Tuesday 12 June 2012

Today's stories



Breaking News

United States negotiators have quit talks in Pakistan after failing to reach a deal to reopen a supply route to NATO troops in Afghanistan.

Global economy



Investors' euphoria over a huge eurozone rescue loan for Spain's banks evaporated Monday as they fretted over the details and feared a stormy Greece exit of the eurozone.
The euphoria wore off pretty quickly! -- RW

The confirmation on Monday that Italy’s recession is deepening heightens pressure on Premier Mario Monti’s government, which is struggling to fend off the debt crisis and the perception that Italy could be next to seek a bailout following Spain’s decision to ask for help for its ailing banks.



Airline Death Spiral




Military/intelligence


The United States may soon take on a formal role in the Syrian uprising after reports surfaced this week that suggest the White House wants an air offensive targeting the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

South Korea has warned it would immediately retaliate against the North and has held unscheduled military exercises after series of threats from Pyongyang. A week ago the North threatened to launch rocket attacks on media offices in the South.

A rocket-propelled grenade hit a British diplomatic convoy in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on Monday, wounding two security guards, officials said

An analyst says “Regime Change” is needed in both the US and Israel to stop “war crimes in the name of human rights” in Syria which in reality aim to weaken Iran and eliminate any resistance against Israel.

Monitors and joint envoy Annan cite increasing use of helicopter gunships, mortars and tanks against opposition areas.

U.S. says that after significantly reducing oil purchases from Iran, seven additional countries will be dismissed of the financial sanctions.

Clashes between Muslims and Buddhists in Burma's restive Arakan state led to a state of emergency and questions over the country's fragile democratic reforms.


Environmental/disasters
As many as 100 people are feared dead in an earthquake and landslide that buried more than 20 houses in northern Afghanistan on Monday, officials said.




Environment Canada scientists have observed evidence of toxic contamination of wildlife upstream from Alberta's natural bitumen deposits that coincides with the oilsands industry's expansion, Environment Minister Peter Kent was told last summer.

China recently overtook America as the world’s largest consumer of energy — also making it the largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions. Led by China, countries pumped record levels of CO2 into the atmosphere in 2011, setting the world on a pathto 11 degree Fahrenheit warming by the end of the century.

Civil unrest/revolution


Lawyer says 11-year-old released after weeks in detention, but still faces charges of "joining illegal gathering".


Europe


So should she -- RW

Greek election centre stage after Spanish bailout
The latest rescue in the euro zone has done little to stem concern that the region's debt crisis will be resolved soon.

In other words, that money you thought you had... You don't really have it.


Greece faces the threat of rolling power blackouts as the economic crisis leaves utilities without cash to pay for natural-gas imports and operate power stations.

Fearful of the future, Europeans are moving their money out of their banks and dumping it into safe havens such as U.S. Treasuries, Government of Canada bonds — and apparently the virtual currency Bitcoin.

SYRIZA chief Alexis Tsipras during a visit at the Athens police headquarters (GADA).
Officials of conservative New Democracy and leftist SYRIZA, which have been neck and neck in opinion polls, continued to clash Mondayy over which party can best negotiate Greece’s continued membership of the eurozone while SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras fired a broadside at ND leader Antonis Samaras, claiming that the leftist party has a deeper appreciation of public concerns regarding rising crime and illegal immigration.

USA


The US Supreme Court has refused to hear arguments made on behalf of seven inmates being held at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba military prison, in turn authorizing the government to further detain captives without charge.


Australia/NZ 



Media/internet

Former UK prime minister Gordon Brown has lambasted Rupert Murdoch before Britain's media ethics inquiry, claiming the media mogul lied under oath to the inquiry and saying a Murdoch tabloid had undermined the war effort in Afghanistan.

FACEBOOK'S growth appears to be slowing, particularly in the US, according to newspaper reports.




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