Sources: Obama near decision on Afghanistan troops - Yahoo News

Sources: Obama near decision on Afghanistan troops Mon, 9 Nov 2009 07:47 pm PST AP - President Barack Obama is nearing a decision to add tens of thousands more forces to Afghanistan, though likely not quite the 40,000 sought by his top general there, as Pentagon planners work to ready bases and provide equipment the troops would need in a country with scant resources. Full Story Top Investigators say Fort Hood suspect acted alone Mon, 9 Nov 2009 07:46 pm PST AP - The Army psychiatrist accused of the Fort Hood massacre is believed to have acted alone despite repeated communications — monitored by authorities — with a radical imam overseas, U.S. officials said Monday. The FBI will conduct an internal review of its handling of the information, they said. Full Story Top Abortion could roil Senate health care debate Mon, 9 Nov 2009 06:41 pm PST AP - Abortion opponents in the Senate are seeking tough restrictions in the health care overhaul bill, a move that could roil a shaky Democratic effort to pass President Barack Obama's signature issue by year's end. Full Story Top Navies of 2 Koreas exchange fire Mon, 9 Nov 2009 08:07 pm PST AP - Navy ships of the two Koreas exchanged fire Tuesday along their disputed western sea border, South Korean military officers said. Full Story Top Iran accuses 3 detained Americans of espionage Mon, 9 Nov 2009 06:30 pm PST AP - Iran accused three detained Americans of spying Monday, signaling Tehran intends to put them on trial. It drew a sharp U.S. response that the charges are baseless because the hikers strayed across the border from Iraq. Full Story Top Radical imam praises alleged Fort Hood shooter Mon, 9 Nov 2009 06:30 pm PST AP - A radical American imam on Yemen's most wanted militant list who had contact with two 9/11 hijackers praised alleged Fort Hood shooter Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan as a hero on his personal Web site Monday. Full Story Top Man confesses to shooting Kan. abortion provider Mon, 9 Nov 2009 07:49 pm PST AP - Defiant and unapologetic, a man accused of shooting a Kansas abortion provider confessed to the slaying Monday, telling The Associated Press that he killed the doctor to protect unborn children. Full Story Top Thousands cheer 20 years since fall of Berlin Wall Mon, 9 Nov 2009 06:30 pm PST AP - Ulrich Sauff and his wife stared at the mammoth domino pieces marking the path where the Berlin Wall once stood and reminisced about life in the barrier's shadow. Full Story Top Mya tops fellow celebs on 'Dancing With the Stars' Mon, 9 Nov 2009 07:41 pm PST AP - Mya is tops on "Dancing With the Stars." Full Story Top Steelers lead Broncos 7-3 at halftime Mon, 9 Nov 2009 07:33 pm PST AP - Tyrone Carter intercepted a Kyle Orton pass and raced 48 yards for the score, giving the Pittsburgh Steelers a 7-3 lead over the Denver Broncos at halftime Monday night. Full Story Top Iran charges three detained Americans with spying Mon, 9 Nov 2009 12:32 pm PST Reuters - Iran has charged three detained U.S. citizens with espionage, the official IRNA news agency quoted a prosecutor as saying on Monday, but Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said there was no evidence to back the charges. Full Story Top Leaders hail Wall fall, vow to topple new barriers Mon, 9 Nov 2009 01:28 pm PST Reuters - World leaders hailed the ordinary people who helped bring down the Berlin Wall and said the historic events of 20 years ago showed nations were capable of rising to new challenges, from terrorism to climate change. Full Story Top Healthcare bill faces tough path in Senate Mon, 9 Nov 2009 04:56 am PST Reuters - After a landmark win in the House of Representatives, President Barack Obama's push for healthcare reform faces a difficult path in the Senate amid divisions in his own Democratic Party on how to proceed. Full Story Top U.S. says can give Iran time to okay nuclear deal Mon, 9 Nov 2009 06:52 pm PST Reuters - The United States is willing to give Iran time to decide whether to accept a U.N.-brokered deal meant to allay suspicions it is after atomic bombs but which has drawn Iranian objections, a U.S. diplomat said Monday. Full Story Top Maclaren recalls strollers after amputation reports Mon, 9 Nov 2009 01:03 pm PST Reuters - Maclaren USA Inc is recalling about one million strollers sold in the United States over the past decade after receiving a dozen reports of children's fingers being amputated when caught in the stroller's hinges. Full Story Top Ida soaks Gulf Coast, disrupts energy output Mon, 9 Nov 2009 07:44 pm PST Reuters - A weakened Tropical Storm Ida drenched the U.S. Gulf Coast and oil installations on Monday, shutting down nearly 30 percent of Gulf energy production. Full Story Top Obama, Netanyahu meet as U.S. peace bid flounders Mon, 9 Nov 2009 07:36 pm PST Reuters - President Barack Obama held unusually low-profile talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday that failed to provide any sign of progress toward reviving Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. Full Story Top Iraq election set for January 21 after new law passed Mon, 9 Nov 2009 07:32 am PST Reuters - Iraqis will vote in a general election on January 21 now that parliament has passed a law needed for a vote to take place, the head of the country's electoral commission said on Monday. Full Story Top Two Koreas in naval clash off west coast: official Mon, 9 Nov 2009 08:03 pm PST AFP - North and South Korea were involved in a naval clash Tuesday off the peninsula's west coast, military officials said, reportedly leaving a North Korean patrol boat badly damaged. Full Story Top Thailand's Thaksin in Cambodia for tense visit Mon, 9 Nov 2009 07:46 pm PST AFP - Fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra landed in Cambodia Tuesday to start a job as government economic adviser, escalating an already huge diplomatic row between the two countries. Full Story Top InternetElect~ News.  Briefly. InternetElectPress InternetElectVideo InternetElect InterElect

News From Wall Street Journal

Wednesday, September 30, 2009 Top Business News Powerful Quake Strikes Off Indonesia A powerful underwater earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia's Sumatra island, killing at least 75 people and trapping thousands more beneath rubble. Senators Reject Public Health Plan A Senate panel rejected the public health option, delivering a blow to the most controversial measure of the proposed overhaul. U.S. Starts Review of Afghan Strategy The White House began to review its Afghan war strategy at the start of what could be weeks of debate over whether to send thousands of reinforcements. Tsunami Rips Across South Pacific Tsunami waves tore across islands of the South Pacific, wiping out villages and killing at least 99 people in Samoa and American Samoa, with the number of dead expected to rise. The Olympic Hopefuls As Friday's vote looms, the four 2016 bid cities—Chicago, Madrid, Rio and Tokyo—pitch their distinct visions for the Games. More from WSJ.com Editors' Picks The Next Hot Youth-Magnet Cities Miniaturist's Art Comes With Microscope Soviet Spy Moved Among Hollywood Elite Publisher Delays Sarah Palin E-Book H-P Says Print Often Clinton Site Gets a Taste of Stimulus Empire Strikes Back in Casino Battle Video Hot Stocks: CIT Drops Shares in lender CIT fell more than 30% after reports that the company was scrambling to put together a rescue effort and that it might have to resort to bankruptcy. (Sept. 30) InternetElect~ News.  Briefly. InternetElectPress InternetElectVideo InternetElect InterElect

In San Francisco, Plans to Start News Web Site - NYT

In San Francisco, Plans to Start News Web Site ose Linkedin Digg Facebook Mixx MySpace Yahoo! Buzz Permalink By RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA Published: September 24, 2009 A wealthy investor, a university journalism school and a public radio station have joined forces to create a nonprofit local news Web site for the San Francisco area, in what may be the largest and most ambitious of dozens of similar local news operations that have cropped up around the country. F. Warren Hellman has granted the start-up $5 million. Like their counterparts in markets like Chicago, San Diego, Seattle and the Twin Cities, the founders of the Bay Area news project say they want to fill some of the vacuum left by the drastic downsizing of the region's newspapers. What sets their venture apart is a $5 million initial grant from F. Warren Hellman, and the expertise and labor to be supplied by KQED-FM, which has a 28-person news staff, and the 120 students of the University of California, Berkeley's graduate school of journalism. Few of the local news start-ups around the country began with even $1 million in backing, or as many as a dozen staff journalists and regular contributors. In size and resources, the Bay Area project may be closer to online investigative reporting operations like the Center for Public Integrity and ProPublica. Founders of the Bay Area project hope to place its work on its own Web site and in other media, including Internet, television, radio and print. They have been in talks for months with The New York Times about the possibility of supplying reporting to a San Francisco edition that the paper plans to start. They say the project will begin operations early next year — they have not yet chosen a name for the Web site or hired a chief executive or a top editor... InternetElectPress Daily Brief News InternetElectVideo InternetElect

Schumer: SEC Will Seek Flash Trading Ban - WSJ

AUGUST 4, 2009, 12:56 P.M. ET Schumer: SEC Will Seek Flash Trading Ban By SARAH N. LYNCH WASHINGTON -- Sen. Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.) said Tuesday the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission has personally promised him she will seek to ban the practice of flash trading. Charles Schumer Flash trading, which routes stock trades through private liquidity pools before being sent to other exchanges for filing, has come under fire from Sen. Schumer and other critics recently amid fears it places some market participants at a disadvantage. In a statement, Sen. Schumer said he spoke with SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro, who informed him of an imminent ban during a telephone call Monday. The ban will come as part of a broader look at dark pools -- electronic trading venues where money managers trade large blocks of shares anonymously -- and high-frequency trading, he said. Ms. Schapiro said Tuesday that she has instructed SEC staff to explore "an approach that can be quickly implemented to eliminate the inequity that results from flash orders." "Under the rule-making process, such a proposal to eliminate the ability to flash orders would need to be approved by the commission and be open to public comment," she said. Most major U.S. stock exchanges have adopted some form of a dark order type, although many have also said they would not protest if the SEC moves to curb some of these practices. Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. and BATS Exchange in June both implemented their own dark order types, but agree the practice does not contribute to market transparency.... InternetElect~ News.  Briefly. InternetElectPress InternetElectVideo InternetElect InterElect

Stanford charged with fraud in US - BBC

Stanford charged with fraud in US Asst Attorney General Lanny Breuer reads the charges against Stanford Texan billionaire Sir Allen Stanford has been charged in the US with fraud and obstruction. Announcing the indictment, the justice department said it related to a $7bn scheme to defraud investors. The 59-year-old turned himself in to the FBI in Virginia on Thursday after a warrant was issued for his arrest. He is to appear in court shortly. He already faces civil charges over an alleged fraud worth $8bn (£6bn) - charges he denies. 'Too good to be true' Sir Allen and six others are facing charges. If it was a Ponzi scheme, why are they finding billions of dollars all over the place? Sir Allen Stanford The justice department said the 50-page indictment accused Sir Allen and some of the other alleged co-conspirators of engaging in a scheme to defraud investors who purchased $7bn in certificates of deposit from Stanford International Bank, located in Antigua. It said they "promised returns that were too good to be true"... InternetElect~ News.  Briefly. InternetElectPress InternetElectVideo InternetElect InterElect

Netanyahu Endorses Palestinian State, but Attaches Conditions - The Washington Post

NEWS | POLITICS | OPINIONS | BUSINESS | LOCAL | SPORTS | ARTS & LIVING | GOING OUT GUIDE | JOBS | CARS | REAL ESTATE |SHOPPING Netanyahu Endorses Palestinian State, but Attaches Conditions By Howard Schneider Washington Post Foreign Service Sunday, June 14, 2009 6:59 PM JERUSALEM, June 14 -- Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Sunday that he is willing to support the creation of a Palestinian state, for the first time making a commitment that the United States, Europe and the Arab nations have urged on him since he took office. But in a prime-time address, he attached a weighty list of conditions dictated by his personal beliefs and by the need to satisfy his right-leaning coalition in the Israeli parliament: The Palestinian state would have to be demilitarized, with international guarantees that it remain so; it would have to cede control of its airspace to Israel; and it could be created only if the Palestinians recognize Israel as the Jewish homeland. President Obama welcomed Netanyahu's speech as an "important step forward" and in a statement endorsed both key Israeli and Palestinian concerns. "The President is committed to two states, a Jewish state of Israel and an independent Palestine, in the historic homeland of both peoples," the statement said. "He believes this solution can and must ensure both Israel's security and the fulfillment of the Palestinians' legitimate aspirations for a viable state, and he welcomes Prime Minister Netanyahu's endorsement of that goal." However, the prime minister's speech left major points of contention unresolved, including Obama's call in a speech in Cairo last week for a freeze on Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. Netanyahu did not commit to a freeze in his remarks, instead shifting the discussion to what he views as the core issue -- longstanding Arab rejection of the idea of a Jewish national home in "the land of our forefathers." "The root of the conflict was, and remains, the refusal to recognize the right of the Jewish people to a state of their own," he said in a speech that ranged from biblical history to the threat Israel perceives in Iran's development of nuclear technology. "A fundamental prerequisite for ending the conflict is a public, binding and unequivocal Palestinian recognition of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people," Netanyahu told the audience at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv... InternetElect~ News.  Briefly. InternetElectPress InternetElectVideo InternetElect InterElect

Your daily e-mail from the BBC

InternetElect~ News.  Briefly. InternetElectPress InternetElectVideo InternetElect InterElect Wednesday, 06 May, 2009, 5:00 GMT 01:00 -04:00:US/Eastern TOP STORIES Manchester 'launch' for ID cards Manchester will be the first city where people can voluntarily sign up for ID cards, ministers will confirm.   UK recession 'worst since 1930s' A leading UK research body says in its latest update that the economy could contract at its biggest rate since 1931.   Pakistan urged over Taleban fight US envoy Richard Holbrooke says Washington must put maximum pressure on Pakistan to ensure it fights the Taleban effectively.   Public to check child protection The public are to sit on child protection boards to improve services after Baby P's death, Children's Secretary Ed Balls announces.   Talk to save LDV set to continue Negotiations to save van maker LDV are continuing after ministers offer a £5m loan to help save the firm going bust. WORLD Pakistan urged over Taleban fight US envoy Richard Holbrooke says Washington must put maximum pressure on Pakistan to ensure it fights the Taleban effectively.   Nato to begin Georgia exercises Soldiers from 18 Nato countries begin a series of military exercises in Georgia described by Russia as a provocation.   US navy halts aid vessel over flu The US navy postpones an aid trip to the South Pacific after a sailor on board one vessel develops swine flu. AMERICAS Pakistan urged over Taleban fight US envoy Richard Holbrooke says Washington must put maximum pressure on Pakistan to ensure it fights the Taleban effectively.   US navy halts aid vessel over flu The US navy postpones an aid trip to the South Pacific after a sailor on board one vessel develops swine flu.   Thousands flee Brazilian floods Deadly floods force tens of thousands of people from their homes in Brazil's north and north-eastern regions. ASIA-PACIFIC US navy halts aid vessel over flu The US navy postpones an aid trip to the South Pacific after a sailor on board one vessel develops swine flu.   Pentagon warns over Chinese boats The Pentagon accuses Chinese fishing boats of "dangerous" manoeuvres near a US Navy ship in the Yellow Sea last week.   Laos mum-to-be denied UK lawyer A pregnant Briton facing a possible death sentence in Laos is reportedly refused access to a UK lawyer. EUROPE Nato to begin Georgia exercises Soldiers from 18 Nato countries begin a series of military exercises in Georgia described by Russia as a provocation.   Turkey PM condemns wedding attack Turkey's prime minister condemned as "atrocious" an attack by gunmen on a wedding party that left 44 people dead.   Hague triples Vukovar jail term A Hague court rules that an ex-Yugoslav officer jailed for crimes at Vukovar, Croatia, in 1991 should serve 17, not five years. MIDDLE EAST UN rebukes Israel over Gaza raids A UN inquiry into attacks by Israeli forces on its property in the Gaza conflict this year is heavily critical of Israel's military.   Israel PM moots 'fresh' approach Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says he is willing to resume peace talks with the Palestinians without delay or conditions.   Yemen 'curbing freedom' of press Media freedom campaigners criticise Yemen for alleged attempts to suppress reporting about protests in the south. UK Manchester 'launch' for ID cards Manchester will be the first city where people can voluntarily sign up for ID cards, ministers will confirm.   Female binge drink rates 'double' The number of women binge drinking has doubled since the 1990s, figures show.   UK recession 'worst since 1930s' A leading UK research body says in its latest update that the economy could contract at its biggest rate since 1931. ENGLAND Mother killed after care failures A report highlights failures in the care of a mental health patient who went on to kill a pregnant mother in Hull.   Woman sought after hit-and-run Police name a woman they are searching for following a hit-and-run incident in Bristol in which an 11-year-old died.   Watchdog to probe patient death A case involving a German doctor providing out-of-hours NHS cover to a patient who died of an overdose is to be investigated. POLITICS Brown back on web in voter appeal Gordon Brown returns to YouTube for an election broadcast - as John Prescott downplays a joke about the PM's smile.   Cameron urges 'vote for change' David Cameron urges voters to tell Gordon Brown "enough is enough" in the English local elections.   Labour peer faces allowance probe Baroness Uddin is to be investigated over allegations she used a reportedly empty flat to claim £100,000 in allowances. BUSINESS Government lends £5m for LDV deal Malaysian firm Weststar is poised to take over struggling van maker LDV after the UK government intervenes.   UK recession 'worst since 1930s' A leading UK research body says in its latest update that the economy could contract at its biggest rate since 1931.   Renewed criticism over Equitable The Parliamentary Ombudsman has criticised the government for sidestepping compensation for some investors in Equitable Life ENTERTAINMENT Billy Elliot dominates Tony nods The Broadway production of Billy Elliot leads the Tony Award shortlist with 15 nominations including best musical.   Katona condemns 'rude' Schofield Reality TV star Kerry Katona says Phillip Schofield was "ignorant" during an interview on ITV's This Morning last year.   Comedy actor DeLuise dies aged 75 Actor and comedian Dom DeLuise dies at the age of 75 in Los Angeles after a long illness, it is announced. SCIENCE/NATURE Ice team endures meagre rations Three UK explorers surveying the Arctic sea ice survive on just 90g of food each per day until a resupply flight reaches them on Tuesday.   EU ban looms over seal products Euro MPs vote to ban the sale of seal products in the EU, following protests over the hunters' methods.   Male 'contraceptive jab' closer A male contraceptive jab could be as effective at preventing pregnancies as the female pill or condoms, work shows. HEALTH Female binge drink rates 'double' The number of women binge drinking has doubled since the 1990s, figures show.   Scientists pinpoint fats danger Scientists find a genetic mechanism which appears to show which fatty deposits in the arteries have the potential to kill us.   'Self-monitoring device' for HIV Scientists create a hand-held device to enable people living with HIV to monitor their own condition. EDUCATION Parents to trigger school changes Parents in England could get the power to force councils to improve schools under plans being announced by Gordon Brown.   German and French exams show drop Figures show one in five Scottish secondary schools does not run Higher German classes and one in 10 does not offer Higher French.   Exam plans if swine flu spreads Secondary pupils taking exams this summer whose schools are disrupted by swine flu will be able to get "special consideration". ON THIS DAY NEWS FROM THE BBC ARCHIVES   1966: Moors murderers jailed for life Ian Brady and his lover Myra Hindley are sentenced to life imprisonment for the so-called Moors murders.   1976: Huge earthquake rocks Italy Italy's worst ever earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale kills at least 60 people and leaves thousands homeless.   1954: Bannister breaks four-minute mile Roger Bannister, a 25-year-old British medical student, becomes the first man to run a mile in less than four minutes.   OPTIONS AND HELP             Copyright BBC 2005