Thursday, April 30, 2009

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Torture Tape Delays U.S.-UAE Nuclear Deal


Posted: 30 Apr 2009 01:03 AM PDT




A videotape of a heinous torture session is delaying the ratification of a

civil nuclear deal between the United Arab Emirates and the United

States, senior U.S. officials familiar with the case said.


In the tape, an Afghan grain dealer is seen being tortured by a member of

the royal family of Abu Dhabi, one of the UAE’s seven emirates.


The senior U.S. officials said the administration has held off on the ratification

process because it believes sensitivities over the story can hurt its passage.
The tape emerged in a federal civil lawsuit filed in Houston, Texas, by Bassam

Nabulsi, a U.S. citizen, against Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan. Former

business partners, the men had a falling out, in part over the tape. In a

statement to CNN, the sheikh’s U.S. attorney said Nabulsi is using the

videotape to influence the court over a business dispute.


Source

Video Link


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Swine Flu - Mexico Shuts Government Says Pandemic Imminent



Posted: 30 Apr 2009 12:55 AM PDT





Mexico’s president told citizens on Wednesday to stay home for a five-day

partial shutdown of the economy, after the World Health Organization raised

its alert level and said a swine flu pandemic was imminent.


In his first televised address since the crisis erupted last week, President

Felipe Calderon told Mexicans to stay home with their families. The country

will suspend non-essential work and services, including some government

ministries, from May 1-5.


“There is no safer place than your own home to avoid being infected with the

flu virus,” Calderon said.


Mexico is taking the drastic step after another 17 deaths were potentially linked

to swine flu, bringing the total to as many as 176.


Essential services such as transport, supermarkets, trash collection and hospitals

will remain open.


Source



Swine Flu News Updates



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Container Carrying Swine Flu Virus Explodes On Swiss Train


Posted: 29 Apr 2009 06:02 PM PDT




A container for transporting swine flu virus samples exploded on a Swiss

train, authorities said Tuesday, but stressed that there was no danger to the
public.


The container, which was filled with dry ice and carried samples of the H1N1

swine flu virus and was destined for Switzerland’s national influenza centre in
Geneva, exploded Monday night on board a train.


A laboratory employee had picked up the samples in Zurich to transport them

by train to Geneva, but the package exploded near Fribourg and Lausanne, after
melting dry ice, which had been wrongly placed, caused a build-up of pressure.


Two people suffered slight injuries, police confirmed, but authorities stressed there

was no danger for the public as the virus was not the mutated strain which is
suspected to have caused up to 149 deaths in Mexico.


The train was halted for several hours and the 61 passengers on board the

affected carriage monitored until an infection could be completely ruled out,
police said.


Source



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Swine Flu - Pandemic Alert level Raised To 5



Posted: 29 Apr 2009 01:58 PM PDT




The World Health Organization raised its pandemic alert to 5, its second-highest

level Wednesday, indicating the outbreak of swine flu that originated in Mexico
is nearing widespread human infection.


Dr. Margaret Chan, the U.N. agency’s director-general, said the decision means

that all countries should “immediately” activate pandemic preparedness plans.


"This change to a higher phase of alert is a signal to governments, to ministries

of health and other ministries, to the pharm industry and the business community
that certain actions now should be
taken with increased urgency and at an

accelerated pace,” Chan said.


The announcement came as the number of people infected with swine flu increased rapidly across the world, and health officials scrambled to get more information
about the virus — which has no vaccine.


Phase 5 alert means there is sustained human to human spread in at least two

countries. It also signals that efforts to produce a vaccine will be ramped up.


Source



Swine Flu News
Updates



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Swine Flu - First U.S. Death Is Reported


Posted: 29 Apr 2009 06:22 AM PDT





American authorities confirmed the first death outside of Mexico from swine

flu on Wednesday, as the number of confirmed cases of the disease continued to
rise in Europe.


President Obama, in a morning news conference, called on local authorities to

be vigilant in reporting new suspected cases, and called on schools to consider

closing temporarily if a confirmed case was reported among its students.


[...]


Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, said Wednesday in an interview with CNN that the first American

death of the disease was a 23-month-old child in Texas.


He gave no other details about the child. The death was confirmed by President

Obama, who said his “thoughts and prayers” were with the child’s family.


Source- NYTimes.com



Swine Flu News Updates



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