Read a little. Learn a lot. • Tightly-written news, views and stuff • Follow us on Twitter • Be a Facebook Fan • Tumble us!

22 Feb 2011 09:44

tags

World: U.S. takes on Somali pirates, loses hostages in process

  • As (U.S. forces) responded to the gunfire, reaching and boarding the Quest, the forces discovered all four hostages had been shot by their captors. Despite immediate steps to provide life-saving care, all four hostages ultimately died of their wounds.
  • A statement from U.S. Central Command • Revealing that, during a U.S. Navy rescue effort to save the four Americans on the yacht Quest, the Somali pirates on board killed the Americans. After getting on the ship, the soldiers engaged in a battle with U.S. forces, with two pirates died and 13 others were captured. The remains of two others were found on board. An awful end to a scary story. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Feb 2011 00:42

tags

World: What do Libya and Utah have in common?

  • libya’s ambassador to the us has renounced his allegiance to Moammar Gaddafi, calling for the embattled leader to step down. The country’s ambassador to Bangladesh has quit, as has the ambassador in India. It’s amazing to see a country’s diplomats so thoroughly and uniformly rebuke their leader. Imagine if an American ambassador were to start making movies against President Obama? Oh, right. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Feb 2011 00:34

tags

World: Tensions, protests, and buildings heating up in Libya

  • YES Libyan protesters have set fire to gov’t buildings source
  • » The TV wars – no, really: While the Libyan government has been trying its hardest to jam Al Jazeera’s signal, protesters have attacked the state television headquarters. It didn’t stop Muammar Gaddafi from appearing on state television, however. With an umbrella.
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Feb 2011 15:29

tags

World: China begins tightening internet controls to thwart protests

  • China An enormous geopolitical power, boasting one of the world’s skyrocketing manufacturing economies. Complicating the diplomatic picture, by virtue of being the largest single holder of American debt, China is a tenuous ally of the U.S. government.
  • also China A repressive state that crushes domestic dissent, and supports mass-murdering totalitarianism in North Korea, is now gearing up its vaunted system of internet censorship to put down hopes of a revolution movement. Geopolitics are so rarely moral issues. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Feb 2011 15:00

tags

World: A video glimpse into the chaos, brutality in Tripoli

  • Not for the faint of heart: This Al Jazeera English clip gives a stark and worthy overview of the bloodshed in Libya, including some particularly grisly shots taken from the streets of Tripoli. Be advised that it’s rather unpleasant to watch, but nonetheless – there’s a truth to the grim images that needs to be presented in times like these. It’s important for the ability of Libyans to make themselves and their horrific struggle known, and to inform our international conscience. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Feb 2011 14:18

tags

World: Just a couple of jet jockeys who want the hell out of Libya

  • 2 Libyan Air Force jet pilots seeking political asylum in Malta source
  • » Escape! The two men booked it out of Libya in Mirage jets, landing at Malta International Airport along with two helicopters carrying seven civilians who claim to be French, though only one has a passport. The duo, both reportedly colonels in the Libyan Air Force, flew low out of a Tripoli airfield to avoid detection.
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Feb 2011 13:58

tags

World: Yemeni President Saleh cries incredulousness at protests

  • Why do you turn to violence? Why do you turn to the destruction of things? This is an infection, it’s not in our culture, it’s not in our tradition.
  • Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh • On the groundswell protests against his government. He also referred to the protest movement as being “like a flu,” which while a rather crude way to describe the forces stacked against him is not wholly without merit. The middle east appears to be reaching a critical mass of anti-ruling party mentality, as the victories and adversities of protesters in other states provide limitless fuel and momentum for still more revolution. So, disrespect aside, the pathological reference bears some fruit. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

21 Feb 2011 13:33

tags

World: Saif Gaddafi’s “rivers of blood” continue to flow in Libya

  • YES Libyan military aircraft fired live munitions at crowds source
  • » So says Al Jazeera. While it’s rightly noted that there hasn’t been independent verification of this, with public relations work by “rivers of blood” Saif Gaddafi, the Libyan government hasn’t left us much recourse but to believe they’re making good on that gruesome threat. Julien Barnes-Dacey, Middle East analyst for Control Risks: “These really seem to be last, desperate acts. If you’re bombing your own capital, it’s really hard to see how you can survive.”
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Feb 2011 11:02

tags

World: Egypt: Top prosecutor trying to freeze Hosni Mubarak’s assets

  • liquid During Hosni Mubarak’s time as Egyptian leader, it’s been rumored that his family amassed a fortune as large as $70 billion. Whew.
  • frozen? After Mubarak’s departure, top prosecutor General Abdel Magid Mahmud has been working to get Mubarak’s assets locked up. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Feb 2011 09:59

tags

World: What happens to Libya’s expatriates during a crisis like this?

  • issue For years, many Libyans have attempted to leave the country – illegally, mind you – on refugee boats that travel through the Mediterranean. The refugees have mostly headed to Italy.
  • tactic Before the current crisis, Libya and Italy had a deal where the two countries would intercept them and send them back to Libya to detention centers – which is, um, a human rights violation.
  • problem People are leaving in larger numbers now – 5,000 in the past week – and Libya has threatened to stop cooperating. So now, the EU is trying to figure out a way to take in the expatriates. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
<< newer 
top tags
older >>