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11 Mar 10
Chile rocked by another major quake
A powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked central Chile Thursday, including the cities of Santiago and Valparaiso where a new president was to be sworn in, authorities said.
The US Geological Survey said the quake was centered 114 kilometres south of Valparaiso.
Local governments in massive revolt against rules ordered by Washington
Utah has become the third state to adopt a law exempting guns and ammunition made, sold and used in the state from massive federal regulations under the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and supporters say about 30 more states have some sort of plan for their own exemptions in the works.
'Cozying up' with Syria not a good idea
In a recent Jewish Press column, Michael Freund wrote that it was "a truly breathtaking display of weakness" when the U.S. State Department indicated it was ramping up its dialogue with Syrian President Bashar Assad by sending a high-level American diplomat to pay him a courtesy call in the Syrian capital.
Obama's remark reflects 'mob rule' mentality
"And when I say 'mob rule,' I mean the Chicago mob mentality [as compared to] what we would expect, the type of professionalism and presidential presentation," Barber clarifies. "President Obama has really besmirched the office
Swedish newspapers unite to defend freedom of speech over Muhammad cartoons
Three leading Swedish newspapers and the national broadcaster carried a cartoon depicting the Prophet Muhammad with a dog’s body after an alleged plot to murder the artist who drew it was unveiled in the Republic of Ireland.
Chief exorcist Father Gabriele Amorth says Devil is in the Vatican
Father Gabriele Amorth, 85, who has been the Vatican's chief exorcist for 25 years and says he has dealt with 70,000 cases of demonic possession, said that the consequences of satanic infiltration included power struggles at the Vatican as well as "cardinals who do not believe in Jesus, and bishops who are linked to the Demon".
World's mega-rich adding wealth, Carlos Slim No. 1
Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim is the world's richest person, knocking Microsoft founder Bill Gates into second spot, as the wealth of the world's billionaires grew by 50 percent over the last year, Forbes magazine said on Wednesday.
Google to Digitize Old Books From Rome, Florence
Google said Wednesday it will scan up to 1 million old books in national libraries in Rome and Florence, including works by astronomer Galileo Galilei, in what's being described as the first deal of its kind.
German Catholic sex abuse scandals draw link to pope
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says that if anyone leads innocent children to sin, "it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea."
That passage must now be ringing in the ears of the Roman Catholic clergy in Germany and the Netherlands,
PA: Peace talks off until East Jerusalem housing shelved
Palestinians will not begin indirect talks with Israel unless the Israeli government annuls a decision to build 1,600 houses in East Jerusalem, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Thursday.
"We want to hear from [United States envoy George] Mitchell that Israel has cancelled the decision to build housing units before we start the negotiations," Erekat said.
Israel planning 50,000 housing units in East Jerusalem
Some 50,000 new housing units in Jerusalem neighborhoods beyond the Green Line are in various stages of planning and approval, planning officials told Haaretz. They said Jerusalem's construction plans for the next few years, even decades, are expected to focus on East Jerusalem.
Most of the housing units will be built in predominantly Jewish neighborhoods beyond the Green Line, while a smaller number of them will be built in Arab neighborhoods.
Chief exorcist Father Gabriele Amorth says Devil is in the Vatican
Sex abuse scandals in the Roman Catholic Church are proof that that "the Devil is at work inside the Vatican", according to the Holy See's chief exorcist.
Father Gabriele Amorth, 85, who has been the Vatican's chief exorcist for 25 years and says he has dealt with 70,000 cases of demonic possession, said that the consequences of satanic infiltration included power struggles at the Vatican as well as "cardinals who do not believe in Jesus, and bishops who are linked to the Demon".
Budget deficit sets record in February
The government ran up the largest monthly deficit in history in February, keeping the flood of red ink on track to top last year's record for the full year.
The Treasury Department said Wednesday that the February deficit totaled $220.9 billion, 14 percent higher than the previous record set in February of last year.
The deficit through the first five months of this budget year totals $651.6 billion, 10.5 percent higher than a year ago.
Obama facing uprising over new NASA strategy
U.S. President Barack Obama is trying to tamp down an uprising in politically vital Florida against a new strategy for NASA that has rankled space veterans and lawmakers and sparked fears of job losses.
Obama's decision to kill NASA's Constellation program to launch astronauts into orbit and return Americans to the moon has prompted soul-searching on whether the United States is prepared to cede a pre-eminent space role to Russia and China.
Darrell Issa raises questions on Joe Sestak
The top Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee says the Obama administration may have broken the law by offering Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.) a job in order to persuade him not to mount a primary challenge against Sen. Arlen Specter.
Sestak has said that the administration offered him a high-ranking government job if he’d stay out of the race.
Can Nancy Pelosi Get the Votes?
Are there enough votes in the House to pass the Senate's health-care bill? As of today, it's clear there aren't. House Democratic leaders have brushed aside White House calls to bring the bill forward by March 18, when President Barack Obama heads to Asia. Nevertheless, analysts close to the Democratic leadership tell me they're confident the leadership will find some way to squeeze out the 216 votes needed for a majority.
Russian PM Vladimir Putin due in India for talks
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is due in India for talks expected to focus on arms and energy contracts.
The two sides are due to sign two deals worth more than $10bn on defence and civilian nuclear reactors and Russia will refit an aircraft carrier.
They will also try to boost bilateral trade, which is currently worth $8bn.
Greece hit by third general strike in a month
Public services and transport in Greece have ground to a halt as workers stage a third general strike in protest at the government's austerity measures.
Flights are grounded, and schools and hospitals closed in the 24-hour walk-out called by the two largest unions.
Protesters and police clashed during a march in central Athens, with reports of tear gas being used.
Joe Biden steps up pressure on Israel over E Jerusalem
US Vice-President Joe Biden has again condemned Israel over a controversial building project, saying its approval undermined trust in the peace process.
Mr Biden was speaking after meeting the Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, in the West Bank.
Despite heavy lobbying, EU parliament endorses Goldstone report
Despite an intensive lobbying effort on the part of European Jewish groups, the European Parliament has endorsed the Goldstone report, the UN's official investigation into the bombardment of the Gaza Strip in January 2009, a report that accuses Israel of war crimes and calls for the prosecution of Israeli officials in the Hague.
10 Mar 10
UN’s Weak Response to Muslim Slaughter of Christians
Hundreds of Christians were brutally slaughtered with axes and knives by a Muslim Nigerian mob on Sunday.
The Muslims attacked three small Christian villages in central Nigeria in an early-morning raid. They blocked off all exits, shot in the air, and then set upon the Christian residents of all ages as they tried to escape with axes, machetes and gunfire.-UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon expressed sorrow Monday night at the slaughter. In a fairly restrained response, he told reporters that he is “very disturbed” at the situation, and “call[ed] upon all sides to act with maximum restraint.”
Shalom at the UN: It’s time to impose ‘crippling sanctions’
Now is the time for the UN Security Council to impose “crippling” sanctions on Iran and place its leadership on an international “black list,” Vice Premier Silvan Shalom believes.
In a meeting in New York on Monday with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Shalom urged the top UN official to use his “moral voice” to urge the council to impose tough punitive measures on the Iranian regime, in particular placing Revolutionary Guards members on a black list.-“We are dealing with an extreme regime that said Israel should be wiped off the map,” he said, noting that one nuclear missile to Israel would destroy the Jewish state.
Libya eyes non-US energy partners
Libya is considering giving priority to Chinese and Russian companies over US energy companies because of its diplomatic row with Washington, according to reports. -"We are considering giving priority to Chinese and Russian companies," the newspaper, which was monitored by Reuters in Rabat, quoted Ghanem as saying.
The paper said Ghanem was speaking after he attended a meeting yesterday between Gaddafi and the ambassadors of China and Russia.
Libya accepts US apology for remarks about Gaddafi
Libya announced Wednesday that it accepted the apology issued by a US official for remarks he had earlier made about Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi's call for jihad against Switzerland.Spokesman of the US State Department PJ Crowley apologized after Tripoli said that the US failure to apologize would affect political and economic relations between the two countries.
Qatar signs security agreement with Iran
Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar Tuesday signed a security agreement with Qatari Minister of State for Interior Affairs Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al-Thani in Doha.-Najjar, who led a political and economic delegation, said Iran was keen on developing the security agreements it had previously signed with other Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman, as well as Iraq, Turkey and Syria.
Arabs to respond to Israeli settlement move: Qatar
Arab states will respond to Israel's recent decision to expand an east Jerusalem settlement, Qatar's prime minister said on Wednesday.
"There will be a meeting today between the representatives of Arab states and (Arab League chief) Amr Mussa," Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani told reporters.
"There will be a clear decision in response to this Israeli act," said Sheikh Hamad, who is also foreign minister.
Snow Storms Bring Chaos To Northern Spain
A state of emergency has been declared in the Spanish region of Catalonia after unusually heavy snow falls hit the region.Flights were cancelled, schools closed and the entire Barcelona region saw major disruption to its road and rail network.
The snow storms that have hit areas across Europe are the worst recorded in 25 years.
Analysis: Greece's crisis could presage America's
Greece is a financial basket case, begging for international help. Is America heading down that same road?
Many of the same risky financial practices that now imperil the Greeks were at the center of the all-too-recent U.S. meltdown.
As with Greece, America's national debt has been growing by leaps and bounds over the past decade, to the point where it threatens to swamp overall economic output. And in the U.S., as in Greece, a large portion of that debt is owed to foreign investors.
King of Jordan to arrive in Moscow to discuss Middle East
King Abdullah II of Jordan will discuss prospects for convening an international Middle East conference within the framework of a working visit to Moscow on March 10-11, 2010. The Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said that Russia played a vital role in achieving durable and comprehensive peace in the region. He noted that the King of Jordan sought to maintain permanent high-level dialogue with Russia.
At the moment, the rulers in Amman deem it necessary to give additional impetus to international efforts with an aim to reach the settlement of the Palestinian problem on the basis of co-existence of the two states.
Fitch warns Britain and questions Greek rescue as sovereign risks grow
Brian Coulton, the agency's head of sovereign ratings, said the UK has seen "the most rapid rise in the ratio of public debt to GDP of any AAA-rated country" and is courting fate with its leisurely plan to halve the deficit by the middle of the decade.
