BEIJING: China, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan conducted a joint anti-terror drill in the restive western region Xinjiang, where anger against Beijing has led to attacks on police, state media reported Saturday.
The one-day exercise on Friday was aimed at better coordinating efforts between the countries to "locate and crack down on 'terrorists' in the border regions", the official Xinhua news agency reported.
The drill aimed to help the countries respond to the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism coming from the perceived threat of Muslim separatists in Xinjiang, a Chinese counter-terrorism agency spokesman said.
The separatists were a common threat to the participating countries, he added.
The drill, codenamed "Tianshan-II", was the second to take place in Xinjiang under the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a six nation group formed in 2001 with a broad agenda ranging from anti-terrorism to economic cooperation.
Hundreds of police and special forces from China and Kazakhstan participated in the similar "Tianshan-I" drill in 2006 in Xinjiang.
The region has been hit in recent years by numerous violent attacks, typically directed at police.
Many in the region's Muslim ethnic Uighur population accuse Beijing of oppression and discrimination in education and employment and also resent a recent influx of migrants from China's majority Han ethnic group.
In July 2009, Xinjiang's capital Urumqi was rocked by vicious violence pitting Uighurs against Han in China's worst ethnic unrest in decades.
Nearly 200 people were killed and 1,700 injured, the government said.
China blames unrest in the region on "terrorists" and "separatists" but has provided no evidence of any organised campaign.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
US releases seized Osama bin Laden videos
US officials have released extraordinary videos of Osama bin Laden seized in the daring raid that killed the Al-Qaeda chief, saying the material shows he was a hands-on leader who took pains to shape his public image.
The tracking of bin Laden and the May 1 raid, in which more than 20 US Navy SEALs swooped on his hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and shot him dead, was an intelligence coup on a historic scale, a senior US intelligence official said.
The Al-Qaeda leader "was far from a figurehead, he was an active player," the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters at the Pentagon on Saturday.
The seized material includes digital, audio and video files, printed items, computer equipment, recording devices and handwritten documents.
"As a result of the raid, we have acquired the single largest collection of senior terrorist materials ever," the official said.
"This is the greatest intelligence success perhaps of a generation," the official said.
Five videos were made public, including an extraordinary one in which the Al-Qaeda chief is seen holding a remote and sitting huddled under a blanket, watching images of himself on television.
In that video, bin Laden has a gray beard, but in other videos that were apparently meant for distribution as propaganda his beard appears to have been dyed black.
Audio was removed from the videos to avoid any possible terror messages, US officials said.
One video is styled as a "message to the American people" and is believed to have been recorded in October or November. Bin Laden is groomed and is speaking from a prepared text.
Three others recordings appear to be propaganda message rehearsals. The official said these show missed "cues" and problems with lighting.
"This clearly was an Al-Qaeda leader who was very interested in his own image," the official said. He "jealously guarded his image."
It remains an "open question" now who will succeed bin Laden as head of the terror network, the official said.
Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Egyptian surgeon long considered Al-Qaeda's number two, "is obviously the presumed successor."
However, when Al-Qaeda acknowledged its chief's death, the statement "did not announce a new leader, suggesting it is still trying to deal with bin Laden's demise," the official said.
There are "strong indications he is not popular within certain circles of the group. So I believe it's an open question as to who will take over from Osama bin Laden."
Like his Saudi-born co-conspirator, Zawahiri has been in hiding ever since the September 11, 2001, terror strikes on the United States.
Reportedly last seen in October 2001 in eastern Afghanistan, close to the Pakistan border, Zawahiri has released multiple videos from hiding, calling for war on the West.
The material seized from the compound "only further confirms how important it was to go after bin Laden," CIA Director Leon Panetta said in a statement.
The effort that traced bin Laden to Abbottabad also showed the CIA's "perseverance, skill and sheer courage," Panetta said.
In Pakistan, bin Laden's Yemeni wife said the Al-Qaeda kingpin had lived for five years in the Abbottabad compound, Pakistani security officials said.
The revelation, if corroborated, would pile further embarrassment on the country, which is already reeling from accusations of incompetence and complicity in allowing bin Laden to hide out a mere 30 miles (50 kilometres) from the capital Islamabad.
The terror chief's wife, who was shot in the leg during the raid by US Navy SEALs, is undergoing medical treatment and interrogation in Pakistan along with 15 other relatives, the officials said.
"She said in Arabic that bin Laden and his family were living in this compound for the last five years and he never left the compound," said one of the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"But this is only her statement and we have not yet corroborated it," the official added. A second security official confirmed the information.
Mounting questions have been raised about how bin Laden managed to hide out for so long in Pakistan, in a garrison town which is home to a top military academy and many retired generals.
The leader of Pakistan's opposition in parliament demanded that President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani resign following the incident.
"The operation tramples on our honour and dignity, and the president and prime minister must either give an explanation or resign," Chaudhry Nisar Ali told reporters.
"The government is keeping silent, and there appears to be nobody to respond to propaganda against Pakistan," he added, saying that Pakistanis were feeling "insecure" after the covert US mission.
The director general of Pakistan's military-run intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate, or ISI, was expected to meet in Washington with Panetta in the coming days.
He was certain to face questions about what his agency knew about bin Laden's presence.
Al-Qaeda has vowed to avenge the death of the architect of the September 11 attacks, declaring him a "martyr" and calling on Muslims to rise up against the United States.
Extremists described attacks on government targets in the Afghan city of Kandahar which killed two and wounded 29 on Saturday as "revenge" for bin Laden's killing, a statement from President Hamid Karzai's office said.
"Al-Qaeda and its terrorist members who have suffered a major defeat with the killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistani territory have tried to hide this defeat by killing civilians in Kandahar and take their revenge on the innocent people of Afghanistan," the statement said.
US President Barack Obama had earlier swept aside the threats, decorating on Friday the team that killed bin Laden and pledging that the United States would crush Al-Qaeda.
The White House has been eager to avoid triumphalism over the killing of the world's most wanted man, blamed for the deaths of 3,000 people in the September 11 attacks, in a bid to avoid whipping up Muslim anger. Related article:Bin Laden death rekindles torture debate
Obama on Thursday laid a wreath at Ground Zero, the site where the World Trade Center once stood, in a sombre moment aimed at bringing closure to Americans still haunted by the attacks.
The tracking of bin Laden and the May 1 raid, in which more than 20 US Navy SEALs swooped on his hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and shot him dead, was an intelligence coup on a historic scale, a senior US intelligence official said.The Al-Qaeda leader "was far from a figurehead, he was an active player," the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters at the Pentagon on Saturday.
The seized material includes digital, audio and video files, printed items, computer equipment, recording devices and handwritten documents.
"As a result of the raid, we have acquired the single largest collection of senior terrorist materials ever," the official said.
"This is the greatest intelligence success perhaps of a generation," the official said.
Five videos were made public, including an extraordinary one in which the Al-Qaeda chief is seen holding a remote and sitting huddled under a blanket, watching images of himself on television.
In that video, bin Laden has a gray beard, but in other videos that were apparently meant for distribution as propaganda his beard appears to have been dyed black.
Audio was removed from the videos to avoid any possible terror messages, US officials said.
One video is styled as a "message to the American people" and is believed to have been recorded in October or November. Bin Laden is groomed and is speaking from a prepared text.
Three others recordings appear to be propaganda message rehearsals. The official said these show missed "cues" and problems with lighting.
"This clearly was an Al-Qaeda leader who was very interested in his own image," the official said. He "jealously guarded his image."
It remains an "open question" now who will succeed bin Laden as head of the terror network, the official said.
Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Egyptian surgeon long considered Al-Qaeda's number two, "is obviously the presumed successor."
However, when Al-Qaeda acknowledged its chief's death, the statement "did not announce a new leader, suggesting it is still trying to deal with bin Laden's demise," the official said.
There are "strong indications he is not popular within certain circles of the group. So I believe it's an open question as to who will take over from Osama bin Laden."
Like his Saudi-born co-conspirator, Zawahiri has been in hiding ever since the September 11, 2001, terror strikes on the United States.
Reportedly last seen in October 2001 in eastern Afghanistan, close to the Pakistan border, Zawahiri has released multiple videos from hiding, calling for war on the West.
The material seized from the compound "only further confirms how important it was to go after bin Laden," CIA Director Leon Panetta said in a statement.
The effort that traced bin Laden to Abbottabad also showed the CIA's "perseverance, skill and sheer courage," Panetta said.
In Pakistan, bin Laden's Yemeni wife said the Al-Qaeda kingpin had lived for five years in the Abbottabad compound, Pakistani security officials said.
The revelation, if corroborated, would pile further embarrassment on the country, which is already reeling from accusations of incompetence and complicity in allowing bin Laden to hide out a mere 30 miles (50 kilometres) from the capital Islamabad.
The terror chief's wife, who was shot in the leg during the raid by US Navy SEALs, is undergoing medical treatment and interrogation in Pakistan along with 15 other relatives, the officials said.
"She said in Arabic that bin Laden and his family were living in this compound for the last five years and he never left the compound," said one of the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"But this is only her statement and we have not yet corroborated it," the official added. A second security official confirmed the information.
Mounting questions have been raised about how bin Laden managed to hide out for so long in Pakistan, in a garrison town which is home to a top military academy and many retired generals.
The leader of Pakistan's opposition in parliament demanded that President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani resign following the incident.
"The operation tramples on our honour and dignity, and the president and prime minister must either give an explanation or resign," Chaudhry Nisar Ali told reporters.
"The government is keeping silent, and there appears to be nobody to respond to propaganda against Pakistan," he added, saying that Pakistanis were feeling "insecure" after the covert US mission.
The director general of Pakistan's military-run intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate, or ISI, was expected to meet in Washington with Panetta in the coming days.
He was certain to face questions about what his agency knew about bin Laden's presence.
Al-Qaeda has vowed to avenge the death of the architect of the September 11 attacks, declaring him a "martyr" and calling on Muslims to rise up against the United States.
Extremists described attacks on government targets in the Afghan city of Kandahar which killed two and wounded 29 on Saturday as "revenge" for bin Laden's killing, a statement from President Hamid Karzai's office said.
"Al-Qaeda and its terrorist members who have suffered a major defeat with the killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistani territory have tried to hide this defeat by killing civilians in Kandahar and take their revenge on the innocent people of Afghanistan," the statement said.
US President Barack Obama had earlier swept aside the threats, decorating on Friday the team that killed bin Laden and pledging that the United States would crush Al-Qaeda.
The White House has been eager to avoid triumphalism over the killing of the world's most wanted man, blamed for the deaths of 3,000 people in the September 11 attacks, in a bid to avoid whipping up Muslim anger. Related article:Bin Laden death rekindles torture debate
Obama on Thursday laid a wreath at Ground Zero, the site where the World Trade Center once stood, in a sombre moment aimed at bringing closure to Americans still haunted by the attacks.
Gaddafi steps up attacks across Libya: rebels
BENGHAZI, Libya : Troops loyal to Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi pressured rebels on several fronts on Saturday after helicopters violated a no-fly zone in the besieged city of Misrata, rebels said.
"It seems that the more desperate Gaddafi gets, the more he unleashes his firepower on the people," said Abdul Hafiz Ghoga, vice-chairman of the opposition National Transitional Council.
He said intensified shelling on Saturday struck the port city of Misrata and western towns near the Tunisian border, while loyalist fighters attacked the southern oasis towns of Ojla and Jalo, which neighbour oil facilities.
Ghoga said the escalation of violence reflected a knee-jerk reaction to increased political and economic pressure after France, Britain, and Germany expelled Libyan diplomats and a trust fund was set up for rebels.
"Gaddafi's natural reaction is to wreak havoc on the population, on the civilians and the cities," he said.
He said helicopters disguised as Red Cross vehicles flew over the besieged western city of Misrata on Friday, dropping anti-ship mines into the port, which is the only entry of humanitarian supplies to the city.
NATO admitted its no-fly zone had been violated on Thursday when one of the ships involved in its operations spotted a number of helicopters flying over Misrata, which came under fire from rebel forces.
Shelling of the city continued on Saturday although complete details of the damage were yet to emerge, Ghoga said, without providing the number of casualties.
"They are destroying the infrastructure, in particular the oil storage tanks," said Ghoga.
In the western mountains towards the border with Tunisia, Gaddafi forces unleashed a salvo of Grad rockets on Zintan and Wazin, forcing an estimated 20,000 people to flee for shelter across the border, he said.
"Wazin and Zintan are being heavily bombarded by Grad missiles," a rebel information officer told AFP adding that Gaddafi's troops were "firing randomly" and that overwhelmed rebels had pulled out of Wazin.
"The fighting was too heavy for them," he said.
A convoy of cars carrying Gaddafi fighters on Saturday attacked the southern oasis towns of Jalo and Ojla, Ghoga said.
"Gaddafi cannot keep his forces there so he keeps attacking them at different times but they remain in revolutionary hands," Ghoga said.
A member of the military council of Kufra said the southern oasis town Chad was "under rebel control" although Gaddafi forces were still in the area.
He said "six rebels were killed on Friday" when they clashed with loyalists at a checkpoint set up between Jalo and Kufra.
Ghoga once again appealed to the international community to provide arms for the "revolutionaries in order to enable them to defend themselves, their families and their cities."
"I think if we get the armaments, we can make a difference in the ground."
He put the number of rebels fighting Gaddafi troops on their various frontlines at less than 3,000.
"It seems that the more desperate Gaddafi gets, the more he unleashes his firepower on the people," said Abdul Hafiz Ghoga, vice-chairman of the opposition National Transitional Council.He said intensified shelling on Saturday struck the port city of Misrata and western towns near the Tunisian border, while loyalist fighters attacked the southern oasis towns of Ojla and Jalo, which neighbour oil facilities.
Ghoga said the escalation of violence reflected a knee-jerk reaction to increased political and economic pressure after France, Britain, and Germany expelled Libyan diplomats and a trust fund was set up for rebels.
"Gaddafi's natural reaction is to wreak havoc on the population, on the civilians and the cities," he said.
He said helicopters disguised as Red Cross vehicles flew over the besieged western city of Misrata on Friday, dropping anti-ship mines into the port, which is the only entry of humanitarian supplies to the city.
NATO admitted its no-fly zone had been violated on Thursday when one of the ships involved in its operations spotted a number of helicopters flying over Misrata, which came under fire from rebel forces.
Shelling of the city continued on Saturday although complete details of the damage were yet to emerge, Ghoga said, without providing the number of casualties.
"They are destroying the infrastructure, in particular the oil storage tanks," said Ghoga.
In the western mountains towards the border with Tunisia, Gaddafi forces unleashed a salvo of Grad rockets on Zintan and Wazin, forcing an estimated 20,000 people to flee for shelter across the border, he said.
"Wazin and Zintan are being heavily bombarded by Grad missiles," a rebel information officer told AFP adding that Gaddafi's troops were "firing randomly" and that overwhelmed rebels had pulled out of Wazin.
"The fighting was too heavy for them," he said.
A convoy of cars carrying Gaddafi fighters on Saturday attacked the southern oasis towns of Jalo and Ojla, Ghoga said.
"Gaddafi cannot keep his forces there so he keeps attacking them at different times but they remain in revolutionary hands," Ghoga said.
A member of the military council of Kufra said the southern oasis town Chad was "under rebel control" although Gaddafi forces were still in the area.
He said "six rebels were killed on Friday" when they clashed with loyalists at a checkpoint set up between Jalo and Kufra.
Ghoga once again appealed to the international community to provide arms for the "revolutionaries in order to enable them to defend themselves, their families and their cities."
"I think if we get the armaments, we can make a difference in the ground."
He put the number of rebels fighting Gaddafi troops on their various frontlines at less than 3,000.
Boxing: Pacquiao beats Mosley to retain crown
LAS VEGAS, Nevada: Filipino champion Manny Pacquiao retained the World Boxing Organization welterweight title on Saturday by beating American Shane Mosley to extend his win streak to 14 bouts.
Pacquiao came on strong in the third round, knocking Mosley down with a straight left hand and then went on to earn a convincing unanimous decision in front of a sellout crowd of 16,000 at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino.
The mainly partisan Filipino crowd, clad in yellow to match Pacquiao's gloves, were delighted to see their hero get the decision by scores of 119-108, 120-108 and 120-107.
"He felt my power," Pacquiao said. "I wanted to fight toe to toe. I did my best to give a good fight."
Pacquiao, a 10-time world champion in a record eight weight divisions, was making the second defense of his current welterweight crown.
The southpaw from Sarangani dominated from the opening round as Mosley spent the majority of the fight in full retreat.
Pacquiao was the aggressor, continuing to push forward and trying without success to go for the knockout, especially in the third and 11th and 12th
rounds.
Pacquiao's knockdown in the third round was just the third time in Mosley's 18-year career that the American challenger has hit the canvas. Mosley's main
goal appeared to be simply keeping his record of never being knocked out intact.
He managed to succeed but was booed loudly, especially at the beginning and the end of the eighth round.
Referee Kenny Bayless awarded Mosley a suspect knockdown in the 10th round as television replays showed that Pacquiao was throwing a punch off balance, slipped and went down with a little help from Mosley's right hand.
Mosley claimed he would expose Pacquiao's weaknesses but there was no turning back the clock for the 39-year-old four-time world champion who looked every bit his age on Saturday.
Pacquiao earned close to US$15 million while Mosley collected about US$5
million.
Pacquiao came on strong in the third round, knocking Mosley down with a straight left hand and then went on to earn a convincing unanimous decision in front of a sellout crowd of 16,000 at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino.
The mainly partisan Filipino crowd, clad in yellow to match Pacquiao's gloves, were delighted to see their hero get the decision by scores of 119-108, 120-108 and 120-107.
"He felt my power," Pacquiao said. "I wanted to fight toe to toe. I did my best to give a good fight."
Pacquiao, a 10-time world champion in a record eight weight divisions, was making the second defense of his current welterweight crown.
The southpaw from Sarangani dominated from the opening round as Mosley spent the majority of the fight in full retreat.
Pacquiao was the aggressor, continuing to push forward and trying without success to go for the knockout, especially in the third and 11th and 12th
rounds.
Pacquiao's knockdown in the third round was just the third time in Mosley's 18-year career that the American challenger has hit the canvas. Mosley's main
goal appeared to be simply keeping his record of never being knocked out intact.
He managed to succeed but was booed loudly, especially at the beginning and the end of the eighth round.
Referee Kenny Bayless awarded Mosley a suspect knockdown in the 10th round as television replays showed that Pacquiao was throwing a punch off balance, slipped and went down with a little help from Mosley's right hand.
Mosley claimed he would expose Pacquiao's weaknesses but there was no turning back the clock for the 39-year-old four-time world champion who looked every bit his age on Saturday.
Pacquiao earned close to US$15 million while Mosley collected about US$5
million.
Monday, May 2, 2011
US warns of anti-American violence after bin Laden
WASHINGTON – The State Department early Monday put U.S. embassies on alert and warned of the heightened possibility for anti-American violence after the killing of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden by American forces in Pakistan.
In a worldwide travel alert released shortly after President Barack Obama late Sunday announced bin Laden's death in a U.S. military operation, the department said there was an "enhanced potential for anti-American violence given recent counterterrorism activity in Pakistan."
"Given the uncertainty and volatility of the current situation, U.S. citizens in areas where recent events could cause anti-American violence are strongly urged to limit their travel outside of their homes and hotels and avoid mass gatherings and demonstrations," it said.
The alert said U.S. embassy operations would continue "to the extent possible under the constraints of any evolving security situation." It noted that embassies and consulates may temporarily close or suspend public services, depending on conditions.
In a worldwide travel alert released shortly after President Barack Obama late Sunday announced bin Laden's death in a U.S. military operation, the department said there was an "enhanced potential for anti-American violence given recent counterterrorism activity in Pakistan."
"Given the uncertainty and volatility of the current situation, U.S. citizens in areas where recent events could cause anti-American violence are strongly urged to limit their travel outside of their homes and hotels and avoid mass gatherings and demonstrations," it said.
The alert said U.S. embassy operations would continue "to the extent possible under the constraints of any evolving security situation." It noted that embassies and consulates may temporarily close or suspend public services, depending on conditions.
Japan Passes Emergency Budget
TOKYO -- Japan's parliament passed a ¥4 trillion ($49 billion) disaster relief budget Monday as ruling and opposition lawmakers put aside their differences and sought to quickly launch efforts to rebuild the country's quake-hit northeast.
But the passage of the budget is likely to clear the way for the opposition to step up their campaign to oust unpopular Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who has drawn criticism over the government's response to the magnitude 9 earthquake and subsequent tsunami on March 11, including its handling of the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
The extra budget, which totals ¥4.015 trillion and is the first of a planned series of spending packages to deal with the aftermath of the disaster, doesn't involve additional government borrowing as it will be financed by funds previously earmarked for other spending.
"We will work hard to swiftly implement the budget to help the disaster-hit area get back on its feet," Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda told a news conference following the budget's passage.
The budget will be used for measures such as removing debris, building temporary housing and repairing infrastructure, as well as providing financial support to businesses affected by the disaster, which has left more than 25,000 dead or missing and is expected to cause the economy to contract in the first half of this year.
Despite more than a year of political standoff, the opposition, led by the Liberal Democratic Party, joined hands with Mr. Kan's Democratic Party of Japan, allowing the budget to pass the opposition-controlled upper chamber Monday after just two days of discussions in the chamber. The DPJ-dominated lower chamber endorsed the bills Saturday.
The move was in stark contrast to the fierce clash between the opposition and the ruling parties before the earthquake, when everything from campaign-financing scandals to differences over economic policy delayed the passage of the regular budget for the fiscal year that started in April and prevented the enactment of related legislation, including a crucial bill for issuing bonds, which has yet to clear parliament.
The government will now shift its focus to drafting a broad after-quake reconstruction plan as well as a long-term blueprint to overhaul Japan's tax and social security systems by the end of June.
The government will then compile a second extra budget to fund other quake-related measures, ministers have said.
"We need to present a source of financing in order to come up with a second supplementary budget," Economics Minister Kaoru Yosano told a separate news conference Monday.
While Mr. Noda has offered little hint on the potential size of the budget, other ministers have said it would likely be financed by new bond issuance.
The prospect of more deficit spending has led international investors to pay greater attention to the second extra budget, as such steps would further worsen Japan's battered finances, possibly making Japanese government bonds less attractive. Standard & Poor's Ratings Services last week lowered its outlook on Japan's sovereign rating to negative from stable, citing the risk of a downgrade if the earthquake causes the country's fiscal situation to deteriorate substantially more than expected.
Japan's public debt is already twice its annual economic output, the highest among industrialized countries, leading some DPJ officials to float the controversial idea of raising taxes to pay for quake relief measures.
The government has estimated direct damage from the earthquake and tsunami at ¥16 trillion to ¥25 trillion.
But the passage of the budget is likely to clear the way for the opposition to step up their campaign to oust unpopular Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who has drawn criticism over the government's response to the magnitude 9 earthquake and subsequent tsunami on March 11, including its handling of the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
The extra budget, which totals ¥4.015 trillion and is the first of a planned series of spending packages to deal with the aftermath of the disaster, doesn't involve additional government borrowing as it will be financed by funds previously earmarked for other spending.
"We will work hard to swiftly implement the budget to help the disaster-hit area get back on its feet," Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda told a news conference following the budget's passage.
The budget will be used for measures such as removing debris, building temporary housing and repairing infrastructure, as well as providing financial support to businesses affected by the disaster, which has left more than 25,000 dead or missing and is expected to cause the economy to contract in the first half of this year.
Despite more than a year of political standoff, the opposition, led by the Liberal Democratic Party, joined hands with Mr. Kan's Democratic Party of Japan, allowing the budget to pass the opposition-controlled upper chamber Monday after just two days of discussions in the chamber. The DPJ-dominated lower chamber endorsed the bills Saturday.
The move was in stark contrast to the fierce clash between the opposition and the ruling parties before the earthquake, when everything from campaign-financing scandals to differences over economic policy delayed the passage of the regular budget for the fiscal year that started in April and prevented the enactment of related legislation, including a crucial bill for issuing bonds, which has yet to clear parliament.
The government will now shift its focus to drafting a broad after-quake reconstruction plan as well as a long-term blueprint to overhaul Japan's tax and social security systems by the end of June.
The government will then compile a second extra budget to fund other quake-related measures, ministers have said.
"We need to present a source of financing in order to come up with a second supplementary budget," Economics Minister Kaoru Yosano told a separate news conference Monday.
While Mr. Noda has offered little hint on the potential size of the budget, other ministers have said it would likely be financed by new bond issuance.
The prospect of more deficit spending has led international investors to pay greater attention to the second extra budget, as such steps would further worsen Japan's battered finances, possibly making Japanese government bonds less attractive. Standard & Poor's Ratings Services last week lowered its outlook on Japan's sovereign rating to negative from stable, citing the risk of a downgrade if the earthquake causes the country's fiscal situation to deteriorate substantially more than expected.
Japan's public debt is already twice its annual economic output, the highest among industrialized countries, leading some DPJ officials to float the controversial idea of raising taxes to pay for quake relief measures.
The government has estimated direct damage from the earthquake and tsunami at ¥16 trillion to ¥25 trillion.
Faithful give thanks for John Paul beatification
VATICAN CITY – Pope John Paul II's longtime secretary thanked Benedict XVI on Monday for responding to the call of the faithful for the speedy beatification of the much-loved late pontiff.
Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz spoke during a special Mass of thanksgiving Monday for Sunday's beatification of the Polish-born pope, which drew 1.5 million faithful from across the world, one of the largest Vatican Masses ever held.
The beatification, the fastest in modern history, came six years after calls of "Santo Subito!" or "Sainthood Immediately" erupted during John Paul's 2005 funeral.
"We express gratitude to the Holy Father Benedict XVI for the gift of the beatification of his predecessor and for the fact that he keeps alive the memory of John Paul II," the Polish cardinal said, speaking beneath a large color photo of a vibrant John Paul.
The Mass, led by the Vatican No. 2, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, began with a procession in St. Peter's Square of bishops and cardinals in gold and white vestments. One cleric carried aloft a relic, a vial of blood taken from John Paul for medical tests shortly before his death. A key feature of beatification ceremonies, the relic will be available for the faithful to venerate.
Dziwisz also recalled that John Paul had "shed his blood for the cause of Christ" in the same square 30 years ago, when he was the victim of a 1981 assassination attempt.
In his homily, Bertone gave thanks for the man he called a saint, recalling how John Paul, suffering from Parkinson's disease at the end of his life, lost "his physical strength, his expressiveness, the ability to move, even his speech."
"We thank the Lord for having given us a saint like himself," Bertone said. "He knew that his physical weakness showed even more clearly the Christ who works in history."
Among the faithful in the square were thousands of Poles, including a priest, Jozef Maciag, who said he wanted to thank John Paul for his role in helping bring down communism, and for giving him the inspiration to devote his own life to God.
"I came here to thank God for the pope's ministry, which touched my own life," Maciag said.
After Sunday's beatification, about 250,000 faithful filed past John Paul's simple wooden coffin in St. Peter's Basilica. The pope had been buried in the grottoes underneath the church, but his closed casket was brought to the church's center aisle ahead of the beatification.
The faithful were allowed to pay their respects until 3 a.m. Monday, when the basilica closed.
After Monday's Mass, it was reopening for several hours before a private ceremony during which the casket will be taken to its new resting place in the basilica near Michelangelo's famed "Pieta" marble sculpture.
_____
Associated Press writer Daniela Petroff contributed to this report.
Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz spoke during a special Mass of thanksgiving Monday for Sunday's beatification of the Polish-born pope, which drew 1.5 million faithful from across the world, one of the largest Vatican Masses ever held.The beatification, the fastest in modern history, came six years after calls of "Santo Subito!" or "Sainthood Immediately" erupted during John Paul's 2005 funeral.
"We express gratitude to the Holy Father Benedict XVI for the gift of the beatification of his predecessor and for the fact that he keeps alive the memory of John Paul II," the Polish cardinal said, speaking beneath a large color photo of a vibrant John Paul.
The Mass, led by the Vatican No. 2, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, began with a procession in St. Peter's Square of bishops and cardinals in gold and white vestments. One cleric carried aloft a relic, a vial of blood taken from John Paul for medical tests shortly before his death. A key feature of beatification ceremonies, the relic will be available for the faithful to venerate.
Dziwisz also recalled that John Paul had "shed his blood for the cause of Christ" in the same square 30 years ago, when he was the victim of a 1981 assassination attempt.
In his homily, Bertone gave thanks for the man he called a saint, recalling how John Paul, suffering from Parkinson's disease at the end of his life, lost "his physical strength, his expressiveness, the ability to move, even his speech."
"We thank the Lord for having given us a saint like himself," Bertone said. "He knew that his physical weakness showed even more clearly the Christ who works in history."
Among the faithful in the square were thousands of Poles, including a priest, Jozef Maciag, who said he wanted to thank John Paul for his role in helping bring down communism, and for giving him the inspiration to devote his own life to God.
"I came here to thank God for the pope's ministry, which touched my own life," Maciag said.
After Sunday's beatification, about 250,000 faithful filed past John Paul's simple wooden coffin in St. Peter's Basilica. The pope had been buried in the grottoes underneath the church, but his closed casket was brought to the church's center aisle ahead of the beatification.
The faithful were allowed to pay their respects until 3 a.m. Monday, when the basilica closed.
After Monday's Mass, it was reopening for several hours before a private ceremony during which the casket will be taken to its new resting place in the basilica near Michelangelo's famed "Pieta" marble sculpture.
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Associated Press writer Daniela Petroff contributed to this report.
Gaddafi unleashes revenge attack on British embassy after NATO kill his youngest son in bombing raid
Colonel Gaddafi’s supporters torched the British embassy in Libya yesterday in revenge for the apparent killing of his son and three grandchildren in a Nato missile attack.
Foreign Secretary William Hague responded last night by expelling the Libyan ambassador to London.
Italy condemned a similar ‘vile’ attack on its diplomatic HQ, while the UN announced it was pulling its officials out of Tripoli because of mob rule. Ambassador Omar Jelban has been given 24 hours to leave the UK as punishment for the destruction of the British embassy – which has been empty for some weeks.
Amid signs of growing strain in the international community over the conflict, David Cameron defended Nato’s choice of targets after three missiles slammed into a heavily-guarded Gaddafi family compound in Tripoli late on Saturday, leaving the building in ruins.
He insisted that anyone who was directing operations against civilians could be targeted under international law.
Libyan officials claimed the attack killed the youngest of the despot’s six sons, 29-year-old Ferrari-driving playboy Saif al-Arab, and three of his grandchildren.
Gaddafi and his wife, who were reputedly inside the devastated building, were said to have escaped unharmed, having left a gathering of family and friends earlier in the evening. ‘The leader himself is in good health,’ said Moussa Ibrahim, the dictator’s spokesman. ‘What we have now is the law of the jungle. This was a direct operation to assassinate the leader of this country.
‘This is not permitted by international law. It is not permitted by any moral code or principle.’
US kills Osama bin Laden decade after 9/11 attacks
WASHINGTON – Osama bin Laden, the face of global terrorism and architect of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, was killed in a firefight with elite American forces Monday, then quickly buried at sea in a stunning finale to a furtive decade on the run.
Long believed to be hiding in caves, bin Laden was tracked down in a costly, custom-built hideout not far from a Pakistani military academy.
"Justice has been done," President Barack Obama said in a dramatic announcement at the White House while a crowd cheered outside and hundreds more gathered at ground zero in Manhattan to celebrate the news.
The military operation took mere minutes.
U.S. helicopters ferrying elite counter-terrorism troops into the compound identified by the CIA as bin Laden's hideout — and back out again in less than 40 minutes. Bin Laden was shot in the head, officials said, after he and his bodyguards resisted the assault.
Three adult males were also killed in the raid, including one of bin Laden's sons, whom officials did not name. One of bin Laden's sons, Hamza, is a senior member of al-Qaida. U.S. officials also said one woman was killed when she was used as a shield by a male combatant, and two other women were injured.
The U.S. official who disclosed the burial at sea said it would have been difficult to find a country willing to accept the remains. Obama said the remains had been handled in accordance with Islamic custom, which requires speedy burial.
"I heard a thundering sound, followed by heavy firing. Then firing suddenly stopped. Then more thundering, then a big blast," said Mohammad Haroon Rasheed, a resident of Abbottobad, Pakistan, after the choppers had swooped in and then out again.
Bin Laden's death marks a psychological triumph in a long struggle that began with the Sept. 11 attacks, and seems certain to give Obama a political lift. But its ultimate impact on al-Qaida is less clear.
The greatest terrorist threat to the U.S. is now considered to be the al-Qaida franchise in Yemen, far from al-Qaida's core in Pakistan. The Yemen branch almost took down a U.S.-bound airliner on Christmas 2009 and nearly detonated explosives aboard two U.S. cargo planes last fall. Those operations were carried out without any direct involvement from bin Laden.
The few fiery minutes in Abbottobad followed years in which U.S. officials struggled to piece together clues that ultimately led to bin Laden, according to an account provided by senior administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the operation.
Based on statements given by U.S. detainees since the 9/11 attacks, they said, intelligence officials have long known that bin Laden trusted one al-Qaida courier in particular, and they believed he might be living with him in hiding.
Four years ago, the United States learned the man's identity, which officials did not disclose, and then about two years later, they identified areas of Pakistan where he operated. Last August, the man's residence was found, officials said.
"Intelligence analysis concluded that this compound was custom built in 2005 to hide someone of significance," with walls as high as 18 feet and topped by barbed wire, according to one official. Despite the compound's estimated $1 million cost and two security gates, it had no phone or Internet running into the house.
By mid-February, intelligence from multiple sources was clear enough that Obama wanted to "pursue an aggressive course of action," a senior administration official said. Over the next two and a half months, the president led five meetings of the National Security Council focused solely on whether bin Laden was in that compound and, if so, how to get him, the official said.
Obama made a decision to launch the operation on Friday, shortly before flying to Alabama to inspect tornado damage, and aides set to work on the details.
The president spent part of his Sunday on the golf course, but cut his round short to return to the White House for a meeting where he and top national security aides reviewed final preparations for the raid.
Two hours later, Obama was told that bin Laden had been tentatively identified.
CIA director Leon Panetta was directly in charge of the military team during the operation, according to one official, and when he and his aides received word at agency headquarters that bin Laden had been killed, cheers broke out around the conference room table.
Administration aides said the operation was so secretive that no foreign officials were informed in advance, and only a small circle inside the U.S. government was aware of what was unfolding half a world away.
In his announcement, Obama said he had called Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari after the raid, and said it was "important to note that our counter-terrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding."
One senior administration told reporters, though, "we were very concerned ... that he was inside Pakistan, but this is something we're going to continue to work with the Pakistani government on."
The compound is about a half-mile from a Pakistani military academy, in a city that is home to three army regiments and thousands of military personnel. Abbottabad is surrounded by hills and with mountains in the distance.
Critics have long accused elements of Pakistan's security establishment of protecting bin Laden, though Islamabad has always denied it, and in a statement the foreign ministry said his death showed the country's resolve in the battle against terrorism.
Whatever the global repercussions, bin Laden's death marked the end to a manhunt that consumed most of a decade that began in the grim hours after bin Laden's hijackers flew planes into the World Trade Center twin towers in Manhattan and the Pentagon across the Potomac River from Washington. A fourth plane was commandeered by passengers who overcame the hijackers and forced the plane to crash in the Pennsylvania countryside.
In all, nearly 3,000 were killed in the worst terror attacks on American soil.
Former President George W. Bush, who was in office on the day of the attacks, issued a written statement hailing bin Laden's death as a momentous achievement. "The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done," he said.
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