UPI International Intelligence articles from April 2009

UPI International Intelligence archives from April 2009

Analysis: N. Korea to try U.S. journalists.
April 1, 2009... Byline: LEE JONG-HEON SEOUL, April 1 (UPI) -- North Korea has ruled out an early political compromise for the release of two American journalists it has detained. Instead, it has decided to put them on trial, a legal process that would...

Outside View: China's support to jihadists.
April 1, 2009... Byline: M.D. NALAPAT MANIPAL, India, April 1 (UPI) -- After decades of denial, the U.S. military -- though not yet the State Department -- has begun to admit that the Pakistan military, a major "non-NATO ally," is the source of much of the...

Iraq/Afghan War News: Iraq still daunting.
April 1, 2009... Byline: DANIEL GRAEBER Iraq improving, but challenges remain In a report to Congress, the U.S. Defense Department said the situation in Iraq has improved, but sectarian and political tensions remain a constant challenge. In its...

AUC denies spying on Egypt.
April 1, 2009... CAIRO, April 1 (UPI) -- The American University in Cairo issued a denial of reports in the Egyptian media that it has received Pentagon funding to supply Egyptian state secrets. A report in the Egyptian daily al-Masry al-Youm said Monday...

Analysis: France rejoins NATO.
April 2, 2009... Byline: STEFAN NICOLA STRASBOURG, France, April 2 (UPI) -- France will rejoin NATO as a full member at the alliance's 60th-anniversary summit in France and Germany this weekend, a move observers say is aimed at strengthening not only...

Strasbourg armors up for NATO summit.
April 2, 2009... STRASBOURG, France, April 2 (UPI) -- Authorities in France are turning Strasbourg, co-host to NATO's 60th-anniversary summit Friday and Saturday, into a high-security fortress. Narrow cobblestone alleys, lined with cozy bars selling tarte...

The end for Germany's neo-Nazi party?
April 2, 2009... BERLIN, April 2 (UPI) -- Germany's far-right National Democratic Party, or NPD, the political home of many neo-Nazis, is on the verge of collapse because of a $2.9 million fine. The federal prosecutor's office recently sent the NPD the fine...

Beirut ordered to hand over Hariri files.
April 2, 2009... LEIDSCHENDAM, Netherlands, April 2 (UPI) -- The U.N.-backed tribunal examining the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri ordered Beirut to hand over its documents in the case. Daniel Fransen, the pre-trial judge of the...

Germany eyes Iranian routes to Afghanistan.
April 2, 2009... TEHRAN, April 2 (UPI) -- Logistics companies based in Germany approached Iran on shipping non-military equipment through its territory to Afghanistan, Iranian media reported Thursday. The official Islamic Republic News Agency reported that...

Iran offers olive branch?
April 2, 2009... TEHRAN, April 2 (UPI) -- Iran is a nation that seeks peace and constructive dialogue, the Iranian president said amid a thawing diplomatic climate. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad struck a conciliatory tone on the heels of a major...

Uncertain situation in Sudan tops report.
April 2, 2009... BRUSSELS, April 2 (UPI) -- Growing fears for the safety of civilians in Sudan following an indictment of the country's president topped a monthly International Crisis Group report. The CrisisWatch report released by the Belgium-based...

Analysis: N. Korea readies missile launch.
April 3, 2009... Byline: LEE JONG-HEON SEOUL, April 3 (UPI) -- As global leaders were gathering in London for the G20 meeting to combat the worldwide financial crisis, North Korea tried to grab their attention by finalizing steps to fire a long-range...

Iraq/Afghan War News: NATO daunted.
April 3, 2009... Byline: DANIEL GRAEBER NATO challenged by Afghan troop commitment As NATO prepares to celebrate its 60th anniversary, the alliance faces embarrassment if it cannot muster the 4,000 troops needed in southern Afghanistan. World...

Syria lays out conditions for peace.
April 3, 2009... DAMASCUS, Syria, April 3 (UPI) -- Syrian conditions for peace with Israel include an autonomous Palestinian state and the return of the Golan Heights, among others, officials said. Sulayman Haddad, a lawmaker with the Syrian Foreign...

Lebanese election scene takes shape.
April 3, 2009... BEIRUT, Lebanon, April 3 (UPI) -- The number of candidates for the Lebanese parliamentary election has reached 270 as an April 7 deadline for electoral lists looms. The Lebanese Interior Ministry has imposed an April 7 deadline for...

Analysis: Obama's European town hall.
April 3, 2009... Byline: STEFAN NICOLA STRASBOURG, France, April 3 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama at a town hall-style meeting in Strasbourg Friday set the tone for improved relations with Europe, urging the continent to increase cooperation with the...

Police, protesters clash at NATO summit.
April 6, 2009... STRASBOURG, France, April 6 (UPI) -- Anti-NATO protesters clashed with police several times this weekend in Strasbourg, where world leaders are celebrating NATO's 60th anniversary with a summit. Early Saturday morning, when the 28 NATO...

Commentary: Globalization globaloney.
April 6, 2009... Byline: ARNAUD DE BORCHGRAVE WASHINGTON, April 6 (UPI) -- The prophets of globalization who saw a new world order ushering humanity into a new age of plenty for all are now adding a little crow -- not yet enough to qualify as humble pie --...

Walker's World: New food crisis looms.
April 6, 2009... Byline: MARTIN WALKER WASHINGTON, April 6 (UPI) -- We tend to forget that the worldwide plunge into recession last year was the result of three separate phenomena that combined to breed disaster. The financial crisis was joined by a food...

Iraq/Afghan War News: Civil Afghan effort.
April 6, 2009... Byline: DANIEL GRAEBER Mullen links security, reconstruction to Afghan goals The international effort in Afghanistan requires a comprehensive strategy that looks beyond increasing the foreign troop presence, U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen...

Violence against women, gays up in Syria.
April 6, 2009... DAMASCUS, Syria, April 6 (UPI) -- The rise in reports of sexual and gender-based violence is a growing concern for officials with U.N. agencies working with Iraqi refugees in Syria. "We have noticed a problem with both physical and...

Turkish domestic agendas jockey for Obama.
April 6, 2009... ANKARA, Turkey, April 6 (UPI) -- The visit to Turkey by U.S. President Barack Obama provides both countries with the opportunity to improve relations while bolstering local agendas. Obama arrived in Ankara on Sunday for his first visit to a...

TOCDF begins chemical-mortar destruction.
April 6, 2009... STOCKTON, Utah, April 6 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency said work has begun on destroying mortars filled with mustard agent at the Tooele Chemical Agent Disposal Facility. The mortar destruction, part of an ongoing effort...

Elections in Sudan are critical step.
April 6, 2009... KHARTOUM, Sudan, April 6 (UPI) -- The announced plans for holding national elections in Sudan are being praised by the head of the United Nations as an important step toward peace. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the announcement...

Military not agency for reconstruction.
April 6, 2009... WASHINGTON, April 6 (UPI) -- Reconstruction and stabilization missions should not be the main task of the U.S. military, according to a report from the Rand Corp. Rand, a U.S.-based non-profit research organization, released a report...

ICRC delivers aid to displaced in Colombia.
April 6, 2009... BOGOTA, April 6 (UPI) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross completed an aid campaign in western Colombia, where ongoing violence has caused widespread displacement. The committee said it was able to deliver much-needed...

ICC launches map with trafficking busts.
April 6, 2009... LONDON, April 6 (UPI) -- The London-based International Chamber of Commerce's Counterfeiting Intelligence Bureau has launched an online map to track the global trade in illicit goods. The ICC Counterfeiting Intelligence Bureau announced the...

Majlis issues vague opposition to terror.
April 6, 2009... TEHRAN, April 6 (UPI) -- The Iranian Parliament passed a measure calling on Tehran to reconsider trade and economic relations with countries supporting groups that oppose Iran. The Majlis voted by an overwhelming majority in favor of a...

Larijani says he is waiting for change.
April 6, 2009... TEHRAN, April 6 (UPI) -- The government in Tehran is monitoring closely the change rhetoric and the subsequent behavior from Washington, the Iranian parliamentary speaker said. U.S. President Barack Obama had campaigned on a platform of...

Iraq/Afghan War News: Afghan politics?
April 7, 2009... Byline: DANIEL GRAEBER Pakistan seeks Afghan political solution The U.S. strategy for Afghanistan lacks the political components needed to meet the necessary objectives for success, a Pakistani governor said. Owais Ahmed Ghani,...

Reformist Mousavi calls for detente.
April 7, 2009... TEHRAN, April 7 (UPI) -- The fluid foreign policy of Tehran is to blame for the variety of problems facing Iran, the Reformist presidential candidate said. Mir-Hossein Mousavi, in his first news conference since announcing his candidacy in...

Treasury lists Chinese, Iranians for WMD.
April 7, 2009... WASHINGTON, April 7 (UPI) -- The U.S. Treasury Department listed a Chinese national and six Iranian businesses Tuesday as agents engaged in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The designation falls under Executive Order 13382,...

U.N.: Protect Afghan hospitals.
April 7, 2009... KABUL, Afghanistan, April 7 (UPI) -- The world community should honor World Health Day on Tuesday by ensuring the safety of healthcare workers and facilities in Afghanistan, U.N. officials said. Peter Graaff, the Afghan representative for...

Noble signs counter-terrorism deal.
April 7, 2009... MANAGUA, Nicaragua, April 7 (UPI) -- Interpol's secretary-general has signed a deal with security authorities in Latin America to cooperate on combating terrorism. Ronald Noble, Interpol secretary-general, during an official trip through...

Frattini hails Syrian role in region.
April 7, 2009... DAMASCUS, Syria, April 7 (UPI) -- Syria has an important role to play in the region thanks to its historic and cultural ties to the Middle East community, the Italian foreign minister said. Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini visited...

Haiti at turning point; engagement needed.
April 7, 2009... UNITED NATIONS, April 7 (UPI) -- The future stability of Haiti is at a critical turning point and needs sustained international engagement, according to a top U.N. official. Hedi Annabi, head of the U.N. mission in Haiti, addressed the U.N....

U.N. trip to Sri Lanka finds crisis.
April 7, 2009... COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, April 7 (UPI) -- The U.N. representative for the human rights of displaced persons is calling for a humanitarian break in the fighting in Sri Lanka to evacuate civilians. Despite a government-sponsored no-fire zone, the...

Serbia working to combat terror financing.
April 7, 2009... BELGRADE, Serbia, April 7 (UPI) -- A workshop backed by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe that addressed illicit terrorism financing concluded Tuesday in Serbia. The two-day workshop, held in the Serbian capital of...

Island Forum addresses security threats.
April 7, 2009... SINGAPORE, April 7 (UPI) -- The Singapore Ministry of Defense is hosting a forum that has gathered security, government and business authorities together to discuss global security trends. Called the Island Forum, the fourth annual event...

Hezbollah to abolish confessionalism.
April 7, 2009... BEIRUT, Lebanon, April 7 (UPI) -- The platform of the Lebanese Hezbollah for the June parliamentary elections stresses resistance and the abolishing of the confessional political system. Political parties in Lebanon kicked into high gear...

Outside View: Kim and Mahmoud.
April 8, 2009... Byline: HARLAN ULLMAN WASHINGTON, April 8 (UPI) -- North Korea's unsuccessful attempt to put a communications satellite in space this week was doubtlessly timed to throw a monkey wrench into U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Europe....

Analysis: Obama's European scorecard.
April 8, 2009... Byline: STEFAN NICOLA BERLIN, April 8 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama was celebrated like a rock star in Europe but returned home without much concrete support for his most ambitious plans. Obama's diplomatic tour de force of...

Siniora self-nomination criticized.
April 8, 2009... BEIRUT, Lebanon, April 8 (UPI) -- The Lebanese Hezbollah warned of repercussions following the nomination of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to a Sunni parliamentary seat for the June elections. In one of the final days before a candidacy...

Larijani says Iran supports peace.
April 8, 2009... TEHRAN, April 8 (UPI) -- The fundamental policy in Tehran is to support peace and stability in the greater Muslim community, the Iranian parliamentary speaker said. Ali Larijani made the comments during a visit with Qatari Minister of...

Lebanon wary of U.S. defense spending.
April 8, 2009... WASHINGTON, April 8 (UPI) -- The Washington visit by Lebanese Defense Minister Elias Murr is a move to shore up relations amid a potential shift in the diplomatic climate, analysts said. Murr arrived in Washington earlier this week to meet...

Nuclear announcement expected from Iran.
April 8, 2009... TEHRAN, April 8 (UPI) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will announce major achievements made in Iran's nuclear program Thursday on National Nuclear Day, officials said. Iran's First Vice President Parviz Davoudi said Ahmadinejad...

Obama walks thin line with courting Ankara.
April 8, 2009... WASHINGTON, April 8 (UPI) -- The U.S. presidential visit to Ankara highlights Turkey's valuable role in the region, but comes at a sensitive time in its domestic politics, an analyst said. Barack Obama traveled to Turkey earlier this week,...

Outside View: Afghanistan flashback?
April 8, 2009... Byline: M.D. NALAPAT MANIPAL, India, April 8 (UPI) -- At the risk of some repetition, it is worth mentioning two facts that seem unknown to policymakers such as U.S. envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke. The first is that...

Iraq/Afghan War News: The Iraqi economy.
April 8, 2009... Byline: DANIEL GRAEBER Economy new Iraqi concern? Recent trends in sectarian violence in Iraq threaten to unravel some of the economic recovery there despite a relative trend toward security. The arrest of a rebel leader tied to...

Analysis: Police involved in man's death?
April 9, 2009... Byline: STEFAN NICOLA BERLIN, April 9 (UPI) -- A shocking video shows that the man who died during last week's G20 summit in London was hit from behind and thrown to the ground by a policeman in riot gear shortly before his death. Ian...

Germany hands over pirates to Kenya.
April 9, 2009... MOMBASA, Kenya, April 9 (UPI) -- Germany has handed over seven captured pirates to the Kenyan police. The pirates, arrested by Spanish and German navy personnel last week when they attacked a German supply ship, were handed over to the...

Hezbollah denies Egyptian plot.
April 9, 2009... BEIRUT, Lebanon, April 9 (UPI) -- The Lebanese Hezbollah on Thursday denied claims that it was plotting attacks on Egyptian soil as authorities there interrogated scores of alleged militants. Al-Jazeera reported Thursday that Egyptian...

Iran installs 7,000 centrifuges at Natanz.
April 9, 2009... TEHRAN, April 9 (UPI) -- Iran announced Thursday on the occasion of National Nuclear Day that it installed and started 7,000 uranium centrifuges at its Natanz nuclear facility. Iranian officials had boasted of the announcement Wednesday,...

Feltman tapped for Near East post.
April 9, 2009... WASHINGTON, April 9 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama nominated former Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman as assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs. Feltman serves as the principal deputy assistant secretary in the...

Report: Iran threat overstated.
April 9, 2009... WASHINGTON, April 9 (UPI) -- Washington has the soft-power tools necessary to effectively deal with the foreign policy challenges posed by Tehran, an analysis said. A lengthy report by political scientist William deB. Mills for the...

Iraq/Afghan War News: Iraq, six years on.
April 9, 2009... Byline: DANIEL GRAEBER Protests mark anniversary of Saddam's fall Thousands of Shiite protesters marked the sixth anniversary of the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime with massive anti-American rallies in the streets of Baghdad. ...

Security Council backs new C.A.R. effort.
April 9, 2009... UNITED NATIONS, April 9 (UPI) -- The ongoing violence in the Central African Republic has prompted the U.N. Security Council to support a measure for a new peacekeeping unit in the country. The violence, including armed groups terrorizing...

U.N. calls for implementing of agreements.
April 9, 2009... KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, April 9 (UPI) -- The United Nations and the African Union are calling on leaders in Congo take steps to implement agreements made for peace. Olusegun Obasanjo and Benjamin Mkapa, the U.N. and AU...

Liberia signs up for TSA's ASSIST program.
April 9, 2009... MONROVIA, Liberia, April 9 (UPI) -- Liberia has signed a deal to become the second country participating in a U.S. Transportation Security Administration program to strengthen aviation security. The TSA announced that the Liberia Civil...

Serbia moves to reform security sector.
April 9, 2009... BELGRADE, Serbia, April 9 (UPI) -- Serbian Military Academy and Czech University of Defense officials recently held discussions to address ways to reform the security sector in Serbia. The conference between the Eastern European military...

Singapore to join counter-piracy unit.
April 9, 2009... SINGAPORE, April 9 (UPI) -- The Singapore Ministry of Defense announced Thursday a naval vessel equipped with helicopters has deployed for counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. Rear Adm. Chew Men Leong, Singapore navy chief, held a...

Dogs of War: Contractors with no names.
April 10, 2009... Byline: DAVID ISENBERG WASHINGTON, April 10 (UPI) -- This is my final Dogs of War column. Since starting in January 2008, I have covered many different aspects of private military and security contracting, but they have been only a small...

New Zealand to fund non-proliferation work.
April 10, 2009... WASHINGTON, April 10 (UPI) -- New Zealand announced plans to partner with the United States on preventing nuclear terrorism through funding non-proliferation work in Kazakhstan. The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration said New...

Stratcom head calls for proactive approach.
April 10, 2009... WASHINGTON, April 10 (UPI) -- The head of U.S. Strategic Command is calling for a more proactive approach to countering the escalating threat of cyberattacks on Defense Department networks. Gen. Kevin Chilton, Stratcom commander, said...

Violence still a threat in eastern Congo.
April 10, 2009... KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, April 10 (UPI) -- The U.N. special representative for Congo is warning that despite a signed peace accord, rebel violence continues. Alan Doss, U.N. special representative for Congo, addressed the...

Coast Guard busts cocaine shipment.
April 10, 2009... MIAMI, April 10 (UPI) -- The U.S. Coast Guard announced a major drug bust after the boarding of a Venezuelan-flagged fishing vessel revealed an illicit drug-trafficking operation. The Coast Guard unit operating in the 7th Coast Guard...

Prosecuting organized crime workshop held.
April 10, 2009... SKOPJE, Macedonia, April 10 (UPI) -- The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe backed a workshop held Friday in Macedonia to strengthen the prosecution of organized-crime cases. The workshop, held in the southwestern...

Iraq/Afghan War News: Envoys eye war plan.
April 10, 2009... Byline: DANIEL GRAEBER AFPAK wary of war effort The two-front Afghan-Pakistani strategy unveiled by Washington lacks the troop components and financial resources needed to succeed, envoys said. The Afghan envoy to the United...

Suleiman touts democracy to U.S. officials.
April 10, 2009... BEIRUT, Lebanon, April 10 (UPI) -- Lebanese President Michel Suleiman told visiting U.S. officials the June parliamentary elections would highlight diversity as well as democratic reforms. U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-Mo., led a delegation of...

Baku, Ankara and soccer diplomacy.
April 10, 2009... ANKARA, Turkey, April 10 (UPI) -- Washington's effort at restoring diplomatic relations between Turkey and Armenia faces derailment without support from Azerbaijan. U.S. President Barack Obama phoned his Azeri counterpart, Ilham Aliyev,...

Reformists predict '97 repeat in Iran.
April 10, 2009... TEHRAN, April 10 (UPI) -- Reformist candidate Mehdi Karroubi said his platform would repeat the 1997 landslide victory that secured the Iranian presidency of Mohammad Khatami. Karroubi told supporters that dissatisfaction with the current...

Turkey's sticky EU-accession dilemma.
April 10, 2009... ANKARA, Turkey, April 10 (UPI) -- U.S. support for Turkish accession to the European Union was a welcome move, but Washington should avoid upsetting the delicate European balance, analysts said. U.S. President Barack Obama wrapped up his...

Denial of Egyptian plot mounts.
April 10, 2009... CAIRO, April 10 (UPI) -- Officials in Cairo said they would never allow Hezbollah to stain Egyptian soil, while opposition movements continue to deny plots of an attack. Egyptian officials said Thursday they were interrogating scores of...

Analysis: Pirates natural Islamist allies.
April 13, 2009... Byline: CLAUDE SALHANI WASHINGTON, April 13 (UPI) -- U.S. Navy warships supported by helicopter gunships tracked four Somali pirates and their American captive in the Horn of Africa throughout the weekend as American negotiators tried to...

Walker's World: A tale of two banks.
April 13, 2009... Byline: MARTIN WALKER WASHINGTON, April 13 (UPI) -- Tucked away inside the small print of the latest Federal Reserve report on its balance sheet is a jaw-dropping nugget of information. A year ago, American banks had $1.8 billion on...

Gay persecution in Iraq growing.
April 13, 2009... BAGHDAD, April 13 (UPI) -- Supporters of the gay community in Iraq say the lack of government attention to a spate of murders is tantamount to tacit approval of violence. The improved security situation in Iraq has prompted some members of...

Iraq/Afghan War News: Afghan violence up.
April 13, 2009... Byline: DANIEL GRAEBER Afghan violence mounts International military forces operating in Afghanistan said they are investigating civilian casualties from airstrikes in eastern Kunar province. Provincial leaders in Kunar said...

Lebanese soldiers killed during drug raid.
April 13, 2009... BEIRUT, Lebanon, April 13 (UPI) -- Four Lebanese soldiers were killed Monday by a grenade attack while conducting counter-narcotics raids in the Beqaa Valley east of Beirut. A statement from the Lebanese military said armed men ambushed a...

Syrians face discrimination in Lebanon.
April 13, 2009... BEIRUT, Lebanon, April 13 (UPI) -- Syrian workers in Lebanon face growing threats and continued discrimination despite a recent thaw in diplomatic relations, human-rights groups said. Roughly 15 percent of the Syrian workforce is employed...

Karroubi stays in Iran's presidential race.
April 13, 2009... TEHRAN, April 13 (UPI) -- Iranian presidential contender Mehdi Karroubi will not step aside, leaders say, as several parties line up to support a rival candidate on the Reformist ticket. "Karroubi won't withdraw because he has made a lot of...

Egypt-Hezbollah tensions mount.
April 13, 2009... CAIRO, April 13 (UPI) -- Egyptian police Monday searched areas in the Sinai Peninsula for alleged Hezbollah agents thought to be plotting attacks in the region amid increased tensions. Cairo last week arrested 49 people linked to Hezbollah...

Outside View: To the shores of Tripoli.
April 13, 2009... Byline: HARLAN ULLMAN WASHINGTON, April 13 (UPI) -- Sunday's rescue of Richard Phillips, the skipper of the Maersk Alabama, from Somali pirates brought home an old story. Pirates have been around since at least the days of the Roman...

Malaysia gets cameras to counter pirates.
April 13, 2009... KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, April 13 (UPI) -- The Malaysian government is strengthening maritime security in the Strait of Malacca to counter threats from piracy. The Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency has installed new long-range...

Stronger non-proliferation actions needed.
April 13, 2009... WASHINGTON, April 13 (UPI) -- The international community must do more to prevent nuclear proliferation, according to a report from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Pierre Goldschmidt, former deputy director general and head...