#1
"4 French tourists shot dead in Mauritania" (officially known as the Islamic Republic of Mauritania)
And this was a shock to them how....?
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
12/25/2007 11:10 Comments ||
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#2
"The nation of around three million people is mostly peaceful but its eastern and northern Saharan extremities are poorly policed and frequented by drug and arms traffickers."
They should have googled the country instead of just relying on the brochure. Next time try Costa Rica.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/25/2007 18:01 Comments ||
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Raul Castro said Monday that Communist Party leaders support his brother Fidel's re-election to parliament, saying he is exercising two hours daily and gaining weight eating braaaiiinnss while keeping his mind healthy with reading and writing.
A seat in parliament is the first step in a process that would allow Fidel to retain his post atop the Council of State, Cuba's supreme governing politburo body. Communist Party leaders "defend him running again" Raul Castro said of his brother's candidacy for re-election to the Cuba's National Assembly, or parliament, on Jan. 20.
Last week, the 81-year-old Fidel Castro suggested he would not cling to power forever, nor stand in the way of a younger generations. He hinted at his political future for the first time since emergency intestinal surgery forced him to cede power to a "provisional" government headed by Raul in July 2006.
But his younger brother indicated Monday that Fidel was healthy enough to stand for re-election. "he's fine, really. Just pining for the fjords. Resting...."
Through daily exercise, Fidel "has recovered a lot of weight and muscle mass," he said, speaking to voters in Fidel's district in the eastern city of Santiago, where the brothers spent part of their youth. He said Fidel asked him to visit voters in district visit because he was unable to unable to visit in person, eh?
In remarks carried on Cuban state television Monday evening, Raul said his brother "has more time, he's reading more than ever. He's meditating more than ever and writing almost more than ever." "and speaking? Well, we all know how he is...he won't STFU"
"His powerful mind is healthier," the acting president said.
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/25/2007 09:17 ||
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#1
A banana gulag version of Weekend at Bernie's -- a one gag movie that the audience cannot walk out of.
Posted by: regular joe ||
12/25/2007 11:56 Comments ||
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#2
Putin, Kennedy, Sarkozy, now FIDEL shows some LeftHunk beach skin???
FIDEL CASTRO'S successor could be one of two younger officials, dubbed "good cop" and "bad cop" by US intelligence analysts.
The Cuban dictator, 81, said in a letter read out on state television last week that he had a duty not to hold on to power nor to obstruct the rise of the "younger generation". It was the first time he had conceded that he might never return to power after he was taken ill with intestinal bleeding last year. Since then his brother Raul, 76, has been in charge.
US spy chiefs have begun to rethink their assumption that Cuban communism will collapse after Dr Castro's death. Instead they expect the nation's course to be decided by a power struggle between two men.
The "good cop" is Carlos Lage Davila, 56, considered the third most powerful man in Cuba. As economics tsar, the former doctor is credited with negotiating the favourable deal with Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan President, to import oil to Cuba - an arrangement that has mitigated the effects of the US economic embargo.
Bet he likes jazz, too.
His rival is Felipe Perez Roque, 42, the foreign minister. He is the "bad cop", regarded as a firebrand more likely to fight genuine reforms.
An intelligence source said: "It will come down to Lage or Roque. Whoever wins will determine the speed and nature of reforms in Cuba."
Dan Erikson, a Cuba specialist at Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington think-tank, said: "These guys were Castro's top young aides. Lage is seen as being more sophisticated, mature and diplomatic. Perez Roque is younger and likely to play the role of attack dog.
"If you want someone to do a trade deal, you send Lage. If you want someone to deliver a tirade at the UN, you send Perez Roque."
The US officially remains committed to the view that Cuban communism will disintegrate when Dr Castro dies, but analysts in the CIA and the State Department are now preparing plans to deal with slower change. Central to this is an assessment that Cuba's leaders have persuaded Dr Castro that if he wants his revolution to survive his death, he needs to help the handover of power.
This article starring:
Carlos Lage Davila
Felipe Perez Roque
Posted by: Fred ||
12/25/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
Who's running Oriente? That's my pick.
Posted by: Thomas Woof ||
12/25/2007 5:50 Comments ||
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#2
fidel, raul et al would be gone long time ago if we would have not caved to the cuban-miami lobby.........consumer goods and not embargo would have finished the present leadership in no time...............
Russia Monday said setting up the US missile shield system in eastern Europe was "targetted" against it. Moscow considers the setting up of the US missile shield system in the Czeck Republic and Poland as targetting Russia and aims at weaking the Russian nuclear deterrent regime, official spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said in a statement. He said Russia would have no other choice but to adopt counter measures.
Officials in the Czeck Republic have said the US radar station to be set on its soils aimed at spying at Russia.
#1
This all sounds commendable, if rather ambitious. Also sounds like the several-weeks-old Rudd Government taking credit for an advanced project begin under Howard. There may be a lot of overlap with the US program of converting SLBM subs now under way.
All very interesting. Australia had a very steep learning curve with the Collins class subs, a Swedish design, and willingness to go around again is encouraging.
An Italian judge on Monday issued arrest warrants for 140 Latin Americans suspected of involvement in a coordinated persecution of leftists and dissidents by Latin America's military rulers in the 1970s, Italian news agencies said.
Almost all of those on the list are living in Latin America and a number are already in custody there as part of investigations into the conspiracy known as "Plan Condor". One man, Nestor Jorge Fernandez Troccoli, a former member of the Uruguayan secret services, was arrested in southern Italy, the Ansa and Agi news agencies reported.
The warrants involve Argentines, Bolivians, Brazilians, Chileans, Paraguayans and Peruvians. They are suspected of complicity in the deaths of 25 Italian citizens killed in Latin America by military regimes in the 1970s, the news agencies reported. Former Argentine leader Gen. Jorge Rafael Videla and former Uruguayan President Juan Bordaberry were among those on the list, the Italian news agencies reported.
Under Italian law, Italian magistrates can investigate the killings of Italian citizens overseas. It was not clear if the action taken against those on the list who are living in Latin American or elsewhere outside Italy was symbolic or whether the judge would try to have them extradited to Italy.
Two young Sudanese suffered a beating at the hands of around 15 assailants at a disco in Dresden in a racially motivated attack, police in the eastern German city said Sunday. The assault, during which a young German who attempted to assist the Sudanese was also attacked, is the latest in a string of racial incidents that have taken place over recent weekends in the formerly communist east of the country. The victims suffered bruises and grazes and were treated at the scene.
Police said the two Sudanese, both aged 21, were hit and kicked in front of a disco in the early hours of Saturday, while racist insults were hurled at them. Their assailants escaped after also hitting a 20-year-old German youth who came to the aid of the Sudanese.
Police believe the attackers were part of a mob of around 100 football hooligans who had entered the disco in a group earlier. "Apparently we are dealing with people who belong to the hooligan scene," a spokesman said. Two of the assailants had initially provoked the Sudanese in the disco. When the security intervened and led the two men outside, the group followed and attacked their victims.
In another attack that took place in Germany's eastern states in the early hours of Saturday, a 19-year-old girl described as a political leftist was given hospital treatment after being attacked by two men and a woman.
The men subsequently kicked their victim, and one of them assaulted her sexually.
A police spokesman said the men, aged 24 and 27, had held their victim while their woman accomplice, age 21, hit her in the face, calling her a "tick." The men subsequently kicked their victim, and one of them assaulted her sexually. The assailants, who are known to police as members of the right-wing political scene, were detained. The young woman gave the Hitler salute while being taken to the local police station.
The incident occurred in an open area in the town of Halberstadt in the state of Saxony-Anhalt to the south-west of Berlin. Police said the victim could be identified as a leftist from her clothing, and that her assailants were drunk at the time of the attack.
There has been a string of attacks by rightwingers in the state, where unemployment is high, most of them on people readily identifiable as foreigners.
Four youths, aged 22 to 29, are currently facing trial on charges of assaulting a theatre troupe that was putting on the popular musical, The Rocky Horror Show. Five members of the troupe were hospitalized after the attack on June 9. The police probe revealed the accused had targeted the actors because they considered them to be leftwingers.
At the beginning of December, a pregnant Iraqi woman, two African men and a police officer were injured in two separate racially motivated attacks in Magdeburg.
#1
I kind of secretly hoped that the neo-Nazis would go toe-to toe with Islamic radicals. Instead they are beating up Sudanese break dancers, pregnant Iraqi women, and a theatre troop. At one time, Hitler faced off with Stalin. Now Richard Simmons is a more likely advesary. If he were alive today, Hitler would be lobbying to host the Special Olympics. Theconcept of the "Super Race" has become very relative.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/25/2007 18:20 Comments ||
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A man who shouted Heil Hitler and beat up a US national in a McDonald's for speaking English surrendered Friday to German police. The suspect, who was remanded in custody, faces charges of assault and using neo-Nazi gestures. The victim, 54, has required two operations for injuries to his leg after he was head butted to the ground and savagely kicked inside the restaurant last Saturday.
Police said the suspect, 31, phoned police and admitted the offence after security camera images of the incident were published in newspapers in the factory city of Gelsenkirchen, western Germany. He did not offer any reason for the attack, saying only that he had been drunk and lost his temper. Police say he interrupted a conversation in English between the victim and his female partner. The girlfriend explained that her friend knew little German and the American asked, "What's your problem?"
The attacker described as having short blonde hair, used an expletive to call the victim an "Englander," said, "This is Germany. German must be spoken," and assaulted him. The restaurant was crowded at the time.
The suspect has a record of assault and is currently on suspension after a theft conviction, but has no record of neo-Nazi activity, the police said.
#4
I remember 1975 entering the McDonald's at the Bahnhof in Munchen, and in my best almost German asking for Ein Vertal Funder, Ein Grosse Pommes Fries, Ein Grosse Cokacola. The clerk behind in the counter replied in clear American-English, "You want that here or to go?".
#5
Bow down to the "master race" and use German when you super-size your McNugget order. Remember to choose honey-mustard and goose-step to the condiment bar for some napkins and a straw.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
12/25/2007 18:24 Comments ||
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#6
There are idiots like that everywhere -- Stateside, too. But when one talks in front of others in a language they don't understand, they tend to assume they're being talked about, negatively. Which is why the trailing daughters and I spoke German outside the house when we lived over there... and why we *always* got caught when we talked about others in German over here. :-(
Polish and German border officials overnight Monday captured 59 Chechen would-be immigrants on a train to Germany near the Polish border, Gorzow Wielkopolski border police said. The Chechens had been detected on the Warsaw-Berlin train, it was said. As asylum seekers in Poland they had not been allowed to travel abroad, a spokesman for the border police said. They now face confinement in asylum-seeker homes in Poland.
Polish border police marched off 35 Chechens from the train at its last stop at Rzepin station. German police continued the controls on the onward journey across the border to avoid delaying the train. Another 24 Chechens had to leave the train at Frankfurt/Oder, eastern Germany.
The operation was controlled by the German-Polish police and customs centre at the Schwedt motorway crossing. The centre had only been opened last Friday by the two countries' interior ministers, German Wolfgang Schaeuble and Polish Grzegorz Shetyna.
After the fall of border controls on December 21, when Poland became part of the Schengen zone, Polish border police increased activities in the hinterland.
Posted by: lotp ||
12/25/2007 00:00 ||
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King Albert II of Belgium called Monday on Belgians to overcome their differences that plunged the country into a deep political crisis for the last six months.
Pretty please with waffles and frites on top?
"I firmly believe in the future of our country because I have faith in the abilities of the Belgians when they have their backs against the wall," King Albert said in his annual Christmas speech. He said it was essential that contacts between the different language communities be strengthened. "The first condition is that we fully understand one another."
Perhaps His Majesty should initiate a Dialogue, maybe even a Road Map. Time tested and proven results!
Maybe some confidence-building measures?
Call a donors' conference and beg for money ...
Meanwhile, the Belgian Chamber of Representatives, or parliament, Sunday gave its support to the new interim government led by ex-Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, six months after elections were held in the country. Deep differences between Belgium's Dutch-speaking politicians and their French-speaking counterparts have hindered the formation of a long-term government. The country which hosts the European Union is deeply divided on linguistic lines between the Dutch-speaking northern region of Flanders and the French-speaking southern region of Wallonia.
France, Italy and Spain united behind a planned Mediterranean Union on Thursday, announcing a July summit in Paris of the countries bordering the sea.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced the July 13 summit at a joint news conference in Rome with the Italian and Spanish prime ministers, Romano Prodi and Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. The three leaders earlier discussed the plan to establish an EU-type union of the zone in talks in the Italian capital.
"Convinced that the Mediterranean, crucible of culture and civilisation, should resume its role as a zone of peace, prosperity and tolerance," the three leaders said they had met to "think about the broad outlines of a planned union for the Mediterranean." The bloc "would have a mission to reunite Europe and Africa around the countries along the Mediterranean rim and to set up a partnership on an equal footing between the countries" north and south of the sea, they said. "The added value of the Mediterranean Union should reside first in the political boost it should give to cooperation around the Mediterranean and the mobilisation of civil societies, businesses, local communities, associations and NGOs (non-governmental organisations)," the statement said.
The Paris summit will precede by a day an EU summit on July 14 in Brussels.
The Mediterranean Union will focus on "peace, development and respect for the environment," Sarkozy said separately. "It's a great dream, a great vision, which I'm sure can be realised. We three have decided that this will be a united Mediterranean, a war against Despair." Sarkozy advocates the grouping partly as an alternative to Turkish membership of the European Union. Italy favours Ankara's entry into the EU.
The plan also comes against the backdrop of attacks in Algeria, and other north African states on the Mediterranean, by the group calling itself Al-Qaeda's Branch in the Islamic Maghreb.
Posted by: lotp ||
12/25/2007 00:00 ||
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Left for the political scrap heap just a few months ago, Republican John McCain has waged his own surge in New Hampshire, where a new poll out yesterday has put him in a virtual dead heat with Mitt Romney. McCain's revival comes as he has picked up several key endorsements, including those of both of Romney's hometown newspapers in neighboring Boston, and the conservative Union Leader in Manchester, NH.
McCain, who has been hemorrhaging staff and whose coffers had all but dried up this summer, now has the support of 25 percent of New Hampshire's likely voters, just behind Romney's 28 percent, a Boston Globe poll found. Just a month ago, a slumping McCain had 17 percent in the same poll compared with Romney's 32 percent. But the Arizona senator has found new political life and climbed above Rudy Giuliani, who slipped to third place in the Granite State.
With just 14 percent of New Hampshire voters saying they'd back him, Giuliani nonetheless remained optimistic yesterday, telling ABC's "This Week" that he was keeping the faith despite his slumping numbers. "I think we've got a shot in New Hampshire," Giuliani said.
McCain made what many thought a perilous decision early this year to become the most vocal spokesman in the race for President Bush's troop surge, the increase in US troops in Iraq. Now that violence in Iraq is down, and many are labeling the military operation a success, McCain is enjoying his own surge at the polls.
Romney yesterday also got blasted by New Hampshire's Concord Monitor newspaper, which issued a scathing editorial telling readers why they should not vote for the former Massachusetts governor because of his changing positions. In a scathing anti-endorsement that called Romney a "disquieting figure," the newspaper's editorial board said he looks and acts like a presidential contender but "surely must be stopped" because he lacks the core philosophical beliefs to be a trustworthy president.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/25/2007 00:00 ||
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DES MOINES (Reuters) - Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton may have shot herself in the foot trying to get Iowa voters to pledge support to her -- she is encouraging them to caucus on January 14, 11 days too late. Maybe they'll all stay home and nobody will be the Democratic Nominee.
At a rally featuring her husband, former President Bill Clinton on Saturday, campaign workers asked supporters to sign and mail cards that said "Yes! I'm an Iowan for Hillary" with their contact information as well as other supportive friends. She's makin a list!
One small problem. In the upper right-hand corner of the card, it says "I, _____, pledge to support Hillary Clinton at my precinct caucus on January 14, 2008."
Unfortunately, that's 11 days too late. The Iowa caucuses are January 3 and organization is key to getting voters to go to the events and support their preferred candidate.
The Politico.com, an Internet site that specializes in politics and first reported the mistake, said at Bill Clinton's second event on Saturday the cards had the wrong date crossed out and replaced with the correct date. It's become a Clown Show. One laugh after another.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
12/25/2007 00:00 ||
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#1
It's become a Clown Show. One laugh after another.
I only wish it were a laughing matter Deacon, I only wish.
Indias ruling Congress party on Tuesday called Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modis tutelage of the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to victory in the Assembly elections a mid-way accident of reselling the communal card as Gujarat pride and hoped he does not carry this card beyond the frontiers of Gujarat if he has national ambitions.
Yep. That's the way to win the next election: Describe your opposition winning this one as a fluke.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee could become the prime minister since he wore a liberal face and Modi has to play a similar positive role if he wants to enter national politics, Congress partys media chairman Veerappa Moily said, in what he described as advice from a brother. He also appealed to Modi to discard the communal card now that he has won according to polls.
No Regrets: Moily, however, commended Modi for the corrective steps he took in denying the ticket to many sitting BJP MLAs to skirt the anti-incumbency while asserting that we have no regrets for losing because we put up the fight against communalism.
He pointed out that it is absolutely wrong to dub Congress pro-Muslim since it stands against fundamentalism of any religion, be it Hinduism or Islam. As a result of the Gujarat elections, he said the process of polarisation will firm up as we want a more determined fight, keeping secularism and security of the country at the top.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/25/2007 00:00 ||
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He pointed out that it is absolutely wrong to dub Congress pro-Muslim since it stands against fundamentalism of any religion, be it Hinduism or Islam.
How about asking Congress MLA candidate in UP to stop campaigning with a lookalike of Osama bin Laden before adoring Muslim crowds.
How about fixing the textbooks used in Indian schools? The ones that portray the great butchers in Indian history like Aurangzeb as enlightened Islamic rulers?
How about letting the police do their job? Everytime the Islamic terrorists bomb somewhere in India, the Police are ordered to lay off the Muslims to "avoid offending minority sentiments"
None of the recent bombing cases has been solved because the Police have had their hands tied.
Maybe they should also obey the Indian constitution and draft a common civil code for marriage divorce, inheritance etc instead of having Sharia law.
Maybe they should stop the Haj subsidy they give to Muslims (alone).
How about giving Taslima Nasreen an Indian passport?
How about resettling the three hundred thousand Kashmiri Hindus ethnically cleansed from the valley?
Nah.. gotta chase that elusive muslim vote. And then wonder why Hindus are getting pissed off and voting for Modi.
Posted by: john frum ||
12/25/2007 14:17 Comments ||
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HONG KONG - Former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra said Tuesday he wanted to return to Thailand in February, as he called for reconciliation with the military following weekend elections. Thaksin, who was deposed by a military coup 15 months ago, also insisted he did not want to return to politics following the polls, which saw his allies in the People Power Party (PPP) emerge as the biggest party in the new parliament.
I will go back from February onwards, Thaksin told reporters in Hong Kong, in his first reaction to the election result, declining to give a precise date, although he hoped it would be by April. I want to go back when my life can be peaceful in Thailand, as a normal citizen, said the billionaire former telecoms tycoon, who has been living in exile mainly in London since the military seized power.
Thaksin struck a conciliatory tone, calling for national reconciliation and holding out an olive branch to the military. I would like to congratulate them (voters) for bringing back democracy for Thailand, he said. This should bring reconciliation efforts by everybody.
Thaksin added: I would also like to thank the military-installed government for efforts to allow the general election to happen.
Thaksin, who was in contact with PPP leaders throughout the election, said repeatedly that he wanted to quit politics when he returned to Thailand, where a military-appointed tribunal in May banned him from politics for five years. I am quitting politics, I am not going back to politics. I will not take any political position except when they want any ideas, he said.
However he later indicated that he could change his mind if the situation in Thailand changed. I have no wish to go back to politics until I feel safe, and then I will have to assess the situation.
Unless the people call for him, of course, then he'll have no choice but to unretire and resume a life in politics ...
Unofficial returns from Sundays election gave the PPP 232 of the 480 seats in parliament, just short of the absolute majority needed to govern alone. Party leaders have been trying to build a ruling coalition with smaller parties and have confidently predicted they will be forming the next government. The Democrat Party, which came in second with 165 seats, has already refused to join a PPP-led government.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Raul Castro said Monday that Communist Party leaders support his brother Fidel's re-election to parliament, saying he is exercising two hours daily and gaining weight 
FIDEL CASTRO'S successor could be one of two younger officials, dubbed "good cop" and "bad cop" by US intelligence analysts.
An Italian judge on Monday issued arrest warrants for 140 Latin Americans suspected of involvement in a coordinated persecution of leftists and dissidents by Latin America's military rulers in the 1970s, Italian news agencies said.
King Albert II of Belgium called Monday on Belgians to overcome their differences that plunged the country into a deep political crisis for the last six months.
