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

01 Jan 2011 10:04

tags

World: Egyptian bombing attack targeted minority Christian sect

  • We heard a thunderous sound of explosion. I fell on the ground. I saw a car burning. You cannot imagine what we have seen there. … It was a horrible scene.
  • Eyewitness Nermin Nabil • Describing the scene near a church where a blast went off on Saturday, reportedly caused by a suicide bomber. The blast claimed at least 21 deaths and 79 injuries. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak expressed rage and retaliation at the bombing: “I would say with confidence, that we will chase the people who planned and committed this terrorism act, and we will chase the people involved with them.” The victims of the attack were Copts, who follow an Egyptian sect of Christianity. They make up nine percent of the country’s population – versus 90 percent Muslims. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Nov 2010 12:01

tags

World: Hamid Karzai to Americans: Mind calming down this war stuff?

  • The time has come to reduce the presence of, you know, boots in Afghanistan … to reduce the intrusiveness into the daily Afghan life.
  • Afghan President Hamid Karzai • Suggesting that the U.S. needs to scale back its military operations in Afghanistan so as to encourage a less volatile situation in the country. The U.S. doesn’t plan to change course, however: “We understand President Karzai’s concerns,” an anonymous military official (the best kind!) said, “but we would not be as far along as we are pressuring the network had it not been for these very precision operations we do at night.” Karzai claims he made the comments to encourage more candor between the two countries, which have often had a “grudging” relationship in the past. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Nov 2010 12:01

tags

World: U.S. bribes Israel so they’ll stop building West Bank settlements

  • $3 billion the amount the U.S. will offer Israel – mostly in the form of security incentives and fighter jets
  • 90 days the amount of time Benny Netanyahu will enforce a freeze on most new construction in the West Bank source
  • » Clarification: There is some contingency going on here. The U.S. will dangle this carrot over Israel’s head to get them to stop the settlements for now, but it could still fall through if Israel doesn’t sign a peace agreement. So it’s kind of a raw deal, but it’s not that raw.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

09 Nov 2010 10:19

tags

World: Israel approves more West Bank settlements, plays with fire

  • 1,200 number of homes Israel approved for building in East Jerusalem
  • 800 more homes were then approved for building in the West Bank
  • yes both Palestinians and the U.S. are extremely angry about all this source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Oct 2010 10:27

tags

U.S.: U.S., Saudi Arabia: Let’s make a (massive ongoing weapons) deal!

  • $60
    million     the size of the weapons contract the U.S. plans to sign with the Saudi government
  • 20
    years     the length of said contract; the U.S. is signing it to help protect its security and economic interests source
  • Will Congress object to the deal? If Congress has any issues with the deal (which includes upgrading older equipment, along with new F-15s and helicopters) they have 30 days to raise them. A senate panel has already been given the tip-off.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 Oct 2010 11:07

tags

World: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad chillin’ in Lebanon, gettin’ some love

“Yes yes, I know, you all love me for helping train Hezbollah. But you know what’d be really freaking great? If you loved me more! Bwahahahahaha I’m so awesome!” source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Sep 2010 12:56

tags

World: Good idea: Pope may get involved in Iranian stoning case

  • The Holy See is following the case with attention and participation. The position of the church, which is opposed to the death penalty, is that stoning is a particularly brutal form.
  • Vatican spokesperson Federico Lombardi • Informing the world that Pope Benedict XVI is willing to get diplomatically involved in the Iran stoning case if it escalates any further. The case, if you’re not aware, involves Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, who was convicted of adultery in a case that involved the death of her husband. She was sentenced to stoning, which involves groups of people throwing stones at the person convicted – not exactly a fun way to die. (She was also sentenced to 99 lashes because of a newspaper photo that was reportedly not even of her.) The fact that this has the Pope’s attention raises hope that there might be a diplomatic solution to the humanitarian crisis. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

02 Sep 2010 10:42

tags

World: Benny Netanyahu, Mahmoud Abbas chillin’, hanging out

Awww, they look soooooo cute together! These guys look like they’ve been buddies all their lives. Too bad that’s not actually true. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Sep 2010 12:06

tags

World: Barack Obama: Kicker of asses and taker of names

  • There is no Plan B. Obama is Plan B.
  • Amjad Atallah, co-director of the New America’s Middle Eastern Task Force • Regarding the precarious nature of the upcoming peace talks, initiated by Obama, between Israeli and Palestinian leaders. We really hope, by the way, that this quote resurfaces ten years from now in an action movie about the Obama presidency. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Aug 2010 09:10

tags

World: Iran shows off military technology way behind the U.S. yet again

Iran must be so proud. They have their first phallic device, an unmanned drone. Here’s the thing, though: Doesn’t the U.S. have like 50 of these things? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
<< newer 
top tags
older >>