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23 Jan 2011 12:08

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World: Mudslides now second-worst disaster in Brazilian history

  • 1,500 died in a meningitis outbreak in the mid-1970s, according to United Nations data
  • 803+ have died in the recent mudslides, caused by a month’s worth of rain falling in 24 hours source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 Jan 2011 11:34

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World: Green no more: Ireland’s ruling coalition completely falls apart

  • We have decided that we can no longer continue in government.
  • Irish Green Party leader John Gormley • Revealing their plans to exit the coalition with Prime Minister Brian Cowen’s government, likely forcing a much quicker election than Cowen anticipated. (One was planned for March 11th already, but might be needed sooner.) Despite washing their hands of Gormley’s government, they plan on supporting a key piece of legislation regarding the country’s austerity plan. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 Jan 2011 11:23

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World: Israeli independent study: Flotilla raid “regrettable” but legal

  • issue Back in May, an Israeli raid of a humanitarian flotilla, headed towards the until-then heavily-sanctioned Gaza, angered many who felt that Israeli military actions in the situation broke international law and led to unnecessary deaths. Israel defended its actions.
  • findings While the entire incident was “regrettable,” according to an Israeli-commissioned study, it was legal under international law – with the independent study saying soldiers “acted professionally and in a measured manner in the face of unanticipated violence.” source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 Jan 2011 10:45

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World: Ahmadinejad pretends to be willing to work on nuclear thing

  • If the other party is determined and committed to law, justice and respect, there is hope that in the next sessions good results would be achieved.
  • Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad • Blaming the people on the other side of the table for failing to make a nuclear deal happen. Because, let’s face it, he has to give a little bit of rope for the rest of the world to pull on, or they’re going to slip and fall – and never believe Ahmadinejad’s dishonesty again. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 Jan 2011 10:33

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World: Tunisia violence: Two differing death toll estimates

  • 100+ the United Nations estimate of the death toll in Tunisia in the wake of the extended protests
  • 78 the estimate from the country’s interior minister, Ahmed Friaa … so which estimate is right? source
  • » Currently under house arrest (reportedly): Two of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali’s strongest confidantes, Abdelaziz Ben Dhia and Abdallah Kallel, are in custody of the new government. Meanwhile, a third adviser, Abdelwaheb Abdallah, is on the run. The info comes from the country’s state-run Agence Tunis Afrique Presse, which didn’t reveal a source. Oh yeah, in case you’re wondering, those police officers from yesterday want to make it clear they weren’t responsible for the death toll above.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Jan 2011 11:52

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World: World diplomats don’t learn: Iran knows your silly fuel-swap games

  • then In 2009, world powers were trying to get Iran to export its supply of low-grade uranium to be turned into higher-grade fuel. Iran pretended they were into it but eventually rebuffed the offer.
  • now With a little less creativity than last time, world leaders are trying to do something similar with Iran’s now-much-larger supply (it’s like three times larger now). Iran, of course, continues to play coy. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Jan 2011 11:37

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World: What the hell, Bob Barr? Ex-US politician helping “Baby Doc” in Haiti

The former Clinton-attacking legislator, who once got duped by “Borat,” is acting as Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier’s voice to the international community. Why? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

22 Jan 2011 11:04

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World: Tunisian police officers: Screw it, we want to protest, too!

Police officers are standing in solidarity with other protesters today. Why? According to al-Jazeera, “They no longer want to be persecuted” for helping defend the government. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Jan 2011 12:36

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World: High deathtoll for Shi’ites, police following bombing in Iraq

  • 48+ people killed by bombs targeting Shi’ites, police source
  • » A horribly bloody week in Iraq Following a particularly devastating attack on police recruits in Tekrit, the sectarian bombings and targeting of Shi’ites and Iraqi forces continue. There’s not much that can be said to add significance to this. It’s the definition of terrorism, cold and stark.
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Jan 2011 10:52

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World: Some more quick numbers from Tunisia’s volatile situation

  • eight ministers loyal to Ben Ali are out, and a powerful central committee that included them has disbanded
  • 33 members of Ben Ali’s family, have been charged with “crimes against Tunisia” for their gaudy lives
  • 1,800 political prisoners have been released from jail, and those with short sentences should be released, too source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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