Landslides hamper Pakistan relief

Al Jazeera - Landslides have cut off large portions of Pakistan's Swat Valley and hampered efforts to help the 15 million people affected by Pakistan's worst flooding in decades.

Many roads and bridges have been washed away by the floodwaters, and heavy rains are preventing helicopters from taking off.

The United Nations has described the flooding, that has killed an estimated 1,600 people nationwide, as the worst natural disaster in years.

"This disaster is worse than the tsunami, the 2005 Pakistan earthquake and the Haiti earthquake," Maurizio Giuliano, a spokesman for the UN Office for the C-oordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said........read more>>

Landslides hamper Pakistan relief

Iraq suicide bombers target city of Baquba

Suicide attacks in the central Iraqi city of Baquba have killed at least 31 people and injured dozens more.

Two car bombs exploded within minutes of each other near government buildings in the capital of Diyala province, 60km (40 miles) north of Baghdad.

A later third blast targeted the city's main hospital, where victims of the first attacks were being treated.

The attacks come just days before parliamentary elections, the third since the US-led invasion in 2003.

Nearly a million military and police personnel have been placed on the highest alert ahead of Sunday's polls, defence officials have told the BBC, amid fears the country could slide back into sectarian conflict.......... read more>>

Iraq suicide bombers target city of Baquba

China activist demands quake recovery budget info

BEIJING — A prominent Chinese artist and activist has filed a suit against the Ministry of Civil Affairs for allegedly failing to respond to his request for information about the toll and cost of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.

Ai Weiwei told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he filed a request in November asking the ministry how many buildings fell in the quake, the amount of donations received, the cost of recovery and other details but has yet to receive a response.

China enacted a freedom of information regulation on May 1, 2008, allowing citizens to request information and get a response from the government within 15 to 30 days, but implementation has been slow and uneven.......... read more>>

China activist demands quake recovery budget info

Gates outlines study on letting gays serve openly in the military

A Pentagon study on how to implement a plan to allow gays to serve openly in the military, "can only be successful if it is managed in a way that minimizes disruption to a force engaged in combat operations," according to Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Gates made the comments in a letter sent Tuesday to the four service heads and other senior staff who will work on a study looking at implications of repealing the "don't ask don't tell" law.

President Barack Obama requested that the Congress repeal the law and directed Gates to consider how best to implement a repeal.

The letter by Gates included an outline with objectives for the study and how to approach executing it throughout the services......... read more>>

Gates outlines study on letting gays serve openly in the military

Chileans' instincts saved their lives

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said all emergency measures should be in place by Tuesday, three days after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake destroyed large swaths of the central and southern parts of the nation.

The death toll stood at 723 Tuesday, with 544 reported killed in Maule, where a sewer system collapsed and several water towers were close to toppling, the National Emergency Office said. The death tally was expected to climb, officials said.

Although damage was significant in Santiago, the nation's capital, electricity and water were restored to much of the city by late Monday and many residents could use their cell phones and other conveniences. About 90 percent of the city's stores were open......... read more>>

Chileans' instincts saved their lives