PARIS: France confirmed on Monday that it has been engaged in contacts with the leaders of Hamas, the radical Islamic group that is running Gaza, for several months to try to better understand its positions. The Bush administration, which recently likened talks with Hamas to appeasement of the Nazis, quickly criticized the French for the contacts, calling them unhelpful. There was no immediate comment from the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah, who has said that he will not talk to Hamas, which he accuses of carrying out a bloody coup in Gaza last June. Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner emphasized that there were no negotiations with Hamas, labeled a terrorist group by the United States, Israel and the European Union. "These are not relations, they are contacts," Kouchner said on Europe1 radio. "We are not the only ones to have them," he said. "We must be able to talk if we want to play a role."
PARIS: France confirmed on Monday that it has been engaged in contacts with the leaders of Hamas, the radical Islamic group that is running Gaza, for several months to try to better understand its positions.
The Bush administration, which recently likened talks with Hamas to appeasement of the Nazis, quickly criticized the French for the contacts, calling them unhelpful. There was no immediate comment from the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah, who has said that he will not talk to Hamas, which he accuses of carrying out a bloody coup in Gaza last June.
Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner emphasized that there were no negotiations with Hamas, labeled a terrorist group by the United States, Israel and the European Union.
"These are not relations, they are contacts," Kouchner said on Europe1 radio. "We are not the only ones to have them," he said. "We must be able to talk if we want to play a role."
Talking isn't appeasement. Mandela talked with the S african govt, because how else could he negotiate.
France is wise in this and the Americans are stupid and ignorant. Sadly it is no longer stupid and ignorant beyond belief cos in the last 30 years we've come to expect no better of american governments. keep to the Fen Causeway
South Africa has been rocked by a wave of xenophobic violence that has sent thousands of immigrants in Johannesburg fleeing for shelter as mobs beat, stabbed, shot and burnt people alive. The government was urged to deploy troops in and around the country's financial capital last night as the death toll climbed to 22, with more than 250 people arrested.In scenes reminiscent of unrest during the apartheid era, gangs of men armed with clubs and jugs of petrol have been targeting Zimbabweans, Mozambicans, Malawians and others who they claim are taking scarce jobs and houses and committing crime. The country's Human Rights Commission supported by the opposition Democratic Alliance called on the ANC government to mobilise the army in the worst affected areas.
South Africa has been rocked by a wave of xenophobic violence that has sent thousands of immigrants in Johannesburg fleeing for shelter as mobs beat, stabbed, shot and burnt people alive.
The government was urged to deploy troops in and around the country's financial capital last night as the death toll climbed to 22, with more than 250 people arrested.
In scenes reminiscent of unrest during the apartheid era, gangs of men armed with clubs and jugs of petrol have been targeting Zimbabweans, Mozambicans, Malawians and others who they claim are taking scarce jobs and houses and committing crime.
The country's Human Rights Commission supported by the opposition Democratic Alliance called on the ANC government to mobilise the army in the worst affected areas.
JOHANNESBURG: The man certainly looked dead, lying motionless in the dust of the squatter camp. His body seemed almost like a bottle that had been turned on its side, spilling blood. His pants were red with the moisture. Nearby was evidence of what he had endured. A large rock had been used to gouge his torso. Embers remained from a fire that had been part of some torture. Shards of a burned jacket still clung to the victim's left forearm. Then, as people stepped closer, there was the faintest of breath pushing against his chest. "This guy may be alive," someone surmised. As if to confirm it, the man moved the fingers of his right hand. The jaded crowd neither rejoiced nor lamented. After all, the horrific attacks against immigrants around Johannesburg had already been going on for a week, and in their eyes the victim was just some Malawian or Zimbabwean, another casualty in the continuing purge. This nation is undergoing a spasm of xenophobia, with poor South Africans taking out their rage on the poor foreigners living in their midst. At least 22 people had been killed by Monday in the unrelenting mayhem, the police said.
JOHANNESBURG: The man certainly looked dead, lying motionless in the dust of the squatter camp. His body seemed almost like a bottle that had been turned on its side, spilling blood. His pants were red with the moisture.
Nearby was evidence of what he had endured. A large rock had been used to gouge his torso. Embers remained from a fire that had been part of some torture. Shards of a burned jacket still clung to the victim's left forearm.
Then, as people stepped closer, there was the faintest of breath pushing against his chest. "This guy may be alive," someone surmised. As if to confirm it, the man moved the fingers of his right hand.
The jaded crowd neither rejoiced nor lamented. After all, the horrific attacks against immigrants around Johannesburg had already been going on for a week, and in their eyes the victim was just some Malawian or Zimbabwean, another casualty in the continuing purge.
This nation is undergoing a spasm of xenophobia, with poor South Africans taking out their rage on the poor foreigners living in their midst. At least 22 people had been killed by Monday in the unrelenting mayhem, the police said.
European Tribune - "Awahamba noma afe" - Report from Jozi
A quick timeline: Some of the violent incidences occurred as early as last week Sunday; BBC News has an article describing the first flares that erupted in Alexandra township on May 11. It took until Wednesday to quell the worst of violence in Alexandra: by that time most foreign immigrants were fleeing to other townships or were packed up at the central police station. From that point onwards, violent attacks have begun to spread to other townships. First in Diepsloot on Thursday. I lost track of the news reporting as I was kept busy on Friday and on Saturday I was back in Alexandra as part of my volunteering programme. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary - township life as usual.
German special forces had an important Taliban commander in their sights in Afghanistan. But he escaped -- because the Germans were not authorized to use lethal force. The German government's hands-tied approach to the war is causing friction with its NATO allies. Unlike their Delta Force colleagues, Germany's KSK special forces are not authorized to use lethal force in Afghanistan except in the event of an attack. The wheat is lush and green in the fields of northern Afghanistan this spring. A river winding its way through the broad valley dotted with walled houses completes the picturesque scene. Behind one of these walls, not far from the town of Pol-e-Khomri, sits a man whose enemies, having named him a "target," would like to see dead. He is the Baghlan bomber. The Taliban commander is regarded as a brutal extremist with excellent connections to terror cells across the border in Pakistan. Security officials consider him to be one of the most dangerous players in the region, which is under German command as part of NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in Afghanistan. The military accuses him of laying roadside bombs and of sheltering suicide attackers prior to their bloody missions. He is also thought to be behind one of the deadliest attacks in Afghanistan's history, the Nov. 6, 2007 attack on a sugar factory in the northwest province of Baghlan. The attack killed 79 people, including dozens of children and many parliamentarians and other politicians, as they celebrated the factory's reopening.
German special forces had an important Taliban commander in their sights in Afghanistan. But he escaped -- because the Germans were not authorized to use lethal force. The German government's hands-tied approach to the war is causing friction with its NATO allies.
Unlike their Delta Force colleagues, Germany's KSK special forces are not authorized to use lethal force in Afghanistan except in the event of an attack. The wheat is lush and green in the fields of northern Afghanistan this spring. A river winding its way through the broad valley dotted with walled houses completes the picturesque scene. Behind one of these walls, not far from the town of Pol-e-Khomri, sits a man whose enemies, having named him a "target," would like to see dead. He is the Baghlan bomber.
The Taliban commander is regarded as a brutal extremist with excellent connections to terror cells across the border in Pakistan. Security officials consider him to be one of the most dangerous players in the region, which is under German command as part of NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in Afghanistan. The military accuses him of laying roadside bombs and of sheltering suicide attackers prior to their bloody missions.
He is also thought to be behind one of the deadliest attacks in Afghanistan's history, the Nov. 6, 2007 attack on a sugar factory in the northwest province of Baghlan. The attack killed 79 people, including dozens of children and many parliamentarians and other politicians, as they celebrated the factory's reopening.
Fran:
Unlike their Delta Force colleagues, Germany's KSK special forces are not authorized to use lethal force in Afghanistan except in the event of an attack. The wheat is lush and green in the fields of northern Afghanistan this spring.
The billionaire investor George Soros has given his gloomiest assessment yet of the state of the US and world economies. In an interview with BBC business editor Robert Peston, Mr Soros said that while the "acute phase" of the credit crunch might be over, the fall-out and the impact on the real economy has yet to be felt. He warned that the "financial bubble" of the last 25 years could well be drawing to an end and the post World War II "super-boom" era could be over permanently. He says the slowdown will be "more severe and certainly longer" than most people are predicting. And he said that the UK was worse-placed than America to weather to coming economic storm, because it had such a large financial sector and has had the biggest increase in house prices.
In an interview with BBC business editor Robert Peston, Mr Soros said that while the "acute phase" of the credit crunch might be over, the fall-out and the impact on the real economy has yet to be felt.
He warned that the "financial bubble" of the last 25 years could well be drawing to an end and the post World War II "super-boom" era could be over permanently.
He says the slowdown will be "more severe and certainly longer" than most people are predicting.
And he said that the UK was worse-placed than America to weather to coming economic storm, because it had such a large financial sector and has had the biggest increase in house prices.
He warned that the "financial bubble" of the last 25 years could well be drawing to an end and the post World War II "super-boom" era could be over permanently. ... And he said that the UK was worse-placed than America to weather to coming economic storm, because it had such a large financial sector and has had the biggest increase in house prices.
...
At least the Americans are greedy enough to recognise a bad investment plan, the British are stupid cos they only stop when the americans tell them to and they havne't yet. keep to the Fen Causeway
Venezuela has demanded an explanation from Washington after a US military aircraft violated its airspace. The US ambassador in Venezuela's capital, Caracas, has been summoned to explain Saturday's event. US officials admitted a naval plane on a counter-narcotics mission had "navigational problems" that led it to briefly enter Venezuelan airspace. Tension has been rising in the region with both the US and Colombia accusing Caracas of financing Colombian rebels.
Venezuela has demanded an explanation from Washington after a US military aircraft violated its airspace.
The US ambassador in Venezuela's capital, Caracas, has been summoned to explain Saturday's event.
US officials admitted a naval plane on a counter-narcotics mission had "navigational problems" that led it to briefly enter Venezuelan airspace.
Tension has been rising in the region with both the US and Colombia accusing Caracas of financing Colombian rebels.
Very little of any substance was achieved at the EU Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) summit over the weekend, with the almost 50 heads of state failing to agree to any movement in trade discussions, one of Europe's main objectives in attending the summit. The leaders said in a joint statement they hoped to "actively pursue" two free trade agreements. One between between Europe and Central America and the other between the EU and the Andean Community (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru). Summit host centre-left Peruvian President Alan Garcia said the leaders of the Andean Community had agreed on more "flexible" free trade agreement negotiations. "We're basically in agreement to move toward an accord at the next round of talks in Brussels on June 12,'' Mr Garcia said at the end of the summit. However, fellow Andean leaders Evo Morales of Bolivia and Rafael Correa of Ecuador said it was still too early to move toward any free trade agreement.
BERLIN, MAY 13, 2008: I know. I know. How this is the most important election in history, and why the next occupant of the White House will not only be answering the red phone at 3 AM but possibly be saving these not always United States from the decline that even TIME Magazine has announced the country is facing. Yet, as I travel outside the country, I can't help but feel, or is it fear, that this logic leaves out some rather important considerations. Like the fact that the US cannot unilaterally impose its will on the world anymore as our dollar falls and our credibility falls with it. Even a strategy of negotiation as opposed to confrontation is not a recipe for success because in a multi-polar world, other countries and power blocs like the Russians, the Chinese, the EU, The Persian Gulf and OPEC have their own interests. They will listen to our proposals but may reject them if they are at variance with their own needs. We just don't have the power to impose our will even as we still suffer from "the USA is number one" syndrome and think that we can kick ass and take names if anyone stands in our way. Whoever becomes President may not have the power he or she assumes goes with the office. (In fact, after the fact, in their memoirs, most presidents complain they often felt powerless, besieged by lobbyists, party factions and reticent bureaucrats at every turn. They see themselves constrained by institutional obstacles at every turn.) In many ways, Mao was right, the occupant of the oval office is a paper tiger.
BERLIN, MAY 13, 2008: I know. I know. How this is the most important election in history, and why the next occupant of the White House will not only be answering the red phone at 3 AM but possibly be saving these not always United States from the decline that even TIME Magazine has announced the country is facing.
Yet, as I travel outside the country, I can't help but feel, or is it fear, that this logic leaves out some rather important considerations.
Like the fact that the US cannot unilaterally impose its will on the world anymore as our dollar falls and our credibility falls with it. Even a strategy of negotiation as opposed to confrontation is not a recipe for success because in a multi-polar world, other countries and power blocs like the Russians, the Chinese, the EU, The Persian Gulf and OPEC have their own interests. They will listen to our proposals but may reject them if they are at variance with their own needs.
We just don't have the power to impose our will even as we still suffer from "the USA is number one" syndrome and think that we can kick ass and take names if anyone stands in our way.
Whoever becomes President may not have the power he or she assumes goes with the office. (In fact, after the fact, in their memoirs, most presidents complain they often felt powerless, besieged by lobbyists, party factions and reticent bureaucrats at every turn. They see themselves constrained by institutional obstacles at every turn.)
In many ways, Mao was right, the occupant of the oval office is a paper tiger.
The commander of US troops in Iraq has been forced to apologise to local leaders after an American soldier used a copy of the Qur'an for target practice. A bullet-holed and graffiti-scrawled edition of the Islamic holy book was discovered by Iraqi police last week.The soldier responsible has been sent home. Before he went the unnamed staff sergeant apologised to the military calling his actions "shortsighted, very reckless and irresponsible -- but not malicious".Major General Jeffrey Hammond, commander of US forces in Iraq, met with local tribal leaders and pleaded with them to "forgive me and my soldiers" promising that this type of incident would never happen again.The swift and frank US apology appears to have been aimed at avoiding violent protests in Iraq.
The commander of US troops in Iraq has been forced to apologise to local leaders after an American soldier used a copy of the Qur'an for target practice.
A bullet-holed and graffiti-scrawled edition of the Islamic holy book was discovered by Iraqi police last week.
The soldier responsible has been sent home. Before he went the unnamed staff sergeant apologised to the military calling his actions "shortsighted, very reckless and irresponsible -- but not malicious".
Major General Jeffrey Hammond, commander of US forces in Iraq, met with local tribal leaders and pleaded with them to "forgive me and my soldiers" promising that this type of incident would never happen again.
The swift and frank US apology appears to have been aimed at avoiding violent protests in Iraq.
It wasn't exactly pistols at 30 paces, but police say a security company supervisor and a restaurateur shot each other with Tasers in a "bonehead" confrontation over parking.Officers said neither man needed medical attention after the Saturday confrontation, but Harvey Epstein, co-owner of Mamacitas restaurant, was arrested on suspicion of felony menacing and using a stun gun.A police report said Epstein and Casey M. Dane, a supervisor for Colorado Security Services Inc., were arguing over a metal boot that one of Dane's guards had clamped on a wheel of a van parked behind Mamacitas.
It wasn't exactly pistols at 30 paces, but police say a security company supervisor and a restaurateur shot each other with Tasers in a "bonehead" confrontation over parking.
Officers said neither man needed medical attention after the Saturday confrontation, but Harvey Epstein, co-owner of Mamacitas restaurant, was arrested on suspicion of felony menacing and using a stun gun.
A police report said Epstein and Casey M. Dane, a supervisor for Colorado Security Services Inc., were arguing over a metal boot that one of Dane's guards had clamped on a wheel of a van parked behind Mamacitas.
A Tibetan monk, recently out of jail and still in pain from beatings by the police, said he reveres the Dalai Lama but also regards him as a political failure."We think the Dalai Lama has been too peaceful," he said. "There is a big discussion now about whether we should turn to violence." <...> This impatience seems widespread among young Tibetans, and the rioting and protests across ethnic Tibetan areas of China in the last couple of months may be a turning point. Unless the Tibet question is resolved, we may see a Tibetan equivalent of the Irish Republican Army or Hamas. A harsh crackdown is under way in greater Tibet, as I found when I slipped into these Tibetan areas in the back of a car with local license plates. China's heavy hand is adding to the antagonisms: the authorities are beating monks, confiscating pictures of the Dalai Lama, and forcing monks to attend "patriotic study" classes -- up to two hours a day, six days a week -- full of propaganda praising the Communist Party and denouncing the Dalai Lama. "That just turns us against China more than ever," one monk said.
A Tibetan monk, recently out of jail and still in pain from beatings by the police, said he reveres the Dalai Lama but also regards him as a political failure.
"We think the Dalai Lama has been too peaceful," he said. "There is a big discussion now about whether we should turn to violence." <...>
This impatience seems widespread among young Tibetans, and the rioting and protests across ethnic Tibetan areas of China in the last couple of months may be a turning point. Unless the Tibet question is resolved, we may see a Tibetan equivalent of the Irish Republican Army or Hamas.
A harsh crackdown is under way in greater Tibet, as I found when I slipped into these Tibetan areas in the back of a car with local license plates. China's heavy hand is adding to the antagonisms: the authorities are beating monks, confiscating pictures of the Dalai Lama, and forcing monks to attend "patriotic study" classes -- up to two hours a day, six days a week -- full of propaganda praising the Communist Party and denouncing the Dalai Lama.
"That just turns us against China more than ever," one monk said.
Australia's Tasmanian devil will be listed as an endangered species this week as a result of a deadly and disfiguring cancer outbreak, the state government said Monday. The disease, a fast-growing head tumor which spreads over the marsupial's face and mouth and prevents it from eating, often killing it within months, has cut the island's devil population in the wild by as much as 60 percent. ... The facial tumor is extremely unusual in that it is a contagious cancer, spread from devil to devil by biting.
The disease, a fast-growing head tumor which spreads over the marsupial's face and mouth and prevents it from eating, often killing it within months, has cut the island's devil population in the wild by as much as 60 percent.
The facial tumor is extremely unusual in that it is a contagious cancer, spread from devil to devil by biting.
N'YAWEH "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin
Actually, tribal names are not evocative of some trait, but are given according to names held by a particular clan. For example, Crazy Horse's horse wasn't crazy, nor did he act like one. In fact, many natives in my circle would haul my ashes for using the sacred name on the net. You should have seen what happened when a beer company tried to use that name. He's incredibly revered.
But perhaps LEP could speak with the Film Sprocket family, holders of the sacred cannisters. "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin
Another interesting facit, names do not denote someone, they are a part of someone like an arm or leg. In many native cultures, one does not use the name of someone who's just passed away, for s/he shouldn't be distracted on the next part of hir journey. "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin
Probably apocryphal.... You can't be me, I'm taken
<ducking> "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin
