02 Mar 11
Farrakhan: Jews are pushing the US into war
Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan said Jews and Zionists are "trying to push the US into war" and are a cover for Satan, at the group's annual meeting near Chicago on Tuesday. He also accused American Zionists of attempting to push Israel into war with Iran, adding that "Zionists dominate the government of the United States of America and her banking system." One panel at the conference, titled "The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews," claimed that Jews were disproportionately involved in the slave trade and accused them of controlling the media.
Watchdog Group Warns Libya Stockpiled Mustard Gas
A watchdog group confirms that Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi has 10 tons of mustard gas stockpiled, and it is feared he may use it on opposition forces seeking to bring an end to his 41-year-old regime. The group, The Organization for the Prohibition for Chemical Weapons, issued the warning on Sunday.Former Libyan Justice Minister Mustafa Abdel-Jalil also warned Friday that Qaddafi may use biological and chemical weapons against civilians.
Israel blamed for unrest in Arab world
It was only a matter of time before Arab leaders and Islamic figures started accusing Israel of being behind the unrest sweeping the Middle East. The Yemeni president’s accusations against 'the Zionists' were echoed by American Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan during the annual gathering of his Nation of Islam near Chicago on Tuesday. Farrakhan publicly urged US President Barack Obama to not allow the “Zionists to push you to mount a military offensive” against the crumbling regime of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who has been slaughtering demonstrators in an effort to hang on to power.
Success: UN Watch thanks UNGA for finally suspending Qaddafi from UN Human Rights Council
UN Watch, which has led the opposition by rights groups and victims to Libya’s presence on the UN Human Rights Council for the past year, said this afternoon’s vote by the General Assembly — which unanimously suspended the Qaddafi regime — was “better late than never.” “The election of Libya to the world’s top human rights body last May was a shameful act that bolstered Qaddafi’s regime, demoralized his victims, and stained the reputation of the United Nations,” said Hillel Neuer, executive director of the Geneva-based human rights group.
Must You Let Your App Be Tapped?
The U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary recently held a hearing on the general problems faced by law enforcement in today's Internet. They called the hearing "Going Dark: Lawful Electronic Surveillance in the Face of New Technologies."
Earthquakes in Arkansas May Be Man-Made, Experts Warn
The sudden swarm of earthquakes in Arkansas -- including the largest quake to hit the state in 35 years -- is very possibly an after effect of natural-gas drilling, experts warn.
Egypt's Moussa says running for president; adopts harsher tone on Israel
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa announced on Tuesday that he was running for president of Egypt in elections scheduled for this year.
'Our Christianity is our lifestyle – we can’t take it on and off’
Yesterday, two High Court judges upheld the decision of Derby City Council not to approve the Johns family as carers. There were no objections to them saying grace before meals or taking foster children to church on Sunday. The sticking point was their answer to the question: “Would you tell a child it was OK to be homosexual?” The Johns replied that they would not.
Do you really need a bank account?
“For basic monthly financial needs, there’s no difference between a checking account and a reloadable prepaid card,” said Michael Flores, the author of a study released Tuesday by the Network Branded Prepaid Card Association (NBPCA). “We see it as a financial products lifecycle. People in their 20s mainly need a transaction account.” Flores is president of Bretton Woods, Inc., the consulting company that performed the study. He said the average prepaid card holder is 27 years old.
Gold Prices Skyrocket to Record High
The price of gold has skyrocketed due to the unstable political and military situation in the Middle East. Prices on the London Bullion Market reached a new all-time high Tuesday at $1,434.50 per ounce.
‘Peace Process’ Crops Up Amid Arab Revolutions
Quartet's Middle East envoy Tony Blair met with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu Monday to try to revive the moribund “peace process” amid the spreading Muslim revolutions in the Middle East. CNN quoted an Israeli official, who spoke anonymously, saying that Prime Minister Netanyahu is considering a diplomatic initiative with an interim agreement...
Arab League Nixes Foreign Intervention in Libya
The Arab League has rejected all forms of foreign intervention in Libya. Based on a Syrian initiative, the Arab body planned to adopt the resolution Wednesday at its 135th Council meeting of foreign ministers.
UN suspends Libya over Colonel Gaddafi's brutal crackdown
THE UN General Assembly today suspended Libya from the UN Human Rights Council over leader Muammar Gaddafi's brutal crackdown on opposition protests. The 192-member assembly passed a suspension resolution by consensus, without a vote, after UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged the body to "act decisively" against Gadaffi's action. The US vowed on Tuesday to press Colonel Gaddafi to quit by squeezing him economically and militarily.
Britain scraps funding to 'irrelevant' UN programs
BRITAIN has slashed 16 countries, including Russia and China, from the list of nations it gives financial aid to and said it would no longer fund four "irrelevant" UN aid organisations. Angola and Vietnam are also among countries that will see their aid budgets phased out between now and 2016.
Libya: US warships enter Suez Canal on way to Libyan waters
The United States said Libya could sink into civil war unless the Libyan leader ends his four-decade rule amid fears that the uprising, the bloodiest yet against long-serving rulers in the Middle East, could cause a humanitarian crisis. Gaddafi is defiant and his son, Saif al-Islam, has warned the West against launching military action. He said the veteran ruler would not relinquish power or be driven into exile.
Radical Cleric Demands Ouster of Yemen Leader
Yemen’s president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, maintained a tenuous hold on power on Tuesday, blaming the United States and Israel for protests across the Arab world, while a prominent radical cleric joined the growing crowds demanding his ouster and called for an Islamic state. American officials expressed concern about the statement of the cleric, Abdul Majid al-Zindani, a onetime mentor of Osama bin Laden, which introduced a new Islamist element to the turmoil in a country where Al Qaeda is viewed as a grave threat.
Thousands take to Yemen's streets for new 'Day of Rage'
Huge crowds poured onto the streets of the Yemeni capital Sanaa on Tuesday in what the opposition hailed as the biggest protest yet against President Ali Abdullah Saleh's three-decade rule. The veteran leader, whose supporters staged a large counter-demonstration, dismissed the opposition rally as a copycat action mimicking protests in other Arab countries that he charged had been fanned by Israel and the United States.
Saudi stock market falls further as tensions rise
Stock markets across the Middle East have fallen again amid fears that civil unrest is spreading. Saudi Arabia's share market, the region's largest, fell 2.6% on Wednesday, following a 6.8% slide on Tuesday. Qatar's stock index dropped 3.1%, Kuwait fell 2.9%, and Dubai 3.6%, sparking falls in European markets.
Libyans in battle over oil town
Forces loyal to the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi are moving into rebel territory in the east, capturing an oil installation in the town of Brega. The manager of the installation said they took control at dawn without using force, but rebel forces later said they had regained control of the town. Pro-Gaddafi jets also bombed an arms dump in the nearby city of Ajdabiya.
Afghanistan campaign needs political follow-up, say MPs
Talks with the Taliban should be held because the current tactics being used in Afghanistan are not succeeding in achieving a stable solution, say MPs. A Commons foreign affairs committee report said the US must step up efforts to hold talks with the Taliban if a political resolution is to be reached. Conservative MP Richard Ottaway, the committee's chairman, said: "Every day you're fighting you're not talking."
US House passes two-week stop-gap budget
The US House of Representatives has approved a measure to fund the US government for a further two weeks, avoiding a looming shut-down. The bill from the Republican-led chamber would cut government spending by $4bn (£2.45bn) in that period. It now goes to the US Senate, which has said it will pass the bill.
PM mulling new initiative on Palestinian statehood
The current instability in the region, coupled with the continued refusal of the Palestinians to negotiate, will likely lead to an Israeli initiative to move the diplomatic process forward, senior government officials said Tuesday. The officials said that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was contemplating a phased approach “that will lead us on the path toward his formula of a demilitarized Palestinian state that recognizes the Jewish state.”
Farrakhan: Jews are pushing the US into war
Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan said Jews and Zionists are "trying to push the US into war" and are a cover for Satan, at the group's annual meeting near Chicago on Tuesday. “President Obama," Farrakhan said, "if you allow the Zionists to push you, to mount a military offensive against Gaddafi and you go in and kill him and his sons as you did with Saddam Hussein and his sons, I’m warning you this is a Libyan problem, let the Libyans solve their problem among themselves.” Farrakhan called Muammar Gaddafi "my brother" and "my friend."
Arab League calls on Libya to stop violence
Arab foreign ministers called on the Libyan leadership on Wednesday to take "brave" decisions to stop violence and respect the "legitimate rights" of the people. Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said the situation in Libya was "tragic" and "we cannot accept it." Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari, presiding over the opening session of the Arab League meeting in Cairo, also said the Libya crisis was an internal Arab affair, stressing that the Arabs did not want any "foreign intervention."
