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- Obama Defends Handling of Quran Burning Threat
published on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 12:57:44 GMT
U.S. President Barack Obama says his administration was correct in contacting a Christian minister in Florida to persuade him to call off his plan to burn the Quran. The president held a news conference Friday, also discussing terrorism, Mideast peace prospects and the U.S. economy. President Obama defended the decision to have Defense Secretary Robert Gates contact the Reverend Terry Jones, saying Muslim anger over the minister's plan to burn the Islamic holy book has put American service members in jeopardy. "We are seeing today riots in Kabul, riots in Afghanistan, that threaten our young men and women in uniform. And so we have got an obligation to send a very clear message that this kind of behavior or threats of action put our young men and women in harm's way," he said. The leader of the small independent church said Thursday he would cancel his protest, because of an agreement by an imam in New York to move a proposed Islamic center and mosque away from the area of the September 11, 2001 attacks. The imam has said there is no such agreement. Watch Dan Robinson's Companion Video Report: At Friday's news conference, Mr. Obama repeated his view that construction of the New York mosque should be allowed, because freedom of religion is a basic right in the United States. "If you could build a church on a site, you could build a synagogue on a site, if you could build a Hindu temple on a site, then you should be able to build a mosque on the site," he said.One day before the ninth anniversary of the attacks on New York and Washington, Mr. Obama was asked whether he is still focused on capturing al-Qaida leaders Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri. "Capturing or killing bin Laden and Zawahiri would be extremely important to our national security. It does not solve all our problems, but it remains a high priority of this administration," he said.The president responded to questions from 13 reporters during the 80-minute session, his first full news conference since May.Mr. Obama was asked whether plans are still moving forward to close the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He said he regrets missing his January, 2010 deadline for doing so, but remains committed to closing the facility. "One where we have fallen short is closing Guantanamo. I wanted to close it sooner, but we have missed that deadline. It is not for lack of trying. It is because the politics of it are difficult," he said.On reports of persistent corruption in Afghanistan, Mr. Obama said progress has been made, but he has repeatedly emphasized to Afghan President Hamid Karzai the need to clean up his government. "The only way that you are going to have a stable government over the long term is if the Afghan people feel that you are looking out for them, and that means that the tradition of corruption in the government is reduced. And we are going to keep on putting pressure on them on that front," he said.The president also said he has urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to extend a partial moratorium on building Jewish settlements in the West Bank, to help advance Mideast peace talks.He said both Mr. Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas were serious and cordial as the talks recently reopened, but he said they will have to overcome many challenges. "We can facilitate, we can encourage, we can tell them that we will stand behind them in their efforts and are willing to contribute as part of the broader international community in making this work, but ultimately the parties have to make these decisions for themselves," he said.Much of the news conference focused on the struggling U.S. economy and the Democratic Party's slumping poll numbers. Mr. Obama announced no new plans Friday. But he expressed optimism that voters in the November midterm elections will prefer his economic policies to those of the previous Republican administration. - Protests Against Quran Burning Threats Sweep Afghanistan
published on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 12:16:33 GMT
Thousands of people across Afghanistan took to the streets Friday to protest a U.S. pastor's threats to burn copies of the Quran.Police say violence broke out during protests in northeastern Badakhshan province and western Farah province, wounding at least eight people. Authorities say initial reports that a man was killed in Badakhshan province were incorrect.The biggest demonstration took place in the city of Fayzabad, in Badakhshan province. Security officials say clashes broke out after protesters poured into the streets after traditional prayers marking the start of the Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr. Authorities say some of the protesters broke off to hurl rocks at the NATO base stationed there, prompting clashes with security forces who rushed in to quell the violence.During a message to mark the start of Eid al-Fitr, President Hamid Karzai criticized the U.S. pastor's threats to burn the Quran, saying the Quran cannot be harmed because it is in the hearts and minds of all Muslims.In neighboring Pakistan, hundreds of people in the central city of Multan demonstrated against threats to burn the Quran. Some burned American flags.The pastor of the small Florida church at the center of the controversy, Reverend Terry Jones, had originally planned to burn hundreds of copies of the Quran on Saturday to coincide with the ninth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States. He announced Thursday he was suspending the protest.The pastor's plans have created an international firestorm and prompted leading political and religious figures to issue statements condemning the plans.Top U.S. officials had warned the pastor that the Quran burning could provoke Islamist violence and put U.S. soldiers' lives in danger. Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. - Announced Suspension of Quran Burning Welcomed in Europe
published on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 22:49:44 GMT
The prospect of a Florida pastor burning copies of the Quran has resonated around the world, sparking demonstrations and interfaith dialogues. Despite the announcement that the Quran burning had been suspended, at least one London mosque decided to go ahead with a multi-faith meeting addressing the issue. "Is it justified by any standard that the follower of one religion should be burning the sacred books of others?," asked Ataul Mujeed Rashed, the imam of the Regents Park mosque.US diplomat Philip Breeden said "The deliberate destruction of any holy book is an abhorrent act. We also believe that the best answer to offensive speech is dialogue and debate." The Quran was placed next to holy books of other faiths, and although the Imam of the mosque did not mention the controversy in his Friday sermon, he issued a statement condemning the spread of hate and calling for decency and tolerance.The words of dialogue and reconciliation at the London mosque were far different from some of the reactions around the world.In Afghanistan, thousands of people protested, shouting, "Death to America." In Gaza and East Jerusalem they held up copies of the Quran in defiance.Earlier in the week, the demonstrations were more violent. In Pakistan, protesters burned American flags. The tenor of those protests drew condemnation here in London -- from Muslims."Burning up other people's flags is totally un-Islamic," said Mansour Shah, a member of a Mulsim congregation."You shouldn't fight fire with fire, because you know the fights will just be never-ending. This is how it leads to wars etcetera. Islam means peace," said Wajiha Mohammed.Elsewhere in Europe, the announcement suspending the Quran burning was welcomed. Luxembourg's foreign minister Jean Asselborn said "It is really good that we have been able to stop this idiocy of burning the Quran in the United States." And NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen added that "I am happy to see that he has put this terrible act on hold at least. It is a very disrespectful act, I urge all people to demonstrate clear respect for other people's faith."The announced suspension came as Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al Fitr, a major feast -- and as the Muslim faith continues to be at the center of international controversy. - Muslims Mark Eid With Celebrations
published on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:30:44 GMT
Muslims around the world are celebrating Eid al-Fitr, the end of the holy month of Ramadan.In the Middle East, more than 30,000 people in Syria crossed the border to exchange Eid greetings with relatives in neighboring Turkey. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei marked the occasion by criticizing Israel for what he called its "oppression" of Palestinians. In Friday prayers in Tehran, he also accused the U.S. and other western nations of having a role in Palestinian repression. Worshippers gathered in Saudi Arabia, where religious leaders urged followers to adhere to the teachings of Islam and stay away from all "evils."On Thursday, U.S. President Barack Obama sent best wishes to Muslims worldwide. In a written statement, he said the holiday is a time of self-reflection, focusing on values that Muslims and people of all faiths share.Like most major Islamic events, the start of the Eid festival depends on a lunar sighting. Muslims look for a new moon to proclaim the start of the month in Islam's lunar calendar. The timing of Eid can vary in different countries accordingly.Eid al-Fitr celebrates the purification achieved by a month of sunrise-to-sunset fasting, one of the five pillars of Islam, and is marked by several days of festivities. - Church at Center of Quran Burning Controversy Known for 'Fringe' Views
published on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 14:44:33 GMT
The tiny Florida congregation at the center of a controversy over burning the Muslim holy book on September 11 was virtually unknown until announcing its intention several weeks ago.The Dove World Outreach Center has a long history of anti-Muslim views and has clashed with local civil rights and interfaith groups for its public display of those sentiments. Some in the community have picketed near the church property in protest.For the past two years, the congregation has erected anti-Muslim signs on its property. Last year, some members sent their children to school wearing T-shirts that proclaimed "Islam is of the Devil." They were sent home by school administrators for dress code violations.The non-denominational Christian church, which has just 50 members, is located in the town of Gainesville, Florida, which has a population of more than 100,000. Gainesville also is home to the University of Florida and its 50,000 students.The church also preaches an anti-gay message. Earlier this year, it posted videos and signs condemning an openly gay candidate for mayor of the town where the congregation is located.Members of the Dove World Outreach Center also have joined another fringe group called the Westboro Baptist Church - an anti-gay congregation from the state of Kansas, that is known for disrupting the funerals of U.S. soldiers. Westboro Baptist also preaches anti-Islam, anti-Catholic, anti-Jewish and anti-Hindu messages. It has burned copies of the Quran in the past.The founder of the Florida church, 58-year-old Terry Jones, is a former hotel manager who worked as a missionary in Europe for 30 years. He led a small congregation in Cologne, Germany, until 2008, when the church asked him to leave.The U.S. Constitution guarantees the right of free speech to every citizen. After the Florida congregation announced plans to burn the Muslim holy book on the ninth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, there was worldwide condemnation and appeals from political and religious leaders to abandon those plans.Local fire authorities refused permission for the congregation to build an open-air bonfire. Police said they would not be allowed to intervene unless a fire were set. - Obama Urges Extension of Israeli Settlement Moratorium
published on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 19:22:54 GMT
President Obama said Friday he has urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to extend his government's moratorium on West Bank settlement building to boost prospects for success in peace talks with the Palestinians. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton flies to the Middle East Monday to attend the next round of direct talks.Administration officials have been declining comment on substantive issues in the peace talks, which began with a three-way State Department meeting last week.But at his news conference, President Obama made clear he wants to see the Israeli moratorium on most settlement activity extended beyond its expiration date on September 26 to avoid an early crisis in the negotiations.Palestinians have threatened a walk-out if the moratorium ends. Mr. Obama said he has urged a continuation of the freeze to spur an agreement that will settle territorial issues once and for all."What I've said to Prime Minister Netanyahu is that given, so far, the talks are moving forward in a constructive way, it make sense to extend that moratorium so long as the talks are moving in a constructive way," he said. "Because ultimately, the way to solve these problems, is for the two sides to agree [on] what is going to be Israel, what's going to be the state of Palestine. And if you can get that agreement, you can start constructing anything the people of Israel see fit."The president acknowledged the difficulty a moratorium extension will pose in Mr. Netanyahu's right-leaning coalition. He said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas can make the task easier by building trust and further demonstrating to the Israeli public that Palestinians are serious about peace.Secretary of State Clinton flies to the Middle East next week to take part in the next two sessions of talks Tuesday and Wednesday in the Egyptian Sinai resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh and Jerusalem.Mr. Obama said the initial Washington round of talks exceeded the expectations of many. He acknowledged that "enormous obstacles" remain in the way of an envisaged final accord in a year's time, including rejectionist factions like Hamas and deep-rooted cynicism about peace.But he said it is a risk worth taking and that the United States will remain engaged, even if the talks break down."Ultimately the parties have to make these decisions for themselves," said the president. "And I remain hopeful but this is going to be tough. And I don't want anybody out there thinking that it's going to be easy. The main point I want to make is: it's a risk worth taking because the alternative is a status-quo that is unsustainable. And so if these talks break down, we're going to keep on trying." 'Change the strategic landscape'Mr. Obama said an end to the chronic Israeli-Palestinian conflict has the potential to "change the strategic landscape" the region in helpful ways, among them prodding Iran to give up nuclear weapons ambitions, and blunting Middle East terrorism.The president said his administration's unequivocal support for Israel's security helped bring Mr. Netanyahu to the table, as well as a recognition that a two-state solution is needed to preserve Israel as a democratic, Jewish state.He said Mr. Abbas, in turn, is moved by a recognition that the "window" for creating a Palestinian state is beginning to close. Secretary Clinton said this week another factor in renewing direct talks, the first in two years, is confidence generated by the U.S.-led effort to create a credible Palestinian security apparatus. - US to Mark 9 Years Since September 11 Attacks
published on Thu, 9 Sep 2010 14:29:29 GMT
Saturday marks the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.The country has planned a series of events to honor the nearly 3,000 people killed in the coordinated assaults by al-Qaida hijackers. The hijackers took over four commercial airliners, crashing two of them into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. The 110-story buildings collapsed, trapping and killing many employees and rescue workers.Another plane hit the Pentagon, the U.S. military headquarters just outside Washington, while the fourth went down in Shanksville, Pennsylvania after passengers fought their hijackers. That plane is believed to have been destined for Washington.President Barack Obama will commemorate the anniversary Saturday at a Pentagon memorial service, while Vice President Joe Biden will attend a ceremony in New York.First lady Michelle Obama and former first lady Laura Bush are scheduled to speak at a ceremony in Shanksville.Added to this year's anniversary is bitter controversy about plans by a Muslim group to build an Islamic cultural center and mosque near the former site of the World Trade Center. Opponents say the proposal is disrespectful to the victims of the 2001 attacks, while supporters say the center will help bridge differences between the West and the Islamic world. President Obama has said he supports Muslims' right to build a place of worship near the site, known as Ground Zero, but he also said he would not comment on the "wisdom" of doing so. Critics, including some Republican lawmakers, accused him of being insensitive to the families of the victims.Work continues at Ground Zero on a museum and memorial to pay tribute to those who died in the 2001 attacks. In 2008, an outdoor memorial opened at the Pentagon. A national memorial also is being built at the Flight 93 crash site in Pennsylvania. Some information for this report was provided by AP. - Afghan President Urges Taliban to Join Peace Process
published on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:47:56 GMT
Afghan President Hamid Karzai used his traditional message marking the Eid-al-Fitr Muslim holiday to urge the Taliban to join peace talks with the government.Speaking at the presidential palace on Friday, Mr. Karzai called on Taliban leader Mullah Omar to bring an end to insurgent violence and join the peace process.Mullah Omar said in an Eid-al-Fitr message earlier that his fighters were close to victory in driving foreign forces out of Afghanistan.Mr. Karzai's government began plans this month to open peace talks with the Taliban. He called the creation of the High Peace Council a "significant step" in efforts to finish a war that is nearing the end of its ninth year. The council is to include former members of the Taliban, leading Afghan civilians and women.The council's formation was approved by Afghan leaders and tribal elders in June. But so far, the Taliban has shown little interest in any peace negotiations. Some information for this report was provided by AFP. - China's Trade Surplus Hits $20 Billion Again
published on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 10:01:25 GMT
The Chinese government released figures Friday showing the country's trade surplus remains high, but is shrinking as imports outpaced exports in August. Two economists, who watch China closely, expect Beijing to continue to resist American pressure to allow its currency to appreciate more rapidly to makes its exports more expensive and help accelerate the slow growth in the U.S. economy. The August figure was slightly more than $20 billion with imports outpacing exports. The figure is lower than July's of nearly $29 billion. Yet, it is the third consecutive trade surplus in excess of $20 billion and, according to chief China economist Ben Simpfendorfer of the Royal Bank of Scotland in Hong Kong, it is likely to exacerbate trade friction with the United States over claims the Chinese currency, the yuan, is undervalued:"That trade surplus has certainly fallen over the last three months, but it does remain at a very high level. And, it does give the U.S. Congress reason to be critical of China's currency policy, especially given that we've seen very little move on the currency over the last month or so. I think most important, though, that exports have actually weakened over the last three months and that will, in turn, give China, particularly the Minister of Commerce, and some concern over its own export sector and it will continue to resist even modest changes in the currency," said Ben Simpfendorfer.China's exports grew just over 34 percent in August, about $140 billion, compared to July's 38 percent, about $145 billion. Simpfendorfer expects exports to continue to decline through the end of the year. That, says Ken Peng, an economist with Citibank in Beijing, coupled with rising imports, will only make China dig in its heels over the currency issue:"Compared to last month, the amount of the surplus is much smaller and, also, the amounts of imports are much larger. So, I think, from Beijing's perspective, this will actually argue for the opposite because imports are rising and the surplus is shrinking, but from Washington DC's perspective, I don't think this will help much. I think there's a very strong voice to try to remedy America's employment situation through trade," said Peng.U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Wednesday that China has "not let the currency move very much so far and we'd like to see them move more quickly." Some U.S. lawmakers have been pressing the Obama Administration to demand a speedier appreciation of the yuan. The U.S. House Ways and Means Committee is set to discuss the matter during a hearing this coming week. China has limited the currency's appreciation to less than one percent versus the dollar since a June pledge for greater flexibility.Citibank's Ken Peng says one reason for China's resistance to greater appreciation is that its own domestic economy is slowing."I think China's domestic economy is slowing because of various tightening measures domestically and also exports, going forward, will face weakness as well because demand for the U.S. and Europe will continue to slow down," he said.China's economy grew 10.3 percent in the second quarter after an 11.9 percent growth rate in the first quarter. Ben Simfendorfer of RBS expects an annual growth rate in 2010 in China of between 8 percent and 9 percent. And, with concerns about inflation lingering, he says the Chinese central bank may actually raise a key interest rate to dampen demand. - Obama: US Economic Recovery Painfully Slow
published on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:30:35 GMT
U.S. President Barack Obama says his "entire agenda" is focused on boosting the economy and creating jobs, but he acknowledges that the United States has been making "painfully slow" progress in recovering from the recession.Speaking at a White House news conference Friday, Mr. Obama said his policies are aimed at helping the middle class. And he accused opposition Republicans of favoring the rich and seeking a return to policies that he said caused the recession. Polls show majority Democrats in Congress could face devastating losses in the November election. In his remarks, Mr. Obama portrayed Democrats as warriors for the hard-pressed middle class and Republicans as protectors of millionaires and special interests.The president also criticized Republicans for holding up a bill in the Senate intended to help small businesses get tax breaks and loans so they can expand and hire new workers.Earlier this week, Mr. Obama called for expanded tax breaks for businesses doing research and development or investing in new equipment. He also advocates continuing tax cuts for the middle class, but ending tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans.Republicans say the president's economic policies have added hundreds of billions of dollars to the deficit but have failed to cut the 9.6 percent unemployment rate. Some information for this report provided by AFP and AP. - An Artist at Ground Zero
published on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:07:45 GMT
Following the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, New York courtroom artist Aggie Kenny visited the site many times to sketch and paint the men and women working to recover the remains of the dead and clear away the debris. Then, unsure what to do with it, she put the work away - where it remained until Julie Bose, director of the New York Police Museum, happened to hear of it. Kenny's art is now the subject of a solo show at the museum, "Artist as Witness: The 9-11 Responders."Some of New York's best-known political figures attended the opening, where Kenny's delicate sketches and watercolors of the workers at what is known as Ground Zero in the months after the attacks are on display alongside a few artifacts from the cleanup: a rake, a yellow suit. "I actually lived just a block from the location," said Raymond Kelly, New York's police commissioner. "I think the artist has done a remarkable job of capturing the feeling of those terrible days after 9/11." Kenny is reserved about her work. She calls herself a "reportorial" artist and says she was drawn as a witness to the former World Trade Center site. "I think it was my way of trying to come to terms with this horrible tragedy," she said. "Like everyone else, I was just totally distraught and had no idea how things would be right again."She needed to see it being made right, and to draw what she saw. Armed with a credential from the Salvation Army charity organization, identifying her as a "historical artist," Kenny visited Ground Zero every few days from early March to late May 2002. Images of unlikely gentleness are the result. She returned often to a huge tent that the responders called the "Taj Mahal," where they went to rest and have a meal. "It struck me as being almost cathedral-like," Kenny said. "There were just hundreds of people bustling about, but they were basically very quiet. It was so unusual to see so many people from so many walks of life, so many backgrounds, working just beautifully together. There was a pervasive atmosphere of love, I would say." In many of the watercolors, responders, who included police, firefighters, ironworkers, carpenters and others, appear to be physically and emotionally exhausted. One painting shows the sleep tent, where workers went to have a rest."Often there were men in each and every cot, with teddy bears beside them, with their boots by the cot, just totally, totally exhausted," Kenny said. "I think they fell asleep seconds after they hit the cot."A painting from late March shows firefighters waiting for stretchers bearing the remains of two firemen who died in the attacks. Another shows a weary policeman and workers behind him with rakes. "And of course the rakers are looking for human remains," said Kenny, "and late in the game, too, because this was the fifth of May, 2002." When the cleanup ended that month, Kenny put the paintings and sketches away. They remained unseen until a friend told Julie Bose of their existence. "I didn't forget about them," Kenny said. "The whole subject of 9/11 to me is sacrosanct. You don't want to take these sketches and go out to a street corner and sell them. I really didn't know for eight and a half years what I would do with these boxes of sketchbooks."At the show's opening, police and other responders said they are glad the work is on public view. As for Kenny, she has returned to her job as a courtroom artist. She says she doesn't know if she will ever again witness scenes like those she saw at Ground Zero.