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18 May 2009 09:57

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World: The Tamil Tigers’ leader was killed, Sri Lanka sez

  • Velupillai Prabhakaran founded the Tamil Tigers, who have been the spark point for a lengthy civil war in Sri Lanka. The Tigers are considered a terrorist organization in 32 countries. source
  • Prabhakaran apparently was killed while attempting to run. After 30-plus years, the Tigers agreed to rest their arms this weekend, effectively ending the longest civil war in Asia. source

17 May 2009 09:01

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World: Pakistan’s working hard to kill al-Qaeda and Taliban militants

  • 1,000 deaths since the beginning of the month source

17 May 2009 02:35

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World: Sri Lanka’s claiming victory. The Tamil Tigers are suicide bombing.

  • Suicide explosions are taking place. Suicide cadres are coming in front of troops in the frontline and exploding themselves.
  • Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara • A military spokesman, on the current status of the longest war in modern Asian history, which Sri Lanka has finally claimed victory in. The LTTE, or the Tamil Tigers, has been conditioned to commit suicide before surrendering, which explains the suicide bombings. The Tamils likely knew this moment was coming, basically begging for a cease-fire a couple of weeks ago. • source

14 May 2009 08:51

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Politics, U.S.: Congressional Dems are worried about Obama’s foreign strategy

  • With respect to Afghanistan and Pakistan, I am extremely dubious that the administration will be able to accomplish what it wants to accomplish.
  • Rep. David R. Obey, D-Wisconsin • On the war on terror and the perceived lack of progress inherited from the Bush administration by the Obama administration. Obey, chair of the House Appropriations Committee, compares the situation to Nixon and the Vietnam War, and says Obama has a year to show progress. • source

29 Apr 2009 10:48

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World: European countries: Cease-fire? Sri Lanka: *shakes head* NO!

  • They will not give up the fight with Tamil rebels. U.K. and French ministers tried to convince the Sri Lankan military to change its tune, but it continues to not want to budge, for fear of giving the Tamil Tigers time to regroup. The ministers also tried convincing the Tamil Tigers to let civilians leave what’s now described as a two-square-mile area holding up to 50,000 people. Someone has to budge here. source

29 Apr 2009 09:33

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U.S.: 100 days: Love him or hate him, Obama gets stuff done

obamabig0429

24 Apr 2009 10:34

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World: Insurgent attacks in Iraq have increased big time this week

  • 135+ have died in Iraq in the last two days source
 

23 Apr 2009 10:10

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World: A lot of people die in a series of attacks in Iraq

  • 60+ people died in two attacks in Iraq yesterday; one in a Baghdad residential neighborhood and the other north of the capital source

22 Mar 2009 11:20

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World: The Pope reverts from criticizing condoms to criticize war

  • “How true it is that war can destroy everything of value.” Pope Benedict has been floating around Africa the last week or so, facing large crowds, making controversial comments and proving a huge draw. In Angola, the Pope took on the recent fighting in the continent, saying the conflicts have “reduced the poor to slavery and deprived future generations of the resources needed to create a more solid and just society.” This is probably an easier statement to agree with than anything AIDS-related. source

21 Mar 2009 08:53

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U.S., World: On the 6th anniversary of the Iraq war’s start, contemplation

  • The only thing that has changed is that now there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. But it seems six years is not enough to be able to reach that light.
  • Iraqi political analyst Hazim al-Nuaimi • Discussing the impending end of the war in 2012 and the effect its had on Iraqi society in general. It’s been six years of upheaval for the Middle Eastern country. • source