6/1 News

Obama leaves church

After months of criticism regarding his fiery pastor Reverend Wright, likely Democratic nominee Barack Obama has left his Chicago church, Trinity United Church of Christ. The issue arose when tapes where discovered of the residing pastor Jeremiah Wright calling the AIDS virus a government attack on African-American people and exclaiming “God damn America.”

The Senator sought to distance himself even more from the pastor after rejecting his endorsement and denouncing his remarks soon after they surfaced. The issue may have resurfaced after a visiting Catholic priest mocked Obama’s opponent Hillary Clinton, accusing her of “white entitlement.” Obama has called the church his own for 16 years and Rev. Wright baptized both his daughters.

Obama has tried to put the remarks behind him, but falling short of disowning his pastor. The pastor’s remarks contradict Obama’s theme of transcending race, and Obama responded with a praised speech on race in America.

Reuters

Gates warns China of hogging resources

Defense Secretary Robert Gates addressed China’s economic policy on Saturday, calling on China to fairly and diplomatically address the natural resources of that region. Gates struck a more cautious note than former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who criticized China’s military buildup. Last year Gates called for the two countries to “build trust over time.”

He asserted the benefits of openness, whether in regard to trade, resources or the internet. “We should not forget that globalization has permitted our shared rise in wealth over recent decades.” Gates also thanked for China’s cooperation for cooling North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

Asia Times

Islamic women demand Al-Qaeda admittance

Al-Qaeda was brought to light in a new way when the group’s decision to exclude women was brought to light Saturday. In April Al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahri responded to a female’s question of admittance that Al-Qaeda did not allow women. The response has prompted online postings and a petition, called Rabeebat al-Silah or Arabic for “Companion of Weapons.”

“How many times have I wished I were a man … When Sheikh Ayman al-Zawahri said there are no women in al Qaeda, he saddened and hurt me,” the essay reflects.

CBS News

5/31 News

US absent from conference banning cluster bombs

The United States was absent at a Friday conference of 111 countries agreed to ban the use of cluster bombs. The summit in Dublin, Ireland expressed concern about the civilian effects of cluster bombs, which are unreliable and inaccurate.

The signed document expresses concern “that cluster munition remnants kill or maim civilians, including women and children, obstruct economic and social development, including through the loss of livelihood, impede post-conflict rehabilitation and reconstruction, delay or prevent the return of refugees and internally displaced persons, can negatively impact on national and international peace-building and humanitarian assistance efforts, and have other severe consequences that can persist for many years after use.”

According to human rights groups, countries with the most frequent cluster bomb use such as the USA, China, Russia and Israel all were absent from the conference.

CNN

Algerian student interviewed after detained for possessing Al-Qaeda training material

An Algerian grad student at Nottingham University and his friend were detained under the Terrorism Act for six days last week, and gave an interview to The Guardian yesterday. His friend was researching Al-Qaeda training techniques for his MA and gave a copy to Hichem Yezza. A colleague noticed the documents on his computer and alerted authorities. Yezza is currently being held at the immigration center near Heathrow.

“This is not the way I should have been treated. It is hurtful to see myself being treated this way in a country I love, would protect and where I’ve done everything I can to engage with and be a good citizen.”

Guardian

Iraqis protest security agreement

Thousands of Iraqis hit the street Friday to protest the proposed US-Iraq security agreement. Many are suspicious of how long the US government will keep troops and permanent bases in their country.

“We denounce the government’s intentions to sign a long-term agreement with the occupying forces,” said Asaad al-Nassiri, a sheik loyal to anti-American leader Muqtada al-Sadr.

President Bush signed a statement with Iraq prime minister Nouri al-Maliki pledging to sign an agreement by July 31.

Huffington Post

Obama and McCain battle over misstatements, Iraq knowledge

Presumptive nominees John McCain and Barack Obama exchanged blows over McCain’s Thursday claim that “We have drawn down to pre-surge levels. Basra, Mosul and now Sadr City are quiet.”

Obama responded with “That’s not true and anyone running for commander in chief should know better.” Troop levels haven’t returned to the pre-surge level.

There are currently around 155,000 troops in Iraq, compared with approximately 135,000 before the surge.

McCain’s campaign blamed the misstatement on verb tenses, while McCain insisted that he didn’t misspeak. “Of course not. I said we’ve drawn down. The rest of them will be home at the end of July.”

Yahoo!

5/30 News

CIA says Al-Qaeda in trouble

Al-Qaeda is near defeat, according to CIA director Michael Hayden. He said the organization collapsing in its strongest areas, Saudia Arabia and Iraq. He also cited global advances as the religion of Islam distances itself from its extremists.

“Near strategic defeat of al Qaeda in Iraq. Near strategic defeat for al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia. Significant setbacks for al Qaeda globally — and here I’m going to use the word ‘ideologically,’ as a lot of the Islamic world pushes back on their form of Islam,” Hayden said this morning in a Washington Post interview.

Reuters

Bush releases climate change report

The White House bowed in to a court decision and released a climate change report online yesterday. The report reiterates much evidence like the spread of heat-loving pests and the effect of rising sea levels. It also projects the health effects of a warmer global climate.

The Scientific Assessment of the Effects of Global Change on the United States predicts heat waves will pose a threat to children and elderly adults. It estimates the spread of the spread of food and water-borne diseases plus animal-spread viruses like West Nile.

A 1990 law requires the president to submit to Congress a report on global climate and the environment every four years. The last report was released by the Clinton Administration. Bush releases a series of reports in 2003 but a circuit judge decided that didn’t fit the requirements.

NY Times

Bush authorized Libby leak

Scott McClellan’s controversial memoir hasn’t even been published yet, and is already creating a stir. It not only criticizes the administration but brings to light new information regarding the Scooter Libby leak case. According to the book, President Bush personally authorized Scooter Libby to leak classified information, including the identity of Valerie Plame, to select media sources.

The AP provides this excerpt:

The president was leaving an event in North Carolina, McClellan recalled, and as they walked to Air Force One a reporter yelled out a question: Had the president, who had repeatedly condemned the selective release of secret intelligence information, enabled Scooter Libby to leak classified information to The New York Times to bolster the administration’s arguments for war?

McClellan took the question to the president, telling Bush: “He’s saying you yourself were the one that authorized the leaking of this information.”

“And he said, ‘Yeah, I did.’ And I was kind of taken aback,” McClellan said.

“For me I came to the decision that at that point I needed to look for a way to move on, because it had undermined, I think, a lot of what we had said.”

Huffington Post