 Heavy fighting is continuing in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, between warlords and an armed Islamist group. Hospital officials say at least 60 people have been killed in two days of clashes in the north of the city. Residents say mortars are being used. The warlords accuse the Islamists of sheltering foreign fighters and assassinating moderate Muslims. Somalia has been without an effective central government for 15 years and has been carved up by rival militias. A transitional parliament met recently for the first time on home soil since it was formed in Kenya more than a year ago as part of attempts to restore peace and stability. The BBC's Hassan Barise in Mogadishu says residents fear that with such a strong ideological divide between the two sides, it may prove difficult to negotiate an end to the fighting. ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk
censor News |
Editor - 08:46:00 03-23-06
|
 Briton, Canadians Freed in Iraq by Coalition Raid |
Three Western peace activists held hostage in Iraq since November were freed after a detainee told U.S. forces where they were being held. A military operation in Baghdad led to the capture of two suspects late yesterday, one of whom ``came up'' with information on the location of Norman Kember, 74, of Britain and Canadians Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32, and James Loney, 41, U.S. Major General Rick Lynch said in the Iraqi capital. As a result of that information, U.S.-led forces early today ``conducted an assault on a house in western Baghdad,'' where they found the three hostages, bound, alone and ``in good condition,'' Lynch said at a televised press conference. ...
http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=aUM74pBd_jMU&refer=home
full News |
Editor - 08:43:00 03-23-06
|
| American Jews Withhold Enthusiasm, Money From Israeli Campaign |
American Jews are paying less attention to the March 28 Israeli election than in past votes, even as Israel faces a hostile Hamas-led Palestinian government and threats from Iran. ``The majority of American Jews have no clue what is going on in Israel,'' said Jeremy Ben-Ami, a consultant to Labor Prime Minister Ehud Barak in the 1999 election and a fundraiser for Labor candidates in this month's vote. The absence of Ariel Sharon, 78, who dominated Israeli politics as prime minister until a Jan. 4 stroke left him comatose, removed from the race the figure best known to U.S. Jews. Also reducing the sense of urgency is the fact that Israeli public-opinion polls have consistently shown the party Sharon created, Kadima, leading in the race, said Steve Rabinowitz, a strategist for Jewish groups in the U.S.. ...
http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=aL_fud2vWOGg&refer=home
full News |
Editor - 23:03:00 03-22-06
|
| Ottawa to buy Russian natural gas, sell it to U.S. |
Canada is planning to capitalize on shortages of natural gas, exacerbated by last year's hurricanes, by importing vast quantities of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia to be exported to the United States. The Canadian government recently approved a $1.5 billion joint venture of Petro-Canada and Russian giant Gazprom to build a plant near St. Petersburg in Russia to liquefy the gas and load it into giant tanker ships. The tankers would be unloaded in Quebec and the liquid converted back into gas that could be pumped through existing pipeline networks to U.S. customers. "LNG is going to be a big part of the future of the gas market in North America," said Ron Brenneman, president and chief executive officer of Petro-Canada. "As this project moves forward, we will be in an excellent position to import long-term gas supply, not only from Russia but from other parts of the world as well. We see this agreement as an important part of our overall growth strategy," he said. ...
http://www.washingtontimes.com/world/20060322-095536-3741r.htm
full News |
Editor - 23:01:00 03-22-06
|
| Afghan trial of Christian 'troubles' Bush |
Bush yesterday said he was "deeply" troubled by the trial in Afghanistan of a Christian who could face execution for converting from Islam and vowed to pressure the Afghan government on the matter. "It is deeply troubling that a country we helped liberate would hold a person to account because they chose a particular religion over another," Mr. Bush said. Abdul Rahman could face the death penalty for rejecting Islam. He converted to Christianity 16 years ago while working for a Christian aid organization in Pakistan, but it just came to light recently during a custody battle over his two children. While nations such as Italy and Germany lodged strong protests earlier this week against the trial, the U.S. State Department on Tuesday was more tepid, calling the case a matter for Afghan authorities. Yesterday, Mr. Bush took a much firmer stance. "We have got influence in Afghanistan, and we are going to use it to remind them that there are universal values," he said. ...
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20060323-123015-1691r.htm
full News |
Editor - 22:53:00 03-22-06
|
| Bush Concedes Iraq War Erodes Political Status |
Bush said Tuesday that the war in Iraq was eroding his political capital, his starkest admission yet about the costs of the conflict to his presidency, and suggested that American forces would remain in the country until at least 2009.In a quick remark at a White House news conference about the reserves of political strength he earned in his 2004 re-election victory — "I'd say I'm spending that capital on the war" — Mr. Bush in effect acknowledged that until he could convince increasingly skeptical Americans that the United States was winning the war, Iraq would overshadow everything he did. Later, in response to a question about whether a day would come when there would be no more American forces in Iraq, he said that "future presidents and future governments of Iraq" would make that decision. ...
http://fairuse.100webcustomers.com/fairenough/nyt116.html
full News |
Editor - 22:49:00 03-22-06
|
|
| post The Good, The Bad and The Ugly |
|
|
