SEC charges execs

Newscast Media NEW YORK—The Securities and Exchange Commission charged a former executive at Yahoo! Inc. and a former mutual fund manager at a subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial Inc. with insider trading on confidential information about a search engine partnership between Yahoo and Microsoft Corporation.

The SEC alleges that Robert W. Kwok, who was Yahoo’s senior director of business management, breached his duty to the company when he told Reema D. Shah in July 2009 that a deal between Yahoo and Microsoft would be announced soon. Shah had reached out to Kwok amid market rumors of an impending partnership between the two companies, and Kwok told her the information was kept quiet at Yahoo and only a few people knew of the coming announcement. Based on Kwok’s illegal tip, Shah prompted the mutual funds she managed to buy more than 700,000 shares of Yahoo stock that were later sold for profits of approximately $389,000.

The SEC further alleges that a year earlier, the roles were reversed. Shah tipped Kwok with material nonpublic information about an impending acquisition announcement between two other companies. Kwok traded in a personal account based on the confidential information for profits of $4,754.

Kwok and Shah, who each live in California, have agreed to settle the SEC’s charges. Financial penalties and disgorgement will be determined by the court at a later date. Under the settlements, Shah will be permanently barred from the securities industry and Kwok will be permanently barred from serving as an officer or director of a public company.

“Kwok and Shah played a game of you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours,” said Scott W. Friestad, Associate Director in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement. “When corporate executives and mutual fund professionals misuse their access to confidential information, they undermine the integrity of our markets and violate the trust placed in them by investors.”

According to the SEC’s complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Shah and Kwok first met in January 2008 when Shah was attending a real estate conference in California at the same facility where Yahoo was holding a meeting. The two met in a hallway and began discussing their respective businesses, and thereafter they spoke frequently by phone or in person.

Kwok provided Shah with information about Yahoo, including whether Yahoo’s quarterly financial performance
was expected to be in line with market estimates. In return, Shah provided Kwok with information she learned in the course of her work, and he used it to help make his personal investment decisions. Both Shah and Kwok benefited from this exchange of information. Click here to read or download the SEC lawsuit.

http://www.newscastmedia.com/yahoo-executive-charged.htm

Iran nuclear plant

by Mu Xuequan

Newscast Media VIENNA—Agreement on probing suspected work on Iran’s controversial nuclear program was expected to be signed soon, said Yukiya Amano, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Tuesday.

“There was an important development on the structured approach document on which we have been working since January,” Amano told reporters at Vienna airport after return from his one-day trip to Tehran where he held talks with chief Iranian nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili.

Amano said the decision was made to reach agreement on the mechanics of giving the IAEA access to sites, scientists and documents it seeks to address international concerns over the country’ nuclear activities.

“There remain some differences, but Mr. Jalili elaborated that the differences will not be an obstacle to reach an agreement,” Amano said.

He added that the two sides “understood each other’s positions better,” which was the reason that “we could make this important development.”

One priority issue for IAEA in recent talks with Iran is the agency’s demand for access to Iran’s Parchin military site southeast of Tehran.

Media said the IAEA has received reports that Iran had tested explosives which could be used to set off a nuclear charge. Iran denied such reports, and insisted access to Parchin would only be granted if Iran and the IAEA agree on certain conditions and steps.

In response to questions on the matter, Amano said “I have raised this issue of access to Parchin, and this issue will be addressed as a part of the implementation of the structured approach document.”

Amano was quoted by Iranian semi-official Mehr news agency on Monday as saying that they held expansive and intensive talks in good atmosphere, and the progress in the dialogue will have positive impact on the wider nuclear talks between Iran and the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad on Wednesday.

New round of nuclear talks over the possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear activities was resumed between the IAEA and Iran last week. After two days of negotiations, the two sides agreed to meet again, and Amano traveled to Tehran to discuss “issues of mutual interests” with high-level Iranian officials.

http://www.newscastmedia.com/iaea-talks.htm

Barack Obama

Newscast Media WASHINGTON—Drawing a road map for NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan and agreement on steps to increase the alliance’s defense capabilities are the notable achievements of the NATO summit, President Obama said May 21 as he delivered a final assessment of the meeting held over the weekend in Chicago. Citing an “unwavering commitment to collective defense,” Obama said NATO nations agreed to invest in defense capabilities and new technologies that meet the alliance’s security needs.

The 63-year-old alliance is also making progress on its missile-defense system, and Obama recognized other NATO nations for increasing their leadership in this area.

“Our defense radar in Turkey will be placed under NATO control,” Obama said. “Spain, Romania and Poland have agreed to host key U.S. assets. The Netherlands will be upgrading radars.”

Obama also emphasized that a NATO missile-defense system is not intended to compromise Russia’s strategic deterrent. “I continue to believe that missile defense can be an area of cooperation with Russia,” he said.

Another important achievement of the summit was agreement to wind down the 10-year operation in Afghanistan with “a plan that trains Afghan security forces, transitions to the Afghans and builds a partnership that can endure after our combat mission in Afghanistan ends,” Obama said.

The troops from NATO nations will steadily draw down as Afghan National Security Forces take the leadership role by the middle of next year, with NATO troops remaining in a support mode. By the end of 2014, Obama said, the plan calls for Afghan forces to take full responsibility for the security of their country.

But NATO involvement in Afghanistan’s future will not end there, Obama said, and the partnership with Kabul to defeat al-Qaida and bring progress to the long-beleaguered nation will continue.

Non-NATO nations have been longtime participants in the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, and they too met with NATO leaders to craft this road map to war’s end. Obama called the meeting of such a wide range of nations “unprecedented”; it included 28 NATO members and 13 leaders from European, Middle Eastern, North African and Asian nations.

“Each of these countries has contributed to NATO operations in different ways — military, political, financial — and each wants to see us do more together,” Obama said. “To see the breadth of those countries represented in that room is to see how NATO has truly become a hub of global security.”

A key goal of the Afghanistan operation has been to expel al-Qaida from the nation and close down its safe haven there, a goal that Obama said has been met. But as the NATO summit ended, a terrorist attack in Yemen, blamed on al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), killed more than 100 people and injured close to 200, according to news reports.

A journalist questioned the U.S. president about that attack, and whether it could be a sign that Yemen is sinking into anarchy. Obama noted the strong counterterrorism partnership that the United States has formed with the Yemeni government.

The NATO summit was met with significant protests on the Chicago streets, with denunciations of the alliance’s defense strategy and calls to end the Afghan war. But protesters did not derail the meeting; instead, Obama said, the protesters have NATO to thank for their freedoms.

“Part of what NATO defends is free speech and the freedom of assembly,” Obama said.

http://www.newscastmedia.com/nato-summit-2012.htm

Barack Obama and Mitt Romney

by Paul Stanley

Newscast Media HOUSTON, Texas—Recent fundraising totals for both major political parties and their presumed candidates show the money race is closer than most expected. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, in combination with the Republican National Committee, raked in a total of $40.1 million in April. The
Democratic National Committee and President Obama pulled in a slightly larger amount of $43.6 million.

With a little more than 160 days until voters go to the polls for the presidential and congressional elections, both Republicans and Democrats are trying to gather money from all available sources. And even though Romney still trails Obama in total dollars raised, Democrats are starting to wonder if Romney and the GOP can quickly close the gap.

“We are pleased with the strong support we have received from Americans across the country who are looking for new leadership in the White House,” Spencer Zwick, chairman of Romney Victory, told The Hill. “Along with the hard work of the Republican National Committee, we will continue to raise the funds necessary to defeat President Obama in November.”

Romney, with his own personal connections to some of the party’s most wealthy donors, was expected to raise big bucks but still lag behind the tremendous fundraising advantage of an incumbent president.

At the end of March, Romney reported about $10 million in the bank compared to Obama’s $104 million statement balance.

Romney saw his fundraising total increase in April in large part because his other three rivals stepped aside, allowing him to jointly fundraise with the RNC and to accept checks as large as $75,000 per person. And because he had no opposition in the Democratic primary, President Obama has been able to take advantage of the same arrangement for the past several months.

However, when contributions from super PACs (whose contributions are unlimited) are added to committees that support Romney, reports show the Republicans outraised the Obama backers $402 million to $340 million this cycle. An analysis of recent fundraising reports filed with the Federal Election Commission on Sunday show that President Obama’s total take took a slight dip in April. Fundraising experts say this is due in large part to an unenthusiastic Democratic electorate.

What may be the most alarming is that the main super-PAC supporting President Obama saw support fall in April to $1.6 million from the $2.5 million it raked in during March, which was the largest fundraising month to date.

Democratic strategists and party officials have another to worry and that is whether President Obama’s announcement that he supports same-sex marriage will further dampen the spirits of some potential contributors.

http://www.newscastmedia.com/billion-dollar-election.htm

World Health Report

Newscast Media GENEVA— The most recent report from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that cardiovascular disease and cancer are the leading causes of illnesses and death by noncommunicable diseases.

The report finds the leading causes of noncomminicable deaths arise from cardiovascular disease (48 percent), followed by cancers (21 percent ) and chronic respiratory diseases (12 percent). Diabetes is directly responsible for 3.5 percent of noncommunicable deaths.

Behavioral risk factors, including tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet and the harmful use of alcohol, are estimated to be responsible for about 80 percent of coronary heart disease. It has been estimated that raised blood pressure causes 51 percent of stroke deaths and 45 percent of coronary heart disease deaths, the report shows.

More than two thirds of all cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, with lung, breast, colorectal, stomach and liver cancers causing the majority of such deaths. In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women due to a high prevalence of infection with human papillomavirus. In high-income countries, the leading causes of cancer deaths are lung cancer among men and breast cancer among women.

Worldwide, 2.8 million people die each year as a resultof being overweight or obese. Being overweight or obese can lead to adverse metabolic effects on blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and can result in diabetes. Being overweight or obese thus increases the risks of coronary heart disease, ischaemic stroke, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and a number of common cancers, according to page 38 of the WHO report.

Between 1980 and 2008, the worldwide prevalence of obesity The prevalence of overweight and obese individuals was highest in the WHO Region of the Americas (62 percent overweight in both sexes, and 26 percent obese) and lowest in the WHO South-East Asia Region (14 percent overweight in both sexes and 3 percent obese).

In the WHO European Region, WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region and WHO Region of the Americas, over 50 percent of women were overweight. In all three regions, approximately half of these overweight women were obese (23 percent, 24 percent and 29 percent respectively), the report shows. Click here to read or download the 2012 WHO report.

http://www.newscastmedia.com/worldhealthreport2012.htm

Iranian protetest - Tehran Times

Newscast Media TEHRAN, Iran— According to the Tehran Times, Iranians aren’t thrilled with talks of a possible Bahrain-Saudi union. Iranian worshippers across the country held demonstrations after Friday prayers to protest the decision recently made by Persian Gulf Arab states to discuss a proposal for a closer political union that could begin with Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

In the demonstration that was held outside the University of Tehran, the worshippers chanted slogans in condemnation of the proposal and the Bahraini government’s wrong policies and expressed their support for the Bahraini people.

Meanwhile Press-TV reports that the leader of this week’s Friday prayers in Tehran, Hojjatoleslam Kazem Sediqi, told worshippers that the Al Khalifa government and the House of Saud must be aware that the Iranian people and other Muslim people in regional countries will not remain silent about this “American plot”.

“Though some Arab countries describe it as union, the reality is that the Bahraini regime is surrendering its identity to another country with utter ignominy, instead of paying heed to the demand of its own nation,” Seddiqi said.

Saudi Arabia is seeking to initially create a closer union with Bahrain in line with plans to unify the six Arab member states of the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council. The [P]GCC members, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman, met in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Monday to discuss closer “union” among the six countries.

In another related article, Press-TV reports that Bahrainians have taken to the streets and are marching under the slogan “Yes to Our Nation”, to express their opposition to the Saudi bid for a closer union with Bahrain, saying their country is not for sale.

http://www.newscastmedia.com/bahrain-saudia.htm

Ambassador Shapiro

Newscast Media JERUSALEM— U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro said his nation’s military has completed the necessary preparations to launch an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities in the event that international sanctions and diplomacy fail, The Jerusalem Post reported on Thursday.

“It would be preferable to resolve this (the Iranian nuclear crisis) diplomatically and through the use of pressure than to use military force, but that doesn’t mean that option is not fully available. Not just available, but ready. The necessary planning has been done to ensure that it’s ready,” Shapiro told a closed lawyers’ conference in Tel Aviv earlier this week.

“We do not know if sanctions and diplomacy will work, so all options are on the table, including the military option,” Shapiro said.

The ambassador underscored that President Barack Obama had previously clarified—in meetings with Israeli leaders and public pronouncements—that the United States will do whatever is necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

“I think this is a statement that America can take to the bank, that Israel can take to the bank, and that Iran should take to the bank,” Shapiro said.

The remarks, some of the harshest to date by a senior American official on Iran’s long-disputed nuclear program, come as Tehran and the P5+1—the UN Security Council’s five permanent members plus Germany—are scheduled to meet in Baghdad next week for a second round of talks.

Israel, Western leaders and the UN nuclear watchdog believe that Iran, which has repeatedly threatened to destroy the Jewish state, is clandestinely trying to build a nuclear weapon under the ruse of medical research and power generation.

In recent statements and interviews, both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak have more than hinted that Israel is geared up for a military strike if the P5+1 talks, launched in Ankara last month, fail to convince Tehran to halt its nuclear fuel enrichment.

On Monday, Barak sharply criticized as being “too lax” Western requirements for Iranian cooperation and transparency over their nuclear program.

“The demands today (of Iran) ahead of the talks are so minimal, that even if Iran accepts all of them it will still be able to continue and make progress with its nuclear program,” Barak told Army Radio.

He called on Iran to “completely cease its (nuclear fuel) enrichment activities, including to levels of 3.5 percent” and reiterated that Israel was weighing a military strike if the talks did not prove successful.

Barak said Israeli intelligence agencies were aware of the capabilities of the Parchin military facility near Tehran, where the Iranians are operating an high-explosives containment chamber commonly used in testing nuclear weapons, according to a sketch leaked last week.

Shapiro, a former member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the National Security Council, previously declined comments on whether the U.S. military is rehearsing plans to bomb Iran’s fortified nuclear infrastructure.

“We don’t require too much training. We already have a massive military presence in the (Persian) Gulf, don’t we?” Shapiro said in an interview with the Israeli daily Ma’ariv in January.

“It is clear that for Israel (Iran’s nuclear drive) is an existential threat. It’s also a threat to other states in the region, to Persian Gulf states and to America and its forces in the region,” he said.

The ambassador, who reportedly was not aware that he was being taped at the closed-door meeting this week, said that the U.S. military had not only drawn plans to attack Iran, but had tested them. Shapiro, however, noted that the Obama administration believes that “there is a window—not an unlimited time—in which we can still use diplomacy to achieve our goal.”

“At some point we will have to decide if diplomacy has failed. What we want to do is give it any chance,” he said.

http://www.newscastmedia.com/talks-with-iran.htm

Dalai Lama

Newscast Media AUSTIN, Texas—Beijing has denied allegations by the Dalai Lama that the Chinese government through its agents, was planning to poison the Buddhist monk. China says the exiled Tibetan leader is ‘spreading false information’ and ‘deceiving the world.’

In an interview with the British newspaper the Sunday Telegraph, the Tibetan spiritual leader said that he was told that Chinese authorities had been plotting to poison him by using Tibetan women posing as devotees.

“They were supposed to seek blessing from me, and touch my hand,” the Dalai Lama said during his trip to London on Monday. The Buddhist monk, however, fell short of providing proof of his allegation and said that there was “no possibility to cross-check” the authenticity of the plot.

The Chinese government has denied the allegation. Responding to the interview, Beijing said the Dalai Lama was “deceiving the world” and “spreading false information” about China.

“The Dalai Lama always engages in anti-China activities globally wearing his religious cloak, spreading false information, deceiving the world and confusing the public,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters on Monday. “His most recent statement is not even worth refuting,” he added.

China accuses the Nobel Peace Prize laureate of seeking to split Tibet, a claim which has been repeatedly denied by the Tibetan leader. The Dalai Lama says he only seeks greater autonomy for Tibet, which faces continued political and religious oppression under the Communist regime.

Beijing has also condemned the Dalai Lama’s meeting with the British Prime Minister Cameron as an “affront to the Chinese people.”

“This is a serious interference in China’s internal affairs and an affront to the Chinese people, undermining China-UK relations,” said Hong.

On Monday, the Dalai Lama met British Prime Minister David Cameron before receiving the prestigious Templeton Prize for his efforts to encourage “serious scientific investigative reviews of the power of compassion.” He said he would donate the 1.5 million euro prize money to the Save the Children organization to help malnourished Indian children.

The Dalai Lama, who lives in exile in India, fled China in 1959. He announced his retirement from his political role last year, saying he would only focus on spiritual duties.

http://www.newscastmedia.com/dalai-lama.htm

Radio Deutsche Welle

Immigration and Customs

by Napp Nazworth

Newscast Media AUSTIN, Texas—The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill last week that seeks to end the practice of illegal immigrants getting child tax credit refunds. Attention was brought to the issue after an investigative report by a local television news station went viral on the Internet.

Illegal immigrants are fraudulently taking advantage of the federal income tax’s child tax credit to the tune of $4.2 billion per year, reported Bob Segall of WTHR, an NBC affiliate in Indianapolis, Ind., on April 26. Since even those who do not pay takes can receive the credit, illegal immigrants have found that they are able to receive $1,000 per child from the federal government by filing taxes.

In some cases, though, the fraud goes even further. Segall found cases in which undocumented immigrants were taking the tax credit for nieces and nephews for whom they are not legal guardians and do not live in the United States. Some received more than $10,000 from the federal government.

Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas) sponsored the measure that would no longer allow undocumented immigrants to take the credit. It was added to a bill passed Thursday that seeks to offset planned cuts to defense spending with cuts to other parts of the federal budget. Johnson’s measure would contribute $7.6 billion to the over $300 billion bill.

Johnson credited Segall’s reporting for bringing attention to the issue in his public remarks on the House floor.

“Right now those who are here illegally can get cash from Uncle Sam by providing an IRS-provided tax payer ID number to claim this refundable credit. Illegal immigrants have gone so far as to file tax returns claiming children who do not live in America, according to a recent report by NBC Indianapolis’ WTHR,” Johnson said.

The Internal Revenue Service sent a letter to WTHR explaining that it had no authority to deny the credit to undocumented workers because they are allowed to receive the credit under current law. Johnson’s measure would require a Social Security number in order to receive the credit.

http://www.newscastmedia.com/taxcredit.htm

Militia

Newscast Media NAIROBI, Kenya—Somalia’s last two impediments are listed below:

Impediment #5: Political and economic instability due to lack of a legitimate Somalian government in the last 20 years, will certainly play a big role as the application is being considered. As mentioned earlier, South Sudan was encouraged to apply when it first got its independence, but now East African leaders are having second thoughts due to the political instability between the South and its northern neighbor Sudan.

Had Somalia not been a terror state, this impediment could possibly be waited out for it to correct itself. The problem lies with Al-Shabaab’s recent allegiance to Al-Qaeda making it an even more formidable force in the region, that could raise an army over time, and with adequate funding, take over the region and destabilize it. Both Kenya and Uganda have had their share of terrorist attacks and understand this reality.

One might ask where both Al-Shabaab and Al-Qaeda would get the numbers to form a fighting machine to destabilize the region. Well, if Somalia is accepted, Somalians will find it easier to move across borders from one country to another within the East African Community. The elements that may be more interested in destabilizing the region than promoting peace could then launch multi-regional attacks on the already-stable governments.

These numbers could also be harvested from sleeper cells within Kenya and Uganda. According to the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) Kenya alone has over 479,000 Somalian refugees and the number is expected hit 623,000 by December 2012 as shown in this United Nations report.

Sleeper cells that really want to wreak havoc can cross borders freely as members of the EAC pretending to be refugees, and build their numbers until they have an unstoppable army recruited from the 600,000-plus refugees. In return for fighting, the fighters could then be promised land and property of their captives, and also part of the profits from the natural resources of the region. Eventually Kenyans, Ugandans and Tanzanians could then become captive in the land of their forefathers being dominated by foreign invaders or occupiers.

If you look at Libya, it had the highest standard of living in all the Arab world, Africa and even most nations of Europe. This time last year, nobody would have imagined that a group of fighters with unsophisticated weapons called the Transnational Council, backed by Al-Qaeda, would remove Gaddafi from power and turn the once-prosperous nation into a wasteland. The black native Libyans (Tuaregs) are constantly being rounded up and caged like animals, and are forced to eat the green flag by their captors. If this could happen to Libya, there is no doubt that the same thing could happen to an East African country.

Impediment #6: Motive of wanting to join the East African Community may raise suspicions amongst East African leaders who would wonder why Somalia would want to be part of EAC yet Somalia is part of the Arab League. If the reason is for trade purposes then there is a lot more to benefit from oil-rich Arab nations than third-world East African countries. Somalia has been ruled by Islamist militias since 1991 therefore East African leaders would become suspicious about the true motives and intentions of Somalia wanting to join the EAC.

The most disturbing fear that leaders of East African may have is, since Somalia is run by Islamist militias, it may eventually attempt to Islamisize East Africa. This is backed up by a report compiled by the International Crisis Group that says: “Militant jihadi ideology is radicalising young Somalis at home and abroad; veteran foreign jihadis are exerting ever-greater influence; and recently its emir pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda and global jihad.” You may read the report from the International Crisis Group here.

The Somali people themselves are peace-loving people who want a stable country and economy. It is the warlords who are preventing and have prevented this from happening for the past 20 years, through indoctrination of the citizenry and opposition of outside assistance offered by nations that want to see human conditions improve and the conflict brought to an end.

Overall, Somalia’s application has several question marks that will cause the EAC leaders to think twice about a decision that could affect an entire region that is currently enjoying peace, and wants to keep it that way.

Related story:
Part I: Somalia’s challenges to joining East African Community

Somalia

Newscast Media NAIROBI, Kenya—Over a month ago, Somalia applied to join the East African Community (EAC) in a letter that was sent to Mwai Kibaki, Kenya’s president and the current head chairman of the EAC. Some might wonder why Somalia would apply to become part of the EAC since it is located in what is perceived by many as East Africa. To a foreign eye, that may appear true, but to a native African, the countries that make up East Africa are: Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Somalia is considered to be part of the Horn of Africa, and some go as far as classifying it as being part of North Africa.

To give the readers a little history of the EAC, it was conceived in 1967, by the aspirations of Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta, Uganda’s Milton Obote and Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere. This led to the formation of the East African Community that allowed inter-state commerce to happen between the three countries. Vehicles and trains from the region were marked with the abbreviation EAC to facilitate the free flow of goods across East Africa, and distinguish them from other African countries.

Within 10 years, the EAC had dissolved, but was revived in 1999-2000 by Kenya’s Daniel Arap Moi, Uganda’s Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and Tanzania’s Ali Hassan Mwinyi, to the current EAC. In July 2009 Rwanda and Burundi that were initially considered part of Central Africa, applied and were admitted as part of the East African Community. Today the EAC is made up of the five countries (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda) in the Great Lakes region.

Sudan applied to EAC but its membership was rejected for two reasons: The first reason was that it had no geographic borders attached to any of the East African countries. Secondly, Sudan practices Sharia law and no country in East Africa engages in that practice. South Sudan, has been encouraged to join the EAC, which will lessen its dependence on Sudan as it builds ties with East Africa. However, because political instability continues to plague the region, its application is being threatened as reported by Tanzania’s Citizen News.

Somalia comes into play by virtue of having its borders attached to Kenya, but faces several impediments, six (6) of which I will list below numerically:

Impediment #1: Somalia is considered a terror state and harbors the terrorist group Al-Shabaab as indicated in this report by the U.S. State Department.

This is in direct contravention of Article III of the EAC Treaty which clearly spells out the criteria used in expanding the membership of the Community.

Membership of the Community—Article III section 3(b):
(b) Adherence to universally acceptable principles of good governance, democracy, the rule of law, observance of human rights and social justice.

Because it harbors a terror group, it will be hard for Somalia to bypass this requirement of the East African Treaty.

Impediment #2: Al-Shabaab recently joined forces with Al-Qaeda, which does not strengthen its standing in the EAC community. An enraged Hillary Clinton wanted no part of discussions with the group, and ruled out talks with Al-Shabaab, saying that its decision to join forces with al-Qaeda showed “it is not on the side of peace, stability or the Somali people” as reported by the BBC in this article.

Impediment #3: Somalia observes Sharia Law, and just as Sudan was denied membership because no country in East Africa observes Sharia, there is a high likelihood the same standard will be applied to Somalia. Among many things, the strict interpretation of Sharia law also forbids girls from attending school, requires veils for women, beards for men, and bans music and television CNN reports here.

On the issue of Sharia, this law is decided by a Sharia court, yet to become a member of the EAC, it would mean that the East African Court of Justice would have jurisdiction over matters related to human rights and so forth. The decision of the East African Court also supersedes the decisions of other national courts in matters related to the Treaty. This is demonstrated in Article 23, Article 27, Article 33 and Article 35 of the East African Treaty as shown below:

ARTICLE 23: East African Court of Justice—Role of the Court
The Court shall be a judicial body which shall ensure the adherence to law in the interpretation and application of and compliance with this Treaty.

ARTICLE 27—Jurisdiction of the Court
1. The Court shall initially have jurisdiction over the interpretation and application of this Treaty.
2. The Court shall have such other original, appellate, human rights and other jurisdiction as will be determined by the Council at a suitable subsequent date. To this end, the Partner States shall conclude a protocol to operationalise the extended jurisdiction.

ARTICLE 33— Jurisdiction of National Courts
1. Except where jurisdiction is conferred on the Court by this Treaty, disputes to which the Community is a party shall not on that ground alone, be excluded from the jurisdiction of the national courts of the Partner States.
2. Decisions of the Court on the interpretation and application of this Treaty shall have precedence over decisions of national courts on a similar matter.

ARTICLE 35—Judgment of the Court
1. The Court shall consider and determine every reference made to it pursuant to this Treaty in accordance with rules of the Court and shall deliver in public session, a reasoned judgment which, subject to rules of the Court as to review, shall be final, binding and conclusive and not open to appeal. Click here to read or download entire East African Treaty.

Impediment #4: Piracy on the seas, is not only a regional issue that Somalia has failed to contain, it has become an international problem, once again in contravention to Article III of the EAC Treaty, particularly subsections (b) and (f).
Article III sections 3(b) and 3(f) state:
(b) Adherence to universally acceptable principles of good governance, democracy, the rule of law, observance of human rights and social justice;
(f)Social and economic policies being compatible with those of the Community.

The activity of Somalian pirates not only violates human rights because they have killed many hostages, but piracy also hinders commerce and economic policies, because merchant vessels containing goods and merchandise that are hijacked by pirates, are a source of income upon which various countries rely to grow their economies. CBS News reported the story of four Americans who were killed by Somalian pirates with a message from Muse Abdi who said: “Killing hostages has now become part of our rules. From now on, anyone who tries to rescue the hostages in our hands will only collect dead bodies.” Continue to Part II-Somalia’s impediments>

Or Umma from Somalia who spends her last pennies for a boat ride to Italy only to find herself an unwilling victim of the sex trade. Or Noben, a fisherman from Bangladesh beaten by his boss when he fails to meet his quota of catch for the day.

A common misconception is that sex trafficking is a problem limited to developing nations. Every year, thousands of people are brought into the West and forced into prostitution. The high demand allows traffickers to make a great profit and continue to bring more victims into the trade. In most countries prostitution is illegal, yet countries like Thailand attract numerous wealthy men from the West who are sex
tourists looking for underage girls, boys and she-males.

In one of its worst forms, trafficking involves harvesting people’s organs and selling them on the black market.

Talitha Kum network headed by Sister Estrella Castalone is on the front line fighting the trafficking, and also providing programs to train consecrated religious and lay in methods of prevention and to provide assistance for victims of trafficking. Below is an interview of Sr. Castalone talking about this growing problem of human trafficking.

Tracey McClure interviews Sister Estrella – Audio Courtesy: Vatican Radio
(The interviewer keeps mispronouncing the nun’s name as Australia instead of Estrella)

http://www.newscastmedia.com/human-trafficking.htm

Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum

by Paul Stanley
Newscast Media WASHINGTON, D.C.—Former Pennsylvania Sen. and GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum has made it official in a letter to his supporters – he is endorsing Mitt Romney for president. Santorum met with Romney last Friday and said the meeting gave him the confidence he needed to extend his formal blessing. More importantly, he said they agree on the issues of abortion and marriage.

Santorum took the opportunity to mention the differences he and Romney had on the campaign trail, but highlighted the common issues they shared in capturing the White House in November.

“The primary campaign certainly made it clear that Governor Romney and I have some differences,” wrote Santorum in an email late Monday night. “But there are many significant areas in which we agree: the need for lower taxes, smaller government, and a reduction in out-of-control spending. We certainly agree that abortion is wrong and marriage should be between one man and one woman.”

Santorum’s endorsement comes as little surprise, but the question political pundits were asking was when was Santorum going to endorse the presumed Republican nominee and what did he want in return?

The former senator’s surprising rise from the back of the pack to achieve what most consider the runner-up spot by winning 11 states and 3 million votes was surprising in and of itself. Once written off as being too “far-right,” Santorum’s direct and simplistic approach appealed to many GOP primary voters – most notably in states where the majority of the primary vote considered themselves to be “evangelical.”

In his letter, Santorum said of his formal rival that he was impressed with Romney’s “commitment to economic policies that preserve and strengthen families.”

“He clearly understands that having pro-family initiatives are not only the morally and economically right thing to do, but that the family is the basic building block of our society and must be preserved,” Santorum stated in the email.

The meeting between the two Republicans in Pittsburg last Friday was not intended to produce an endorsement, but instead gave both the opportunity to discuss how to move forward and rally the GOP in their common objective of defeating President Obama.

“Above all else, we both agree that President Obama must be defeated,” the email said. “It will require all hands on deck if our nominee is to be victorious. Gov. Romney will be that nominee and he has my endorsement and support to win this, the most critical election of our lifetime.”

http://www.newscastmedia.com/santorum-romney.htm

Bank of America

Newscast Media WASHINGTON, D.C.—Whether it is out of fear of being found in violation of the recent settlement with the Justice Department, or out of being genuinely contrite, America’s largest bank, Bank of America is allegedly forgiving and canceling up to $150,000 of debt owed by homeowners.

This move comes as an after effect of being sued by Barack Obama, through the Justice Department, for committing fraud and misrepresentation against homeowners, and also using deceptive means while foreclosing on homes. I have enclosed the entire lawsuit at the end of the document that can be read or download.

You have to give Obama credit for fighting mortgage fraud, and compelling the banks to address it, which is something I’m sure has angered the banks. However, at the end of the day, whether Obama is re-elected or not, he can be at peace with himself for having made an effort to stop the bleeding when fraud was rampant in the mortgage industry, and it is a decision he can live with.

Obama doesn’t use the word “fraud”, he uses words like: misconduct, improper behavior, misrepresentation, violation of homeowners’ rights, false information, unlawful foreclosures, unfair practices, wrongful conduct, deceptive practices, and many more terms. Yet we know that the above phrases are a polite way of accusing the banks of fraud. It softens the blow for the banks when “euphemisms” like deceptive practices or false information are used instead of fraud and forgery.

In Texas, if one commits forgery, one is immediately guilty of up to 20 years in jail with hard labor. See Chapter Two of this particular law: Texas Penal Code Title XIV Offenses Against Trade, Commerce ETC – Chapter 2: Forgery of Land Titles, Article 947. [550]).

This means that even attorneys who submit defective documents with either a back-dated notary stamp, or a blank endorsement stamped on the Note (robo-signing) would be found guilty and could even be arrested on the spot without trial, by the Sheriff’s department, if the fraudulent documents were forwarded to the relevant authorities.

The banks feel that “sugar-coated” words do not make them look bad, as opposed to the actual hardcore phrases describing their conduct. That way, once the dust settles, it is easier at a press conference for bank executives to say: “We corrected the wrongful conduct of our employees and agents,” than it is for executives to say, “We corrected the fraud and forgery committed by our employees agents.”

One of the widely-known methods to seize properties was through “robo-signing” which is the automated signing of documents, which is a fraudulent act, without actually reviewing the contents of the signed document.

Executives at Bank of America say they will begin mailing 200,000 letters offering certain customers mortgage principal reduction.

“If people get these things and toss them, they won’t be eligible,” says Ron Sturzenegger, the Bank of America executive charged with providing solutions to borrowers in need of mortgage assistance.

According to CNBC, in order to qualify for the modification, the borrower must answer the letter with full documentation of income, showing that under the terms of the modification they can still make the monthly payment. A borrower with no income would therefore not qualify. A borrower’s current monthly payment must be more than 25 percent of gross income, and the borrower must show they are unable to afford that.

Not all of the 200,000 borrowers who receive the letters are expected to respond CNBC reports. Executives say there is a level of fatigue among delinquent borrowers who have already received several notices or who may have gone through a failed modification process. Some borrowers simply don’t want to stay in their homes, while others may think the offer is a scam.

“They have been contacted by a lot of other people, and this offer may appear too good to be true,” says Sturzenegger

The bank has staffed up to handle the task, with 50,000 employees manning servicing desks, but the process will clearly take a lot of time.

Bank of America has suspended any foreclosure actions against these 200,000 borrowers until the process is complete, which might take up to two years.

Click here to read or download the lawsuit Barack Obama filed against the banks through the Department of Justice.

http://www.newscastmedia.com/debt-forgiveness.htm

Dmitry Medvedev

Newscast Media MOSCOW—Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was confirmed as the country’s new prime minister by a majority of votes in the State Duma on Tuesday.

President Vladimir Putin submitted Medvedev’s candidacy for the post shortly after his inauguration as president on Monday. Medvedev occupied the presidential post in 2008-2012.

Before the vote on Tuesday, Putin introduced Medvedev to the lawmakers as an experienced politician who stood behind crucial reforms in the country.

“In an open dialog with civil society, he began serious reforms, reformed aimed to improve productivity of the government apparatus, the law-enforcement and judicial system that could protect people and defend truth and justice,” Putin said.

Following winter protests over the results of parliamentary elections, Medvedev pushed for liberalizing the law on political parties relaxing their registration requirements, and also campaigned for reintroducing direct gubernatorial elections. The proposals he made on Tuesday generally coincided with the decrees Puin issued
May 7.

Putin also praised the former president for his modernization efforts and passion for technology as well as for projects to promote young talents. After the complimentary introduction, the candidate prime minister took the floor and outlined an ambitious program for Russia’s further development.

To be approved as prime minister, Medvedev had to collect the majority of votes in the 450-seat Duma, which is at least 226 votes. United Russia, which earlier proposed Medvedev as its leader, holds 238 seats.

Both Putin, former premier, and Medvedev said before the presidential polls in March that they would swap their positions if Putin won the elections.

http://www.newscastmedia.com/russian-pm.htm

Houston law enforcement displaying their toys

Newscast Media HOUSTON, Texas—Houston police proved that, “everything’s bigger in Texas” and on Salute Law Enforcement Day in Houston there was a display of big toys from over 100 law enforcement agencies around the Houston area, as law enforcement officers mingled with the public to bring safety awareness to
Houstonians.

Newscast Media was invited to cover the event which included the SWAT Team (Special Weapons and Tactics) an elite tactical unit in law enforcement, Secret Service, FBI agents, drug-sniffing dogs, officers on horseback, beat officers and many more agencies. Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia was a special guest at the event, and played a big role in making the festivities successful.

Harris County Sheriff - Adrian Garcia. A Sheriff is the highest and most powerful governmental authority in his county. Within that jurisdiction (his county) – the Sheriff has more power than the governor of his state. Indeed, and more power in his county than the President of the United States. In his county, A Sheriff can overrule an unjust judge, the governor,
and the U.S. President, and can even kick him out of his county. Of course many people do not know this because media practitioners keep them in the dark, about how much power is accessible to the citizenry through their local Sheriff

Videography by Joseph Earnest

Houston, which is also referred to as Harris County, hosts the event annually and this year’s venue was the Willowbrook Mall on F.M. 1960. Believe it or not, there is a street that sounds like a radio station, and F.M. 1960 is perhaps one of the longest streets North Houston.

ENTER PHOTO GALLERY>>

Sudan and South Sudan

Newscast Media KHARTOUM, Sudan—Despite accusing each other of continuing to fight, both Sudan and South Sudan have apparently agreed to a UN-imposed ceasefire. As a UN-imposed deadline for a ceasefire between Sudan and South Sudan passed Friday, both countries said they had agreed to cease hostilities following weeks of clashes that have threatened to bring the countries to war.

A standoff between opposing forces continues near the disputed border, but the governments Khartoum and Juba said they would seek peace. The UN threatened sanctions if fighting continued past the Friday deadline.

“There’s nothing happening, or let’s hope so,” said South Sudan’s army spokesman Philip Aguer. “The SPLA (army) is in a defensive position and have been told today by the commander in chief… not to move and to respect the ceasefire.”

Sudan said it was no longer engaging in conflicts across the border to South Sudan, but has said it will engage Southern troops on who are still in Sudan. The border between the two countries, however, remains disputed.

“Sudan has stopped fighting inside South Sudan in line with a UN resolution, but will continue battling Southern troops who remain on northern territory,” said Sudanese foreign ministry spokesman Al-Obeid Meruh.

He cited this alleged presence on Sudanese territory as an indication that South Sudan was not holding up its end of the ceasefire bargain.

The South also said warplanes from Sudan had dropped bombs in the South’s Unity state on Thursday, claims which have been denied by Sudan. http://www.newscastmedia.com/ceasefire-sudan.htm

UBS bank

Newscast Media WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged UBS Financial Services Inc. of Puerto Rico and two executives with making misleading statements to investors and concealing material information regarding securities. However, this approach is very unique that the SEC is taking. It bypasses the courts by the use Administrative Procedure Act, and directly charges the banks and executives involved with securities fraud, and even imposes a fine.

This is very powerful because the majority of judges in federal courts do not understand securities; attorneys also do not know how to defend such cases because they do not learn about securities laws in law school, so rather than risk losing a case based on a technicality or a judge’s unwillingness to address fraud committed by banks, the SEC is charging them directly and writing orders very much like a judge would do. This out-of-court approach will help investors and beneficiaries of fraudulently-created trusts resolve cases in which mortgage-backed securities are involved.

Just like a judge can issue an injunction, the SEC’s version is to issue a cease and desist from violating the Securities Act of 1933. Which means if a bank defrauds investors in regard to the existence of Trusts that don’t exist, and they bring it to the awareness of the SEC rather than the courts, they can receive relief for the fraud. Homeowners whose mortgages were put in defunct trusts secured by their deeds of trusts, benefit from such an order because it prohibits the banks and their agents from ever receiving any financial gain relating to such trusts. This way, homeowners are quietly winning injunctions against the big banks, without having to deal with the courts or when ruled against by the courts.

In this particular case of UBS in PR, the SEC used the Administrative Procedure to resolve the case. Here is exactly what the SEC said in its order:

In view of the foregoing, the Commission deems it appropriate and in the public interest to impose the sanctions agreed to in UBS PR’s Offer.

Accordingly, pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act, and Sections 15(b) and 21C of the Exchange Act, it is hereby ORDERED that:

A. UBS PR cease and desist from committing or causing any violations and any future violations of Sections 17(a) of the Securities Act, Sections 10(b) and 15(c) of the Exchange Act, and Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act.

B. UBS PR shall, within 14 days of the entry of this Order, pay disgorgement of $11,500,000.00, prejudgment interest of $1,109,739.94, and a civil money penalty of $14,000,000.00 to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

—————————————-

When a bank violates Section 17 of the Securities Act of 1933, it means there was fraud involved in the sale or acquring of securities. As I have said before in previous articles, almost 100 percent of the Trusts banks claim to be Trustees over do not exist, so the mortgage-backed securities are not mortgage backed. Banks like Deutsche Bank, Option One, Wells Fargo and many others that claim to hold mortgages for Trust XYZ on behalf of Certificate holders would be in violation of Section 17(a)(2) if the Trusts in which those alleged mortgage-backed securities they claim to own do not exist.

Violation of Section 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933

Section 17 – Anti-Fraud Authority

Section 17(a) provides one of the central sources of anti-fraud authority for law enforcement. In most securities actions you will see Section 17(a) used as a basis for jurisdiction (along with Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder).

“It shall be unlawful for any person in the offer or sale of any securities or any security-based swap agreement (as defined in section 206B of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act [15 USCS § 78c note]) by the use of any means or instruments of transportation or communication in interstate commerce or by use of the mails, directly or indirectly (1) to employ any device, scheme, or artifice to defraud, or (2) to obtain money or property by means of any untrue statement of a material fact or any omission to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.”

So when the SEC issues a cease and desist to a bank from committing or causing any violations and any future violations of Sections 17 of the Securities Act of 1933, it is an equivalent of a permanent injunction to enjoin(stop) the bank from claiming any property rights to the related trust as highlighted in Section 17(a)(2) above.

Unfortunately not too many homeowners or even their attorneys are familiar with SEC rules, to be able to benefit from the rulings that are happening in regard to fraud. Only the savvy homeowners are the ones benefiting from such rulings, and when a “clear title” is filed, the bank, in accordance to the SEC order, cannot attempt to claim ownership over a property tainted with fraud, or else it will be in violation of the SEC order. This is something the media is forbidden to report, because the large corporations own the corporate media, and do not want an awakening to occur. You may read or download the UBS cease and desist order here.

http://www.newscastmedia.com/administrative-procedure.htm

Lionel Messi and Gerd Muller (the bomber)

Newscast Media BARCELONA, Spain—Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi who plays for Barcelona has broken the record for goals scored in a European club season, bringing his total to 68. The previous record of 67 was held by Germany’s Gerd Müller who played for Bayern Munich.

In his day, Gerd Müller was referred to as “the bomber” because of his powerful shots that were capable of tearing through the net. Bayern Munich’s greatest rival was Koln with star goalkeeper Harold “Toni” Schumacher who most players avoided approaching due to their fear of being fouled by the goalkeeper’s rough-play.

Germany had incredible talent from the days of Sepp Maier, whose real name was Josef Maier but derived the “Sepp” from the Italian version of Josef which is Giuseppe. In the 80s the Germans were a formidable force with players like Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Karlheinz Forster, Horst Hrubesch who scored more goals with his head than with his legs, Klaus Fischer, Pierre Littbarski, Lothar Matthäus, Rudi Voller and of course Schumacher. Most of these players are still alive and have been responsible for leading Germany to the finals more times than any other country.

Messi has the advantage of playing in the 21st-Century with modern technology to treat and heal injuries a lot faster than earlier times. The money is also very good which can motivate a player to aspire to great heights due to the high expectations of management and fans.

With the King Cup final and two more league matches ahead, Lionel Messi could exceed the 68 goals and set the bar higher this year. http://www.newscastmedia.com/lionel-messi.htm

Billy Graham

by Paul Stanley

Newscast Media RALEIGH, North Carolina—Renowned evangelist Billy Graham issued a statement voicing his support for an amendment that would define marriage as between a man and a woman, just under a week before North Carolina citizens will vote on the issue. Notably, Graham’s endorsement is rare given that he typically avoids political issues.

“At 93, I never thought we would have to debate the definition of marriage,” Graham said in his statement on Wednesday. “The Bible is clear – God’s definition of marriage is between a man and a woman. I want to urge my fellow North Carolinians to vote for the marriage amendment on Tuesday, May 8. God bless you as you vote.”

The elder Graham is not the only one in this powerful family to lend their support to the state’s marriage amendment. In April, Anne Graham Lotz and her brother Franklin Graham also publicly endorsed a “yes” vote for the measure.

Supporters of the measure called the elder Graham’s backing “significant.”

“Reverend Graham understands that we as North Carolinians have a duty to preserve God’s first institution – marriage,” said Tami Fitzgerald, chairwoman of Vote FOR Marriage NC, in her statement. “We cannot be silent as activists work to radically redefine marriage – an institution that has been fundamental to our civilization for thousands of years.”

Some were surprised by Graham’s public statement, saying he has historically avoided commenting on political hot-button issues. However, Southeastern Baptist Seminary President Danny Akin told Politico that he’s not surprised to hear Graham comment on this issue.

“I think he would see this as I do, not so much as a political issue – which it is – but a moral issue,” said Akin. “He believes it’s right to affirm that marriage should be understood as a covenant between a man and a woman.”

On the other hand, President Obama and other Democrat and liberal leaders claim the measure is discriminatory and would be unfair to homosexuals who want to marry.

“While the president does not weigh in on every single ballot measure in every state, the record is clear that the President has long opposed divisive and discriminatory efforts to deny rights and benefits to same-sex couples,” Obama’s North Carolina spokesperson, Cameron French, said in mid-March.

A Public Policy Polling survey released on Tuesday revealed that likely voters will support the measure 55-41 percent, or by a hefty margin of 14 percent.

Over 211,000 votes have been cast early and the issue is expected to generate a high turnout among voters. http://www.newscastmedia.com/marriage-amendment.htm

An F-22 Raptor

Newscast Media WASHINGTON, D.C.— The U.S. has reportedly deployed an unspecified number of F-22 fighter jets to Al-Dafra air base which is South of the Strait of Hormuz, according to media reports. The F-22 is considered the best fighter jet, but the single-seat, twin-engine fifth-generation fighter aircraft that uses stealth technology, has never been combat-proven.

Major Mary Danner-Jones, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Air Force, said, “The United States Air Force has deployed F-22s to Southwest Asia. Such deployments strengthen military-to-military relationships, promote sovereign and regional security, improve combined tactical air operations, and enhance interoperability of forces, equipment and procedures,” according to a PBS article.

The deployment comes as the Iran Six, which includes the United States and Russia, is preparing for talks with Iran on its controversial nuclear program.

Iran’s Defense Minister responded by saying, “Basing American F-22 in an Emirate’s base is a harmful action and damages regional security,” according to CBS news.

“We consider such (military) presence in the region as to be useless and harmful and more aimed at creating a psychological ploy and an insecure atmosphere in the region,” Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said, “We don’t see it useful.”

He added that the presence of trans-regional countries in the region will yield no result but complicating the situation and making the region insecure, as reported in this article by FARS News Agency.

http://www.newscastmedia.com/al-dafra-airbase.htm

Amr Mousa

Newscast Media WASHINGTON, D.C.—Egyptian presidential candidate Amr Mousa said the Camp David Accords signed by his country and the Israeli regime in 1978 are “dead and buried,” according the Islam Times. Addressing a mass rally in southern Egypt on Sunday, the former Arab League chief described the agreement as a document which should be put “on the shelves of history,” Ha’aretz reported.

The Camp David Accords were signed by then Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat and then Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin on September 17, 1978, following thirteen days of secret negotiations at Camp David in Washington D.C.

The deal comprises of two agreements, a Framework for Peace in the Middle East, and a Framework for the Conclusion of a Peace Treaty between Egypt and Israel. The latter agreement led to the signing of the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty in 1979 which also took place in the United States.

“The Camp David Accords is a historical document whose place is on the shelves of history, as its articles talk about the fact that the aim of the agreement is to establish an independent Palestinian state,” said Mousa.

Mousa seems to be speaking about the first part of the Camp David Accords, signed in 1978, which included articles on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

“This accord is dead and buried,” the leading Egyptian presidential candidate stressed.

“There is an agreement between Israel and Egypt that we will honor as long as Israel honors it,” he added however, apparently referring to the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty.

His remarks come against the backdrop of tense ties between Cairo and Tel Aviv since the downfall of former dictator Hosni Mubarak last year. Egypt recently announced plans to halt natural gas exports to Israel. There have been growing calls in Egypt for a review of relations with Tel Aviv.

http://www.newscastmedia.com/camp-david.htm

Source:Islam Times

Houston International Festival

Newscast Media HOUSTON, Texas—The Houston International Festival is an annual celebration of culture and tradition that takes place in downtown Houston, with live performances, fashion shows, international cuisine and much more.

Visitors from around the world converge on Tranquility Park in Houston to be a part of the iFest tradition, the highlights of which have been captured by Newscast Media on video, and in our photo gallery.

Videography by Joseph Earnest

ENTER PHOTO GALLERY>>>>

Liberia's Charles Taylor

Newscast Media THE HAGUE, Netherlands—United Nations officials today welcomed the guilty verdict handed down against former Liberian President Charles Taylor by the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL).

“This is a historic and momentous day for the people of Sierra Leone, for the region and beyond. The Secretary-General’s thoughts today are with the victims of the crimes for which Charles Taylor has been found guilty,” said a spokesperson for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

“The judgment is a significant milestone for international criminal justice, as it concerns the first ever conviction of a former Head of State by an international criminal tribunal for planning, aiding and abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity,” he added. “It sends a strong signal to all leaders that they are and will be held accountable for their actions.”

Earlier on Thursday, the SCSL handed down a guilty verdict against Mr. Taylor for planning, aiding and abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity. He was on trial on 11 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including pillage, slavery for forced marriage purposes, collective punishment and the recruitment and use of child soldiers.

Mr. Taylor, who was indicted while he was still President of Liberia, is the first former Head of State to be convicted by an international criminal tribunal since the Nuremberg trials in 1946. The charges relate to his alleged support for two rebel groups – the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council and the Revolutionary United Front – during Sierra Leone’s decade-long civil war. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The UN chief’s views were echoed around other parts of the United Nations system. “It is important to recognize that Taylor may appeal the verdict, and that his guilt is not fully established until the end of the judicial process,” the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, said in a news release. “Nevertheless, whatever the final outcome, this is undoubtedly a historic moment in the development of
international justice.”

The High Commissioner noted that other leaders – namely Laurent Gbagbo and Radovan Karadžic – have also been charged with international crimes and are either already on trial or will be soon. As well, President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan has been indicted, while Slobodan Miloševic and Muammar Qadhafi were also at various stages of international proceedings at the time of their deaths.

“The days when tyrants and mass murderers could, even when they had been deposed, retire to a life of luxury in another land are over,” Pillay said. “And so they should be. Few things are more repugnant than seeing people with so much blood on their hands, living on stolen money with no prospect of their victims seeing justice carried out.”

The Court’s conviction of Mr. Taylor included his involvement in the conscription, enlistment or use of children under the age of 15 years in hostilities. The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy, said the court’s decision was a groundbreaking achievement in
prosecuting those who commit or are responsible for the most horrendous crimes against children.

“In this decade long conflict, children have experienced unspeakable atrocities. Girls and boys have been forced to cut off people’s limbs or have been mutilated themselves,” Ms. Coomaraswamy said in a news release. “I am encouraged by the prosecution of the mastermind behind these crimes and hope that with justice done today comes recovery and healing for the victims.”

She noted that the SCSL has been at the forefront of the fight against impunity for violations against children – it was the first international court to decide that the recruitment and use of children under fifteen constitutes a war crime under customary international law. The Court also took a clear decision not to prosecute child soldiers, but to bring to justice those who bear the greatest responsibility: political leaders and military commanders.

Noting that three of the 11 counts in the indictment against Mr. Taylor pertain to sexual violence, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Margot Wallström, said the court’s decision sends a powerful signal that sexual violence will be punished.

“Wartime sexual violence used to be one of history’s greatest silences and the world’s least condemned war crime. The trial of Charles Taylor, former President of Liberia, represents a firm commitment by the international community that impunity is not an option for this type of crime,” Ms. Wallström said in news release. “The successful prosecution of a former President signals that no leader – however powerful – is above the law; and that no woman or girl is below it.”

The Prosecutor of the SCSL, Brenda J. Hollis, applauded the conviction, lauding it as another victory in the fight against impunity.

“Today is for the people of Sierra Leone who suffered horribly because of Charles Taylor. This judgment brings some measure of justice to the many thousands of victims who paid a terrible price for Mr. Taylor’s crimes,” Ms. Hollis said.

According to the SCSL, following today’s judgment both parties will make submissions on sentencing, which is expected to be pronounced in the near future. The final stage in the case will be the appeals phase. The Prosecution will closely review today’s judgment to identify any potential appellate issues. The Secretary-General’s spokesperson noted that the SCSL is an excellent model of a cooperative partnership with the United Nations to bring those responsible for serious international crimes to justice in accordance with international standards of justice, fairness and due process of law.

“As the Special Court for Sierra Leone nears the completion of its mandate, the Secretary-General calls on the international community to preserve and promote its legacy by supporting the Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone, which will commence functioning upon the closure of the Special Court,” he added.
http://www.newscastmedia.com/liberia.htm