News – Reuters Only

Work took most of my time today, so all I had prepared before is Reuters headlines. Better news coming Monday, provided today’s work doesn’t carry over.

Iraq

A group led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has made a claim to beheading two Iraqi soldiers in broad daylight, before a large group of people in Mosul.

Israel/Palestine

The Palestinian authority has rejected Sharon’s new ‘test’ for Palestinian leaders to resume dialogue on peace talks. In order to have talks, they have to show its desire for peace by ending anti-Israeli incitement. The Palestinian leadership says Sharon needs to stop laying down conditions for dialogue. I agree. You know how long it takes to reverse a decades long social policy of hate and distrust? Years. So Sharon will wait years for the Palestinian Authority to try and stop its people from hating Israel? Will Sharon and company still be unilaterally attacking targets in Palestine during this period? This ‘softer’ test is pure bullshit.

Africa

Sudan’s government and rebel forces have signed a pledge at the US Security Council today. A pledge to sign the final pact by final pact by December 31, ending 21 years of civil war. A pledge to pledge? Bah.

Russia

Putin would like to assure us that he’s not pushing Russia back into totalitarian rule, but he is looking for a model of democracy to match its traditions. I’m sure he’ll excuse me if I don’t lower my guard just yet.

US

The debt ceiling will soon be raised for the third time in three years once Bush signs the legislation for it. Here’s to four more years of higher debt.

Clinton gets more spotlight time at the dedication of his >Presidential Library in Little Rock.

Dr. David Graham, a 20-year FDA scientist and the one who warned about the heart risks of Vioxx, has called the agency’s oversight of the drug a “profound regulatory failure”. He also believes the agency is incapable of guarding America from dangerous drugs.

Staff Sgt. Jason Adkins has filed suit, saying the US military violated his civil rights when it punished him for complaining about the dangers of the anthrax vaccine. He’s suing to block future reprimands and for an apology.

An unexpectedly high number of US soldiers injured in fighting in the Middle East are coming back with a rare, hard to treat blood infection, involving the bacteria Acinetobacter baumannii Though the source is not yet known, the Army highlights it as a need to improve infection control in military hospitals.