Al-Qaeda wants to retake al-Andalus; 10,000 march in Jena, Louisiana, to support jailed teen...

22 September :: Al-Qaeda has announced its intention to recapture the medieval caliphate of Al-Andalus, which covered much of modern Spain; alleged 2nd in command al-Zawahiri says retaking Maghreb and Al-Andalus is an 'obligation', will begin with assault on Spanish, French interests in north Africa, threatening to kidnap westerners working or living in areas where it operates... Two French nationals, one Italian and six Algerians, injured in suicide attack, terrorist group calling itself Al-Qaida pour le Maghreb islamique (AQMI) —or Al-Qaeda for an Islamic Maghreb— claimed responsibility for "first strike" against western Interests in the territory of the medieval western caliphate; AQMI is reportedly operating in Tunisia, Morocco and Mauritania as well... 10,000 protesters march in Jena, Louisiana, to call for release of Mychal Bell, whose conviction on charges of aggravated battery, conspiracy, was thrown out by appeals court, demand justice for African-American students accused of attempted murder for beating student who allegedly participated in racial threats, which included nooses hanging from oak tree; DA Walters said of the nooses strung up "I cannot overemphasize what a villainous act that was. The people that did it should be ashamed of what they unleashed on this town", while the NY Times quotes Latese Brown, a 40-year-old demonstrator saying, "If you can figure out how to make a school yard fight into an attempted murder charge, I’m sure you can figure out how to make stringing nooses into a hate crime"...

Spain airs anti-migration ads in Senegal; NASA restores $105 million mission to survey black holes...

21 September :: Spain has begun airing commercials in West Africa urging would-be migrants not to attempt the perilous journey by boat to Spanish soil in the Canary Islands; adverts show weeping families, drowned migrants, urge viewers to see themselves as "the future of Africa"; the 6-week, $1.4 million campaign was launched on Senegalese TV... BBC reports on rally for the 'Jena Six' that "Racial tensions had been running high at the school after three nooses were found hanging from a tree in the school yard, the day after a black pupil had sat in its shade... The three white pupils responsible for that act were not disciplined"; estimated 10,000 people from across the US attended rally in town of 3,000... NASA has restored the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), a $105 million mission to study black holes; New Scientist reports "NuSTAR will carry out a census of black holes of all sizes, from small ones weighing a few times the mass of the Sun to 'supermassive' black holes weighing millions or billions of Suns"... US sec. of State Rice says scheduled summit on Mid-east peace must lay groundwork for Palestinian state, negotiated peace, otherwise there's no point inviting the two sides to the talks... US dollar fell yesterday to record-low $1.4018 against the euro, after Fed cut interest rates to ease economic crisis spurred by mortgage bank failures, weak dollar expected to help Eurozone firms reduce costs, hurt exports as US is largest Eurozone trading partner; in July dollar fell to record low against the Chinese yuan, when the Chinese central bank raised interest rates to stabilize currency, investment prospects, central bank sets 'mid-point' from which yuan is allowed to rise or fall in value by maximum of 0.5% per day...

China, Russia spying on Cold-War scale; Netanyahu admits to Israel airstrike on Syria; Ahmadinejad request to visit WTC denied...

20 September :: US Director of National Intelligence says China, Russia now spying on scale not seen since Cold War; claims comes as reports suggest China, India invovled in ballistic missile build-up, concerns over Asian arms race; Pentagon recently alleged its computer network was attacked by Chinese hackers... Israeli gov't criticizes opposition leader Netanyahu for confirming allegations about Israel airstrike on Syria earlier this month, move characterized as "irresponsibility" on part of fmr PM... NY Police Dept. has refused Iranian pres. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's request to lay a wreath at 'Ground Zero' —site of 11 Sept. 2001 attacks—, citing ongoing construction and security concerns; presidential candidates from both parties had revolted at the request, citing Iran's alleged support for militant groups in Middle East; Iran spokesman says intent was "to lay a wreath at the site of ground zero in order to pay tribute to the victims of the terrorists attack of September 11, 2001", while US ambassador to UN, Zalmay Khalilzad said "Iran can demonstrate its seriousness about concern with regard to terrorism by taking concrete actions, such as dropping support for Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and suspending their uranium enrichment program"... Israel's ambassador to UN had called on US authorities to refuse Ahmadinejad access to UN, saying he should be arrested and tried for "incitement to genocide"; Ha'aretz reports "Gillerman says he is aware of the American obligation as the UN host-country to allow any member of the organization to enter the US" but classified Iran as a special case because its president had called for the destruction of a fellow member-state...

US suspends diplomats' travel in Iraq, security firm under scrutiny; 170,000 Iraqi families have fled homes due to conflict; NYT online now free...

19 September :: US suspends all road travel outside Baghdad 'Green Zone' by its diplomats in Iraq, after Iraqi gov't prohibits private military firm Blackwater from providing security or operating in Iraq, amid allegations Blackwater agents fired "indiscriminately" on civilians with no apparent provocation; BBC reports Blackwater operations difficult to trace, company claims to have "come under fire"... Israel cabinet officially declares Gaza Strip, governed by Hamas, a "hostile entity", meaning it can now impose harsh economic sanctions on the territory; Hamas accuses Israel of "collective punishment" of civilian population... Iraq population migrating in ways that reshape country's ethnic and sectarian make-up; migration data from survey by Iraqi Red Crescent organization show "in Baghdad alone there are now nearly 170,000 families, accounting for almost a million people, that have fled their homes in search of security, shelter, water, electricity, functioning schools or jobs to support their families"... Burmese ruling military junta (which has renamed country Myanmar) has fired teargas into crowd of 1,000 Buddhist monks demonstrating against totalitarian regime in Sittwe; nationwide call for religious boycott of military junta led to demonstrations in numerous other cities, as lay people, some Muslims, joined protests; regime closed the Shwedagon Pagoda, the nation's holiest shrine, to prevent dissidents from organizing religious groups there; Pagoda was to be visible center of campaign for monks to refuse alms from anyone tied to the regime... IHT reports "The New York Times will stop charging for access to its Web site, except for some of its archives, effective at midnight Tuesday, reflecting a growing view in the industry that subscription fees cannot outweigh the potential advertising revenue from increased traffic on a free site"; move comes as media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, still in talks to finalize purchase of DowJones, said to be suggesting removing all fees for online access to the website of its flagship publication, the Wall Street Journal...

North Korea denies nuclear assistance to Syria; French FM plays down call to war with Iran...

18 September :: North Korea's gov't says rumors it provided nuclear assistance to Syria are "conspiracy" designed to prevent its normalizing relations with the US... Russia, China have raised "alarm" over comments by French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner that the nation should prepare for war with Iran; Reuters reports "Kouchner sought, however, to play down his weekend remarks, saying they were meant as a 'message of peace'"... Israel's PM Olmert has said he respects Syrian pres. Bashar al-Assad and does not rule out dialogue with Damascus; Syria accuses Israel aircraft of firing on its territory earlier this month; alleged intel leaked to press suggests Israel may seek to defend actions claiming target was facility where Syria was working on nuclear technology obtained from North Korea; Syria, N. Korea deny allegations... Venezuelan man wakes up as coroners begin autopsy surgery; no official word on how death certificate was issued, autopsy ordered, on man whose heart, brain were still functioning; Reuters has published images provided by Carlos Camejo to a El Universal newspaper, showing his facial scar and the document ordering his autopsy...

Six-party talks stalled; Ukraine to seal Chernobyl site with steel shell...

17 September :: The "six-party talks" aimed at dismantling North Korea's nuclear apparatus, normalizing relations with rogue regime, suspended, in move apparently linked to allegations of Syrian nuclear ties; Israel allegedly bombed, in secret, facilities in Syria it now claims contained North Korean nuclear technology, that claim has caused a heightening in tensions between Pyongyang, Washington, just as old foes are readying to "end the Korean war", in the words of Pres. Bush... Ukraine gov't approves plan to seal Chernobyl nuclear facility with giant steel shell, to prevent any further leaks of radiation from the site...

Gingrich mulls run for presidency, wants to stop Clinton; Greenspan says Bush admin. ideological on fiscal policy...

16 September :: Former US Speaker of the House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich, has said he is contemplating a late run for the presidency, to help Republican party overcome "chaos" in primary field; some see possible run as attempt to take on old foe Hillary Clinton... UK gov't faces criticism over policy of deporting political asylum-seekers back to DR Congo, where it says they face no imminent peril; new report says opposite, with testimony for former DRC security forces operative says such political refugees and dissidents face detention, truly brutal torture, rape and murder at hands of regime... In his new book, Alan Greenspan, chairman of the Federal Reserve for nearly two decades, criticizes Bush admin. for ideologically-driven fiscal policy; of the Republican-controlled Congress, he reportedly writes they "lost their way", adding "They swapped principle for power. They ended up with neither"; media reports suggest Rove's political apparatus had excessive influence over economic policies, Rove met with Greenspan briefly, only once or twice...