President George Bush demanded that there be "consequences" for Iran after it ignored a UN security council deadline yesterday to suspend part of its nuclear programme. Washington wants UN sanctions imposed on Tehran as quickly as possible, but the security council is seriously divided. In a defiant speech to cheering crowds during a regional tour, the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said the country would not be bullied. The Iranian government has hinted at retaliatory action if sanctions are imposed. The way to sanctions was opened yesterday when the security council received a negative report from Mohamed El Baradei, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. It confirmed that, as of Tuesday, the last day that its inspectors were able to carry out observations: "Iran has not suspended its enrichment activities." It also said that three years of IAEA investigations still had not been able to confirm "the peaceful nature of Iran's ... http://www.guardian.co.uk censor News |
Editor - 19:07:00 08-31-06 |
Symbolic Transfer Underway in Lebanon Israeli army says it has transferred area near the border to Lebanese and U.N. troops |
The Israeli army turned over a small border area in south Lebanon to Lebanese and foreign troops Thursday, a symbolic move paving the way for U.N. peacekeepers to go into the volatile area.The pullback came as an international donors conference in Sweden pledged nearly $1 billion to help Lebanon rebuild, after the country's prime minister told the gathering that Israel's war with Hezbollah wiped out "15 years of postwar development."Israel sent up to 30,000 soldiers into Lebanon during the 34-day war, and when the fighting ended they occupied a zone extending about 10 miles north from the border.Since the U.N.-brokered cease-fire took effect Aug. 14, Israel has been slowly transferring control of the area to Lebanese troops, who will be bolstered by U.N. troops equipped with tanks, howitzers and other heavy weapons not usually seen with a peacekeeping force.... http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/09/01/ap/world/mainD8JRO9K80.shtml
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Editor - 18:59:00 08-31-06 |
Alaska, US send Exxon $92 million bill for Valdez |
U.S. and Alaskan authorities on Thursday demanded $92.2 million from Exxon Mobil for environmental damages linked to the 1989 Exxon Valdez incident.The Alaska Department of Law and the U.S. Department of Justice made the demand for environmental damage not covered in a 1991 $900 million settlement with Exxon. The 1991 settlement allowed the state and federal government to seek additional damages not foreseen at the time of the settlement. The agencies had until Friday to make their demand of Exxon Mobil, the successor company to Exxon. Alaska and federal officials said in May they would seek additional damages. "This was a formal step that's required under the consent decree," said Deputy Alaska Attorney General Craig Tillery. ... http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2381871
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Editor - 18:57:00 08-31-06 |
Israeli police storm UK embassy, capture Palestinian |
Israeli police commandos stormed the British Embassy in Tel Aviv late Thursday and captured a Palestinian man who had been holed up inside for eight hours, claiming to have a gun and demanding political asylum. There were no injuries. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the forces seized the man after he laid down his weapon for a split second to eat food they had given him. After the arrest, authorities discovered the weapon was plastic. "We took into consideration that he did have a pistol and possibly other materials and therefore every precaution was taken," he said. The man also was carrying large amounts of money, Rosenfeld said. Embassy spokeswoman Karen Kaufman said the police operation was coordinated with British officials, in line with diplomatic protocols. ... http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/08/31/israel.uk.embassy.ap/index.html?section=cnn_world
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Editor - 18:56:00 08-31-06 |
U.S. to stage missile-defense test over Pacific |
The United States is set to test key parts of its emerging antimissile shield over the Pacific Thursday, officially to collect data, but with the possibility that a target dummy warhead will be shot down.The $85 million exercise is the first involving a live target since interceptor rockets failed to leave their silos during tests in December 2004 and February 2005.It is also the first since the ground-based system, which is part of a layered shield that includes naval and aerial components, was activated to guard against ballistic missiles test-fired on July 4 and 5 by North Korea.Boeing Co. is prime contractor for the ground-based mid-course defense, as the backbone is known. Major subcontractors include Lockheed Martin Corp., Northrop Grumman Corp. and Raytheon Co.... http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/08/31/missile.test.reut/index.html?section=cnn_us
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Editor - 12:03:00 08-31-06 |
ARCTIC HARVEST Global Warming a Boon for Greenland's Farmers |
Known for its massive ice sheets, Greenland is feeling the effects of global warming as rising temperatures have expanded the island's growing season and crops are flourishing. For the first time in hundreds of years, it has become possible to raise cattle and start dairy farms. Ferdinand Egede would be a perfectly normal farmer if it weren't for that loud cracking noise. Wearing a plaid lumberjack shirt and overalls, he hurries through the precise rows of his potato field, beads of sweat running down his forehead. Egede, 49, occasionally picks up a handful of earth and rubs it between his solid fingers, but he isn't at all satisfied with the results. "It's much too dry," he says. "If I don't get the irrigation going, I'll lose my harvest."... http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/spiegel/0,1518,434356,00.html
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Editor - 12:00:00 08-31-06 |
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