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26 May 2011 17:30

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World: Ratko Mladic arrives at war crimes court in Serbia

  • Ratko Mladic arrives in court: Mladic, one of the most sought-after international figures in the world, was caught today and brought before a court in Serbia for war crimes and genocide, making this a very big day in the world of both international and Serbian justice. Mladic eluded capture for sixteen years. source

31 Mar 2011 19:14

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World: More defections by Libyan officials reported

  • This is looking pretty significant: Al Jazeera reports that yesterday’s high-profile defection by former Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa is no isolated incident. They say that four senior Libyan officials are outside the country (with Tunisia as a likely location), and have no intention to return. Without overstating the case, this is very welcome news. The more high-ranking internal support Gaddafi loses, the harder it should become for him to demand the sort of loyalty that’s needed to commit these atrocities on an international stage.  source

30 Mar 2011 13:49

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World: Bad day at Breja as Libyan rebels retreat

  • ground gained by gaddafi: The Libyan rebellion is retreating in the face of heavy artillery and tank fire, as Muammar Gaddafi’s forces have retaken Breja. The rebels are heading back to Ajdabiya, which was where they were situated before the start of the NATO air strikes. As the international community mulls whether to actively provide arms to the rebel movement, Gaddafi’s ground attack seems to be prevailing despite being the lack of aerial support. That said, this conflict is nothing if not fluid, so it’s wise to stay abreast of new information. source

21 Mar 2011 15:51

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World: Libyan rebels become more aggressive with no-fly zone intact

  • Thankfully we are now the victorious ones. The strangulation of the Gaddafi regime means we will soon see the fruits of the revolution. The time is coming soon when the regime will end.
  • Abed al-Hafeez Ghoga, official for Libyan rebel’s “National Council” • On the international intervention in Libya, and the weakening of the Gaddafi military. The international coalition that has imposed a no-fly zone over Libya has done so in a relatively quick and successful manner (the range is expected to reach 1000 kilometers soon). Rebel forces pushed out of their Benghazi stronghold in the wake of the strikes, which have neutralized Gaddafi’s air capabilities. The question is, will the pro-Gaddafi combat forces begin to give up the fight in the face of an international military front? If the keystone cracks, so to speak, Gaddafi’s house could come down. source

17 Mar 2011 13:37

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World: International team makes biggest online pedophilia bust

  • 640 the number of suspects identified so far, in what international law enforcement is calling the biggest bust of a pedophile group in history
  • 230 the number of children that international law enforcement have positively identified as having been abused by the group source
  • » Hats off to the good guys! Authorities believe that the online assemblage of pedophiles had about 70,000 users at its peak. The team that engineered this bust, led by U.K. investigators, took months to advance as the proprietor of the website had sophisticated security measures in place to avoid detection (although if you’re looking to keep your monstrosities clandestine, “The Internet BoyLove Directory” seems like a rather bold title). The Netherlands-based server that was hosting the website is now cooperating with authorities, making it likely that the ringleader of all this will face the justice his crimes have richly earned.

14 Mar 2011 15:47

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World: Libyan rebels to face crucial fight for survival against Gaddafi forces

  • Crucial hours for Libya: A video from euronews that is, how shall we say, rather grim in its assessment of Libya’s rebellion. Reports have been coming out the last couple days that Muammar Gaddafi’s loyalists in the military can, and it seems increasingly likely will, be victorious over the uprising, absent international support. As we mentioned earlier, though, with France on board for a no-fly zone, and the Arab League endorsing the idea to the U.N. Security Council, it seems more and more likely that the international community will converge on Gaddafi- the question is, when? source

02 Mar 2011 16:01

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World: Libyan rebels continue to wage fervent struggle against tall odds

  • It doesn’t matter that I don’t have a gun, because some of my friends do. I will just stand here with my people and die with my people.
  • Mohamed Abdrurrazeg, a Libyan rebel • On the desperate struggle between rebels and pro-Gaddafi forces taking place in Ajdabiya and Benghazi, and to varying extents, across the nation. Rebel leadership is reported as hoping for international military intervention against the brutal regime. Whether that desire will be met remains to be seen, but this much seems certain – the international community has rendered Gaddafi basically impotent as a functioning ruler through the condemnations that have been issued. If his forces begin to decisively put down the rebels, could the risk of his continued presence will spur military action? source
 

22 Feb 2011 16:09

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World: Libyan situation necessitates special session on response

  • YES the UN Security Council will meet on Gaddafi, Libya source

14 Apr 2010 10:50

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Tech: Sorry, world: Apparently, the iPad’s really popular in the U.S.

  • Faced with this surprisingly strong U.S. demand, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the international launch of iPad by one month, until the end of May.
  • A statement from Apple • Regarding the company’s decision to delay the international release of the tablet which we’re currently using to read tweets while blogging (Twitterrific for the win). The company says that they’ve already shipped half a million iPads but it appeared demand in the U.S. would top expectations for at least the next several weeks. We blame the awesome Reuters app. source

02 Apr 2010 11:43

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U.S.: Why did the U.S. change its airline security standards, anyway?

  • Simple: Some of the countries being targeted complained. After December’s near-miss terror incident involving the underwear bomber, the U.S. put people fourteen nations on a heightened security checklist. Some of the countries, including Nigeria (where Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab came from) complained about the treatment because they were allies of the U.S. So the U.S. decided to switch to more general terrorist profiling techniques. Good idea, or too soft on terror? We’ll find out. source