Saturday, 28 February 2015

Activist monk seeks Buddhism overhaul in Thailand over corruption fears

NAKHON PATHOM, Thailand (Reuters) - Phra Buddha Issara is a monk with a mission. From his Buddhist temple near Bangkok he is calling for a radical overhaul of Thai Buddhism, fearing millions of dollars in temple donations and a rapidly modernizing nation are corrupting monks.















Two arrests in missing girl search

Two people are arrested in connection with the disappearance of 16-year-old Becky Watts who is missing in Bristol.

Viewpoint: What West must do in Ukraine

The West must show huge resolve if the Ukrainian ceasefire is to hold, writes Prof Anatol Lieven.

Uruguay bids farewell to pauper president

Uruguay's departing leader, Jose Mujica, has acquired almost celebrity status, not just for his political achievements, but also for his humble lifestyle, writes the BBC's Wyre Davies.

Mumbai attacks suspect's luxury jail time

Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, one of the main suspects behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks, is allowed unfettered access to internet and visitors from jail.

Chelsea v Tottenham: the stats

Costa v Kane, Mourinho v Pochettino, Spurs' late strength v Chelsea's susceptibility: what stats tell us about Sunday's League Cup final.

The Apprentice v The Master

Why England's novice fly-half George Ford could well shatter the poise of Ireland's master, Johnny Sexton, writes Tom Fordyce.

U.S.-led coalition launches air strikes on Islamic State targets in Iraq, Syria

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S.-led coalition launched 11 air strikes in Iraq and nine in Syria since early Friday against Islamic State militants, the Combined Joint Task Force said.


Netanyahu takes Iran campaign to Jerusalem holy site

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Benjamin Netanyahu took his campaign against a nuclear deal with Iran to Jerusalem's sacred Western Wall on Saturday, on the eve of his departure to Washington to address Congress on the issue.















Sri Lanka thump England in World Cup

England slip to a third crushing defeat in four World Cup games as Sri Lanka chase 310 to win by nine wickets.

After Announcing Plans To Recapture Mosul In The Spring, The Pentagon Has Decided To Scrap Its Attack Plans


Kurdish Peshmerga fighters stand guard on the outskirts of Mosul (Reuters/Azad Lashkari)



Daily Beast: Pentagon Scrubs Major Attack on ISIS



Just days ago, the generals were trumpeting plans to knock ISIS out of its most important stronghold in Iraq. Now, those plans are on indefinite hold.


The U.S. military’s goal to retake Iraq’s second largest city from the self-proclaimed Islamic State has been pushed back several months at least, defense officials told The Daily Beast. That’s a major shift for the Pentagon, which recently announced that the first major ground offensive in the war against ISIS could come in the next few weeks.


Defense officials once hoped that Iraqi troops could move into Mosul by the Spring and reclaim the city from ISIS. Now, those officials say, Fall is more realistic. And even that date was tenuous.


“It is an Iraqi decision but we don’t want to do anything until they are ready and can win decisively,” a military official explained to the Daily Beast. “They cannot now.”


WNU Editor: I just do no get it. Th U.S. has tens of thousands of soldiers, body armor, advance tech, satellites. aircraft, precision bombs, and alliances with scores of countries. The Islamic State numbers has a few thousand dedicated fighters .... and that is about it. But in this great match-up it is the U.S. that hesitates?!?!?!?! Something is wrong with this picture



More News On The Pentagon Scraping Plans To Recapture Mosul



Pentagon scraps attack on Mosul; Iraqi forces not ready for major battle -- Washington Times



US rethinks 'spring offensive' against ISIL in Mosul: Officials -- Press TV

Pentagon gives up plan to take Mosul from ISIS by springtime -- Haaretz

US rethinking plan to retake Mosul from ISIS -- WSJ/FOX News

Crime And Punishment For India's Juveniles

Plans to treat 16-year-olds who are accused of the most serious crimes in India as adults are expected to soon become law.

On The Run Cult Leader Arrested For Sex Abuse

Victor Arden Barnard, a self-proclaimed pastor, allegedly abused two young girls at his religious camp for more than a decade.

East Coast rail back in private hands

Services on the East Coast rail route between London and Scotland return to private hands after more than five years in the public sector.

Political second-jobs clarity urged

Election candidates are "riding for a fall" if they do not state whether they plan to have a second job if elected to Parliament, an adviser says.

Opposition To March In Memory Of Putin Critic

Thousands are expected to pay tribute to Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov as concerns increase about a clampdown on dissent in Russia.

President Rand Paul? Senator Wins Straw Poll

Voters at the Conservative Party Political Conference pick Mr Paul as their favourite for the Republican presidential nomination.

Past, present and future

Tony Blair once met a voter during one of his election campaigns. He started listing the achievements his government had generated for the people. "Aye, we know all that," chipped in the voter, "What are you going to do next?"

Jeb Bush survives grassroots gauntlet

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush runs the conservative grassroots gauntlet at the CPAC gathering in Washington, DC.

Net loss: Anatomy of a pledge

Where David Cameron's pledge to cut net migration to below 100,000 came from - and how it fell apart.

Chilean girl appeals to president

A 14-year-old girl suffering from cystic fibrosis asks Chile's president to allow her to die in an online video viewed by thousands of people.

S Leone vice-president in quarantine

The vice-president of Sierra Leone puts himself into quarantine after one of his bodyguards dies from the Ebola virus.

WW1 letters posted 100 years on

Letters written by a World War One soldier to his family are being posted online exactly 100 years after each one was written.

Cage: Rights group or terror apologists?

As details emerge about the identity of "Jihadi John"' what do we know about the advocacy group that was in close contact with Mohammed Emwazi in the two years before he left for Syria?

Emwazi 'felt like dead man walking'

The extremist known as "Jihadi John" had suicidal thoughts after feeling harassed by MI5, according to email exchanges with a journalist in 2010.

Concern over online gonorrhoea care

Some websites offering treatment for gonorrhoea are putting patients at risk by failing to follow national guidelines, BBC 5 Live Investigates finds.

Russians to march in memory of murdered critic of Putin

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Opposition supporters will march through Moscow on Sunday in memory of Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov, whose murder has increased concern about Russia's future among opponents of President Vladimir Putin.


Obama to veto bill letting Congress weigh in on Iran deal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama would veto a bill recently introduced in the U.S. Senate allowing Congress to weigh in on any deal the United States and other negotiating countries reach with Iran on its nuclear capabilities, the White House said on Saturday.















MI5 Made Emwazi Feel Like 'A Dead Man Walking'

Emails have revealed that "Jihadi John" contemplated suicide after being harassed by security services - years before joining IS.

Maduro says Venezuela captures U.S. citizens linked to espionage

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Saturday his government had captured Americans, including a pilot, involved in espionage activities and said U.S. citizens in the future will have to seek visas to come to the OPEC nation.


UK 'must prepare for Russian threat'

Russia has become a danger to Britain and the country must be prepared to take steps to defend itself and its allies, the former head of MI6 says.

Fury stops Hammer to retain title

Tyson Fury easily beats Christian Hammer to retain his European heavyweight title, while Chris Eubank Jr stops Dimitry Chudinov.

Wales back in title hunt - North

George North says Wales remain on course to repeat their 2013 Six Nations title win after beating France 20-13 in Paris.

MPs call for energy switch 'refunds'

Energy price comparison sites should compensate customers who changed to tariffs that may not have been the cheapest deals, MPs say.

William Transformed Into Samurai Warlord

The Duke wore a helmet and held a sword as he visited the set of a Japanese TV drama but declined to put on a samurai wig.

Police in Germany's Bremen heighten security citing possible Islamist threat

BERLIN (Reuters) - Police in the northern German city of Bremen warned on Saturday of an unspecified potential danger from Islamist extremists in the city and said they were increasing security measures.