Libra-log

Six Somali pirates were detained Friday for allegedly taking 30 hostages from a French yacht, the BBC reported.

French Commandos detained the pirates in a helicopter raid shortly after they released the hostages.

The hostages, 22 French citizens, 6 Fillipinos, a Ukranian and a Cameroonian, were taken a week earlier, the BBC said.

The pirates can be held for up to four days and may be held for trial in France.

According to the BBC, the waters off of Somalia are known to be the most dangerous in the world. Pirates there seized more than 25 ships last year.

French troops stationed in Djibouti patrol that part of the Indian Ocean.

Somalia has not have an effective central government for 17 years.

Posted by libra012 at 4:10 PM | Permalink

The France National Assembly passed a bill that could bring criminal action against media promoting extreme thinness, the BBC reported.

The bill, which is now waiting on Upper House support, targets Web sites and publications that encourage girls and young women.

This would include fashion house, magazines and advertisers, the BBC said.

Those found to be encouraging severe thinness could face three years in prison and be fined up to 45,000 euros.

The French Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot said girls are being taught how to inflict harm upon themselves through certain media, like pro-anorexia Web sites.

“These messages are death messages. Our county must be able to prosecute those who are hiding behind those Web sites,� she said.

Posted by libra012 at 5:04 PM | Permalink

The Dalai Lama will speak in Rochester, Minn. today.

According to WCCO television, the spiritual leader is here for a medical exam. He came to the city last year for medial care at the Mayo Clinic. Minnesota Public Radio said it is not clear if he is receiving medical treatment this visit.

In a private conference for Mayo employees, the Dalai Lama will give a talk titled “Compassion in Medicine.� WCCO said it would be on meditation.

Pro-Chinese demonstrators said they would protest outside the clinic. According to MPR, they will be calling for an end to the violence by Pro-Tibetan demonstrators.

Pro-Tibetan demonstrators have been interrupting Olympic torch ceremonies and sometimes violently. Tibet is under Chinese control and many Tibetans want independence, MPR said.

Posted by libra012 at 2:00 PM | Permalink

Executives from Northwest Airlines and Delta Air lines announced Monday that the two companies will merge, reported the Pioneer Press.

This $3.1 billon deal means the creation of the largest airlines in the world. It would carry Delta’s name, Delta’s CEO Richard Anderson would take the top seat, and the headquarters would be in Atlanta—Delta’s hometown.

Northwest and Delta have been trying to work out a deal since the beginning of the year, but they were unable to find away to combine each company’s pilot seniorities. Despite Monday’s announcement, obstacles still remain.

According to Minnesota Public Radio, Rep. James Oberstar, a Democrat, said the merger jeopardizes jobs in the upper Midwest.

But the Delta CEO Richard Anderson suggested job cuts were not ahead.

“Today, we’re announcing a transaction that is about addition, not subtraction,� he said, as reported by the Pioneer Press.

Delta said it would not close any hubs it will keep major operations and an employee base in Minnesota, the Associated Press reported.

Rep. Oberstar, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said the committee would “marshall all the forces necessary� to check for anti-trust issues.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said she would focus on the jobs in Minnesota and “the long-standing commitment the state has to Northwest.�

Gov. Tim Pawlenty has also promised to enforce the agreements Northwest made to keep its headquarters in Minnesota, reported the Associated Press.

Posted by libra012 at 1:53 PM | Permalink

The Olympic torch passed peacefully through Tanzania—a sharp contrast to the relay runs in others countries, which have been riddled by protesters angry over Tibet and China’s human rights record, the BBC said.

A cabinet member, a UN under-secretary and 80 athletes ran the torch through the capital Dar es Salaam. Nearly 1,000 people marched with the team showing support for the Olympics, the BBC said.

The only disruption, according to the BBC, was the withdrawal of Kenyan Nobel peace prize winner Wangar Maathai. He said the Olympic flame had become a symbol of disunity.

Tanzania is the only African nation the torch will visit. Next it will travel to Oman in the Middle East.

Posted by libra012 at 8:31 PM | Permalink

Gov. Tim Pawlenty was in Kosovo this weekend visiting the 400 Minnesota National Guard troops stationed there, the Star Tribune said.

He wanted to thank the soldiers for their work, according to Minnesota Public Radio.

He held a town hall meeting to hear their questions and concerns. Some of those included disability benefits and tuition reimbursement, MPR said.

The Minnesota troops in the Balkan nation are from the 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry, headquartered in Mankato.

This was Gov. Pawlenty’s second visit to the nation since it declared its independence from Serbia in February.

Posted by libra012 at 8:28 PM | Permalink

A Minnesota superdelegates announced Sunday she supports Barack Obama for president, Minnesota Public Radio reported.

Democratic National Committee member Nancy Larson of Dassel—one of the state’s last uncommitted Democratic superdelegates—said she supports Obama because she believes he has the best chance of winning the general election.

According to MPR, it was a difficult choice. She feels both Obama and Hilary Clinton are “wonderful candidates.�

She decided on Obama because of his grassroots campaigning and the amount of people who support him.

Larson is among eight Minnesota superdelegates supporting Obama. Three are supporting Clinton.

U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson is the only superdelegate yet to back a candidate.

Posted by libra012 at 8:26 PM | Permalink

The Kenyan president and his political rival agreed on a power-sharing arrangement for the cabinet Sunday, reported the Washington Post.

President Mwai Kibaki and rival Raila Odinga agreed to share the 40-member cabinet by implementing a deal they reached in February. Odinga will be prime minister and manage the cabinet.

There has been fear that while the leader negotiated the country would slide back into violence. Since the December presidential election around 1,000 people have been killed and a million have been displaced.

Last week, demonstrations began in western Kisumu and Kibera—two of Odinga’s “strongholds,� the Washington Post said.

Posted by libra012 at 8:22 PM | Permalink

Travel continues to be disrupted as American Airlines cancels more flights to check its MD-80 aircraft for wiring problems, the BBC reported.

American grounded 595 flights on Fridays. They have grounded 3,000 since Monday.

Alaska Airlines, Midwest Airlines and Delat Air Lines canceled flights on Thursday for MD-80 checks. US Airlines has also been ordered to check their MD-80 aircraft.

The American cancellations came after the Federal Aviation Administration inspected the MD-80 two weeks ago and said the wiring failed to meet standards.

Posted by libra012 at 8:21 PM | Permalink

The Minneapolis-based company Malt-O-Meal is voluntarily recalling certain packages of unsweetened Puffed Rice and unsweetened Puff Wheat Cereals because they may be contaminated with salmonella, Minnesota Public Radio reported.

The recalled packages include those with “Best If Used By� dates from April 8 to March 18, 2009. They have been distributed under private labels including Acme, America’s Choice, Food Club, Giant, Hannaford, Jewel, Laura Lynn, Pathmark, Shaw’s, ShopRite, Tops and Weis Quality.

According to the company, there have been no reported illnesses.

The salmonella threat was discovered during an internal routine food safety testing in a product made on March 24.

Posted by libra012 at 7:37 PM | Permalink

As of this summer, approximately 100 sidewalk squares in St. Paul will feature poetry written by local residents, the Twin Cities Daily Planet said.

Everyday Sidewalk Poems, a new City of St. Paul Public Works project, will select the best short poems submitted by St. Paul citizens. Up to twenty poems will be chosen, and they will be spread across the ten miles of sidewalk that is routinely replaced each year.

Besides their concrete impression, winners will be awarded a $150 price and publication in a book and on the Sidewalk Poems Web site.

Public works employees are beginning now to look for places where sidewalk will need replacing.

One of the main central planners, St. Paul Artist-in-Residence Marcus Young, said the plan is not to just put poems in typical, central locations like Grand Avenue or downtown St. Paul.

“The idea is that this will be decentralize art,� he said to the Twin Cities Daily Planet.

Posted by libra012 at 7:32 PM | Permalink

Sen. Hillary Clinton released her tax returns on Friday, answering “longstanding calls from critics and political rivals,� said National Pubic Radio.

Clinton made public the joint returns she and her husband, former President Bill Clinton filed from 2000 to 2006. She also released a summary of 2007, their most profitable year so far.

The couple made $20 million in 2007. They have made $109.2 million since 2000.

Rival presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama and his wife released their most tax returns from 2000 to 2006 last week, which totaled $900,000.

He and the expected Republican nominee Sen. John McCain have said they will release their 2007 tax returns soon.

Of those their total earnings, the Clintons paid $33.8 million in taxes and gave $10.25 million ( 9 percent) to charity from 2000 to the most recent tax year.

Their income was generated from former President Bill Clinton’s speeches, his two book deals, Hilary’s book “Living History,� their official salaries, and what NPR called Bill’s “lucrative partnerships.�

Posted by libra012 at 4:51 PM | Permalink

The Zimbabwe presidential election results have yet to be announced, but the Senate results were declared Saturday, the BBC said.

According to the Zimbabwe Election Committee, the opposition party Movement for Democratic Change, lead by Morgan Tsvangirai and the Zanu-PF party headed by current president Robert Mugabe tied with 30 seats each.

In the lower house, the opposition parties took 109. Mugabe’s party took 97. It is the first time they have failed to win the majority since the party gained power in 1980 after Zimbabwe’s independence from Britain.

According to The New York Times, Mugabe’s party is demanding a recount for 16 seats in an attempt to regain control.

Tsvangirai, for the first time, said he is the rightful winner of the presidential election. He said numbers posted outside polling stations prove he won the necessary 50 percent of votes.

He said a run-off vote is unnecessary and called for Mugabe to join in talks about a democratic, peaceful transfer of power. He has accused the president of organizing militias in what The New York Times named a “war against the people.�

Tsvangirai’s party is trying to force the election committee to release the presidential election results. A hearing is scheduled for Sunday, The New York Times said.

The events surrounding this election hark back to the 2002 Zimbabwe election. Some believe the presidential win was stolen from Tsvangiarai. As now, Mugabe’s party was accused of violence and election rigging.

Posted by libra012 at 3:45 PM | Permalink

At 5.1 percent, the unemployment rate is at its highest level since the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in September 2005, said The New York Times on Friday.

That unemployment rate translates to 7.8 million people out of work, according to the Los Angeles Times.

There have been 80,000 jobs lost in March. In the past year, 914,000 people have lost their jobs.

The Los Angeles Times also said the unemployment rate coupled with the housing market downturn furthers the concern that the country is in a recession.

According to Forbes.com, economists of the company Bear Stearns said the job shedding translates to “clear and unmistakable recession signals.�

Posted by libra012 at 4:32 PM | Permalink