Monday, September 26, 2011

SIx In he Morning


Pakistan's generals meet as relations with US hit new low

Pakistani military join scramble to tackle crisis as tensions with US escalate, raising likelihood of more drone strikes






Pakistan's army chief has gathered his generals to discuss the escalating war of words with the US over the Haqqani insurgent network amid a deep sense of foreboding across the country.

The military refused to comment on the meeting chaired by General Ashfaq Kayani other than to say it was to discuss the "prevailing security situation". Media reports said the generals considered retaliatory action in the event of US military strikes in the north-western tribal belt.

  

Israel warns of repercussions if Palestine state bid succeeds



By Donald Macintyre in Jerusalem



Israel's hardline foreign minister, Avigdor Liberman, warned of "tough repercussions" if President Mahmoud Abbas won his UN bid for Palestine statehood recognition, as Mr Abbas returned to an enthusiastic welcome from Palestinians in Ramallah.
Mr Lieberman's warning came as Mr Abbas said he expected the UN Security Council to decide on his application for statehood within "weeks" rather than months.

Eurozone rescue plan 'emerging' as IMF and Greece talk

The outline of a large and ambitious eurozone rescue plan is taking shape, reports from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington suggest.

26 September 2011










It is expected to involve a 50% write-down of Greece's massive government debt, the BBC's business editor Robert Peston says.

The plan also envisages an increase in the size of the eurozone bailout fund to 2 trillion euros (£1.7tn; $2.7tn).

European governments hope to have the plan in place in five to six weeks.

Turning the present outline into a practical reality will be immensely difficult, our editor says.


Environmentalist Nobel winner dies



September 26, 2011




Wangari Maathai, the first African woman recipient of the Nobel peace prize, has died after a long struggle with cancer. She was 71.
One of Kenya's most recognisable women, Maathai won the Nobel in 2004 for combining environmentalism and social activism.
She was the founder of the Green Belt Movement, in which over 30 years she mobilised poor women to plant 30 million trees.

Colombia housing market reflects region's growth



A decade ago, the country was mired in conflict with leftist rebels. Now people are investing in homes — a trend across much of Latin America.


September 26, 2011
Reporting from Pereira, Colombia
Inez Angel has her eye on a $35,000 split-level condo in the Villa Verde subdivision in the western Colombian city of Pereira. It is priced right, and the 15-year mortgage at a fixed 7% interest rate is affordable.
Just as important to her — and her country — is her confidence in Colombia's future stability. Experts say homeownership can help a society lock in a sense of greater security.

— The 50-year-old teacher is about to do something she's never done, something remarkable in Colombia: Buy a home.





Online activists hack official Syrian sites

Several government websites defaced by Anonymous, as crackdown on protests in Homs and elsewhere continues.


Last Modified: 26 Sep 



Online activists have hacked into the official websites of seven major Syrian cities and several government departments, as security forces continue a crackdown on anti-government protests across the country.

The activist groups Anonymous and RevoluSec claimed responsibility on Monday for the operation, leaving their mark on sites such as the ministry of transport and ministry of culture.
Activists replaced the official sites with caricatures of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and a message saying, "Don't let Bashar monitor you online", along with tips on how to avoid detection by Syria's online intelligence - known as the Syrian electronic army.








The graphic shows the number of people who have been killed since protests began in Syria










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