In the News: Jan-16

Netherlands calls in US ambassador after criticism from Gates - 16 Jan 2008 at 2:50pm - THE HAGUE (AFP) - The Dutch government has summoned the US ambassador here to explain comments from US Defence Secretary Robert Gates, who criticised NATO forces in southern Afghanistan in a report on Wednesday.

Oil dips below $90 US on inventory build - 16 Jan 2008 at 3:09pm - Oil prices slipped below $90 US a barrel in early trading Wednesday after U.S. storage figures showed a big increase in crude oil inventories over the past week.

Expert says $150 billion stimulus needed - 16 Jan 2008 at 12:55pm - WASHINGTON -- The economy has worsened to the point where Congress should pass an economic stimulus bill of up to $150 billion, former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers told lawmakers Wednesday.

Admiral: Pakistan OKs bigger U.S. role - 16 Jan 2008 at 10:47am - ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Pakistan is taking a more welcoming view of U.S. suggestions for using American troops to train and advise its own forces in the fight against anti-government extremists, the commander of U.S. forces in that region said Wednesday.

U.N. sees Iraq progress despite misgivings - 16 Jan 2008 at 10:53am - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The United Nations envoy to Baghdad said on Wednesday he would present a positive picture of progress in Iraq in a report to the Security Council despite earlier having serious misgivings about reconciliation efforts.

White House reused e-mail tapes - 16 Jan 2008 at 10:07am - WASHINGTON -- The White House has acknowledged recycling its backup computer tapes of e-mail before October 2003, raising the possibility that many electronic messages - including those pertaining to the CIA leak case - have been taped over and are gone forever.

Bush exempts Navy from environmental law - 16 Jan 2008 at 9:33am - WASHINGTON -- President Bush exempted the Navy from an environmental law so it can continue using sonar in its anti-submarine warfare training off the California coast - a practice critics say is harmful to whales and other marine mammals.

New U.S. audit questions efficacy of Iran sanctions - 16 Jan 2008 at 8:45am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The economic impact of U.S. sanctions against Iran is unclear and Iran has signed about $20 billion in energy contracts with foreign firms since 2003, said a U.S. audit report.

Thought for the day:
The most useless are those who never change through the years. -James M. Barrie (1860 - 1937)