Easter+Break+Homework

April 4, 2012

=__**What:**__Pakistan Anti-Americanism complicates U.S war efforts.= U.S. diplomatic efforts to persuade Pakistan to reopen NATO supply lines to the Afghan war are proving no match for rampant anti-Americanism here, with Pakistani lawmakers increasingly unwilling to support a decision that risks them branded as friends of Washington. Opposition legislators are demanding that the U.S. end its drone strikes against militants as a precondition, complicating U.S. strategies for winding down the 10-year war just weeks before a major NATO conference in President Barack Obama's hometown of Chicago. Relations between the U.S. and Pakistan have been marked by mistrust since the two countries were thrust together following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, but shared interests near bankrupt Pakistan needs American aid, America needs Pakistan's support against Al -Qaida had kept the alliance more or less intact. That changed in November when U.S. airstrikes inadvertently killed 24 Pakistani troops on the Afghan border, triggering nationwide outrage and retaliation from Pakistan, which suspended diplomatic contacts and blocked vital land routes for U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan. __**Why: ** __ I believe that this important because causing more and more tension between the U.S and Afghanistan makes things harder to end the war and the hate between the two countries. On top of the fact that they want to retaliate the U.S for killing their leader, Osama Bin Laden, attacking them and forcing the m to do things they don't want to makes the Anti-Americanism and hate even stronger.

=__**Source: **__= [] = = April 5, 2012

=__**What:**__ **North Korea Rocket Launch a Military Intelligence Opportunity for U.S and Allies.**= As the U.S. and its allies decry North Korea's planned rocket launch, they're also rushing to capitalize on the rare opportunity it presents to assess the secretive nation's ability to strike beyond its shores. If North Korea goes ahead with the launch, expected to take place sometime between April 12-16, the United States, Japan and South Korea will have more military assets on hand than ever to track the rocket and if necessary shoot it out of the sky. Military planners want to know how much progress North Korea has made since its last attempt to launch a satellite three years ago. Arms negotiators will be looking for signs of how much the rocket, a modified ballistic missile launcher, depends on foreign technology. If North Korea does get a satellite into orbit, that means it could deliver an object anywhere on the globe, and that has intercontinental implications. One thing analysts could quickly put to the test is North Korea's insistence that the satellite launch is a peaceful mission. Experts can easily estimate from photographs the rocket stages' a measure of efficiency that will give a quick indication of whether the rocket is designed primarily to be a space vehicle launcher or long-range missile. They also will be watching where the rocket goes. North Korea says it will fire the satellite into a polar orbit. The "splash zones" for the booster stages suggest it will travel south over the East China Sea and the Pacific, rather than the easterly path it chose for a launch in 2009 that sent the rocket directly over Japan's main island. That could indicate North Korea is being more cautious about its neighbors' reactions – though it has alarmed others such as the Philippines which could be in the rocket's path. But the launch could also have military implications. If North Korea were to attack the United States, Michishita said, it would likely launch to the north. It can't feasibly conduct such a test, because that would anger Russia and China, which would be under the flight path. Launching to the south can provide similar data. Why: This is important because if North Korea wishes, they can use it for anything they want! Whether good or bad! They can use it for military advantages and be able to be at war with anyone and use it to defeat their enemy. Korea can also use it and share the information with its Allies. No one can know for sure yet. Its a 50/50 chance it is for good or bad use. Source: [|http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/05/north-korea-rocket-launch-military-intelligence_n_1405127.html?ref=world#comments] = = April 6, 2012

What: The United Nations security council has unanimously voted for the first wave of Syria cease-fire observers to be deployed to the war-stricken country. The news follows claims from activists and Syria's government forces of both sides being guilty of breaching the fragile UN-brokered truce. On Thursday it was reported an "uneasy ceasefire" was in places after a week o f intense violence which saw hundreds killed by government troops. But despite the truce, which was organised by the UN and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, the city of Homs was shelled by Syrian forces late Friday night and into the early hours of Saturday morning . State news agency Sana reported six members of the security forces and civilians had been killed by alleged terrorist groups on Saturday.

Why: I believe this is important because the terrorism is Syria is getting out of hand. It is getting tio a point where someone has to step in and stop this uncalled for violence.

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April 7, 2012

What: The multi-pronged attacks show the Taliban and their allies are far from beaten and underscored the security challenge facing government forces as U.S. and NATO forces draw down. The majority of international combat troops are scheduled to leave by the end of 2014. The first blasts rocked the diplomatic quarter of Kabul on Sunday afternoon, and soon gunshots and rocket-propelled grenade fire were ringing out across the city. Smoke rose over the skyline as sirens wailed. One police officer and 17 militants were killed in the attacks, the most widespread in the Afghan capital since an assault on the U.S. Embassy and NATO headquarters last September blamed on the Haqqani network, a Pakistan-based insurgent group allied with the Taliban. Fighting continued more than 12 hours after the first blasts, with explosions echoing into the night.

= = Why: I think this is important because it shows how terrorism is getting more and more out of hand even throughout the same country!

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April 8, 2012

What: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,Century,Times,serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;">Iran is signaling a possible compromise offer heading into critical talks with world powers deeply suspicious of its nuclear program: offering to scale back uranium enrichment but not abandon the ability to make nuclear fuel. The proposal floated by the country's nuclear chief as part of the early parrying in various capitals before negotiations get under way Friday suggested that sanctions-battered Iran is ready to bargain. But this gambit, at least, appeared to fall short of Western demands that Iran hand over its most potent nuclear material and ease a standoff that has rattled nerves and spooked markets with seesaw oil prices and threats of Israeli military strikes.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia,Century,Times,serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;">Why: I think this is really dangerous because it poses many threats. This could be dangerous for us here in America or even for them there if they do not use it right. It also poses danger for countries surrounding Iran, and the amount of radiation could cause damage to generations to come.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia,Century,Times,serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;">Source: []

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia,Century,Times,serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;">April 9, 2012

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia,Century,Times,serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;">What: <span style="font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif;">The European Court of Human Rights ruled on Tuesday that Britain had the right to extradite five suspected terrorists to the United States but only after all court procedures had been exhausted.The court, based in the French city of Strasbourg, had been considering the cases of six people indicted in the United States between 1999 and 2006 on terrorism charges related to hostage taking in Yemen and attacks on U.S. embassies in Africa. One of the five suspects whose extradition was approved is Abu Hamza, a militant cleric who faces 11 charges relating to the taking of 16 hostages in Yemen in 1998, advocating a Jihad Islamic holy war uprising in Afghanistan and trying to set up a jihad training camp in the United States in 2000-2001. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Why: I think this is important because it shows how countries take the whole situation on Terrorism very seriously. No matter how long it takes, they will not settle for anything until the person or people are proved guilty or not guilty. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Source: [] April 10, 2012

What: Egypt is in the news these days because of the nomination of two new candidates for president - one from the Muslim Brotherhood, Khairat al-Shater, and the other from the more radical Salafi movement, Hazem Salah Abu Ismail. Many Egypt watchers are understandably concerned. There have been attacks on Christians, Western aid workers and women. So where is Egypt headed? Is democracy in Egypt being captured by highly illiberal forces? Can tolerance and pluralism win out? We should continue to monitor the situation very closely, but as of right now, we should not panic. Al-Shater and Abu Ismail both insist that they are fully committed to democracy and to the rights of minorities.

Why: I think this is important because things in Egypt are getting out of hand as well as in other many other countries. Attacks over foolish things such as religion. As of now they aren't doing anything, but they are worried.

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April 11, 2012

What: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px;">One of the nearly 400 prisoners who escaped from a jail in Pakistan on Sunday after it was attacked by militants was on death row for involvement in an assassination attempt on former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, a police official said. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Islamist militants armed with guns and rocket propelled grenades attacked the jail, a senior police official said. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">One of the escapees, Adnan Rashid, was arrested in 2004 for allegedly planning to assassinate Musharraf in 2003. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">He was supposedly the main 'target' the militants aimed to free during the jailbreak. He was sentenced to execution.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Why: This is important because I believe it shows the danger and the sinister minds out there around the world. I believe it also shows that no one is safe and no one can be trusted.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Source: []

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">April 12, 2012

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">What: Some glaciers in the Himalayas mountain range have gained a small amount of mass between 1999 and 2008, new research shows, bucking the global trend of glacial decline. The study published on Sunday in the Nature Geoscience journal also said the Karakoram mountain range in the Himalayas has contributed less to sea level rise than previously thought. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">With global average temperature rising, glaciers, ice caps and ice sheets melt and shed water, which contributes to the increase of sea levels, threatening the populations of low-lying nations and islands. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;"> The research at France's University of Grenoble estimates that the Karakoram glaciers have gained around 0.36 feet to 0.72 feet per year between 1999 and 2008.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Why: I think this is actually interesting. It shows that the world is constantly changing even if we don't see it around us.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Source: []

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">April 13, 2012

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">What: Quickly after the failed launch of the Kwangmyongsong-2 rocket, two things became abundantly clear: We, the foreign press corps brought in to cover the launch, knew far less about it than our colleagues outside of North Korea, and the only people we would be informing about anything today would be our government-assigned guides/minders. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Many of the foreign news crews – which have been in Pyongyang for about a week – had been assured multiple times by our minders that we would get the opportunity to witness the launch. Two large video screens installed in our little hotel newsroom late Thursday appeared to validate that belief.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Why: I think this is serious. Korea celebrated the launch even though it was a failure. I think it shows that they won't give up so easily. Failure is not an option for them.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Source: []

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">April 14, 2012

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">What: Members of Afghan Young Women for Change staged a protest march in Afghanistan's capital Kabul Saturday, denouncing violence against women, according to AFP photographs.Some among the group of about 30 women were pictured holding placards that read "Where is justice?" They took to the streets following the killing of five Afghan women in less than a month in three provinces of the country, AFP said. Concern is mounting among some Western officials, activists and some of the country's lawmakers that women's rights could be compromised under any power-sharing deal between the government and the Taliban, which President Hamid Karzai has been seeking to end the war.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Why: I think this is important. It shows that despite the tensions going on in Afghanistan, there are other important things going on in their lives. The women want the government to put aside foolish and petty reasons for war and make actual changes that matter.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Source: []

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">April 15, 2012

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">What: The United States has canceled a proposed food aid deal with North Korea following over its attempt to launch a long-range rocket taking a satellite into orbit. Senior administration officials told NBC News the deal with Pyongyang is off after the rocket was fired. It failed shortly after launch and landed in the sea off the South Korea coast. "We are not going forward with an agreement to provide them with any assistance," White House National Security Council spokesman Ben Rhodes told reporters traveling with President Barack Obama to Florida.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Why: I think this is important because it shows that the U.S wants to show North Korea that if they don't do what is best for us here in the U.S, they won't get any help or support from us here.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">Source: []