World News Thread & Breaking News!!

[Engineer]

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[Jeff Head]

BBC News - Iran Agents planned a US terror attack'

Several Middle Eastern states besides Israel have some frictional relationship with Iran, that includes Suadi Arabia, Qatar, etc. Iran rulers view these Arab states (usually rich oil Middle Eastern nation) to be puppets to the west. That's why there's contention between them.

A note of interest is that the Iranian in question was trying to contact Mexican Drug Cartels for assistance in the plot. The Mexican Drug Cartels are also at the center of the "Fast and Furious" scandal where Holder's DOJ was leading and managing a BATF operation that was actually selling high powered assault weapons, including 50 caliber sniper rifles to the Mexican Drug Cartels.

Hundreds of innocent Mexicans and some US Law Enforcement officers have now been killed using those weapons. It is a very serious scandal and Holder himself was subpeaoned yesterday...the same day he happened to make this announcement about this plot that he has known about, BTW, since last January.

I have created a page about the Fast and Furious operation

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[delft]

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To quote a Bond villain, 'the key to a good story is not the where or the when or the how, but the why'

Now why would Iran want to assassinate Saudi's ambassador to Washington? What would be the point? I don't see the 'why' in this story.

I just heard my favorite Dutch broadcaster, BNR, formerly called Business News radio, talking about this matter. The view expressed was that the story is not credible, just as plawolf says. They suspect a connection with the US election campaign. They also remarked that for the US to use such big words accusing another country while it uses deadly violence against citizens of other countries and of itself contrary to international law is showing considerable crust.

 

[Jeff Head]

I just heard my favorite Dutch broadcaster, BNR, formerly called Business News radio, talking about this matter. The view expressed was that the story is not credible, just as plawolf says. They suspect a connection with the US election campaign.

...or to deflect attention away from the "Fast and Furious" scandal the administration is beset with. Eric Holder was subpeoned yesterday over that scandal...the same day he made this "announcement."

He's known about this plot since January, yet happened to choose yesterday, the day he was subpeoned to announce it.

BTW, the Iranian in question happened to contact a DEA informant he thought was a Mexican Drug Cartel operative...the Mexican Drug Cartels are who the DOJ "Fast and Furious" operation had been arming with high powered assault weapons.

Congratulations to the officers on the line involved, and thank goodness they caught the Iranian...but things on top are a little too coincidental and the timing is just a little too self serving for many people.

OK, I've said my piece and will leave it alone now.

 

[solarz]

Maybe..but these Occupy protest are miniscule compared to the anti-war protest in the US during the Vietnam war. Miniscule.

The anti-war protests during the Vietnam war shaped an entire generation. It also went on for years while the Occupy movement has only been happening for a month or so.

I think the Occupy Wall ST. movement is to far left even for most democrats.

I don't think it's "far left" to demand accountability from those who really control the economy of a supposedly "democratic" nation, nor to ask them to pay their fair share of taxes.

If Obama can pass the "Buffet Tax", then the US would have made a tremendous step in the right direction. However, I don't think even Obama thinks it will pass, and is only introducing the proposal as an electioneering strategy.

 

[bd popeye]

The anti-war protests during the Vietnam war shaped an entire generation. It also went on for years while the Occupy movement has only been happening for a month or so.

No foolin'?? Jezz..guess what? I was actually alive during the Vietnam war protest.

Listen, just because someone who has money does not mean that have to share it with those that don't..ridiculous. And yes I realize that there is ,may be and has been corruption in large corporations for some time. The shall all be exposed in the end. 'Nuff said.

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TAURANGA, New Zealand (AP) — A cargo ship that has spilled hundreds of tons of oil since striking a reef off New Zealand's coast appeared to be breaking up in heavy seas, as its captain faced criminal charges in court Wednesday.

A vertical crack was apparent from the deck to the waterline of the Liberian-flagged Rena, which ran aground Oct. 5 on Astrolabe Reef, 14 miles (22 kilometers) from Tauranga Harbour on New Zealand's North Island. About 70 containers have fallen off the deck of the 775-foot (236-meter) vessel as it has listed increasingly in the worsening ocean conditions.

Maritime New Zealand, which is managing the emergency response, described the crack as a "substantial structural failure" and warned that the stern may break away. Three tug boats were mobilized to hold the stern on the reef while efforts are made to remove the oil from the ship, or to tow the stern to shallow water, the agency said in a statement.

Weather on the reef was terrible Wednesday, with swells up to 16 feet (5 meters), Maritime New Zealand spokesman Steve Jones told The Associated Press. The brutal conditions were making it impossible for a salvage crew to board the ship, he said. Without the salvage crew aboard, oil cannot be pumped out of the ship.

"It's appalling," Jones said of the weather. "Everything is still in a holding pattern."

Forecasters were predicting the swells would ease to 6 feet (2 meters) by Thursday, at which point salvage crews might be able to try to board the ship, Jones said.

The piles of containers that remain on deck have continued to move, making it dangerous for salvage crews to work on board. Six vessels have been mobilized to intercept the drifting containers and other debris in the water.

There were 1,368 containers on board, 11 of which contained hazardous substances, the maritime agency said. The containers with hazardous materials were not among the 70 that had fallen overboard, Jones said. Still, it is highly likely that more containers will topple off because of the rough weather and the ship's steep list, he said.

The 44-year-old Filipino captain, whose name has not been revealed publicly, was charged with operating a vessel in a manner causing unnecessary danger or risk and was released on bail Wednesday at Tauranga District Court. The ship's second officer is to face a similar charge on Thursday.

The captain's lawyer, Paul Mabey, requested that Judge Robert Wolff withhold his client's name because, he said, "there is a real potential that some persons may want to take matters into their own hands," the New Zealand Herald reported on its website. It also said the grounding occurred on the captain's birthday.

If convicted, the captain could face a fine of up to 10,000 New Zealand dollars ($7,800) and 12 months in prison. His next court appearance is Oct. 19, when authorities say more charges are likely.

Maritime New Zealand commander Nick Quinn said his priority remained cleaning up the oil.

"Until now, we have had a light oiling of beaches," he said. "This will significantly increase as more oil washes ashore over the coming days."

The government has demanded to know why the ship crashed into the well-charted reef in calm weather, but the vessel's owner has given no explanation.

Maritime New Zealand estimates that between 220 and 330 tons (200 and 300 metric tons) of heavy fuel oil have spilled from the hull, leading New Zealand's environment minister, Nick Smith, to call it the country's biggest maritime environmental disaster.

Officials believe the ship had about 1,870 tons (1,700 metric tons) of oil and 220 tons (200 metric tons) of diesel on board before it started leaking.

Clumps of oil have washed up on pristine beaches near Tauranga. Maritime New Zealand spokeswoman Anne Coughlan said 200 oiled birds had been found dead and 41 others were being cleaned at a wildlife emergency center.

Witnesses said dead fish were also washing ashore as local volunteers with plastic gloves and buckets worked to clean the oily clots from the white sand.

In a statement, the owners of the vessel, Greece-based Costamare Inc., said they were "cooperating fully with local authorities" and were making every effort to "control and minimize the environmental consequences of this incident." The company did not offer any explanation for the grounding.

 

[Jeff Head]

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You beat me to the punch on this article about the ship off NZ.

Nice dig to get it back on topic! LOL!

Here's a pic

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[solarz]

No foolin'?? Jezz..guess what? I was actually alive during the Vietnam war protest.

Listen, just because someone who has money does not mean that have to share it with those that don't..ridiculous. And yes I realize that there is ,may be and has been corruption in large corporations for some time. The shall all be exposed in the end. 'Nuff said.

First of all, it's not about "sharing", it's about a taxation system that is fair to everyone. Why should someone who earns 60k on salary have to pay ~30% taxes, while someone who earns millions on their investments only have to pay 15% taxes?

Secondly, it's not about corporate corruption. It's about the entire system. Wall Street makes money in ways that have nothing to do with improving the US's (or the world's) economy, as seen in the last few years. While the rest of the country is sinking deeper into a recession, Wall Street is posting record profits. A system with this kind of disconnect is simply unhealthy. It's not unlike cancer: tumor cells that grow wildly and out of control at the expense of the rest of the body.

 

[bd popeye]

You like to argue solarz don't you? I don't.. you have your opinion and I have mine. simple.

"nuff" said.

 

[Jeff Head]

First of all, it's not about "sharing", it's about a taxation system that is fair to everyone. Why should someone who earns 60k on salary have to pay ~30% taxes, while someone who earns millions on their investments only have to pay 15% taxes?

The income tax is not as you portray it. Someone earning millions in income pays far more than the 30%. In fact, the top income earners pay far more than their fair share. The top 10% earners already are paying in excess (I believe) of 75-80% of all taxes. Almost 50% on the low end pay NO taxes.

People who have investments pay an additional 15% on earnings due to investments. That is where the 15% comes from.

On their salary they pay more.

So, many wealthy people make sure that they do not pay themselves a salary, but take money from returns on their investments. This is understandable. They are risking whatever they put into those investments...they could lose substantially more than they gain, particularly in this economy.

I like Cain's 9-9-9 plan. It is fair. Flat 9% income, 9% corporate and 9% sales (only on new items). No loopholes, and it would take a 2/3rds majority in Congress to change any of those rates.

Absolutely fair. You earn more or buy more and you pay more. Corporate taxes would be much lower...but would apply across the board with no loopholes.

Anyhow, that is just my opinion. The income tax though is not a 30% for 60,000 and 15% for millionaires. It's the capital gains tax that is the 15%.