Post by Michael James Stone on Sept 11, 2012 6:24:24 GMT -8
11 Sep 12
Banking union leak points to sweeping powers for ECB
Blueprints for a European banking union to be published on Wednesday (12 September) will trigger fevered debate over the powers of the European Central Bank (ECB), if a draft leaked late last week remains unchanged. The draft proposal gives the ECB sweeping powers to carry out spot checks and withdraw banking licences, previously the preserve of national supervisors. The ECB would assume its new duties on 1 July 2013.
For first time, elected U.S. officials won't speak at 9/11 ceremony
For the first time, elected officials won't speak at Tuesday's ceremony commemorating the September 11 attacks, an occasion that has allowed them a solemn turn in the spotlight. The change was made in the name of sidelining politics, but some have rapped it as a political move in itself.
Real Unemployment at 19%
Beneath the surface of Friday's jobs report lies the reality of just how disastrous the Obama economy truly is.
Active 2012 Hurricane Season Filled with Oddities
The 2012 Atlantic hurricane season has been a busy one so far. The season-to-date statistics have far outpaced the long-term averages since 1966. On average, we don't reach the sixth named storm of the season until September 8. In 2012, we've already had more than double this number with a total of thirteen named storms.
Intelligence Committee chairman: Israel doesn’t believe Obama and ‘neither do the Iranians’
“Right now, the Israelis don’t believe that the administration is serious when they say that all options are on the table, and more importantly neither do the Iranians,” Rogers said. “That’s why the program is progressing.”
Quartet meets in Cairo on Syria
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi proposed the quartet meeting in an effort to find a way to end the nearly 18 months of bloodshed that has wracked Syria as rebels seek to oust President Bashar Assad, who has resorted to a full-court military press against them, resulting in the deaths of thousands of his own people.
Vancouver researcher finds flu shot is linked to H1N1 illness
The ferrets in the vaccine group became significantly sicker than the other animals, though all recovered.
9/11 anniversary: Taliban claim US face 'utter defeat' in Afghanistan
..."The anniversary of 9/11 is approaching America this year at a time when it is facing utter defeat in Afghanistan militarily, politically, economically and in all other facets and it has exhausted all other means through which to prolong its illegal war," said a statement from the Afghan Taliban, the US-based SITE Intelligence Group said on Monday.
FBI rolling out high-tech 'Big Brother' monitoring system
Thanks to the FBI, the United States government will soon have a nationwide system in place capable of monitoring and identifying “persons of interest” virtually anywhere.
Netanyahu: Those that refuse to set red lines for Iran can't give Israel red light
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday launched an unprecedented verbal attack on the U.S. government over its stance on the Iranian nuclear program. "The world tells Israel 'wait, there's still time'. And I say, 'Wait for what? Wait until when?' Those in the international community who refuse to put red lines before Iran don't have a moral right to place a red light before Israel," Netanyahu told reporters on Tuesday.
Defense firms confirm layoff warnings
Major defense contractors have confirmed they’ll send tens of thousands of employee layoff warnings shortly before Election Day, according to correspondence released Monday by Arizona Sen. John McCain. McCain, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, wants to jump-start congressional action to avert automatic, across-the-board budget restrictions set to take effect early next year.
'Brotherhood turning Middle East into Islamist bloc'
Speaking at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism’s World Summit, Dichter said “the Arab world in general and in particular the countries neighboring us have begun a long journey that will end with the Middle East being a bloc run by the Muslim Brotherhood, and possibly a single Islamist bloc.”
Euro Bailout Fund Faces New Court Challenge in Germany
The German government is convinced that the Constitutional Court will this week clear the path for the permanent euro bailout fund to go into operation. But now it faces a new challenge: A major German critic of the government's euro rescue policies is suing over the European Central Bank's bond-buying plans.
Jerusalem Within New Iranian Missile’s Range
Iran is set to unveil a “domestically produced” cruise missile capable of reaching Israel and being launched “from land, sea, and air,” according to Iranian media reports. Dubbed “Meshkat,” the existence of the long range Iranian missile was made public over the weekend by Iranian Deputy Defense Minister Mehdi Farahi, according to the Mehr News Agency.
Army Wants Tiny Suicidal Drone to Kill From 6 Miles Away
Killer drones just keep getting smaller. The Army wants to know how prepared its defense-industry partners are to build what it calls a “Lethal Miniature Aerial Munition System.” It’s for when the Army needs someone dead from up to six miles away in 30 minutes or less. ...The Army wants it ready for use by 2016 at the latest. But it may not take that long — since the Army’s already got something similar to LMAMS.
China sends patrol ships to disputed East China Sea islands
Two Chinese patrol ships have been sent to islands disputed with Japan, which has sealed a deal to purchase the territory, Chinese state media say. The ships had reached waters near the islands - known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China - to "assert the country's sovereignty", Xinhua said. Japan confirmed on Tuesday it had signed a contract to buy three of the islands from their private owner.
Shadow economy in eastern Europe undermines growth, says World Bank
Doing business and working outside government regulation and tax systems in eastern Europe is so widespread that it risks undermining the region's long-term growth potential, says a World Bank report released on Monday (10 September). ...The report notes that the ongoing financial crisis has created a "renewed sense of urgency" to end the practice of untaxed and unregulated work.
Turkey says will not hand over fugitive Iraqi vice president
Turkey will not hand over Iraq's fugitive Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi, who faces a death sentence against him in Baghdad, and he can remain in Turkey as long as he needs to, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.
Foul smell reported across Southern California
A strong rotten egg smell had Southern Californians plugging their noses and crying foul Monday as air quality investigators scrambled to determine if the sulfurous scent was coming from the Salton Sea. Investigators from the South Coast Air Quality Management District spread investigators all over the region in an attempt to track the stench after being flooded with 200 complaints since midnight from across much of the district's 10,000 square miles, said Barry Wallerstein, executive for the agency.
Report: Jerusalem Within New Iranian Missile’s Range
Iran is set to unveil a “domestically produced” cruise missile capable of reaching Israel and being launched “from land, sea, and air,” according to Iranian media reports. Dubbed “Meshkat,” the existence of the long range Iranian missile was made public over the weekend by Iranian Deputy Defense Minister Mehdi Farahi, according to the Mehr News Agency.
Yemen says al-Qaeda chief killed
Said al-Shihri, described as the second-in-command of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), has been killed in an operation in southern Yemen, government officials say. Al-Shihri was reportedly killed with six others in the Hadramawt area.
Spain euro crisis: Rajoy rejects bailout conditions
Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has said he will not accept outside conditions over a possible bailout. Mr Rajoy made the pledge in his first television interview since taking office. But he said no decision to request a bailout had been taken.
16 bodies found in truck in southern Mexico state
Police in southern Guerrero state found 16 bodies left in a truck in a region plagued by drug violence. The bodies were found in Coyuca de Catalan, the state Attorney General's Office said in a statement Monday. That city is close to the border with Michoacan state.
Germany's constitutional court won't delay bailout fund ruling
Germany's Constitutional Court said on Tuesday it would not postpone its long-awaited ruling on the legality of the euro zone's bailout fund, despite a last-minute legal challenge by a eurosceptic lawmaker.