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Front Page: India Nuclear Deal Approved, Suicide Bombers Strike End of Ramadan, Vice Presidential Debate Tonight

CitizenSugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 06:56:41 -0700

India Nuclear Deal Approved:
In addition to passing the Bailout Bill last night which caused the European markets to rise, the US Senate voted 86-13 to approve a nuclear deal with India. The vote moves to end a 30-year ban on nuclear trade with India. The deal gives India access to civilian nuclear technology which critics say will expand its nuclear industry without having to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Suicide Bombers Strike End of Ramadan:
In Baghdad as Muslims marked the close of Ramadan, suicide bombers attacked two Shi'ite mosques during morning prayers, killing at least 20 people. The attacks were part of a second wave of violence this week culminating in the Id al-Fitr feast. No one has claimed responsibility but some in the crowd believe Sunni extremists were to blame.

Vice Presidential Debate Tonight:
Gov. Sarah Palin and Sen. Joe Biden face off in their only debate tonight in St. Louis, MO. The event starts at 9 p.m. ET and will be moderated by PBS's Gwen Ifill. The debate has been much anticipated and we'll be gearing up for it today, as well as here tonight live-commenting during the debate.

Report: Iran Now Has 6,000 Centrifuges for Uranium

CitizenSugar — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 09:45:39 -0700

Report: Iran Now Has 6,000 Centrifuges for Uranium President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Saturday that Iran now possesses 6,000 centrifuges, a significant increase in the number of uranium-enriching machines in its nuclear program. The new figure is double the 3,000 centrifuges Iran had previously said it was operating. Ahmadinejad made the announcement a week after the US reversed course by sending a top American diplomat to participate in negotiations with Iran, prompting hopes for a compromise.

Front Page: Hurricane Dolly Hits Texas, China to Allow Protests, Iran Says No Concessions

CitizenSugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 06:56:59 -0700

Hurricane Dolly Hits Texas:
Hurricane Dolly arrived on the Gulf Coast early Wednesday with heavy rain and winds ramping up before the center of the storm hits towns on the Texas-Mexico border later today. The hurricane will bring up to 15 inches of rain, threatening local levees that gave way 41 years ago in Hurricane Beulah. The National Hurricane Center said Dolly could approach Category 2 strength when it makes landfall today.

China to Allow Protests:
China has announced that protests will be allowed in three specific city parks during the upcoming Olympics. To protest, one has to apply for permission from the city government and police, and stay within the parks. The director of the Beijing committee said the parks are "close to the city proper and the Olympic venues," but didn't know how the application process would work "at this time."
Iran Says No Concessions:
The president of Iran says the country will not back down in its nuclear activities. The US, UN, and EU have instructed Iran to give an answer on the issue within two weeks or face sanctions. President Ahmadinejad responded in a televised speech, "the Iranian people are steadfast [they] will not retreat one iota in the face of oppressing powers."

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Does Syria Have the Bomb? UN Experts Begin Investigation

CitizenSugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 03:00:16 -0700

Syria is getting a secret probing from UN experts in search of a hidden nuclear program. After the discreet aerial bombing of an alleged Syrian nuclear site by Israeli jets in 2007, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is sending a four person team to inspect. Although Damascus has repeatedly denied such claims, Israel and the US claim that the installation was a nascent nuclear reactor.

In April, Washington released photographs showing what they believed to be North Korean experts inside a reactor closely resembling one in Yongbyon, North Korea. Syrian officials claim that the site bombed by Israel was an unused military facility but deny it had anything to do with a reactor.

The IAEA has criticized both Israel and the US for delaying sensitive information and engaging in an act of war before inspectors had a chance to inspect any evidence. They have also asked Syria for complete transparency when they make their inspection. The IAEA visit is promoted as a fact-finding mission, though if inspectors uncover evidence of a nascent nuclear program, it could mark the start of a massive investigation similar to the agency's five-year probe into Iran's activities.

Do you think the US and Israel acted appropriately, especially if Israel is involved in secret nuclear programs of its own? Is Syria developing nuclear weapons?

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Front Page: Pregnancy Pact Investigated, Israel Shows Iran Attack, 22,000 Protest in Thailand

CitizenSugar — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:00:04 -0700

Pregnancy Pact Investigated: Officials in Massachusetts are investigating why 17 teenage girls from the same high school have become pregnant, a number four times higher than the year before. Reports claim the girls, all under the age of 16, entered into a pact to have their babies together. No comment has been forthcoming from the girls or their families. Officials are investigating the ages of the fathers, as some are believed to be in their twenties — facing the possibility of being charged with having sex with minors. Birth rates for girls aged 15 to 17 rose by 3 percent in 2006, the first increase in the rate since 1991.

Israel Shows Iran Attack: Israel has performed what appears to be a rehearsal for an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. More than 100 Israeli fighter jets conducted manuvers over the Mediterranean and Greece this month. Though Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, Israel sees Iran's development of the technology a threatening problem. The UN has demanded that Iran stop the enrichment of uranium, and approved a third round of sanctions against Iran over the issue in March 2008. A Pentagon official says of Israel's show of force, "they wanted us to know, they wanted the Europeans to know, and they wanted the Iranians to know."
22,000 Protest in Thailand: Several thousand protesters broke through a tight police seal around Thailand's seat of government today, planning to occupy the compound until the prime minister resigns. The protesters claim that Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's government is just a proxy for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup. Though he's facing criminal charges for corruption, Thaksin remains a powerful figure in Thailand. Despite the huge protest, there were no immediate plans to declare a state of national emergency or martial law. Police estimated that about 22,000 people were present for the protest.

McCain Sets Goal of 45 New Nuclear Reactors by 2030

CitizenSugar — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:10:05 -0700

McCain Sets Goal of 45 New Nuclear Reactors by 2030 Senator John McCain said Wednesday that he wanted 45 new nuclear reactors built in the United States by 2030, a course he called “as difficult as it is necessary.” McCain told the crowd at a town-hall-style meeting at Missouri State University that he saw nuclear power as a clean, safe alternative to traditional sources of energy that emit greenhouse gases. He said his ultimate goal was 100 new nuclear plants.

Front Page: Iran Declares Victory, US Strike Angers Pakistan, Canada Apologizes

CitizenSugar — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 07:00:58 -0700

Iran Declares Victory: Meeting with leaders during his European farewell tour, President Bush won support yesterday to consider additional punitive sanctions against Iran if they reject an offer of incentives to suspend its uranium enrichment program. The European-backed punishment includes restrictions on its banks. Britain, France and Germany are at the forefront of European diplomacy on Iran, and Bush is seeking their support of stronger UN sanctions. Meanwhile in Iran, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad voiced defiance against pressure to suspend the program, declaring victory in a televised speech saying, "with God's help today (the Iranian nation) have gained victory and the enemies cannot do a damned thing."

US Strike Angers Pakistan: Following a US-led operation in Pakistan against the Taliban that ended up killing 11 Pakistani troops along with 8 Taliban militants, Pakistan's military has condemned the air strike as a "cowardly attack". Details of the incident on the border with Afghanistan are still unclear but it comes amid rising tensions between the US and Pakistan militaries. The soldiers' deaths occurred overnight at a border post in one of Pakistan's tribal areas. A Pakistani spokesman said the attack "hit at the very basis of cooperation and sacrifice with which Pakistani soldiers are supporting the coalition in war against terror"
Canada Apologizes: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is delivering a public apology in Parliament today to more than 80,000 students of Canadian Natives who were taken from their parents and sent to state schools. Similar to the apology made to Australia's aboriginal population, Aboriginal Canadians will get their apology, one that Harper says, they "have been waiting a very long time to hear." The Canadian act of contrition comes with compensation as well, part of a lawsuit settlement.

Front Page: Myanmar Accepts All Aid, McCain Rejects Hagee, Italy Goes Nuclear

CitizenSugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 06:56:21 -0700

Myanmar Accepts All Aid: Myanmar's junta agreed this morning to admit cyclone aid workers "regardless of nationalities" said UN officials. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reached the agreement with junta supremo during mission to help 2.4 million left devastated by the storm three weeks ago. The move is positive, if not late. Disaster experts say that unless the doors to aid were opened, thousands more people would die of hunger and disease, adding to the nearly 134,000 reported killed or missing.
McCain Rejects Hagee: US presidential candidate John McCain rejected the backing of Rev. John Hagee after an audio recording of the preacher saying that God sent Hitler to help Jews reach the promised land was published on the Huffington Post. Rev Hagee then withdrew the endorsement, saying he had been misrepresented and did not want to figure in the presidential campaign. McCain faced criticism for seeking the endorsement — he's now described Hagee's comments as "crazy and unacceptable."
Italy Goes Nuclear: Italy announced yesterday its five-year plan includes resuming the building nuclear energy plants. A public referendum resoundingly banned nuclear power and deactivated all its reactors 20 years ago. Growing concern over energy contributed to the decision. The minister of economic development said, "by the end of this legislature we will put down the foundation stone for the construction in our country of a group of new-generation nuclear plants. An action plan to go back to nuclear power can not be delayed anymore. Only nuclear plants safely produce energy on a vast scale with competitive costs, respecting the environment.”

Iran Celebrates National Nuclear Day With Uranium Enrichment

LibertySugar — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 11:00:52 -0700

Iran plans to install 6,000 nuclear centrifuges. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced the news today — Iran's "National Day of Nuclear Technology." Today, state television plays patriotic music, and Iranian children chant "nuclear energy is our natural right" in honor of the national holiday. I wasn't exactly sure what a centrifuge does, but it sounded serious so I checked into it.

OK, here's the low down: centrifuges are used to enrich uranium, which can be used to build nuclear bombs. Iran probably already has 3,000 centrifuges, and tripling the number will significantly increase its nuclear capacity. Iran says it's innocently pursuing alternative nuclear energy, and that the country has the right to proceed with peaceful enrichment. But, the UN Security Council has demanded it cease enrichment, and has repeatedly sanctioned Iran.

Whether or not Iran has intentions to build a nuclear weapon, it's clearly intent on defying Western powers and international pressure. China announced today that officials from world powers will meet in Shanghai on April 16 to discuss Iran's nuclear program. Will sanctions help convince an Iran content on not making concessions?

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