chinese observer. The Association of South East Asian Nations includes Malaysia as current chair of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) as well as Indonesia, the world's most populous Islamic country. The "plus three" members are China, Japan and South Korea. ... http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2241382
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Editor - 23:29:00 07-26-06 |
Waste, abuse in Homeland Security contracts: report |
A dependence on no-bid contracts and inadequate oversight have contributed to extensive waste and misspending at the Department of Homeland Security, The Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing a congressional investigation.In the latest report on the agency's spending, U.S. government investigators found problems involving "significant overcharges" or "mismanagement" in 32 DHS contracts worth a total of $34 billion, the Post said. The findings were to be released on Thursday. The Washington Post said it had obtained a copy of the report. According to the newspaper, the bipartisan congressional report says an explosion of no-bid deals and a critical shortage of government contract managers created a system prone to abuse.... http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2241400
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Editor - 23:27:00 07-26-06 |
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