Cartel link to SAA drug bustPosted on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 9:24amCrime intelligence operatives have arrested two people in connection with a multimillion-dollar international drug-smuggling syndicate that uses airlines to traffic narcotics across the world. It is hoped that Thursday's arrests of a security guard at OR Tambo International Airport and an SAA crew member, caught smuggling millions of rands worth of narcotics into Heathrow Airport earlier in the week, have cracked open the suspected west African drug cartel. Full Story
'Transport woes menace SA food security'Posted on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 9:26amPoor road and rail transport networks in South Africa may threaten its food security, hampering the country's ability to import, process and distribute basic food stuffs, a newspaper said. South Africa's Business Day newspaper reported on Friday that crumbling rural road networks and problems with rail and logistics group Transnet's freight service were adversely affecting the food distribution chain. Full Story
Obama Administration Outlines Cyber Security StrategyPosted on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 9:28amPresident Barack Obama's administration has sketched out a broad new strategy to protect the nation's most vital information networks from cyber attack and to boost investment and research on cyber security. Full Story
Pending EU deal to take Iran group off terror listPosted on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 9:36amEuropean Union diplomats have reached tentative agreement to remove an Iranian opposition group from the 27-nation bloc's list of terrorist organizations, officials said Friday. Full Story
Serbia protests to NATO and UN over Kosovo forcePosted on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 9:38amSerbia protested to the United Nations and NATO on Friday against Kosovo's new security force, calling it a threat to the Balkan stability. Full Story
Italy pressed by UN over migrantsPosted on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 9:41amThe UN's refugee agency says it is increasingly concerned for the welfare of nearly 2,000 migrants at a detention centre on a southern Italian island. The centre on Lampedusa has a capacity of 850, forcing hundreds of people to sleep outdoors in the cold, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said. Full Story
Knifeman kills three in Belgian crechehorrorPosted on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 9:44amA man armed with a knife and wearing face paint went on the rampage at a Belgian creche on Friday, killing two children and an adult, officials said. About 10 children were wounded, some seriously, in the attack in the small town of Dendermonde near Brussels, prosecutor Christian Du Four said as anxious parents gathered to identify the victims and injured.
Bolivia readies for divisive referendumPosted on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 9:47amVoters in Bolivia are to go to the polls this weekend to decide a referendum on changing their constitution that will pit the indigenous majority backing President Evo Morales against the economic elite of European descent. Morales is seen as likely to win the divisive plebiscite on Sunday, based on his 67-percent approval rating in an August 2008 recall referendum and his near-total support from the country's six million Amerindians. Full Story
Brazil police arrest 800 in fugitive roundupPosted on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 9:48amBrazil police say they have arrested more than 800 people in an operation against fugitives across Brazil's most populous state. Sao Paulo state's Civil Police say 813 people were taken into custody by authorities during Operation Recapture. Full Story
Venezuela and Argentina sign cooperation accordsPosted on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 9:49amThe presidents of Venezuela and Argentina signed a dozen agreements Thursday to cooperate in energy, industry and agriculture including a joint venture to develop oil fields in eastern Venezuela. Hugo Chavez and Cristina Fernandez agreed to have Petroleos de Venezuela and Argentina's state-operated Enarsa energy company survey and develop four oil fields. Full Story
Venezuela: No conflict over Brazil refineryPosted on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 9:51amOil Minister Rafael Ramirez said Thursday there's been no conflict with Brazil regarding a refinery project worth $4.1 billion despite earlier comments from a Brazilian oil executive. Ramirez called the comments "the opinion of a low-level official," and said that Venezuela has not been notified of any changes to the project, a favorite of President of Hugo Chavez. Full Story
Mexican agents charged with favoring drug cartelPosted on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 9:52amPresident Felipe Calderon's war on drug trafficking has led to his own doorstep, with the arrest of a dozen high-ranking officials with alleged ties to Mexico's most powerful drug gang, the Sinaloa Cartel. The U.S. praises Calderon for rooting out corruption at the top. But critics say the arrests reveal nothing more than a timeworn government tactic of protecting one cartel and cracking down on others. Full Story
UK in recession as economy slidesPosted on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 9:54amThe UK is now in recession for the first time since 1991, official government figures have confirmed. Gross domestic product fell by 1.5% in the last three months of 2008 after a 0.6% drop in the previous quarter. Full Story
Another editor attacked in Sri LankaPosted on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 9:56amAssailants beat a Sri Lanka newspaper editor and smashed his car as he drove to work Friday, colleagues said, in the latest of a string of violent attacks here against journalists. Full Story
NKorea's Kim meets Chinese envoyPosted on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 9:57amNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-Il held talks with a Chinese envoy on Friday, state media in both countries reported, in his first known meeting with a foreign visitor since a reported stroke last August. Full Story
China says Web crackdown to be "long-lasting"Posted on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 9:59amChina sought on Friday to portray its Internet crackdown as a campaign to protect youth from filth and nothing to do with stifling political dissent, with an official promising long-lasting action against "vulgarity." Full Story
Suspected US missile strikes kill 18 in PakistanPosted on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 12:36pmTwo suspected U.S missile attacks killed 18 people Friday in Pakistan just east of the Afghan border, security officials said, the first such strikes since the inauguration of President Barack Obama. At least five victims were identified as foreign militants, an intelligence officer said. Full Story
Kabul suicide attack planner killed - NATOPosted on Friday, January 23, 2009 at 12:40pmAfghan and NATO-led forces killed a militant suspected of planning last week's suicide bomb attack that killed a U.S. soldier and four Afghans in the centre of Kabul, NATO-led forces said on Friday. The attack happened close to the German embassy and a U.S. military base and targeted a U.S. military vehicle guarding a fuel tank. Another U.S. soldier is still in critical condition. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
VARIOUS - IRAN ARMS SMUGGLING SHIP STOPPED
Misleading of course...the US never tortured...but it is good to hear that the enemy has suddenly become civilized and will no longer barbarously murder prisoners and behead helpless civilians.
They must have given up Islam then...
But then neither the UN, world press, hypocritcal journalists, or two-year old leftists mind what war crimes Islam commits.
The End of Torture
Obama banishes Bush's interrogation tactics
http://www.newsweek.com/id/181007/output/print
Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball
Newsweek Web Exclusive
In the first sign of friction within his new administration, President Obama overruled the pleas of senior U.S. intelligence officials and signed a new executive order that bars the CIA from using harsh interrogation methods beyond those permitted by the U.S. military.
=====
Tamil Tiger 'command hub taken'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7844162.stm
Sri Lanka's army says it has captured what it believes is the main operations centre of Tamil rebels in the north.
Army spokesman Brig Udaya Nanayakkara said troops had found detailed maps of army and rebel deployments in an empty building in Mullaitivu district.
======
Only exceedingly ignorant British would misunderstand al-Qaeda so badly as to call it irrelevant. al-Qaeda is to Islam what the IRA was to Sinn Fein.
The growing, and mysterious, irrelevance of al-Qaeda
Jan 22nd 2009
From The Economist print edition
http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12972613
Military setbacks and ideological disputes have put al-Qaeda on the defensive
OSAMA BIN LADEN’S messages from the wilderness get little attention nowadays. Al-Qaeda has been unable to land a blow on Western soil since the 2005 London bombings.
Its leaders lurk in Pakistan’s tribal belt, hiding from regular lethal attacks by America’s unmanned Predator aircraft. Their Pushtun hosts are tiring of their troublesome guests. Perhaps most damaging, former supporters publicly denounce its ideology.
======
Al-Qaeda commander linked to 2005 London bombings led attacks on Nato convoys
An al-Qaeda commander arrested in Pakistan for involvement in the London bombings in 2005 was masterminding attacks on Nato convoys supplying troops in Afghanistan.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/4313740/Al-Qaeda-commander-linked-to-2005-London-bombings-led-attacks-on-Nato-convoys.html
=====
By Dean Nelson and Emal Khan in Peshawar Last Updated: 1:17PM GMT 22 Jan 2009
Zabi uk-Taifi, from Taif in Saudi Arabia, was seized with six others in a raid by Pakistan intelligence officers and local forces on a village just outside Peshawar in the Khyber Agency.
They were arrested on Wednesday at the home of a local Taliban militant, known as Bakhshi, where all seven had been staying for the last three months, according to Pakistani intelligence sources.
======
Idiot Neville Chamberlain has the equally brilliant idea of working with Adolf Hitler...and FDR with working with Stalin.
Absolutely brilliant (not!)
Newsmax.com
Obama's Spy Chief: U.S. Should Work With Iran
Thursday, January 22, 2009 2:30 PM
President Barack Obama's choice for spy chief, Dennis Blair, said Thursday that U.S. intelligence agencies should seek ways of working with Iran on issues of mutual interest, underscoring the new administration's interest in engagement with elements in the Islamic state.
"While policymakers need to understand anti-American leaders, policies and actions in Iran, the intelligence community can also help policymakers identify and understand other leaders and political forces, so that it is possible to work toward a future in both our interests," retired Admiral Blair said on Thursday in a prepared statement for a Senate hearing on his nomination as Director of National Intelligence.
=====
Of course Muslim treatment of women and children in general is monstrous...
It's natural...a monstrous ideology with a phoney 'prophet' who was a murderous pedophile.
http://tinyurl.com/crww3e
Hamas use of children was 'monstrous'
Jan. 22, 2009Yaakov Katz , THE JERUSALEM POST
Hamas made "monstrous" and "inhumane" use of innocent children when it booby-trapped homes and schools inside the Gaza Strip, OC Gaza Division Brig.-Gen. Eyal Eisenberg said Thursday.
Palestinian families in Gaza, Eisenberg said, were often surprised to discover after Operation Cast Lead ended that that without their knowledge, Hamas had booby-trapped their homes and placed explosives beneath them.
=====
Same old 'catch and release' policy.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,481483,00.html
U.S. Intercepts Iranian Arms-Smuggling Ship
Thursday , January 22, 2009
U.S. defense officials say a Navy vessel that is part of the new piracy task force intercepted and searched an Iranian-owned ship that officials feared was carrying arms to Hamas. It's unclear whether those suspicions were founded.
Two defense officials say the Cypriot-flagged commercial vessel was tracked by a U.S. Navy ship in the Red Sea over the weekend. One official says it was boarded with the consent of the vessel's crew on Monday and Tuesday.
They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record.
The search turned up ammunition that included artillery shells. But one official said that since Hamas is not known to use artillery, officials are now uncertain who the intended recipient was. They're asking Egypt to do another search when the ship arrives in port.
======
They must have given up Islam then...
But then neither the UN, world press, hypocritcal journalists, or two-year old leftists mind what war crimes Islam commits.
The End of Torture
Obama banishes Bush's interrogation tactics
http://www.newsweek.com/id/181007/output/print
Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball
Newsweek Web Exclusive
In the first sign of friction within his new administration, President Obama overruled the pleas of senior U.S. intelligence officials and signed a new executive order that bars the CIA from using harsh interrogation methods beyond those permitted by the U.S. military.
=====
Tamil Tiger 'command hub taken'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7844162.stm
Sri Lanka's army says it has captured what it believes is the main operations centre of Tamil rebels in the north.
Army spokesman Brig Udaya Nanayakkara said troops had found detailed maps of army and rebel deployments in an empty building in Mullaitivu district.
======
Only exceedingly ignorant British would misunderstand al-Qaeda so badly as to call it irrelevant. al-Qaeda is to Islam what the IRA was to Sinn Fein.
The growing, and mysterious, irrelevance of al-Qaeda
Jan 22nd 2009
From The Economist print edition
http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12972613
Military setbacks and ideological disputes have put al-Qaeda on the defensive
OSAMA BIN LADEN’S messages from the wilderness get little attention nowadays. Al-Qaeda has been unable to land a blow on Western soil since the 2005 London bombings.
Its leaders lurk in Pakistan’s tribal belt, hiding from regular lethal attacks by America’s unmanned Predator aircraft. Their Pushtun hosts are tiring of their troublesome guests. Perhaps most damaging, former supporters publicly denounce its ideology.
======
Al-Qaeda commander linked to 2005 London bombings led attacks on Nato convoys
An al-Qaeda commander arrested in Pakistan for involvement in the London bombings in 2005 was masterminding attacks on Nato convoys supplying troops in Afghanistan.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/4313740/Al-Qaeda-commander-linked-to-2005-London-bombings-led-attacks-on-Nato-convoys.html
=====
By Dean Nelson and Emal Khan in Peshawar Last Updated: 1:17PM GMT 22 Jan 2009
Zabi uk-Taifi, from Taif in Saudi Arabia, was seized with six others in a raid by Pakistan intelligence officers and local forces on a village just outside Peshawar in the Khyber Agency.
They were arrested on Wednesday at the home of a local Taliban militant, known as Bakhshi, where all seven had been staying for the last three months, according to Pakistani intelligence sources.
======
Idiot Neville Chamberlain has the equally brilliant idea of working with Adolf Hitler...and FDR with working with Stalin.
Absolutely brilliant (not!)
Newsmax.com
Obama's Spy Chief: U.S. Should Work With Iran
Thursday, January 22, 2009 2:30 PM
President Barack Obama's choice for spy chief, Dennis Blair, said Thursday that U.S. intelligence agencies should seek ways of working with Iran on issues of mutual interest, underscoring the new administration's interest in engagement with elements in the Islamic state.
"While policymakers need to understand anti-American leaders, policies and actions in Iran, the intelligence community can also help policymakers identify and understand other leaders and political forces, so that it is possible to work toward a future in both our interests," retired Admiral Blair said on Thursday in a prepared statement for a Senate hearing on his nomination as Director of National Intelligence.
=====
Of course Muslim treatment of women and children in general is monstrous...
It's natural...a monstrous ideology with a phoney 'prophet' who was a murderous pedophile.
http://tinyurl.com/crww3e
Hamas use of children was 'monstrous'
Jan. 22, 2009Yaakov Katz , THE JERUSALEM POST
Hamas made "monstrous" and "inhumane" use of innocent children when it booby-trapped homes and schools inside the Gaza Strip, OC Gaza Division Brig.-Gen. Eyal Eisenberg said Thursday.
Palestinian families in Gaza, Eisenberg said, were often surprised to discover after Operation Cast Lead ended that that without their knowledge, Hamas had booby-trapped their homes and placed explosives beneath them.
=====
Same old 'catch and release' policy.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,481483,00.html
U.S. Intercepts Iranian Arms-Smuggling Ship
Thursday , January 22, 2009
U.S. defense officials say a Navy vessel that is part of the new piracy task force intercepted and searched an Iranian-owned ship that officials feared was carrying arms to Hamas. It's unclear whether those suspicions were founded.
Two defense officials say the Cypriot-flagged commercial vessel was tracked by a U.S. Navy ship in the Red Sea over the weekend. One official says it was boarded with the consent of the vessel's crew on Monday and Tuesday.
They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record.
The search turned up ammunition that included artillery shells. But one official said that since Hamas is not known to use artillery, officials are now uncertain who the intended recipient was. They're asking Egypt to do another search when the ship arrives in port.
======
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
CONFLICT & TERROR 01/21
Russia restarts gas supplies to Europe via UkrainePosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 8:01amRussian natural gas began flowing into Europe on Tuesday after a nearly two-week cutoff that left large parts of the continent shivering and underscored its vulnerability and dependence on Russia's energy. Full Story
Jemaah Islamiyah weakening, but should not be written off: expertPosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 8:02amThe Indonesian-based Islamic militant group Jemaah Islamiyah may have weakened as a group but individual members still remain a threat to regional security, an anti-terrorism expert said Tuesday. Full Story
22 Militants Killed in Afghanistan Coalition Ground, Air AssaultsPosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 8:04amThe U.S. military says coalition forces in Afghanistan have killed 22 militants in a series of clashes throughout the country. Officials said the coalition's ground and air assaults took place Monday in southern and eastern Afghanistan. They said one operation targeted a Taliban network in Kapisa province, killing 18 insurgents and one Taliban commander. Full Story
China urges Hamas to 'face reality,' stop attacksPosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 8:10amThe militant Islamic group Hamas should "face reality" and join the Middle East peace process, a Chinese envoy said Monday, adding the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians cannot be resolved by war. Full Story
Spanish police arrest 10 suspected Islamic extremistsPosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 8:45amSpanish police arrested 10 suspected Islamic extremists in a series of raids Tuesday in Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands, a source close to the inquiry said. Full Story
Chinese PM's trip 'snubs France'Posted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 8:48amChinese Premier Wen Jiabao is due to travel to Europe next week, the foreign ministry has announced - but his trip will pointedly exclude France. Mr Wen will visit Germany, Spain and Britain, as well as the EU in Brussels and the World Economic Forum in Davos. Full Story
UK: Government gives #1m to anti-extremist think-tank Quilliam FoundationPosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 8:54amAlmost #1 million of public money is being given to a think-tank run by two former Islamic extremists, despite reservations being expressed by members of the Government and the Opposition. Full Story
Deadly bicycle bomb strikes as Afghan voter registration opensPosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 9:09amTwo Afghan police officers and a civilian were killed after a remote-controlled bicycle bomb detonated in a central part of Kandahar city Tuesday. Witnesses said the bomb, planted on the bicycle, went off as a police pickup truck was driving by around 1:30 p.m. local time. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Full Story
Turkey's PM Presses for EU Membership, Pipeline AlternativePosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 9:37amTurkey's prime minister and the head of the European Commission on Monday urged one another to do more to speed up Turkey's progress towards the European Union, especially in the field of energy security. Full Story
India test fires missile in province near PakistanPosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 9:46amIndia tested its nuclear-capable Brahmos supersonic cruise missile Tuesday in a province bordering Pakistan, despite already tense relations with Islamabad following the Mumbai terror attacks, a news report said. Full Story
Taliban blow up 6 schools in SwatPosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 9:46amThe Taliban on Monday blew up five boys and a girls school in the restive Swat district, locals and officials said on Monday. The Taliban planted bombs around the buildings of five schools, which detonated late on Sunday, while the sixth was detonated on Monday afternoon. No reports of casualties were received. Meanwhile, two security personnel were injured in a remote-controlled bomb attack on their vehicle in Shand area of Madian on Monday, sources said. Full Story
Wanted militant arrested at Chennai airportPosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 9:47amA suspected militant, wanted in various cases, including a letter bomb case, was arrested at the airport here on Tuesday, the police said. Full Story
World agenda: Positive signs from US invasion of Iraq beginning to be seenPosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 9:50amAs George Bush leaves office under a cloud of criticism, he can take comfort in the signs of democracy emerging across Iraq, a country that defined his presidency and became his greatest challenge.
Campaign posters cover walls in towns and cities, while billboards promising unity and change stand in the darkest depths of the countryside as political parties spread their message ahead of provincial elections on January 31. Full Story
Taliban bomb kills Afghan policePosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 11:47amThe Taliban claimed responsibility for a roadside bomb that killed at least two police officers in Kandahar Tuesday, while coalition troops said they killed 22 militants, including two Taliban commanders, in raids elsewhere.
Two police officers died when a bomb targeting their vehicle went off Tuesday morning in the center of the southern city of Kandahar, said Zulmai Ayoubi, the spokesman for the governor of Kandahar province. The blast wounded two other officers and a civilian. Full Story
3 men deny conspiring with London transit bombersPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 8:52amA prosecutor on Monday accused three British men of scouting out potential targets on behalf of suicide bombers who killed 52 commuters on London's transit system in 2005. Full Story
Britain launches new bank bailout to boost lendingPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 8:53amBritain announced a new bank bailout Monday to boost lending into a struggling economy and protect banks from the bad assets sinking their balance sheets an admission that an earlier sweeping rescue plan didn't do the job. Full Story
Video threatens Germany over AfghanistanPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 8:54amGerman authorities said Sunday that they believe a purported al-Qaida video in which a man threatens Germany over its military presence in Afghanistan is authentic. Full Story
Yemen tribesmen 'kidnap German'Posted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 8:58amArmed Yemeni tribesmen have kidnapped a German engineer and two of his colleagues, a Yemeni gas firm has said. The incident involving employees of Yemen LNG happened in Shabwa region, east of the capital Sanaa, on Sunday. Full Story
Maritime hijacks hit record levels: studyPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 9:00amPiracy in the Gulf of Aden pushed the number of marine hijackings to record levels last year, according to the latest figures from the Piracy Reporting Centre.
Part of the London-based ICC International Maritime Bureau, the Piracy Reporting Centre said that the 2008 figures surpass all figures for hijacked vessels and hostages taken since it began reporting in 1992. Full Story
Turkey tries to revive EU drivePosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 9:03amTurkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has begun a visit to Brussels for talks on his country's flagging bid to join the European Union. He will meet the European Commission president and other senior officials. Full Story
Lawyer in prominent Chechnya cases slain in MoscowPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 10:17amA lawyer who had opposed the early release of a Russian colonel convicted of killing a Chechen woman was shot and killed after a press conference in central Moscow on Monday, officials said. Full Story
Bulgaria gets emergency gas supply from GreecePosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 11:10amGreece has started pumping natural gas to Bulgaria amid the European energy crisis caused by the halt of natural gas supplies from Russia. Full Story
Russia, Ukraine sign contract on gas supplies for 2009-2019Posted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 12:33pmRussian energy giant Gazprom and Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz signed on Monday a contract on Russian gas supplies to Ukraine for 2009-2019. Full Story
Leading Russian defence lawyer shot dead in MoscowPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 12:39pmA Russian defence lawyer famous for his work in one of Russia's most infamous criminal cases was shot dead in central Moscow this afternoon. Stanislav Markelov was shot close to the Kremlin by a man using a pistol with a silencer. Before escaping, his assassin also shot and seriously wounded two women walking with the lawyer. Full Story
Pakistan: Swat Girls' Schools to Reopen Despite ThreatPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 12:41pmPakistan's Information Minister Sherry Rehman says the government intends to reopen girls' schools in the northwestern Swat Valley, despite a ban issued by the local Taliban. Rehman told reporters in Karachi Sunday efforts will be made to ensure that classes resume on March 1, following the winter break. Full Story
Unleashed CIA Zapped 8 Qaeda Lieutenants Since JulyPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 12:42pmIn one of his final acts in office, President Bush has been trying to settle unfinished business in his internationally-unpopular global war on terror. No, he hasnt killed Osama Bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri or Abu Ayyub al-Masri. No, he hasnt pulled all U.S. troops out of Iraq. No, he hasnt closed Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib or Bagrams prisons. Full Story
Sri Lankan troops press offensive against TigersPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 12:43pmSri Lankan soldiers and Tamil Tiger rebels fought heavy battles during an army push to corner the separatist insurgents on the Indian Ocean island's northeast coast, the military said on Monday. The fighting on Sunday took place at several locations around the shrinking wedge of jungle that is all the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) still control, with analysts saying the 25-year war is near its end. Full Story
Employees resume strike at Hungary's main airportPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 12:43pmThe operator of Hungary's main airport says employees have gone on strike there and passengers may face delays. Full Story
Pakistan reopens NATO supply route after brief haltPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 12:44pmPakistan reopened a main NATO supply route to Afghanistan Monday after the road was briefly closed by a rebel rocket attack that killed one soldier and wounded 10 others, officials said. Full Story
Russia and Ukraine sign 10-year gas supply dealPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 12:44pmRussia and Ukraine signed a 10-year gas supply deal on Monday to clear the way for a prompt resumption of supplies to a freezing Europe, cut off for nearly two weeks by a dispute between the ex-Soviet states. Full Story
Suicide attack near US base kills 1 AfghanPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 12:44pmA suicide car bomb attack near the gates of a U.S. base in eastern Afghanistan killed one Afghan on Monday and wounded several more, officials said. The attack targeted Forward Operating Base Chapman in Khost City, near the border with Pakistan, said Lt. Cmdr. James Gater, a spokesman for the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan. Full Story
Police: Greek shipping magnate releasedPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 7:41pmPolice say kidnappers have released an elderly and ill Greek shipping magnate, eight days after they snatched him at gunpoint in a seaside suburb of Athens. Full Story
RBS expects full-year loss up to 28 billion poundsPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 7:42pmCrisis-stricken Royal Bank of Scotland took fresh help from the government on Monday and announced that its losses for last year could reach 28 billion pounds ($41.3 billion) the biggest ever for a British corporation. Full Story
French police arrest three for synagogue attackPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 7:44pmFrench police arrested three people on suspicion of involvement in a petrol bomb attack on a synagogue earlier this month, officials said Monday. About a dozen people were inside the synagogue in the southwestern city of Toulouse when a car was set on fire and pushed into the door of the building, which suffered only slight damage. Full Story
Colombia Army Rescues 10 FARC Rebel CaptivesPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 9:32amThe Colombian army on Thursday rescued 10 peasants who had been kidnapped by FARC rebels on Dec. 20 in a rural part of the central province of Meta, a senior officer said. The commander of the army's 4th Division, Gen. Luis Zapata, confirmed Thursday that the peasants were rescued in the Sumapaz area, not far from Bogota, and were being taken to the Colombian capital. Full Story
Dissident Group Reports Cuba Still Has 207 Political PrisonersPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 9:38amThe dissident Cuban Commission on Human Rights reported that the island's communist regime continues to hold 207 political prisoners. In a message addressed to the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights and released Monday in Havana, the commission said that 57 of the political detainees have been adopted by Amnesty International as prisoners of conscience. Full Story
2 Mexican police assigned to Interpol chargedPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 9:39amTwo Mexican police officials formerly assigned to top positions in Mexico's Interpol offices were charged with having ties to drug cartels, the Attorney General's Office announced Thursday. The two ex-officials have been under house arrest since they were detained in November on suspicion of aiding cartels in exchange for money. Full Story
Latin America to hold summit to fight crimePosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 9:48amViolence and drug-trafficking have become such a major threat to Latin America that the presidents of Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala and Panama will sit around a table Friday in Panama to discuss what they can do about it. Their summit comes at a particularly troubled time for these governments, especially Mexico, which tallied a record number of drug-related killings last year. Full Story
Protesters clash with police in LithuaniaPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 9:52amPolice used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse anti-government protesters throwing rocks and eggs at Lithuania's Parliament on Friday. One police officer and several other people were injured in the clashes. Police said one protester lost a finger after being hit by a rubber bullet. Full Story
Doctor cleared in British terror plot free on bailPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 9:52amA Jordanian doctor cleared of involvement in botched car bomb attacks in London and Scotland but still facing a deportation order has been granted bail and freed. Full Story
Russia hopes US will not seek NATO expansionPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 9:53amForeign Minister Sergey Lavrov says Russia hopes the new U.S. president will not raise tensions by making Ukrainian and Georgian membership in NATO a priority. Full Story
Russia 'plans Mid-East sea bases'Posted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 9:55amRussia has taken a political decision to establish naval bases in Libya, Syria and Yemen, according to a Russian naval official quoted in the media. The unnamed official from the general naval staff told the Russian state news agency Itar-Tass that bases would be set up "within a few years". Full Story
Damage Apparently Kept Secret at German Nuclear Waste SitePosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 10:25amThe heat has been turned up on Germany's radiation protection office after it was revealed that an old salt mine in the German state of Lower Saxony, where nuclear waste is being stored, has sustained damaged. Full Story
Bomb explodes in Spain's Basque region, none hurtPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 10:27amPolice say a bomb has exploded at a television re-transmitter outside a town in Spain's northern Basque region, causing damages but no injuries. A spokesman for the Ertzaintza Basque regional force says the blast occurred around 1 a.m. (0000 GMT) on a hill outside the town of Hernani. He said the installation was not located near houses. Full Story
Spanish police smash drug, money laundering ringPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 10:28amFive of the nine arrested had Colombian nationality and all were linked to a top Colombian drug trafficker, currently at large, who owned a number of bars and restaurants in the southern Murcia region, a police statement said. Full Story
Bombs explode in Chile capitalPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 10:42amTwo bombs exploded nearly simultaneously around midnight in front of public buildings in Santiago, but no injuries were reported, Chilean police said Monday. A spokesman for the Carabineros militarized police force told Efe that a previously unknown anarchist group took responsibility for the bombings, which caused some damage. Full Story
South Florida Hotels Tutored on TerrorismPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 11:59amA parade of speakers discussed anthrax, explosives and terrorist tactics at a standing room only seminar Thursday on Miami Beach. The crowd at the Shore Club on Collins drive was not made up of visitors, but those who host visitors: Hotel managers and hotel security chiefs. Full Story
Homemade bombs now top threat in Kandahar, Canadians sayPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 12:00pmThe number of homemade bombs littering the Kandahar landscape has more than doubled in the past year, Canadian military officials say, making these improvised explosives the No. 1 threat against coalition troops in the province. Full Story
Turkish military criticizes coup plot probePosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 2:43pmTurkey's secular military, disturbed by the arrests of dozens of military officers in an alleged plot to topple the Islamic-rooted government, criticized the handling of the investigation as unfair and irresponsible Friday. Full Story
Mexican collapse? Drug wars worry some AmericansPosted on Sunday, January 18, 2009 at 12:08pmIndiscriminate kidnappings. Nearly daily beheadings. Gangs that mock and kill government agents. This isn't Iraq or Pakistan. It's Mexico, which the U.S. government and a growing number of experts say is becoming one of the world's biggest security risks. Full Story
The Doomsday MemoPosted on Sunday, January 18, 2009 at 12:11pmEven as most of Washington prepares to greet the new president, there are people in that city who are hard at work drawing up plans for a worst-case scenario. They are deeply aware of the chilling possibility that looms over the transition of power from President Bush to President Obama, reports CBS News correspondent Rita Braver.
"The most urgent threat that he'll have to deal with, and other presidents after him will have to deal with, is an attack on our homeland," Mr. Bush said in his news conference on Jan. 12. Full Story
Before the Handover Comes the SleepoverPosted on Sunday, January 18, 2009 at 12:14pmAs night falls on inauguration eve, a government slumber party of historic dimensions will begin. Nearly 6,000 soldiers will unroll their sleeping bags in D.C. schools. Homeland Security employees will climb onto bunk beds in trailers. FBI agents will stretch out on cots in a District church hall. Full Story
Pakistani Taliban blow up schools in SwatPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 6:43amPakistani Taliban insurgents destroyed four schools in the northwestern Swat region on Monday hours after a cabinet minister vowed that the government would reopen schools in the violence-plagued valley. Full Story
2 killed during attack on AU force in SomaliaPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 6:44amAt least two civilians were killed during an attack on African Union peacekeepers by an extremist Islamic group in the Somali capital, witnesses said on Sunday. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
Jemaah Islamiyah weakening, but should not be written off: expertPosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 8:02amThe Indonesian-based Islamic militant group Jemaah Islamiyah may have weakened as a group but individual members still remain a threat to regional security, an anti-terrorism expert said Tuesday. Full Story
22 Militants Killed in Afghanistan Coalition Ground, Air AssaultsPosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 8:04amThe U.S. military says coalition forces in Afghanistan have killed 22 militants in a series of clashes throughout the country. Officials said the coalition's ground and air assaults took place Monday in southern and eastern Afghanistan. They said one operation targeted a Taliban network in Kapisa province, killing 18 insurgents and one Taliban commander. Full Story
China urges Hamas to 'face reality,' stop attacksPosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 8:10amThe militant Islamic group Hamas should "face reality" and join the Middle East peace process, a Chinese envoy said Monday, adding the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians cannot be resolved by war. Full Story
Spanish police arrest 10 suspected Islamic extremistsPosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 8:45amSpanish police arrested 10 suspected Islamic extremists in a series of raids Tuesday in Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands, a source close to the inquiry said. Full Story
Chinese PM's trip 'snubs France'Posted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 8:48amChinese Premier Wen Jiabao is due to travel to Europe next week, the foreign ministry has announced - but his trip will pointedly exclude France. Mr Wen will visit Germany, Spain and Britain, as well as the EU in Brussels and the World Economic Forum in Davos. Full Story
UK: Government gives #1m to anti-extremist think-tank Quilliam FoundationPosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 8:54amAlmost #1 million of public money is being given to a think-tank run by two former Islamic extremists, despite reservations being expressed by members of the Government and the Opposition. Full Story
Deadly bicycle bomb strikes as Afghan voter registration opensPosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 9:09amTwo Afghan police officers and a civilian were killed after a remote-controlled bicycle bomb detonated in a central part of Kandahar city Tuesday. Witnesses said the bomb, planted on the bicycle, went off as a police pickup truck was driving by around 1:30 p.m. local time. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Full Story
Turkey's PM Presses for EU Membership, Pipeline AlternativePosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 9:37amTurkey's prime minister and the head of the European Commission on Monday urged one another to do more to speed up Turkey's progress towards the European Union, especially in the field of energy security. Full Story
India test fires missile in province near PakistanPosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 9:46amIndia tested its nuclear-capable Brahmos supersonic cruise missile Tuesday in a province bordering Pakistan, despite already tense relations with Islamabad following the Mumbai terror attacks, a news report said. Full Story
Taliban blow up 6 schools in SwatPosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 9:46amThe Taliban on Monday blew up five boys and a girls school in the restive Swat district, locals and officials said on Monday. The Taliban planted bombs around the buildings of five schools, which detonated late on Sunday, while the sixth was detonated on Monday afternoon. No reports of casualties were received. Meanwhile, two security personnel were injured in a remote-controlled bomb attack on their vehicle in Shand area of Madian on Monday, sources said. Full Story
Wanted militant arrested at Chennai airportPosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 9:47amA suspected militant, wanted in various cases, including a letter bomb case, was arrested at the airport here on Tuesday, the police said. Full Story
World agenda: Positive signs from US invasion of Iraq beginning to be seenPosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 9:50amAs George Bush leaves office under a cloud of criticism, he can take comfort in the signs of democracy emerging across Iraq, a country that defined his presidency and became his greatest challenge.
Campaign posters cover walls in towns and cities, while billboards promising unity and change stand in the darkest depths of the countryside as political parties spread their message ahead of provincial elections on January 31. Full Story
Taliban bomb kills Afghan policePosted on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 11:47amThe Taliban claimed responsibility for a roadside bomb that killed at least two police officers in Kandahar Tuesday, while coalition troops said they killed 22 militants, including two Taliban commanders, in raids elsewhere.
Two police officers died when a bomb targeting their vehicle went off Tuesday morning in the center of the southern city of Kandahar, said Zulmai Ayoubi, the spokesman for the governor of Kandahar province. The blast wounded two other officers and a civilian. Full Story
3 men deny conspiring with London transit bombersPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 8:52amA prosecutor on Monday accused three British men of scouting out potential targets on behalf of suicide bombers who killed 52 commuters on London's transit system in 2005. Full Story
Britain launches new bank bailout to boost lendingPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 8:53amBritain announced a new bank bailout Monday to boost lending into a struggling economy and protect banks from the bad assets sinking their balance sheets an admission that an earlier sweeping rescue plan didn't do the job. Full Story
Video threatens Germany over AfghanistanPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 8:54amGerman authorities said Sunday that they believe a purported al-Qaida video in which a man threatens Germany over its military presence in Afghanistan is authentic. Full Story
Yemen tribesmen 'kidnap German'Posted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 8:58amArmed Yemeni tribesmen have kidnapped a German engineer and two of his colleagues, a Yemeni gas firm has said. The incident involving employees of Yemen LNG happened in Shabwa region, east of the capital Sanaa, on Sunday. Full Story
Maritime hijacks hit record levels: studyPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 9:00amPiracy in the Gulf of Aden pushed the number of marine hijackings to record levels last year, according to the latest figures from the Piracy Reporting Centre.
Part of the London-based ICC International Maritime Bureau, the Piracy Reporting Centre said that the 2008 figures surpass all figures for hijacked vessels and hostages taken since it began reporting in 1992. Full Story
Turkey tries to revive EU drivePosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 9:03amTurkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has begun a visit to Brussels for talks on his country's flagging bid to join the European Union. He will meet the European Commission president and other senior officials. Full Story
Lawyer in prominent Chechnya cases slain in MoscowPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 10:17amA lawyer who had opposed the early release of a Russian colonel convicted of killing a Chechen woman was shot and killed after a press conference in central Moscow on Monday, officials said. Full Story
Bulgaria gets emergency gas supply from GreecePosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 11:10amGreece has started pumping natural gas to Bulgaria amid the European energy crisis caused by the halt of natural gas supplies from Russia. Full Story
Russia, Ukraine sign contract on gas supplies for 2009-2019Posted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 12:33pmRussian energy giant Gazprom and Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz signed on Monday a contract on Russian gas supplies to Ukraine for 2009-2019. Full Story
Leading Russian defence lawyer shot dead in MoscowPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 12:39pmA Russian defence lawyer famous for his work in one of Russia's most infamous criminal cases was shot dead in central Moscow this afternoon. Stanislav Markelov was shot close to the Kremlin by a man using a pistol with a silencer. Before escaping, his assassin also shot and seriously wounded two women walking with the lawyer. Full Story
Pakistan: Swat Girls' Schools to Reopen Despite ThreatPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 12:41pmPakistan's Information Minister Sherry Rehman says the government intends to reopen girls' schools in the northwestern Swat Valley, despite a ban issued by the local Taliban. Rehman told reporters in Karachi Sunday efforts will be made to ensure that classes resume on March 1, following the winter break. Full Story
Unleashed CIA Zapped 8 Qaeda Lieutenants Since JulyPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 12:42pmIn one of his final acts in office, President Bush has been trying to settle unfinished business in his internationally-unpopular global war on terror. No, he hasnt killed Osama Bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri or Abu Ayyub al-Masri. No, he hasnt pulled all U.S. troops out of Iraq. No, he hasnt closed Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib or Bagrams prisons. Full Story
Sri Lankan troops press offensive against TigersPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 12:43pmSri Lankan soldiers and Tamil Tiger rebels fought heavy battles during an army push to corner the separatist insurgents on the Indian Ocean island's northeast coast, the military said on Monday. The fighting on Sunday took place at several locations around the shrinking wedge of jungle that is all the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) still control, with analysts saying the 25-year war is near its end. Full Story
Employees resume strike at Hungary's main airportPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 12:43pmThe operator of Hungary's main airport says employees have gone on strike there and passengers may face delays. Full Story
Pakistan reopens NATO supply route after brief haltPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 12:44pmPakistan reopened a main NATO supply route to Afghanistan Monday after the road was briefly closed by a rebel rocket attack that killed one soldier and wounded 10 others, officials said. Full Story
Russia and Ukraine sign 10-year gas supply dealPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 12:44pmRussia and Ukraine signed a 10-year gas supply deal on Monday to clear the way for a prompt resumption of supplies to a freezing Europe, cut off for nearly two weeks by a dispute between the ex-Soviet states. Full Story
Suicide attack near US base kills 1 AfghanPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 12:44pmA suicide car bomb attack near the gates of a U.S. base in eastern Afghanistan killed one Afghan on Monday and wounded several more, officials said. The attack targeted Forward Operating Base Chapman in Khost City, near the border with Pakistan, said Lt. Cmdr. James Gater, a spokesman for the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan. Full Story
Police: Greek shipping magnate releasedPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 7:41pmPolice say kidnappers have released an elderly and ill Greek shipping magnate, eight days after they snatched him at gunpoint in a seaside suburb of Athens. Full Story
RBS expects full-year loss up to 28 billion poundsPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 7:42pmCrisis-stricken Royal Bank of Scotland took fresh help from the government on Monday and announced that its losses for last year could reach 28 billion pounds ($41.3 billion) the biggest ever for a British corporation. Full Story
French police arrest three for synagogue attackPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 7:44pmFrench police arrested three people on suspicion of involvement in a petrol bomb attack on a synagogue earlier this month, officials said Monday. About a dozen people were inside the synagogue in the southwestern city of Toulouse when a car was set on fire and pushed into the door of the building, which suffered only slight damage. Full Story
Colombia Army Rescues 10 FARC Rebel CaptivesPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 9:32amThe Colombian army on Thursday rescued 10 peasants who had been kidnapped by FARC rebels on Dec. 20 in a rural part of the central province of Meta, a senior officer said. The commander of the army's 4th Division, Gen. Luis Zapata, confirmed Thursday that the peasants were rescued in the Sumapaz area, not far from Bogota, and were being taken to the Colombian capital. Full Story
Dissident Group Reports Cuba Still Has 207 Political PrisonersPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 9:38amThe dissident Cuban Commission on Human Rights reported that the island's communist regime continues to hold 207 political prisoners. In a message addressed to the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights and released Monday in Havana, the commission said that 57 of the political detainees have been adopted by Amnesty International as prisoners of conscience. Full Story
2 Mexican police assigned to Interpol chargedPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 9:39amTwo Mexican police officials formerly assigned to top positions in Mexico's Interpol offices were charged with having ties to drug cartels, the Attorney General's Office announced Thursday. The two ex-officials have been under house arrest since they were detained in November on suspicion of aiding cartels in exchange for money. Full Story
Latin America to hold summit to fight crimePosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 9:48amViolence and drug-trafficking have become such a major threat to Latin America that the presidents of Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala and Panama will sit around a table Friday in Panama to discuss what they can do about it. Their summit comes at a particularly troubled time for these governments, especially Mexico, which tallied a record number of drug-related killings last year. Full Story
Protesters clash with police in LithuaniaPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 9:52amPolice used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse anti-government protesters throwing rocks and eggs at Lithuania's Parliament on Friday. One police officer and several other people were injured in the clashes. Police said one protester lost a finger after being hit by a rubber bullet. Full Story
Doctor cleared in British terror plot free on bailPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 9:52amA Jordanian doctor cleared of involvement in botched car bomb attacks in London and Scotland but still facing a deportation order has been granted bail and freed. Full Story
Russia hopes US will not seek NATO expansionPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 9:53amForeign Minister Sergey Lavrov says Russia hopes the new U.S. president will not raise tensions by making Ukrainian and Georgian membership in NATO a priority. Full Story
Russia 'plans Mid-East sea bases'Posted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 9:55amRussia has taken a political decision to establish naval bases in Libya, Syria and Yemen, according to a Russian naval official quoted in the media. The unnamed official from the general naval staff told the Russian state news agency Itar-Tass that bases would be set up "within a few years". Full Story
Damage Apparently Kept Secret at German Nuclear Waste SitePosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 10:25amThe heat has been turned up on Germany's radiation protection office after it was revealed that an old salt mine in the German state of Lower Saxony, where nuclear waste is being stored, has sustained damaged. Full Story
Bomb explodes in Spain's Basque region, none hurtPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 10:27amPolice say a bomb has exploded at a television re-transmitter outside a town in Spain's northern Basque region, causing damages but no injuries. A spokesman for the Ertzaintza Basque regional force says the blast occurred around 1 a.m. (0000 GMT) on a hill outside the town of Hernani. He said the installation was not located near houses. Full Story
Spanish police smash drug, money laundering ringPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 10:28amFive of the nine arrested had Colombian nationality and all were linked to a top Colombian drug trafficker, currently at large, who owned a number of bars and restaurants in the southern Murcia region, a police statement said. Full Story
Bombs explode in Chile capitalPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 10:42amTwo bombs exploded nearly simultaneously around midnight in front of public buildings in Santiago, but no injuries were reported, Chilean police said Monday. A spokesman for the Carabineros militarized police force told Efe that a previously unknown anarchist group took responsibility for the bombings, which caused some damage. Full Story
South Florida Hotels Tutored on TerrorismPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 11:59amA parade of speakers discussed anthrax, explosives and terrorist tactics at a standing room only seminar Thursday on Miami Beach. The crowd at the Shore Club on Collins drive was not made up of visitors, but those who host visitors: Hotel managers and hotel security chiefs. Full Story
Homemade bombs now top threat in Kandahar, Canadians sayPosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 12:00pmThe number of homemade bombs littering the Kandahar landscape has more than doubled in the past year, Canadian military officials say, making these improvised explosives the No. 1 threat against coalition troops in the province. Full Story
Turkish military criticizes coup plot probePosted on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 2:43pmTurkey's secular military, disturbed by the arrests of dozens of military officers in an alleged plot to topple the Islamic-rooted government, criticized the handling of the investigation as unfair and irresponsible Friday. Full Story
Mexican collapse? Drug wars worry some AmericansPosted on Sunday, January 18, 2009 at 12:08pmIndiscriminate kidnappings. Nearly daily beheadings. Gangs that mock and kill government agents. This isn't Iraq or Pakistan. It's Mexico, which the U.S. government and a growing number of experts say is becoming one of the world's biggest security risks. Full Story
The Doomsday MemoPosted on Sunday, January 18, 2009 at 12:11pmEven as most of Washington prepares to greet the new president, there are people in that city who are hard at work drawing up plans for a worst-case scenario. They are deeply aware of the chilling possibility that looms over the transition of power from President Bush to President Obama, reports CBS News correspondent Rita Braver.
"The most urgent threat that he'll have to deal with, and other presidents after him will have to deal with, is an attack on our homeland," Mr. Bush said in his news conference on Jan. 12. Full Story
Before the Handover Comes the SleepoverPosted on Sunday, January 18, 2009 at 12:14pmAs night falls on inauguration eve, a government slumber party of historic dimensions will begin. Nearly 6,000 soldiers will unroll their sleeping bags in D.C. schools. Homeland Security employees will climb onto bunk beds in trailers. FBI agents will stretch out on cots in a District church hall. Full Story
Pakistani Taliban blow up schools in SwatPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 6:43amPakistani Taliban insurgents destroyed four schools in the northwestern Swat region on Monday hours after a cabinet minister vowed that the government would reopen schools in the violence-plagued valley. Full Story
2 killed during attack on AU force in SomaliaPosted on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 6:44amAt least two civilians were killed during an attack on African Union peacekeepers by an extremist Islamic group in the Somali capital, witnesses said on Sunday. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
SOME TERROR INSGHTS
Pakistan's ISI training women for terrorism
14 Jan 2009, 1127 hrs IST, TIMESOFINDIA.COM
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-3976775,prtpage-1.cms
NEW DELHI: Security forces in Jammu & Kashmir have found the new face of terror.
During an interrogation of a woman arrested last week by the J&K police for providing logistics support for the JeM and Let militants, it was revealed that Pakistan's ISI is reportedly inducting women into militancy. ( Watch ) TV reports suggest that ISI is adopting a new ploy and training woman to carry out militant attacks.
During interrogation of an alleged ISI agent arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police, she confessed that she was trained by the ISI in the Bhiber and Kotli forests in the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
======
Israel fires back 9 rockets, while helicopters flew low over S Lebanon
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-01/14/content_10657235.htm
Special report: Palestine-Israel Conflicts
BEIRUT, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Israel responded firing back nine rockets into southern Lebanon areas of Arkoub and Habarieh in Hassbia region, while Israeli helicopters flew in low altitude over the area, al-Jazeera TV reported Wednesday.
Two Katyusha rockets were launched Wednesday morning from southern Lebanon into Israeli town of Kiryat Shmouna, prompting an Israeli response of firing back the nine rockets.
=====
More diddling with Obama's non-existent US birth certificate.
Article confirms Brennan as a scumbag. No wonder he was withdrawn from consideration as a CIA Director.
http://www.newsmax.com/timmerman/brennan_passport_breach/2009/01/12/170430.html
Newsmax.com
Obama's Intelligence Adviser Involved in Security BreachMonday, January 12, 2009 1:46 PM
Obama’s top terrorism and intelligence adviser, John O. Brennan, heads a firm that was cited in March for breaching sensitive files in the State Department’s passport office, according to a State Department Inspector General’s report released this past July.
The security breach, first reported by the Washington Times and later confirmed by State Department spokesman Sean McCormack, involved a contract employee of Brennan’s firm, The Analysis Corp., which has earned millions of dollars providing intelligence-related consulting
services to federal agencies and private companies.
=======
14 Jan 2009, 1127 hrs IST, TIMESOFINDIA.COM
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-3976775,prtpage-1.cms
NEW DELHI: Security forces in Jammu & Kashmir have found the new face of terror.
During an interrogation of a woman arrested last week by the J&K police for providing logistics support for the JeM and Let militants, it was revealed that Pakistan's ISI is reportedly inducting women into militancy. ( Watch ) TV reports suggest that ISI is adopting a new ploy and training woman to carry out militant attacks.
During interrogation of an alleged ISI agent arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police, she confessed that she was trained by the ISI in the Bhiber and Kotli forests in the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
======
Israel fires back 9 rockets, while helicopters flew low over S Lebanon
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-01/14/content_10657235.htm
Special report: Palestine-Israel Conflicts
BEIRUT, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Israel responded firing back nine rockets into southern Lebanon areas of Arkoub and Habarieh in Hassbia region, while Israeli helicopters flew in low altitude over the area, al-Jazeera TV reported Wednesday.
Two Katyusha rockets were launched Wednesday morning from southern Lebanon into Israeli town of Kiryat Shmouna, prompting an Israeli response of firing back the nine rockets.
=====
More diddling with Obama's non-existent US birth certificate.
Article confirms Brennan as a scumbag. No wonder he was withdrawn from consideration as a CIA Director.
http://www.newsmax.com/timmerman/brennan_passport_breach/2009/01/12/170430.html
Newsmax.com
Obama's Intelligence Adviser Involved in Security BreachMonday, January 12, 2009 1:46 PM
Obama’s top terrorism and intelligence adviser, John O. Brennan, heads a firm that was cited in March for breaching sensitive files in the State Department’s passport office, according to a State Department Inspector General’s report released this past July.
The security breach, first reported by the Washington Times and later confirmed by State Department spokesman Sean McCormack, involved a contract employee of Brennan’s firm, The Analysis Corp., which has earned millions of dollars providing intelligence-related consulting
services to federal agencies and private companies.
=======
Monday, January 12, 2009
CONFLICT & TERROR 01/12
Mumbai attacks seen as model for future terrorismPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 8:36amThe deadly attacks in India may have provided a low-frills but bloody blueprint for other violent groups to follow, U.S. anti-terrorism officials told Congress on Thursday. The FBI's chief intelligence officer told a Senate hearing that the November siege showed that well-trained assailants with simple weaponry can cause massive casualties. Full Story
Top Al-Qaeda operatives in Pakistan killed: US officialPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 8:38amThe head of Al-Qaeda in Pakistan and his lieutenant were killed in the past days, a US counterterrorism official told AFP on Thursday, reportedly struck by a missile fired from an unmanned drone. The men are believed to be Kenyan national Usama al-Kini, described as Al-Qaeda's chief of operations in Pakistan, and his lieutenant Sheikh Ahmed Salim Swedan, said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity. Full Story
Cops gun down Assam bomber in encounterPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 8:39amA 20-year-old Ulfa terrorist, who police had earlier claimed to have triggered the January 1 serial blasts in Guwahati, was gunned down by the Army in lower Assam on Thursday. Pranjal Deka alias Biju Sarania or Bhambal was killed in an encounter between troops and Ulfa terrorists at Halikuchi on the border between Baksa and Kamrup districts at 6.45pm, an officer from the Armys Rangiya-based Red Horns Division said. Full Story
New York expands 'SWAT' reserves after MumbaiPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 8:40amNew York police have begun training officers in heavy weapons to help its elite security force fight off a commando-style attack like the Mumbai siege, commissioner Ray Kelly told Congress on Thursday. Full Story
Slovakia considers other gas sources than RussiaPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 8:41amSlovakia said on Friday it wanted to secure delivery of between 8 million and 10 million cubic metres of natural gas from sources other than Russia after the flow of Russian gas was halted this week. Full Story
US: NATO might offer gas help to EuropePosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 8:43amA senior U.S. diplomat says NATO may have to help alleviate the effects of natural gas shortages in member states if the dispute between Ukraine and Russia continues to hinder deliveries. U.S. ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker says the although the dispute between the Russian and Ukrainian gas companies is a commercial one, it also has political and security implications. Full Story
Afghan governor says 6 killed by suicide bomberPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 9:00amA suicide bomber detonated explosives strapped to his body inside a produce shop in southern Afghanistan on Friday, killing six people, the provincial governor said. Full Story
Colombian drug baron shot dead in Madrid hospitalPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 9:47amThe Colombian cocaine
cartel boss Lesnidas Vargas was shot dead in his bed in front of horrified fellow patients at Madrid's public Doce de Octubre hospital last night.Full Story
Venezuela: 2008 Inflation Was 30.9%, an 11-Year HighPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 9:48amVenezuelas inflation rate reached 30.9 percent in 2008, an 11-year high, the central bank said Thursday. The rising price level is among the economic challenges facing President Hugo Chavez as the global financial crisis, and particularly falling oil prices, threaten to curtail growth. The central bank also said prices rose 31.9 percent in the capital, Caracas, the highest level since 1997, outstripping the 2007 figure, 22.5 percent.Full Story
Obama to meet Mexico's Calderon on MondayPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 9:51amBarack Obama will meet on Monday with Mexican President Felipe Calderon, marking the incoming U.S. president's first meeting with a foreign leader since he was elected in November. The talks in Washington are likely to cover issues such as Mexico's increasingly violent drug war, Mexican migration to the United States and the NAFTA trade agreement.Full Story
Worldwide protests on Gaza continuePosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 9:52amInternational condemnation of Israel's two week assault on Gaza has continued, with tens of thousands of protesters calling for end to the military offensive. Full Story
DEA identifies ringleaders of Tijuana violencePosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 9:53amThe U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on Thursday published a poster of 10 men it believes are locked in violent battle for drug trafficking routes through Tijuana, Mexico.Full Story
Top cartel suspect Adrian Rivera Garcia arrested in MexicoPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 9:54amMexican authorities have arrested a top drug cartel suspect and two other men and seized drugs, weapons, explosives, vehicles and cash, the state-run news agency said.Full Story
Inside Al-Sadr's Al-Mumahhidun ProjectPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 9:57amA large number of Shi'i leader Muqtada al-Sadr's supporters are coming from the various Iraqi regions to participate in the Al-Mumahhidun [the pavers, who will pave the way for the reappearance of the 12th Shi'i imam] project, for which Al-Sadr had previously called. Full Story
Jordanian police restrain protestors outside Israeli EmbassyPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 10:03amJordan police Friday prevented more than 2,000 angry demonstrators protesting the Israeli war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip from reaching Israel's embassy in Amman. Full Story
Arrests of Officers in Turkey Stoke Uneasiness in MilitaryPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 10:15amTurkeys military chief met unexpectedly with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday to discuss the detention of several high-ranking military officers in an investigation of a possible coup plot, a sign of deepening concern in Turkeys powerful. Full Story
Somali pirates release hijacked supertanker Sirius Star and crewPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 10:17amSomalia pirates said today that they had released the Sirius Star, the oil-laden supertanker seized in the Indian Ocean in November. The 25 crew, including two Britons, have been help captive on the ship for almost two months. The pirates said that all the crew was unharmed. Full Story
Syria deals with Gaza, eyeing own peacePosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 10:23amSyria has responded to Israel's Gaza offensive with harsh words for the Israelis and expressions of firm support for Hamas. But it's unlikely to do much more. Full Story
Gaza Attacks Continue Despite U.N. Truce CallPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 10:26amIsrael and Hamas rebuffed a United Nations call for a cease-fire in the 14-day Gaza war on Friday, with Israel saying continued barrages of rocket fire from its adversaries made the United Nations resolution unworkable. Full Story
Arab shot after attempt to blow up gas stationPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 10:31amA Palestinian man who tried to set fire to a gas station in the Mishor Adumim industrial zone in the West Bank on Thursday was shot dead by police on the scene, police and rescue officials said. Full Story
IDF unveils Hamas map seized in GazaPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 10:33amParatroopers in northern Gaza have uncovered a map prepared by Hamas that shows how the terror group prepared for the IDF's incursion by deploying different types of bombs as well as snipers throughout the town of Atatra. Full Story
UN: One-third of Gaza dead, injured are childrenPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 10:41amPalestinian children are dying at a heavy rate in the Israeli-Hamas fighting about one of every three persons killed, according to Gaza statistics. Full Story
United Nations halts relief work in GazaPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 10:42amThe United Nations suspended all activities in the Gaza Strip Thursday, accusing Israeli soldiers of firing on a marked UN vehicle during a three-hour humanitarian cease-fire initiated by Israel. Full Story
Sri Lanka captures key rebel base at Elephant PassPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 5:54pmSri Lankan troops on Friday captured Elephant Pass, the Tamil Tigers' last stronghold on the Jaffna peninsula, seizing control of a base and a symbolic highway, and isolating the retreating rebels in a shrinking slice of northeastern jungle. Full Story
China Losing Taste for Debt From U.S.Posted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 5:57pmChina has bought more than $1 trillion of American debt, but as the global downturn has intensified, Beijing is starting to keep more of its money at home, a move that could have painful effects for American borrowers. Full story
$3m ransom drops in for Somali piratesPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 6:02pmThe seizure by Somali pirates of the largest ship ever hijacked was dramatically ended yesterday when a ransom of $3 million (#2 million) was dropped by parachute from a low-flying aircraft on to its deck. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
Top Al-Qaeda operatives in Pakistan killed: US officialPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 8:38amThe head of Al-Qaeda in Pakistan and his lieutenant were killed in the past days, a US counterterrorism official told AFP on Thursday, reportedly struck by a missile fired from an unmanned drone. The men are believed to be Kenyan national Usama al-Kini, described as Al-Qaeda's chief of operations in Pakistan, and his lieutenant Sheikh Ahmed Salim Swedan, said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity. Full Story
Cops gun down Assam bomber in encounterPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 8:39amA 20-year-old Ulfa terrorist, who police had earlier claimed to have triggered the January 1 serial blasts in Guwahati, was gunned down by the Army in lower Assam on Thursday. Pranjal Deka alias Biju Sarania or Bhambal was killed in an encounter between troops and Ulfa terrorists at Halikuchi on the border between Baksa and Kamrup districts at 6.45pm, an officer from the Armys Rangiya-based Red Horns Division said. Full Story
New York expands 'SWAT' reserves after MumbaiPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 8:40amNew York police have begun training officers in heavy weapons to help its elite security force fight off a commando-style attack like the Mumbai siege, commissioner Ray Kelly told Congress on Thursday. Full Story
Slovakia considers other gas sources than RussiaPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 8:41amSlovakia said on Friday it wanted to secure delivery of between 8 million and 10 million cubic metres of natural gas from sources other than Russia after the flow of Russian gas was halted this week. Full Story
US: NATO might offer gas help to EuropePosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 8:43amA senior U.S. diplomat says NATO may have to help alleviate the effects of natural gas shortages in member states if the dispute between Ukraine and Russia continues to hinder deliveries. U.S. ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker says the although the dispute between the Russian and Ukrainian gas companies is a commercial one, it also has political and security implications. Full Story
Afghan governor says 6 killed by suicide bomberPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 9:00amA suicide bomber detonated explosives strapped to his body inside a produce shop in southern Afghanistan on Friday, killing six people, the provincial governor said. Full Story
Colombian drug baron shot dead in Madrid hospitalPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 9:47amThe Colombian cocaine
cartel boss Lesnidas Vargas was shot dead in his bed in front of horrified fellow patients at Madrid's public Doce de Octubre hospital last night.Full Story
Venezuela: 2008 Inflation Was 30.9%, an 11-Year HighPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 9:48amVenezuelas inflation rate reached 30.9 percent in 2008, an 11-year high, the central bank said Thursday. The rising price level is among the economic challenges facing President Hugo Chavez as the global financial crisis, and particularly falling oil prices, threaten to curtail growth. The central bank also said prices rose 31.9 percent in the capital, Caracas, the highest level since 1997, outstripping the 2007 figure, 22.5 percent.Full Story
Obama to meet Mexico's Calderon on MondayPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 9:51amBarack Obama will meet on Monday with Mexican President Felipe Calderon, marking the incoming U.S. president's first meeting with a foreign leader since he was elected in November. The talks in Washington are likely to cover issues such as Mexico's increasingly violent drug war, Mexican migration to the United States and the NAFTA trade agreement.Full Story
Worldwide protests on Gaza continuePosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 9:52amInternational condemnation of Israel's two week assault on Gaza has continued, with tens of thousands of protesters calling for end to the military offensive. Full Story
DEA identifies ringleaders of Tijuana violencePosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 9:53amThe U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on Thursday published a poster of 10 men it believes are locked in violent battle for drug trafficking routes through Tijuana, Mexico.Full Story
Top cartel suspect Adrian Rivera Garcia arrested in MexicoPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 9:54amMexican authorities have arrested a top drug cartel suspect and two other men and seized drugs, weapons, explosives, vehicles and cash, the state-run news agency said.Full Story
Inside Al-Sadr's Al-Mumahhidun ProjectPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 9:57amA large number of Shi'i leader Muqtada al-Sadr's supporters are coming from the various Iraqi regions to participate in the Al-Mumahhidun [the pavers, who will pave the way for the reappearance of the 12th Shi'i imam] project, for which Al-Sadr had previously called. Full Story
Jordanian police restrain protestors outside Israeli EmbassyPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 10:03amJordan police Friday prevented more than 2,000 angry demonstrators protesting the Israeli war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip from reaching Israel's embassy in Amman. Full Story
Arrests of Officers in Turkey Stoke Uneasiness in MilitaryPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 10:15amTurkeys military chief met unexpectedly with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday to discuss the detention of several high-ranking military officers in an investigation of a possible coup plot, a sign of deepening concern in Turkeys powerful. Full Story
Somali pirates release hijacked supertanker Sirius Star and crewPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 10:17amSomalia pirates said today that they had released the Sirius Star, the oil-laden supertanker seized in the Indian Ocean in November. The 25 crew, including two Britons, have been help captive on the ship for almost two months. The pirates said that all the crew was unharmed. Full Story
Syria deals with Gaza, eyeing own peacePosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 10:23amSyria has responded to Israel's Gaza offensive with harsh words for the Israelis and expressions of firm support for Hamas. But it's unlikely to do much more. Full Story
Gaza Attacks Continue Despite U.N. Truce CallPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 10:26amIsrael and Hamas rebuffed a United Nations call for a cease-fire in the 14-day Gaza war on Friday, with Israel saying continued barrages of rocket fire from its adversaries made the United Nations resolution unworkable. Full Story
Arab shot after attempt to blow up gas stationPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 10:31amA Palestinian man who tried to set fire to a gas station in the Mishor Adumim industrial zone in the West Bank on Thursday was shot dead by police on the scene, police and rescue officials said. Full Story
IDF unveils Hamas map seized in GazaPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 10:33amParatroopers in northern Gaza have uncovered a map prepared by Hamas that shows how the terror group prepared for the IDF's incursion by deploying different types of bombs as well as snipers throughout the town of Atatra. Full Story
UN: One-third of Gaza dead, injured are childrenPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 10:41amPalestinian children are dying at a heavy rate in the Israeli-Hamas fighting about one of every three persons killed, according to Gaza statistics. Full Story
United Nations halts relief work in GazaPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 10:42amThe United Nations suspended all activities in the Gaza Strip Thursday, accusing Israeli soldiers of firing on a marked UN vehicle during a three-hour humanitarian cease-fire initiated by Israel. Full Story
Sri Lanka captures key rebel base at Elephant PassPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 5:54pmSri Lankan troops on Friday captured Elephant Pass, the Tamil Tigers' last stronghold on the Jaffna peninsula, seizing control of a base and a symbolic highway, and isolating the retreating rebels in a shrinking slice of northeastern jungle. Full Story
China Losing Taste for Debt From U.S.Posted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 5:57pmChina has bought more than $1 trillion of American debt, but as the global downturn has intensified, Beijing is starting to keep more of its money at home, a move that could have painful effects for American borrowers. Full story
$3m ransom drops in for Somali piratesPosted on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 6:02pmThe seizure by Somali pirates of the largest ship ever hijacked was dramatically ended yesterday when a ransom of $3 million (#2 million) was dropped by parachute from a low-flying aircraft on to its deck. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
CONFLICT & TERROR 01/08
MI5 chief - al-Qaida threat diminished, but not yet overPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 7:01amThe head of MI5 says today that the threat of an immediate attack in Britain by al-Qaida-inspired extremists has diminished because a string of successful prosecutions has had a "chilling" effect. Full Story
Residents: Hamas Militants Staged Attacks from Cover of UN SchoolPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 7:02amResidents of a Gaza neighborhood are confirming Israel's claim that Hamas militants had opened fire from the cover of a U.N. school where hundreds of Palestinians had sought refuge. Full Story
Measles is reviving in Europe, doctors warnPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 8:02amCases of measles have risen sharply in parts of Europe, reflecting the mobility of people carrying the disease and the failure to complete vaccination strategies among key communities, The Lancet reported on Wednesday. Full Story
Germany sees higher jobless totalPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 8:09amGermany saw its unemployment levels rise for the first time in nearly three years in December, according to government figures. Full Story
Greek interior minister survives Cabinet reshufflePosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 8:17amGreek's embattled leader reshuffled his Cabinet on Wednesday but retained his interior minister, who has been sharply criticized for the government's handling of riots across the nation last month. Full Story
Taliban's jihad proclamations represent their freedom of opinion: ISI ChiefPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 10:00amPakistan Inter-Services Intelligence chief Lieutenant-General Ahmed Shujaa Pasha, who too is unwilling to apprehend the Taliban leadership after many claimed that Mullah Omar is in Quetta, has said that if the Taliban thinks that jihad is an obligation it is their freedom of opinion. Full Story
Nigerian pirates free nine crewPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 11:23amNine crew members of a French ship taken hostage at the weekend off the coast of Nigeria have been freed. The ship's owner - Bourbon - did not say how it had secured the release of the vessel. full story
All 'possibilities open' against IsraelPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 12:18pmHezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said Wednesday "all possibilities" are open against Israel and warned the Jewish state's 2006 war with his party would resemble "a walk in the park" in the event of renewed conflict. Full Story
Move to delay election gathers steamPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 12:37pmKnesset members from across the political spectrum intensified speculation on Tuesday about whether the February 10 general election would have to be delayed due to Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip. Full Story
Deepening Israeli assault on Hamas divides Arab worldPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 12:38pmIsrael pressed deeper into Gaza Tuesday in its assault on Hamas. As the battle grew deadlier, calls for a cease-fire mounted as did outrage at Israel after two strikes outside United Nations schools killed at least 34 Gaza civilians. Full Story
West Bank support of Hamas: Deep but mutedPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 12:40pmFewer than 100 people showed up in the busy center of Nablus for a demonstration in solidarity with the suffering Palestinians of Gaza. There were a few Palestinian flags, and some posters that featured bombs with Jewish stars and dripping blood and demanded, "Where is the conscience of the world?" But when an organizer asked passers-by to join the rally, only a handful responded. Full Story
Al-Qaida No. 2 blames Obama for Gaza fightPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 12:42pmAl-Qaida's No. 2 leader lashed out at President-elect Barack Obama in a new audio message Tuesday, accusing him of not doing anything to stop Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip, according to an intelligence monitoring center. Full Story
Iraq sends 30,000 troops to guard Karbala pilgrimsPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 12:43pmA female suicide bomber allegedly planning to blow herself up among Shiite pilgrims was arrested Wednesday in northern Iraq, as millions joined processions across the country to honor the martyrdom of one of their most revered saints, Iraqi police said. Full Story
Turkey holds suspicious Iran-Venezuela shipmentPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 12:51pmTurkey was holding a suspicious shipment bound for Venezuela from Iran because it contained lab equipment capable of producing explosives, a customs official said Tuesday. Full Story
Cholera situation under control, says SA's governmentPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 1:45pmThe cholera outbreak that began in December last year is under control, the Department of Health said. "The number of cholera cases both confirmed and suspected so far seem to be confined largely to two of the countrys nine provinces," said spokesman Fidel Hadebe. Full Story
Algeria thwarts suicide attacksPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 1:52pmAlgerian security services have thwarted a possible Sept. 11 terrorist attack in eastern Algeria, a security official and local media reported Thursday, as thousands of army troops and police conducted anti-terror sweeps throughout the North African country.
Several Algerian newspapers reported that a terrorist group was planning suicide bombings against a market, a police station and a security regional headquarters in the eastern town of El Oued near the border with Libya. Full Story
Western Algerian taxi drivers plan massive strikePosted on
Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 1:56pmFour Algerian labour unions for taxi drivers decided Sunday (January 4th) in Oran to begin a 2-day strike on January 19th to protest permit shortages, and taxation issues, El Khabar reported. The strike, involving an estimated 25,000 drivers, will impact the western Algeria wilayas of Mascara, Mostaganem, Tlemcen, Ain Timouchent, Saida, Relizane and Sidi Bel Abbes. Full Story
Rockets Fired From Lebanon Into Northern IsraelPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:31amIsraels conflict with Hamas in Gaza threatened to broaden on Thursday as at least three rockets were fired into the north of Israel from Lebanon. Full Story
Israelis arrive in Egypt for cease-fire talksPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:32amIsraeli representatives arrived in Cairo Thursday for Egyptian-brokered talks on a cease-fire proposal after the U.N. Security Council failed to agree on action to end the escalating crisis in Gaza. Full Story
Ukrainian, Russian gas companies hold talksPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:33amThe heads of the Russian and Ukrainian gas companies held an unexpected meeting in Moscow early Thursday to discuss the dispute that has caused an energy crisis in Europe, but both sides said no breakthrough was reached. Full Story
Venezuela to keep sending free fuel to US poorPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:35amPresident Hugo Chavez will keep donating heating oil for poor American families in a costly decision that suggests the Venezuelan leader wants to keep to his pledges and buttress his image in spite of falling oil prices. Full Story
US releases $99 million of Mexico anti-drug moneyPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:36amThe United States has released another $99 million as part of an aid package to support Mexico's police and soldiers in their fight against drug cartels. Full Story
Tijuana wakes up to 7 deadPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:37amOvernight violence in Tijuana has claimed seven victims. City police say gunmen opened fire from several cars late Tuesday, killing a 22-year-old standing with his family outside his house. Full Story
Press groups condemn attack on Mexican TV studioPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:39amPress freedom groups are condemning an attack on a Mexican television station in the northern city of Monterrey. Masked gunmen opened fire and tossed a grenade at the Televisa network's studio as it aired a nightly newscast. The assailants left behind a message warning the station about its coverage of drug gangs. Full Story
7 Zimbabwe opposition members charged in bomb plotPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:40amSeven members of Zimbabwe's main opposition party were the first of dozens of jailed dissidents to be formally charged Wednesday, and they pleaded not guilty in a bombing plot. Full Story
Rebels rob oil company staff in southern NigeriaPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:41amArmed men robbed an offshore oil platform operated by a subsidiary of US oil giant ExxonMobile in southern Nigeria although the attack did not disrupt oil production, the company said Wednesday. Full Story
Kidnapped aid workers in Somalia releasedPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:42amTwo aid workers kidnapped from Ethiopia by Somali gunmen more than three months ago have been released in good health, their organization said. Full Story
Gunmen shoot dead govt official in Pakistani tribal areaPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:43amGunmen Thursday shot dead a government official in a tribal area in northwest Pakistan near the border with Afghanistan where Taliban militants are active, an official said. Full Story
China official urges education to stem terrorismPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:44amRocked by a fresh outbreak of anti-government violence, officials in China's far western Xinjiang region are urging expanded free education to staunch support for Islamic separatists. Full Story
UK: Doubts raised over measles targetPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 8:01amThe UK has been named as one of the worst countries in Europe for measles, with case levels dashing global hopes of eradicating the disease by 2010. The Lancet study says that in 2006-7 most of the 12,000 cases in Europe were found in the UK and four other nations. Full Story
Anti-Jewish Activities in Europe Rise After Gaza
IncursionPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 8:02amThe hostilities between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas are having repercussions for European Muslims and Jews. Countries throughout the continent are reporting an increase of anti-Jewish acts. Full Story
Banned Pak terror outfit Lashkar-e-Islam launches its websitePosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:03amThe banned terrorist outfit, Lashkar-e-Islam (LeI) has launched its website to highlight the activities of the organization. (LeI) is led by Mangal Bagh in Khyber Agency, which was declared illegal in June 2007. Full Story
Pakistan opens NATO supply road in daytime: officialPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:04amPakistan Monday reopened during daytime hours a key northwest supply route for Western troops in Afghanistan, a local official said, as the army wrapped up an anti-militant drive in the area. Full Story
Taliban kill three 'US spies' in Pakistan: officialPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:04amTaliban militants executed three people in a restive Pakistani tribal region near the Afghan border after accusing them of spying for the United States, officials said Monday. Full Story
Taliban consolidating grip on Quetta: Sanaullah BalochPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:05amBalochistan National Party (BNP) Information Secretary and former senator Sanaullah Baloch has disclosed that the supporters of Taliban have captured land worth Rs 2 billion in the eastern and western parts of Quetta with the covert support of the establishment in order to undermine the Baloch nationalist movement and promote Talibanisation in Balochistan. Full Story
Gazprom Dispute With Ukraine Entangles EuropePosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:07amRussias gas price dispute with Ukraine escalated Tuesday, disrupting deliveries to the European Union in the midst of a bitter cold spell, with a number of countries reporting that gas supplies had been suspended or reduced, and Germany predicting a possible shortage. Full Story
Countries affected by Russia-Ukraine gas rowPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:08amFollowing are comments from European customers affected by the cut-off in gas supplies by Russia's gas export monopoly Gazprom to its neighbour Ukraine over a pricing dispute: Full Story
Mumbai attacks backed by official Pakistan agencies: Indian PMPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:09amIndian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said the Mumbai attacks had the support of "some official agencies" in Pakistan, in his strongest accusation yet against the neighbouring country. The premier also accused Islamabad of using terrorism as an "instrument of state policy" and said Pakistan had in the past also "encouraged and given sanctuary" to militants hostile to India. Full Story
Eurasia Group: Ukraine one of world's top risks in 2009Posted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:11amDirect military conflict with Russia is unlikely, but battles between Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and President Viktor Yuschenko will continue to divide the government and complicate attempts to deal with the country's economic crisis, a consulting firm has said. Full Story
Pakistan says Mumbai proof not crediblePosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:17amPakistan on Tuesday dismissed as "not credible" evidence provided by India to it on the Mumbai terror attacks, hours after a Presidential aide termed as "premature" local media reports that suggested the material given by New Delhi was insufficient. Full Story
Arson attack on French synagoguePosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:34amAttackers rammed a burning car into a synagogue in the southern French city of Toulouse, officials have said. The car, packed with a petrol bomb, was set alight and then pushed into the synagogue door by a second car. Full Story
Venezuela cuts aid on heating oil to U.S. poorPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:52amVenezuela's national oil company is suspending a program that provides discounted heating oil to poor communities in the United States, as officials here struggle to find ways of preserving hard currency reserves amid a plunge in oil revenue. The move, announced Monday, halts one of President Hugo Chavez's most ambitious foreign aid projects - and one that allowed him to poke at the Bush administration, which had proposed a cut in funding for heating assistance to the poor.Full Story
British forces check report on Afghan civilian deathsPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:52amNATO's British forces were on Tuesday checking a report that some civilians were killed during an operation against the Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand, a spokesman said. Hundreds of Afghans were been killed in air strikes and raids by foreign troops last year, undermining public support for the presence of international forces and leading to a rift between President Hamid Karzai and his Western backers. Full Story
Huge landslide buries victimsPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:57amA massive landslide tore down the side of a mountain and buried a northern Guatemalan highway, killing at least 34 people and leaving rescue workers to dig for more victims. Guatemala's Vice President Rafael Espada said he feared the death toll could rise by at least a dozen more. At least 15 others were hurt.Full Story
Bachelet announces multimillion planPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:59amPresident Michelle Bachelet announced on Monday a package of 4,000 million U.S. dollars to mitigate the impact on Chile of the global economic crisis. The package includes an extraordinary investment of 700 million dollars in public works, tax cuts and bonuses in cash to the poorest families.Full Story
Cuba politics: Waiting for ObamaPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 8:01amIn the wake of the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution on January 1st, President Razl Castro has made overtures to the USpresident-elect, Barack Obama. Seizing on Mr Obamas statements on the campaign trail that he would be willing to meet with Cuban officials and consider loosening sanctions, Mr Castro has repeated a recent offer to meet on neutral ground. However, though Mr Obama is likely to ease some of the restrictions on US-Cuba economic and family ties, a more substantial revamping of the USs trade and investment embargo on the island is not likely in the short term.Full Story
Argentine gov't accuses gas co of 'irregularities'Posted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 8:02amArgentina accused a major natural gas distributor of "serious irregularities" on Monday - a week after government officials said they may be forced to take over the company if its service falters.The possibility of a state takeover comes on the heels of President Cristina Fernandez's recent nationalization of more than $20 billion in private pension funds and the country's largest air carrier.Full Story
Mexico creates new courts against drug traffickingPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 8:04amMexico created special courts to act more quickly when the police ask for search warrants, rooted and interception of communications for the investigation of crime and combating drug trafficking. The six new courts are part of legal reforms aimed at reforming the judicial system in Mexico, a country experiencing a wave of crimes related to drug trafficking. Only in 2008, the number of killings related to drugs reached 5300, double that recorded a year earlier.Full Story
Rio police use war tactics against drug gangsPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 8:08amrom the school balcony, Marcos Cunha had an unobstructed view of Santa Marta, the Rio de Janeiro neighborhood that had been giving his fellow police officers so much trouble. Looming above him was the rocky peak that police once rappelled down to raid the shantytown. At eye level sat the bullet-pocked Church of the Nazarene, where drug dealers had fired at oncoming police on another day. And spread below him were the clustered shacks and tangled wires of this largely ungoverned place on a hillside of the capital.Full Story
Police in Israel grapple with a mafia gang warPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:38amDaylight bombings, bystander deaths and the occasional rocket attack have laid bare the shortcomings of Israel's formidable security apparatus in dealing with the crime wave. Full Story
Public Outrage Gives Iran's Hard-Liners a Political BoostPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:39amAs Israel gambles on a potentially messy ground invasion of Hamas-controlled Gaza, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also has a lot at stake in the outcome of the fighting. Mr. Ahmadinejad's history of criticizing Israel, and his recent condemnation of the Gaza assault, has helped to garner a measure of popular respect across the region. That comes as more moderate Arab states, especially Egypt, draw rebuke for failing to act forcefully enough to stop the violence. Full Story
Street battles break out in Gaza CityPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:40amTroops poured into the area and gun battles broke out at close quarters. Israel continued to defy international calls for a ceasefire with ground forces moving to seize fresh positions within the city limits. Full Story
Gazprom's Tactics Harsh But Its Logic SoundPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:41amThe Russian gas goliath's argument that the price it charges Ukraine must rise is a valid one, based on its own costs. Full Story
Israel sets key condition for ceasefirePosted on Tuesday,
January 6, 2009 at 9:41amIsrael on Tuesday set a key condition for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, saying it would not agree to a truce unless it included provisions to prevent Hamas from rearming. Full Story
Kurds Illegally Sell Oil Produced in Their RegionPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:42amIraqi Kurds claims of producing 100,000 barrels of foil a day are highly inflated, Oil Minister Hassan Shahristani said. Full Story
Lebanon tells Damascus it is time to begin border demarcationPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:43amLebanon has informed Damascus of its readiness to begin demarcating the border between the two countries, local radio broadcasters reported Tuesday. Full Story
Afghan cleric shot to death in mosquePosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:44amTwo gunmen shot a Muslim cleric to death inside a mosque in southern Afghanistan, an official said Tuesday, while a NATO serviceman was killed elsewhere in the south. Full Story
Pro-Gaza Protesters in Cairo Turn Anti-MubarakPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:44amWhatever hope may have been growing over the relatively quiet weekend in the minds of state officials that street demonstrations in Cairo linking the Hosni Mubarak government with the Israeli offensive into Gaza would weaken were dispelled early and often Monday. Three separate protests, each organized by three distinct entities, revealed that Gaza is strong on Egyptian minds. Full Story
Parliamentary elections set for single day: June 7Posted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:44amLebanon will hold parliamentary elections on June 7, the Interior Ministry announced on Monday. "The Ministry of Interior announces the promulgation of a decree calling on voters to elect legislators," a statement said. It added that the vote would take place on Sunday June 7, rather than it being held on separate days for different regions, as has been the case in previous Lebanese elections. Full Story
Policeman killed defusing bomb in PakistanPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:48amA policeman was killed Tuesday in troubled northwest Pakistan while trying to defuse a remote-controlled bomb planted in a busy market, police said. Full Story
US-Pakistan military cooperation on the increase: WSJ reportPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:51amMilitary cooperation between Pakistan and the United States has increased recently as both try to eliminate militants destabilising the region, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. The newspaper noted that this was a marked change from last years tense relations between the two countries. Full Story
Vice-mayor killed in southern PhilippinesPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:52amA vice-mayor has been shot dead in the southern Philippines, police said Tuesday, in what is believed to be the country's first political killing this year. Froilan Rufino, 50, was walking to his home in the town of President Quirino on the troubled island of Mindanao when gunmen shot him three times in the head late Monday, local police chief Senior Superintendent Benhur Mongao said. Full Story
GdF says Russian gas supply to France down 70 pctPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 12:27pmEurope's largest natural gas distributor, says deliveries of Russian natural gas via Ukraine to France fell over 70 percent Tuesday. Full Story
India outsourcing giant hit by billion-dollar fraud scandalPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:27amThe head of one of India's biggest outsourcing firms, Satyam Computer, resigned on Wednesday amid a scandal over a billion dollar fraud that sent company stocks into freefall. Full Story
Ukraine: Russia stops sending gas to EuropePosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:28amUkrainian officials said Wednesday that Russia had cut off all gas supplies through pipelines crossing Ukrainian territory, the latest move in a devastating pricing dispute between the two neighbors that has already left a number of countries without gas. Full Story
Transcript: Mumbai gunmen were commanded by phonePosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:28am"We have three foreigners, including women," the gunman said into the phone. The response was brutally simple: "Kill them." Gunshots then rang out inside the Mumbai hotel, followed by cheering that could be heard over the phone. Full Story
Gunmen attack TV station in northern MexicoPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:29amMasked gunmen opened fire and tossed a grenade at a Mexican television station as it aired its nightly newscast Tuesday, leaving behind a message warning the station about its coverage of drug gangs. Full Story
Egypt and France propose plan to end Gaza conflictPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:30amA cease-fire initiative Tuesday to halt the increasingly bloody Israeli offensive in Hamas-rule Gaza won support from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called on rival sides to follow up on the proposal. Full Story
Report: Pakistan intel chief says no India warPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:32amPakistan's intelligence chief said there will not be war with India over the Mumbai attacks and emphasized terrorism not India was the greatest threat to the country, according to a rare interview. Full Story
Nine crew of French ship freed off NigeriaPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:33amThe nine crew members taken hostage with their vessel at the weekend off the coast of Nigeria have been released, the ship's owner Bourbon said Wednesday. Full Story
Sudan protesters call for attacks on Westerners: U.S.Posted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:33amSudanese protesters have called for attacks on Americans and other foreigners living in Khartoum during rallies against the Gaza offensive, U.S. officials said Wednesday. Full Story
Eight women, 32 militants said killed in Afghan clashesPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:34amCoalition soldiers killed 32 insurgents in an operation against a Taliban cell near the Afghan capital Kabul, the US military said Wednesday, as officials announced eight women had died in a rocket blast. Full Story
Israel to briefly halt Gaza ops to allow aidPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:35amThe Israeli military says it will briefly halt its operations in Gaza during the day to allow in humanitarian aid and fuel.Military spokesman Peter Lerner gave no specific time for the halt. But the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem says the military has informed it of a planned lull between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m local time. Full Story
Turk police detain around 30 in coup probe - agencyPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:38amTurkish police detained around 30 people on Wednesday in the latest operation in an investigation into an alleged plot to overthrow the government, state-run Anatolian news agency reported. Full Story
Israeli strikes in Gaza kill another 14 PalestiniansPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 9:48amIsraeli strikes on Gaza killed another 14 Palestinians, including five children, on Monday, the tenth day of Israel's massive offensive on the Hamas-run enclave, medics said. Full Story
Iran and Bahrain Officials Call for Oil as WeaponPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 10:02amAn Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander is calling on Islamic countries to use oil as a weapon to end the fighting in Gaza, echoing a similar call days earlier by lawmakers in Bahrain. Full Story
Ahead of Election, Irans Hard-Liners Crack DownPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 10:24amAs the race for Irans presidential election heats up, hard-liners are cracking down on activists who have supported reformist candidates in the past. Full Story
Government gets control of Sons of Iraq in DiyalaPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 10:29amhe U.S. military in a turbulent province northeast of Baghdad handed over control on Sunday of the Sons of Iraq, a predominantly Sunni group of former insurgents and tribesmen whose revolt against al-Qaida in Iraq significantly boosted security here. Full Story
Attacks Further Split Arab Rulers, PeoplePosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 10:31am"War on Gaza" was the description the satellite channel al-Jazeera gave for the Israeli ground invasion that began Saturday, a culmination of eight days of bombing that have killed hundreds of Palestinians in the crowded seaside strip. But across the Arab world, the struggle was as noteworthy for what was becoming a war at home. Full Story
Bomber Kills 40 at Shiite Shrine in BaghdadPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 10:35amA woman wearing an explosives belt packed with ball bearings blew herself up in Baghdad near one of Iraq's most sacred Shiite shrines, killing at least 40 people and wounding scores more in a devastating attack that shattered festive celebrations ahead of Shiite Islam's holiest day, Interior Ministry officials said. Full Story
Iran Tells Egypt it is Ready to Help Gaza WoundedPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 10:36amIran has told Egypt it is ready to treat people wounded in the Israeli assault on Gaza and is seeking permission to set up a field hospital nearby, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said Monday. Full Story
In Iraq, the Day AfterPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 11:07amThe War, in a Sense, Is Over. But a New Struggle Begins As Citizens Ask the Inevitable Question: What Next? Full Story
Somali pirates free pair of European journalists held in mountain cavesPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 4:17pmThe Gulf of Aden, a busy shipping route which passes the lawless northern coast of Somalia, has become known in the past year as a terrifying redoubt populated by ruthless pirates -- gangs of young men who attack trade ships using skiffs with outboard motors, rocket-propelled grenades and grappling hooks. Full Story
French warship captures 19 Somali piratesPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 4:18pmA French warship captured 19 Somali pirates on Sunday when it came to the rescue of two cargo ships threatened in the Gulf of Aden, the office of President Nicolas Sarkozy said. The French naval vessel "Jean de Vienne" was on patrol off the Somali coast as part of a European Union anti-piracy force when it came to the rescue of a Croatian cargo vessel and a Panamanian ship crossing the Gulf of Aden. Full Story
U.S Homeland Security Department's disaster planningPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 4:21pmThe U.S Homeland Security Department has mandated ongoing precautionary measures to help protect the region in the wake of a natural or man-made catastrophe, said Jack Burns Hudson OEM Coordinator. Full Story
Effective cyber laws needed to aid e-commercePosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 4:23pmE-commerce has greatly enhanced global trade and international business by increasing suppliers responsiveness and efficiency. E-commerce has played a major role in bridging geographical and time barriers to trade. Thanks to the Internet and e-commerce, customers across a supply chain can now gain information about a suppliers products and services, they can place orders, they can track orders as is the case with Fedex, which allows customers track deliveries and e-commerce enables customers make payments by electronic funds transfer. Full Story
Guatemalan mudslide kills 34, injures 15Posted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 4:30pmA massive landslide tore down the side of a mountain and buried a northern Guatemalan highway, killing at least 34 people and leaving rescue workers to dig for more victims Monday. Guatemala's Vice President Rafael Espada said he feared the death toll could rise by at least a dozen more. At least 15 others were injured. Full Story
Pirates seize French ship off Nigeria, hold ninePosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 4:32pmPirates seized a ship belonging to French maritime services company Bourbon off the coast of Nigeria during the weekend and are holding nine crew members hostage, the company said Monday. "Bourbon confirms that the Bourbon Leda and its nine crew members (five Nigerians, two Ghanaians, one Cameroonian and one Indonesian) were seized off the coast of Nigeria during the night of Saturday January 3 to Sunday January 4," a statement said. Full Story
Blast damages fourth Western Canada gas well sitePosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 4:33pmPolice are investigating what appears to be the fourth bombing of an EnCana Corp natural gas facility in the Western Canadian province of British
Columbia, authorities said on Monday. Full Story
U.S. anti-kidnap expert's vanishing spins Mexico mysteryPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 4:40pmThe abduction of a U.S. anti-kidnap expert in northern Mexico last month remains a mystery with no clues to the man's whereabouts and no ransom demanded by his captors, police said on Monday. Full Story
Russia reduces gas flows to Europe via UkrainePosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 4:44pmRussia reduced gas flows to Europe via Ukraine on Monday, a measure it said was to stop its neighbor siphoning off fuel but which Kiev said could jeopardize supplies to European countries including Germany. Full Story
Chavez backs re-election for Venezuela politiciansPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 4:54pmVenezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Monday that a constitutional referendum proposed for February to lift limits on presidential re-election will also include a measure to end similar limits for governors and mayors. Full Story
Gaza civilian toll rises; diplomats seek trucePosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 5:28amIsrael ignored mounting international calls for a cease-fire and said it won't stop its crippling 10-day assault until "peace and tranquility" are achieved in southern Israeli towns in the line of Palestinian rocket fire. Full Story
Russian gas shipments to Balkans via Ukraine ceasePosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 5:28amTurkey, Romania, Greece and other Balkan nations reported a complete shut off of Russian gas shipped via Ukraine Tuesday, in a sharp escalation of a struggle over energy that threatens Europe as winter sets in. Full Story
Oil above $48 as investors eye Gaza conflict, OPECPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 5:29amOil prices remained above $48 a barrel Tuesday in Asia amid signs OPEC is implementing announced production cuts and as Israel's ground offensive in Gaza kept tensions high in the oil-rich Middle East. Full Story
Mumbai attacks backed by official Pakistan agencies: Indian
PMPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 5:30amIndian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said the Mumbai attacks had the support of "some official agencies" in Pakistan, in his strongest accusation yet against the neighbouring country. Full Story
Member of Iraq president party killed in drive-byPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 5:31amIraqi police say gunmen have killed a member of President Jalal Talabani's political party in a drive-by shooting in the northern city of Kirkuk. Full Story
Nigerian pirates grab French shipPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 5:34amPirates have seized a ship owned by a French company off the Nigerian coast, taking nine crew members hostage. The company - Bourbon - said the captain had assured them that all crew members were unharmed. Full Story
Gunmen raid Sri Lanka TV stationPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 5:36amGunmen armed with grenades have ransacked offices of the largest private TV broadcaster in Sri Lanka. The attack near Colombo followed some criticism in state media of the MBC group's coverage of recent army gains against Tamil Tiger rebels. Full Story
Terrorists could use 'insect-based' biological weaponPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 5:39amJeffrey Lockwood, professor of entomology at Wyoming University and author of Six-legged Soldiers: Using Insects as Weapons of War, said such Rift Valley Fever or other diseases could be transported into a country by a terrorist with a suitcase. Full Story
Police investigate fourth B.C. pipeline blastPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 5:41amRCMP are investigating a fourth attack on EnCana facilities in northeastern British Columbia, where wells and pipelines have proliferated in recent years as companies rushed to tap natural gas reserves. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
Residents: Hamas Militants Staged Attacks from Cover of UN SchoolPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 7:02amResidents of a Gaza neighborhood are confirming Israel's claim that Hamas militants had opened fire from the cover of a U.N. school where hundreds of Palestinians had sought refuge. Full Story
Measles is reviving in Europe, doctors warnPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 8:02amCases of measles have risen sharply in parts of Europe, reflecting the mobility of people carrying the disease and the failure to complete vaccination strategies among key communities, The Lancet reported on Wednesday. Full Story
Germany sees higher jobless totalPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 8:09amGermany saw its unemployment levels rise for the first time in nearly three years in December, according to government figures. Full Story
Greek interior minister survives Cabinet reshufflePosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 8:17amGreek's embattled leader reshuffled his Cabinet on Wednesday but retained his interior minister, who has been sharply criticized for the government's handling of riots across the nation last month. Full Story
Taliban's jihad proclamations represent their freedom of opinion: ISI ChiefPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 10:00amPakistan Inter-Services Intelligence chief Lieutenant-General Ahmed Shujaa Pasha, who too is unwilling to apprehend the Taliban leadership after many claimed that Mullah Omar is in Quetta, has said that if the Taliban thinks that jihad is an obligation it is their freedom of opinion. Full Story
Nigerian pirates free nine crewPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 11:23amNine crew members of a French ship taken hostage at the weekend off the coast of Nigeria have been freed. The ship's owner - Bourbon - did not say how it had secured the release of the vessel. full story
All 'possibilities open' against IsraelPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 12:18pmHezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said Wednesday "all possibilities" are open against Israel and warned the Jewish state's 2006 war with his party would resemble "a walk in the park" in the event of renewed conflict. Full Story
Move to delay election gathers steamPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 12:37pmKnesset members from across the political spectrum intensified speculation on Tuesday about whether the February 10 general election would have to be delayed due to Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip. Full Story
Deepening Israeli assault on Hamas divides Arab worldPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 12:38pmIsrael pressed deeper into Gaza Tuesday in its assault on Hamas. As the battle grew deadlier, calls for a cease-fire mounted as did outrage at Israel after two strikes outside United Nations schools killed at least 34 Gaza civilians. Full Story
West Bank support of Hamas: Deep but mutedPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 12:40pmFewer than 100 people showed up in the busy center of Nablus for a demonstration in solidarity with the suffering Palestinians of Gaza. There were a few Palestinian flags, and some posters that featured bombs with Jewish stars and dripping blood and demanded, "Where is the conscience of the world?" But when an organizer asked passers-by to join the rally, only a handful responded. Full Story
Al-Qaida No. 2 blames Obama for Gaza fightPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 12:42pmAl-Qaida's No. 2 leader lashed out at President-elect Barack Obama in a new audio message Tuesday, accusing him of not doing anything to stop Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip, according to an intelligence monitoring center. Full Story
Iraq sends 30,000 troops to guard Karbala pilgrimsPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 12:43pmA female suicide bomber allegedly planning to blow herself up among Shiite pilgrims was arrested Wednesday in northern Iraq, as millions joined processions across the country to honor the martyrdom of one of their most revered saints, Iraqi police said. Full Story
Turkey holds suspicious Iran-Venezuela shipmentPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 12:51pmTurkey was holding a suspicious shipment bound for Venezuela from Iran because it contained lab equipment capable of producing explosives, a customs official said Tuesday. Full Story
Cholera situation under control, says SA's governmentPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 1:45pmThe cholera outbreak that began in December last year is under control, the Department of Health said. "The number of cholera cases both confirmed and suspected so far seem to be confined largely to two of the countrys nine provinces," said spokesman Fidel Hadebe. Full Story
Algeria thwarts suicide attacksPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 1:52pmAlgerian security services have thwarted a possible Sept. 11 terrorist attack in eastern Algeria, a security official and local media reported Thursday, as thousands of army troops and police conducted anti-terror sweeps throughout the North African country.
Several Algerian newspapers reported that a terrorist group was planning suicide bombings against a market, a police station and a security regional headquarters in the eastern town of El Oued near the border with Libya. Full Story
Western Algerian taxi drivers plan massive strikePosted on
Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 1:56pmFour Algerian labour unions for taxi drivers decided Sunday (January 4th) in Oran to begin a 2-day strike on January 19th to protest permit shortages, and taxation issues, El Khabar reported. The strike, involving an estimated 25,000 drivers, will impact the western Algeria wilayas of Mascara, Mostaganem, Tlemcen, Ain Timouchent, Saida, Relizane and Sidi Bel Abbes. Full Story
Rockets Fired From Lebanon Into Northern IsraelPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:31amIsraels conflict with Hamas in Gaza threatened to broaden on Thursday as at least three rockets were fired into the north of Israel from Lebanon. Full Story
Israelis arrive in Egypt for cease-fire talksPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:32amIsraeli representatives arrived in Cairo Thursday for Egyptian-brokered talks on a cease-fire proposal after the U.N. Security Council failed to agree on action to end the escalating crisis in Gaza. Full Story
Ukrainian, Russian gas companies hold talksPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:33amThe heads of the Russian and Ukrainian gas companies held an unexpected meeting in Moscow early Thursday to discuss the dispute that has caused an energy crisis in Europe, but both sides said no breakthrough was reached. Full Story
Venezuela to keep sending free fuel to US poorPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:35amPresident Hugo Chavez will keep donating heating oil for poor American families in a costly decision that suggests the Venezuelan leader wants to keep to his pledges and buttress his image in spite of falling oil prices. Full Story
US releases $99 million of Mexico anti-drug moneyPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:36amThe United States has released another $99 million as part of an aid package to support Mexico's police and soldiers in their fight against drug cartels. Full Story
Tijuana wakes up to 7 deadPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:37amOvernight violence in Tijuana has claimed seven victims. City police say gunmen opened fire from several cars late Tuesday, killing a 22-year-old standing with his family outside his house. Full Story
Press groups condemn attack on Mexican TV studioPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:39amPress freedom groups are condemning an attack on a Mexican television station in the northern city of Monterrey. Masked gunmen opened fire and tossed a grenade at the Televisa network's studio as it aired a nightly newscast. The assailants left behind a message warning the station about its coverage of drug gangs. Full Story
7 Zimbabwe opposition members charged in bomb plotPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:40amSeven members of Zimbabwe's main opposition party were the first of dozens of jailed dissidents to be formally charged Wednesday, and they pleaded not guilty in a bombing plot. Full Story
Rebels rob oil company staff in southern NigeriaPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:41amArmed men robbed an offshore oil platform operated by a subsidiary of US oil giant ExxonMobile in southern Nigeria although the attack did not disrupt oil production, the company said Wednesday. Full Story
Kidnapped aid workers in Somalia releasedPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:42amTwo aid workers kidnapped from Ethiopia by Somali gunmen more than three months ago have been released in good health, their organization said. Full Story
Gunmen shoot dead govt official in Pakistani tribal areaPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:43amGunmen Thursday shot dead a government official in a tribal area in northwest Pakistan near the border with Afghanistan where Taliban militants are active, an official said. Full Story
China official urges education to stem terrorismPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 5:44amRocked by a fresh outbreak of anti-government violence, officials in China's far western Xinjiang region are urging expanded free education to staunch support for Islamic separatists. Full Story
UK: Doubts raised over measles targetPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 8:01amThe UK has been named as one of the worst countries in Europe for measles, with case levels dashing global hopes of eradicating the disease by 2010. The Lancet study says that in 2006-7 most of the 12,000 cases in Europe were found in the UK and four other nations. Full Story
Anti-Jewish Activities in Europe Rise After Gaza
IncursionPosted on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 8:02amThe hostilities between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas are having repercussions for European Muslims and Jews. Countries throughout the continent are reporting an increase of anti-Jewish acts. Full Story
Banned Pak terror outfit Lashkar-e-Islam launches its websitePosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:03amThe banned terrorist outfit, Lashkar-e-Islam (LeI) has launched its website to highlight the activities of the organization. (LeI) is led by Mangal Bagh in Khyber Agency, which was declared illegal in June 2007. Full Story
Pakistan opens NATO supply road in daytime: officialPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:04amPakistan Monday reopened during daytime hours a key northwest supply route for Western troops in Afghanistan, a local official said, as the army wrapped up an anti-militant drive in the area. Full Story
Taliban kill three 'US spies' in Pakistan: officialPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:04amTaliban militants executed three people in a restive Pakistani tribal region near the Afghan border after accusing them of spying for the United States, officials said Monday. Full Story
Taliban consolidating grip on Quetta: Sanaullah BalochPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:05amBalochistan National Party (BNP) Information Secretary and former senator Sanaullah Baloch has disclosed that the supporters of Taliban have captured land worth Rs 2 billion in the eastern and western parts of Quetta with the covert support of the establishment in order to undermine the Baloch nationalist movement and promote Talibanisation in Balochistan. Full Story
Gazprom Dispute With Ukraine Entangles EuropePosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:07amRussias gas price dispute with Ukraine escalated Tuesday, disrupting deliveries to the European Union in the midst of a bitter cold spell, with a number of countries reporting that gas supplies had been suspended or reduced, and Germany predicting a possible shortage. Full Story
Countries affected by Russia-Ukraine gas rowPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:08amFollowing are comments from European customers affected by the cut-off in gas supplies by Russia's gas export monopoly Gazprom to its neighbour Ukraine over a pricing dispute: Full Story
Mumbai attacks backed by official Pakistan agencies: Indian PMPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:09amIndian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said the Mumbai attacks had the support of "some official agencies" in Pakistan, in his strongest accusation yet against the neighbouring country. The premier also accused Islamabad of using terrorism as an "instrument of state policy" and said Pakistan had in the past also "encouraged and given sanctuary" to militants hostile to India. Full Story
Eurasia Group: Ukraine one of world's top risks in 2009Posted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:11amDirect military conflict with Russia is unlikely, but battles between Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and President Viktor Yuschenko will continue to divide the government and complicate attempts to deal with the country's economic crisis, a consulting firm has said. Full Story
Pakistan says Mumbai proof not crediblePosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:17amPakistan on Tuesday dismissed as "not credible" evidence provided by India to it on the Mumbai terror attacks, hours after a Presidential aide termed as "premature" local media reports that suggested the material given by New Delhi was insufficient. Full Story
Arson attack on French synagoguePosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:34amAttackers rammed a burning car into a synagogue in the southern French city of Toulouse, officials have said. The car, packed with a petrol bomb, was set alight and then pushed into the synagogue door by a second car. Full Story
Venezuela cuts aid on heating oil to U.S. poorPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:52amVenezuela's national oil company is suspending a program that provides discounted heating oil to poor communities in the United States, as officials here struggle to find ways of preserving hard currency reserves amid a plunge in oil revenue. The move, announced Monday, halts one of President Hugo Chavez's most ambitious foreign aid projects - and one that allowed him to poke at the Bush administration, which had proposed a cut in funding for heating assistance to the poor.Full Story
British forces check report on Afghan civilian deathsPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:52amNATO's British forces were on Tuesday checking a report that some civilians were killed during an operation against the Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand, a spokesman said. Hundreds of Afghans were been killed in air strikes and raids by foreign troops last year, undermining public support for the presence of international forces and leading to a rift between President Hamid Karzai and his Western backers. Full Story
Huge landslide buries victimsPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:57amA massive landslide tore down the side of a mountain and buried a northern Guatemalan highway, killing at least 34 people and leaving rescue workers to dig for more victims. Guatemala's Vice President Rafael Espada said he feared the death toll could rise by at least a dozen more. At least 15 others were hurt.Full Story
Bachelet announces multimillion planPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 7:59amPresident Michelle Bachelet announced on Monday a package of 4,000 million U.S. dollars to mitigate the impact on Chile of the global economic crisis. The package includes an extraordinary investment of 700 million dollars in public works, tax cuts and bonuses in cash to the poorest families.Full Story
Cuba politics: Waiting for ObamaPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 8:01amIn the wake of the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution on January 1st, President Razl Castro has made overtures to the USpresident-elect, Barack Obama. Seizing on Mr Obamas statements on the campaign trail that he would be willing to meet with Cuban officials and consider loosening sanctions, Mr Castro has repeated a recent offer to meet on neutral ground. However, though Mr Obama is likely to ease some of the restrictions on US-Cuba economic and family ties, a more substantial revamping of the USs trade and investment embargo on the island is not likely in the short term.Full Story
Argentine gov't accuses gas co of 'irregularities'Posted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 8:02amArgentina accused a major natural gas distributor of "serious irregularities" on Monday - a week after government officials said they may be forced to take over the company if its service falters.The possibility of a state takeover comes on the heels of President Cristina Fernandez's recent nationalization of more than $20 billion in private pension funds and the country's largest air carrier.Full Story
Mexico creates new courts against drug traffickingPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 8:04amMexico created special courts to act more quickly when the police ask for search warrants, rooted and interception of communications for the investigation of crime and combating drug trafficking. The six new courts are part of legal reforms aimed at reforming the judicial system in Mexico, a country experiencing a wave of crimes related to drug trafficking. Only in 2008, the number of killings related to drugs reached 5300, double that recorded a year earlier.Full Story
Rio police use war tactics against drug gangsPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 8:08amrom the school balcony, Marcos Cunha had an unobstructed view of Santa Marta, the Rio de Janeiro neighborhood that had been giving his fellow police officers so much trouble. Looming above him was the rocky peak that police once rappelled down to raid the shantytown. At eye level sat the bullet-pocked Church of the Nazarene, where drug dealers had fired at oncoming police on another day. And spread below him were the clustered shacks and tangled wires of this largely ungoverned place on a hillside of the capital.Full Story
Police in Israel grapple with a mafia gang warPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:38amDaylight bombings, bystander deaths and the occasional rocket attack have laid bare the shortcomings of Israel's formidable security apparatus in dealing with the crime wave. Full Story
Public Outrage Gives Iran's Hard-Liners a Political BoostPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:39amAs Israel gambles on a potentially messy ground invasion of Hamas-controlled Gaza, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also has a lot at stake in the outcome of the fighting. Mr. Ahmadinejad's history of criticizing Israel, and his recent condemnation of the Gaza assault, has helped to garner a measure of popular respect across the region. That comes as more moderate Arab states, especially Egypt, draw rebuke for failing to act forcefully enough to stop the violence. Full Story
Street battles break out in Gaza CityPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:40amTroops poured into the area and gun battles broke out at close quarters. Israel continued to defy international calls for a ceasefire with ground forces moving to seize fresh positions within the city limits. Full Story
Gazprom's Tactics Harsh But Its Logic SoundPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:41amThe Russian gas goliath's argument that the price it charges Ukraine must rise is a valid one, based on its own costs. Full Story
Israel sets key condition for ceasefirePosted on Tuesday,
January 6, 2009 at 9:41amIsrael on Tuesday set a key condition for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, saying it would not agree to a truce unless it included provisions to prevent Hamas from rearming. Full Story
Kurds Illegally Sell Oil Produced in Their RegionPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:42amIraqi Kurds claims of producing 100,000 barrels of foil a day are highly inflated, Oil Minister Hassan Shahristani said. Full Story
Lebanon tells Damascus it is time to begin border demarcationPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:43amLebanon has informed Damascus of its readiness to begin demarcating the border between the two countries, local radio broadcasters reported Tuesday. Full Story
Afghan cleric shot to death in mosquePosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:44amTwo gunmen shot a Muslim cleric to death inside a mosque in southern Afghanistan, an official said Tuesday, while a NATO serviceman was killed elsewhere in the south. Full Story
Pro-Gaza Protesters in Cairo Turn Anti-MubarakPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:44amWhatever hope may have been growing over the relatively quiet weekend in the minds of state officials that street demonstrations in Cairo linking the Hosni Mubarak government with the Israeli offensive into Gaza would weaken were dispelled early and often Monday. Three separate protests, each organized by three distinct entities, revealed that Gaza is strong on Egyptian minds. Full Story
Parliamentary elections set for single day: June 7Posted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:44amLebanon will hold parliamentary elections on June 7, the Interior Ministry announced on Monday. "The Ministry of Interior announces the promulgation of a decree calling on voters to elect legislators," a statement said. It added that the vote would take place on Sunday June 7, rather than it being held on separate days for different regions, as has been the case in previous Lebanese elections. Full Story
Policeman killed defusing bomb in PakistanPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:48amA policeman was killed Tuesday in troubled northwest Pakistan while trying to defuse a remote-controlled bomb planted in a busy market, police said. Full Story
US-Pakistan military cooperation on the increase: WSJ reportPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:51amMilitary cooperation between Pakistan and the United States has increased recently as both try to eliminate militants destabilising the region, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. The newspaper noted that this was a marked change from last years tense relations between the two countries. Full Story
Vice-mayor killed in southern PhilippinesPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 9:52amA vice-mayor has been shot dead in the southern Philippines, police said Tuesday, in what is believed to be the country's first political killing this year. Froilan Rufino, 50, was walking to his home in the town of President Quirino on the troubled island of Mindanao when gunmen shot him three times in the head late Monday, local police chief Senior Superintendent Benhur Mongao said. Full Story
GdF says Russian gas supply to France down 70 pctPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 12:27pmEurope's largest natural gas distributor, says deliveries of Russian natural gas via Ukraine to France fell over 70 percent Tuesday. Full Story
India outsourcing giant hit by billion-dollar fraud scandalPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:27amThe head of one of India's biggest outsourcing firms, Satyam Computer, resigned on Wednesday amid a scandal over a billion dollar fraud that sent company stocks into freefall. Full Story
Ukraine: Russia stops sending gas to EuropePosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:28amUkrainian officials said Wednesday that Russia had cut off all gas supplies through pipelines crossing Ukrainian territory, the latest move in a devastating pricing dispute between the two neighbors that has already left a number of countries without gas. Full Story
Transcript: Mumbai gunmen were commanded by phonePosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:28am"We have three foreigners, including women," the gunman said into the phone. The response was brutally simple: "Kill them." Gunshots then rang out inside the Mumbai hotel, followed by cheering that could be heard over the phone. Full Story
Gunmen attack TV station in northern MexicoPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:29amMasked gunmen opened fire and tossed a grenade at a Mexican television station as it aired its nightly newscast Tuesday, leaving behind a message warning the station about its coverage of drug gangs. Full Story
Egypt and France propose plan to end Gaza conflictPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:30amA cease-fire initiative Tuesday to halt the increasingly bloody Israeli offensive in Hamas-rule Gaza won support from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called on rival sides to follow up on the proposal. Full Story
Report: Pakistan intel chief says no India warPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:32amPakistan's intelligence chief said there will not be war with India over the Mumbai attacks and emphasized terrorism not India was the greatest threat to the country, according to a rare interview. Full Story
Nine crew of French ship freed off NigeriaPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:33amThe nine crew members taken hostage with their vessel at the weekend off the coast of Nigeria have been released, the ship's owner Bourbon said Wednesday. Full Story
Sudan protesters call for attacks on Westerners: U.S.Posted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:33amSudanese protesters have called for attacks on Americans and other foreigners living in Khartoum during rallies against the Gaza offensive, U.S. officials said Wednesday. Full Story
Eight women, 32 militants said killed in Afghan clashesPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:34amCoalition soldiers killed 32 insurgents in an operation against a Taliban cell near the Afghan capital Kabul, the US military said Wednesday, as officials announced eight women had died in a rocket blast. Full Story
Israel to briefly halt Gaza ops to allow aidPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:35amThe Israeli military says it will briefly halt its operations in Gaza during the day to allow in humanitarian aid and fuel.Military spokesman Peter Lerner gave no specific time for the halt. But the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem says the military has informed it of a planned lull between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m local time. Full Story
Turk police detain around 30 in coup probe - agencyPosted on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 5:38amTurkish police detained around 30 people on Wednesday in the latest operation in an investigation into an alleged plot to overthrow the government, state-run Anatolian news agency reported. Full Story
Israeli strikes in Gaza kill another 14 PalestiniansPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 9:48amIsraeli strikes on Gaza killed another 14 Palestinians, including five children, on Monday, the tenth day of Israel's massive offensive on the Hamas-run enclave, medics said. Full Story
Iran and Bahrain Officials Call for Oil as WeaponPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 10:02amAn Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander is calling on Islamic countries to use oil as a weapon to end the fighting in Gaza, echoing a similar call days earlier by lawmakers in Bahrain. Full Story
Ahead of Election, Irans Hard-Liners Crack DownPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 10:24amAs the race for Irans presidential election heats up, hard-liners are cracking down on activists who have supported reformist candidates in the past. Full Story
Government gets control of Sons of Iraq in DiyalaPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 10:29amhe U.S. military in a turbulent province northeast of Baghdad handed over control on Sunday of the Sons of Iraq, a predominantly Sunni group of former insurgents and tribesmen whose revolt against al-Qaida in Iraq significantly boosted security here. Full Story
Attacks Further Split Arab Rulers, PeoplePosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 10:31am"War on Gaza" was the description the satellite channel al-Jazeera gave for the Israeli ground invasion that began Saturday, a culmination of eight days of bombing that have killed hundreds of Palestinians in the crowded seaside strip. But across the Arab world, the struggle was as noteworthy for what was becoming a war at home. Full Story
Bomber Kills 40 at Shiite Shrine in BaghdadPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 10:35amA woman wearing an explosives belt packed with ball bearings blew herself up in Baghdad near one of Iraq's most sacred Shiite shrines, killing at least 40 people and wounding scores more in a devastating attack that shattered festive celebrations ahead of Shiite Islam's holiest day, Interior Ministry officials said. Full Story
Iran Tells Egypt it is Ready to Help Gaza WoundedPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 10:36amIran has told Egypt it is ready to treat people wounded in the Israeli assault on Gaza and is seeking permission to set up a field hospital nearby, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said Monday. Full Story
In Iraq, the Day AfterPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 11:07amThe War, in a Sense, Is Over. But a New Struggle Begins As Citizens Ask the Inevitable Question: What Next? Full Story
Somali pirates free pair of European journalists held in mountain cavesPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 4:17pmThe Gulf of Aden, a busy shipping route which passes the lawless northern coast of Somalia, has become known in the past year as a terrifying redoubt populated by ruthless pirates -- gangs of young men who attack trade ships using skiffs with outboard motors, rocket-propelled grenades and grappling hooks. Full Story
French warship captures 19 Somali piratesPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 4:18pmA French warship captured 19 Somali pirates on Sunday when it came to the rescue of two cargo ships threatened in the Gulf of Aden, the office of President Nicolas Sarkozy said. The French naval vessel "Jean de Vienne" was on patrol off the Somali coast as part of a European Union anti-piracy force when it came to the rescue of a Croatian cargo vessel and a Panamanian ship crossing the Gulf of Aden. Full Story
U.S Homeland Security Department's disaster planningPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 4:21pmThe U.S Homeland Security Department has mandated ongoing precautionary measures to help protect the region in the wake of a natural or man-made catastrophe, said Jack Burns Hudson OEM Coordinator. Full Story
Effective cyber laws needed to aid e-commercePosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 4:23pmE-commerce has greatly enhanced global trade and international business by increasing suppliers responsiveness and efficiency. E-commerce has played a major role in bridging geographical and time barriers to trade. Thanks to the Internet and e-commerce, customers across a supply chain can now gain information about a suppliers products and services, they can place orders, they can track orders as is the case with Fedex, which allows customers track deliveries and e-commerce enables customers make payments by electronic funds transfer. Full Story
Guatemalan mudslide kills 34, injures 15Posted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 4:30pmA massive landslide tore down the side of a mountain and buried a northern Guatemalan highway, killing at least 34 people and leaving rescue workers to dig for more victims Monday. Guatemala's Vice President Rafael Espada said he feared the death toll could rise by at least a dozen more. At least 15 others were injured. Full Story
Pirates seize French ship off Nigeria, hold ninePosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 4:32pmPirates seized a ship belonging to French maritime services company Bourbon off the coast of Nigeria during the weekend and are holding nine crew members hostage, the company said Monday. "Bourbon confirms that the Bourbon Leda and its nine crew members (five Nigerians, two Ghanaians, one Cameroonian and one Indonesian) were seized off the coast of Nigeria during the night of Saturday January 3 to Sunday January 4," a statement said. Full Story
Blast damages fourth Western Canada gas well sitePosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 4:33pmPolice are investigating what appears to be the fourth bombing of an EnCana Corp natural gas facility in the Western Canadian province of British
Columbia, authorities said on Monday. Full Story
U.S. anti-kidnap expert's vanishing spins Mexico mysteryPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 4:40pmThe abduction of a U.S. anti-kidnap expert in northern Mexico last month remains a mystery with no clues to the man's whereabouts and no ransom demanded by his captors, police said on Monday. Full Story
Russia reduces gas flows to Europe via UkrainePosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 4:44pmRussia reduced gas flows to Europe via Ukraine on Monday, a measure it said was to stop its neighbor siphoning off fuel but which Kiev said could jeopardize supplies to European countries including Germany. Full Story
Chavez backs re-election for Venezuela politiciansPosted on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 4:54pmVenezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Monday that a constitutional referendum proposed for February to lift limits on presidential re-election will also include a measure to end similar limits for governors and mayors. Full Story
Gaza civilian toll rises; diplomats seek trucePosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 5:28amIsrael ignored mounting international calls for a cease-fire and said it won't stop its crippling 10-day assault until "peace and tranquility" are achieved in southern Israeli towns in the line of Palestinian rocket fire. Full Story
Russian gas shipments to Balkans via Ukraine ceasePosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 5:28amTurkey, Romania, Greece and other Balkan nations reported a complete shut off of Russian gas shipped via Ukraine Tuesday, in a sharp escalation of a struggle over energy that threatens Europe as winter sets in. Full Story
Oil above $48 as investors eye Gaza conflict, OPECPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 5:29amOil prices remained above $48 a barrel Tuesday in Asia amid signs OPEC is implementing announced production cuts and as Israel's ground offensive in Gaza kept tensions high in the oil-rich Middle East. Full Story
Mumbai attacks backed by official Pakistan agencies: Indian
PMPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 5:30amIndian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said the Mumbai attacks had the support of "some official agencies" in Pakistan, in his strongest accusation yet against the neighbouring country. Full Story
Member of Iraq president party killed in drive-byPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 5:31amIraqi police say gunmen have killed a member of President Jalal Talabani's political party in a drive-by shooting in the northern city of Kirkuk. Full Story
Nigerian pirates grab French shipPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 5:34amPirates have seized a ship owned by a French company off the Nigerian coast, taking nine crew members hostage. The company - Bourbon - said the captain had assured them that all crew members were unharmed. Full Story
Gunmen raid Sri Lanka TV stationPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 5:36amGunmen armed with grenades have ransacked offices of the largest private TV broadcaster in Sri Lanka. The attack near Colombo followed some criticism in state media of the MBC group's coverage of recent army gains against Tamil Tiger rebels. Full Story
Terrorists could use 'insect-based' biological weaponPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 5:39amJeffrey Lockwood, professor of entomology at Wyoming University and author of Six-legged Soldiers: Using Insects as Weapons of War, said such Rift Valley Fever or other diseases could be transported into a country by a terrorist with a suitcase. Full Story
Police investigate fourth B.C. pipeline blastPosted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 5:41amRCMP are investigating a fourth attack on EnCana facilities in northeastern British Columbia, where wells and pipelines have proliferated in recent years as companies rushed to tap natural gas reserves. Full Story
Courtesy Terrorism Research Center, Inc.
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