Worrying signs for Iraq’s stability as U.S. pulls out
Baghdad, Iraq (IRIN) – Every day, the bleak concrete blast walls circling Baghdad’s northern neighborhood of Adhamiya trigger flashbacks in the mind of Sahib Awad Maarouf of the violence which plagued Iraq after the 2003 US-led invasion. “It annoys me and others to see them every day,” said Maarouf, a 69-year-old Sunni construction engineer. “They serve as a reminder of the US occupation, the violence we witnessed over the past years and a source of worry for our future,” he said. As US troops withdraw from Iraq, capping a nearly nine-year war, the future of the battered nation has been thrown into doubt by fears that Iraqis are still not ready to handle their future alone. [...] Continue Reading…
A health insurance plan President Gingrich might support
Washington, DC, United States (KaiserHealth) – Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich has been pounded by his opponents for once backing a mandate that people buy health insurance. But he has received little attention for another health care idea that he has explored and that also could prove controversial. The lesser known proposal would encourage people to purchase insurance by giving them tax credits or deductions. Those who don’t buy insurance and need care would get it through hospitals and clinics serving the poor, which would receive subsidies not claimed by individuals. Gingrich has “explored [the idea] and is generally supportive of it,” David Merritt, a campaign adviser, said in an interview. In March, Gingrich asked the author [...] Continue Reading…
Christians in Israel: Thriving, beleaguered at the same time
The Media Line StaffJerusalem, Israel David Rosenberg / The Med – Economically, the Holy Land’s tiny Christian minority is thriving as its moves into the holiday season this year. But, except for a one-time boost from a wave of immigrants from the former Soviet Union, their numbers are barely growing and they face petty discrimination in the streets and from the government. In the birthplace of Jesus, their numbers are shrinking. Israel counts just 154,500 Christians at the end of 2011, or just 2 percent of the population, the government’s Central Bureau of Statistics said on Thursday. Most of them are concentrated in the Galilee, but even there they are outnumbered by Muslims. In Nazareth, they number 22,200 [...] Continue Reading…
St. Louis Carlos: Beltran, Cards agree to two-year, $26 million pact
AHN Sports StaffSt. Louis, MO, United States (AHN Sports) – Ex-New York Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran agreed to a two-year, $26 million pact to play for the St. Louis Cardinals according to several reports. Beltran split last season with the New York Mets and the San Francisco Giants, batting .300 overall with 22 homers and 84 RBI. Beltran’s career numbers include 302 homers and 1146 RBI and the Cards hope he can pick up some of the offensive slack lost by the departure of Albert Pujols to the Angels. The Giants hoped Beltran would help them reach the postseason in 2011, but the team was racked by injuries and he got off to a slow start [...] Continue Reading…
Bank of America to settle Countrywide discrimination suit for $335 million
Matthew Borghese – AHN News ContributorWashington, DC, United States (AHN) – Bank of America (BoA) will settle a dispute with the U.S. Justice Department stemming from home loan discrimination. Authorities say BoA’s Countrywide unit discriminated against 200,000 African-American and Hispanic borrowers who qualified for prime loans but were nonetheless pushed to sign riskier subprime loans. “At the core of the allegations in the complaint is a simple story: If you were African-American or Hispanic and you went to Countrywide for a loan, and you were qualified, you likely paid more simply because of the color of your skin,” Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez said Wednesday. “They understood marketing and how to build trust… they exploited that [...] Continue Reading…
Winter Classic on horizon: HBO series assisting Rangers-Flyers tilt
Ed Condran – AHN Sports CorrespondentPhiladelphia, PA, United States (AHN Sports) – For the next few weeks, HBO will be all over the Flyers like Chris Pronger on a forward in the slot. The ’24/7′ series will cover the Flyers and New York Rangers throughout the Winter Classic, which is slated for January 2 at Citizens Bank Park. The initial episode recently debuted and chronicled the last week of Flyers/ Rangers action. The cameras captured the behind scenes world of the two of the Eastern Conference’s top teams without getting in the way. “I don’t mind it at all,” Flyers forward Scott Hartnell said. “They don’t distract. They have a job to do and it’s good [...] Continue Reading…
Analyzing Romney’s leadership on health care
Boston, MA, United States (KaiserHealth) – The issue that defines Mitt Romney’s years as governor of Massachusetts is health care. It is sometimes a political albatross for the governor as he campaigns for president. But it is also proof, Romney says, that he could bridge party divisions in Washington. Health care was rising on Romney’s agenda as he moved into the State House corner office in 2003. His friend Tom Stemberg, who founded Staples, had suggested that one of the best things he could do for the people of Massachusetts was to find a way to cover the uninsured. And Romney, in his second month on the job, talked about that interminable state budget buster, health care. [...] Continue Reading…
Syrian sanctions pose new threat to Jordan’s economy
The Media Line StaffDeir-Alla, Jordan Abdullah Omar / The Media – In the lush orchards of Abu Emad in this Jordan Valley town, lemons and oranges glisten in the sun as the day of picking draws near. The valley’s year-round mild climate, fertile soils and relatively ample water supply have made it a winter garden of cucumbers, tomatoes and other produce destined for Europe, where they are unavailable from local growers during the winter. But this season may be different as Arab League sanctions against Syria go into effect. That is because Jordan Valley farmers like Abu Emad send their best produce through Syria to Europe, where prices are better than anything they could expect at home. The [...] Continue Reading…
Bill to extradite foreign drug traffickers moves to House
Tom Ramstack – AHN News Legal CorrespondentWashington, DC, United States (AHN) – The U.S. House of Representatives is next in line to vote on a bill that would help the Justice Department prosecute drug traffickers from Colombia and Peru who funnel their illegal shipments through Mexican gangs for delivery in the United States. The Senate passed its version of the bill last week. “A comprehensive approach to combating drug trafficking needs to extend far beyond our borders,” Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO) said in a statement. Although the bill appears to be popular in Congress, other attempts by the U.S. government to extend the reach of its law enforcement into Latin America have met resistance from some [...] Continue Reading…
Saab files for bankruptcy after Chinese deal fails
Matthew Borghese – AHN News ContributorTrollhattan, Sweden (AHN) – Swedish carmaker Saab is filing for bankruptcy after a deal to infuse Chinese funds fell through over technology licensing objections from American shareholders. The Chinese deal was the last hope for Saab, which has suspended work at its main factory and has failed to pay employees. Saab CEO Victor Muller personally filed the bankruptcy papers and admitted it was “the darkest day in my career, probably in the history of Saab.” “But we had no other alternatives,” Muller explained. Saab was in talks with Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Automobile Co. Ltd. (Youngman) and a bank in China about an equity interest in in Swedish Automobile N.V. (Swan). However, [...] Continue Reading…
