 British troops in Iraq have shot dead an al-Qaida leader who escaped from a maximum security prison in Afghanistan last year, officials said today.Omar al-Farouq was killed yesterday after he opened fire on British soldiers who were raiding his home in the southern city of Basra, Major Charlie Burbridge said.Maj Burbridge refused to confirm that the dead man was definitely the same person who allegedly led al-Qaida's operations in south-east Asia, saying only he was understood to be a leading terrorist.However, a police officer in Basra said al-Farouq was the same escaped prisoner, adding that he had entered Iraq three months ago under the name Mahmoud Ahmed and was known to be a bomb-making expert....
http://www.guardian.co.uk
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Editor - 08:31:00 09-26-06
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 CIA Claims the Right to Decide What is News Archive Sues to Break FOIA Fee Barrier for Journalists |
The National Security Archive today filed suit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), challenging the Agency's recent practice of charging Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) fees to journalists pursuing news. The FOIA says that "representatives of the news media" can be charged only copying fees since they help to carry out the mission of the law by disseminating government information; but the CIA last year began claiming authority to assess additional fees if the Agency decides any journalist's request is not newsworthy enough. In adopting this new practice, the CIA reversed its prior 15-year practice of presumptively waiving additional fees for news media representatives, including the National Security Archive. "The CIA takes the position that it should decide what is 'news' instead of the reporters and editors who research and publish the stories," ...
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/news/20060614/index.htm
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Editor - 08:25:00 09-26-06
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| Bulgaria, Romania to join EU in '07 under tough terms |
Bulgaria and Romania received the green light on Tuesday to join the European Union in January, rather than a year later, but under the toughest terms imposed on any new entrants. In a recommendation on what could be the EU's last expansion for years, the European Commission listed reforms the Balkan duo must complete to avoid being deprived early on of full membership benefits, including some of their huge EU aid. "Accession of Bulgaria and Romania will mark a historic achievement … which further pursues the reunification of our European family," European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told the European Parliament. EU leaders are to approve the recommendation in October. France, Germany, Denmark and Belgium have yet to ratify the accession treaty, but this is unlikely to be a hurdle. ...
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2492408
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Editor - 08:20:00 09-26-06
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| Saudis deny secret Israel contact |
Saudi Arabia has denied holding talks with Israelis, including a meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. The official news agency quoted a foreign ministry official saying the story was "utterly false". It would be the first official meeting between Saudi Arabia and Israel, which do not have diplomatic relations. On Monday, Israeli reports quoted unnamed officials as saying that Mr Olmert had met King Abdullah or another senior Saudi royal on 13 September. Later Israeli officials, including the prime minister, publicly denied any direct contact with the king himself, but not with lower level Saudis. Saudi Arabia is the author of a plan which offers Israel diplomatic recognition from all Arab states in return for a complete withdrawal from the territory it occupied by Israel in 1967 and a negotiated solution to the 58-year Palestinian refugee issue. ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5380956.stm
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Editor - 08:16:00 09-26-06
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| Somali Islamists in war warning |
The Islamist group that has seized much of southern Somalia has said Ethiopia has declared war by sending its troops to help the interim government. Ethiopia supports the government but denies sending troops to help them against the Union of Islamic Courts. On Sunday, the UIC took control of the key port of Kismayo after the defence minister's forces fled the town. The prime minister has appealed for international help against "al-Qaeda" and "terrorist" expansion. The UIC have repeatedly denied having any links to al-Qaeda and say they are restoring security and stability to Somalia, which has not had an effective national government for 15 years. "The incursion of Ethiopian troops into Somali territories is a declaration of war on Somalia," said UIC national security chairman Sheik Yusuf Indahaadde. "We call on the international community to urge Ethiopia to withdraw its troops from Somalia. If that doesn't happen the consequences of insecurity created by Ethiopia will spread ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5380226.stm
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Editor - 08:07:00 09-26-06
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| Health insurance slows but is still rising at twice the rate of inflation |
Workers won't find much comfort in the smallest increase in health insurance premiums since 1999. The 7.7% increase this year was still more than twice the rate of inflation."To working people and business owners, a reduction in an already very high rate of increase just means you're still paying more," said Drew Altman, president and chief executive of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a health care research organization that annually tracks the cost of health insurance.Altman said the rising gap between premium growth and wages is particularly startling when one takes a longer look back. Since 2000, health insurance premiums have gone up 78%; wages 20%."Yes, the rate of increase is down, but I don't think anybody is celebrating," Altman said of this year's numbers.The Kaiser Family Foundation's findings are based on a telephone survey of 3,159 randomly selected private and public employers. More that 155 million Americans get their health insurance through their jobs....
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/2006-09-26-health-premiums_x.htm?csp=34
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Editor - 08:04:00 09-26-06
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