The Syria Times
Leaders break deadlock over debate on dividing Iraq
BAGHDAD
SyriaTimes
25-9-2006
Iraqi leaders averted a political crisis by striking a compromise between warring groups over the issue of breaking the war-torn country into autonomous regions.
The end of a three-week stalemate strikes a rare note of compromise and agreement in a country whose new politics have taken on a sectarian character and is wracked by internecine violence as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins.
Political party leaders agreed to hold a debate on federalism as urged by some Iraqis and also to review the constitution as demanded.
The violence, however, ground on and at least 19 people were killed across the country in insurgent attacks and explosions.
Iraqis originally rejected a draft law on dividing the country into regions, sometimes even threatening to boycott the assembly.
http://syriatimes.tishreen.info/_default.asp?FileName=104518426520060925123718
Iraqi lawmakers to change constitution
BAGHDAD
26-9-2006
SyriaTimes
Iraq`s parliament agreed on Monday to set up a body to draft constitutional changes, a key part of a breakthrough deal reached by the country`s groups to end political paralysis and avoid civil war.
Iraq`s new, U.S.-sponsored political system has been stalled by wrangling over amendments to the constitution and autonomy for the oil-rich heartland in the south, while the streets have grown ever more violent since December`s election.
Breaking the deadlock at a time when U.S. commanders fear a surge in violence through the Muslim holy month of Ramadan was a crucial test of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki`s efforts to sustain his four-month-old national unity government.
In the south of Iraq, British forces said they had killed Omar Faruq, described as a senior al-Qaeda figure who escaped from a U.S. military prison in Afghanistan more than a year ago.
"I think the agreement is like a gift presented by parliament to the Iraqi people for Ramadan," Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani told the house.
"Any speech that might be considered offensive and open up any other topic will be banned -- today is like a wedding."
http://syriatimes.tishreen.info/_default.asp?FileName=104518685420060926113241
Clashes in Baghdad, lawmakers wrangle over autonomy
BAGHDAD
SyriaTimes
27-9-2006
Iraq`s parliament took tentative steps on Tuesday to resolve a deadlock over autonomous regions, an issue that has split its politicians as fresh clashes erupted in southern Baghdad.
Parliament named a committee to draft amendments to the constitution and read out a bill to allow for regional autonomy, a key demand of Iraqi leaders.
The two issues lie at the heart of Iraq`s "sectarian divide" and have hurt Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki`s efforts to end months of political paralysis and mounting violence.
Many Iraqis want to create an autonomous region in their oil-rich southern heartland.
Iraqis fear this would siphon oil wealth from Baghdad and could tear the country apart, and want to amend the constitution to strengthen the powers of the central government.
http://syriatimes.tishreen.info/_default.asp?FileName=18655775820060927110013
Israel pullout from S.Lebanon on track
TYRE, Lebanon
SyriaTimes
26-9-2006
Israeli troops are still occupying 10 areas of South Lebanon from which the last soldiers are due to withdraw by the end of this week -- seven days later than first planned -- according to a senior UN official.
They remain in place in 10 zones stretching from Yarin in the eastern sector to Kfarkila in the centre, French Major Philippe Lebrat, military assistant to the commander of the UN Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL), told AFP.
Today, UNIFIL, Lebanese and Israeli officials hold a meeting due to finalise the pullout from the زborderس areas Israel has occupied since the month-long war on Hezbollah ended August 14 with a UN-brokered ceasefire.
Lebrat said the Israeli positions were located between one and three kilometers (up to two miles) deep inside South Lebanon.
They are deployed in Kfarkila, Markaba, Blida, Marun al-Ras, Rmaish, Ramiyeh, Marwahin and Yarin, Lebrat said, but he did not give a figure for the number of Israeli troops left.
http://syriatimes.tishreen.info/_default.asp?FileName=104518685420060926113522
Continued logjam in peace efforts can only lead to confrontation
Damascus
SyriaTimes
27-9-2006
Foreign Minister Walid Moualem yesterday delivered the following speech at the 61st Session of the UN General Assembly in New York:
Madame President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I congratulate you and your fraternal country, Bahrain on your election to the presidency of the 61st session of the United Nations General Assembly. You are the first Arab woman ever to assume this high position. Your selection to this post is a proof that the empowerment of women has become an integral part of the Arab experience. I shall be remiss if I fail to express to your predecessor, Mr. Jan Elliasson, our sincere appreciation for the efforts he made to bring about a successful conclusion to the work of the previous session. I would also like to express our thanks to Mr. Kofi Annan, the Secretary General of the United Nations for his efforts to lead this organization during the past five years. We appreciate the constructive effort he exerted during his last visit to the region.
Madame President,
For decades, the Middle East region has been the stage for many daunting challenges. It has endured the Israeli occupation of the Arab territories that has continued since 1967, and the denial of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. The peoples of our region have lost the hope to realize their aspirations to justice, peace and security.
http://syriatimes.tishreen.info/_default.asp?FileName=18655775820060927110458
Complete withdrawal end of Sept.-UNIFIL
NAQURA, Lebanon
SyriaTimes
27-9-2006
Israel has alleged that snags could further delay its South Lebanon pullout until next week, as Lebanese and Israeli army officers met with UN peacekeepers on the زborderس to nail down a schedule.
The coordination meeting to finalise the schedule for the last few hundred Israeli soldiers to withdraw was held in a villa at a secret location in Naqura on the زborderس, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said.
In occupied Jerusalem, War Minister Amir Peretz told reporters that Israel now hoped to bring its troops back "during this week, or at the latest several days later", after he addressed parliament`s زforeign affairs and war committeeس.
"We are prepared for the exit," following a UN-brokered ceasefire which took effect six weeks ago, he said.
"There are agreements and negotiations that we intend to complete in order to set the rules on what is allowed and what is not allowed along the `Blue Line`," he said, referring to the UN-demarcated border.
A committee member said they were told the elusive
http://syriatimes.tishreen.info/_default.asp?FileName=18655775820060927110239
President receives new Dutch ambassador
Damascus
SyriaTimes
21-8-2006
President Bashar al-Assad yesterday received at al-Shaab Palace the credentials of the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands to Syria.
The ceremony was attended by Foreign Minister Walid Mouصalem and Minister of Presidentials Affairs Ghassan Lahham.
Later, the President received the ambassador, exchanged views and wished her every success in her mission.
http://syriatimes.tishreen.info/_default.asp?FileName=9766305820060821131455
Qatar Emir in Damascus today
Damascus
SyriaTimes
21-8-2006
Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani makes a work visit to Syria today (Monday).
During the visit, Sheikh Hamad will hold talks with President Bashar al-Assad on bilateral relations and developments in the region.
http://syriatimes.tishreen.info/_default.asp?FileName=9766305820060821131425
Syrias cooperation appreciated
NEW YORK
SyriaTimes
26-9-2006
Serge Brammertz, Chief of International Investigation Committee, handed his 5th report, regarding the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister. Rafiq Hariri to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan yesterday morning.
News agencies reported that Brammertz made clear in his report Syrias assistance was satisfactory and that Syria responded to all requests of his committee within time frame allocated.
During his meeting with Foreign Minister Walid Moualem yesterday, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan expressed his gratitude to Syria for her cooperation with the committee.
http://syriatimes.tishreen.info/_default.asp?FileName=104518685420060926113502
President inaugurates 1st phase of Damascus Citadel restoration
Accompanied by his wife, President Bashar al-Assad inaugurated yesterday evening the first phase of Damascus citadel restoration project.
2-7-2006
summary: Accompanied by his wife, President Bashar al-Assad inaugurated yesterday evening the first phase of Damascus citadel restoration project.
The President, his wife and other guests toured the citadel and inspected already restored parts, some fabrics, old fashions and art paintings. The President praised the achievement of the first phase and highly valued efforts exerted in the restoration process, particularly, the discoveries, evidence of the cultural, artistic and architectural heritage which distinguishes this great historical landmark.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Prime Minister M. Naji Otri, a number of senior state officials as well as Arab and foreign ambassadors to Damascus, and cultural, social and information figures.
The citadel rests on an area of 31760 Sq.m. (3.2 hectares). It dates back to 2600 B.C. The first phase of restoration started in 1984.
http://syriatimes.tishreen.info/_default.asp?FileName=100086636620060702224750
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Ohio's abortion pill law rejected
Judge: Legislation restricting RU-486 unconstitutional
BY DAN HORN ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
An Ohio law restricting the use of an abortion-inducing pill is unconstitutional because it is vague and could jeopardize the health of women, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.
The decision is a victory for Planned Parenthood, which argued that limiting the use of the drug, RU-486, could put women at risk.
The law would make it illegal for doctors to prescribe the drug after the seventh week of pregnancy, a restriction recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration six years ago.
Planned Parenthood - joined by a national doctors' group - complained that the FDA rules are subject to change and include caveats that would allow the use of RU-486 after the seventh week of pregnancy.
They said the law could put doctors at risk of criminal prosecution even if they provided proper care to their patients.
The law also included no exception for women to use RU-486 after seven weeks, even if they faced a greater health risk from surgical abortion.
"This is another piece of legislation that is intended to scare doctors away from providing reproductive health care," said Al Gerhardstein, Planned Parenthood's attorney.
U.S. District Judge Susan Dlott said in her decision that the law fails to set clear, reasonable guidelines for doctors to follow.
"Physicians ... could not possibly be expected to understand its requirements and prohibitions," Dlott wrote.
Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro has defended the law, describing it as "sensible and mainstream." He said it is intended to protect women from a potentially dangerous drug.
A Petro spokesman could not be reached late Wednesday, but the state could appeal Dlott's decision to the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.
A 6th Circuit panel previously has ruled that Ohio's law would be unconstitutional unless lawmakers added an exception for women facing a greater risk with surgery.
The appeals court stopped short of rejecting the entire law and sent the case back to Dlott so she could determine whether any portion of the law could be salvaged.
Dlott said Wednesday the law was hopelessly vague and should be rejected in its entirety. Her decision means the state cannot enforce the law, which was supposed to take effect in 2004.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists joined the opposition to the law this year, complaining that it interferes with medical decisions and criminalizes recommended medical practices.
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060928/NEWS01/609280365
Chabot protestors arrested
THE ENQUIRER
Five adults and two juveniles were arrested peacefully and charged with criminal trespassing Wednesday night after a seven-hour sit-in at the downtown office of U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot.
The group arrived at Chabot's office at the Carew Tower around 1 p.m., stating they would not leave until Chabot signed a pledge to end the U.S. war and occupation in Iraq. During that time, supporters of Greater Cincinnati Declaration of Peace drifted in and out of the office. Chabot's staff accommodated the group with refreshments and bathroom keys.
They were first asked to leave around 6:30 p.m. Security was called at 7 p.m. and about an hour later, Cincinnati police showed up.
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060928/NEWS01/609280393
Bill comes due for ID thief
BY DAN HORN ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
When Traci Southerland didn't like the way her life was going, she pretended to be someone else.
Sometimes she pretended to be dozens of people.
Prosecutors say she stole about 100 identities - often by logging onto a Hamilton County government Web site - and used the information to defraud banks and businesses of almost $500,000.
"Somewhere along the way I got lost," Southerland told a federal judge Wednesday. "I haven't been able to find myself."
U.S. District Judge S. Arthur Spiegel sentenced Southerland to 13 years in prison, saying she had repeatedly turned to identity theft as a way to make money when she was out of work or short of cash.
"She does not appear particularly remorseful," Spiegel said.
Southerland, 37, pleaded guilty earlier this year to fraud and conspiracy charges after admitting she led an identity-theft ring that operated in Greater Cincinnati between 2001 and 2005.
Prosecutors said Southerland obtained some of the Social Security numbers from Hamilton County's clerk of courts Web site and used them to create counterfeit checks, driver's licenses and other documents.
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060928/NEWS01/609280362
Health care crisis is getting worse
BY JON TALTON ARIZONA REPUBLIC
Americans in the fall of 2006 can be excused for suffering crisis fatigue: A recent "Los Angeles Times" poll found voters worried about the economy, the Iraq war, immigration, terrorism and education. Beneath these issues, 10 percent of respondents listed health care.
But the health care crisis is getting worse, and although it may be eclipsed for a time by other troubles, it won't go away. In another poll this year, for the non-profit Commonwealth Fund, three-quarters of respondents said that the system needs to be completely rebuilt.
Americans no longer enjoy the best health-care system in the world. We pay more and get less.
In 2005, Americans spent 16 percent of gross domestic product - everything the nation produces - on health care. Estimates call for that to rise to 21 percent by 2020. While spending far more than other advanced nations, studies show that our quality of care is often inferior.
In addition to a rising number of people with no insurance (46.6 million this year), even people who have insurance are struggling to pay their medical bills, or being kicked off their programs by insurance companies.
Anyone outside of the super-rich who has experienced the health care system recently compared with even 10 years ago can testify to this.
No wonder people applauded Wal-Mart's announcement that it would cut prices by 20 percent on some 150 generic drugs, beginning the program in Florida.
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060926/EDIT02/609260313/1021/EDIT
40 Tortured Bodies Found in Baghdad
AP Photo/YAHYA AHMED
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- The bodies of 40 men who were shot and had their hands and feet bound have been found in the capital over the past 24 hours, police said Thursday.
All the victims showed signs of torture, police Lt. Thayer Mahmoud said. They were dumped in several neighborhoods in both eastern and western Baghdad, he said.
The top U.S. military spokesman in Iraq, Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell, on Wednesday said murders and executions are currently the main cause of civilian deaths in Baghdad.
Much of the violence has been attributed to death squads, many of which are thought to be offshoots of mainly Shiite militias.
Also Thursday, two Iraqi soldiers were killed and 10 others were injured in suicide car bombing in part of Baghdad where American and Iraqi troops had just conducted a security sweep.
The car slammed into a checkpoint in the northeastern neighborhood of Shaab, a neighborhood in northeastern Baghdad that had just been cleared by troops taking part in Operation Together Forward.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/IRAQ?SITE=OHCIN&SECTION=AMERICAS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
GOP Moves to Seal Bush's Detainee Plan
By ANNE PLUMMER FLAHERTY
Associated Press Writer
AP Photo/SUSAN WALSH
AP VIDEO
More Harm Than Good From Iraq War?
U.S. Video
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Congress is on track to approve a White House plan for detaining and interrogating terrorism suspects - legislation Republicans likely will use on the campaign trail to assert that Democrats want to coddle terrorists.
Barring any last-minute hiccups, a Senate vote Thursday would send the legislation to the president's desk by week's end. The House approved a nearly identical measure Wednesday on a 253-168 vote.
Senate Republicans agreed on the measure with the exception of whether to allow terrorists the right to protest their detentions in court. Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, contends the ability to file a "habeas corpus" petition is considered a fundamental legal right and necessary to uncover abuse.
Other Republicans contend that providing terror suspects the right to unlimited appeals would weigh down the federal court system.
Four Democrats and Specter were being given opportunities to offer amendments Thursday, but all were expected to be rejected along party lines.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CONGRESS_TERRORISM?SITE=OHCIN&SECTION=AMERICAS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Olmert Hopes to Meet Abbas in Coming Day
By RAVI NESSMAN
Associated Press Writer
AP Photo/YOAV LEMMER
World Video
JERUSALEM (AP) -- Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in interviews broadcast Thursday that he hopes to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in coming days for what would be their first real talks since he came to power.
But Abbas aides said the Palestinian leader is not interested in holding a summit unless he has assurances it would deal with more than the fate of Cpl. Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier captured by Hamas-linked militants.
The prime minister is under intense domestic pressure for his conduct of the war against Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon that ended last month. He gave wide-ranging interviews to Israel's two main radio stations to defend his government's stance on everything from possible talks with Syria to the chances of pursuing new peace moves with the Palestinians.
Contacts ceased between Israel and the Palestinians after the Hamas militant group won January's parliamentary elections. Relations further declined after Hamas-linked militants attacked an Israeli army post on June 25, killing two soldiers and capturing Shalit. Israeli responded with a widescale offensive in the Gaza Strip.
There has been talk about holding a summit since Olmert was elected in March. The two leaders had a brief informal breakfast meeting, but no working session.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/ISRAEL_PALESTINIANS?SITE=OHCIN&SECTION=AMERICAS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Little Pressure on Hezbollah to Disarm
By HAMZA HENDAWI and HENRY MEYER
Associated Press Writers
AP Photo/LOTFALLAH DAHER
World Video
MARJAYOUN, Lebanon (AP) -- Six weeks after the end of the Lebanon war, the militant Hezbollah group is facing little on-the-ground pressure to give up its weapons and disarm - despite a U.N. cease-fire resolution demanding just that.
The leaders of a U.N. peacekeeping force in south Lebanon say the job is not theirs. And Lebanon's ill-equipped army, some of whose soldiers wear tin-pot helmets and carry outdated M-16 rifles, shows no signs of diving into a confrontation with battle-hardened Hezbollah fighters.
For now, all sides say it's likely full disarmament will happen only in the future as part of a political solution - despite the U.N. resolution that ended the 34-day war on Aug. 14 and required disarmament.
The commanders of the U.N. force say that under the resolution, their job is merely to assist the Lebanese army in regaining control of southern Lebanon and to ensure the area cannot be used for launching rocket attacks into northern Israel.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MIDEAST_NOT_DISARMING_HEZBOLLAH?SITE=OHCIN&SECTION=AMERICAS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Truce Monitors: 200 Killed in Sri Lanka
By KRISHAN FRANCIS
Associated Press Writer
AP Photo/GEMUNU AMARASINGHE
World Video
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) -- At least 200 civilians have been killed in two months of fighting between Sri Lankan soldiers and separatist Tamil rebels, and both sides are to blame, European cease-fire monitors said Thursday.
Since large-scale hostilities broke out in late July, "over 200 civilians have been killed and several thousands are internally displaced, creating a serious humanitarian crisis," the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission said in a report sent to the government and Tamil Tiger leaders.
The monitors accused both sides of serious violations of the cease-fire, including denying people access to food, and blocking the entry of monitors and aid workers into conflict areas for investigations and to help trapped civilians.
"The gravity of the violations have led to a dangerous escalation in hostilities," the monitors said.
"It is important that the parties realize the seriousness of the current situation and do whatever there is in their power to move forward instead of engaging in military confrontation," the monitors said.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SRI_LANKA?SITE=OHCIN&SECTION=AMERICAS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Bush Urges Allies to Unite in Terror War
By ANNE GEARAN
AP Diplomatic Writer
AP Photo/PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Before they sat down with President Bush for a peacemaking dinner at the White House, the bickering leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan shook hands with their host but not with each other.
Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf and Afghan President Hamid Karzai, whom Bush considers key bulwarks against Islamic radicalism in a volatile region, barely looked at one another as Bush appealed for cooperation against the common enemy of terrorism.
"I look forward to having dinner with friends of mine who don't happen to share the same faith I do but nevertheless share the same outlook for a more hopeful world," Bush said in a brief Rose Garden appearance before Wednesday's light dinner of soup, sea bass and salad.
The meeting was a command performance for leaders who have joined their fortunes to Bush's anti-terror drive since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks but who for months have picked at one another's efforts to fight terrorists along their long, remote, mountainous border.
"These two men are personal friends of mine," Bush said. "They are strong leaders who have an understanding of the world in which we live. They understand that the forces of moderation are being challenged by extremists and radicals."
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_KARZAI_MUSHARRAF?SITE=OHCIN&SECTION=AMERICAS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Missing car? You're not alone
Police say tow trucks steal, sell them for salvage
BY SHARON COOLIDGE ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
EAST END - The tow-truck drivers scoured Cincinnati streets and parking lots, police say, often stopping, hooking up a car and hauling it away.
According to an investigation by two police districts and four other agencies, they were taking vehicles they didn't have a right to take, selling them and pocketing the money. And at least some of them ended up at an East End junk yard.
That's the elaborate scheme cooked up by tow-truck drivers, authorities say. And the plan worked at Jack's Used Auto Parts, they said Wednesday, because of the junkyard owner's sloppy record keeping.
Jack's has been forced to close for violating its salvage license, not because of stolen cars, while the investigation into the car thefts continues, police and Hamilton County prosecutors said.
A court-approved search of the Kellogg Avenue salvage yard in April revealed nine cars out of 200 checked were stolen, said District 3 Detective John Brehm, who investigated with District 2 Detective Sharon Baglien and four other agencies.
The tow-truck drivers hunted along roads and in parking lots for cars - usually older ones or those in poor shape. They'd take them to Jack's, where they'd sell them for either $80 or $155, Baglien said.
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060928/NEWS01/609280363
3rd Gotti Jr. Trial Ends in Mistrial
By LARRY NEUMEISTER
Associated Press Writer
AP Photo/LOUIS LANZANO
U.S. Video
NEW YORK (AP) -- John A. "Junior" Gotti says he's ready to move on - to the Midwest, to college, to a quiet life - now that a third jury couldn't reach a verdict in the government's racketeering case against him.
But whether prosecutors are ready to move on remains to be seen.
After a judge dismissed the jury Wednesday, a weary Gotti looked victorious in his effort to prove he has left behind the Gambino crime family.
"It's enough now. They got to let go," Gotti told reporters as he talked at length about wanting to return to a quiet life at his Long Island home with his wife and six children before moving to the Midwest and attending college.
"If they let us alone, I'll leave. I'll take my family and I'll go," he said.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/G/GOTTI_RETRIAL?SITE=OHCIN&SECTION=AMERICAS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Ill. Girl Dies After Dentist Treatment
By F.N. D'ALESSIO
Associated Press Writer
U.S. Video
CHICAGO (AP) -- A 5-year-old Chicago girl who never awoke from her sedation during a visit to the dentist died Wednesday at Children's Memorial Hospital, a hospital official said.
Kindergartner Diamond Brownridge had been in a coma and on life support since the weekend dentist visit, said Julie Pesch, a spokeswoman for Children's Memorial Hospital.
Family members have said Diamond received a triple dose of sedatives - an oral agent, an intravenous drug and nitrous oxide gas - during Saturday's exam at Little Angel Dental. The girl was having two cavities filled and caps placed on her lower front teeth.
The girl's mother, Ommettress Travis, has said she was asked to leave the room during the half-hour procedure. When she returned, her daughter was lying in the dental chair, not breathing, Travis said.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DENTIST_COMA?SITE=OHCIN&SECTION=AMERICAS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Eminent domain
The power of a government to take private property for public use goes back centuries. But when that property is someone's home and the government wants it for private development, the result can be a legal and political firestorm over the nature of private property rights versus the definition of a public use.
Today, the epicenter for that national debate is a muddy, 11-acre field off I-71 in Norwood where a city neighborhood once stood. With dozens of middle-class homes razed for a shopping an office complex, the Ohio Supreme Court is considering the rights of the few holdouts who refused to sell. And the Ohio General Assembly is considering curbs on this ancient government exercise of power - limits that some say could hinder the ability of cities to remain vital centers of commerce.
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=newseminent
Reluctant sellers to get house back
Court ruling follows eminent domain decision in Norwood
BY STEVE KEMME ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
NORWOOD - In a postscript to its landmark decision in the Norwood eminent-domain case, the Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the former property of Sanae Ichikawa-Burton and Matthew Burton on the proposed Rookwood Exchange site to be returned to them.
The court applied the same ruling to the Burtons' case that it had in its decision in July that nullified Norwood's seizure by eminent domain of two other properties on the Rookwood site at Edwards and Edmondson roads. That scuttled plans for the construction of the $125 million office-condo-retail project.
Technically, the Burtons' case wasn't included in the previous court ruling on eminent domain because it had been filed at a different time than the cases involving the properties of Joe Horney and Joy and Carl Gamble Jr.
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060907/NEWS01/609070344/-1/newseminent
The Gulf News
New law may let full foreign stake in some sectors
By Ahmad Ameen, Staff Reporter
Abu Dhabi: The UAE, the second-largest Arab economy, is likely to pass a law this year to allow foreign companies to operate without local partners in certain industries in a bid to attract investment.
The much talked about Commercial Companies Law may allow investors from outside the GCC to own 'up to 100 per cent' stake in companies working in the education and health industries, breaking with existing legislation that forces foreigners into minority partnerships with local entities, Abdullah Ahmad Al Saleh, the undersecretary at the Ministry of Economy said.
http://www.gulfnews.com/business/Industry/10070689.html
Pakistan clears $43b Emaar plan
By Saifur Rahman, Business News Editor
Dubai: Emaar, the largest Arab property developer by market value, yesterday received government approval for a Dh157.81 billion ($43 billion) project to develop two island resorts near Pakistan's port city of Karachi.
With 85 per cent equity in the project, Dubai-based Emaar will build apartments, offices resorts and entertainment facilities at Bundal and Buddo Islands over 13 years, Ashfaque Hasan Khan, Pakistan government's economic adviser, told the media in Islamabad yesterday.
Pakistan's Port Qasim, which has 15 per cent stake in the project, will provide the land to Emaar.
http://www.gulfnews.com/business/Real_Estate_Property/10070792.html
Sharjah to stage largest Mideast security expo
By Mariam M Al Serkal, Staff Reporter
Sharjah: Sharjah Police will stage the Middle East's largest safety and security exhibition from November 6-8 that will showcase the latest equipment and devices, organisers announced yesterday.
The exhibition will also display a variety of security equipment including surveillance and forensic technologies, riot control equipment, debugging equipment, and explosive detection technologies.
The trade event, Mepol, is intended to provide hi-tech equipment for internal state security, police equipment, industrial site security, and civil defence, and will be held at the Expo Centre.
http://www.gulfnews.com/business/General/10070693.html
Four life sentences for W Bank murderer
Agencies
Occupied Jerusalem: A Jewish settler has been given four life sentences by an Israeli court after being found guilty of killing four Palestinians in the West Bank last year.
Asher Weisgan shot his known victims after snatching a gun from a security guard during Israel's Gaza withdrawal.
The court said Weisgan should be punished for each killing and was ordered to pay nearly $250,000 in compensation, as well as serve four life sentences that are to run consecutively and an additional 12 years.
"Every one of the victims had a name and an identity... They were the immediate victims of the convicted man's actions and he must be punished for the murders of each and every one of them," the judges said.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Middle_East/10070856.html
Sunni leaders back Shiite Al Maliki
Reuters
Baghdad: Sunni tribal leaders who have vowed to drive Al Qaida out of Iraq's most restive province met the Shiite premier on Wednesday, marking what Washington hopes will be a breakthrough alliance against militants.
Sattar Al Buzayi, a Sunni shaikh from Anbar province who has emerged in recent weeks as a leader of a tribal alliance against Osama Bin Laden's followers, said he and about 15 other shaikhs had offered their cooperation to Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki.
"We agreed to cooperate," Buzayi told Reuters. "We haven't agreed to anything specific, but we agreed to cooperate."
Al Maliki's office issued a statement praising the chiefs for their commitment to fighting the militants.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iraq/10070819.html
Raid on terror suspect's home kills 8
Agencies
Baghdad: The US military said it killed four suspected terrorists and four civilians in a raid in Baquoba on Wednesday.
Iraqi forces also said they had arrested a leader of a militant group believed responsible for numerous attacks on coalition forces.
The violence came as US military spokesman Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell said attacks against civilians and coalition forces have spiked in Baghdad since the Muslim holy month of Ramadan officially began Monday.
"The terrorists and illegal armed groups are punching back in an effort to discredit the government of Iraq and more specifically the Baghdad security plan," Caldwell said.
In Baqouba, American soldiers came under fire when approaching the home of a suspect linked to the leaders of Al Qaida in Iraq.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iraq/10070620.html
Family killed in Iraq mortar attack
Agencies
Baquba: At least eight people have been killed after a mortar attack in the Iraq town of Baquba on Wednesday morning.
Seven members of the same family died in the attack, which took place shortly after US forces had searched homes in the town.
The family were asleep in the garden when the mortars struck, however it is not clear whether the house had been targetted or not.
Baquba is seen as an insurgent stronghold and sectarian violence is common.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iraq/10070594.html
Car bomb in Baghdad market kills five
Agencies
Baghdad: Five people were killed and eight others wounded when a car bomb exploded near a crowded market in southern Baghdad on Wednesday.
Police said the car was parked at the roadside in Bayaa district and detonated by remote control. The casualty toll is likely to rise, police said.
Sunni insurgents have regularly attacked crowds of civilians in mostly Shiite areas such as Bayaa as part of communal violence.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iraq/10070616.html
No talks with Syria at this time
AP
Occupied Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Wednesday he would not hold peace talks with Syria at the present time, brushing aside an overture by President Bashar Al Assad.
Olmert also demanded his Cabinet ministers stop discussing the Syrian issue in the media. He was apparently reacting to comments by Defence Minister Amir Peretz, who said on Tuesday he believes peace with Syria was key to stability in the Middle East.
"There is one policy on the Syrian issue and there are no negotiations with Syria," Olmert told a cabinet meeting.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Middle_East/10070745.html
Israel releases top Hamas official
Agencies
Nablus: Jailed Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister Nasseredine Al Shaer has been released following an Israeli court order on Wednesday.
The court ordered Shaer to be freed for "lack of evidence" and no charges were brought against him, his lawyer said.
Shaer is the most senior Hamas official to be released since Israel arrested scores of Hamas members following the capture of Israeli soldier, Corporal Gilad Shalit, in late June.
Shaer, who was arrested in August 19 and held in jail in Petah Tikva near Israel's Tel Aviv, was released after appearing before the judge in a police station.
In a telephone interview with Al Jazeera television, Shaer said he had been questioned about his political activities and the fate of Shalit.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Middle_East/10070632.html
Ahmadinejad defiant amid hints of nuclear accord
Reuters
Berlin: Iran's President yesterday vowed not to give up the right to nuclear technology, just as EU and Iranian diplomats met to see if Tehran might suspend uranium enrichment and avoid threat of sanctions.
The United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China have offered Tehran economic and political incentives if it suspends uranium enrichment.
"Today, Western countries want us to suspend our nuclear technology, but we say to them that we will never give it up," President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in Tehran according to semi-official Mehr news agency.
The comments came as European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana began a meeting with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iran/10070850.html
Human rights at a 'new low' for Palestinians
Agencies
Geneva: A UN rights expert has said that the human rights situation for Palestinians had deteriorated to a new low and was now "intolerable".
John Dugard said Israel was largely responsible for the "intolerable" situation, but also blamed the United States, Canada and Europe.
The South African said that around three quarters of Palestinians now relied on food aid and that Israel had turned Gaza into a prison and "thrown away the key".
But he also criticised major Western powers for their embargo on funding to the Palestinian Authority since the victory by Hamas early this year.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Middle_East/10070596.html
Residents bid farewell to Cairo's famous landmark
By Ramadan Al Sherbini, Correspondent
Cairo: Sayed Hamdan, a roving photographer, says he cannot imagine central Cairo without the statue of Ramses II.
Hamdan is one of scores of locals who regret the relocation of the colossal structure later this month from the area where it has stood for more than 50 years.
Arrangements are under way to move the statue from Cairo's main rail station to Egypt's Grand Museum near the Giza Pyramids on Friday.
"I have been seeing the statue for the past 40 years," adds Hamdan, 55, with a quavering voice. "It is where I used to earn my living by taking photos of Egyptian and foreign visitors. ... Now it is a matter of the past. I have to look for another place."
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Egypt/10062370.html
Iraq to investigate US soldiers
Agencies
Mahmudiya: Iraqi officials have appointed a prosecutor to investigate the rape and murder of a 14-year-old-girl and the killing of her family by five US soldiers, who are currently being tried in a US military court.
The mayor of Mahmudiya, where the family was killed, told reporters that a local committee would be set up to investigate the case, and would present the findings to Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki.
Mayor Muayyad Fadhil said, "This committee is responsible for preparing all the circumstances to achieve this investigation. Hopefully we will manage to present it to the cabinet."
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iraq/10062154.html
US Marines denied trial option
Agencies
San Diego: The Marine Corps has denied four Marines accused of killing an Iraqi civilian the option of going straight to trial, a decision that defence lawyers claimed was a sign that prosecutors do not have a solid case.
The four are among seven Marines and a sailor accused of kidnapping and murdering an Iraqi civilian in the town of Hamdania last spring.
All could face the death penalty.
The men had been scheduled for Article 32 hearings, where a commanding officer determines if there is probable cause for trial.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iraq/10062251.html
'Free trade' in goods rather than arms with Syria
Reuters
Wadi Khalid, Lebanon: Lebanese soldiers deploying in the northeast of the country to intercept Hezbollah weapons will spend more time uncovering contraband goods than halting arms shipments, local people said on Wednesday.
Acting under the UN resolution, which brought an end to a month of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese army set up checkpoints in the Wadi Khalid pocket on the Syrian border five days ago.
They have a mandate to check vehicles for weapons but in practice the soldiers are more likely to find smuggled cement, plate glass, diesel fuel, tobacco, beer or motorcycles.
http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Lebanon/10062371.html
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