Newspaper 'sacrificed to save one woman'

Rupert Murdoch announced the closure of the 168-year-old News of the World yesterday in a desperate attempt to limit the ongoing scandal over phone hacking, as the paper's former editor, Andy Coulson, prepared to be arrested.The shock decision was revealed to staff at Mr Murdoch's News International newspaper in an email from his son James, the News Corp deputy chief operating officer, who said: "The News of the World is in the business of holding others to account. But it failed when it came to itself."Journalists raged that they had been betrayed by Rebekah Brooks, News International's chief executive, who faces calls for her resignation, after revelations that the NOTW under her editorship hacked the phone of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.

Obama's restraint in the Middle East

President Obama sees trends like democratization and liberalization as long-term processes.I got the sense from Donilon that the Obama Administration is more realist than people are willing to acknowledge. While President Obama’s heart is with the Arab Spring, he is somebody who is very careful in his commitment of American power and very measured in the use of that power.Last week, I interviewed U.S. National Security Advisor Tom Donilon on GPS. Much of our conversation focused on the Middle East.What struck me about U.S. policy toward Libya is that it is a carefully calculated, incremental policy. The U.S. has adopted a policy that is trying to achieve its results but is very conscious of the costs.There is a determination to put the screws on Moammar Gadhafi - to set out a goal that he eventually must leave - but to do so in a way that does not excessively commit America power or prestige. President Obama wants to ensure that we don’t end up owning Libya. It is a policy designed more to ensure against bad outcomes than to take big gambles in the hope of good outcomes.

'Disqualified' combatants want guarantee of basic needs, job

 Former Maoist combatants, who were sent out of the cantonments after UN verification team categorized them ´disqualified´, on Monday asked the government to ensure guarantee of food, lodging, clothes, job, health and education to them. They also asked the government to allocate budget to run programs for their self-employment. In a memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal, the disqualified Maoist combatants urged the government to create an environment where they can live a dignified life. Dangal informed that Prakash Jwala, advisor to the Prime Minister, who received their seven-point memorandum, assured to help remove the ´disqualified´ tag and address their demands.
Altogether 4,008 Maoist combatants had left the cantonment one-and-a-half years ago after the UNMIN termed them ´disqualified´, saying ´late recruit´ and ´aged under 18´ at the time of signing the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA). "We waited for one-and-a-half years but the government and political parties remained silent on our matter. They played against our future," Krishna Prasad Dangal, coordinator of Ex-PLA, Nepal, told Republica. 

Chavez health: Venezuela president makes Caracas speech

They cheered as he waved the Venezuelan flag from his palace's balcony and said he would win his health battle."The return has begun," he said, thanking the people for their support. "This is the best medicine for whatever illness."Dressed in his trademark green military fatigues and red beret, Mr Chavez initially led the exultant crowd in a robust rendition of Venezuela's national anthem, Gloria al Bravo Pueblo (Glory to the Brave People).He has said he would not be able to take part in celebrations to mark the 200th anniversary of Venezuela's independence from Spain on Tuesday.He would not attend the parade but would follow it from the presidential palace, he said.Mr Chavez, 56, had been in Cuba since 8 June, where he underwent an operation to remove a cancerous tumour.Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has addressed thousands in Caracas after receiving medical treatment in Cuba.

Thaksin's sister vows to do her best as Thailand's PM

Yingluck Shinawatra said there was "a lot of hard work ahead", after preliminary results showed Pheu Thai had won a clear majority in parliament.With nearly all votes counted, Pheu Thai had 264 seats and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's Democrats 160.Ms Yingluck's elder brother, Thaksin, was deposed in a military coup in 2006.Both parties campaigned for an end to the divisions which have plagued Thailand since and caused deadly clashes between their followers.Last year, protesters shut down parts of Bangkok for two months in a bid to force Mr Abhisit's government to resign. When the army stepped in to clear the streets it degenerated into violence, leaving 91 people dead.

The sister of Thailand's exiled former prime minister has promised to do her best in government after leading his supporters to a landslide election win.

'Victory of the people'I don't want to say that Pheu Thai wins today. It's a victory of the people," she told a crowd of supporters outside her party's headquarters after receiving a call of congratulations from her billionaire brother.She said she was discussing a coalition with the smaller Chart Thai Pattana and other parties."I would like to reiterate that we are ready to deliver on all of the policies that we have announced. There is a lot of hard work ahead.""I'll do my best and will not disappoint you."Prime Minister Abhisit - who has dismissed Ms Yingluck as her brother's clone and noted that her party's slogan is "Thaksin Thinks, Pheu Thai Acts" - said his opponent had the right to form a government."The outcome is clear. Pheu Thai has won the election and the Democrats are defeated," he said."I will give the chance to Yingluck, the first woman to form a government," he added. "I want to see unity and reconciliation. The Democrats are ready to be in opposition."

The results of Sunday's election pave the way for Ms Yingluck, a 44-year-old business executive, to become Thailand's first female prime minister and the fifth person to hold the post since her brother.

Many citizens back Davao City mayor

The punching incident involving Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and a court sheriff in Davao City ignited a flurry of reactions across digital media (web and text poll).
Netizens poured their reactions on social microblogging site Twitter, with several users applauding Duterte’s boldness, while others condemned it.
By Saturday morning, "Mayor Duterte" ranked 2nd on Twitter's top trending topics in the Philippines.
ABS-CBN’s "TV Patrol" text poll conducted Friday revealed that 64% felt Duterte’s actions were justified while 36% felt otherwise.
Duterte punched Sheriff Abe Andres repeatedly in the face after the sheriff ignored her request for a 2-hour extension before pushing through with a demolition in Barangay Kapitan Tomas Monteverde, Sr. in Sitio Soliman in Agdao.
The extension would have allowed residents of a slum area to leave the demolition site.
Father's support
Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte stood by his daughter’s actions, saying that the damage caused by recent flash floods in Davao bore heavily on the mayor.
“Ikaw ba naman ang mamatayan ng mahigit 30 katao, tapos problema pa sa baha,” said Duterte.
Duterte said the situation only boiled over because the mayor was disregarded.
“Siyempre mag-iinit ka talaga. Sana nakinig ang huwes at sheriff diyan, dahil kapag may namatay diyan, sa mayor pa rin isisisi,” he added.
Sheriff Andres, who gave the go signal for the demolition, suffered contusions above his eye and underwent treatment at the Southern Philippines Medical Center.
Andres said he was shocked by the mayor’s attack, since he was only doing his job.
The incident was caught by ABS-CBN News on camera, prompting citizens to react strongly to the issue.

Despite Deadline Uncertainty, U.S. Faces Bad Choices if Debt Limit Not Raised

Lawmakers could be forgiven for being confused or skeptical about exactly when the U.S. will hit the debt ceiling. They were originally warned it would come much earlier than Aug 2.

“The first date that Congress was supposed to reach a debt ceiling was on March 31, between that date and May 16, so members of Congress legitimately have real concern if this August date is real date or yet another fake deadline,” said Brian Darling, a senior fellow at The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.

Many lawmakers and analysts of all stripes believe the U.S. will bump up against the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling sometime in August. But they have different views about what that means for the country.

For instance, the U.S. would still have enough tax revenues to cover some 56 percent of its bills.

“With our actual cash flow requirements, that will permit payments on the national debt interest, Social Security, Medicare, and most defense spending,” said University of Maryland economist Peter Morici. “Beyond that, there would be very little cash left.”

Twenty-three Republican senators wrote a letter to President Obama a month ago urging him to develop contingency plans well ahead of hitting the debt ceiling.

“It would not be pleasant operating under a 'Debt Ceiling Budget,' and no one is recommending it. But it would not be Armageddon," the letter said.

But officials would have to sort through the pile of 80 million bills a month, and decide which ones to pay.