UPI International Intelligence articles from January 2009

UPI International Intelligence archives from January 2009

Most homicides in Africa, Latin America.
January 2, 2009... VIENNA, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- A report by the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime shows the highest homicide rates in the world are in South Africa and South and Central America. The UNODC, in its first-ever official report on global violence, said...

U.N. condemns Mosul assassination.
January 2, 2009... BAGHDAD, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- The top U.N. envoy to Iraq condemned the assassination of a leading candidate in Mosul as political violence simmers ahead of provincial elections. Gunmen shot and killed Mowaffaq al-Hamdani with the Iraq for Us...

Iraq assumes authority over Basra airport.
January 2, 2009... BASRA, Iraq, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Iraqi civilian authorities took over control of Basra International Airport from British forces following an agreement with Baghdad, defense officials said. The transfer followed a signing of a memorandum of...

Iraqi widows need assistance, groups say.
January 2, 2009... BAGHDAD, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Groups working on women's rights in Iraq are divided over how to effectively cope with the growing number of widowed Iraqis, authorities say. Mazin al-Shihan with the Baghdad-based Displacement Committee said there...

SIIC denies attempts to oust Maliki.
January 2, 2009... BAGHDAD, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- The Shiite Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council denied allegations it was trying to seek a no-confidence vote for the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. SIIC officials rejected claims by Sami al-Askari of the...

Iraq Press Roundup.
January 2, 2009... Byline: ALAA MAJEED When will Iraq enjoy peace and progress? As promised by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, there has been a decline in terrorist and militia attacks as the security environment improves, al-Sabaah al-Jadeed said...

Fear grips Senegalese town.
January 2, 2009... KEDOUGOU, Senegal, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Residents of the southeast Senegalese town of Kedougou are hiding out in the outskirts of the city following mass arrests in the wake of riots, officials said. Younger residents rioted Dec. 23 in the...

Dogs of War: Contracting's con side.
January 3, 2009... Byline: DAVID ISENBERG WASHINGTON, Jan. 3 (UPI) -- It is hard to truly understand many war-related activities unless you have been there. The culture of private military contractors is no different. Up to now the debate over them has...

Walker's World: FDR's words still echo.
January 5, 2009... Byline: MARTIN WALKER PARIS, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- As President-elect Barack Obama's speechwriters try to craft the soaring and heartening words that will mark his inauguration and start to define his presidency, they could do a great deal worse...

Commentary: Israel's endgame.
January 5, 2009... Byline: ARNAUD DE BORCHGRAVE WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- At the birth of Israel, there were 87 million Arabs. Today, there are 320 million. In 2020 -- the same time that has elapsed since 1988 -- Arabs will number half a billion. Gaining...

Iraq Press Roundup.
January 5, 2009... Byline: ALAA MAJEED The Iraqi security of the Green Zone The transfer of the fortified Green Zone in Baghdad to Iraqi responsibility is an essential milestone in the measurement of security improvements, the daily newspaper Addustour...

Pakistan hit with spiraling energy crisis.
January 5, 2009... ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari moved to shore up domestic energy supplies as rioters thronged the streets in protest of power shortages. Pakistan is faced with a looming energy and debt crisis....

Iraqi order of battle takes shape.
January 5, 2009... BAGHDAD, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- The Iraqi military and police forces made significant developments in training and equipment purchases, securing an order of battle for 2009, a report says. The Iraqi national military and police forces made...

Food aid in Iraq may be revamped.
January 5, 2009... BAGHDAD, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- The Iraqi Planning Ministry said 95 percent of Iraqi families prefer free food over government financial aid as the country struggles with its 2009 budget. The Public Distribution System for food rationing was...

Lebanon agrees to install nuke detections.
January 5, 2009... WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Lebanon has signed a deal to partner with the United States on nuclear non-proliferation through the installation of radioactive threat detection technologies. Under the agreement, the Lebanese Customs...

Voices condemn Kadhimiya bombing.
January 5, 2009... KADHIMIYA, Iraq, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Tehran joined a chorus of voices from Baghdad to the United Nations in condemning an attack on a Shiite mosque during holy celebrations. A female suicide bomber detonated an explosive vest Sunday, killing...

Central Somalia gripped by fresh violence.
January 5, 2009... MOGADISHU, Somalia, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- An outbreak of violence in central Somalia has forced an estimated 50,000 people from their homes since the end of December. The fresh violence since Dec. 27, which has resulted in the deaths of as many...

Prominent reconciliation leaders killed.
January 5, 2009... MOGADISHU, Somalia, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Several leaders in Somalia working toward reconciliation and peace have been killed as the ongoing rebel violence in the country continues to escalate. Abdullahi Abdi Egaal, a member of the National...

Dialogue called key to Europe's security.
January 5, 2009... ATHENS, Greece, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- The new chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has called for strengthening the OSCE's role in promoting dialogue to ensure security. Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, the new...

Government FISA appeal headed to court.
January 5, 2009... WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- A dormant government appeal of a 2007 ruling that said the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is unconstitutional will be argued in court. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Portland, Ore., has scheduled a...

PMOI fate uncertain.
January 5, 2009... BAGHDAD, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- The fate of the dissident People's Mujahedin of Iran based in Iraq's Diyala province hangs in balance following American security transfers, a review suggests. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki marked the...

Analysis: Hearts & minds -- Part 3.
January 6, 2009... Byline: MARJORIE KORN ABOARD THE USS KEARSARGE, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- The USS Kearsarge took part in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. But for the last four months the amphibious assault ship encountered no...

Iraqi troops adjust to Mosul operations.
January 6, 2009... MOSUL, Iraq, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Iraqi army divisions face a fluid threat environment as they transition from al-Qaida operations in Baghdad to ethnically diverse Mosul, a review says. The 3rd Battalion, 9th Brigade of the Iraqi army deployed...

Iraq Press Roundup.
January 6, 2009... Byline: ALAA MAJEED The SOFA is a marriage of convenience The Status of Forces Agreement between Washington and Baghdad is similar to agreements the occupying power has with other nations, the independent Shabab al-Iraq said Tuesday....

Housing for IDPs in Iraq postponed.
January 6, 2009... BAGHDAD, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- The Iraqi Ministry of Displacement and Migration may delay several housing developments due to economic issues stemming from declining oil prices. Baghdad in November dropped its budget forecast by $13 billion as...

Report: Iraq deadliest country for media.
January 6, 2009... NEW YORK, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Iraq topped the list of deadliest countries for journalists for the sixth straight year, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists reported. CPJ said information gleaned from interviews with journalists...

Najaf prepares for Ashura.
January 6, 2009... NAJAF, Iraq, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- The Shiite holy city of Najaf made preparations Tuesday for commemorations of the Day of Ashura, marking the death of the grandson of the prophet Mohammed. The Imam Hussein and 72 of his companions, including...

British-led strike secures central Helmand.
January 6, 2009... LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- A multinational operation led by British troops has successfully secured a large area of the volatile Helmand province in Afghanistan. British troops, alongside Danish and Estonian units making up...

Crisis Group calls for Gaza cease-fire.
January 6, 2009... BRUSSELS, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- The International Crisis Group has joined a chorus calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, where the death toll from an Israeli military operation continues to grow. The Belgium-based Crisis Group released a report...

Conflict in Gaza tops CrisisWatch report.
January 6, 2009... BRUSSELS, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Israel's military campaign into Gaza topped a list of worldwide conflict situations that deteriorated in December, according to the monthly CrisisWatch report. The military strike on Gaza targeting Hamas leaders...

Nigerian police to support U.N.-AU mission.
January 6, 2009... KHARTOUM, Sudan, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Nigerian security officials have deployed two police units to support the ongoing U.N.-African Union security operations in the Darfur region of Sudan. The Nigerian police units, totaling 280 personnel, are...

Saint Lucia partners with TSA on security.
January 6, 2009... CASTRIES , Saint Lucia, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Transportation authorities from the United States and Saint Lucia announced a partnership Tuesday to strengthen aviation security for the Caribbean island. Officials from the U.S. Transportation...

Walker's World: Sarkozy and the Britons.
January 7, 2009... Byline: MARTIN WALKER PARIS, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- When French President Nicolas Sarkozy meets former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Paris Thursday for a conference on morality in the markets, he will be wearing a patriotic smile. ...

Outside View: Pakistan's terror connection.
January 7, 2009... Byline: M.D. NALAPAT MANIPAL, India, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- The 1989 defeat of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan was a tactical victory but a strategic defeat for the Western alliance. The induced success of the jihadis gave them a boost of...

Iraq Press Roundup.
January 7, 2009... Byline: ALAA MAJEED Change or status quo in Iraqi provincial elections The political sea change brought by the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq fostered a climate that considers local authority separate from the central government,...

Former Iraqi VP al-Douri speaks on Gaza.
January 7, 2009... BAGHDAD, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Former Iraqi Vice President Izzat al-Douri released an audio message Wednesday calling on Palestinians to rise up against the Israelis. The former vice president, the "King of Clubs" in the U.S. deck of cards...

Turkey claims PKK desertions.
January 7, 2009... ANKARA, Turkey, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Turkish military officials said strikes against militants with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, sparked widespread desertions from the group. Turkey in 2008 adopted measures to continue...

Students return to class in Iraq.
January 7, 2009... BAGHDAD, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Scores of Iraqi middle and high school students returned for the first weeks of class in 2009 as the security situation improves, U.S. military reports said. Students greeted the new school year with ceremonies in...

Obama needs to act on Iraqi refugee crisis.
January 7, 2009... WASHINGTON, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Iraqi and American government officials need to work toward resolving the issues stemming from displaced persons, Human Rights First said. Human Rights First, in a report titled "How to confront the Iraqi...

Iraqis nab 100 pounds of heroin at border.
January 7, 2009... TREBIL, Iraq, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Iraqi security forces seized more than 100 pounds of heroin at a checkpoint along the Jordanian border with Iraq, the U.S. military said. Iraqi border officials using X-ray scanning equipment witnessed...

NNSA to consolidate gas transfer research.
January 7, 2009... WASHINGTON, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration, as part of an ongoing downsizing effort, announced plans to consolidate its gas transfer system research. The NNSA, an agency in the Department of Energy,...

Rebel violence uproots 9.1 million.
January 7, 2009... UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Half of the estimated 9.1 million internally displaced persons uprooted from rebel violence in Central and Eastern Africa are from Sudan, a U.N. report said. The ongoing instability stretching from the Horn...

FBI names new OLEC assistant director.
January 7, 2009... WASHINGTON, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- The director of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has named a new Office of Law Enforcement Coordination assistant director at the FBI. FBI Director Robert Mueller announced Ronald Ruecker, a more than...

Interpol head touring Latin America.
January 7, 2009... PANAMA CITY, Panama, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- The head of Interpol is on a three-country tour of Latin America to discuss national and regional policing initiatives with top security authorities. Interpol Secretary-General Ronald Noble is meeting...

Lieberman pushing for authorization bill.
January 7, 2009... WASHINGTON, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Sen. Joseph Lieberman said Tuesday that the top priority of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is completing an authorization bill. Lieberman, I-Conn., who chairs the Senate Homeland...

Adviser Hadley touts Bush legacy in Iraq.
January 8, 2009... WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- A policy of American leadership and democratic governance created a strategic partner in the new Iraq, U.S. national security adviser Stephen Hadley said. Hadley spoke at the Washington-based Center for Strategic...

Iraq orders eviction of squatters.
January 8, 2009... BAGHDAD, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- The Iraqi government ordered all illegal residents evicted from government buildings and government land within 60 days. Baghdad said it would establish a committee to handle the evictions of the squatters, who...

Brookings scholar warns of Shiite threat.
January 8, 2009... WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- U.S. intelligence agencies need to create a bulwark against Shiite terrorism in order to contain any potential conflict with Iran or Hezbollah, analysts say. A review of tactics employed by Sunni and Shiite...

Sunnis marginalized in Iraqi politics.
January 8, 2009... BAGHDAD, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Secular Iraqi lawmakers said Thursday the departure of a large coalition from the Iraq Accordance Front rendered the party ineffective amid political disputes. A slate of independent lawmakers joined the Iraqi...

U.S. backs Babylon heritage project.
January 8, 2009... WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- The U.S. State Department announced it is backing projects to preserve vital Iraqi archaeological sites with the Iraqi government and the World Monuments Fund. The State Department said it was supporting the...

Iraq Press Roundup.
January 8, 2009... Byline: ALAA MAJEED The Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council wants to cancel the elections SIIC will do everything in its power to disrupt the provincial elections in the event that securing a position of power in the south of the country is...

Talks resume to end violence in DR Congo.
January 8, 2009... NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- A third session of peace talks is under way in Kenya aimed at bringing an end to rebel violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The United Nations is supporting another round of peace talks between...

Analysis: German 2009: Party and politics.
January 8, 2009... Byline: STEFAN NICOLA BERLIN, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- For Germany, 2009 will be the most politically charged year in a long time, with regional, state and national elections neatly packaged by a pretty rough economic crisis and two major...

Nuclear pact entered into force by IAEA.
January 8, 2009... VIENNA, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Additional protocol for a nuclear non-proliferation pact entered into force Thursday after the completion of ratification procedures by the United States. U.S. Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency...

NATO to hold seminar on arctic thawing.
January 8, 2009... REYKJAVIK, Iceland, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- NATO announced plans to hold a seminar in Iceland on the thawing of the arctic ice cap and the growing military presence in the region. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in partnership with the...

Disaster exercise held in Kosovo.
January 8, 2009... PRISTINA, Kosovo, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- The NATO Multinational Task Force North recently concluded a security simulation in Kosovo testing emergency response to a major national disaster. The disaster simulation of a catastrophic earthquake...

OSAC report: Terrorism among top threats.
January 8, 2009... WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- The head of the U.S. Overseas Security Advisory Council says terrorist threats and the rise of violent piracy were among the top security concerns in 2008. Todd Brown, OSAC executive director and U.S. State...

Analysis: Clinton vets tapped for defense.
January 9, 2009... Byline: SHAUN WATERMAN WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- President-elect Barack Obama named his picks for four top defense positions Thursday, continuing a pattern of choosing centrist Washington insiders from the Clinton era for his...

Iraq Press Roundup.
January 9, 2009... Byline: ALAA MAJEED Obama's options: between observance and implementation Advisers to U.S. President-elect Barack Obama see the best way to remedy the failed political situation in Iraq is to cancel the project, al-Basaer of the...

Refugee population up in Iraq, Somalia.
January 9, 2009... UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- The number of internally displaced persons in the world topped 22 million and refugee numbers passed 11 million, mostly in Iraq and Somalia, the U.N. said. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio...

Najaf cemetery strewn with campaign media.
January 9, 2009... NAJAF, Iraq, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- The largest graveyard in Iraq, located in the holy city of Najaf, is littered with posters for candidates in the upcoming provincial elections. Iraq is scheduled to hold provincial elections Jan. 31. The...

HRW calls for rights for Iranian Kurds.
January 9, 2009... NEW YORK, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Human Rights Watch called on the Iranian government to end its campaign of harassment against the Kurdish population in the western regions of the country. HRW in a 42-page report on Iranian activity in its Kurdish...

Iraqis worried reward money may dry up.
January 9, 2009... BAGHDAD, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Iraqi leaders are worried money used by American forces to glean intelligence information from local residents may dry up as the military environment shifts. American forces began transitioning authority to their...

Iraqis to vet speaker post Saturday.
January 9, 2009... BAGHDAD, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Sunni lawmakers scheduled a Saturday meeting in Baghdad to vet candidates for the position of parliamentary speaker, officials said. Parliament Speaker Mahmoud Mashhadani resigned in December as lawmakers bickered...

NCPC approves plan for DHS headquarters.
January 9, 2009... WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- The U.S. Homeland Security Department's widely dispersed offices will be consolidated after the approval of a plan by the National Capital Planning Commission. The Homeland Security Department has been without a...

Failure of CPA in Sudan could cause crisis.
January 9, 2009... LONDON, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- A Darfur-like crisis could spread across the whole of Sudan if the Comprehensive Peace Agreement fails, according to a Chatham House report released Friday. The report, released by the London-based think tank Chatham...

Hasina promises no terror from Bangladesh.
January 9, 2009... NEW DELHI, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Newly elected Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has promised there will be zero tolerance for terrorist activities in the country. Hasina, who was elected prime minister after parliamentary elections at...

Ban calls for Nepal mandate extension.
January 9, 2009... KATHMANDU, Nepal, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- The head of the United Nations has called for a six-month extension of the U.N. mission in Nepal to help support the peace process. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has recommended the U.N. Security...

World focus missing low-profile conflicts.
January 9, 2009... UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- A top U.N. official said in New York the international community must pay closer attention to lower-profile conflicts around the world. Antonio Guterres, U.N. high commissioner for refugees, said Thursday...

Dogs of War: Immunity and impunity.
January 12, 2009... Byline: DAVID ISENBERG WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- One of the commonly voiced complaints about private security contractors is that they operate with complete impunity. This always has been somewhat overstated. For example, the June 2003...

Walker's World: Depression looms.
January 12, 2009... Byline: MARTIN WALKER VIENNA, Jan. 11 (UPI) -- This time last year, many economists were still debating whether the United States was entering or already experiencing a recession. That debate is over. The question now is whether we are...

Analysis: Gaza: A dialogue of the deaf.
January 12, 2009... Byline: CLAUDE SALHANI BEIRUT, Lebanon, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- Neither Israel nor Hamas seems to be in much of a hurry to implement a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire between the two parties and help bring an...

Commentary: Running on empty.
January 12, 2009... Byline: ARNAUD DE BORCHGRAVE WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- When "IOUSA" made its documentary film debut last August, it soon earned the sobriquet "fiscal wake-up tour." Its unrelenting gloom toted up a $9 trillion federal debt, a $738.6...

Iraq Press Roundup.
January 12, 2009... Byline: ALAA MAJEED The Awakening Councils are a security threat The loyalty of the forces belonging to the Sunni Awakening Councils is in question as Iraqi forces take to the streets of Baghdad, Kitabat said Monday. The Sons of...

Iraqi forces disrupt kidnapping ring.
January 12, 2009... BAGHDAD, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- Iraqi counter-terrorism forces secured the release of two persons captured by militants and successfully dismantled a kidnapping ring, the U.S. military said. A battalion working with the Iraqi special forces acted...

Delay squatter evictions, Iraqis say.
January 12, 2009... BAGHDAD, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- The Iraqi Parliament and local aid officials called on the central government to postpone plans to evict squatters residing in government-owned property. Abdul-Khaliq Zankana, who heads the Displacement and...

Iraqi speaker post debate continues.
January 12, 2009... BAGHDAD, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- The political climate in the Iraqi Parliament reached a boiling point as lawmakers raised concerns over nominees for the position of Parliament speaker Monday. Officials lodged complaints that Iyad al-Samirrai with...

Poland enlists NNSA for counter nuke tech.
January 12, 2009... WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- Poland has signed a deal with the United States that targets the illicit trafficking of nuclear weapons material through Poland's border crossings and ports. Top government leaders in Poland have signed an...

ICRC calls for health worker protections.
January 12, 2009... GENEVA, Switzerland, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- The growing threat to health workers in conflict zones has prompted the International Committee of the Red Cross to call for additional protections. Health workers are increasingly facing threats in the...

British police target Afghan poppy growers.
January 12, 2009... LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- The British Ministry of Defense Police are working to counter the ongoing heroin threat in England by targeting illicit poppy growers in Afghanistan. British police officials estimate that as much...

Analysis: Obama picks outsider for CIA job.
January 12, 2009... Byline: SHAUN WATERMAN WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- Intelligence outsiders like Leon Panetta, President-elect Barack Obama's pick to be director of central intelligence, have a mixed record at heading the agency, serving and former...

EU, NATO plan could unravel over dispute.
January 12, 2009... BRUSSELS, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- A European Union and NATO effort to stabilize the Balkans could be undermined by a dispute between Greece and Macedonia, the International Crisis Group says. The report, released Monday by the Belgium-based...

Group calls Mugabe's actions genocide.
January 12, 2009... WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- An international group of experts on genocide has used the term for the first time about the activities of strongman Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe. In a statement posted on its Web site, the International...

Airlifts needed for U.S.-affiliated Iraqis.
January 13, 2009... WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- The incoming administration of President-elect Barack Obama should move to enact an airlift operation to bring Iraqis to the United States, a group said. The Center for American Progress said the Obama...