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US Economic Stimulus Bill Nears Final Vote
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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says vote could happen as early as Thursday
Senator Harry Reid, Senate Majority leaderU.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry
Reid says a final vote on President
Barack Obama's economic stimulus package could happen as early as
Thursday.The final vote is expected after senators unanimously
approved an amendment Wednesday to provide a $15,000 tax credit for
homebuyers.The provision, sponsored by Republican Senator Johnny Isakson, would
add $19 billion to Mr. Obama's $900 billion plan.The
Senate also unanimously approved a change in the so-called "Buy
American" provision that passed in the U.S. House version of the plan.
The measure requires that all public works projects funded under the
stimulus package use only U.S.-produced materials. The change approved
Wednesday requires the provision be "applied in a manner consistent
with U.S. obligations under international agreements."Supporters
of the initial measure say it would boost the U.S. manufacturing
sector. But President Obama and other critics say it could lead to a
trade war. The European Union has also voiced opposition to the measure.The
stimulus package has come under fire from many Republicans who say it
is filled with too many spending measures and not enough tax cuts. Mr.
Obama accused those critics Wednesday of pushing the "very same failed
theories that helped lead us into this crisis." But Mr. Obama
also met privately with a handful of senators who are pushing for cuts
in spending measures they say will not encourage job creation. In
an opinion piece in the Washington Post newspaper Wednesday, the
president defends the package as "a strategy for America's long-term
growth and opportunity" in such areas as renewable energy, health care
and education. He warns the nation's economy could suffer irreversible
damage if action is not taken soon. The Senate version, if
passed, will have to be reconciled with the House-approved measure
before it goes to Mr. Obama for his signature.
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Suicide Bombing Targets Diyala as Iraq Awaits Poll Results
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Lawmakers say early signs indicate good showing for coalition led by Prime
Minister Nouri al-Maliki; attack happened in Khanaqin
Officials in Iraq say a suicide bomber has killed at least 12 people in the
northeastern province of Diyala.Iraqi woman casts her ballot in country's
provincial elections in central Baghdad, 31 Jan 2009The attack, in Khanaqin,
came as Iraq awaits the results of Saturday's provincial election, the
country's first since 2005.Preliminary official results are due later Thursday,
and lawmakers say early signs indicate a good showing for the coalition led by
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.Authorities have boosted security in the western
province of Anbar, amid allegations from local Sunni tribal leaders of fraud in
Saturday's vote. U.S. and Iraqi officials have been warning of possible
violence by those who are unhappy with the results.The stakes are particularly
high in the Sunni-dominated province. Many Iraqis, especially Sunnis,
boycotted the last elections in 2005, and U.S. and Iraqi officials promoted
Saturday's vote as a way to redistribute power more equitably across Iraq's
ethnic and sectarian groups. Local tribal leaders in Anbar accuse a large Sunni
faction, Iraqi Islamic Party, of rigging the vote. Deputy Prime Minister Rafi
al-Issawi was among the politicians who demanded a recount in Anbar on
Wednesday.Despite allegations of fraud, the international community has praised
the provincial elections as an example of a peaceful, democratic political
process. Prime Minister Maliki also expressed confidence in the election
process during a briefing Wednesday with the country's top Shi'ite cleric,
Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.Local news reports say many voters rewarded the
prime minister for taking forceful action against extremist militias, and that
they favor his secular agenda over more religious parties.Fourteen of Iraq's 18
provinces voted in the elections. The disputed oil-rich province of Kirkuk and
the three provinces of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region delayed the vote
because of local issues.
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Russia Says Iranian Nuclear Plant Set to Open This Year
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Nuclear Power chief Sergei Kiriyenko says Bushehr nuclear plant should go
online by end of 2009
A general view shows the reactor building of the Bushehr nuclear power plant in
southern Iran (File)Russia's nuclear power chief says his country plans to
start up the Bushehr nuclear reactor in Iran this year.Sergei Kiriyenko told
Russian media Thursday that assuming nothing unexpected happens, the launch
will go as planned before the end of 2009. He said there are no unresolved
questions with his Iranian counterparts regarding the technical start-up.
Kiriyenko said he plans to travel to the Bushehr construction site later this
month. Russia began working on the project in 1995, and says it has already
delivered the fuel to get Iran's first nuclear power plant running.The plant's
opening has frequently been delayed. In the past, Iranian officials have blamed
the delays, in part, on foreign sanctions related to its disputed nuclear
program. Officials say Bushehr will be capable of producing about 1,000
megawatts of electricity a year.
Some information for this report was provided by Reuters.
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Sri Lankan Army Captures Key Tamil Rebel Sea Base
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Spokesman says capture of naval base at Chalai is another sign that Asia's
longest-running war is coming to end
Sri Lankans climb on recently seized Tamil Tiger submarine-type craft on
display at state exhibition in Colombo, 05 Feb 2009The Sri Lankan military says
it is one step closer to ending a 25-year
uprising by ethnic Tamil militants fighting for a separate homeland in
this Indian Ocean island's northern tip. The military says it has
captured a key rebel sea base. The area in northeastern Sri
Lanka that is controlled by the country's rebel group, the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam, gets smaller every day.Sri Lankan army
spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara says the capture of the rebel naval base at
Chalai is another sign that Asia's longest-running war is coming to an
end."Strategically, the was another logistic base where they
got all their supplies," he said. "With the capturing of this [sea
base] all their supply activities will be completely curtailed."The
capture of the rebel naval base could not be independently verified
since Sri Lanka's government prohibits journalists from entering
war-affected areas. Nanayakkara said more than 1,000
civilians fled a government-controlled safe zone to escape intense
fighting in the northeast, where the Tamil Tigers are trying to defend
their last-remaining strongholds.
Civilians trapped in fightingA huge number of civilians are
trapped in the fighting and civilian casualties are rising, says the
U.N. and other relief agencies. Sarasi Wijeratne is the spokesperson for the
International Committee for the Red Cross, which is operating in the war-hit
areas."We
estimate there to be about 250,000 people who have been caught in the
fighting," said Wijeratne. "And there are concerns for the physical
safety because of ongoing combat operations and these people being
confined to an increasingly small area."About 300 patients,
mainly civilians wounded in the conflict, were evacuated to a community
center within rebel-held territory, aid workers say. The hospital
where they were staying had been repeatedly shelled in the fighting.The
government has urged civilians to move to a "safe zone" near town of
Mullaittivu, but human rights groups and some diplomatic sources say
Tamil rebels often refuse to allow people to leave.The Tamil
Tiger rebels have been fighting since 1983 for an independent homeland
for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority. More than 70,000 people have died in
the conflict.
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Israel Intercepts Arab Boat Trying to Break Gaza Blockade
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Defense minister says crippling naval blockade on Gaza aimed at preventing
weapons smuggling to ruling Islamic militant group, Hamas
In a continuation of recent tensions, Israeli gunboats intercepted a Lebanese
ship trying to break the blockade on Gaza.Speaking by cell phone from the boat,
a reporter for the Arab TV station Al Jazeera said Israeli troops stormed on
board and threatened the crew. She said some passengers were beaten. Israeli
navy vessels escort a Lebanese boat (top) carrying aid supplies for the Gaza
Strip near the port of the coastal Israeli city of Ashdod, 05 Feb 2009The ship
set sail from the Lebanese port of Tripoli carrying activists and 60 tons of
humanitarian supplies. Passengers included a Syrian-born Catholic priest, a
Muslim cleric, a lawyer and several Arab journalists. Israeli Defense Minister
Ehud Barak said the boat was first diverted to the Egyptian port of El Arish.
Barak said the boat turned around and tried to "sneak" into Gaza. He said the
navy intercepted the boat and towed it to the Israeli port of Ashdod. Israel
says its crippling naval blockade on Gaza is aimed at preventing weapons
smuggling to the ruling Islamic militant group Hamas. In recent months, Israel
has allowed several boats with pro-Palestinian activists to sail into Gaza in
defiance of the blockade, saying it wanted to avoid negative publicity. But
Israel has tightened the blockade since its 22-day offensive in Gaza ended two
weeks ago. Lebanon's Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said the boat had nothing to
do with weapons smuggling.Siniora said the same Israel that "commits massacres
against innocent civilians in Lebanon and Gaza" is not ashamed to assault a
ship carrying humanitarian supplies.
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Somali Pirates Release Ship Carrying Controversial Arms Cargo
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Pirates left MV 'Faina' following payment of $3.2 million ransom
Somali pirates holding MV 'Faina' stand on deck of ship, 19 Oct 2008Somali
pirates have released a Ukrainian ship carrying 33 tanks and
other weapons, after receiving a ransom payment of more than $ 3 million. The
ship had been held off the coast of Somalia
since September. Pirates left the MV Faina following the
payment of a $3.2 million ransom on Wednesday. The ship, which was
ferrying 33 Soviet tanks, along with anti-aircraft weapons, grenade
launchers, and other arms to the Kenyan port of Mombassa, had been
anchored near the Somali port of Harardhere. The ship's cargo
has stirred considerable controversy. The Kenyan government has
maintained the weapons are for its own use, but many observers,
including diplomats in the region, have said the arms are destined for
the semi-autonomous government of Southern Sudan.Southern
rebels signed a peace agreement with the Sudanese government in 2005,
with negotiations held in Kenya. But that deal appears increasingly
shaky, and both the northern and southern Sudanese governments are
believed to be building up their arms supplies with an eye to a
possible return to conflict.A senior researcher on arms
transfers at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute,
Pieter Wezeman, says similar tanks from previous shipments to Mombassa
have not been spotted by observers, either in Kenya or in Southern
Sudan."If the Kenyan government has ordered them and has taken
possession of them, as they should have, then you would in a way expect
them to show them off somewhere, just to show that they have them.
That has never happened. So it remains a mystery and the suspicion
that they were intended for, or that they even have gone to, South
Sudan remains. But there is no clear proof that they actually went
there," said Wezeman.U.S. naval ships are guarding the MV
Faina, and the Ukrainian government has said that the ship will
continue on to Mombassa. According to Weseman, the Kenyan government
will have a difficult time keeping the destination of the weapons under
wraps."Everyone knows about the ship, a lot of people are
interested in what is on there. I think the Kenyan government will
have a challenge to make it possible for people to follow the
whereabouts of these tanks," he said.Wezeman says that while
the arms buildup by the northern Sudanese government in recent years
has been well documented, there is little information available on
weapons supplies to southern Sudan. But with estimates that military
spending consumes around half of Southern Sudan's budget, few observers
doubt that the southern government is importing significant quantities
of arms as well. Somali pirates captured 42 ships last year.
They have captured an additional three since the start of 2009. In
response to the wave of attacks, countries around the world have sent
more than 20 ships to patrol the waters off the coast of Somalia.
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British Cultural Body Suspends Operations in Iran
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British Council says its staff in Iran were denied entry, singled out for
intimidation
The British Council, the United Kingdom's worldwide cultural body, said it is
suspending operations in Iran after its staff members were unable to gain entry
visas. The organization also said its local employees have been singled out
for intimidation by authorities in Tehran.Most of the 16 Iranians who were
working in the council were summoned to the Office of the Iranian President in
December and were ordered to resign their posts.
Iranian actions 'deliberate'
The Council's London-based chief executive Martin Davidson told the BBC the
actions of the authorities have been deliberate, and the council simply could
no longer operate under those conditions. "It makes me very angry that
dedicated colleagues are put in a position where they are, in essence, forced
to resign. It means that they give up their jobs. It means that they are no
longer able to build the relationship with the U.K. which they had been doing
for a number of years with huge dedication," Davidson said.The British Council
resumed work in the country in 2001 after a break of 22 years.
Mr. Davidson said by definition, cultural exchanges go both ways."They appear
to be looking for a cultural relationship with the U.K., but a cultural
relationship which is one-way only and you cannot do that. Ultimately we
cannot afford a one-way street in a cultural relation," he explained.
Iranians 'nervous' before national elections
Some analysts speculate that nervousness about perceived foreign cultural
influences in the months before upcoming Iranian national elections may have
something to do with the actions.Davidson said he hopes an agreement with the
Iranian authorities can be struck so the British Council can resume its work in
the country as soon as possible."Really what worries me is that there are no
winners out of this situation as staff lose their jobs," Davidson noted. "
Iranians who are looking to build a stronger relationship and personal
opportunities through coming to the U.K. either for study or learning English
or building academic links are not able to do so. Here in the U.K. we are
losing the opportunity to build relationships with young Iranians who are going
to be essential for our long-term future relationship with our country because
no matter what happens politically now, at some point in the future we are
going to be a strong partner for Iran and we will need those relationships."The
council operates in more than 100 countries worldwide.The organization said
last year about 13,000 Iranians took part in its programs that included English
lessons and university-level study and research partnerships.
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China Supports Stability on Korean Peninsula
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Foreign Ministry spokeswoman says as close neighbor, China supports North and
South Korean efforts to improve relations through dialogue
China says the aid it provides to North Korea is aimed at helping the North
Korean people. This comes amid North Korean reports that China offered aid, in
a deal struck last month between a senior Chinese official and reclusive North
Korean President Kim Jong Il.Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang YuIn
Thursday's briefing for the media, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang
Yu was asked repeatedly about North Korean reports that China is offering aid
to its impoverished neighbor.Jiang says, in past years, the Chinese government
has provided assistance to North Korea, to help the North Korean people
overcome economic difficulties.Since the 1990's, North Korea has been forced to
accept handouts from other countries to help feed its 23 million people,
following natural disasters and bad economic management.The Chinese spokeswoman
says she has no information about specific aid shipments, but she did not deny
the North Korean reports.She had a more definitive answer when asked why
Beijing has remained silent about North Korea's recent confrontation with South
Korea.Jiang says it is not correct to assume the Chinese government has
remained silent about the issue. She says China hopes that all parties can
recognize the importance of maintaining stability on the Korean peninsula.
China supports improved relationsShe says, as a close neighbor, China supports
North and South Korean efforts to improve relations through dialogue.At the end
of last month, North Korea canceled all political and military agreements with
South Korea. There also are reports that North Korea is preparing to test fire
a long-range ballistic missile.Observers say they believe Pyongyang is raising
tensions on the peninsula, to attract the attention of new American President
Barack Obama.North Korea will feature high on the agenda during an expected
visit to the region by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, later this month.
Six nations - the United States, North Korea, China, South Korea, Japan and
Russia - have been engaged in talks on ending North Korea's nuclear programs.
The talks are in a stalemate because of disagreement over how to verify North
Korea's nuclear activities.
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Obama: Religious Differences Should Unite, Not Divide
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US president tells National Prayer Breakfast faith that motivates people can
promote greater good
U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during the National Prayer Breakfast at the
Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., 05 Feb 2009U.S. President Barack Obama
says America and the world need to tap the power of faith to unite people and
provide for the common good. Mr. Obama says he will bring clergy and secular
leaders together in a joint effort to help communities around the
country.President Obama has taken numerous actions in his first weeks in office
to rescind the policies of his predecessor, George Bush. But there is one area
in which they are in agreement: the importance of faith in American life.Mr.
Obama is keeping the faith-based initiative launched by President Bush -
although under a slightly different name - which was set up to assist community
programs run by religious institutions."Instead of driving us apart, our varied
beliefs can bring us together to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, comfort the
afflicted; to make peace where there is strife and rebuild what has broken," he
said.The president says he is sensitive to critics who fear bringing clergy
into a White House-based office jeopardizes the constitutional separation of
church and state. "The goal of this office will not be to favor one religious
group over another - or even religious groups over secular groups. It will
simply be to work on behalf of those organizations that want to work on behalf
of our communities, and to do so without blurring the line that our founders
wisely drew between church and state," he said.Mr. Obama spoke at the National
Prayer Breakfast, an annual event in Washington that brings together
government, business, clergy and community leaders from around the world.The
president said far too often, faith is used as an excuse for prejudice,
intolerance, and war. He said while different religions read different texts,
and follow different edicts, there are common truths."No matter what we choose
to believe, let us remember that that is no religion whose central tenet is
hate. There is no God who condones taking the life of an innocent human
being. This much we know," he said.He reminded the audience that all the
world's major religions share one overriding value. "It is, of course, the
Golden Rule - the call to love one another, to understand one another, to treat
with dignity and respect those with whom we share a brief moment on this
earth," he said.The gathering also heard from former British Prime Minister
Tony Blair, the Middle East envoy for the so-called quartet - the United
States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia. He said faith
motivates billions to help others."You can see it in the arousing of the
world's conscience to the plight of Africans. There are a million good deeds
done everyday by people of faith," he said.In addition to his work in the
Middle East, Blair heads a foundation that aims to promote understanding and
reconciliation among the world's major religions.
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New Technology Helps Scientists See How Brain Stores Memories
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Researchers use functional magnetic resonance imaging or fMRI to monitor
changing blood flow as subjects perform different activities
New imaging technologies are helping scientists to unlock secrets about the
human brain and how it functions. One of those technologies is the functional
magnetic resonance imaging machine, fMRI. An fMRI allows researchers to 'see'
and monitor changing blood flows in the brain as subjects perform different
activities.The functional magnetic resonance imaging machine is helping
scientists gain new insight into how the human brain worksResearcher Christine
Smith from the University of California at San Diego used an fMRI to look at
how the brain stores memories. She says the fMRI has been a powerful tool for
learning about memory."It's hard to say where any particular memory is stored
in the brain. Memories are stored in a distributed way, kind of across the
brain," Smith says She says scientists believe areas in the brain involved in
creating memories are usually the areas where they're also stored. One of those
areas long known to be associated with memory creation is called the
hippocampus. The reason scientists know about the hippocampus is from people
who have had hippocampal damage, from strokes or trauma, for example. "If you
damage the hippocampus, you get classic amnesia where you have trouble
remembering new things," Smith says. To study memory, Smith put subjects into
an fMRI and then asked them to answer questions about news events over the past
30 years. She found that as people answered questions about more recent events,
different parts of the brain - including the hippocampus - responded
differently. The difference depended on how old the memory was.She says they
found that the hippocampus is involved for some time after memories are
learned. "Activity in that region was highest for the most recent memories,
and then activity tapered down for memories about one to 12 years into the
past," Smith says. Smith was also able to observe where older memories were
stored. The outermost part of the brain, the cortex, became more active when
those older memories were recalled, and the hippocampus became less active.
"You need the hippocampus to recall memories that are between one and 10 years
old," she concludes. "And after that, you don't need a hippocampus. So what
happens is, the role of the hippocampus seems to diminish with time, and so you
don't need it anymore after 10 or so years to recall the memories older than
that. It seems that the cortex then can support the recall of memories...
those more remote memories."Smith says these findings shed new light on the
dynamics of the memory loss associated with aging, Alzheimer's disease and
other cognitive problems. Smith's research is published in the Journal of
Neuroscience.
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