NATO Soldier Killed in Afghanistan
NATO says one of its service members died Tuesday following an improvised explosive device attack in eastern Afghanistan. The identity of the soldier was not revealed.
In other violence, NATO said Monday that Afghan and coalition forces killed numerous insurgents while searching for a Taliban leader in northern Baghlan province.
A NATO statement said that during the search, the force also discovered rocket-propelled grenades, AK-47 rifles, grenades and a machine gun and that all weapons were destroyed.
Also in Baghlan, a joint patrol captured a senior Taliban leader believed to have led more than 60 fighters and responsible for numerous suicide bombings throughout the region.
In southern Kandahar province Monday, a combined Afghan and coalition force discovered several drug caches, consisting of almost 1.5 tons of marijuana, seven jugs of wet opium and 200 kilograms of dry opium.
Honduras Drops Charges Against Zelaya
A Honduran court has dismissed the last two remaining charges against former president Manuel Zelaya, who was ousted in a coup two years ago.
An appeals court panel Monday annulled corruption charges against Mr. Zelaya, who lives in exile in the Dominican Republic. Two of three judges on the panel voted for dismissal of the charges. Federal prosecutors have 60 days to appeal.
Mr. Zelaya was forced out of office in a military-backed coup on June 28, 2009 and put on a plane to Costa Rica. Congressional leader Roberto Micheletti then took power on an interim basis. In November of that year, Porfirio Lobo was elected president and took office on January 27, 2010.
Two months before the election, Mr. Zelaya made a surprise return to Honduras, taking refuge in the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa under threat of arrest.
Mr. Zelaya flew to exile in the Dominican Republic the day Mr. Lobo was inaugurated. Critics of Mr. Zelaya say the former president was ousted for trying to illegally change the constitution to extend his term in office.
Honduras was suspended from the Organization of American States following the coup.
Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told President Lobo she supports Honduras's efforts to regain admission to the OAS.
US: Forces Would Have Taken Bin Laden Alive If Possible
President Barack Obama's top counter-terrorism official says U.S. forces would have taken Osama bin Laden alive if they had the chance.
John Brennan told reporters at the White House Monday the U.S. team that conducted the raid on the compound in Pakistan would have taken bin Laden alive if he did not pose a threat to them.
Bin Laden was killed in a firefight with the U.S. forces, who swooped down in helicopters in the nighttime operation in Abbottabad, about 56 kilometers north of the capital, Islamabad.
Brennan described the death as a “strategic blow” to al-Qaida.
He said officials monitored the raid from the White House as it was happening, and he described it as an anxiety-filled time. He said the U.S. did not know with certainty that bin Laden was in the compound.
Brennan said U.S. authorities did not inform Pakistan of the operation until after U.S. forces were out of Pakistani airspace. He said a tense moment during the raid came when one of the helicopters was disabled.
He also refused to speculate on what kind of support bin Laden may have had in Pakistan.
The Obama administration says the raid lasted less than 40 minutes.
In a briefing early Monday, an official said the “extraordinarily unique” compound had two security gates, 3- to 5-meter-high walls topped with barbed wire, and a third floor terrace with a 2-meter-tall privacy wall.
An official said the home was more than eight times larger than others in the area, had no telephone or Internet, and the residents burned their trash rather than putting it out for pickup. The official said the estimated value of the home was about $1 million.
U.S. intelligence officials concluded that a “high value target” was staying at the home of two brothers who had “no explainable source of wealth.”
According to officials, bin Laden resisted the assault and was killed in a firefight, along with two of his couriers and one son. A woman who was used as a human shield was killed and two other women were wounded.
One of the American helicopters had to be destroyed because it experienced mechanical failure.
Local residents, awakened by the raid, said they had no idea bin Laden was staying at the compound. Residents said they heard gunshots and watched from rooftops as flames leapt from the compound. The area was later blocked off by Pakistani forces.
GRAND TURK TOUR OPERATORS WIN BIG
Chukka Tours and Oasis Diving, two tour companies based in Grand Turk have been awarded prestigious awards by Princess Cruise-lines, and both companies are now ready to take their operations to the next level.
Jerome Miller of Chukka, told RTC News that he is extremely proud of his staff and they currently offer three tours; those being horseback riding safari, 4by4 safari and dune buggies however there is scope to expand their services.
"We have a really good relationship with all the cruise lines which come here and would love to see more. Of course we would to expand and plan to, but we have have to look at peoples spending power globally and the recession," said Miller. He noted that a fourth tour however is on the cards and would put Grand Turk in an even better position as well as open up job opportunities.
Everett Freitas of Oasis Diving commented that his company normally takes about 200 persons on tour a day and this has been a great revenue asset to Grand Turk. He expressed pride in winning the award from one of the most respected Cruise lines in the world.
"To win any award from Princess Cruise lines is great. They are one of the most professional and respected lines. It also shows that we are going in the right direction." Frietas believes that more tours are needed to create employment and revenue opportunities in Grand Turk and already his company has plans on offering a land based safari tour or two.
That would be a new area for Oasis who current have 11 water based excursions and there is already talk of a city submarine which can take 24 persons underwater for a tour and they also plan to start up a fishing expedition tour for those visitors who want to spend the day fishing.
"Taxi drivers also play a key role in our success as a nation because they are ambassadors for Grand Turk," ended Freitas.
Senior Product Development Officer of the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board Brian Been is also beaming about the news of the two awards and says he wants to see more recognition and arrivals for Grand Turk.
"I see a need for more internal marketing, where we use mediums such as the Government Press Office, RTC and the other leading media houses, so we can encourages visitors to Provo to come over to Grand Turk for a few days and see what they are missing," said Been.
Been also added that the Tourist Board and tour operators have always had a pleasant relationship and that it is a partnership in which everyone must be thanked such as the DECR and the Environmental Health Department which aim to keep these islands beautiful by nature.
He called the future role of the Tourist Board as a holistic one where they will encompass all areas of tourism and to this end is currently engaging in an awareness programme to protect the environment from natural and man-made hazards as they seek to increase the cruise ship industry.
Bin Laden’s Death Generally Welcomed in Mideast
News of Osama bin Laden's death was generally welcomed across the Middle East.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul said bin Laden's killing by U.S. forces shows that terrorists are eventually caught, whether dead or alive.
In Israel — a key target of bin Laden's wrath — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the al-Qaida leader's death a resounding victory for justice.
In Iraq, which saw some of the worst sectarian violence carried out under the banner of a local al-Qaida group, there was optimism. But Iraqi security forces went on high alert for possible retaliatory attacks.
Saudi Arabia — bin Laden's birthplace — said through its official news agency that it hopes his death will contribute to anti-terrorism efforts.
The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, however, condemned his killing — calling bin Laden an “Arab holy warrior.” And ministers from Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates declined comment.
In Yemen, bin Laden's ancestral homeland, an official speaking on condition of anonymity told Reuters he hopes bin Laden's death will “root out terrorism throughout the world.”
In Iran, Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said on Monday that with bin Laden's death, there is no longer any need for foreign nations to send troops to the region to fight terrorism.
While Pakistan is calling Osama bin Laden's death a major setback for terrorist groups around the world, as the Pakistani Taliban vows to step up attacks against U.S. and Pakistani interests.
The Pakistani foreign ministry said Monday U.S. President Barack Obama telephoned Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari earlier on Monday to discuss the killing of bin Laden during a U.S. military operation in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad.
The Pakistani spokesperson said the operation late Sunday was conducted in accordance with declared U.S. policy that bin Laden will be "eliminated" by U.S. forces, "wherever found in the world."
The government's response came several hours after President Obama's announcement of bin Laden's death.
Few knew of plan
The al-Qaida leader was killed during a night raid by elite U.S. forces on a highly-secure house in the city of Abbottabad, roughly 50 kilometers north of the capital, Islamabad.
Officials told VOA the U.S. did not share intelligence about the operation with any country, including Pakistan, and that very few people in the U.S. government knew of the plan in advance.
The foreign ministry noted Monday that al-Qaida had declared war on Pakistan, with nearly 30,000 civilians and 5,000 members of the security forces killed in terrorist attacks in the last few years.
Bin Laden wives, children detained
Meanwhile, the Pakistan English-language television station Express 24/7 reports two of Osama bin Laden's wives and six of his children have been detained by U.S. forces. The station also reports that four of the terrorist leader's aides have also been arrested.
The Pakistani Taliban on Monday threatened further attacks against the Pakistani and U.S. governments in revenge for bin Laden's death.
The foreign ministry said Pakistan has played a significant role in efforts to fight terrorism and that its soil will not be used in terrorist attacks against any country.
The statement comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and Pakistan, following the arrest of a CIA contractor in Pakistan, U.S. drone strikes against militant strongholds in northwest Pakistan, and a recent White House report saying Pakistan is not doing enough to target Taliban and al-Qaida-linked militants on its soil.
Over in India, India says the recent killing of al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden in Pakistan shows the country is still a sanctuary for terrorists and militant groups.
In a statement Monday, Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram noted with “grave concern” that bin Laden was found hiding in a palatial villa some 50 kilometers from the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. He says the fact underlines India's concern that terrorists belonging to different organizations find sanctuary in Pakistan.
Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna said the killing was a victorious milestone and added that the world must press to eliminate safe havens and sanctuaries provided to terrorists in their own neighborhood.
The statements came as Indian security forces were put on high alert for possible reprisal attacks. Officials also renewed calls for Islamabad to arrest suspects allegedly behind the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai.
India and Pakistan have fought three wars since their independence from Britain in 1957. Relations between the two have been particularly tense since the 2008 attacks that left 166 people dead in the Indian financial capital. India has blamed Pakistan's government of providing support to militant groups. Islamabad has denied involvement.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
US$13 million loan for Jamaica
The Jamaica government is holding discussions with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) on financing for a US$13 million energy saving programme for the public sector, projected to start this year.
Finance Minister Audley Shaw said that an energy audit has identified potential savings of US$30 million per annum from the project.
Shaw noted that, in recognition of the need for energy efficiency, the Bruce Golding government has already entered into a technical assistance agreement with the IDB for a grant of US$350,000, to identify and address energy efficiency in the public sector.
In the meantime, the completed energy audits have been distributed to the related entities, to commence implementing energy saving initiatives that do not require capital.
Additionally, Shaw said government will also sign a $1.3 billion (US$15 million) loan agreement with the World Bank to finance an energy security and efficiency enhancement project.
“The loan will fund various projects which will be administered by the OUR (Office of Utilities Regulation), the Bureau of Standards and the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ),” he added. (CMC)
Banks accused of talking up Greek debt fears
The head of Europe’s rescue fund was quoted yesterday as telling a German newspaper that he believes banks are encouraging talk of a possible Greek debt restructuring because they are hoping to earn large fees. Klaus Regling, the head of the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), told the Handelsblatt business daily in an advance released yesterday that he sensed banks were thinking of their own profits in fuelling a discussion about restructuring.
“In the 1980s and 1990s banks cashed in very high fees for the restructuring of sovereign debt in Latin America and Asia,” Regling was quoted saying. “They would like to do that again in Europe.” Regling said on the one hand a partial relief for Greece’s debts would hit some banks’ own balance sheets as lenders. But those losses would be “limited” while the fees involved with a restructuring would be “very promising.” The Handelsblatt quoted sources as saying European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet also believes banks are deliberately talking up the possibility of a Greek debt restructuring.
The newspaper said Trichet had warned euro zone finance ministers explicitly against allowing the banks to influence them. Mounting fears that Greece will have to restructure a debt mountain expected to reach 340 billion euros this year, roughly one and a half times its output, have pummelled Greek bonds, driving yield spreads over German bunds to new record highs. European Central Bank Executive Board members Juergen Stark and Lorenzo Bini-Smaghi have both warned against such a step, saying it would hammer the Greek banking system and damage Europe’s credibility.
S Korea inflation eases in April as food prices fall
South Korean inflation has risen more slowly than expected in April, due to lower food prices and cheaper imports.
Consumer prices grew by 4.2% in April from the same month a year earlier, the statistical office said.
That is less than the 4.4% forecast, and down from a 29-month high of 4.7% in March.
Despite the dip last month, analysts believe inflation is unlikely to fall sharply due to high fuel costs and expect an increase in interest rates.
"April inflation was actually lower than expected thanks to declining agriculture and fishery prices," said Sun Yoo, an economist at Woori Investment & Securities.
"However, prices of oil products are still bullish, which has convinced us to maintain our high inflation forecast through the end of the first half."
Some analysts now expect the central bank to increase the country's benchmark interest rate to 3.25% from 3% later this month in attempt to curb rising prices.
They say that the Bank of Korea and government may tolerate a stronger currency, which could hurt exporters and slow economic growth, in order to help bring down inflation.
The Bank of Korea has an inflation target of between 2% and 4%, and has raised interest rates four times since July 2010.
Inflation has been identified as one of the biggest threats to economic prosperity in Asia, with organisations such as the World Bank warning that it could lead to social problems.
Obama keeps up push to end gas, oil tax breaks
President Barack Obama says oil companies are profiting from rising pump prices and he wants Congress to end $4 billion in annual tax breaks for the oil and gas industry. “These tax giveaways aren’t right,” Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday. “They aren’t smart. And we need to end them.” Drivers in 22 states are paying more than the national average of $3.91 per gallon. In Alaska, California and Connecticut, it’s $4.20 or more. The price jump has slowed economic growth and hurt Obama’s public approval ratings. Exxon Mobil Corp. this week reported nearly $11 billion in profits for the first quarter of this year. Competitors also had huge gains.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., says he plans to consider Obama’s proposal as early as this coming week. The president said money recouped from ending the oil and gas tax subsidies should go to new energy resources and research. He said he refuses to cut spending on clean energy initiatives. “An investment in clean energy today is an investment in a better tomorrow,” he said. “And I think that’s an investment worth making.” Obama’s critics say ending the subsidies would mean tax increases that would end up costing jobs.
“The president may think he’s punishing CEOs of big companies, but his plan will hurt the everyday consumer of energy and imperil the jobs of millions of hardworking people in American-based companies,” Rep. James Lankford, a first-term congressman from Oklahoma, said in the Republicans’ weekly address. In his address, Obama said the economy was growing again and took note of nearly 2 million new private sector jobs in the last 13 months. But the president did not mention that the pace of the recovery slowed significantly in the first three months of this year. The nation’s economy grew at a 1.8 percent annual rate during that quarter, compared with 3.1 percent in the previous three months. High gasoline prices, bad winter weather and steep government spending cuts were responsible for the slowdown.
Eager to show action on gas costs, Obama has pushed to stop the subsidies while also conceding that would not have an immediate effect on prices. He has also called for the Justice Department to investigate possible price fixing and said this week that he was also prodding oil-producing countries such as Saudi Arabia to increase production. Lankford also said that Republicans would not vote to raise the nation’s borrowing limit, now at $14.3 trillion, in the coming weeks unless the measure also includes steps to cut government spending. Presidents have agreed to such deals in the past, and Obama told The Associated Press in a recent interview that some spending restrictions might be necessary to
Sony execs apologise for network security breach
Sony executives bowed in apology yesterday for a security breach in the company’s PlayStation Network that caused the loss of personal data of some 77 million accounts on the online service. “We deeply apologise for the inconvenience we have caused,” said Kazuo Hirai, chief of Sony Corp’s PlayStation video game unit, who was among the three executives who bowed for several seconds at the company’s Tokyo headquarters in the traditional style of a Japanese apology.
Hirai said parts of the service would be back this week and that the company would beef up security measures. But he and other executives acknowledged that not enough had been done in security precautions, and promised that the company’s network services were under a basic review to prevent a recurrence. Hirai said the FBI and other authorities had been contacted to start an investigation into what the company called “a criminal cyber attack” on Sony’s data centre in San Diego, California.
Sony said account information, including names, birth dates, email addresses and log-in information, was compromised for players using its PlayStation Network. Hirai asked all users to change their passwords. Hirai reiterated what the company said last week — that even though it had no direct evidence the data were even taken, it cannot rule out the possibility. He said data from 10 million credit cards were believed to be involved, and that Sony still does not know whether information was stolen.
Sony has added software monitoring and enhanced data protection and encryption as new security measures, he said. The company said it would offer “welcome back” freebies such as complimentary downloads and 30 days of free service around the world to show remorse and appreciation. “I see my work as first making sure Sony can regain the trust from our users,” Hirai said. The network, which serves both the PlayStation video game machines and Sony’s Qriocity movie and music services, has been shut down since April 20. It is a system that links gamers worldwide in live play, and also allows users to upgrade and download games and other content. Hirai said Sony suspected it was under attack by hackers starting April 17.