My Press Review - Monday 26 July

90,000 U.S. documents on Afghan war leaked to website

Some 90,000 leaked U.S. military records posted online Sunday amount to a blow-by-blow account of six years of the Afghanistan war, including unreported incidents of Afghan civilian killings as well as covert operations against Taliban figures.

 

Documents allege Pakistan secretly backed Taliban

U.S. officials in Afghanistan strongly suspected Pakistan was secretly supporting the Taliban while taking massive amounts of American aid, military reports leaked on Sunday show, raising new questions about President Barack Obama's war strategy.

 

Report: Israel won’t cooperate with UN flotilla probe

Israel will not cooperate with a team of experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate a commando raid on an aid flotilla that was trying to break a blockade of Gaza.

 

BP chief executive likely to be ousted, sources say

Gaffe-prone BP Chief Executive Tony Hayward — who incensed many on the Gulf Coast by saying he wanted his life back as they struggled with the fallout from the company's massive oil spill — will be replaced, a senior U.S. government official said Sunday.

 

US drone attacks kill 28 in Pakistan border area

More extrajudicial killing. Unmanned US aircraft fired missiles at houses in two different parts of north-western Pakistan yesterday, killing at least 12 unnamed militants in attacks that occurred hours apart, intelligence officials said.

 

Arrest warrant deals fatal blow to promotion dreams of coup generals

The promotion dreams of generals who are suspected of links to a subversive military plan to overthrow the government were dealt a fatal blow on Friday when an İstanbul court ordered the arrest of 102 suspects in the investigation into the Sledgehammer Security Operation Plan.

 

Chavez threatens US oil shipments

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez threatens to cut oil supplies to the US if his country is attacked by Colombia, a US ally.

 

Burma is working on nuclear weapons programme, experts claim

Burma is working on a nuclear weapons programme, experts have concluded, after its existence was exposed by leaked photographs.

 

New START Facing Hurdles in U.S. Senate

The once-smooth path for U.S. Senate ratification of New START is looking a little dicier. While conservatives are unlikely to kill the arms treaty, they could force Democrats to delay a vote until after November elections.

 

China sentences Uighur to 15 years in prison for talking to foreigners

A Chinese court in the troubled western province of Xinjiang has sentenced an ethnic Uighur journalist to 15 years in prison for "endangering state security" by speaking to foreign reporters.

 

Diplomat: Iraq evidence 'blocked'

The Foreign Office declines to comment on claims by a former diplomat that it blocked key parts of his testimony to the Iraq Inquiry.

 

Israel warned over Arab harassment

Israel could ignite a third intifada if it continues to push its 1.2 million Arab citizens into a corner, claims Haneen Zoabi, the Arab member of the Knesset vilified for joining the Gaza aid flotilla.

 

Kuwait to fund Khartoum airport

Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) has initialed a loan agreement worth USD 47 million with the Sudanese government for

 

UAE: South Korea Training Abu Dhabi-based Institute Students on nuclear energy

A group of the Abu Dhabi-based Institute of Applied Technology (IAT) students are currently undergoing technical training on nuclear energy in South Korea,

 

Ex-CIA chief: Strike on Iran seems more likely now

A former CIA director said Sunday that military action against Iran now seems more likely because no matter what the United States does diplomatically, Tehran keeps pushing ahead with its suspected nuclear program.

 

Italy to China in driverless vehicles

It's a modern-day version of Marco Polo's journey halfway around the world — but is anyone at the controls?

 

Obama pressure over Lockerbie letter

Scottish officials say US memo giving grudging support to freeing Abdelbaset al-Megrahi undermines president's criticisms. Barack Obama is under growing pressure to release a letter that reveals the US grudgingly supported freeing the Lockerbie bomber on compassionate grounds.

 

CANADA 17-22 Aug 2010 Canada's oldest English colony celebrates 400th birthday

Canada's oldest English colony turns 400 on Aug 17, and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is likely to join descendants of the colonists and Aboriginal leaders in the town for the party. Called Cupids 400, it celebrates the establishment of the Newfoundland fishing community in 1610 by British colonists.

 

16 Aug 2010 Iran, Iraq signed peace agreement 20 years ago

Twenty years ago on 16 Aug, Iran and Iraq concluded a peace agreement after an 8-year war. The date invites a look at the war and at a recent challenge to 20 years of Iran-Iraq peace.

 

EU's secret £400m for 'crazy' projects

European bureaucrats have set up a secretive fund of £400?million to pay for projects that include promoting a "smelly-foot" dance and producing postcards about the causes of "social exclusion".

 

UAE expects dates harvest of 80,000 tons

UAE is expecting some 80,000 tons of dates to be received from farmers during the current farming season,

 

'Minority Report' technology used by police to predict crimes

Software that can predict when and where future violent crimes will be committed is being used in Britain for the first time.

 

---

Notice: This email is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above and may contain information that is confidential and privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. Opinions, conclusions and other information in this message that do not relate to the official business of our firm shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by it.

Posted via email from luay's posterous

What's Happening Today - Monday 26 July

Cambodia: A UN-backed court is set to hand down a verdict on former Khmer Rouge prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch. Court officials are expected to hold a news conference.

Philippines: President Aquino outlines his legislative agenda in his first State of the Nation address in Congress

India: Parliament re-opens, expected to start on a stormy note with opposition likely to attack the  government over spiralling prices, Maoist attacks and India-Pakistan talks.

Iran: Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said he is ready to begin meetings with the Vienna Group on the Tehran Declaration nuclear fuel swap deal and requested that Turkey and Brazil sit in on future meetings with the Vienna Group (the United States, France, Russia and the International Atomic Energy Agency). Nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili will meet with EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton in the near future. Ahmet Davutoglu said the meeting would likely take place in Istanbul - but did not specify today.

Turkey: British Prime Minister David Cameron expected to arrive for two-day visit Turkey. Cameron will be accompanied by British Foreign Secretary William Hague, and Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne.

Iraq: Curtain raiser as the Iraqi parliament will meet July 27 to hold its second session since the March 7 parliamentary elections, according to Parliament Speaker Fuad Masoum

Yemen: Huthi rebels have agreed to a cease-fire with the army-backed Bin Aziz tribe following several days of fighting. The rebels said the group viewed the Bin Aziz tribe as one and the same with the Yemeni government.

Israel: Thousands expected to attend Jerusalem's controversial Gay Pride parade under heavy security.

Gaza: A Hamas official called on the European Union to rescind its boycott of the group and open direct talks. Yusif Rizka, an aide to senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, said meetings between Hamas and Western diplomats had taken place in the past

Uganda: African Union summit continues in Kampala; meeting likely to focus on situation in Somalia; African leaders expected to seek deployment of more troops in country – possibly from South Africa.

Mali: Deadline set by so-called “Al-Qa'idah in Land of Islamic Maghreb” for France to comply with their demands or otherwise say will kill captive French aid worker Michel Germaneau.

Belarus: Syrian President Bashar al-Asad starts visits to meet President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, other officials to discuss economic cooperation, business ties (-27)

Ukraine: Russia has invited Ukraine to participate more frequently in the Fairway of Peace naval exercises, conducted by the Russian Black Sea Fleet and the Ukrainian navy. Russian navy chief Adm. Vladimir Masorin suggested holding the exercises every year under a rotating command, instead of once every two years. Russia also announced two Baltic Fleet warships, the Neustrashimy and Yaroslav Mudry, will be transferred to the Black Sea Fleet in 2011, following an agreement with Ukraine.

Greece: EU, IMF and ECB officials to visit Greece to start their next review of how Greece is implementing its 110 billion euro pain-for-gain austerity programme (to Aug. 6).

Romania: The International Monetary Fund starts mission to review Bucharest's 20 billion euros aid deal

Serbia: The Serbian parliament will meet today to discuss the U.N. International Court of Justice's July 22 ruling that Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence in 2008 was legal.

Belgium: EU foreign ministers hold a one-day meeting. 0800gmt start. New sanctions on Iranian shipping lines and a ban on new investment, technical assistance and technology transfers to Iran's oil and gas industry. Kosovo is also likely to dominate the meeting

France: Scientists from CERN in Geneva will present results obtained at the LHC "Big Bang machine" that has been working full blast since late March. Starts 1100gmt 

US: New York City has just implemented a new food safety grading system for restaurants. The new system calls for a letter grade to be awarded to every restaurant and for the establishment to display their grade on a sign on the front door. Restaurants that do not receive an "A" grade, or which have been found to have rats, roaches or unclean surfaces, can expect to see customers turn away at the door.

Venezuela: President Hugo Chavez cancels trip to Havana to celebrate anniversary of start of Cuban revolution, cites danger of "armed aggression" by Colombia amid escalating tensions; threatens to cut oil supply to US if Venezuela is raided by Colombian forces

---

Notice: This email is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above and may contain information that is confidential and privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. Opinions, conclusions and other information in this message that do not relate to the official business of our firm shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by it.

Posted via email from luay's posterous

My Press Review - Sunday 25 July

George Bush the Third: the new kid on the block

George P Bush, son of Florida governor Jeb Bush, is beginning to spread his political wings as the third generation of the Bush dynasty. (Oh, dear God, no)

 

New coalition talks with anti-Islam party

The party of Dutch anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders re-emerged yesterday as a possible government coalition partner.

 

BP set to begin Libyan drilling

BP is set to begin drilling off Libya amid safety concerns over the Gulf of Mexico spill and accusations over the Lockerbie bomber.

 

At least 14 dead in Saudi flash floods

After days of heavy rain, floods hit several mountainous districts of southern Saudi Arabia, leaving hundreds at risk.

 

Muslim students 'barred from bus' over 'threatening' veils

Two Muslim students have claimed they were barred from boarding a London bus after the driver said their face veils made them a "threat" to passengers.

 

Burmese leader in key India visit

Burmese military ruler General Than Shwe starts a five-day visit to India during which he is due to meet senior leaders.

 

AU summit due to focus on Somalia

African heads of state gather in Uganda for an African Union summit likely to be dominated by the crisis in Somalia.

 

Iran to put man in space by 2019

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says his country plans to send its first manned shuttle into space by 2019, state media says.

 

Amazon river dolphins threatened with extinction

The pink dolphins of the Amazon are being threatened with extinction as fishermen kill them to use their flesh as bait.

 

Villagers open grocery shop inside phone box

North Yorkshire villagers open grocery shop inside phone box.

 

'Ask an Emirati' Facebook page builds cultural bridge

Site taps internet’s power to educate expatriates by answering questions about local culture.

 

'I hate my father for my forced marriage, I hate my tribe, and I don't love my wife'

Although forced marriages are illegal, they are common in Iraq, with tribal leaders use tradition to justify such unions.

 

Israel faces war crimes lawsuit

Three Spanish activists who were on board the aid flotilla raided by Israeli troops have filed a lawsuit against Israel for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

 

UN to investigate Marmara events.

Geneva Human Rights Council appoints 3 experts to probe violations of international law.

 

Putin promotes Russian Black Sea Fleet on controversial Ukraine visit

Radio Free Europe:Putin is in Ukraine's Crimea for a two-day visit that is likely to raise tensions over the disputed, predominantly Russian-speaking region. Putin was due to meet with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who is holidaying in the picturesque Black Sea resort of Sevastopol. For more on the story, please click here

 

Brassed Off? Colliery band welcomes its first female musician after 93 years

It is the brass band that inspired a hit film in which a brilliant female musician is permitted to join the all-male ranks.

 

Saying 'sorry' could cut jail sentences

Tens of thousands of offenders may be able to reduce their sentences by making personal apologies to their victims, under plans for a "rehabilitation revolution" in the criminal justice system.

 

Court orders arrest of 102 officers in Sledgehammer case

A court ordered the arrest of 102 suspects in the investigation into the Sledgehammer Action Plan, a subversive plot allegedly prepared by a clique inside the military that included plans to crash Turkish jets and bomb large mosques at busy prayer hours to undermine the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) with the hope of eventually overthrowing

 

Mexico police find 51 in mass grave near Monterrey

Police have unearthed at least 51 bodies in a mass grave outside Mexico's business capital Monterrey since Thursday, a grisly sign of the escalating drug violence in the northern city, authorities said on Saturday.

 

Italy's disappearing tomatoes

A new chapter is about to be added to the history of Italian disasters. It may not quite be up there with the Fall of Rome or Vesuvius erupting, but the Great Tomato Massacre of 2010 is very bad news indeed for a country that has the humble but versatile pomodoro at the heart of its culinary life.

 

Huge leap in bankruptcy among women

The number of British women going bankrupt has risen almost fivefold in the past 10 years, with new figures revealing a 28 per cent increase in the past year alone. In some cases, according to insolvency experts, the surge is down to the "irresponsible spending" of women trying to emulate glamorous celebrities, while others are being driven to financial ruin by unemployment, pay inequality and childcare costs.

 

Man robs bank dressed as Darth Vader

Times must be tough back at the Empire. A bank robber dressed as "Star Wars" villain Darth Vader made off with an undetermined amount of cash after pointing a handgun at startled tellers inside a Chase bank branch on Long Island.

 

Unease in Tibet Over Influx of China’s Money and Migrants

China sees development and an enhanced security presence as key to stability, but the flow of people has deepened resentment among many Tibetans.

 

Qatar: AFC Asian Cup 2011 Online Ticket Sales Start Today

Starting form today, fans across the world will be able to buy tickets online for the Asian Football Conference (AFC)' flagship tournament, the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011.

 

Saudi Arabia: multi-billion projects to expand the railway services

Infrastructure upgrades are the order of the day, with the government of Saudi Arabia giving its full financial backing to big-ticket transport projects in a bid to ensure that passengers and cargo

 

 

---

Notice: This email is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above and may contain information that is confidential and privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. Opinions, conclusions and other information in this message that do not relate to the official business of our firm shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by it.

Posted via email from luay's posterous

What's Happening Today - Sunday 25 July

Australia: Leaders of Australian Labor Party and Liberal Party, Julia Gillard and Tony Abbot take part in a live TV debate ahead of August 21 poll.

South Korea: Joint US-South Korea naval and air exercises start off east coast of Korean peninsula; North Korean military has issued statement warning of readiness to use "powerful nuclear deterrence"

Cambodia: Survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime's most notorious prison hold a ceremony to for  those who were killed at Tuol Sleng of the upcoming verdict on Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch - former chief of the torture facility.

Thailand: By-election in Bangkok. Red-shirt co-leader Korkaew Pikulthong, who's among 11 people in jail facing terrorism charges, has been allowed to contest under the Puea Thai banner. More than 2,000 police will be deployed for the poll.

Bangladesh: Senior leaders of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and party of former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, participate in a seven-hour-long mass hunger strike as part of ongoing anti-government protests.

India:  Myanmar's military ruler Than Shwe, in a rare overseas visit, arrives in India for a four-day state visit. The senior general is expected to meet the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, President Pratibha Patil and also sign deals to boost trade and defence

Afghanistan: Two U.S. Navy service members disappeared in eastern Afghanistan. According to the district chief, one may have been killed and the other taken hostage by the Taliban.

Iran: Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said Iran would pursue war reparations and compensation from Iraq, Mehr news agency reported. He said that while certain paragraphs of UN Resolution 598 have been implemented, the paragraph on getting war reparations from Iraq has not.

Turkey: Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim meets Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu; expected to discuss revival of talks with Iran; uranium swap deal was signed following talks between Iran, Turkey and Brazil in May; in June, UN Security Council approved sanctions against Iran despite strong opposition by Turkey and Brazil

Uganda: African Union Summit opening ceremony.

South Africa: South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) plans to discuss a proposal to nationalize the country’s mines at its national general council meeting in September, Bloomberg reported

Ukraine: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Victor Yanukovich expected to attend the annual Russian Black Sea Fleet parade through the main street of Sevastopol in Ukraine's Crimea. 0600gmt start.

Croatia: Israeli President Shimon Peres visits Croatia.

 

Venezuela: South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoyty concludes visit

---

Notice: This email is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above and may contain information that is confidential and privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. Opinions, conclusions and other information in this message that do not relate to the official business of our firm shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by it.

Posted via email from luay's posterous

My Press Review

Lessons of war

What happens to child soldiers from a losing army?

Egyptian-Israeli marriage ruling

A Cairo court upholds a ruling urging the cabinet to consider revoking the citizenship of Egyptian men married to Israelis.

Pakistan raises defence spending

Pakistan announces a 17% increase in defence spending in the coming year as it battles to combat Islamic militants.

UK 'to approve £19m of Gaza aid'

The government is expected to announce it has approved £19m of aid money to be given to the UN operation in Gaza.

Sydney Opera House hosts concert for dogs

Hundreds of dogs descend on the Sydney Opera House for a concert specifically for canines.

Noda 'to be Japan finance chief'

Japan's new Prime Minister Naoto Kan is to choose Yoshihiko Noda as his next finance minister, Kyodo news agency reports.

Cyclone Phet death toll rises

Death toll from the Omani cyclone reaches double digits as rescuers find more bodies - including one of their own number.

Abu Dhabi makes Pisa sit up straight

The Capital Gate has been named the 'World’s Furthest Leaning Manmade Tower', surpassing Italy’s Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Oren: Turkey has embraced the leaders of Iran and Hamas

Erdogan: Hamas is not a terrorist organization.

Sweden to boycott Israel cargo

Dockworkers to launch week-long effort due to 'Mavi Marmara' incident.

Smart clothes offer emotional aid

Smart clothes could soon be helping their wearers cope with the stresses of modern life. The prototype garments monitor physiological states including temperature and heart rate

Gordon Brown accepts a pay cut (for David Cameron)

Gordon Brown's last act was to deprive David Cameron of hundreds of thousands of pounds

Titan: Nasa scientists discover evidence 'that alien life exists on Saturn's moon'

 Evidence that life exists on Titan, one of Saturn's biggest moons, appears to have been uncovered by Nasa scientists.

Bullfighting makes Spain see red

Until a few years ago, there was little opposition to bullfighting in Spain. Now, the time-honoured bloody spectacle risks being outlawed in Catalonia. Is the game up for la corrida?

Cash crisis for nuclear fusion dream

A £15bn international bid to harness the fusion process that powers the Sun is facing a major funding crisis. Scientists have revealed that the cost of the International Thermonuclear Experiment Reactor (Iter) has trebled from its original £5bn price tag in the past three years. At the same time, financial crises have beset all the nations involved in the project.

G20 shifts from stimulus to austerity in final communiqué

A meeting of G20 finance ministers ended in South Korea today with a clear call on governments around the world to put their fiscal houses in order as the global economy remains in the grip of deepening market turmoil and uneven growth.

Israeli attack written into history with chilling survivor accounts

With most survivors back in their home countries, details are continuing to emerge about exactly what happened during the course of a bloody Israeli military attack on a humanitarian aid convoy heading to the blockaded Gaza Strip.

Half of large properties in London bought by foreigners

More than half of large properties on the market in London are being bought by foreigners, according to data from one of Britain's largest estate agents.

Vote on border dispute leaves Slovenes divided

Nestled on the Slovenian coast, the town of Koper with its winding cobbled streets, Venetian mansions and Gothic cathedral, is a picturesque and unassuming place. But it is at the centre of a battle raging in the Balkans, which could bring down Slovenia's government and sour already prickly relations with Croatia.

Israel admits it altered flotilla audio

The Israeli military admitted on Saturday that it had released a misleadingly altered audio recording of a radio transmission with the "Freedom Flotilla" aid convoy in which activists are allegedly heard telling Israeli soldiers to "shut up, go back to  Auschwitz."

India's Rent-a-Womb Industry Faces New Restrictions

India has proven fertile ground for foreigners seeking a "womb-for-hire," but a new government bill threatens to complicate the country's lucrative surrogacy trade

---

Notice: This email is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above and may contain information that is confidential and privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. Opinions, conclusions and other information in this message that do not relate to the official business of our firm shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by it.

Posted via email from luay's posterous

Sunday 6 June - What's Happening

Japan: Final day of APEC trade ministers' meeting on the northern island of Hokkaido.

Vietnam: First day of World Economic Forum meeting.  

 

South Korea: Following up on measures taken by the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund - including a $1 trillion bailout to help countries deal with the fallout from unsustainably high debt.

 

Pakistan: Authorities in coastal regions of Pakistan are preparing for high winds and possible flooding and destruction from an approaching tropical storm. The National Disaster Management Authority said Saturday that 7,000 people have been moved to safety from low-lying areas close to the southern city of Karachi.

 

Iran: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said sanctions could be approved by the UN Security Council in the near future, and added that the European Union, the United States, Russia and China share a common position on the issue.

 

Iraq: Jabar Yawar, a deputy minister in the Kurdish autonomous region in northern Iraq, says Iranian troops have crossed the Iraqi border in pursuit of Iranian Kurdish rebels. Yawar said 35 Iranian soldiers remain in the Iraqi village of Perdunaz after crossing the border June 3.

 

Iraq: Iraq's military withdrew the right to carry weapons from 10,000 ex-Sunni insurgents, which threatened to cause a rift between security forces and Sunni fighters credited with helping stem violence in Iraq, Reuters reported. Leaders of the "Sons of Iraq" responded with a warning that they would stop cooperating with security forces in Diyala province if their weapons permits were taken from them.

 

Iraq: Gunmen killed a third candidate from the Sunni-backed coalition that won the most seats in Iraq's March parliamentary election. The alliance said the slaying of Faris Jassim al-Jubouri was part of a politically motivated campaign of assassinations

 

Turkey: Thousands expected to get together at "Freedom for Palestine" demonstrations organised by NGO groups to protest Israeli raid on an aid flotilla.

 

Yemen: Yemeni Colonel Mohammed Saleh al-Shaief and two of his bodyguards were killed in an attack by suspected members of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula near the city of Marib

 

Cyprus: On the final day of his visit to Cyprus Pope Benedict delivers mass for the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East, with thousands expected to watch the proceedings on giant screens outside.

 

Slovenia: National  referendum on whether a border arbitration agreement with Croatia should be enforced.

 

Germany: French President Nicolas Sarkozy prepares to travel to Berlin tomorrow to coordinate France's financial position with Germany, Europe's biggest economy, ahead of the forthcoming G-20 and G-8 summits later this month in Canada.

 

France: Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili meets French President Nicolas Sarkozy to discuss developments following the 2008 war with Russia.

 

US: BP has collected 6,000 barrels of oil in the first 24 hours of pumping it from a ruptured well up to a drill ship, CNN reported

 

US: Robert Gates called for free access to the resource-rich South China Sea, saying Washington objected to any moves to "intimidate" U.S. energy firms in the region

 

US: The White House plans to nominate US Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence James Clapper as the new Director of National Intelligence, CBS News reported

 

US: Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee holds convention to mark 30 years of its formation. Panelists include Dr. Karen AbuZayd, retired Under-Secretary-General of United Nations and Commissioner-General of United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), Ambassador Maen Rashid Areikat, PLO Representative to the United States and Dr. Asa'd Ghanem, senior lecturer at the School of Political Science at the University of Haifa. Dr. Clovis Maksoud, and Dr. Azmi Bishara, former member of the Israeli Knesset will attend, and the Rachel Corrie Award will be presented at the Luncheon to Free Gaza Movement activist Ramzi Kysia and Jennifer Loewenstein.

 

Peru: Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly (to June 8). 

 

Posted via email from luay's posterous

Sunday 6 June - What's Happening

Japan: Final day of APEC trade ministers' meeting on the northern island of Hokkaido.

Vietnam: First day of World Economic Forum meeting.

South Korea: Following up on measures taken by the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund - including a $1 trillion bailout to help countries deal with the fallout from unsustainably high debt.

Pakistan: Authorities in coastal regions of Pakistan are preparing for high winds and possible flooding and destruction from an approaching tropical storm. The National Disaster Management Authority said Saturday that 7,000 people have been moved to safety from low-lying areas close to the southern city of Karachi.

Iran: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said sanctions could be approved by the UN Security Council in the near future, and added that the European Union, the United States, Russia and China share a common position on the issue.

Iraq: Jabar Yawar, a deputy minister in the Kurdish autonomous region in northern Iraq, says Iranian troops have crossed the Iraqi border in pursuit of Iranian Kurdish rebels. Yawar said 35 Iranian soldiers remain in the Iraqi village of Perdunaz after crossing the border June 3.

Iraq: Iraq's military withdrew the right to carry weapons from 10,000 ex-Sunni insurgents, which threatened to cause a rift between security forces and Sunni fighters credited with helping stem violence in Iraq, Reuters reported. Leaders of the "Sons of Iraq" responded with a warning that they would stop cooperating with security forces in Diyala province if their weapons permits were taken from them.

Iraq: Gunmen killed a third candidate from the Sunni-backed coalition that won the most seats in Iraq's March parliamentary election. The alliance said the slaying of Faris Jassim al-Jubouri was part of a politically motivated campaign of assassinations

Turkey: Thousands expected to get together at "Freedom for Palestine" demonstrations organised by NGO groups to protest Israeli raid on an aid flotilla.

Yemen: Yemeni Colonel Mohammed Saleh al-Shaief and two of his bodyguards were killed in an attack by suspected members of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula near the city of Marib

Cyprus: On the final day of his visit to Cyprus Pope Benedict delivers mass for the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East, with thousands expected to watch the proceedings on giant screens outside.

Slovenia: National  referendum on whether a border arbitration agreement with Croatia should be enforced.

Germany: French President Nicolas Sarkozy prepares to travel to Berlin tomorrow to coordinate France's financial position with Germany, Europe's biggest economy, ahead of the forthcoming G-20 and G-8 summits later this month in Canada.

France: Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili meets French President Nicolas Sarkozy to discuss developments following the 2008 war with Russia.

US: BP has collected 6,000 barrels of oil in the first 24 hours of pumping it from a ruptured well up to a drill ship, CNN reported

US: Robert Gates called for free access to the resource-rich South China Sea, saying Washington objected to any moves to "intimidate" U.S. energy firms in the region

US: The White House plans to nominate US Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence James Clapper as the new Director of National Intelligence, CBS News reported

US: Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee holds convention to mark 30 years of its formation. Panelists include Dr. Karen AbuZayd, retired Under-Secretary-General of United Nations and Commissioner-General of United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), Ambassador Maen Rashid Areikat, PLO Representative to the United States and Dr. Asa'd Ghanem, senior lecturer at the School of Political Science at the University of Haifa. Dr. Clovis Maksoud, and Dr. Azmi Bishara, former member of the Israeli Knesset will attend, and the Rachel Corrie Award will be presented at the Luncheon to Free Gaza Movement activist Ramzi Kysia and Jennifer Loewenstein.

Peru: Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly (to June 8).

---

Notice: This email is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above and may contain information that is confidential and privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. Opinions, conclusions and other information in this message that do not relate to the official business of our firm shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by it.

Posted via email from luay's posterous