France offers U.S. symbol with Iraq trip Notme

Sunday, Bernard Kouchner paid an unexpected and symbolic visit in Iraq, being the first French official to visit Iraq after the war. The Foreign Minister of France, Bernard Kouchner he came in Iraq not to propose initiatives but to listen to ideas on how his country might help stop the devastating violence, because in his opinion the Iraqi have to restore the nation by themselves. "Now we are turning the page. There is a new perspective. We want to talk about the future. Democracy, integrity, sovereignty, reconciliation and stopping the killings. That's my deep aim," said Kouchner.Bernard Kouchner is the former U.N. administrator for Kosovo and co-founder of the Nobel Prize-winning aid group Doctors Without Borders. He was welcomed in Iraq by the Iraqi Foreign Minister Hosyhar Zebari and as well by the Bush administration. The White House called the visit "This is one more example along with the new U.N. mandate, the neighbors conference process and recent announcements by Saudi Arabia to open an embassy and forgive Saddam-era debt, of a growing international desire to help Iraq become a stable and secure country."The visit of the France official coincided with the fourth anniversary of the truck bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, when 22 people died including the United Nations special envoy to Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, who was a friend of Mr. Kouchner.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070819/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq;_ylt=AsEIftTCS0W3wiATpLbCoRSs0NUE

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Bomb kills provincial chief in Iraq Notme

Another governor was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq. The governor of Muthana was killed is the second official killed in one week, as the Shi'ite Muslim groups are still fighting for the control of some of Iraq's main oil regions.Mohammed Ali al-Hassani was heading to the provincial capital of Samawah, when his Land Cruiser was struck. Hadi al-Ameri, an Iraqi parliamentarian and head of the Badr Organization said: "The purpose behind these assassinations is to create Shiite-Shiite strife."Samir Salim Attar, the deputy minister for science and technology was kidnapped in Baghdad by armed men who used at least eight SUVs to intercept Attar's heavily defended government convoy.The son of the governor killed yesterday, Ahmed, said that the Sadr's militia is to blame for the attacked and he promised revenge. "We will take our revenge after the three-day mourning period," said Abu Haider, the tribal leader.Bernard Kouchner, in his second day visit in Iraq met with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani and other Iraqi officials. "It is true that, in the past, we did not agree with certain countries about the events in 2003, but all that has been put behind us now. Today, we have to look toward the future," Kouchner said in press conference. He also insisted that the U.N. should that a key role in helping the stopping of violence in Iraq.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070820/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq;_ylt=An55Yak60mW477a6Rot.Hw6s0NUE

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Hurricane Dean pummels Jamaica Notme

Powerful winds and torrential rains devastated Jamaica Sunday. Now Hurricane Dean's death toll is raised to almost 14 deaths from the central Lesser Antilles, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica.Although the prime minister of Jamaica made a call for people to abandon their homes and seek for shelters many ignored it, they're afraid that their assets will be stolen "Too much crime in Kingston. I'm not leaving my home," Paul Lyn said in Port Royal, east of Kingston.In Goldmine, a village in Clarendon, a 44 year old farmer was buried under his collapsed home, and in the St. Thomas parish, in the island's southeastern corner, a girl of only 14 year old was crushed when the roof of her home caved in.Tourists that missed their flights took shelter in Sandals Whitehouse, a resort with hurricane-proof walls. Many of them were worried about their lives or if they're going to see their beloved ones again.Trinice Taylor from California said she wasn't sure if she will ever make it back to her home."I'm celebrating my 40th birthday today, and it's going to be a birthday to remember," she said.The Hurricane was classified as being one of Category 5 by The National Hurricane Center, and that it will have sustained winds of 160 mph.The space shuttle Endeavour will head home a day earlier than projected, as NASA fear that the Hurricane may change its route to north and threaten the mission control in Houston.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070819/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/tropical_weather;_ylt=ApWs90ikC4FhS1SDWpojuMKs0NUE

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Report finds Iraqi government precarious Notme

A new U.S. intelligence report finds that says that the Iraqi government is incapable of governing itself, it is stranded by insurgent and sectarian violence with high levels. The report predicts that the Iraqi government "will become more precarious over the next six to 12 months. To date, Iraqi political leaders remain unable to govern effectively."The stability in Iraq is "measurable but uneven" and there are some improvements in the security since the beginning of the year continuing to improve slowly over the next six to twelve months. "The strains of the security situation and absence of key leaders have stalled internal political debates, slowed national decision-making, and increased Maliki's vulnerability" to factions that could form a rivaling coalition, the document says. This report from the National Intelligence comes in a crucial time, next month General David Petraeus and the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocke have to present a report over the success of the temporarily increasing U.S. troop levels in Iraq.Republican Senator John Warner, who has just returned from Iraq called President Bush to bring some of the troops back home until Christmas saying that the move "wouldn't destabilize the country, but could send a clear warning to Iraq that time is running out."

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070823/ap_on_go_ot/us_iraq;_ylt=Ak54En2wj3sNEEqGLPXJUe.s0NUE

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Chris Cantell Discusses World News: Fires in Greece have become an international issue Corina Ciubotaru

This summer hasn't been easy on anyone. Floods, drought, hurricanes and wildfires have affected the lives of millions. Greece is the latest country affected. 73 people have already died, being caught by the flames in their homes, cars or on the fields, trying to run away. The death toll keeps rising as the authorities try to control the fires, with aid from the European Union. Countries like Germany, Iceland, Norway, Israel or Serbia have already sent or promised to send water-carrying planes, while the ones from France, Italy and Canada are already dropping water. The Greek authorities have sent in the army to help fire-fighters and volunteers bring the disaster to an end. Strong winds and temperatures reaching 46 degrees Centigrade make operations difficult and time-consuming, so more lives are in danger every day. Luckily fires threatening the ancient Olympia site in southern Greece, the birthplace of the Olympic Games, which has been around for almost 2,000 years, have been extinguished and the area is safe. The South region of the country, especially the Peloponnese peninsula, has been the worst affected. Authorities fear the fires are the work of arsonists and have already begun questioning suspects and arresting some of the most dangerous ones. Rewards have been put up for anyone that can help identify and arrest an arsonist. Some people in Greece have been known to intentionally start forest fires in order to clear up land for farming and other developments, so the arson theory isn't all that far-fetched. The Greek authorities have sent in the army to help fire-fighters and volunteers bring the disaster to an end.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070826/ap_on_re_eu/greece_fires;_ylt=Aov55c7a4RZbZ56tCD5yofqs0NUE

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More poppies in Afghanistan than in Colombia Corina Ciubotaru

Even though it's being torn apart by war, Afghanistan is a country that goes about its routine and is getting better at it every day. Recently, the southern province of Helmand came into worldwide attention once again when it became the biggest opium producer in the world. Did you think Colombia was the drug capital of the world? Helmand now produces more opium than Colombia, Bolivia and Peru combined, about 193,000 hectares being cultivated this year. And don't be fooled into thinking the people had no alternative for growing crops, the land in this southern province is among the most fertile in the country. It's a question of choice; the UN countries have poured billions of dollars into changing people's habits, but growing poppies remains a big source of income for Talibans. Other regions of Afghanistan are doing better though, as the northern part of the country has increased the number of provinces clear of opium from 6 to 13. The strange part of this story is that worldwide demand for opium hasn't increased recently, so Afghanistan is building stockpiles of the narcotic, probably to finance future terrorist acts. 50 laboratories are used in Helmand alone to convert all that opium into heroin and plans to spray the cultivated areas with herbicides aren't much to the liking of locals who fear the chemicals would endanger the health of their families. British troops are concentrated in the southern part of Afghanistan and are mainly responsible for the peace-keeping efforts and general well-being of the region.

related story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6965115.stm

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Floods in Romania affect the lives of thousands Corina Ciubotaru

After a hot summer in Romania, the sudden rains brought flash floods and left people stranded and desperate. A 19-year old boy died after the car he was in got swept away by the waters and another one, 14 years of age, got hit by lightning while he was grazing his animals on a field. Tourists from the 17th century monastery of Sambata de Sus, a few hundred kilometers north of Bucharest have been evacuated from their guest houses for fear of flooding. In the north-east of Romania, villages Moldovita and Vatra Moldovita have been cut off by water turning dirt roads into swamps, leaving 1,400 stranded. In Harghita county, another few hundred became isolated by torrential rains, while six towns in the center of the country where also flooded. Out of the country's 41 counties, 7 more are expected to be hit by floods during the next few days. For some of them, flooding has become a common occurrence, as summer rains affect large regions of Romania each year. Authorities are usually slow or unable to react and inhabitants are caught off guard, many refusing to leave their homes and choosing refuge on rooftops in case of emergency. Floods came after a very hot period, the warmest summer in decades. Temperatures hit 43 degrees C on some occasions and the levels of drinking water have reached critical levels in some areas, where the water had to be rationalized. There were talks about declaring emergency state a month ago, but fortunately that wasn't necessary in the end.

related story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6964786.stm

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Abdullah Gul, Turkey's new president as of yesterday Corina Ciubotaru

Turkey has a new president starting yesterday and on the surface, it seems there could be no better choice for the country. He used to be the country's foreign minister so he has good relations with people from the E.U. and the U.S. Turkey has wanted to become an E.U. member for years and now the president of the EU commission welcomed Mr. Gul as the new leader of this country. Mr. Bush also congratulated him by phone. Turkey has the biggest army in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation after the Americans, and it's just this army that can make Abdullah Gul's life hard as President. His term should normally last for seven years but since some generals didn't show up to his ceremonial confirmation, analysts are right to be worried about the relationship between them, which can lead to an abrupt end to his regime. The military want the country's leader to continue on the secular path created by the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. On the other hand, the E.U. would like the army to retreat from political life in order to accept the country as a new member. Turkey is halfway between Europe and the Middle East so a military regime wouldn't be quite to the liking of peace-loving Europeans. Gul has declared a number of times that his goal is for nobody in the country to be discriminated against anymore and that he intends to keep the Islam and the affairs of the state separate. If he succeeds then Turkey just might be another capitalism success story.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070828/ap_on_re_mi_ea/turkey;_ylt=Apd7qu0M7G2HEj6yizk4F7us0NUE

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Trapped miners ate coal, drank urine Notme

Two Chinese brothers survived six days after the illegal mine where they were working collapsed. They had no food, water or light, just their surviving instinct and their experience.They were forced to eat coal to feel their bellies full and drink their urine from discarded bottles founded inside the mine, and cranking jokes about their wives."I told my brother, 'your wife is going to have to marry someone else'," Meng Xianyou told the Beijing News.His brother added: "I laughed too, I said my wife could find a rich man in Shenyang. But then I thought, I have two children and my wife is ugly, so it'd be hard for her to remarry."Relatives of Meng Xianchen and Meng Xianyou thought that the miners are dead and burned ghost money at the entrance to the pit and left offerings of steamed buns, cakes and canned food to assist the "deceased" miners in the afterlife.After the sound of the rescuing team diggings stopped the brothers had a breakdown."At the beginning, our mobile phone still had power so there was a little bit of light. Two days later the battery ran out so we could only feel with our fingers and listen," said Meng Xianyou.But then they tried to dig their way out by excavating three horizontal tunnels. Thinking that they were going in the wrong direction they started on a vertical tunnel, which led them to the surface.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070828/ap_on_re_as/china_miners_escape;_ylt=Av3icBpqSUALPkY_irkZpB6s0NUE

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Bhutto: Musharraf to quit as army chief Notme

Pakistan's former prime minister and opposition leader Benazir Bhutto told in an interview for CNN on Wednesday that Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf has agreed to step down as the country's military chief during negotiations on a power-sharing deal with her."We're very pleased that Gen. Musharraf has taken the decision to listen to the people of Pakistan by taking the decision to take off the uniform. I expect that he will step down (as army chief) before the presidential elections, but that is for the president to say," Bhutto said.Bhutto is in talks with Musharraf for several months involving a pact that would protect the general's re-election bid from legal challenges and public disenchantment with military rule.An ally for the President Musharraf, Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, confirmed that the two sides reached an agreement about the President's military role: "Both sides have agreed on the issue of uniform," he told reporters.According to him Musharraf will step down as army chief before the presidential vote but only "he knows the date and she (Bhutto) knows the date."A spokesman for the State Department in Washington, Tom Casey said: "Our principal concern in Pakistan is that there be free, fair and transparent elections."

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South Koreans kidnapped in Afghanistan were released this week Corina Ciubotaru

Afghanistan is a country where armed forces trying to establish a climate of peace and cooperation only succeeded in drawing more attention to what happens in the country. Recently, it became the world's largest producer of opium with 98% of the world's supply being planted here. In that same region of Helmand, the Taliban have their way and it's from there that they lead their operations. Six weeks ago, they kidnapped 12 South Koreans who were in Afghanistan to do good for the people by working in hospitals. After killing two men, the others got freed on Wednesday, much to the joy of their families, the Afghan government and South Korea. The Red Cross, which the volunteers were working for, aided in the negotiations and even though no money was offered to the Taliban, the South Korean government's promise to keep Christian missionaries away from the country as well as remove the 200 troops stationed there might just have done the trick. South Korea sent troops to Afghanistan to aid the U.S.-led force and this is why the Taliban claim to have kidnapped the missionaries. Now, fears arise that the Taliban will use this method to get what they want. In the past two years, countless civilians have been kidnapped in Afghanistan by this ethnic group and some of them have even been killed. Some people are still being held hostage, including a German engineer and 4 Afghan colleagues; they were taken prisoners one day before the South Koreans and their families are still waiting for them to come home safely.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070829/ap_on_re_as/afghanistan;_ylt=An9vkEIKZf2IHxXyKH3UBeas0NUE

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White House pushes back on Iraq report Notme

There is a lot of pressure on the White House concerning the Iraq's little political progress, as the independent assessment concludes despite that U.S. was present with troops for restoration of peace.A senior administration official said Thursday that: "A draft report by the Government Accountability Office concluded Iraq has satisfied three of 18 benchmarks set by Congress and partially met two others."U.S. authorities are disappointed that Iraq has failed in providing three trained and ready Iraqi brigades to support Baghdad operations or to ensure that the security plan.Although many politicians pressure President Bush to stop the presence of American troops in Iraq, Bush sticks to his strategy, but Friday he will meet with the Joint Chiefs that will express deep concerns about the long term impact on the military of maintaining a heavy troop presence in Iraq in 2008 and beyond."The real question that people have is: What's going on in Iraq? Are we making progress? Militarily, is the surge having an impact?" said White House spokesman Tony Snow. "The answer is yes. There's no question about it."Democrats as well as Republicans think that if Baghdad can't reach a lasting political settlement that will stop the violence over there, the presence of the troops is useless."With the president continuing to stay the course in Iraq, Republicans will have to decide whether they will continue to vote with him or join Democrats and the vast majority of Americans who are demanding a new direction in Iraq and refocusing America's efforts on fighting the real threats of terrorism around the world," said Pelosi, D-Calif.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070830/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq;_ylt=AoXCAMH.M2wT_PXUi2bXj4ys0NUE

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Chris Cantell Discusses World News: Iraq's Prime Minister has results whether we see them or not Corina Ciubotaru

The war in Iraq has been hard on everybody. On the troops stationed there, on their commanders, on their families back home; on the Iraqis themselves and on their newly designated leaders. The democracy that was intended there was achieved only in part, as the Sunni and Shiite ministers fight each other constantly and claim the country's people are not united, while the President and Prime Minister seem powerless in the fight against Talibans' reign in the south of Iraq. Most people thought this war would be an easy one. That the dictatorship would be abolished quickly, that the hidden weapons would be exposed easily and that the people there would embrace change in no time. But this ideal picture was wrong; Iraqis wanted change, but they can't be expected to give up their years of history and all of their beliefs which separate them in two rival factions who also fight each other. Some said the Prime Minister should be replaced, but his situation isn't easy over there. He has done his share of good things, like clearing the north of drugs, and he can't be expected to change a country devastated by war in such a short time. In Karbala and Baghdad alone 60 people were killed since last week. The recent deaths are a painful reminder that there is much left to be done there, and only time will tell if Iraq will become the successful capitalist country that its current leaders are trying to make it.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070902/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq;_ylt=AhPpKpcEKOVtHTrAkj1Nqyms0NUE

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North Korea gives in Claudia Sonea

After years of tension because of the North Korea's nuclear program, the results are starting to be seen. The nuclear test on last October led to the meeting in Geneva where after many talks the North Korea officials agreed to declare nuclear programs and dismantle all its nuclear activities. The head of the North Korean delegation, Kim Gye Gwan, stated that they give in because of the political and economical compensation, but he did not revealed any dates. Hill, a U.S. assistant secretary of state, was satisfied of the talks' results between the two countries and was very optimistic on the future meeting later this month with Japan, Russia, South Korea and China. The date given by him was the end of 2007 and said U.S. relations with North Korea will depend on other progress in the talks. Moreover Patricia Lewis, director of the U.N. Institute for Disarmament Research in Geneva also comes to support Kim's declaration of clear willingness to dismantle all nuclear facilities, by saying that U.N. inspectors have been allowed to get back to the country and verify what is declared. One of the North Korea's demands was to be removed from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism and will receive in exchange oil and other aid. Daniel Pinkston, head of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Monterey, believes that Democratic People's Republic of Korea will keep their word and that is important to declare all the uranium enrichment and plutonium stocks. Until further notice, stay connected and sleep better at night.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070902/ap_on_re_as/koreas_nuclear;_ylt=AghuPHLJxsmJbaPvZ4vxk_es0NUE

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Hostage release Claudia Sonea

The Nineteen South Korean Christian volunteers took as hostages by the Taliban in Afghanistan for six weeks were finally freed and returned home. They all bowed their heads at Incheon airport outside Seoul thanking the people from South Korea and apologising for all the trouble created. Lyu Kyung-sik spoke on their behalf, standing between framed pictures of the two hostages shot dead by the Taliban. Many of the hostages were taken to a hospital in Anyang, south of Seoul, where their relatives were expecting them. The suburban Seoul Saemmul Church that dispatched the group was harshly criticised because despite all the government's warnings they still sent the volunteers to an obvious danger area. Moreover 1,300 crammed Saemmul Church for services on Sunday with a pastor complained that the government asked compensation from it for costs incurred in securing the release. According to a senior Taliban leader that declared to Reuters, Seoul had paid $20 million ransom, but the South Korean government denied everything and said that they agreed to pull out a small contingent of military engineers and medical staff and to end South Korean missionary work in Afghanistan. South Korea Christian missionaries working abroad are second after USA and they fight against wars. Taliban insurgents kidnapped 23 South Koreans in mid-July and a lot of victims are registered. Church leaders would rethink their strategy, but a leading group said the Afghan ordeal had only strengthened its resolve to send more missionaries overseas. Giving in to terrorism is not an option according for them. Let's say a pray for all those that lost their souls in the cruel ordeal.

related story: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20070902/tpl-uk-korea-hostages-c3c492c.html

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North Korea's restrictions will be lifted, but only after conditions are fully met Corina Ciubotaru

It seems North Korea isn't going to lose its designation as a terrorism-sponsoring country as soon as Koreans thought. The country has been designated a sponsor in 1988 after the 1987 attack on a South Korean flight which killed 115 people and since then, it has been banned from a series of economic aides that might have accelerated its development; for example, it has been denied access to low interest loans from the World Bank. But the situation in the Asian country has been progressing significantly and now there have been talks of excluding it from the list. It will all come down to how fast the country will shut down its nuclear program and steps have been made by closing the 5-megawatt reactor in Yongbyon in July. According to the agreement signed in February between China, Japan, North Korea, Russia, South Korea and the United States, North Korea will have to end its nuclear program in exchange for benefits which include aid and political benefits. The list of countries currently sponsoring terrorism also includes Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria. Iraq, Libya and South Yemen are the countries that have been removed from the list over the years. Countries on the list are imposed a series of restrictions from the U.S., which include no arms-related exports, controls over dual-use exports, and some forms of financial and economic restrictions. If things go well this time, the country might still have a chance to develop and attract foreign investors and aid to help it grow out of poverty.

related story: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aht1fFNw8jUE&refer=home

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Democratic Iraq is still a dream Corina Ciubotaru

The war in Iraq seems to have more or less ended its most violent part and now the peace-keeping operations are underway. The country has a new President and even a Prime Minister and they are both doing their best to get the democratic regime going. That's not easy when rival factions are fighting each other and Shiites and Sunnis have hundreds of years of war between them. But is a democracy really a democracy if it has to be kept at gun point? There are currently 160,000 troops there and President Bush seems determined to keep his armies there indefinitely and plans to reduce their duties from 15 months to 12 starting in spring. American politicians complain about the lack of results from the new government in the country, but seem incapable to understand that Iraq can't be changed overnight, probably because not all of its inhabitants thought a change was necessary. How does it make them feel when they see a foreign army invading their country and patrolling their streets? They are constantly reminded of the war and a new political regime can't function right in a country at war. The war is on themselves, on their traditions and on change that they didn't expect. Not all Iraqis are terrorists; some of them are children and women who were happy before their home was bombed by an air raid. Why do they need democracy when they have Allah to guide them? And where's the democracy in not allowing people to live their lives as they see fit?

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070904/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq;_ylt=At6wFYwjKYIO.ZB4FF75k0ms0NUE

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U.S. may soon label Iran Guard "terrorist" by Notme dfsfs

Iran's Revolutionary Guard is now on the blacklist of U.S designated as a terrorist organisation. It's the first time ever when U.S. added military forces of a sovereign government to its list of terrorist organisations.This move will allow Washington to target the 125,000- strong elite military corp's business operations and finances.The President George Bush wants Iran to help Iraq to stabilize but Trita Parsi, an Iranian affairs analyst, said: "It's very hard to see how the administration expects diplomacy to succeed when at the same time it is designating partners in that diplomacy as terrorists."U.S. is expected to put Iran Guard on the terrorist list formally before the N General Assembly meeting next month.This designation will be made under Executive Order 13224, which President Bush signed two weeks after the September 11, 2001 attacks.Iran was labeled as a state sponsor for terrorism since 1984, but it is said that this aggressive move targeting the Guard is a new challenge for the U.S.An unnamed Foreign Ministry official quoted by the IRNA news agency said about the U.S. move: "Such a report is in the framework of the propaganda and psychological activity of the American administration against the Islamic Republic of Iran."

related story: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20070815/tpl-uk-usa-iran-guard-81f3b62_3.html

by Notme dfsfs for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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Posted by: Jana Kalicka

At least 510 killed in big Peru quake by Notme dfsfs

A day after the devastating earthquake from the Peru's southern coast, officials announced that the death toll rose to 510 and at least 17.000 people were displaced from their homes.The most damaged regions were the city of Ica and the port city Pisco. The capital, Lima was also hit by the quake.In Pisco at least 200 people died in San Clemente cathedral while they were attending to the celebration of the Virgin Mary and a special mass marking one month since the death of a Pisco man.The city is left without water, power and many residents are left without homes sleeping outside, afraid that aftershocks might ruin the other buildings."We don't have lights, water, communications. Most houses have fallen. Churches, stores, hotels ╉ everything is destroyed," Pisco Mayor Juan Mendoza told Lima radio station CPN.The U.S. Geological Survey declared that the quake had the magnitude of 7.9 to 8, and at least 15 aftershocks followed with the magnitude of 5.In Chincha, a town near Pisco, the quake collapsed the wall of the Tambo de Mora prison and almost 680 escaped, only 29 being captured.The United States, Red Cross, European Union and United Nations offered cash, tents, water, medicine and other supplies.U.S. officials declared that the US navy hospital ship Comfort, equipped with a staff of 800 and 12 operating rooms, is in Ecuador and could quickly sail to Peru if asked.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070816/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/peru_quake;_ylt=AnGDwKIubKKb2lvWWA9mNLas0NUE

by Notme dfsfs for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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Posted by: Jana Kalicka

Dependently independent? by Kamila Moravcikova

On 17 February 2008 Kosovo declared independence from Serbia. Well, why don't let people from Kosovo enjoy the chance being independent? Not being tied anymore to the state whose government and especially its prime minister caused bloody conflicts and riot? Why they should be confederate to people who are not of the same religion and nationality? Why they should be stuck in state where they don't want to be any longer? Being from former Czechoslovakia, I know something about the desire to be independent, to let the whole world know that we don't need anybody, that we are self-sufficient. And on the contrary, once you are independent and all alone, you cannot accuse anybody for your misfortune, your bad results, not doing good, it's just up to you, your decision, your nation, there's no other one to be blamed. Actually, it seems that Kosovo is completely different story. In my opinion they deserve separateness if they feel uncomfortable in one state with Serbians. But one may ask whether the way they chose was the right one. Single sided action, self-declared independence without recognition of UN doesn't mean much formally. Moreover, the whole world turns its eyes to area of Kosovo and Serbia and waits and is afraid what's gonna be next. Can be this done without any fightings, violence, blood on the streets? Can be this smooth and uncomplicated, especially if there's a bloody history and permanent presence of UN's soldiers? Republic of Kosovo and its (at the moment) self-appointed officials await impatiently to receive international recognition from U.S., Japan and some European countries. On the other hand, Serbia's government still regards this area as an internal part of Serbia. So do China and Russia whose veto caused the repudiation by UN. People in Kosovo are celebrating today. Let's hope there will be reason to do so tomorrow.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080217/ap_on_re_eu/kosovo_independence;_ylt=ApcofrJZ08sVNwooblFLtfms0NUE

by Kamila Moravcikova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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Posted by: Jana Kalicka

Iraq is making progress, but isn't quite ready to be left to its own devices by Corina Ciubotaru

The Republicans and the Democrats can't agree whether a local police in charge of peace-keeping is required in Iraq or not. Should the troops be kept in the country indefinitely or should the Iraqis be left to handle things on their own? They have a President, a government and a police force that is thought to be corrupt. And right now they are relying on the American forces to stop them from attacking each other. It's true that changes expected from Iraq are great and that the country needs to grow more on the path of democracy and justice before they can make their own peace but this change was forced upon them. They are being taught how to behave and a good teacher should know when to back down and let the student learn by his own mistakes. Now, the Republicans think the police forces need to be trained properly before the troops can be brought home, while the Democrats would want the Iraqis to handle things on their own, because they might become rebellious if they are given too much knowledge and weapons. Only time will tell who is right in this argument and the future of Iraq will hopefully become more of their own responsibility over time. After all, the local army there seems to become stronger and better equipped every day, and the special forces can make their country and trainers proud. The police are also doing better, as training is improving and it seems the number of attacks has fallen.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070905/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iraq;_ylt=AtxRJpFvVFuIl2Pk1i9fE02s0NUE

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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These news are original content from young talents around the world and are selected for you by Chris Cantell.

Edited by Zuzana Tylkova

Germans arrest 3 in alleged terror plot by Notme dfsfs

Yesterday, September 5 two German citizens converted to Islam and one Turkish resident of Germany were arrested in alleged terror plot."This is the first time I've seen a Turkish-German network," said Guido Steinberg, a researcher at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin. "And the fact that it is connected to a Turkish network in Pakistan is an even bigger problem."Federal Prosecutor Monika Harms said that the three suspects of terrorism planned to attack Frankfurt International Airport and the U.S. Ramstein Air Base and other spots frequented by Americans in Germany.According to Harms the two Germans converted trained in terrorist camps in Pakistan and that the three suspected had about 1,500 pounds of hydrogen peroxide the equivalent of 1200 pounds of TNT.They were arrested in a vacation home from the village of Oberschledorn with 900 people, at 75 miles north of Frankfurt. The three suspects are members of a German cell of the Islamic Jihad Union, a radical Sunni group based in Central Asia that split from the extremist Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.Chancellor Angela Merkel said in Berlin that "The lesson from this is the danger is not just abstract, it's real. The consequences of an attack would have been indescribable."

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070905/ap_on_re_eu/germany_terror;_ylt=AopkRR1DqHrCMrwWddZ_Geas0NUE

by Notme dfsfs for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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Edited by Zuzana Tylkova

The international community will send 26,000 troops to Darfur by Corina Ciubotaru

International forces have joined efforts to restore peace to the troubled region of Darfur, in Sudan. After fighting for the last four years, during which hundreds of thousands of people died and millions were relocated, the dispute has intensified over the last week, as rebel forces captured the strategic city Adila. Countries from Africa, Asia and the Middle East agreed to send troops and police to the region. By the end of this year, 26,000 mainly African troops and police will be dispatched to Darfur, and will also incorporate the forces of the African Union. Ethnic African rebels fight in Darfur against the predominantly Arab government accused of not helping the region more and it seems neither party is willing to surrender. So, the government has agreed to allow UN troops to aid in settling the conflict in a passive manner: they are there to protect against attacks on civilians and humanitarian workers, while only monitoring weapons, instead of disposing of them. Rebel African forces have now separated into several rival factions, and it seems they have also lost their focus since they are fighting each other as well as the government. Sudan is the largest country in Africa and the tenth largest in the world. Its history is marked by wars and struggles for independence and power and it was run as two separate provinces by the British, the south and the north, and Darfur is a region in the West of the country, near the border with Chad.

related story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6936579.stm

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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Kim Jong Il and Roh Moo-hyun will meet on August 28 by Corina Ciubotaru

North and South Korea's leaders are set to make history as they meet for the second time in Pyongyang, North Korea, between August 28 and 30. After their first meeting in 2000, the world waited anxiously for the two nations to sign a formal peace treaty that would end the 54-year old cease-fire, and today's international leaders have the same expectations now. Even though the war still goes on in the South Asian peninsula, Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Jong Il's countries have come a long way on the path to cooperation, by creating an industrial park in the border city of Kaesong, using high-tech South Korean equipment and workers with low wages from North Korea. But there are a couple of problems: the second meeting was supposed to be held in Seoul in South Korea instead of Pyongyang in the North, and the event is viewed by the Grand National Party as a political move in an attempt by President Roh Moo-hyun to gain some popularity. Over the years, democratic South Korea provided billions of dollars for the development of socialist North Korea, which has just recently announced the end of its nuclear program. It seems Kim Jong Il is trying to open up to outside relations, perhaps realizing this is the only true way for progress in his country. Still, he is known for not entering a negotiation that he has nothing to gain from. This may be the beginning of a new era for the two countries whose people have been separated for decades by the most fortified border in the world.

related story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6936158.stm

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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Pervez Musharraf didn't declare an emergency state in Pakistan by Ana Maria Ciobanu

George Bush asked Pakistan to organize fair elections considering the increasing violence and the political problems happening in the country.The Pakistan leader Pervez Musharraf eventually didn't declare an emergency state as it was speculated. This measure would have allowed him to postpone the election.Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf continues to lose popularity but he also continues to benefit from Washington's support, being one of the most important allays in the fight against terrorism.The American Leader has asked President Musharraf to take some serious measures against the terrorism suspects, relying on the information obtained by the Secret Services. George Bush told the press he has no reasons to believe the Pakistan President will declare an emergency state in his country.A spokesman of the Pakistan Government declared that general Musharraf didn't declare an emergency state because he wanted to prove his loyalty towards democracy.Internal tensions in Pakistan have increased after last month's incident when the Government's troupes occupied a radical mosque. Over 100 persons were killed.Besides these internal issues, the safety in the north-west area of the country, at the Afghanistan border has deteriorated and a Pakistan minister stated that the American threats concerning a possible mission in the tribal areas, only made things worst.

by Ana Maria Ciobanu for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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Edited by Zuzana Tylkova

Foreign affairs by Claudia Sonea

After eight years Kosovo's situation is still unsolved. According to Wolfgang Ischinger, a German diplomat and EU Kosovo envoy, the deadline is December 10. The fate of the breakaway province was blocked by Serbian ally Moscow, convincing that new talks should be held under the supervision of the Contact Group -- the United States, Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Russia. Very debated the Martti Ahtisaari offers to 90 percent of Albanians the independence under EU supervision. Despite the fact that Russia insists on extending the deadline, Ischinger refused to change it and said their duty as troika it is not to make new proposals. The talks between Serbia and Albania have lasted 13 months without any results. The West plans a shuttle diplomacy and the onus will be laid especially on Belgrade. A senior European diplomat said that a possible face-to-face meeting might lead to a "Rambouillet-type showdown" (the failed peace conference of February 1999) and that is why it is not taken in count by the Contact Group. NATO powers leading 16,000 troops in the territory believe that Albanians might become restless if they will be denied the independence. The West hopes will be a final envoy of diplomacy and talks on the majority Albanian territory, a solution must be found. Kosovo is urging the United States and EU to make possible their independence and support a unilateral declaration this year. Until now the 27-member EU is insisting in recognizing the province as a state and taking it on their supervision. None of the two sides, Belgrade or Kosovo, has come to an agreement and apparently none would make a compromise. There are still months ahead and until December a lot of things may happen. Stay connected and watch what's spinning at your border.

related story: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20070809/twl-uk-serbia-kosovo-troika-bd5ae06_1.html

by Claudia Sonea for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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These news are original content from young talents around the world and are selected for you by Chris Cantell.

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Chris Cantell Discusses World News: Belgrade in a riot

On Thursday, the capital of Serbia was swept in a storm of demonstrations and even attacks aimed at foreign embassies. It seems the U.S. Embassy suffered the biggest damage as it was set on fire. It was Serbs' reaction to Kosovo's declaration of independence. Serbia and Serbs living in Kosovo and representing about 10 percent of the population refuse to give it up, mainly because it is a common belief that the origins of Serbian state and religion lay here. Hovewer, since the war 1999 Kosovo had been under the authority of the United Nations with NATO led forces as the security guarantee, but at least officially it was still under the sovereignity of Serbia. On February 17, 2008, Kosovo's Albanian leadership declared inpependence and it became the Republic of Kosovo. Over a dozen states recognized its new status, notably the United States, France, Britain and Germany. Well, the consequences were quite tumultuous. Masked attackers broke into to the building of U.S. Embassy and set it on fire around 7 p.m when it was closed. Afterwards, a charred body of one of the rioters was found on the premises. Police and firefighters got to the sight after 45 minutes and managed to put up the fire and ride down the mob using tear gas. Then the protesters scattered into the streets and other clashs with police were reported. Also numerous shops were looted including McDonald's. In Washington, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in his statement: "We want to strongly urge them, and we are in contact with them, to make sure that they devote the assets to deal with this situation," referring to the Serbian government.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080221/ap_on_re_eu/serbia_kosovo_independence;_ylt=AolbcsyqBdB25uaxk4LofNqs0NUE

by Zuzana Zelenakova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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Posted by: Jana Kalicka

Bush says Iran is destabilizing force in Iraq by Notme dfsfs

President George W. Bush accused that Iran is destabilizing force in Iraq. The President called Iran a "very troubling nation" and that it should be isolated, warning them in a news conference: "When we catch you playing a nonconstructive role (in Iraq), there will be a price to pay."Bush hopes to convince the Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki that at an eye-to-eye video conference that Iran is a threat to Iraqi security."If the signal (from Maliki) is that Iran is constructive, I will have to have a heart-to-heart with my friend, the prime minister. Because I don't believe they are constructive," Bush said. "I don't think he, in his heart of heart, think they're constructive either."He also warned Afghan President Hamid Karzai at a visit to an U.S. presidential retreat at Camp David, to be more suspicious of Iran, after the Afghan President denied accusations that that Tehran was arming the Taliban.But Teheran denies Bush's accusations that it is supplying weapons to militants to stoke violence and blames the U.S. military presence.Iran's First Vice President Parviz Davoudi told to the Iraqi Prime Minister that Iran "has always made a special effort to help provide and strengthen security in Iraq."But Bush insists on the fact that Iran is playing a negative role in Iraq, supporting violence between Shi'ites and Sunnis.

related story: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20070809/tpl-uk-iraq-iran-bush-43a8d4f_1.html

by Notme dfsfs for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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These news are original content from young talents around the world and are selected for you by Chris Cantell.

Edited by Zuzana Tylkova

Chris Cantell Discusses World News: President Karzai held meetings to discuss Afghanistan's future by Corina Ciubotaru

Peace in Afghanistan is on its way. President Karzai has had a meeting a couple of days ago with British Defense Secretary Des Browne and they agreed that the country itself will eventually have the biggest role in post-war recovery efforts. The Afghan army should play a bigger part in their country's safety, and local administrations will need to become stronger to encourage respect for the laws as well as economic growth. It also appears the international peace keeping force isn't doing its job very well lately, as they have been unable to prevent the killing of about 600 civilians this year alone. The British have 7,100 troops in Afghanistan and plan to increase that number. Mr. Karzai has also held talks with Pakistani tribal leaders and Prime Minister, to express his country's desire to make peace with its neighbor Pakistan. The officials and tribal leaders came together in a jirga, a tribal council in Kabul and discussed how to put an end to Taliban attacks on both sides of the border. The possibility of uniting the two countries has also been suggested as a way to end hostilities once and for all. Rebel actions have been on the rise since the American-led attack in 2001 and now they started to include kidnappings and torture of civilians. Many Taliban rebels are concentrated in the Helmand region in southern Afghanistan and Waziristan, in the north of Pakistan, and that's also where the highest number of troops, international and local, has been dispatched.

related story: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20070809/tuk-afghanistan-britain-a7ad41d_2.html

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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These news are original content from young talents around the world and are selected for you by Chris Cantell.

Edited by Zuzana Tylkova

Italian and Iraqi gun transaction on the black market by Ana Maria Ciobanu

It was a normal day at the Fiumicino Airport in Italy, Rome. The police was quietly digging through a traveler's checked baggage, looking for hidden drugs. They found a weapon catalogue instead, which turned out to be a clue to something bigger.Anti-Mafia investigators were helped by the airport police's discovery which led them down a trail of telephone and e-mail intercepts, into the midst of a huge black-market transaction.Iraqi and Italian partners were sending more than 100.000 Russian-made automatic weapons into the bloodbath of Iraq.The deal was worth $40 million.Everything is still unclear and a lot of questions have remained unanswered till now. Iraqi government officials were involved in the secret deal, without the knowledge of the U.S. Baghdad command.Why did these officials resort to the black market in Italy and where exactly were the weapons heading? We'll have to wait for the investigation to come up with some answers.Meanwhile, USA's plan to replace the Russian AK-47s with American M-16s will probably send more assault rifles onto the black market.Wouldn't everything be easier if the slaughter in Iraq would stop? Are we all the bad guys from cartoons that plan "world domination"?

by Ana Maria Ciobanu for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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These news are original content from young talents around the world and are selected for you by Chris Cantell.

Edited by Zuzana Tylkova

Chris Cantell Discusses World News: Biking along the Berlin Wall by Ana Maria Ciobanu

The Berlin Wall, built 46 years ago by Communist East Germany, separated friends and families, lovers, acquaintances, lives. It was torn down quickly in 1989 everybody wanting to erase all memories of the loathed barrier.Now tangible evidence of what once was the Berlin wall is very hard to find.Berlin has learnt throughout these years that denying your past isn't a very good idea and it's re-discovering its painful Cold War past by building a $6 million bike trail that follows the path of the 160-km Wall built on the sad day of August 13, 1961.Michael Cramer a Berlin political leader and the mastermind behind this incredible project (which had to fight years of resistance), said: "The Wall is part of our past and we can't just erase it."The bike tour is fascinating, offering both a physical challenge and historical treats as it winds its way through mostly green sections of the city. Thirty signs are posted along the route describing historical landmarks.The Wall's look is a little out of date. Huge dream houses have popped up on parts of the former death strip. Stables and chicken farms are sitting very well on that land without knowing what it meant for the world. Thick underbrush has spread across other areas of the strip, which was between 5 meters and about 100 meters wide.Let's hope everyone will enjoy Michael Cramer's wonderful initiative and the next time we'll visit Berlin we'll rent a bike and ride along Berlin's Wall.

by Ana Maria Ciobanu for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

PocketNews is a new real-time news broadcaster delivering the latest and hottest news right to your pocket ! With global clients who want to be kept up to date, PocketNews is everyone's way of keeping in touch with the World.

These news are original content from young talents around the world and are selected for you by Chris Cantell.

Edited by Zuzana Tylkova

The Talebans spread confusion around the prisoner release moment by Ana Maria Ciobanu

After stating they are ready to free the 21 south-Korean hostages in exchange for some imprisoned Afghan sustainers, as if they were trading apples for peaches, the Talebans are now spreading confusion.The spokesmen for the kidnappers group had earlier stated that the hostage women will be released in exchange for the same number of women imprisoned by the Afghan authorities. These women were arrested because they were bringing food to the fundamentalists.Taleban spokesman Yusuf Ahmadi on Sunday said the two ill women hostages would be freed thanks to the progress made during two days of talks in the central city of Ghazni.However he also added: "The time hasn't been decided. It could be today."The Taleban kidnappers have already killed two hostages, both men and asked in several ways the release of the Taleban prisoners held in the detention centers. The Korean minister who is handling the hostages' situation at the moment announced that their health condition isn't in a good shape.The original group of 23 was captured on the main road from Kabul to Kandahar.The Afghan government, highly criticized after a previous prisoner exchange, has ruled out a swap to secure the release of the Koreans.

by Ana Maria Ciobanu for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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These news are original content from young talents around the world and are selected for you by Chris Cantell.

Edited by Zuzana Tylkova

Cuba has a "new" president by Barbora Misakova

Sometimes the news can be funny too. Especially when you realize, that something what is interpreted as something new is actually still the same and it is not changing particular situation at all. I am talking about the newest election of Cuba's parliament which instead of changing head of the Cuba just changed the name of its leader. Well yes, Cuba has a new president, but honestly he is not as new as it looks at first sight. This is probably for the first time in history, when the change of president will not bring a change to its country.On Sunday 81-year-old Fidel Castro was replaced by his younger, 76-year old brother Raul Castro who so had become a Cuba's president. I don't know why, but it seems to me just like a little game. When you look properly on the whole situation, it is really just a name what was changed. While Raul Castro will be a president, Fidel will still have his rights & he will remain "commander in chief" and Raul will have to consult with him all major decisions related to the state and what is more Fidel still stays a formal leader of Communist Party. Not to be so ironic, I have to admit that Raul Castro is going to make some changes too. First of all he contemplates about the revaluation of the Cuban peso. This national currency is used for the basic need of people who buy utilities, food ration and pay for public transportation. While the opinion of the U.S. is still the same, people living in Cuba have different points of view. Some of them really adore Fidel Castro, consider him to be "trustworthy man" and think his step was right. But there are others who don't believe in Cuba and compare it to the jail where is no openness. The U.S. insists that the change from one Castro to another is not significant and its is just a "transfer of authority and power from dictator to dictator light" and I have to admit they depicted it very clearly.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/cuba_leadership;_ylt=Aku7OvXETkaojGMPrbjT25qs0NUE

by Barbora Misakova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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These news are original content from young talents around the world and are selected for you by Chris Cantell.


Posted by: Jana Kalicka

Chris Cantell Discusses World News: Bush and Sarkozy met for hamburgers in Maine by Corina Ciubotaru

The two heads of state met last week at George W. Bush's residence in Maine, for what was intended to be a casual lunch with hamburgers and blueberry pie. But people found it very hard to believe that the President of the United States could invite his French counterpart over for lunch, without any political strings attached. And it seems politics came up after all, but in a more discreet setting. Sarkozy came alone, as his wife Cecilia allegedly felt sick and two of their kids as well. After the all-american lunch, the two presidents along with former U.S. leader George Bush Sr. went on a 30-minute boat-ride during which nobody knows what happened, so a little bit of politics may have been included in the conversation. Sarkozy is known for his love of America and chances are that relations between the two countries will improve dramatically under his regime. As opposed to his predecessor Jacques Chirac who had not agreed to the invasion of Iraq and some other Bush decisions, today's French president promised to make peace with the Americans. He appeared at the meeting in jeans and a blazer, keeping with the informality of the entire meeting then he and Bush gave each other hearty handshakes and a clap on the shoulder. And he was already on holiday with his family in New Hampshire these days. All this love for the United States has caused some problems back in the country for the 52-year old ruler who is also against the war in Iraq but has a style much closer to Bush.

related story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6941917.stm

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

PocketNews is a new real-time news broadcaster delivering the latest and hottest news right to your pocket ! With global clients who want to be kept up to date, PocketNews is everyone's way of keeping in touch with the World.

These news are original content from young talents around the world and are selected for you by Chris Cantell.

Edited by Zuzana Tylkova

Have all Chinese toys become unsafe? by Corina Ciubotaru

A man killing himself over toys isn't something you hear about everyday. But the manager of a toy company in China taking responsibility to the edge and ending his own life sounds a bit more believable. It is the result of authorities recalling toys manufactured by his company Lee Der Industrial Inc., after it was discovered that the paint used to make them contained high amounts of lead. This can cause serious health concerns in kids, including vomiting or even neurological problems. China has had a number of scandals recently involving products that did not meet safety standards. Food, toothpaste and toys are just some of the products that were deemed unsuitable for use by authorities in importing countries, so the safety inspectors' controls are on the increase all around the country, as China needs exports to support the booming economy. Another company that has been recently found responsible for selling unsafe products is Hansheng Wood Products Factory who also used dangerous paint on its wooden toys, sold as part of the Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway series. And the trouble doesn't end here; Mattel, the company that recalled the Lee Der products last week, has announced a similar action will take place in a few days, involving 9 million items. Other companies like Hasbro and RC2 also recalled products due to manufacturing problems. This is a big blow to the entire industry as parents don't know who to trust anymore. A few kids have already undergone surgery after swallowing small magnets that perforated their intestines.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070813/ap_on_re_as/china_tainted_products;_ylt=AgqkbkFFmZ5oMhLWQKBo05.s0NUE

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

PocketNews is a new real-time news broadcaster delivering the latest and hottest news right to your pocket ! With global clients who want to be kept up to date, PocketNews is everyone's way of keeping in touch with the World.

These news are original content from young talents around the world and are selected for you by Chris Cantell.

Edited by Zuzana Tylkova

Iraq still on fire by Claudia Sonea

Late Tuesday four suicide bombers struck nearly simultaneously in northwestern Iraq killing at least 175 people and wounding 200 more, according to Iraqi military and local officials. It was an attack against Yazidis, a small Kurdish sect considered infidel by some Muslims. The blame for the recent actions against this sect falls on a Yazidis family that stoned to death their 18 years old daughter, 18-year-old Duaa Khalil Aswad, who run away from home with her Muslim boyfriend and converted to Islam. The Islamic State in Iraq, an al-Qaida front group, warned one week before about the gruesome attack through distributed leaflets. After sundown near Qahataniya, 75 miles west of Mosul around which is the center of the Yazidi faith, four trucks approached the city and exploded within minutes of each other. The police stated that at least one of the trucks was an explosives-laden fuel tanker. Shops were set ablaze and flats crumbled because of the explosions; the victims' number is supposed to rise. Despite the fact that there was no claim of responsibility, the attack bore the hallmark of al-Qaida, regrouping in Anbar and Diyala provinces. Dhakil Qassim, mayor in the town of SInjar, a city close by the attacks, blamed the terrorist and said that Yazidis community has nothing to do with the armed conflict. This was another humiliation for the US army, the attack coming after the brazen daylight raid on the Oil Ministry complex when Dozens of gunmen wearing security force uniforms abducted a deputy oil minister, Al-Wagaa and four other officials. In a similar raid on Iraq's Finance Ministry five Britons were kidnapped. The crime scenes are near the stronghold of the Mahdi Army militia loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, Sadr City. Defense Department spokesman Bryan Whitman stated in Washington that they are expecting the attacks to increase during this situation. 3,700 US militaries have been killed and the situation is still unsolved. How long it will take for the situation to calm down, no one really knows. Innocent people continue to be victims of the religious prejudices and of an unfair war. Surf on and keep your eyes on the news, there is much more to come.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070814/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq;_ylt=AhsPtSazULasVgJy97QDrVes0NUE

by Claudia Sonea for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

PocketNews is a new real-time news broadcaster delivering the latest and hottest news right to your pocket ! With global clients who want to be kept up to date, PocketNews is everyone's way of keeping in touch with the World.

These news are original content from young talents around the world and are selected for you by Chris Cantell.

Edited by Zuzana Tylkova

Things look bad for North Korea after floods by Corina Ciubotaru

Massive floods have wreaked havoc in North Korea; in some regions rain levels reached 2 feet and caused the worst damage this decade. 30,000 houses were destroyed and over 100,000 hectares of farmland flooded, and now the U.S. and South Korea are thinking of aiding the country that can barely sustain itself even without natural disasters occurring. It is a frequent recipient of foreign food aid but it hasn't called for help yet in this case, even though a tenth of the country's annual grain harvest has been devastated. Even before the floods, North Korea faced a food shortfall of about 20% of its needs and has issued a preliminary help request to the UN. The organization made a survey and decided the country may need long-term assistance to recover and not be affected by famine, as was the case in the late '90s, when hundreds of thousands of people died. Electrical and railway lines have also been damaged, adding to the already grim situation of electrical power in the communist nation. Recent floods are presumably not going to affect the meeting between North and South Korean leaders later this month. South Korea has been making efforts in recent years to aid its southern neighbor and to find ways of uniting the countries once again. Families divided by the world's most fortified border have been allowed to reunite briefly on some occasions, and the two Koreas share an industrial park in a border city, benefiting from the North cheap labor force and the South high-tech machinery.

related story: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20070814/tsc-nkorea-weather-floods-c2ff8aa_2.html

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

PocketNews is a new real-time news broadcaster delivering the latest and hottest news right to your pocket ! With global clients who want to be kept up to date, PocketNews is everyone's way of keeping in touch with the World.

These news are original content from young talents around the world and are selected for you by Chris Cantell.

Edited by Zuzana Tylkova

Counting bodies

In northwestern Iraq, areas in the town of Qahataniya, 75 miles west of Mosul, four truck bombers exploded within minutes of each other. According to local officials (including Hashim al-Hamadani, a senior provincial security official; Kifah Mohammed, director of Sinjar hospital; and Iraqi army Capt. Mohammed Ahmed) and police there were 250 bodies pulled from under the crumbled houses and 350 people were injured. They expect the death toll to rise around 500. Because the area was under curfew and the wounded were taken to various hospitals, the figures provided by the authorities could not be checked independently. Amin Farhan, the only Yazidi legislator in Iraq's 275-seat parliament, said that 50 houses completely collapsed trapping entire families beneath mud bricks and other wreckage. The carnage was an act of ethnic cleansing, bearing the hallmark of al-Qaida. The target was the Yaizidis, a small Kurdish sect centered near Mosul, who is considered to be infidel by some Muslims. A week before the attack an al-Qaida front group, the Islamic State in Iraq, distributed leaflets warning about the attack near the area where it happened and motivating it with religious reasons. Rescuers are still trying to dig out from under clay houses shattered by the blast impact. It was the worst one since ever, the lower death estimate was higher than the number of people killed last November (23) in Baghdad's Shiite Muslim enclave of Sadr City- 215. A young boy yelled in pain while his bloodied face was nursed and a toddler had his head and arms bandaged. Hospitals were overwhelmed and the rescue vehicles were hold back by the curfew. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki criticized the terrorism that endangers their national unity. In Iraq the situation is bad; at least 44 people were killed or found dead this week. How will be the progress report on Iraq delivered by the top U.S. commander, Gen. David Petraeus? Stay connected and you will find out.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070815/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq;_ylt=Ata3Fl_9D5bXlGWz.fT.OjWs0NUE

by Claudia Sonea for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

PocketNews is a new real-time news broadcaster delivering the latest and hottest news right to your pocket ! With global clients who want to be kept up to date, PocketNews is everyone's way of keeping in touch with the World.

These news are original content from young talents around the world and are selected for you by Chris Cantell.


Edited by Zuzana Tylkova