The Washington Times: World: "John R. Bolton, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, demanded yesterday that Kofi Annan repudiate what Mr. Bolton called "condescending" remarks about Americans by the secretary-general's chief aide, sparking a nasty U.S.-U.N. spat in which neither side showed signs of backing down."
BBC: World: "The French interior minister softens his stance on the expulsion of illegal immigrants' children from school."
Apparently, someone reminded him of an small episode in French history, called the "Storming of the Bastille" which changed the western hemisphere of the globe forever. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Reuters: Top News: "JAKARTA (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld hailed restored U.S. military ties with Indonesia, but was told that America was seen as "overbearing" when it appeared to be pushing its anti-terrorism policies on others.
The Bush Administration is strengthening military ties because military is all it has that other government's respect. As for the people of Indonesia and most other nations in the world, America is rapidly becoming the bad guy. This does not bode well for America's terrorist free future. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Reuters: Top News: "VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican said on Tuesday that gay marriage, abortion, lesbians wanting to bear children and a host of other practices it sees as threats to the traditional family were signs of "the eclipse of God".
There goes the two faced Vatican, again. If God is omnipresent, and all powerful, how can God be eclipsed? The vatican uses logic for amassing wealth, and little else. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
The Washington Times: World: "The United States warned key ally Germany yesterday that it should do more to stop a tide of sex workers arriving for this month's soccer World Cup, and accused 12 nations of failing to do enough to stop the modern-day slave trade in prostitutes, child sex workers and laborers."
So, if I read this right, independent and entrepreneurial prostitution by adults is fine, but, coerced and forced sex trade practitioners are to be halted? Or, is the slave trade and child pornography a cover for a Bush Administration's new war on sex throughout the world, like our failed war on drugs? -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Christian Science Monitor: All Stories: "The victory is a welcome one for the US government, which is in need of allies in South America.
It's true. The Bush Administration has lost most of them. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
BBC: World: "Chile secondary school pupil launch a second national strike and continue sit-ins over demands for education reform."
Too bad American students have grown so fat and lazy and incapable of demanding a better education for themselves. I tip my hat to Chilean students. They have the spirit and gumption of our founding fathers to forge their own future. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
AP Politics: "WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush heard concerns about immigration reform from south-of-the-border ally Honduras on Monday and offered assurances that he was committed to a bill that treats foreigners with respect while upholding U.S. laws...."
Translated, this means Bush is reassuring the Honduras leader that of the 2000 miles of Southern Border, only 370 will be guarded and fenced, so, not to worry. Honduras can still export its poor and criminal elements to the U.S. No problema! -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
BBC: World: "Bolivia's president begins a programme to redistribute land, as owners pledge to defend their estates."
USATODAY.com News - Top Stories: "Since June 5, 1981, HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, has killed more than 25 million people, infected 40 million others and left ...
BBC: World: "US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld visits Vietnam, in a sign of growing military ties between two former foes."
Viet Nam is still a Communist Country isn't it? Interesting, the communist and dictator friends the Bush Administration is supporting and working with, isn't it? -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
USATODAY.com News - Top Stories: "Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Sunday the United States wants to expand its military relationship with Vietnam, but has no plans to seek access to military facilities in this former enemy nation.
BBC: World: "The first batch of an order of 100,000 Russian assault rifles have arrived in Venezuela stoking US concerns."
Kind of like the U.S. sending 100's of millions of dollars to Pakistan's military dictator with nuclear missiles. Not much room for the U.S. to complain on this one. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
USATODAY.com News - Top Stories: "Montenegro proclaimed independence on Saturday, becoming a new state in the Balkans and bringing to an end the former Yugoslavia ...
Independent: World News: " You would think that winning the Nobel Peace Prize would have provided a measure of protection for Shirin Ebadi, a Iranian human rights lawyer who has taken up the cases of Iran's most prominent dissidents, from the wrath of the mullahs.
CBS News: CBS Evening News: "Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez figures to grab the spotlight when he hosts this year's OPEC meeting, which begins Thursday in Caracas. Trish Regan reports Chavez will push to drive oil prices even higher."
BBC: World: "Peru's president asks the Organisation of American States to stop Hugo Chavez meddling in Peru's election."
World Press Review: Breaking News: "The Times, Conservative daily of London, England - A deal requiring EU airlines to hand over the personal details of all passengers on flights between Europe and the US was thrown out by European Court judges today."
Reuters: Top News: "UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Twenty-five years after AIDS was first recognized, the world is in better shape than ever to put an end to the disease but is falling short on many fronts, the United Nations said on Tuesday.
BBC: World: "Cambodia suspends millions of dollars of World Bank funds amid claims of corruption and schemes."
CNN: World: "Colombian President Alvaro Uribe won a solid re-election victory Sunday, claiming more than 60 percent of the vote in a field of seven, election officials reported."
CNN: World: "DILI, East Timor (AP) -- Gangs roamed the streets of East Timor's capital for a second day Sunday, setting fire to homes and businesses in defiance of international peacekeepers sent to quell violence."
CBS News: "A man killed his two young children by throwing them off the 15th floor of a landmark South Beach hotel and then jumped to his own death. Their mother said they had martial problems but there wasn't an argument before the incident."
It's a growing sign of our times. Ever more public ways of getting attention while committing suicide. The coincidence with newspapers filled with stories of suicide bombers is hard to ignore. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
BBC: World: "Thousands of civilians are fleeing the Somali capital after fierce fighting left at least 48 people dead."
BBC: World: "The presidents of Venezuela and Bolivia prepare to sign a number of far-reaching trade and commercial accords."
Birds of a feather, flock together. Which spells the U.S. is losing control and influence over S. America which took decades to build. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Christian Science Monitor: All Stories: "The continent's governments are wary of immigrants coming to exploit its social and democratic benefits.
As well they should be. It's not a French problem anymore. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
New York Times: International News: "The Senate immigration bill would throw open the gate to nurses and, some fear, drain them from developing countries."
Which in turn would increase the pressure on Mexicans, Central and S. Americans to immigrate illegally into the U.S. bringing their diseases and traumas with them. There are no medical screenings for illegal immigrants. Chances are very high that when Avian Flu hits America, it will come from across our Southern Border. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
BBC: World: "Australia considers plans to evacuate Aborigines to special camps so they can escape rampaging gangs."
Australia's Aborigines would do well to take some lessons from the U.S. history of tactics toward its own Aborigines. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
CNN: World: "In releasing its 2006 annual report, the human rights watchdog condemned countries such as the United States, China and Russia for focusing on narrowly defined interests, diluting efforts to solve conflicts elsewhere -- such as Sudan's Darfur region."
Who would have ever thought America would be mentioned in the same sentence with China and Russia for human rights violations 20 years ago? But, there is legitimacy to the claim and America's embarassment should be sufficient to alter its behavior. But, that can't happen until America removes Bush, et al, from office. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Reuters: Top News: "DOHA (Reuters) - Efforts to block Iran and North Korea's nuclear programs will be in the spotlight when ministers and officials from 28 Asian and Middle Eastern countries begin talks in Doha on Tuesday.
This sounds promising. A regional approach to regional problems. I am all in favor. I wish them the best of luck and great productivity in generating ideas to solve the growing problems in their own backyard. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Reuters: Top News: "MANILA (Reuters) - Security officials from the United States and the Philippines will create a new pact this week to deal with militants, pirates, natural disasters, disease and other non-military threats, officials said on Tuesday.
No doubt at a hefty price to American tax payers. The Bush Administration's ulterior motive here is not safeguarding Filipinos, but, extending its naval presence and build up close to China. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
World Press Review: Breaking News: "The Jerusalem Post, Conservative daily of Jerusalem, Israel - Israel continued to build a "separation wall/fence" in occupied Palestinian land, restrict Palestinian movement in the West Bank which contributed to high unemployment and poverty, and conducted unlawful attacks routinely using excessive force against peaceful demonstrators, Amnesty International charged in its annual report for 2006 released Tuesday."
World Press Review: Breaking News: "Toronto Star, Liberal daily of Toronto, Ontario - Yesterday's angry confrontation began with natives, who have been protesting a planned housing development on land they say they own and have never sold, agreeing to remove their barricade while talks on resolving the issue continued under the leadership of former Ontario premier David Peterson.
But that offer was quickly rescinded after townsfolk and their supporters began building a barricade of their own just down the road, prompting native protestors to rebuild and reinforce their own barrier."
The Burmese junta's surprise decision to grant a senior United Nationsofficial access to Aung San Suu Kyi has revived hope she may be released.
"CNN: World: "Voters in Montenegro have decided narrowly to sever the country's union with Serbia, a move that breaks up the last two pieces of the former Yugoslavia, according to official preliminary results from the election commission."
USATODAY.com News - Top Stories: "World powers are considering dropping U.N. Security Council discussion of Iran's nuclear program if Tehran agrees to suspend uranium enrichment, but could push for sanctions backed by the threat of force if the Islamic state refuses, diplomats said Saturday.
BBC: World: "Gunmen dressed as police attack a Congress party rally in Indian Kashmir, with many feared injured."
New York Times: International News: "As Venezuela's president insinuates himself deeper in the politics of his region, something of a backlash is building among his neighbors."
BBC: World: "The US should close Guantanamo Bay and any secret prisons abroad, the UN committee on torture says."
CNN: World: "Children as young as 13 are being forced into combat by Sudanese rebels who take the youngsters from squalid refugee camps in neighboring Chad, CNN has learned. In some cases, Chadian guards look the other way as rebels make children join their ranks, local people say."
Reuters: Top News: "The operation, named "Twin Oceans," led to the capture in Brazil of the group's head, Pablo Rayo Montano, who was among the top 42 drug traffickers sought by Washington, Jorge Alirio Baron, the anti-narcotics chief for the Colombian National Police, said.
One out of 42. Sounds like our track record in Iraq. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
The Washington Times: World: "Venezuela has allowed its intelligence service to become a clone of Cuba's while it shelters groups with ties to Middle East terrorists and allows weapons from its official stockpiles to reach Colombian guerrillas, a senior U.S. official said yesterday."
Here we go. US Propaganda at its worse. Venezuela won't sell us oil, so we have to tie them to terrorists like we did Iraq, to pave the way for military force. What bull crap. After Iraq, I refuse to believe these convenient coincidences of intelligence discovery and propaganda. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
CBS News: "Ko-Suen "Bill" Moo pleaded guilty for acting as a secret agent for China and attempting to buy missiles and military fighter jets from the United States. A customs official called the case "truly alarming.""
New York Times: International News: "The decision ends more than 25 years of hostility while sending a strong signal to Iran and North Korea to follow suit."
I don't think it sends a strong signal at all. I think it sends an irrelevant signal. The situation of Iran and N. Korea are very different, indeed. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
New York Times: International News: "A spokesman for President Vicente Fox played down Washington's border security plans as a logistical and administrative effort, rather than a military one."
Was President Fox calling the shots in the President's speech demanding the National Guard not be armed or involved in intercepting, detaining, and returning Mexicans? The appearance is there. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
BBC: World: "Mexican President Vicente Fox voices concern over US plans to use the National Guard to patrol the border."
Who cares! Pres. Fox doesn't govern here! Bush is making the right short term move, even if it is 4 years late in coming after 9/11. Bush apparently has given up waiting for that next terrorist attack to come and shore up his poll numbers. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
BBC: World: "Former Pakistani Prime Ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif sign a "charter for democracy"."
USATODAY.com News - Top Stories: "Prime Minister Tony Blair has told ministers that he plans to leave office in the summer of 2007, according to news reports Sunday. ...
If I were British, that would not be soon enough, by a year. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
CBS News: CBS Evening News: "Cynthia Bowers talks about spending time with Christopher Ochoa, who was exonerated for murder through DNA evidence. Like many innocent people set free, Ochoa has grappled with difficult feelings but says he won't give in to bitterness."
Further evidence of Amerca's broken justice system, run by stats instead of justice. The political pressure to arrest, someone, anyone, has grown phenomenally over the decades to the point that the statistics of unsolved crimes are dictating arrests and prosecutions, not preponderance of evidence and guilt. Its broken. And it's getting worse by the year, as many rely upon DNA to later rectify inadequacies in the police powers errantly applied. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
New York Times: International News: "The decision is expected to embolden women's rights groups across Latin America to use courts to try to roll back some of the world's most stringent abortion laws."
BBC: World: "The US votes to end corporate tax breaks for some of its biggest firms including Boeing and Microsoft, heading off billion-dollar EU sanctions."
It took Europe to get our Congress and President to suspend corporate welfare when their profits are soaring. Appears our government does listen to foreign governments even if it won't listen to its own people. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
World Press Review: Breaking News: "MercoPress, News Agency of Montevideo, Uruguay - "I would not want us to return to the Cold War era where we 'demonize' one country or another. What we have witnessed in these countries (Bolivia and Venezuela) is that they are looking for governments and leaders that will work to eradicate poverty and eliminate inequality," said Bachelet.
Bachelet was speaking in defense of the left-wing "power axis" between Bolivian President Morales, Venezuela's Chavez and Cuba's Fidel Castro, an alliance which alarms many conservative nations like the United States. Her allusion to a "power axis" is read as an indirect slam on U.S. President Bush, who has invoked similar phraseology in vilifying nations like North Korea and Iran. "
Reuters: Top News: "Kremlin chief of staff Sergei Sobyanin echoed comments made by President Vladimir Putin in a keynote speech on Wednesday in which the Russian leader expressed disquiet at the Pentagon plans and suggested new disarmament talks.
I told you Bush and Putin were going to bring back the Cold War good old days. It is happening right in front of our eyes. Nothing like a good cold war to put spies everywhere and spy on everyone. They both long for that "1984" power. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
USATODAY.com News - Top Stories: "The U.S. prison camp at Guantanamo Bay is a discredit to the American tradition of freedom and should close, Britain's attorney ...
"
New York Times: International News: "Six nations with poor human rights records were among those elected to the new Human Rights Council on Tuesday."
Make that 7, they forgot to add the United States. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
Few businesses have globalised as successfully as the arms trade, with a network of international dealers fuelling dozens of conflicts across the world, according to a new report.
Most of the world's weapons are produced in developed countries and sold to the Third World, soaking up meagre funds badly needed for building infrastructure. The few laws that exist to check this trade are easily circumvented through the elaborate and sophisticated exploitation of every loophole, says the study.
The implication here is that why our government is trying, however ineptly, to bring stability to places like Iraq, our manufacturers are exploiting the grey market to sell their weapons wares to the very people our government is trying to bring peace to. But, how Bush and company love their guns, so it is understandable, though inexcuseable! -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
BBC: World: "The US authorities warn that addictive drug methamphetamine has become a "global threat"."
Just another scare tactic headline by the White House to cover up for its total and complete incapacity to win an inch in the war on drugs. That said, the war on drugs has been a dismal failure since prohibition in the 1920's. When will they ever learn? Black markets by definition are outside of legal control and management. Make them legal by prescription and suddenly, they come into legal control and management. -- David R. Remer, PoliWatch.Org.
BBC: World: "The European Commission discusses a paper setting out its position on what to do with the EU constitution."
BBC: World: "Mexico's Zapatista rebel leader Subcomandante Marcos warns that the country is in a state of rage."
CNN: World: "President Vladimir Putin used his state of the nation address to announce measures to boost Russia's falling birthrate and call for a stronger army -- though also took a swipe at the U.S. after recent remarks by Vice-President Dick Cheney."
Reuters: Top News: "The man was shot through the chest in his car on the way to work by a gunman on a motorcycle in an apparently targeted attack, diplomatic, police and oil company sources said.
BBC: World: "Some two million babies in the developing world die on the day they are born, a leading charity says."
