 Ethiopia's offensive against the Union of Islamic Courts in Somalia risks plunging the region into a long war which may end up strengthening the Islamists. And if America sees the invasion as a chance to weaken Islamic radicalism, it's seriously misguided. Ethiopa's military offensive against the Union of Islamic Courts, which holds the Somali capital Mogadishu and much of central and southern Somalia, is a dangerous act of aggression that could lead to a protracted war and even strengthen the Islamists, according to German media commentators who see the conflict as opening up a new battlefield in the American-led global war against Islamic extremists. The UIC -- which seized Mogadishu six months ago -- has introduced law and order to the capital and much of southern Somalia for the first time in 16 years...
http://www.spiegel.de
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Editor - 10:31:00 12-27-06
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 Ethiopians nearing Somali capital |
Ethiopian and Somali government forces are advancing towards Somalia's capital Mogadishu, which is currently held by the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC). Earlier, they seized the strategic town of Jowhar, 90 km from the capital, from Islamist militias during a dawn attack. At the weekend Ethiopia began a major offensive against the UIC, which held much of central and southern Somalia. Jowhar is a former UIC stronghold, and its loss leaves the Islamists with control of little more than the coast. The Ethiopian and pro-government Somali troops are reported to be only 30 km from Mogadishu. In Jowhar, residents told the BBC they had seen government forces riding on top of Ethiopian armoured vehicles. The UIC still holds Mogadishu, and the southern port city of Kismayo. Leaders of the militia have admitted pulling out of many towns. Reports suggest that the Islamists evacuated many towns without putting up a fight....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6211573.stm
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Editor - 09:19:00 12-27-06
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| Report: China's Premier Says Nation to Continue With One-Child Policy. However, if you pay enough you can have as many as you want. Its called a Permit (Indulgence) System |
China has no plans to change its 1 child policy, Premier Wen Jiabao said, adding family planning was critical to China's modernization plans. The official Xinhua News Agency Wed quoted Wen saying the "government will adhere to the basic policy of family planning with improved services & stronger leadership." He added family planning was crucial to China's modernization & the building of a "harmonious society," a catchphrase meant to mean a more equal distribution of riches in a country with a growing wealth gap. In the Middle Ages you could pay the Church a fee based on the sin you want to commit, and then get a paper forgiveness before you committed it. Today they don’t call it “Indulgences” anymore, but the practice is the same. It’s not what you do that’ makes something a crime. It’s a crime, if you didn’t pay the Government a fee, before you did it. More than one kid is a crime in China, only if you didn’t pay the fee before. All countries use the old Indulgence racket ...
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,239142,00.html
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Editor - 09:15:00 12-27-06
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| Mass. court will not force Homosexual marriage vote Highest court says it cannot make lawmakers vote on a proposed ban |
The state’s highest court on Wednesday said it had no authority to force lawmakers to vote on a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.Opponents of same-sex marriage who were angered that lawmakers failed to act on the proposed amendment during a joint session in November had sued, asking the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to clarify if the state constitution required lawmakers to vote....
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16368137/
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Editor - 08:53:00 12-27-06
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| U.N. to support A.U. in Darfur, joint force unsure |
Sudan agreed on Wednesday to allow a small number of U.N. troops to support a struggling African Union force in Darfur, with 105 soldiers and police due there by the end of January, an A.U.-U.N. statement said. But it was still unclear if Khartoum had agreed to a joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping force in the violent region of western Sudan, where 200,000 have been killed and 2.5 million driven from their homes in the last four years."It was agreed that U.N. military and police officers will wear their national uniforms with a blue U.N. beret. In addition, they will wear an A.U. armband," the joint U.N.-A.U. statement said.This paves the way for 38 U.N. observers to deploy by the end of the year and the rest of the 105 during January, the statement said. The United Nations will also provide $21 million to the African Union, including computers, communications equipment and water tankers....
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061227/ts_nm/sudan_darfur_dc
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Editor - 08:51:00 12-27-06
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| Asia communications hit by quake |
Telecommunications across Asia have been severely disrupted because of damage to undersea cables caused by Tuesday's earthquake near Taiwan. Banks and businesses in Taiwan, South Korea, China and Japan reported telephone and internet problems. The earthquake, a magnitude 7.1 according to the US Geological Survey, struck off Taiwan's southern coast Two people were killed and at least 42 injured in the temblor, which shook buildings across the island. The earthquake took place at 2026 (1226 GMT) south-west of Hengchun. It was followed by a number of aftershocks. Japan's Meteorological Agency had warned of a possible localised tsunami heading towards the Philippines, but nothing was later reported. ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6211451.stm
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Editor - 08:47:00 12-27-06
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| post The Good, The Bad and The Ugly |
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