Showing posts with label World News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label World News. Show all posts

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Head of International Monetary Fund Arrested For Alleged Sexual Assault

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the France's presidential hopeful was arrested on charges of rape, criminal sexual act and unlawful detention, police in New York and the International Monetary Fund said on Sunday.

His personal lawyer, William Taylor, confirmed that Mr. Strauss-Kahn has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The arrest is changing the course of the presidential elections in France next year, likely to deprive the Socialist Party candidate promising and improves the chances of re-election of French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

"Whatever the outcome of the procedure is, [Strauss-Kahn] would not be able to run for president," said Jacques Attali, former adviser to the late French socialist president Francois Mitterrand.

The arrest of Mr. Strauss-Kahn, 62, police arrested the first class section of Air France plane minutes before leaving New York to Paris on the evening of Saturday, also throw into chaos the guidance of the International Monetary Fund, whose absence has played a key role in helping Europe's leaders treat the continent's debt crisis.

A police officer in New York, said Strauss-Kahn, was arrested Saturday night after being removed from the aircraft of Air France. Strauss-Kahn would have required a maid in her bed and sexually assaulted her at about 13:00 on Saturday in his room at the Sofitel Hotel near Times Square, the official said.

Strauss-Kahn would have allowed the woman to leave and then went to the airport, the official said. The staff alleged victim who then alerted the authorities informed, the official said. Strauss-Kahn, left personal belongings left in his hotel room, including a cell phone, the official added. counsel for Mr. Strauss-Kahn in New York and Paris did not immediately return telephone or e-mail seeking comment.

"Mr. Strauss-Kahn retained counsel, and the IMF did not comment on the case," the IMF said in a statement. "The IMF remains fully functional and operational."

Saturday, May 14, 2011

A New Bigsby-Equipped Traditional Les Paul from Gibson

New Les Paul Traditional model features a Bigsby B-70 tailpiece
Here's what Gibson has to say ...

Designed to showcase the best features displayed by Les Paul during the six decades of its existence, Les Paul Traditional is an heir to mount on the guitar that Eric Clapton featured in the mid 60s, and quickly became the weapon of choice for many top players, including Mike Bloomfield, Jimmy Page, Paul Kossoff, Jeff Beck. To catch a preferred option by everyone from Neil Young, Keith Richards, Joe Perry to Carl Perkins and original Son Volt guitarist Dave Boquist, Gibson USA now offers the Les Paul Traditional with Bigsby.

Equipped with an original Bigsby ® B-70's tip, this instrument gives you all the fat, singing tone that the world's leading guitar solo cut is known, the more the versatility of a tremolo unit for a vintage style Work expressive lead and rhythm player quivering. As such, it is a package with a very broad appeal, suitable for a wide variety of styles of play

Bigsby Les Paul Traditional is formulated in all the classic ingredients that have helped make this model a legend, and features a killer show thanks to a magnificent high-gloss nitrocellulose black ebony. Carved maple top to promote clarity and sustain, while mahogany adds depth and richness. Like all the Les Paul guitar, the traditional use of modern relief printing to increase resonance and reduce weight. Solid one-piece quarter sawn mahogany neck is glued to the traditional mortis and Tenon Joint, and is derived from a profile of 'traditional', which measures 0.838 "is the first fret and .983" is 12 days. The rosewood fingerboard Grado, 22 belt medium-jumbo, with 12 "radius of each choke-free bending, scoop neck will culminate with the preferred 17 degree reverse pitch to improve the Pressure Die Plek string cutting Corian.

To start this complete tonal goodness in the stratosphere, the Les Paul with Bigsby has two humbucker pickups Gibson USA is more popular, a classic 57 in the neck position of the dulcet tones, warm voice and a bit warmer Classic 57 brave addition to the bridge crisis and rising tones of lead. These units are made with real acclaimed Alnico V magnets and wound with 42 AWG, as the late legendary PAF 50 and 60 years and offer a mix of depth and clarity that few can match microphones today.

One of the most exciting additions to the guitar appear in the tip, which helps give it its name. A genuine Bigsby ® B-70 of the nozzle was installed by Gibson USA subtle, smooth action vibrato that only the original unit can offer. The Bigsby ® is a collaboration with a bridge Schaller Roller ™ - a device based on its own Gibson Tune-o-matic, but with individual roller saddles - for better performance at high capacity when vibrato is used. The material is crowned by a set of quality tuners TonePros Kluson style ™.

Each Les Paul Traditional Bigsby ® is protected by-case lined with plush black finish, and even the owner's manual and the literature of regulation, as well as Gibson's limited lifetime warranty and 24/7/365 customer service.

Features:
  • Mahogany body with carved maple top
  • The rounded profile of the neck "Traditional"
  • 57 Classic neck pickup and just over 57 hot bridge pickup classic More
  • Genuine Bigsby ® B-70 ™ apparatus with Schaller roller bridge
  • Tone Pro Kluson tuners with pearl buttons

Pricing and availability:
  • $ 3,198 msrp

Source: sonicstate.com

Mike Huckabee Won't Run for President in 2012

Mike Huckabee
After months of speculation, the former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who ran for president in 2008, announced on Saturday his Fox News program that he did not attach the second run for President in 2012.

Mike Huckabee said that while on paper seems to have reached a number of obstacles candidates face, his moments of personal reflection and prayer, he came to understand the campaign was not God's will.

"I am a believer and follower of Jesus Christ and this relationship is much more important to me than any political office," said Huckabee. "To me, the discussion and the decision is ultimately a political rather economic, not even a convenience - it is spiritual. "

Consultations with Christ that Huckabee to his final decision: does not work.

"In recent weeks, external signs and signals and answer many of the barriers that militate strongly against the run," he said. "And when I have people who encourage me to run, it is easy to feel strength of their partnership and willingness to help me finish. But only when I was alone in the quiet and reflective moments, I had the brightness, but not only inner peace inexplicable -. A peace that passes human understanding "

"All the factors that will tell, but my heart says no," he said.

Huckabee was one of the pioneers in the 2012 Republican presidential candidate - often leads to other potential Republican presidential candidate, national and regional polls.

His statement, Huckabee said speculation surrounding his potential candidacy. His explanation, it is time to understand why even the inner circle Huckabee does not know which direction he would go, as Huckabee said he would not be completed until recently.

Even with the announcement he had made a decision, his entourage just have to guess the outcome thereof.

"Not even my executive producer on," Huckabee said on "O'Reilly Factor" on Friday evening.

He kept alive the enthusiasm with an email sent to advisers Friday, which was obtained by Time magazine, to warn them of his message.

"Many friends have said," how can we help you decide? "My answer was always," Pray for me clarity, "he writes." And I will share on Saturday evening during the show. Be patient if I do not respond directly to an e-mail because I expect that when I pull the trigger Saturday night, things become even more fragile, as if it is possible. "

Now the conversation shifts to who gets the note field Huckabee.

Watch the video:



Source: dailycaller.com

Thursday, May 5, 2011

No College Transcript Release: Valerie Jarrett Has Been Turning Off Trump

valerie-jarrett
Valerie Jarrett, the White House senior adviser said Obama will not release his academic records, to comment a day after Obama got the certificate of "long form" birth and Donald Trump has decided to support the opportunity to require the Obama's academic transcripts.

"We know it's nonsense," she said in an interview with Joe Madison Show on SiriusXM Thursday morning. "Mr. Obama is almost 50 years. And he is the president of the United States, and I do not think anyone would debate his intelligence and now we must take seriously ... let's get serious ... return to focus on what is important.

Donald Trump, on a birther roll, as he looks into a GOP presidential elections of 2012, claimed to force Obama finally releasing "long form" that has transformed what had been established before - Obama was born in Hawaii. Trump is now on another tangent, wondering why Obama has never released the transcript of college and wonder how he got into Harvard and Occidential.

Jarrett shut down Trump's comments.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Rashard Mendenhall Tweets on bin Laden’s death: Who celebrates?

Rashard Mendenhall, Pittsburgh Steelers running back, was not one of those athletes who were enthusiastic Tweeting news of the death of Osama bin Laden.

"What kind of person celebrating death?" It's amazing how people can hate a man they have never heard of. We've only heard one side ...," Hall Mende tweeted. He also twittered that he was not sure of September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

"We never know what really happened," Twitter. "I just hard to believe that the machine could be up to a skyscraper-style demolition."

Because of the lockout, teams can not have contact with players and then the Steelers were left to send a statement on their website. Steelers president Art Rooney II said. "I have not talked to Rashard so it is difficult to explain or understand what he meant by his recent comments Twitter Steelers entire organization is very proud of the work our military has done and we can only hope he leads our troops return soon. "

Mendenhall is completed via Twitter:

I believe in God I think we are all his children. And I think he is the one and only judge.

Those who judge others, judge yourself.

For those of you who said you want to see bin Laden's burn in hell and piss on his ashes, I wonder how God feels about your heart?

Source: Washingtonpost.com

Monday, May 2, 2011

Obama Officially Announces: the leader of al-Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden Dead

Obama Officially Announces: Osama Bin Laden Dead - Obama, the President of United States stressed that the Americans "did not choose this battle" against al-Qaeda, but "came to our shores." He praised the U.S. military and intelligence professionals work tirelessly to achieve this result. "The families of victims of 9 / 11, said that the U.S. has "never forget the loss."

"Tonight, we think the sense of unity that prevailed on 9 / 11," said Obama. "I know sometimes worn. However, its success today is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people."

Both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush had run bin Laden during his presidency, and both had failed to capture or kill him or her. The failure to capture Laden weighs more heavily, perhaps the Bush administration, which has occupied the White House during the 9 / 11 attacks, and kill the leader of al-Qaeda exactly eight years the day when Bush famously declared " Mission Accomplished "in Iraq.

Bush said in a statement that Mr. Obama called Sunday night to inform him of "success capital" of the death of Bin Laden.

"I congratulated him and the men and women of our military and intelligence services who have dedicated their lives to this mission, they all have our undying gratitude." Bush said: "The fight against terrorism continues, but tonight the United States sent a clear message. No matter how long time it takes for justice. "

Clinton, who was president when the first attack on the World Trade Center occurred in 1993, issued a statement in which bin Laden death "a very important moment not only for families of those killed on 9 / 11 and other al-Qaeda attacks, but for people around the world who want to build a common future of peace, freedom, and cooperation for our children. "

In a conference call with reporters shortly after Obama spoke, government officials provided a detailed sketch of how information about the location of Bin Laden were collected.

The secret services had a long intelligence work before receiving a key tip in August. According to senior officials of terrorist suspects imprisoned since 9 / 11 - the soul of the attack, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed - to identify the carrier, who had a close relationship with bin Laden.

"This man was one of the few carriers are based on al-Qaeda," a senior administration official said. "They expressed that he is alive and to protect bin Laden. But the years we have been able to identify his real name or where he was. Four years ago, he revealed his identity ... About two years ago, after months continuous work, our key areas in Pakistan courier and his brother worked. Still, we were unable to pinpoint exactly where they lived, because of extensive operational certainty on their part. The fact that they were so keen to strengthen our conviction that we are on the right track. "

When the intelligence community has finally revealed the location of the mail, they were "shocked by what they saw," said the official.

Abbottabad district was "relatively rich with many retired military," the official continued, and was isolated in urban areas or places prone to natural disasters and terrorist attacks. The house was "about eight times larger than other houses in the region," and he was surrounded by 12 to 18 meters high walls topped with barbed wire. There were two security doors and a value of approximately $ 1,000,000, although it lacked telephone and Internet connections.

Yet, to tell suggestion Intelligence: the occupants of their house burned to the trash instead of putting out the collection.

A senior administration suggested bin Laden had lived in the enclosure for at least six months without moving. Bin Laden is known to have regularly changed place to escape capture, he seldom chose to remain in place for a long period.

Recently, the Obama administration had reduced the drone strikes in the area - when the ramp-up control - that is to give al-Qaeda leader added sense of security at home.

Before the operation, Obama met nine meetings with his team of national security intelligence. According to aid the White House, met formally five times the directors themselves and their deputies met seven times. "

The President took the decision to perform the operation at 08:20 on April 29 at the Diplomatic Room of the White House before leaving to study tornado damage in Alabama. Tom Donilon, his national security adviser has developed formal orders and managers convened at 03:00 on the same day at the end of planning.

The next day, without producing a hint of the operation of weight in the planning stage, Obama has prepared and delivered his speech at the annual dinner of the Association of White House Correspondents. The next morning, he played nine holes of golf.

The final preparations were made on Sunday. At 14 hours, the president met with senior advisers for an hour and a half, when he returned to the room of an additional meeting. Twenty minutes later, he learned that bin Laden had been "tentatively identified." In 19 hours they said it was very likely that bin Laden was in the camera. As of 20:30, was a session information. The attack was signed thereafter.

None of the intelligence experts from other countries have been told that the attack before it happened - as co-operatives in Pakistan - according to administration officials. Vice-Chairman Joseph Biden announced that an attack on the leadership of Congress, just before it took place, aides on the hill called the Huffington Post.

About the fight was still difficult to obtain. Local sources said the helicopter involved in Pakistan attack was a mechanical problem and crashed.

U.S. forces deliberately destroyed the rest of the wreckage to reduce the signs of their presence in the region, according to NBC and other media. Two helicopters remain to provide cover for the Special Forces Command, Joint Operations, there was also a Predator drone.

The fight lasted only 40 minutes and was described by an administration official as a "surgical strike" carried out by a unit of Navy SEALs. Bin Laden's son was killed by adults, and two of his letters and a woman is used as human shields. Bin Laden "does not withstand the assault force," said a senior government official. Reports on Sunday said the terror leader was finally killed in the head.

Authorities warned that following the attack, Americans should be alert to retaliation from Al Qaeda. However, an official said there was "no specific threat" on Sunday night. ABC News reported that authorities plan to bury the body in the sea bin Laden not to leave the final location of his final resting place. This is done, an official said, "according to Islamic practice and tradition." A few hours later, CNN reported that the funeral had taken place.

"Americans understand the costs of war," Obama said toward the end of his speech. "But as a country will never accept the threat to our security, rather than stand idly by when our people were killed. We are relentless in the defense of citizens and friends and allies."

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Ron Paul: a fault, more terrorist on US global intervention

Ron Paul
Ron Paul said that a more terrorist on US global intervention deserves to be blamed. On his first television appearance on the Sean Hannity show on Fox News, The congressman from Texas and a doctor indicated why it is disagreed with many of the Republican Party. On the surface, which covered many topics, the true definition of what libertarians do with economics, Ron Paul found the right time to talk about the United States and its role abroad, particularly with regard to U.S. wars and actions. As expected, Ron Paul was not a consideration, and it seems that the U.S. was really the culprit with the increasing of the terrorists on the planet. This topic is unpopular what Ron Paul has done contrary to many Republicans and conservatives in the past.

Such provocative statements are precisely why so many young people have just fallen in love with the "nice" doctor." He's basically a libertarian response is typical of liberal foreign policy and the U.S. military. In other words, when talking about terrorism and the U.S. military, Ron Paul can not be distinguished from the true spirit of liberal appeasement! When you hear his comments on Hannity last night, you get a clear impression that he accused the United States to increase the number of terrorists around the world due to its global interventions. It seems so stupid and misleading error that immediately sparked a correction form Hannity, who was to remind the doctor of aging that Muslim terrorists hated the U.S. long before the operation.

Ron Paul is a bit of a pariah among conservatives and Republicans, even, precisely because of these stupid accusations of the survey. That's why he never, never a shadow of a serious candidate for President ... unless, of course, ran on the ticket of Ron Paul party or something! This also confirms that when it comes to foreign policy (ie: confronting the terrorists who want to kill you and your family to cold), the average libertarian has absolutely no answer, no plan or ideas useful to say the least . While liberals are right when it comes to wanting government interference in life (personal and other) of Americans, which unfortunately also results in a lower U.S. military and a sort of isolationist mentality. If Ron Paul accuses the United States to create more terrorists, then it is essentially saying that he also wants to reduce the size of the U.S. military.

Monday, April 25, 2011

The Crown Prince Of Bahrain Will Not Attend The Royal Wedding 2011

Bahrain Crown Prince
Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al
Khalifa of Bahrain. (Khaled Desouki/
AFP/Getty Images)
While "Bahrain Crown Prince on Sunday rejected an invitation to participate in Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding, said he did not want the turbulence of the Gulf nation to tarnish the party," there is still a "fury to [the] Royal wedding guest list, "wrote The Independent Britain.

It reports that the demonstrations are "conceived out of Westminster and a five-star hotel, because the calls of foreign tyrants and figureheads from autocratic regimes."

The invitation to the Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain has been criticized for the violent crackdown by the authorities in February in his country there are protesters. About 30 people died and hundreds were imprisoned.

Customers who plan to attend and have given rise to complaints from groups of human rights include "Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf bin Abdulaziz, the Zimbabwean ambassador to Britain, and King Swaziland, "The Independent said.

Meanwhile, the guest list and seating plan for the wedding on Friday in Westminster Abbey were released. An interesting thing, and told the BBC: Members of the family of William's mother Diana, Princess of Wales, Middleton will sit with - not with the Queen and members of the royal family.

Indeed, our colleague Linda Holmes's blog Monkey See, a report on the wedding in London this week. NPR's Philip Reeves is history even more so. And we hope very, very early (15:00 hour or less) on Friday to send updates as things happen.

Source: www.npr.org

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Denials of Self-interest from Iraq Oil: What they said before the invasion

What they said before the invasion, while they denied of self-interest from Iraq oils. Here are some of what they said as we retrieved from www.fuelonthefire.com.
  • Foreign Office memorandum, 13 November 2002, following meeting with BP: "Iraq is the big oil prospect. BP are desperate to get in there and anxious that political deals should not deny them the opportunity to compete. The long-term potential is enormous..."
  • Tony Blair, 6 February 2003: "Let me just deal with the oil thing because... the oil conspiracy theory is honestly one of the most absurd when you analyse it. The fact is that, if the oil that Iraq has were our concern, I mean we could probably cut a deal with Saddam tomorrow in relation to the oil. It's not the oil that is the issue, it is the weapons..."
  • BP, 12 March 2003: "We have no strategic interest in Iraq. If whoever comes to power wants Western involvement post the war, if there is a war, all we have ever said is that it should be on a level playing field. We are certainly not pushing for involvement."
  • Lord Browne, the then-BP chief executive, 12 March 2003: "It is not in my or BP's opinion, a war about oil. Iraq is an important producer, but it must decide what to do with its patrimony and oil."
  • Shell, 12 March 2003, said reports that it had discussed oil opportunities with Downing Street were 'highly inaccurate', adding: "We have neither sought nor attended meetings with officials in the UK Government on the subject of Iraq. The subject has only come up during conversations during normal meetings we attend from time to time with officials... We have never asked for 'contracts'."

Link Between Invasion of Iraq and Oil Firms Interest: Secret documents revealed

britain invasion of iraq
Government secret documents revealed and show plans to exploit Iraqi oil reserves which discussed by government ministers and world's largest oil firms in the year before the Britain took a leading role in invading Iraq.

The documents, revealed here for the first time, raise new questions over Britain's involvement in the war, which had divided Tony Blair's cabinet and was voted through only after his claims that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.

The minutes of a series of meetings between ministers and senior oil executives are at odds with the public denials of self-interest from oil companies and Western governments at the time.

The documents were not offered as evidence in the ongoing Chilcot Inquiry into the UK's involvement in the Iraq war. In March 2003, just before Britain went to war, Shell denounced reports that it had held talks with Downing Street about Iraqi oil as "highly inaccurate". BP denied that it had any "strategic interest" in Iraq, while Tony Blair described "the oil conspiracy theory" as "the most absurd".

But documents from October and November the previous year paint a very different picture.

Five months before the March 2003 invasion, Baroness Symons, then the Trade Minister, told BP that the Government believed British energy firms should be given a share of Iraq's enormous oil and gas reserves as a reward for Tony Blair's military commitment to US plans for regime change.

The papers show that Lady Symons agreed to lobby the Bush administration on BP's behalf because the oil giant feared it was being "locked out" of deals that Washington was quietly striking with US, French and Russian governments and their energy firms.

Minutes of a meeting with BP, Shell and BG (formerly British Gas) on 31 October 2002 read: "Baroness Symons agreed that it would be difficult to justify British companies losing out in Iraq in that way if the UK had itself been a conspicuous supporter of the US government throughout the crisis."

The minister then promised to "report back to the companies before Christmas" on her lobbying efforts.

The Foreign Office invited BP in on 6 November 2002 to talk about opportunities in Iraq "post regime change". Its minutes state: "Iraq is the big oil prospect. BP is desperate to get in there and anxious that political deals should not deny them the opportunity."

After another meeting, this one in October 2002, the Foreign Office's Middle East director at the time, Edward Chaplin, noted: "Shell and BP could not afford not to have a stake in [Iraq] for the sake of their long-term future... We were determined to get a fair slice of the action for UK companies in a post-Saddam Iraq."

Whereas BP was insisting in public that it had "no strategic interest" in Iraq, in private it told the Foreign Office that Iraq was "more important than anything we've seen for a long time".

BP was concerned that if Washington allowed TotalFinaElf's existing contact with Saddam Hussein to stand after the invasion it would make the French conglomerate the world's leading oil company. BP told the Government it was willing to take "big risks" to get a share of the Iraqi reserves, the second largest in the world.

Over 1,000 documents were obtained under Freedom of Information over five years by the oil campaigner Greg Muttitt. They reveal that at least five meetings were held between civil servants, ministers and BP and Shell in late 2002.

The 20-year contracts signed in the wake of the invasion were the largest in the history of the oil industry. They covered half of Iraq's reserves – 60 billion barrels of oil, bought up by companies such as BP and CNPC (China National Petroleum Company), whose joint consortium alone stands to make £403m ($658m) profit per year from the Rumaila field in southern Iraq.

Last week, Iraq raised its oil output to the highest level for almost decade, 2.7 million barrels a day – seen as especially important at the moment given the regional volatility and loss of Libyan output. Many opponents of the war suspected that one of Washington's main ambitions in invading Iraq was to secure a cheap and plentiful source of oil.

Mr Muttitt, whose book Fuel on Fire is published next week, said: "Before the war, the Government went to great lengths to insist it had no interest in Iraq's oil. These documents provide the evidence that give the lie to those claims.

"We see that oil was in fact one of the Government's most important strategic considerations, and it secretly colluded with oil companies to give them access to that huge prize."

Later, Lady Symons took up an advisory post with a UK merchant bank that cashed in on post-war Iraq reconstruction contracts. Last night, BP and Shell declined to comment on she severed links last month as an unpaid adviser to Libya's National Economic Development Board after Colonel Gaddafi started firing on protesters.

Source: Independent.Co.Uk

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Gunman Shot: killing seven people in a Dutch mall

Dutch officials say a gunman shot at a mall on Saturday, killing seven people and wounding 16 others before shooting himself in the head, a journalist with CNN affiliate SBS reported, citing police and other officials.

Bas Eenhoorn, mayor of Alphen aan den Rijn, told reporters that the 24-year-old suspected shooter -- identified only as Tristan V -- fired an automatic rifle and killed himself before police arrived on the scene.

7 killed, 16 wounded in Dutch mall shooting

The suspect, whose full name is being withheld until a formal investigation is concluded, is a Dutch national who was living with his father, police told SBS. Computer equipment and other materials were confiscated from the father's apartment after the shooting.

A farewell note was found at the suspect's mother's home. Police told SBS that the suspect claimed in the note that he had placed explosives in several commercial areas in Alphen.

The areas were evacuated as police conducted a search. As of 11 p.m., no explosives were found.

Three of the wounded mall victims are in critical condition, officials said Saturday night. The motive of the shooting was not known and no indication was given in the note.

Eenhoorn plans to hold meetings Sunday with some of the victims, SBS reported.

Source: CNN World Ed.