Ad astra per aspera
EUOBSERVER/BRUSSELS - The EU and US adopted a joint statement on Monday on the resettling of inmates from the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba. At the same time, while in Washington, Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi promised to take in three detainees, after six other EU states already said they were willing to accept former detainees. "I thanked the prime minister for his support of our policy in closing Guantanamo," US President Barack Obama said after meeting Silvio Berlusconi in the Oval Office. "This is not just talk, Italy has agreed to accept three specific detainees," he added, without giving any other details on the identity of the inmates.
"I thanked the prime minister for his support of our policy in closing Guantanamo," US President Barack Obama said after meeting Silvio Berlusconi in the Oval Office. "This is not just talk, Italy has agreed to accept three specific detainees," he added, without giving any other details on the identity of the inmates.
The leaders of India and Pakistan have met for the first time since last November's Mumbai (Bombay) attacks. Indian PM Manmohan Singh and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari held talks on the sidelines of a summit in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg.
Indian PM Manmohan Singh and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari held talks on the sidelines of a summit in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg.
Relations between the two countries nosedived after Delhi said the Mumbai gunmen were from Pakistan.
Pakistan denied any responsibility in their immediate aftermath, but later admitted they had been partly planned from its soil.
YEKATERINBURG, Russia: Pakistani soil must not be used for terrorism, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told President Asif Ali Zardari at their first meeting since November's Mumbai attacks, Russian news agencies reported.
Pakistani Foreign Minister denied that Singh's tough words set the meeting off on a negative front, according to Reuters, saying 'I would look at it differently, I think it is a positive development the fact that the two leaders are meeting for the first time, on the sidelines of the SCO summit, since the tragic Mumbai incident. I think it is a positive development.'
YEKATERINBURG: President Asif Ali Zardari has assured Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that Pakistani soil will not be allowed to be used for terrorist activities and all measures would be taken to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice. Zardari urged the Indian prime minister at a meeting here for resumption of the composite dialogue between the two countries, Online news agency said. He said Pakistani soil was not being used for terrorism against any other country and emphasised that "we are fighting a war against terrorism and the world must wake up and take notice of the enormous sacrifices we have made".
Zardari urged the Indian prime minister at a meeting here for resumption of the composite dialogue between the two countries, Online news agency said.
He said Pakistani soil was not being used for terrorism against any other country and emphasised that "we are fighting a war against terrorism and the world must wake up and take notice of the enormous sacrifices we have made".
Jimmy Carter has spoken of his "grief and despair" at seeing the destruction in the Gaza Strip carried out by Israel's 22-day offensive on the territory.
Following a tour of the area to see the effects of Israel's offensive, Carter said: "My primary feeling today is one of grief and despair and an element of anger when I see the destruction perpetrated against innocent people in January. He said the Palestinians had been treated "like animals" and the deprivations faced by them in Gaza were unique in history.
He said the Palestinians had been treated "like animals" and the deprivations faced by them in Gaza were unique in history.
CAIRO, June 16 (Reuters) - Libyan authorities have reported an outbreak of bubonic plague in the Mediterranean coastal town of Tubruq, and the World Health Organisation was sending a team to investigate, a WHO official said on Tuesday. The cases -- approximately 16 to 18 have been reported -- would be the first in more than two decades in Libya of the disease known in medieval times as the Black Death, according to John Jabbour, a Cairo-based emerging diseases specialist at WHO. "It is reported as bubonic plague," Jabbour said, adding WHO still didn't have "a full picture" of the situation. "It is officially reported by Libya... Tomorrow, WHO is deploying a mission to Libya to investigate the whole situation, to see how many of the cases are confirmed, or not confirmed."
The cases -- approximately 16 to 18 have been reported -- would be the first in more than two decades in Libya of the disease known in medieval times as the Black Death, according to John Jabbour, a Cairo-based emerging diseases specialist at WHO. "It is reported as bubonic plague," Jabbour said, adding WHO still didn't have "a full picture" of the situation.
"It is officially reported by Libya... Tomorrow, WHO is deploying a mission to Libya to investigate the whole situation, to see how many of the cases are confirmed, or not confirmed."
An inspector general fired by President Barack Obama said Friday he acted "with the highest integrity" in investigating AmeriCorps and other government-funded national service programs. Gerald Walpin said in an interview with The Associated Press that he reported facts and conclusions "in an honest and full way" while serving as inspector general at the Corporation for National and Community Service. In a letter to Congress on Thursday, Obama said he had lost confidence in Walpin and was removing him from the position. <...> Obama's move follows an investigation by Walpin finding misuse of federal grants by a nonprofit education group led by Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, who is an Obama supporter and former NBA basketball star. <...> "It is vital that I have the fullest confidence in the appointees serving as inspectors general," Obama said in the letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Vice President Joe Biden, who also serves as president of the Senate. "That is no longer the case with regard to this inspector general." The president didn't offer any more explanation, but White House Counsel Gregory Craig, in a letter late Thursday to Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, cited the U.S. attorney's criticism of Walpin to an integrity committee for inspectors general. "We are aware of the circumstances leading to that referral and of Mr. Walpin's conduct throughout his tenure and can assure you that the president's decision was carefully considered," Craig wrote. <...> Grassley had written Obama a letter pointing to a law requiring that Congress be given the reasons an inspector general is fired. He cited a Senate report saying the requirement is designed to ensure that inspectors general are not removed for political reasons. ...
An inspector general fired by President Barack Obama said Friday he acted "with the highest integrity" in investigating AmeriCorps and other government-funded national service programs. Gerald Walpin said in an interview with The Associated Press that he reported facts and conclusions "in an honest and full way" while serving as inspector general at the Corporation for National and Community Service.
In a letter to Congress on Thursday, Obama said he had lost confidence in Walpin and was removing him from the position.
<...>
Obama's move follows an investigation by Walpin finding misuse of federal grants by a nonprofit education group led by Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, who is an Obama supporter and former NBA basketball star.
"It is vital that I have the fullest confidence in the appointees serving as inspectors general," Obama said in the letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Vice President Joe Biden, who also serves as president of the Senate. "That is no longer the case with regard to this inspector general."
The president didn't offer any more explanation, but White House Counsel Gregory Craig, in a letter late Thursday to Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, cited the U.S. attorney's criticism of Walpin to an integrity committee for inspectors general.
"We are aware of the circumstances leading to that referral and of Mr. Walpin's conduct throughout his tenure and can assure you that the president's decision was carefully considered," Craig wrote. <...>
Grassley had written Obama a letter pointing to a law requiring that Congress be given the reasons an inspector general is fired. He cited a Senate report saying the requirement is designed to ensure that inspectors general are not removed for political reasons. ...
Obama was a co-sponsor of that law. Truth unfolds in time through a communal process.
