World News Post: Mar 24, 2011

Thursday, March 24, 2011

New Zealand - Christchurch waives the Rugby World Cup

Damaged by the earthquake of 22 February, the Christchurch stage because it can not be repaired in time. The organizers of the Rugby World Cup in September in this country have announced March 16 that the movement of planned meetings in this place. In view of the damage, The Press, Christchurch-based newspaper, understands this decision.

But it is very hard for this city in which passionate rugby team plays including Canterbury Crusaders. "Given its tremendous heritage rugby, Canterbury was eager to host the World Cup. The living know that the AMI Stadium was severely damaged. But in view of the dark days through which they pass, these games have their brought a welcome relief, "the newspaper editorialized.

New Zealand (geolocation) New Zealand (wikipedia) Christchurch (geolocation) Christchurch (homepage) Christchurch (wikipedia)

Paris prepares a Libya without Qaddafi, said that the operation will last months

Paris .- France is preparing for the design of a Libya without Qaddafi, which will be the Transitional Council and other "personalities" policies of the country and believes that the military operation is a matter of "days or weeks, not months" . The French foreign minister, Alain Juppe, was today allowed to glimpse how he believes France will be the future of Libya after the implementation of Security Council resolution in the UN's exclusion from the North African country's airspace.

Changes in the Berlusconi government with the resignation of Minister of Culture

The Italian Government changed the culture portfolio, whose owner Sandro Bondi resigned amid criticism of the opposition by the landslides recorded in the archaeological area of Pompeii and the lack of public funding for culture, and Agriculture, occupied by Giancarlo Galan. Following the Council of Ministers held in Rome, the undersecretary of the Prime Minister, Gianni Letta, told a news conference announced the formal submission of the resignation by Bondi, who has in recent months he had expressed his intention to leave the Cabinet .

INDONESIA - Package trapped in Jakarta

Two parcel bombs exploded March 15 in Jakarta. The first package, a 'book-bomb "was admitted to the alternative cultural center Utan Kayu. It was addressed to Ulil Abshar Abdala, a leader of Islam Liberal Democratic Party member. The book, should all die for their sins against Islam and Muslims was accompanied by a word asking Ulil Abshar write a preface, reports the Jakarta Post.

The object exploded, tearing the hand of a policeman trying to defuse the bomb. Another similar bomb was discovered on the same day at the National Agency for fight against drugs. The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) said that these attacks were once again those who struggle for a pluralistic society.

Jakarta (geolocation) Jakarta (homepage) Jakarta (wikipedia)

Burmese democratic opposition defends the sanctions imposed on Burma

Bangkok, .- Several groups of Burmese democratic opposition today defended the importance of maintaining the sanctions that the United States, European Union and other countries have imposed a totalitarian regime that rules Burma (Myanmar). The EU has to decide in April on whether to uphold the restrictions.

"Sanctions were approved by the human rights violations. If the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and political parties in Burma to the U.S. and seeking truth Europe removed the sanctions, then they have to pressure the Board to stop violating human rights, "said U Dhamma Siri, the Burmese Monks Alliance, the report said dissident Mizzima.

Fifth day of bombardments against the Libyan regime

Loud explosions have occurred along a military base controlled by the pro-Gaddafi, 32 miles east of Tripoli. Shortly after the bombing started, the Gaddafi Muarmar residence in the capital, from which the tyrant spoke Tuesday at the Libyan-has also been attacked by the Allies, according to Al Arabiya.

The attack on the base, located in Tajoura (32 km from the capital), marked the start of the fifth day of an international offensive against military targets pro-Gaddafi. As in previous days, coalition aircraft bombed an area near the Libyan capital, although this time have not yet heard the firing of anti-aircraft systems.

JAPAN - Under threat of the sword of Damocles

In his daily column Vox Populi, Vox Dei highly appreciated by its readers, the Asahi Shimbun back very simply but forcefully about the danger that nuclear plants pose, especially that of Fukushima Daiichi.

Bashar al Assad declares war on the opposition and cause more than a hundred dead in Syria

Damasco/Barcelona.- While the world has its eyes on Allied attacks to stop the atrocities of Muanmar-Qaddafi in Libya, Syrian President Bashar al Assad fought its particular war and violence with gunfire off any protest in demand greater democracy and freedom. After the flame that ignited the democracy protests earlier this year in Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt and Yemen, Syria now violently suppressed any peaceful demonstration against their rulers.

At least one dead and 31 wounded in a bombing in central Jerusalem

The fear has been revived in Jerusalem with the explosive device in front of the International Convention Centre which has caused the death of a woman of 59 years and 38 wounded in a bombing at the main entrance of the city. Israeli police confirmed ELMUNDO. is that the device was in a bag in the telephone booth at the bus stop line 74, near Jerusalem's central station.

Dozens of ambulances have gone to the scene as police forced pedestrians to leave the area for fear of other explosives. At the time of the explosion of the bomb, containing two kilos of dynamite and nails were two buses near the bus stop. Shimi Atias is the owner of the kiosk near the bus stop.

BAHRAIN - An iron fist in a velvet glove?

For weeks, the international community wondering whether to impose an air exclusion zone over Libya. Meanwhile, in the strange quiet of a Bahraini afternoon [March 13], Saudi thousand soldiers were deployed in the direction of Manama, [the capital of Bahrain]. Bahraini television proudly broadcast images of Saudi military enthusiasts, advancing in their tanks and troop transports on the road 25 km that links Bahrain to Saudi Arabia.

Gaddafi's troops took the port of Misrata

Algiers (Reuters) Forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi has taken control Misrata port in the west of the country, stranding thousands of foreign workers seeking to be evacuated, as reported by a resident. According to this source, the international coalition bombing during the Wednesday night hit some of the tanks that government forces are in close proximity to this city but not found in the middle of it.

Gaddafi tanks continue to harass the rebels in Misrata and Ajdabiya

After five days of bombing by international forces on Libya, Muammar Gaddafi does not relinquish its harassment of the rebels. Colonel tanks were continuing on Wednesday morning attacks in Misrata and Ajdabiya, witnesses said. Attacks Gaddafi forces focus on the cities of Ajdabiya, Zauiya Misrata and where to turn allies directed air strikes against tanks satrap, once destroyed the aircraft.

Fukushima Prefecture (geolocation) Fukushima Prefecture (wikipedia)

BURKINA FASO - The power decreed the end of the course

The Burkinabe government has decreed the closure of all public universities in the country until "further notice", in a statement read on national television on March 15. A measure that has been accompanied by the suspension of all social services related to academic activity reports local daily The Nation.

The same day, students were asked to evacuate the residence halls before the end of the afternoon. An officer was deployed to force the most reluctant to vacate. Many of them do not know where to go. This decision follows the will of the National Association of Burkina Students (ANAB) to organize a rally at the University of Ouagadougou.

The other version of the war

There are still no casualty figures as allies, but Libyan television recorded hospitals full of wounded after the bombing and shows some of the victims of air strikes on Libya after the U.S. forces. UU. and United Kingdom launched more than a hundred missiles during the first morning. The television itself rises to 48 dead and 150 wounded in early trading partners.

Even a group of journalists were invited to visit a hospital and morgue, with the intention that the foreign media see the wounded and dead caused by the attacks. On the website of the Libyan state television have been hanged Video statements from relatives of martyrs. Members of the families, with green clothing in reference to progress towards the Libyan leader in 1948, passed the microphone and tell their stories visibly shaken while showing pictures of their dead and manifestations.

A U.S. soldier pleads guilty to killing Afghan civilians for fun

A young American soldier pleaded guilty Wednesday to murdering three unarmed civilians in Afghanistan to a military tribunal at the base of Fort Lewis in Washington state, reported local media. Jeremy Morlock, 22, belongs to a group of five Marines who were accused of these murders. According to the indictment, between January and May killed 2010 civilians with guns and grenades, although people do not constitute any threat to them.

Yemen's president, prepared to advance to this year's elections

Ali Abdullah Saleh President has said to be willing to hold parliamentary elections this year, were planned for 2013 - in an attempt to appease critics after saying Tuesday it would not power before 2012 and provided he approve his release. Political tension has risen today after Yemeni opposition said it is against giving valid the vote in Parliament to impose a state of emergency.

This law is enforced over the next 30 days, in response to the popular uprising against the regime, as reported by Abdel Razaq Al Hejran member of the Islamist Al-Islah party. Emergency Law suspends the constitution, bans protests, authorizing the security forces carry out arbitrary arrests and allowed to censor the press.

FRANCE - Frederic Mitterrand wooing Hollywood studios

Frederic Mitterrand was in Hollywood on March 14 to convince the American studios, with blows of tax incentives, to shoot in France. His arrival has not gone unnoticed. It was "more than three decades" that a French Minister of Culture had not made the trip, calculated the Los Angeles Times. "We are very far from the inhospitable climate that prevailed in the mid-1990s, when the Minister of Culture Jacques Toubon warned against the perils of imperialism and promised to fight to the end to defend the protectionist policies of France which limited the spread of American programs on TV, "says the Daily Californian.

Why Libya operation is called Dawn Odyssey '?

Just as in 1991 the U.S. military called the intervention in Kuwait 'Desert Storm' (Operation Desert Storm) or two years later, in Somalia, the nickname was 'Operation Restore Hope' (Restore Hope) or 2003, in the second Gulf War, it was decided to "Operation Iraqi Freedom '(Iraqi Freedom), the current mission in Libya, also has its own name, in this case," Operation Dawn Odyssey' (Odyssey Dawn).

Rob Hans-Dietrich Genscher the pen with which he signed the German reunification

Hans-Dietrich Genscher, one of the most famous former German ministers, returned home last night from 11 March, at 21.30 pm when he found everything upside down. His wife, Barbara, 74, fainted when he discovered the contents of drawers and cupboards and dumped scrambled on the floor. Who in his day direct diplomatic operation that made possible the reunification of Germany called the police, still fearing that the thieves will continue in the home.

AFRICA - The secret aspirations of children

"Little voice, big dreams," the international survey commissioned by the Canadian Alliance and ChildFund conducted among 3,000 children aged 10 to 12 years from 30 countries in the developing world, reveals that education is a priority for 57% of them. They would like to improve existing schools and build more.

A terrorist attack in Jerusalem leaves one dead and 39 injured

Jerusalem (Editorial / Agencies) .- A woman has died from the explosion of a bomb near the central bus station in Jerusalem, which has left more than thirty wounded. Some are in serious condition. The bomb that exploded was hidden in a bag, as announced by the Israeli Internal Security Minister, Yithzak Aharonovitch.

The blast occurred, according to city officials, "near a bus stop in a busy area near an entrance of Jerusalem." The blast came amid escalating violence between Israel and Hamas which rules the Gaza Strip. Seven Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire in Gaza. From March 19 to at least 70 rockets and mortar shells have been fired from Gaza into Israel, wounding at least two people.

The rebels deny that they have appointed a new leader

The Interim National Transitional Council (CNTI) Libya has denied Jabril Mahmud has been appointed new head of an interim government by the rebels, as reported by the Qatari channel Al Jazeera. CNTI spokesman, Abdelhafiz Hoga, told a press conference in Benghazi (Libya) who tried to "a misunderstanding" and that he himself was the first Jabril surprised to learn of the news.

According Hoga, Jabril was appointed a month ago the head of emergency relief committee of the rebels, but also took care of its external representation with Eisawi Ali, who assumed the task of negotiating with the international community's recognition CNTI. In that sense, he traveled to Paris to meet French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the first to officially recognize the rebels.

UNITED STATES - The ordeal of Private Manning

Private First Class Bradley Manning, behind bars for nine months for passing confidential documents to Wikileaks, has still not been tried, let alone convicted. However, the army inflicting abuse that are reminiscent of those charged under George W. Bush against terrorism suspects. Inexplicably, such practices seem to have the endorsement of President Obama.

Private Manning was placed in solitary confinement in the prison of the Marine Corps Base Quantico (Virginia). An hour a day, he is allowed to walk into a room with leg irons. He must remove his clothes every night. And every morning he has to stand naked in front of his cell and undergo a body search before being restored to his clothes.

Obama and Sarkozy agree to hand over command of the mission in Libya to NATO

Paris (Wording and agencies) - France and United States agree on how to use the command structure of NATO in supporting the international coalition in Libya, said in a statement the office of President Nicolas Sarkozy. "The two presidents have agreed on how to use the command structures of NATO to support the coalition," the statement said, without giving further details, Reuters reports.

As reported by Reuters, the U.S. president. UU., Barack Obama on Tuesday showed his confidence that in the coming days the country may transfer the command of military operations in Libya to other members of the coalition. In a press conference with President of El Salvador, Mauricio Funes, with which today held a bilateral meeting at the Presidential Palace in San Salvador, Obama expressed his belief that U.S.

Obama has no doubt that soon the U.S. will transfer command of the operation

U.S. President Barack Obama, has expressed confidence Tuesday that the U.S. may transfer control of the military operation in Libya in an international coalition in a matter of days. Amid the divisions among the allies over who will control the military operation, Obama said Tuesday that the command is expected to be "clear" in the coming days, without giving details.

"I have no doubt [that will soon reach an agreement]," the president said from El Salvador, where he gave a joint press conference with President of El Salvador, Mauricio Funes. U.S. President said, "soon" United States could declare that it has achieved the goal of no-fly zone. Obama said during Tuesday "and" had noted a "significant reduction of flights by U.S.

U.S. prohibits the importation of milk and vegetables Fukushima

Tokyo .- U.S. has banned imports of dairy products and vegetables from areas near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (northeast Japan) by radioactive contamination detected recently, reported the local agency Kyodo. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA for its acronym in English) said in a statement that customs will stop all dairy products, fresh vegetables and fruits from the provinces Nipponese Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi and Gunma due to contamination radioactive.

Radiation in the Tokyo water is double the level permitted for children

Authorities recommend that children do not drink tap water after certain levels of radiation detected in the tap water in Tokyo. The detected radiation affects the Japanese capital and five suburban districts. Specifically, it has detected an iodine concentration of 210 becquerels per liter of tap water samples, when the limit set by the Japanese authorities is 100 becquerels per liter for babies.

ARAB WORLD - Two winners of the Goncourt Arabic

Meeting in Abu Dhabi, the jury awarded the Booker Arabic for the first time the prize to two novels: The bow and the butterfly of the writer and politician and Moroccan Mohamed Achaari Necklace Dove Saudi novelist Raja Alem. For An Nahar, the two novels are very literary quality while dealing with topical issues highly sensitive.

The bow and butterfly evokes the consequences of religious extremism, not the West but in the Arab world, while the dove necklace which has the main subject of Mecca, reveals a city desecrated, where violence, corruption, prostitution and acts mafia eventually prevail on spirituality.

Goncourt brothers (wikipedia)

Libyan rebels appoint an interim government president

Algeria, Libyan .- The rebels have appointed as chief Mahmud Yabril interim government, in what seems a change in the approach adopted so far by the Transitional National Interim Council (QNA), created on February 27, according to the Qatari channel Al Jazeera. According to the source, the new provisional president, who was in charge of the crisis committee for military affairs and foreign, have the power to appoint ministers.

The dangerous work of fire in Fukushima

NHK Japanese television has shown for the first time a video that shows a close working conditions for operators of nuclear power plant in Fukushima, sometimes dark and covered with protective suits and masks. The video shows how fire crews and operators of the plant in Fukushima (northeastern Japan) work a few meters from the base of the reactor building 3 to install automatic guns that inject water to cool the spent fuel pools.

SYRIA - "First Spark" revolt

Hundreds of Syrian men and women, demonstrated in the heart of Souk al-Hamidiyeh in the old city of Damascus on March 15, chanting "God, Syria, freedom and nothing else," says Al-Quds al- Arabi. Several other rallies were held simultaneously in six provinces in Syria, in Aleppo notament and towns in southeastern Syria, strong Kurdish population.

The Syrian opposition speaks of several dead and wounded and 300 people arrested, following these manifestaions throughout Syria.

The European Union will sanction the main Libyan oil group

Paris .- The European Union countries have reached an agreement in principle to sanction the main Libyan oil group, the national company NOC, as indicated by a diplomatic source. The decision (the fourth set of sanctions against Libya led by the EU since the start of the rebellion) will be formally adopted later in the day and come into force tomorrow with its publication in the Official Journal of the Union.

The European Union will sanction the main Libyan oil group

The countries of the European Union have reached an agreement in principle to sanction the main Libyan oil group, the national company NOC, as indicated by a diplomatic source. The decision (the fourth set of sanctions against Libya led by the EU since the start of the rebellion) will be formally adopted later in the day and come into force tomorrow with its publication in the Official Journal of the Union.

Revolt in Syria, 15 killed in two days

- For the past week in Syria, the revolt broke out anti-regime. In the night between Tuesday and Wednesday there were 12 victims nell'assalto that the police have lashed out at the Omari Mosque in Dara, Town '120 km south of Damascus and epicenter of the protests. New protests, and a new intervention by the police, there was the afternoon of Wednesday, still close to the mosque during the funerals of victims of the previous night.

Fukushima, shock, near the Central Water contaminated in Tokyo, baby alarm

New Emergency Fukushima. The black smoke is rising from the No. 3 reactor of the nuclear and technicians working in the plant were evacuated. The Japan Agency for Nuclear Safety has made it clear however that the radiation levels were unchanged after the release of smoke. In the area there was a new aftershock with a preliminary magnitude of 4.7.
Currently there are no reports of further damage. In Japan, meanwhile, grows, the alarm for radioactive contamination The water that flows from the taps of Tokyo (a megalopolis with 25 million inhabitants) has a rate of radioactive iodine, which exceeds the legal limit allowed for the children.

CUBA - The Dark Side of Havana

Due to its plastic beauty and charm, one might think that Havana is easy to portray. It is not. If one wants to abandon the endless cliches, beyond the aesthetics of old American cars, the bewitching mulatto and buildings on the verge of collapse, briefly capturing the essence of this very special city and its inhabitants, the challenge is size.

September filmmakers come from very different backgrounds yoke them, not without a certain giddiness, turning Siete días en La Habana [Seven days in Havana]: Benicio del Toro - who goes first to the realization - the French Laurent Cantet, Spaniard Julio Medem, Argentinean Pablo Trapero, the Palestinian director Elia Suleiman, the French-Argentinian Gaspar Noe and Cuban Juan Carlos Tabío only local producer invited to participate.