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...

China frees NY Times reporter it jailed for 3 years; 35 journalists, 51 'cyber-dissidents' still in prison in China...

15 September :: China has freed a New York Times reporter imprisoned for 3 years; Zhao Yan was detained in 2004 after reporting that Jian Zemin was likely to step down, the charge being the leaking of state secrets; Zhao had also reported on official abuses; China is currently holding 35 journalists and at least 51 "cyber-dissidents" in prison on similar charges...

Bush contemplates formal peace with North Korea; ETA says it will strike Spanish state "on all fronts"...

9 September :: US pres. George W. Bush has said the US would consider a formal peace treaty with North Korea, if the DPRK agrees to give up entirely its nuclear program, in an effort to "end the Korean war"... Basque separast group ETA has said it will "continue to strike the structures of the Spanish state on all fronts" to stop politicians in Madrid from dismantling the Basque process favoring independence; the group said the Basque Country (Euskal Herria or Euskadi) "has no future in the current framework" and that it should begin crafting the aparatus of an independent state... Pakistan deports fmr PM Sharif, only hours after he landed in country, setting up yet another Musharraf showdown with Supreme Court over handling of its orders, Constitution, electoral process...

CIA chief defends detention, 'rendition' practices; APEC sets 'goal' to reduce greenhouse gas emissions...

8 September :: Gen. Michael Hayden, head of US CIA, has publicly defended detention and "extraordinary rendition" practices used by CIA in treatment of those captured in association with terror investigations; EU courts investigating abductions, illegal transport of prisoners, detention without judicial review, with evidence suggesting hundreds of clandestine flights related to such practices; lawsuits have been filed in Europe, US, Canada by former detainees who say they were abducted, flown to third countries, then later tortured... Leaders of APEC nations agreed in Australia yesterday to a "long-term aspirational goal" to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but have set no binding targets; major concern is how to bring China into a carbon-emissions regime without undermining its rapid industrial expansion...

Intel on Bin Laden video; McCann family named as suspects; Fosset disappearance "baffles" experts...

7 September :: US intel analysts "skeptical" about Al-Qaeda claim of forthcoming video of Bin Laden; agencies suggest threat of "gift" to commemorate attacks refers to video, which would be Bin Laden's first appearance in 3 years... Family of missing Madeleine in shock as Portuguese police name mother as suspect; Kate McCann says she is disappointed, fears police are no longer serious about finding missing girl... Experts said to be "baffled" by disppearance of Steve Fosset, aviation record-setter and expert pilot, in small plane on recreational outing in perfectly clear conditions; some observers have speculated he may have flown over top-secret military bases in Nevada desert, have demanded gov't give information as to his whereabouts; Cynthia Ryan, spokesperson for the Civil Air Patrol Nevada Wing, has said "I can't think of anyone more experienced and capable of dealing with an emergency than Steve Fossett ... The chances are still very, very good that we'll find this man"... Universal, world's largest music producer, is suing Veoh video service for "massive copyright infringement", alleging the company has based its business on exploiting others' intellectual property for profit; suit comes just as Napster lawsuit is finally settled "when German media-behemoth Bertelsmann AG paid the National Music Publishers Association $130 million to settle claims it contributed to copyright violations by financially propping up Napster with $85 million in loans"...

Euro Bank injects 42.245 billion € to avert crisis; global carbon footprint 22.199 billion tons...

6 September :: European Central Bank has injected another 42.245 billion € into the euro-zone markets, via monetary auction with minimum interest of 4%; at least 46 banks and financial institutions are reported to have participated in the bidding for extra cash; the move is intended to shore up the euro against increasing 'volatility' as European markets respond to the US mortgage-lending and homeowning crisis... Actor Fred Thompson, a former US senator, has announced his official bid for the Republican nomination for US president; his campaign will be launched by webcast and with an official announcement on NBC's The Tonight Show; reaction is mixed, as the popular former senator has made moves to jockey for visibility that other candidates consider unethical, including taking out a campaign ad before officially announcing, that will air at the beginning of a presidential debate he is skipping... The global carbon footprint is listed at 22.199 billion tons by desmogblog.com, as of 12 noon GMT...

Sudan drone aircraft, Khartoum says it is militarily 'self-sufficient'; UN calls for progress in Darfur conflict...

5 September :: Sudan gov't announces it has successfully produced military-use drone aircraft and is seeking ballistic missile capabilities; the Khartoum-based gov't of Pres. al-Bashir has said Sudan can now manufacture enough conventional weapons to be "self-sufficient" in defense-related production; observers say the announcement is disconcerting primarily because it is not clear against what perceived threat Sudan is arming itself; the top UN official in Sudan has called for progress on a negotiated political settlement to the conflict in Darfur, where some worry that a heavily armed Khartoum regime might use its military to support the ongoing slaughter with impunity...

67% of Greeks believe wildfires arsonist conspiracy; RMT Union shuts down London transport; US negotiator says DPRK not 'de-listed'...

4 September :: Greece political climate soured by nationwide fires; 67% of those polled believe fires started deliberately by arsonist conspiracy, 31% say foreign entities, while 26% suspect property developers; Christian Science Monitor reports "European Commission's European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) estimates that 469,000 acres burned between Aug. 24 and 28 alone. The financial ministry now estimates the damage to be more than $1.6 billion, or 0.6 percent of Greece's GDP", while the Greek gov't is saying the fires appear to be part of an "asymmetric threat" plotted by unnamed conspirators; 6 people have been detained so far on arson-related charges; ecological experts, European officials say fires likely linked to extreme dry conditions, climate anomaly across southern Europe, poor land management tied to agricultural practices, and global warming... A strike by the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) has halted Underground trains across London; authorities said trains were running with severe delays or not at all on all lines except the Northern and Jubilee; RMT says failed maintenance-service managing firm Metronet has not provided unequivocal guarantees not to lay off workers or cut pensions in future; another strike is planned by RMT after the current three-day strike, if Metronet does not provide signed guarantees... One day after North Korea's state-run news service reported it had been delisted by the US as a state sponsor of terrorism, in exchange for shutting down Yongbyon nuclear facility, US assistant sec. of State Chris Hill says no such thing has occurred, DPRK still listed as terror-backer, that other unnamed steps are required... La Vanguardia newspaper reports US security, biotech/health sectors seeing surge in investment, Washington, DC, locations, due to Iraq war, with gov't spending soaring, industrial concentration increasing around the funding capital, the Congress, and a massive and growing economic gap between the wealthy interests that rim the city and the inner-city poor that make up a large part of Washington's hometown population...

DPRK agrees to shut down Yongbyon reactor, allow inspectors in; Bush tells PBS he won't bail out mortgage 'speculators'...

3 September :: US assistant sec. of State Hill says North Korea has agreed to verifiably shut down its nuclear fuel production facilities, including an alleged secret program "purchased from Pakistan"; the DPRK will also allow UN inspectors to enter all such sites and carry out ongoing long-term inspections to insure compliance; the move reportedly represents the total denuclearization of the DPRK... KCNA, North Korea's state-run news agency, reported comments by an unidentified foreign ministry official who claimed that the US has agreed to remove the DPRK from its list of state sponsors of terrorism... US pres. George W. Bush, in a surprise visit to troops in Anbar province, Iraq (where the US has seen some security successes) told the press that if such successes continue, it may be possible to secure Iraq with fewer troops, hinting at a willingness to follow through on troop reductions now demanded by leaders of both parties in Congress... On the US mortgage crisis, Pres. Bush has told PBS, "It's not the government's job to bail out speculators" or people who knowingly take out loans they can't afford, but is planning to offer gov't-insured loans to more than 80,000 homeowners to help soften the sub-prime lending crisis; according to PBS, "economists predict that as many as two million people with subprime mortgages will be paying higher monthly payments within the next two years", with monthly payments possibly doubling in "some instances"...

Fmr UK army chief says Iraq war plan 'intellectually bankrupt'; top UK post-war planner says US "shut out anybody who challenged" preconceptions...

2 September :: Former head of the British Army, during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Gen. Sir Mike Jackson, has created a political firestorm in Britain by saying US post-war planning was "intellectually bankrupt"; while current cabinet officials (Foreign and Defence secretaries) seek to cool the furore, saying the UK pullout of Basra will occur not before the end of the year, and only upon consultation with the US military commander in Iraq, the Guardian reports that "Sir Malcolm Rifkind, a former Tory Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary, endorsed his criticism of Rumsfeld, calling him 'incompetent'" while "Major General Tim Cross, the top British officer involved in post-war planning. Describing US postwar policy as 'fatally flawed,' he said he had raised his concerns with Rumsfeld at the time but that his warnings had been 'dismissed' or 'ignored'"; Cross reportedly added "The US had convinced themselves that following the invasion Iraq would emerge reasonably quickly as a stable democracy. They shut out anybody who challenged that idea"...

Russia plans manned Moon missions by 2025, base by 2032...

1 September :: Russia plans to send manned missions to the Moon by 2025, with a subsequent goal of establishing a permanent base there between 2027 and 2032; initiative comes after US space agency NASA, in December 2006, announced plans to establish a permanently occupied base on the Moon, with manned missions beginning in 2020; the only manned missions to the Moon to date were part of NASA's Apollo program, which began in 1968, ending in the 1970s; Russia, US currently collaborate on missions to International Space Station, alternately sending up NASA Shuttles from Florida and Soyuz space capsules from Kazakhstan... According to Wired, a unique experiment in energy recycling, the 'Mechabolic' is having trouble getting started at the Burning Man festival in Nevada: "130-foot-long slug by the name of The Mechabolic is supposed to crawl across the Black Rock Desert at Burning Man, eating trash and creating gas and electricity. It is also supposed to sequester carbon in the form of an agriculturally useful char to balance whatever carbon dioxide it emits"... Washington Post reports Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has made strong showing early in Iowa, placing 2nd in an 11 August straw-poll; Huckabee, a former Baptist minister who once said in a debate he does not believe in evolution, served 10 years as Arkansas governor and is considered a moderate; told Bill Maher "I'd like to think the people of the country are looking for somebody that's not running because he's mad and angry," Huckabee says in an interview here. "My two strongest critics are the extreme right and the extreme left, both of whom say the same things about me"; of his pro-life views, he has remarked "for us to show true credibility, we must show as much compassion for the child sleeping under the bridge or in the back seat of the car as we do for the one in the womb", saying it's "about understanding the value of each individual life as having intrinsic worth"...