Salem-News.com International articles

Chinese Version of Testy Encounter with U.S. Ship

Today's story from the China Daily on the reported "harassment" of a U.S. Naval ship in the China Sea.

(BEIJING ) - China on Tuesday said that a U.S. navy vessel, which conducted activities in China's special economic zone in the South China Sea, violated the international and Chinese law.

"China has lodged a solemn representation to the United States as the USNS Impeccable conducted activities in China's special economic zone in the South China Sea without China's permission," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu told a regular news briefing.

Chinese Vessels Shadow and Harass U.S. Navy Ship

“These are dangerous close maneuvers that these vessels engaged in,” - Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - Five Chinese vessels shadowed and aggressively maneuvered close to the USNS Impeccable in the South China Sea yesterday, a senior Pentagon official said today.

The U.S. oceanographic ship was 70 miles south of Hainan Island conducting routine operations in international waters when the ships approached, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.

Rich Countries Grab Land to Safeguard Future Food Supplies

Land grabs are taking place in poor countries all over the world where governments are desperate for income.

(LONDON) - Rich governments and corporations are triggering alarm for the poor as they buy up agricultural land in developing countries to secure their own long-term food supplies.

The head of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization warns that the controversial rise in land deals could create a form of "neo-colonialism", with poor states producing food for the rich at the expense of their own hungry people.

Human Trafficking is an Unaddressed Worldwide Tragedy

We, the world of civilized humans, all bear the responsibility of putting an end to this holocaust of mutilation of body, soul, and emotions of our women and children in the sex slave industry.‏

(SALEM, Ore.) - Bringing attention to human slavery and trafficking should not be a difficult task. People should be completely shocked and appalled that this problem has been allowed to grow completely out of control. Governments, including the United States, devote far too little in the way of time and resources to it. Many people say that is because too many government employees are part of trafficking and slavery. That makes fighting it all the more difficult if it is the case.

One advocate who works for the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office in Florida, Betty Dehnert, says the civilized people of earth have absolutely no clue about this industry.

Reports Indicate Rising Trend of Violence Against Children in Strife-Torn Countries

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), thousands of children have been rounded up by armed groups and used as child soldiers or held in captivity as sexual slaves for extended periods of time, the agency notes.

(GENEVA) - The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports that child kidnappings are on the rise in several countries affected by violence – including Haiti where more than 50 children have been abducted so far this year – and are often carried out with impunity.

There have been cases of kidnapped children in Haiti being raped and tortured, and in some cases even murdered, the agency noted in a statement issued today.

Lebanon Intrusion

In an apparent effort to lend support for the Bush administration’s bellicose policies toward Iran and Syria, the resolution – like a number of previous ones dealing with Lebanon – grossly exaggerated the influence of those two countries on Hezbollah.

(SAN FRANCISCO) - On the eve of the 50th anniversary of the first U.S. military intervention in Lebanon, and 25 years after a second U.S. military intervention which left hundreds of Americans and thousands of Lebanese dead, the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a resolution by a huge bipartisan majority which may lay the groundwork for a third one.

At a minimum, this move has crudely and unnecessarily inserted the United States into Lebanon’s complex political infighting.

UN Calls for World Efforts to Combat $32 Billion Human Trafficking Industry (VIDEO)

"Words must be put into action to fight human trafficking" – Assembly President Srgjan Kerim says.

(NEW YORK) - As we fight a war in Iraq that has destabilized an entire region of the world, and our President continues to suggest that Iran is a danger, a $32 billion annual industry in Human Trafficking is flourishing.

Most people in the United States pay little attention, but they might raise an eyebrow when they learn it that human slavery is a serious problem in an American state like Colorado.

Former McCain Team Members Lobbied for Terrorist Junta

Are good, honest Republicans getting increasingly harder to find?

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - There appear to be serious character flaws among the people Senator John McCain surrounds himself with. The rate they turn over in his office that has made the news several times, but now it is revealed that members of McCain's staff were lobbyists of the terrorist government of Myanmar.

People constantly go on tirades over Iran's "human rights violations" and many of the accusations are true, but Iran's are a drop in the bucket compared to the murder and violence taking place in Myanmar; but we don't threaten them.

United Nations Mission in Afghanistan Extended

The council believes the effort to rebuild Afghanistan is "insufficiently united on key issues of policy."

(GENEVA) - The mandate of the UN political mission in Afghanistan has been extended. They want to see international civilian efforts to provide political outreach, support reconciliation programs and strengthen cooperation with the ISAF, the International Security Assistance Force.

The Council called on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan to do more to implement the Afghanistan Compact, the five-year UN-backed blueprint that sets benchmarks for security, governance and development goals.

Op Ed: 3 to 5 Trillion Dollars For Bush`s War Costs?

Congress is now told 'Totally Unsustainable' costs seen are impeachable in this maladministration.

(BEND, Ore.) - Congressional hearing testimony now on public record demonstrates totally unsustainable costs of Bush’s preemptive war on Iraq and its accompanying conflict in Afghanistan at THREE to FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS -- and counting.

One week’s documented disastrous expenditures now run at least $3,5 BILLION, That’s HALF A BILLION --$500 million dollars-- every day, week in, week, out -- and still counting.