Western Freedom

The terrorism threat to the United States over the next five years will be driven by instability in the Middle East and Africa, persistent challenges to border security and increasing Internet savvy, says a new intelligence assessment obtained by The Associated Press.Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attacks are considered the most dangerous threats that could be carried out against the U.S. But those threats are also the most unlikely because it is so difficult for al-Qaida and similar groups to acquire the materials needed to carry out such plots, according to the internal Homeland Security Threat Assessment for the years 2008-2013.

The al-Qaida terrorist network continues to focus on U.S. attack targets vulnerable to massive economic losses, casualties and political “turmoil,” the assessment said.

Earlier this month, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction remains “the highest priority at the federal level.” Speaking to reporters on Dec. 3, Chertoff explained that more people, such as terrorists, will learn how to make dirty bombs, biological and chemical weapons. “The other side is going to continue to learn more about doing things,” he said.

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The incident took place at a police station of the western center in Ramadi.

Authorities say the deaths happened in centre of the western city of Ramadi.

“During an exchange of fire between prisoners trying to escape and police officers in the station, six policemen and seven prisoners were killed,” police chief Tareq al Dulaimi said.

Three prisoners managed to get away but one was re-arrested, Mr al Dulaimi said, adding that another four policemen were wounded in the shootout.

Iraqi authorities are taking increasing responsibility for policing and military enforcement in the country as foreign troops prepare to pull out in the coming year.

The majority of British forces are expected to have left country by July, according to Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s plans.

Military operations by British troops are set to finish by the end of May at the latest.

But a few hundred are likely to stay in Iraq for training and mentoring duties.

Meanwhile, US President-elect Barack Obama has promised to take all US troops out of Iraq a little over a year after he takes office in late January.

Associated Press:

Gov. Rod Blagojevich served notice Friday that he has no intention of quitting over his corruption arrest, declaring: “I will fight. I will fight. I will fight until I take my last breath. I have done nothing wrong.” The forceful three-minute speech marked the first time the former amateur boxer directly addressed the allegations since his arrest 10 days earlier.With it, he made it clear that removing him could be uglier and more drawn-out than anyone imagined just a week ago, when the governor’s career appeared to be in its final hours and nearly the entire political establishment seemed to be holding a death watch.

“I’m not going to quit a job the people hired me to do because of false accusations and a political lynch mob,” a composed and deliberate-sounding Blagojevich said at his downtown Chicago office building. He took no questions from reporters and immediately left the room after wishing his listeners, “Merry Christmas, happy holidays.”

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Up to 50,000 employees might lose their jobs due to partial privatization of Royal Mail. The business will be split in parts that will be offered to rivals, - Daily Telegraph announced.

A report to ministers is thought to recommend opening up to half of the state-owned group to private business and closing half of its 71 mail centres.

The business would be divided into different units, such as collection and sorting, with rival operators allowed to buy stakes. The “last mile” delivery is likely to remain with Royal Mail as a natural monopoly.

Unions, which are intent on scuppering the deal, have given warning that 40,000 to 50,000 jobs from a total workforce of almost 170,000 could go – a figure considered by ministers to be alarmist.

The report by Richard Hooper, a former deputy chairman of Ofcom, was delivered to ministers last week and will be discussed by the Cabinet this morning. There are likely to be statements later to the Lords and Commons by Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, and Pat McFadden, the Post Office Minister.

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New York Times:
The Illinois State House voted unanimously on Monday evening to begin efforts to impeach Rod R. Blagojevich, the Democratic governor arrested last week in a web of corruption, including, prosecutors say, efforts to make money off the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

Michael J. Madigan, the powerful House speaker in a capital where Democrats control both the House and Senate, appointed a committee that will begin gathering evidence and testimony on Tuesday in an “abuse of power” case against Mr. Blagojevich.

The lawmakers voted 113 to 0 to go forward with Mr. Madigan’s plan. “We’re going to proceed with all due speed, but we are going to make sure that what we do is done correctly,” said Mr. Madigan, who like many others in state government has long sparred with Mr. Blagojevich and has fielded calls for Mr. Blagojevich’s impeachment long before now.

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The Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at U.S. President George W. Bush, has been inflicted multiple injuries, among which journalists mention broken ribs and an arm.
Although, as Reuters announced on Tuesday, was given a bravery award on Monday by a Libyan charity group chaired by leader Muammar Gaddafi’s daughter.

The charity group Wa Attassimou also urged the Iraqi government to release television reporter Muntazer al-Zaidi after he was detained on Sunday for hurling footwear at Bush and calling the president a “dog” — both severe insults in the Middle East.

“Waatassimou group has taken the decision to give  the courage award … because what he did represents a victory for human rights across the world,” the group, headed by Aicha Gaddafi, said in a statement.

The group said the Iraqi authorities should honour the journalist for his actions.

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Each former worker, laid off from Republic Windows & Doors in Chicago, will be paid around 7 thousand dollars, - Associated Press states.
Jubilant workers, cheering and chanting “Yes We Can,” celebrated outside a Chicago factory after approving a $1.75 million agreement to end their six-day sit-in, which had become a nationwide symbol of the plight of labor.

Republic Windows & Doors, union leaders and Bank of America reached the deal Wednesday evening. Workers carrying sleeping bags left the North Side factory within hours.

About 200 of 240 laid-off workers began their sit-in last week after Republic gave them just three days’ notice the plant was closing. The workers had argued that Republic violated federal law because employees were not given 60 days’ notice. They vowed to stay until they received assurances they would get severance and accrued vacation pay.

Each former Republic employee will get eight weeks’ salary, all accrued vacation pay and two months’ paid health care, said U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, who helped broker the deal. He said it works out to about $7,000 apiece.

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Craig Everett, a former university professor with a neuron disease, can be seen committing suicide in a British TV documentary. That is the first time an assisted suicide televised, timesonline.co.uk announced on Wednesday.

In the footage Craig Ewert travels from his home in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, to the Dignitas clinic in Zurich accompanied by Mary, his wife of 37 years. He is shown drinking a lethal dose of barbiturates before turning off his ventilator with a mouth-operated switch. The decision to broadcast Right to Die on Sky television’s Real Lives channel has been condemned by the television watchdog Mediawatch-UK.

Mr Ewert, 59, an American father of two who moved to Britain after taking early retirement, was told that he had the disease in April 2006 and was given between two and five years to live. The illness progressed far more rapidly than expected and before his death on September 26, 2006, he needed assistance to breathe.

Mr Ewart, whose death was recorded by a film crew, said: “I am tired of the disease but I am not tired of living. I still enjoy life enough that I would like to continue, but the thing is that I really cannot. If I opt for life then that is choosing to be tortured rather than end this journey and start the next one. I cannot take the risk. Let’s face it, when you’re completely paralysed and cannot talk, how do you let somebody know you are suffering? This could be a complete and utter hell.

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The creditor of a Chicago plant where laid-off employees are conducting a sit-in to demand severance pay said Tuesday it would extend loans to the factory so it could resolve the dispute, though the workers declared their protest unfinished, Associated Press states.

A resolution seemed nearer as Bank of America, which yanked the plant’s financing last week, announced it sent a letter to Republic Windows and Doors offering “a limited amount of additional loans” to resolve its employee claims.

But the United Electrical Workers union, which represents the Republic workers, said late Tuesday that no final agreement has been reached and that there are still important details to be worked out before that can happen. Negotiations were to resume Wednesday.

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The Pentagon plans to recruit more foreigners in a fresh effort to make up for chronic shortages of doctors, nurses and linguists available for wartime duty, - Associated Press announced.

The Defense Department already draws from aliens living in the United States on green cards and seeking permanent residency. But under a trial program, it will now look to also recruit from pools of foreigners who’ve been living in the states on student and work visas, with refugee or political asylum status and other temporary visas.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has authorized the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps to recruit certain legal residents whose critical medical and language skills are “vital to the national interest,” officials said, using for the first time a law passed three years ago. Gates’ action enables the services to start a one-year pilot program to find up to 1,000 foreigners who have lived in the states legally for at least two years.

The new recruits into the armed forces would get accelerated treatment in the process toward becoming U.S. citizens in return for military service in the United States or abroad.

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