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NEWS FRIDAY, MAY
24, 2013 NEWS
Boy
Scouts Of America Set To Vote On Gay Youth Ban
The Boy Scouts of America will vote on Thursday on a proposal to remove
its ban on openly gay scouts that has been in place throughout the organization's
103-year history. The vote by more than 1,400 delegates comes amid intense
lobbying by gay-rights activists and members of conservative organizations.
The proposal would not remove the organization's ban on gay adult leaders.
Representatives from both sides have rallied in Grapevine, Texas, near
Dallas, where the scouting organization is hosting its national annual
meeting. The vote comes about three months after the organization's leadership
delayed a decision on changing its membership policy to research attitudes
toward admitting gays. Reuters
VOA VIEW: Removing the gay ban will split
the Scouts.
Lawmakers
Push New Bill To Crack Down On Military Sexual Assault
The sponsor of a new bill to combat sexual assault in the military
pledged Thursday that her legislation would ensure that “never again will
a victim have to salute an assaulter." The effort, led by Sen. Claire McCaskill,
a Missouri Democrat, would require a dismissal or a dishonorable discharge
for a member of the military found guilty of rape or sexual assault. Senators
Susan Collins and Claire McCaskill announce a bipartisan piece of legislation
aimed at reducing sexual assaults in the U.S. military. The new legislation
– the second bill aimed at addressing sexual assault in the military this
month – comes just the day after the Army disclosed that the commander
of Fort Jackson, S.C., is being investigated for charges including adultery
and a physical altercation. MSNBC
Obama
Orders Justice Department Review After Fox News, AP Phone Records Seized
President Obama, responding to mounting criticism of his Justice Department's
seizure of reporter records, said for the first time Thursday that the
administration would be reviewing its guidelines in response to the controversy.
Obama said he's "troubled" by the developments and that journalists should
not be "at legal risk" for doing their jobs. Until now, administration
officials have responded to the blowback by speaking generally about the
importance of balancing national security -- and their ability to prosecute
high-profile leaks -- with freedom of the press. This explanation did not
stem the criticism, which only built amid new revelations about the lengths
to which prosecutors went to pursue leaks. Fox
News
VOA VIEW: Obama is troubled the scandal
could not be lied away.
IRS
Sequesters Itself Into 4-Day Holiday Weekend
"Due to the current budget situation, all IRS offices will be closed
on May 24, June 14, July 5, July 22 and August 30," says an announcement
on the IRS Website. Although IRS employees will not be paid for those furlough
days, the dates chosen will give them three four-day weekends (over Memorial
Day, July 4th and Labor Day) and two three-day weekends. Four of the furlough
days are Fridays (May 24, June 14, July 5, Aug. 30) and one, July 22, is
a Monday. CNS
News
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Stress
May Be Causing Your Cravings
What do drug addicts, serial dieters and children from troubled homes
have in common? More than you might think. Stress can play a pernicious
role in triggering a vicious cycle that leaves these groups overwhelmed
by uncontrollable impulses and distracted by negative feelings -- all of
which may, in turn, spark subsequent cycles of relapse, bingeing and failure.
Through a career that spans almost three decades, Rajita Sinha, psychologist
and head of the Yale Stress Center, has sought to understand the processes
underlying these stress cycles in hopes they may one day be prevented.
CNN
5.7-Magnitude
Quake Widely Felt Across Northern California
An earthquake in far northeastern California was felt by thousands
of people as far away as San Francisco and in two other states, but there
have been no reports of injury or serious damage. The magnitude-5.7 quake
broke dishes and shook mirrors when it struck at 8:47 p.m. Thursday, officials
said. It was centered near Greenville, about 25 miles southwest of Susanville
in far northeastern California, said Rafael Abreu, a geophysicist with
the U.S. Geological Survey's National Earthquake Center in Golden, Colo.
There have been several aftershocks, including a magnitude 4.9 that struck
early Friday morning. Detroit
News
Bank
Of Bloomberg
How rich is billionaire Mayor Bloomberg? So rich that the IRS paid
him interest of between $1,000 and $5,000 last year when it was late on
a refund. So rich that the 35-acre estate he bought in Southampton for
$20 million a couple of years ago wasn’t big enough, so he spent at least
$1 million more for two additional pieces of land next door. So rich that
he donated $370 million to charity in 2012, or $59 million more than in
2011. Reporters turned prospectors yesterday to extract those financial
nuggets from Bloomberg’s 2012 tax returns, which are made available each
year in such heavily redacted form that it’s impossible to calculate the
mayor’s true wealth. orbes has estimated it at $27 billion, which would
make him the 13th-richest person on the planet. NY
Post
Postal
Service Issues Gettysburg And Vicksburg Stamps
Down the long line, the smoke of muskets and artillery boiled from
the landscape, marking the collision point of Union and Confederate forces
at the Battle of Gettysburg. That moment was captured in an 1887 chromolithograph
by Thure de Thulstrup (1848-1930), a Swedish-born artist who became an
illustrator for Harper's Weekly after the Civil War. And on Thursday, a
reproduction of it appeared on a newly issued stamp from the U.S. Postal
Service, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the epic clash. A second
newly issued stamp, marking the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Vicksburg,
is a reproduction of an 1863 lithograph by Currier & Ives titled Admiral
Porter's Fleet Running the Rebel Blockade of the Mississippi at Vicksburg,
April 16th, 1863. Philadelphia
Inquirer
Obama:
No 'Large Scale' Terrorist Attacks On U.S. Since I Became President
President Barack Obama said today that there have been no "large scale"
terrorist attacks on the United States since he became president. The statement
comes less than six weeks after the terrorist attack on the Boston Marathon,
which killed 5 people, injured 280 people (including 16 police officers),
and forced the city to shut down while police conducted a door-to-door
search for the terrorists. "So after I took office, we stepped up the war
against al Qaeda but we also sought to change its course,” said Obama
at Ft. McNair’s National Defense University in Washington, D.C. “We
relentlessly targeted al Qaeda’s leadership. We ended the war in Iraq and
brought nearly 150,000 troops home. … We unequivocally banned torture,
affirmed our commitment to civilian courts, worked to align our policies
with the rule of law, and expanded our consultations with Congress.” CNS
News
VOA VIEW: Obama takes credit for untrue
accomplishments, and blames all for his failures.
Some
Unions Now Angry About Health Care Overhaul
When President Barack Obama pushed his health care overhaul plan through
Congress, he counted labor unions among his strongest supporters. But some
unions leaders have grown frustrated and angry about what they say are
unexpected consequences of the new law — problems that they say could jeopardize
the health benefits offered to millions of their members. The issue could
create a political headache next year for Democrats facing re-election
if disgruntled union members believe the Obama administration and Congress
aren't working to fix the problem. "It makes an untruth out of what the
president said, that if you like your insurance, you could keep it," said
Joe Hansen, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers International
Union. "That is not going to be true for millions of workers now." Atlanta
Journal
A
Year Later, U.S. Trade With Colombia Grows While Anxiety Mounts
At the Colombian Embassy in Washington, Ambassador Carlos Urrutia says
there’s no doubt that his country’s trade deal with the U.S. has paid off:
Colombian businesses are sending more socks and cosmetics to California,
beet sugar to New York and glass to Florida to help with hurricane repairs.
U.S. officials are equally excited, saying U.S. businesses have improved
their sales to the South American country by 20 percent. Manufacturers
are exporting more transportation equipment, petroleum and coal products,
processed foods and a long list of farm products, including soybeans, pork,
wheat, grapes and dairy goods. But a year after the agreement took effect,
the growth in trade is producing mounting anxiety in some quarters. Charlotte
Observer
Senate
Approves Obama Nominee To Key Appeals Court
In a break from bipartisan battles over judicial appointments, the
U.S. Senate on Thursday approved a White House nominee to the influential
U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The Senate
voted 97-0 to confirm Sri Srinivasan, 46, a top deputy in the Justice Department's
Office of the Solicitor General, which represents the United States in
appeals courts and before the Supreme Court. Born in India and raised in
Kansas, Srinivasan will be the first South Asian to serve on a federal
court of appeals. Reuters
2013
Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast To Be 'Above Normal,' 'Possibly Extremely
Active'
Batten down the hatches. Forecasters said Wednesday that the 2013 Atlantic
hurricane season is likely to be "above normal and possibly extremely active,"
predicting three to six major hurricanes this season. The National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration said in its outlook that it forecast seven
to 11 Atlantic hurricanes for the 2013 season, which officially begins
on June 1. "NOAA predicts an above normal and possibly an extremely active
hurricane season with a range of 13 to 20 named storms," seven to 11 of
which are forecast to turn into hurricanes and three to six of which are
forecast to turn into major hurricanes, said Kathryn Sullivan, acting NOAA
administrator. MSNBC
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Weiner
Kicks Off His Campaign - And His Apology Tour
On day two of his bid for New York City mayor, disgraced former congressman
Anthony Weiner hit the streets of Manhattan Thursday in an effort to rebuild
his political reputation, and win back the voters who only recently witnessed
his demise. Weiner, a Democrat who resigned from Congress in 2011 after
it was revealed that he'd been sending lewd photos to women on Twitter,
began his morning in Harlem, where he talked to voters and reporters alike
about his plans for New York, and his past misdeeds. "The voters are gonna
decide," he told reporters, when asked if his past would be a distraction
in the race. "New Yorkers have to make that decision." Weiner officially
launched his campaign late Tuesday night in a video, which featured his
wife, Huma Abedin, a longtime aide of former Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton, and the couple's young son. CBS
Republicans
Aim To Recruit, Elect More Women
Making sure that more Republican women run for office and that
they get the support they need is the focus of “Right Women,
Right Now,” a new initiative by the Republican State Leadership Committee
to encourage and mentor GOP women considering a run for office. Ed Gillespie,
chairman of the RSLC, said the goal of the program, which was started
last year was but relaunched Thursday, was to grow the Republican
Party and “foster up-and-coming diverse voices, and to get new women to
the table from the state level. “We believe one of the ways to grow our
Republican Party is by creating a strong pipeline of diverse leaders to
put some new voices and fresh faces on the escalator to higher office,
and we believe the first step to that is some of these state offices,”
he said. ABC
Cash
Piles Up As U.S. CEOs Play Safe With Slow-Growth Economy
Any lament that U.S. executives are sitting on cash at their companies
instead of investing in plants and equipment may be about to get louder.
The buildup of cash and marketable securities accelerated in the first
quarter on a year-over-year basis to a record $1.73 trillion after slowing
in early 2012. At the same time, capital spending in the most recent quarter
rose by the least since March 2010, when the U.S. was still emerging from
a financial crisis. The trends, based on data from about 2,300 U.S. companies
compiled by Bloomberg, suggest executives’ lack of need or confidence to
invest deepened with threats of federal spending cuts and the economic
slowdowns at home, in Europe and China. Without a pickup in spending, the
U.S. economy loses a driver of job creation and risks staying locked in
below-average growth, giving even more cause to hold tight. Bloomberg
Obama
Lifts Ban On Guantanamo Transfers To Yemen
President Barack Obama is lifting his self-imposed ban on transferring
Guantanamo Bay detainees to Yemen in his renewed effort to close the prison.
Obama suspend transfers there in January 2010 after a would-be bomber attempted
to blow up a U.S.-bound flight on instructions from al-Qaida operatives
in Yemen. The change in policy comes since a new president has taken over
and improved security in the Arab nation. But al-Qaida is still active
in Yemen, and there have been instances of former detainees returning to
jihad there. Las
Vegas Sun
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Obama
Defends US Drone Program
President Obama spoke in unprecedented detail Thursday about the U.S.
drone program, as he adamantly defended the controversial strikes as legal
and necessary to national security -- while announcing that he was setting
new limits on their use. The president for the first time personally acknowledged
that U.S. drone strikes have killed several Americans overseas, only one
of whom was targeted, after Attorney General Eric Holder made the information
public a day earlier. Fox
News
Obama
Balances Threats Against Americans' Rights
Forecasting the changing nature of threats against the U.S. for years
to come, President Barack Obama says "America is at a crossroads." And
so, too, is his presidency's counterterrorism policy, which has long struggled
to balance protecting the nation from terror attacks while upholding Americans'
rights. The Obama administration this week acknowledged that four Americans
have been killed - three of whom were not specifically targeted - in secretive
overseas drone strikes against al-Qaida extremists since 2009. And in a
wide-ranging speech Thursday, Obama warned that Americans must be vigilant
against increasing homegrown threats from within, including from fellow
citizens like the surviving suspect in last month's Boston Marathon bombing.
San
Diego Union
Oil
Falls Below $94 On Weak Outlook For Demand
The price of oil was knocked lower Friday by a combination of ample
supplies and lukewarm demand. Benchmark oil for July delivery was down
40 cents to $93.85 per barrel at late afternoon Bangkok time in electronic
trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 3 cents
to close at $94.25 a barrel in New York on Thursday. The price sank as
low as $92.21 in the morning after weak manufacturing data from China raised
questions about the strength of oil demand in the world's No. 2 economy.
The prices of West Texas Intermediate and Brent continue to shift downward
"as economic data continues to point to reduced demand against a backdrop
of high inventories," said Michael Hewson of CMC Markets. Kansas
City Star
Indiana
Gov. Mike Pence Urges Congress To Vote On Media Shield Law
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is urging congressional leaders to bring a
revived federal media shield law to a vote on the floors of the U.S. House
and Senate. Pence was the author of a 2009 media shield bill that cleared
the House but never made it to the Senate floor for a vote. He wrote House
Speaker John Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the two chambers’
minority leaders urging them to bring the new measure to a vote. The controversy
over the government’s secret subpoena of Associated Press telephone records
has led to the reintroduction of the media shield bill in both the Senate
and House. Indy
Star
Gun,
Drug Texts Feature In New Trayvon Martin Shooting Evidence
Items taken from Trayvon Martin's cell phone -- including a text-message
discussion of drug use and pictures of a gun and marijuana plants -- are
among new details released Thursday by attorneys for the neighborhood watch
volunteer accused of killing him without provocation 14 months ago. The
evidence, George Zimmerman's attorneys say, paints a different picture
of the 17-year-old than the one portrayed by his family and supporters.
Lead defense attorney Mark O'Mara says he will try to use the evidence
if prosecutors attempt to attack Zimmerman's character during his trial
on second-degree murder charges, set to begin next month. CNN
VOA VIEW: Martin will prove to have been
a problem person.
Plastic
Ocean Debris The Target Of New Calif. Bill
It's a common sight on the nation's beaches: among the sand, sea foam
and gnarled kelp lay plastic bottles, bags and other garbage. Each year
cleanup crews throughout the U.S. collect millions of pounds of plastic
trash from beaches and coastal waterways, with the biggest numbers coming
from California's 1,100-mile coastline. Once in the ocean, plastic takes
ages to decompose. The manmade junk either collects into floating trash
islands called "garbage patches," or it breaks into smaller pieces that
harm and kill sea creatures throughout the food chain. Miami
Herald
Safe
Room Mandates Remain Rare In Tornado States
After living nearly 20 years in their one-story brick home, Sherry
and Larry Wells finally won the lottery — for a state rebate on a home
storm shelter, that is. A contractor finished installing the concrete bunker
beneath the slab of their garage in early May. About three weeks later,
the shelter saved their lives when a tornado that killed 24 people tore
through their neighborhood. Should residential storm shelters be mandatory
in the midst of Tornado Alley? Absolutely, says Sherry Wells, "it's the
best thing ever." But not a single state currently requires them in homes.
And not many communities do so either, though officials in the Oklahoma
City suburb of Moore are now considering it. SF
Gate
Frequent
Heartburn Raises Throat Cancer Risk 80 Percent
Having heartburn often may lead to cancers of the throat and vocal
cord, according to a new study. The good news, though, is over-the-counter
antacids may help reduce risk, the study authors said. "Previous studies
examining gastric reflux and cancers of the head and neck have generated
mixed results," study author Dr. Scott M. Langevin, a postdoctoral research
fellow at Brown University in Providence, R.I., said in a press release.
"(Our study) is a large, population-based study with robust parameters
that strongly suggests gastric reflux, which causes frequent heartburn,
is an independent risk factor for cancers of the pharynx (throat) and larynx
(vocal cord)." CBS
IRS'
Lerner Placed On Administrative Leave
The International Revenue Service Thursday put Lois Lerner on administrative
leave one day after she refused to testify before a House committee, NBC
reported. Lois Lerner, who was the IRS official who disclosed the targeting
of conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status for closer scrutiny,
invoked her right against self-incrimination in an appearance Wednesday
before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. UPI
News
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Darrell
Issa To Lois Lerner: Assertion Of ‘Fifth’ Invalid
After questions arose Wednesday surrounding the validity of IRS director
of Exempt Organizations Lois Lerner’s assertion of her Fifth Amendment
right not to incriminate herself, Issa pledged to look into the matter,
recessing the hearing rather than adjourning it in order to maintain his
ability to later compel Lerner to testify. Today, a committee spokesman
announced Issa had concluded that when Lerner read a statement aloud and
authenticated a document for the record, she waived her right to refuse
to testify. “After consulting with counsel, Chairman Issa has concluded
that Ms. Lerner’s Fifth Amendment assertion is no longer valid. She remains
under subpoena,” Frederick Hill, communications director for Issa, said.
“The committee is looking at recalling her for further testimony.” ABC
U.S.
Stocks Pare Loss After Japan Leads Global Slump
The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (SPX) recovered most of a 1.2 percent
morning slide as Hewlett-Packard Co. led gains in technology shares. Global
equities slid, with Japanese shares plunging th
e most since the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster. Copper sank and
the yen rallied. The S&P 500 fell less than 0.3 percent at 4 p.m. in
New York after decreasing 0.8 percent yesterday. The MSCI All-Country World
Index declined 1.3 percent and Japan’s Topix Index slumped 6.9 percent,
the most since March 2011. The yen rose against its 16 major peers, gaining
1.3 percent to 101.84 per dollar. Ten-year Treasury yields lost 2.5 basis
points to 2.01 percent after topping 2 percent yesterday for the first
time since March. Copper sank more than 2 percent in London, leading commodities
lower. Bloomberg
Obama
Increases Fed Share Of Sandy Relief For NY
President Barack Obama is providing more Hurricane Sandy disaster relief
to New York, increasing the share of public assistance that the government
will pay from 75 percent to 90 percent of the cost. The change would mean
a significant increase in the amount of money the state would receive from
the federal government for road and sewer reconstruction projects and hospital
and school rebuilding efforts. The White House said Thursday the extensive
damage was putting a strain on state and local government budgets. Las
Vegas Sun
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No
Guarantee Of Peace, NKorean Envoy Warns China
China's state media says an envoy from North Korean leader Kim Jong
Un has warned there is no guarantee of peace on the Korean Peninsula, but
also stressed that his country is willing to hold talks with all sides
to find a solution. The Xinhua News Agency quoted North Korean Vice Marshal
Choe Ryong Hae as making the comments Friday to Gen. Fan Changlong in Beijing
on the third day of a fence-mending visit to his country's most important
ally. Choe's mission marks the first high-level, face-to-face contact between
the two governments in a half-year, an unusual gap during which Pyongyang
angered Beijing by conducting rocket launches and nuclear tests and other
saber-rattling. Tampa
Tribune
Google
Faces New Federal Antitrust Probe
The new line of inquiry focuses on tools acquired when Google bought
display ad company DoubleClick in 2007; other firms which specialize in
helping Web publishers sell ads to put on their websites are complaining
to the FTC, the source said. The firms have accused Google of leveraging
some of its most popular DoubleClick products, such as the ad managing
system which has an estimated 80 percent of the market, to push websites
to use other products, including Ad Exchange where websites swap ads, the
source said. According to a second source familiar with the situation,
Google has not been notified of any antitrust investigation so far. Google
and the Federal Trade Commission declined comment on the matter. Sun
Sentinel
Nation's
Kids Need To Get More Physical
Reading, writing, arithmetic - and PE? Reading, writing, arithmetic
- and PE? The prestigious Institute of Medicine is recommending that schools
provide opportunities for at least 60 minutes of physical activity each
day for students and that PE become a core subject. The report, released
Thursday, says only about half of the nation's youngsters are getting at
least an hour of vigorous or moderate-intensity physical activity every
day. Another concern, the report says, is that 44 percent of school administrators
report slashing big chunks of time from physical education, arts and recess
since the passage of the No Child Left Behind law in 2001 in order to boost
classroom time for reading and math. Seattle
Times
Boehner:
House Won’t Pass Senate Immigration Bill
House Speaker John A. Boehner on Thursday flatly ruled out chances
of the House passing the Senate’s immigration bill, saying his chamber
will debate its own bill instead. Mr. Boehner and his top GOP lieutenants
issued a joint statement that seemed designed to tamp down some of the
momentum behind the Senate bill, which emerged from a Senate committee
on a bipartisan 13-5 vote earlier this week, and to stake out a House GOP
position. Washington
Times
VOA VIEW: Good - no amnesty of any kind.
Auto
Industry Predicts Huge Memorial Day Sales
If it comes to pass, sales for 2013 could be highest in more than a
decade. Memorial Day weekend could be a smashing three days for the auto
industry, which is pushing for the highest level of sales this year since
2002, forecasters predict. So far, new-vehicle sales to individual customers
are keeping the industry on track for sales above 15 million this year.
When all new-vehicle sales are counted in, the total could top 16 million
for the first time this decade, LMC Automotive forecasts. Sales this month
could be the strongest since January. It's being driven by sales of pickup
trucks, which are back in favor as the construction industry and homebuilding
rebound. USA
Today
Britain’s
David Cameron Faces Conservative Backlash
Republicans weighing a shift to the center ahead of the next presidential
race will find a cautionary tale on this side of the Atlantic, where British
Prime Minister David Cameron is already paying the price for his foray
outside of strictly conservative territory. Cameron strode into No. 10
Downing Street three years ago with a platform that included diehard conservative
values like slashing the deficit and shrinking big government. But casting
himself as a new breed of conservative that could appeal to Britons of
every stripe, he also went out on a political limb — embracing social causes
such as gay marriage and the fight against climate change. Washington
Post
Top
Senate Investigators: Lerner Misled Congress
Sens. Carl Levin and John McCain, who together run the Senate’s permanent
investigative subcommittee, sent a letter to the IRS on Thursday calling
for Lois Lerner, the woman at the center of the agency’s conservative-targeting
scandal, to be suspended for dereliction of duty. Mr. Levin, Michigan Democrat,
and Mr. McCain, Arizona Republican, said their committee had already been
investigating a different aspect of the IRS division that reviews tax-exempt
groups, which Ms. Lerner heads, and they said their investigators interviewed
her in April. She failed to tell the investigators about the already-brewing
and soon-to-explode controversy over targeting conservative groups for
special scrutiny. Washington
Times
VOA VIEW: Jail?
North
Korea Tries Fax Diplomacy With Seoul
South Korean authorities said they received a faxed statement from
North Korea proposing joint activities to mark the anniversary of a cooperation
agreement. The Yonhap news agency reported Thursday an unnamed civic organization
said a fax was sent from North Korea proposing a joint celebration to mark
the anniversary of a June 2000 declaration for economic cooperation. Former
South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and former North Korean leader Kim
Jong Il in 2000 adopted a declaration that calls for the promotion of reunification
and broad-based cooperation. UPI
News
Education
Department Giving Newtown $1.3 Million
Schools in Newtown, Conn., will receive $1.3 million in federal aid
to recover after the shootings that left 26 students and educators dead
last year. Education Secretary Arne Duncan planned to announce the School
Emergency Response to Violence grant during a visit to the state on Friday.
The grant to Newtown schools was designed to offset costs the district
incurred after the December 2012 shooting as well as provide counseling
and training for school officials. ‘‘This tragedy has forever changed the
entire Newtown community and our country,’’ Duncan said in remarks prepared
for delivery during a noon stop at Hartford’s Classical Magnet School with
Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy. Boston
Globe
Russia:
Syrian Regime May Take Part In Peace Talk
The Syrian government has agreed "in principle" to attend a conference
proposed by Russia and the United States on ending the Arab country's conflict,
Russia's foreign ministry said Friday. It was the first confirmation that
President Bashar Assad's government would be willing to take part in the
talks with the opposition. But despite the announcement from Moscow, one
of Assad's staunchest allies, Damascus has not offered any definitive statement
on the proposed talks. Russia and the U.S. joined efforts earlier this
month to convene an international conference to bring representatives of
Assad's regime and the opposition to the negotiating table. The aim of
the talks would be to establish the outlines of a transitional government
as a way out of the crisis. Houston
Chronicle
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PM:
IAEA Reports Shows Iran’s Expanding Its Nuclear Program
Economic and diplomatic pressure has failed to stop Iran’s nuclear
program, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told British Foreign Minister
William Hague before meeting with him in Jerusalem on Thursday. “The just
released report of the International Atomic Energy Agency shows clearly
that Iran is continuing to expand its nuclear enrichment program,” Netanyahu
said. “In parallel, it’s [Iran] working on a heavy-water reactor to build
a plutonium-based bomb,” he said. “This is the biggest challenge facing
us. I think it’s the biggest challenge of our time,” Netanyahu said. Jerusalem
Post
Kerry
Urges Netanyahu, Abbas To Compromise For Peace
US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Israeli and Palestinian leaders
to make the necessary compromises to allow the resumption of direct talks,
as he visited both Jerusalem and Ramallah on Thursday. “Our hope is that
the leaders in both Israel and the Palestinian Authority will find a way
to compromise,” Kerry told President Shimon Peres. The two spoke in the
evening after a long day of back-to-back meetings that included talks with
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud
Abbas. Jerusalem
Post
Hezbollah
'Perpetuating Assad's Campaign Of Terror'
US Secretary of State John Kerry has said the militant Lebanese Shia
Islamist group Hezbollah and Iran are helping perpetuate President Bashar
al-Assad's "campaign of terror" in Syria. Mr Kerry said thousands of Hezbollah
fighters were contributing significantly to the violence. He added that
Iran was actively supporting Hezbollah's involvement. Dozens of Hezbollah
militants are said to have been killed fighting alongside Syrian troops
in Qusair since Sunday. Government forces have launched an offensive to
recapture the strategically important rebel-held town, which is close to
both the city of Homs and the Lebanese border. BBC
Syria
And Israel In Exchange Of Fire
Israeli and Syrian forces have exchanged fire across the ceasefire
line in the occupied Golan Heights. Israel returned fire after one of its
military vehicles was hit by shots from Syria, Israel's defence forces
say. Media reports say no-one was hurt. Syria says it destroyed an Israeli
vehicle which it says crossed the ceasefire line into territory its forces
control. Syria and Israel have traded fire a number of times in recent
weeks. The Israeli military said its troops "returned precise fire" after
the vehicle was hit. A statement from the Syrian army said it had "destroyed
an Israeli vehicle with everything that it had in it". The statement said
the vehicle was shot after it crossed the ceasefire line and headed towards
the rebel-held village of Bir Ajam. BBC
FTSE
100 Falls Sharply From 13-Year High
Investors take fright at weak Chinese manufacturing data and concerns
that Federal Reserve might end QE next month. Leading shares have fallen
sharply from their recent 13-year highs, as investors took fright at weak
Chinese manufacturing data and concerns that the US Federal Reserve might
end its bond-buying programme sooner than expected. A day after the FTSE
100 came within 90 points of its December 1999 peak, the index slumped
2.1%, down 143.48 points at 6696.79. This is its worst daily performance
in percentage terms since exactly a year ago. But after its recent strong
surge, this latest fall merely wipes out the gains made since Friday. Guardian
Universal
Vaccine Could End Annual Flu Jabs
The “universal” vaccine promises to provide long-term protection that
could last a lifetime against all types of influenza with just a single
injection. Flu viruses are notoriously difficult to immunise people against
as they constantly change and evolve in a way that overcomes currently
available vaccines. Scientists behind the new vaccine, however, claim it
can protect against all flu viruses and could help to prevent new strains
of the disease from turning into epidemics. Telegraph
HSBC's
$1.9bn Money Laundering Settlement Could Be Rejected
Judge John Gleeson is considering cancelling December’s so-called deferred
prosecution agreement that gave HSBC immunity from claims it allowed terrorists
to move at least $881m (£584m) around the financial system. The US
Department of Justice (DoJ) is reportedly challenging Mr Gleeson’s need
to sign off on the deal. The judge last mentioned the case in February,
stating that he had not yet approved nor disapproved of the settlement.
Telegraph
Japan
To Host World Conference On Disaster Risk Reduction Next Year
Japan will host the world conference slated to be held next year at
which countries will adopt the successor to the current global blueprint
for disaster risk reduction efforts, it was announced today at a United
Nation forum on the issue that wrapped up in Geneva. The 10-year Hyogo
Framework for Action (HFA) came out of the world conference held in Kobe,
Hyogo, Japan, in 2005. It is the first plan to explain, describe and detail
the work that is required from all different sectors and actors to reduce
disaster losses. UN
News
Global
Economic Growth Still Sluggish, With Prospect Of Gradual Improvement
Global economic growth will continue to be “below potential” this year,
according to a report released today by the United Nations that adds that
job creation will be vital to spur recovery. The UN World Economic Situation
and Prospects (WESP) 2013 mid-year update notes that, since late 2012,
new policy initiatives in major developed economies have reduced systemic
risks and helped stabilize consumer, business and investor confidence,
but with very limited improvement in economic growth. “The main priority
for policymakers worldwide should be to support a robust and balanced global
recovery, with a focus on promoting job creation,” said Shamshad Akhtar,
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development. UN
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