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Vladimir Putin vows vengeance after Volgograd bus bombing - CBC.ca Posted: 31 Dec 2013 09:32 AM PST Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday vowed to annihilate "terrorists" following two deadly bomb attacks in less than 24 hours in the southern city of Volgograd that raised security fears ahead of the Winter Olympics. The uncompromising remarks in a New Year's Eve address were Putin's first public comments since suicide bombers killed at least 34 people in attacks on a railway station and a trolleybus on Sunday and Monday. The bombings raised fears of further attacks before Russia hosts the Winter Olympics in less than six weeks in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, a major prestige project for Putin. "I am certain that we will fiercely and consistently continue the fight against terrorists until their complete annihilation", Putin said, according to Russian news agencies. "Dear friends, we bow our heads before the victims of cruel terrorist acts," the Russian leader said on a visit to the east coast city of Khabarovsk. Putin, who first became president when his predecessor Boris Yeltsin stepped down and named him to the post exactly 14 years ago on Tuesday, has been unable to crush Islamist militants in the Muslim provinces of the North Caucasus. Police on Tuesday detained dozens of people in sweeps through Volgograd, although there was no indication that any of them was connected to the attacks, for which nobody has claimed responsibility. Mourners laid flowers at the site of the bombing that tore the bus apart and left residents fearing further violence. "I'm frightened," said Tatyana Volchanskaya, a student in Volgograd, 700 km northwest of Sochi, where the Games start on Feb. 7. She said some friends were afraid to go to shops and other crowded places. Deadly violence Volgograd — formerly Stalingrad — is a city of about 1 million and a transport hub for an area of southern Russia that includes Chechnya and the other mostly Muslim provinces of the North Caucasus, where the insurgency generates deadly violence almost every day. A car bomb killed a prosecutor's assistant in Dagestan, a hub of Islamist militancy in the Caucasus, on Tuesday, and two people were killed in a bomb blast there late on Monday, authorities said. The bombing was the second deadly attack in Volgograd in two days. (Denis Tyrin/Associated Press) Putin has staked his prestige on the Games in Sochi, which lies at the Western edge of the Caucasus Mountains and within the strip of land the insurgents want to carve out of Russia and turn into an Islamic State. He ordered increased security nationwide after the attacks, the deadliest outside the North Caucasus since a suicide bomber from a province next to Chechnya killed 37 people at a Moscow airport in January 2011. In Volgograd, more than 5,000 police and interior troops were mobilized in "Operation Anti-terror Whirlwind", Interior Ministry spokesman Andrei Pilipchuk, said on state TV. He said 87 people had been detained after they resisted police or could not produce proper ID or registration documents, and that some had weapons. State TV showed helmeted officers pushing men up against a wall. But there was no sign any were linked to the bombings or suspected of planning further attacks. The Itar-Tass news agency said police were focusing on migrant workers from the Caucasus and ex-Soviet states - groups that rights activists say face prejudice and are often targeted by police indiscriminately. Investigators said they believed a male suicide bomber was responsible for Monday's morning rush-hour blast, which turned a trolleybus into a twisted wreck and left bodies lying in the street. In Sunday's attack on the station, authorities initially described the bomber as a woman from Dagestan, but later said the perpetrator may have been a man. Olympic fears Citing unnamed sources, the Interfax news agency said the suspected attacker in Sunday's blast was an ethnic Russian convert to Islam who had moved to Dagestan and joined militants there early in 2012. Volgograd was also the scene of an attack in October, when a woman from Dagestan killed seven people in a suicide bus blast. The violence raised fears of a concerted campaign before the Olympics, an important project for Putin, who secured Russia's first post-Soviet Games in 2007, during his initial 2000-2008 stint as president. Intended to showcase how Russia has changed since the collapse of Soviet communism in 1991, the Games have also been a focus for complaints in the West and among Russian liberals that Putin has stifled dissent and encouraged intolerance. This month, Putin freed jailed opponents including oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky and the Pussy Riot punk band in what critics said was an effort to disarm Western criticism and improve his image. In an online video posted in July, the Chechen leader of insurgents who want to carve an Islamic state out of mainly Muslim provinces south of Volgograd, urged militants to use "maximum force" to prevent the Games from going ahead. International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach condemned the "despicable attack on innocent people" and said he had written to Putin to express condolences and confidence that Russia would deliver "safe and secure games in Sochi". The U.S. government is concerned Islamist militants may be preparing attacks aimed at disrupting the Olympics and has offered closer cooperation with Russia on security.

Stranded Antarctic Ship Prepares for Helicopter Rescue - ABC News Posted: 31 Dec 2013 08:04 AM PST Thick Antarctic ice has blocked a third ice breaker from reaching a stranded cruise ship, prompting officials to change plans today and prepare to take the passengers off the ice-bound ship by helicopter. The decision to resort to an airlift came after Australian icebreaker Aurora Australis could only get within 10 nautical miles of the trapped vessel today before the rescue attempt was called off because winds of up to 30 knots and snow showers, according to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. The Akademik Shokalskiy, a Russian-crewed research vessel touring the Antarctic, has been trapped in ice since Christmas Eve. "A decision has been reached to evacuate 52 passengers and four crew members by helicopter from China's Xue Long ship, should the weather allow," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement. "According to (the captain), all the crew and other members of the expedition are in good health." "Neither their lives nor safety are under threat," the ministry said. The ship is carrying 74 scientists and tourists. The chopper can only carry 15 people at a time, so it would have to make five trips to evacuate all 52. The ship's passengers are mostly made up of scientific researchers from Australia and New Zealand, in addition to some members of the public who signed up to accompany the scientists on a journey retracing the steps of the first exploration to Antarctica some 100 years ago. The explorers have tweeted and blogged about being marooned amid the ice and snow, assuring the public that they were well-equipped for harsh weather conditions and have continued to perform their science experiments and enjoy Christmas aboard the ship. Icebreaking ships from Australia, France, and China had tried to get close to the Akademik Shokalskiy in order to smash the ice entrapping it, but heavy wind and snow prevented the rescue attempts from reaching the ship. Despite being stuck for nearly a week in frigid temperatures, expedition leader Chris Turney told ABC News via Skype that loved ones at home should not be worried. "We've got about 10 days or so of fresh food and then we're on to dehydrated rations, but we've also got the Aurora a helicopter ride away, so if it really got bad they could drop us supplies as well," Turney told ABC News.

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Ringgit opens higher against US dollar Posted: 30 Dec 2013 06:12 PM PST The ringgit opened higher against the US dollar today on fresh demand for the domestic unit, said a dealer. At 9.05am, the ringgit was quoted at 3.2865/2895 to the dollar from Monday's close of 3.2930/2960. The ringgit also traded mostly lower against other major currencies. The local unit was lower against the Singapore dollar at 2.5943/5971 from 2.5929/5973 on Monday, and fell vis-a-vis the yen to 3.1309/1346 from 3.1259/1290. The domestic currency also depreciated against the euro to 4.5367/5421 from 4.5259/5307 on Monday. Against the British pound, the domestic unit appreciated to 5.4208/4264 from 5.4287/4346 yesterday.-- Bernama

Asia shares mostly higher Posted: 30 Dec 2013 07:14 PM PST TOKYO: Shares were mostly higher in the few markets open Tuesday in Asia, after Japan finished 2013 trading with its biggest annual gain in 41 years. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index gained 0.3 per cent by mid-morning to 23,314.21. Shares in Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and Shanghai were also slightly higher, but fell in New Zealand and Taiwan. Markets were closed in Japan and other Asian markets for the New Year holiday. The Tokyo benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index rose 0.7 per cent Monday to end 2013 at its highest level in more than six years, having gained 56.7 per cent in 2013. Overnight, markets were more cautious. Germany's DAX drifted 0.4 per cent lower on its last trading day, to 9,552.16, leaving it shy of its record high hit last week. French and UK markets, which will trade for a half day on Tuesday, also closed slightly lower, with the CAC-40 down 0.1 per cent at 4,275.71, and the FTSE 100 down 0.3 per cent at 6,731.27. In the US, the Dow was flat at 16,483.88, while the S&P 500 was down 0.1 per cent at 1,840.22. This was a banner year for many markets, with the DAX up 25.5 per cent, the CAC index up 17.4 per cent and the FTSE 100 gaining 14 per cent. But none matched the Nikkei, which soared on renewed confidence in the economy. China's slowdown and growing concern over its mountain of local debt cast a pall over many regional markets. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index, burdened by rising concern over debt and slowing growth in mainland China, has gained just 2.9 per cent this year, while the Shanghai Composite Index has fallen seven per cent. In foreign exchange markets, the dollar was trading 0.01 per cent lower at 104.92 Japanese yen, while the euro slipped 0.02 per cent to US$1.380. The price of crude oil dipped back below US$100, with the benchmark US contract for February delivery down 2 cents to US$99.31 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.-- AP

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Russian terror attacks could be chilling prelude to Olympic violence - Fox News Posted: 30 Dec 2013 08:18 AM PST A pair of suicide bombings that left 31 dead in Russia could be a chilling tune-up for the Olympic Games, where a Muslim terrorist leader has vowed to put Chechnya's long-standing grievance with Moscow in the international spotlight, according to terrorism experts. Although no one has claimed responsibility for the twin bombings, which occurred less than 24 hours apart in the city of Volgograd, formerly known as Stalingrad, terror experts strongly suspect they were inspired, if not ordered, by Chechen Muslim rebel leader Doku Umarov. Umarov, who calls himself the emir of the terror group the Caucasus Emirate, has called on Muslims to attack civilians and to prevent the Olympics from occurring. The games, scheduled to begin in six weeks in Sochi, the Black Sea resort about 400 miles southwest of Volgograd, are "Satanic dancing on the bones of our ancestors," Umarov said in a video released online in July. "No Olympics in recent memory will commence as inauspiciously at the 2014 Sochi Games." - Georgetown Professor Bruce Hoffman The attacks, coupled with Umarov's call for violence, will cast a dark shadow over the games, according to Bruce Hoffman, director of the Center for Security Studies and Director of the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. "No Olympics in recent memory will commence as inauspiciously at the 2014 Sochi Games," Hoffman told FoxNews.com. "Although fear of terrorist attack has been a staple of Olympics security for the past four decades, the back-to-back blasts yesterday and today, coupled with another attack in the same city in October, are likely intended to be the opening salvos in a sustained terrorist campaign. "This would be unprecedented in Olympic history and likely reflects the perpetrators' intention to disrupt the games even before the opening ceremony," Hoffman added. In the first attack, a bomber authorities believe may have been a woman detonated explosives in front of a metal detector just outside a train station entrance Sunday as a suspicious police sergeant approached to check the bomber's ID. The officer was one of 17 killed by the blast. Hours later, early Monday, a suicide bomber on a bus killed at least 14 people and left nearly 30 wounded, Russian officials said. The bombs were similar, according to Vladimir Markin, the spokesman for Russia's main investigative agency. "That confirms the investigators' version that the two terror attacks were linked," Markin said in a statement. "They could have been prepared in one place." Following the most recent attack in Volgograd, Russian news outlet Lifenews.ru, posted what it claimed was an image of the severed head of the female attacker. The report said the woman's two successive rebel husbands had been killed by Russian security forces in the Caucasus. Female suicide bombers, often widows or sisters of slain rebels, have mounted numerous attacks in Russia and are commonly referred to as "black widows." In October, a so-called black widow blew herself up on a city bus in Volgograd, killing six people and injuring about 30. Russian President Vladimir Putin had already deployed tens of thousands of soldiers, police and other security personnel for the games and implemented extensive identity checks and security measures. A security zone created around Sochi for the games extends 60 miles along the Black Sea coast and up to 25 miles inland. Russian troops will patrol the mountains that loom above the resort, drones will be deployed over Olympic facilities and cars will be banned from the zone starting a month before the games begin until a month after they end. On Monday, Putin announced that even more security forces would be deployed. It's possible Umarov's operatives are already inside the security zone, said Jim Phillips, senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation. Phillips said he "would be surprised" if there is not a terrorist attack during the Olympic games, but said he doubts it could be on a big scale. "It is very likely that Umarov or others will try to disrupt the Olympics with a terrorist attack, and it is very possible they are already inside the zone," Phillips said. "But they will find it difficult to move weapons or explosives around inside the zone." Experts say Umarov's calls for indiscriminate violence have hurt the popularity of his group, and the possible use of female suicide bombers could further alienate Chechens. But even if he is unable to direct attacks, issuing a clarion call to suicide bombers could yield more independent attacks.   "An open question is how much authority he really has over these different groups," Jeffrey Mankoff, deputy director and fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies' Russia and Eurasia Program, told USA Today. "A lot of the attacks seem to be inspired by Umarov but may not be directly controlled by him." The rift between Russia and Chechnya dates back hundreds of years, and Sochi and other cities in the region were captured by Russia in the 19th century. Umarov and others view the Olympics being held in Sochi a provocation, held in territory they consider stolen from Muslims, according to Mankoff. Chechen Islamist separatists declared their independence from Russia in 1991, as the former Soviet Union broke apart. Russia reasserted its control over Chechnya in 1999, but several terror attacks in the North Caucasus have flared up since then, most notably the 2004 Beslan attack, in which Islamic militants took more than 1,100 people hostage in a school. The siege ended in the deaths of more than 380 people, including hundreds of children. In 2010, two female suicide bombers mounted an attack in the Moscow subway that killed 40, and less than a year later, a male suicide bomber struck Moscow's Domodedovo Airport, killing 37 people and injuring more than 180. Umarov claimed credit for both attacks. Chechnya is now run by Moscow-backed strongman Ramzan Kadyrov, a former separatist who has been credited with stabilizing the region.

Democrats eye minimum wage increase as key issue in 2014 gubernatorial ... - Fox News Posted: 30 Dec 2013 07:47 AM PST FILE: Nov. 7, 2013: Pennsylvania GOP Gov. Tom Corbett in Philadelphia, Pa.AP Democrats looking to make gains in the 2014 gubernatorial elections are using a possible minimum wage increase as a way to win support among voters, following a wave of protests on the issue this year. While Republican governors are expected to campaign on issues such as the rocky rollout of ObamaCare and nationwide discontent with Washington, Democrats seeking to unseat them are lobbying for an wage increase in the early stages of their campaigns, the Associated Press reports. Democrats across the political spectrum have lobbied for a higher minimum wage this year, after Obama got the ball rolling on the issue by calling for an increase in his February budget speech. Since then, union-organized demonstrations in front of profitable mega-chains such as Wal-Mart and McDonald's have kept it in the public eye. Senate Democrats have also pushed for a minimum wage increase going into 2014. Their proposal would raise the minimum wage by 40 percent.  In Pennsylvania, championing a minimum wage increase is already popular among the big field of Democrats vying to challenge the re-election bid of Gov. Tom Corbett. Now, Katie McGinty, a onetime environmental policy adviser to the Clinton White House and Corbett's Democratic predecessor, is distinguishing herself by telling audiences and potential donors that she was the first Democrat in the Pennsylvania field to make it an issue. "This is core for me," McGinty said. "I think it is fundamentally true across the centuries that one of the things that can really bring a nation down is the increasing chasm in terms of income." Thus far, the Republicans whom Democrats view as most vulnerable aren't changing their minds and supporting a wage hike. In addition to Corbett, the Democrats' list of most vulnerable includes Maine's Paul LePage, Michigan's Rick Snyder and Wisconsin's Scott Walker. Florida's Rick Scott and Ohio's John Kasich might be insulated because their states' laws boost minimum wage with inflation and Iowa's Terry Branstad, New Mexico's Susanna Martinez and Nevada's Brian Sandoval aren't viewed as sufficiently endangered. All of those governors won a first term in the national Republican sweep of 2010, and most have had strong Republican representation in their legislatures to support them. But LePage was tasked with facing a Democrat-controlled legislature, and in July he vetoed a bill to incrementally raise the state's minimum wage. For his likely Democratic challenger, U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, increasing the minimum wage is an issue the onetime paper mill worker from northern Maine discusses often, said campaign adviser David Farmer. "He is closely aligned with working- and middle-class families," Farmer said. "He's not a millionaire." Still, it would not be unheard of for a Republican to advocate a minimum wage increase. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who leads the Washington, D.C.-based Republican Governors Association, and New Mexico's Martinez each vetoed their legislature's minimum wage bill, but not without making a counteroffer of a more modest increase. Republican governors are focused on lightening tax and regulatory burdens for businesses to improve wages, said Jon Thompson, a spokesman for the Republican Governors Association. But he also seemed to acknowledge the occasional political necessity for Republicans to embrace a minimum wage increase. "It's complicated because there are some states that a minimum wage increase could be more helpful and useful than other states," Thompson said in an e-mail. For Democrats, campaign advisers and strategists say there's no mandate from national party leaders to wield the issue as a weapon next year. But there's no denying its popular and salient to the political battlefield, said Danny Kanner, spokesman for the Democratic Governors Association. "The defining issue in every single one of these races is who is fighting for the middle class," he said. Democrats are pairing their advocacy of a minimum wage increase with criticism of cuts to corporate tax rates, public pensions or education aid that Republican governors pushed through. They also contend that it'll revive the economy by flushing more money into the hands of consumers who spend it and reduce reliance on food stamps or other government programs for the poor. If vulnerable Republicans aren't budging on the issue, neither are the business groups that tend to back them. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce warns that small employers will have the hardest time absorbing higher labor costs, while the National Federation of Independent Business warned of job losses. "We're not going to waver," said NFIB spokeswoman Jean Card. "It's the kind of thing that sounds good, but rarely are polling questions backed up with the kind of economic downside that's inevitable." The Associated Press contributed to this report

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Official: Suicide bomber kills 14 at Russian train station - CNN Posted: 29 Dec 2013 08:45 AM PST STORY HIGHLIGHTS NEW: Putin expresses his sorrow to victims and families Russia authorities say preliminary information points to a female suicide bomber Video appears to show explosion inside the main doors to the station Bomber reportedly was approaching metal detector when attack occurred Moscow (CNN) -- A massive explosion at a train station in the Russian city of Volgograd killed at least 14 people, including one police officer, the Investigative Committee of Russia said on its website Sunday. The head of the committee, Vladimir Markin, said 14 people had been killed and 34 people were injured, including a 9-year-old girl. The female suicide bomber set off the device before she could pass through a metal detector, Markin said, citing available information. He said the bomber used the equivalent of 10 kilograms of TNT and included shrapnel. Video taken from an outside security camera shows a huge fireball inside what appears to be the main entrance followed by a steady trail of smoke coming out shattered windows. The bombing occurred at about 12:45 p.m. local time (3:45 a.m. ET), officials said. President Vladimir Putin posted a message on the Kremlin's website sending his condolences to the family of those killed and wishing a quick recovery to those hurt. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev ordered the emergency and health ministries to provide "all necessary assistance" to the wounded. It is the second bombing in the southern Russian city in two months and comes less than six weeks ahead of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, located less than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from Volgograd. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. "There can be no justification for such barbarous attacks." said NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. "NATO and Russia stand together in the fight against terrorism., including by working together on technology to prevent attacks on public transport systems." A White House spokeswoman said, "Our hearts go out to the victims and their families." In October, a bomber blew up a passenger bus, killing six people and wounding more than 30 others. Russian media reported that a female Islamist suicide bomber from the Russian region of Dagestan was responsible for the attack. Volgograd, once called Stalingrad, is a major rail hub in the region, and each day thousands of passengers pass through the station, many on their way to Moscow. The restive region of Chechnya is also located in this southern portion of Russia. CNN's Diana Magnay contributed to this report 0 Comments » SHARE THIS Print Email More sharing

Congress, in bipartisan tone, disputes report Al Qaeda not involved in deadly ... - Fox News Posted: 29 Dec 2013 08:04 AM PST House lawmakers on Sunday disputed a new report that concludes Al Qaeda played no role in the fatal 2012 terror attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya. The report, published Saturday in The New York Times, found no evidence that Al Qaeda or other international terrorist groups had a role in the assault that killed four Americans on Sept. 11, 2012, and that it appeared that the attack was fueled in large part by anger at an American-made anti-Islamic video, as the Obama administration first claimed. "I dispute that, and the intelligence community, to a large volume, disputes that," Michigan GOP Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, told "Fox News Sunday."   He also repeatedly said the story was "not accurate." Rogers was joined on the show by California Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, who said, "intelligence indicates Al Qaeda was involved." The findings in the New York Times story also conflict with testimony from Greg Hicks, the deputy of Ambassador Christopher Stevens, who was killed in the attack. Hicks described the video as "a non-event in Libya" at that time, and consequently not a significant trigger for the attack Sean Smith, a foreign service officer, and former Navy SEALs Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty were also killed in the 2012 attack. The responses by Rogers and Schiff Sunday follow New York Rep. Peter King, member and former chairman of the House's Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, telling Fox News on Saturday the argument in the Times story that the militia group Ansar al-Shariah -- not Al Qaeda -- led the Benghazi attack is an academic argument over semantics. "It's misleading," said King, considering Ansar al-Shariah is widely believed to be an affiliate terror group of Al Qaeda. "It's a distinction without a difference." Schiff, a House Intelligence Committee member, said the story doesn't conclude the attack was a flash mob attack or a "pre-planned, core Al Qaeda operation." Rogers declined to say whether he thought the recent Benghazi-related stories on TV and in print were politically motivated -- particularly to try to exonerate then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is eyeing a 2016 presidential bid.  But he took issue with Ambassador Susan Rice talking about the incident when Congress "still has an ongoing investigation." Schiff said the newspaper report "was not designed to exonerate State Department lapses."

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1.3 million to lose unemployment benefits as Obama pushes for aid extension - Fox News Posted: 28 Dec 2013 08:58 AM PST Dec. 25, 2013: President Barack Obama speaks to members of the military and their families in Anderson Hall at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.AP The nation's long-term unemployed will be cut off from federal unemployment benefits on Saturday, even as President Obama offers his support to two senators proposing to extend expiring federal jobless aid.   Republican Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada and Democratic Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island have proposed extending for three months benefits that more than 1 million Americans will lose. Obama called the two senators separately on Friday, describing it as an urgent economic priority.    "This morning, the President placed separate telephone calls to Senator Jack Reed and Senator Dean Heller to offer his support for their proposal to extend emergency unemployment benefits for three months," White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest said in a statement.  "The President said his administration would, as it has for several weeks now, push Congress to act promptly and in bipartisan fashion to address this urgent economic priority." Obama says the abrupt cut-off in cash assistance during the holidays will hurt economic growth and jobs. Economic adviser to the president Gene Sperling says the Senate will hold a vote on the proposal as soon as Congress returns next month. An estimated 1.3 million people will be cut off when the federally funded unemployment payments end Saturday. Some 214,000 Californians will lose their payments, a figure expected to rise to more than a half-million by June, the Labor Department said. In the last 12 months, Californians received $4.5 billion in federal jobless benefits, much if plowed back into the local economy. More than 127,000 New Yorkers also will be cut off this weekend. In New Jersey, 11th among states in population, 90,000 people will immediately lose out. Started under President George W. Bush, the benefits were designed as a cushion for the millions of U.S. citizens who lost their jobs in a recession and failed to find new ones while receiving state jobless benefits, which in most states expire after six months. Another 1.9 million people across the country are expected to exhaust their state benefits before the end of June. Republicans and some Democrats will likely want to make sure that any proposal to extend federal unemployment benefits is paid for. Many of them look at signs of economic growth and an unemployment rate now down to 7 percent and expected to drop further as evidence the additional weeks of benefits are no longer necessary. The effect of jobless benefits on the unemployment rates has been fiercely debated for decades. To qualify, people have to be seeking work. Conservative lawmakers such as Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky argue that the payments aggravate rather than relieve unemployment. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

US Court Rules NSA Mass Surveillance As Lawful; ACLU To Appeal Judgment - International Business Times Posted: 28 Dec 2013 08:46 AM PST U.S. District Judge William Pauley's judgment comes just days after another federal judge ruled that PRISM, the NSA's mass surveillance program, could be unconstitutional. In the 54-page opinion, issued in New York, Pauley said that the agency's mass surveillance program "represents the government's counterpunch" to terror threats and such measures will help in "connecting fragmented and fleeting communications to reconstruct and eliminate al-Qaeda's terror network."   "This blunt tool only works because it collects everything," Pauley, a former President Bill Clinton appointee, wrote. "Technology allowed al-Qaeda to operate decentralized and plot international terrorist attacks remotely. The bulk telephony metadata collection program represents the government's counterpunch," he added, according to a Reuters report. He dismissed a petition filed by the American Civil Liberties Union challenging the constitutionality of NSA's indiscriminate data-collection program, which was revealed in June following the disclosures made by former defense contractor Edward Snowden. "There is no evidence that the government has used any of the bulk telephony metadata it collected for any purpose other than investigating and disrupting terrorist attacks," Pauley wrote, adding that "there have been unintentional violations of guidelines, those appear to stem from human error and the incredibly complex computer programs that support this vital tool."   Pauley's judgment contrasts with U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon's Dec. 16, ruling that PRISM likely violates the Fourth Amendment's ban on unreasonable search and seizure. Leon, appointed by former President George W. Bush, had granted a preliminary injunction against the collecting of phone records. The judge had described the NSA's widespread collection of telephone calls made in or to the U.S. as an "arbitrary invasion" of the lives of its own private citizens. Two differing judgments from the district courts could take the issue first to an appealing court and eventually before the U.S. Supreme Court. The ACLU said it plans to appeal the decision. "We are extremely disappointed with this decision, which misinterprets the relevant statutes, understates the privacy implications of the government's surveillance, and misapplies a narrow and outdated precedent to read away core constitutional protections," Jameel Jaffer, ACLU deputy legal director said. "As another federal judge and the president's own review group concluded last week, the National Security Agency's bulk collection of telephony data constitutes a serious invasion of Americans' privacy." Public Flood Twitter With "Traitor" Pauley Tweets The Friday's judgment also angered sections of public who took it to the social networking sites calling the judge a "traitor."  Critics of NSA's mass spying policy vented their anger by flooding twitter, Facebook and other networking sites with angry tweets and posts. "U.S. District Judge William Pauley has abandoned his oath of office to uphold the Constitution and is a traitor to the American people," a user with the twitter handle @cypherdivine tweeted. "Judge Wm. Pauley "Another Appointed Hack/Traitor" rules in NSA Favor. What else would you expect?!" another tweet by Robert K Martin read. "Since 9/11 apparently means we don't have any freedoms any more, can we at least formally repeal the Bill of Rights? A tweet by Chris Adamson ‏@invalidname read.

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Beirut bombing kills ex-ambassador to US - USA TODAY Posted: 27 Dec 2013 08:57 AM PST Flames blaze from vehicles at the scene of an explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday.(Photo: Bilal Hussein, AP) Story Highlights Former Lebanese ambassador to the U.S. Mohammed Chatah died in the blast Five others were killed and more than 70 wounded The Syrian civil war has spilled violence into Lebanon BEIRUT (AP) — A powerful car bomb tore through a business district in the center of the Lebanese capital Friday, killing a prominent pro-Western politician and at least five other people in an assassination certain to hike sectarian tensions already soaring because of the civil war in neighboring Syria. The blast, which wounded more than 70 others, set cars ablaze, shredded trees and shattered windows in a main street of the posh downtown Beirut area of five-star hotels, luxury high-rises and high-end boutiques. It sent a pall of thick black smoke above the nearby government headquarters and the seafront. The bomb targeted the car of Mohammed Chatah, a former finance minister and a senior aide to former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, security officials said. Chatah, his driver and four others were killed, the National News Agency said. Hariri, a Sunni politician, heads the main, Western-backed coalition in Lebanon, which is engaged in bitter feuding with the militant Shiite Hezbollah group, a top ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad. The bombing recalled a string of assassinations of members of the anti-Syrian Hariri camp between 2004 and 2008, the biggest of which was the massive suicide bombing in 2005 in downtown Beirut — not far from the site of Friday's blast — that killed Hariri's father, Rafik, also a former prime minister. Hariri's allies accused Syria of being behind the killings, a claim Damascus denied. Friday's blast came less than three weeks before the trial for those suspected in Rafik Hariri's assassination was set to begin. Five Hezbollah members have been indicted for alleged involvement in the killing. Hezbollah rejects the accusations, and has refused to hand over the suspects. Saad Hariri indirectly blamed Hezbollah for Chatah's assassination. In a statement, he accused "the ones who run away from international justice and refuse to appear before the international tribunal." More recently, the country has seen a wave of violence as Lebanon's Sunni and Shiite communities line up with their brethren on opposing sides in Syria's civil war. That has fueled predictions that Lebanon, still recovering from its 15-year civil war that ended in 1990, is on the brink of descending into full-blown sectarian violence. There has been a series of bombings in districts dominated by Hezbollah, apparently in retaliation for its decision to send guerrillas to fight alongside Assad's forces against rebels, as well as twin car bombings in Tripoli, Lebanon's largest city and a Sunni stronghold. There have also been repeated clashes between Sunnis — who largely back Syria's rebels — and Shiites and Alawites who back Assad. The last such assassination in Lebanon was in Oct. 19, 2012, when a car bomb assassinated Lebanon's top intelligence chief, Wissam al-Hassan. Al-Hassan, a member of Hariri's security circle, was a powerful opponent of Syria's influence in Lebanon and many here blamed his killing on Syria. The Friday morning blast was heard across the city, shattering the calm of the downtown commercial district. Chatah was on the way to a meeting at Hariri's downtown residence when the bomb it, security officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the press. The bomb car, apparently parked on his route and detonated by remote control, was rigged with up to 132 pounds of explosives. "We heard an explosion that shook us like an earthquake," said Wajdi Abdul-Khaliq, a foreman at a nearby construction site. The man said he ran out of the site and saw the wounded in the street, including a woman in her car who lost her hand. The army cordoned off the area to prevent people from getting close to the scene, where the twisted wreckage of several cars was still smoldering. The Health Ministry said more than 70 people were wounded. The 62-year-old Chatah was a prominent economist who once worked at the International Monetary Fund in the U.S. and later served as Lebanese ambassador to the U.S. He was one of the closest aides of Rafik Hariri. He later became finance minister when Saad took over the premiership, and stayed on as his senior adviser after he lost the post in early 2011. Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati denounced the assassination, "which targeted a political and moderate figure who believed in dialogue, the language of reason and logic and the right to different opinions." Hariri, in his statement, said those behind the assassination are "the same ones who are opening the doors of evil and chaos into Lebanon" and "brought regional fires to our country," in a clear reference to Hezbollah's participation in Syria's civil war. Hezbollah's strongly denounced the assassination, saying it serves "the enemies of Lebanon." Hariri's 2005 assassination sparked massive demonstrations that eventually led to the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon, following nearly three decades of military presence and domination of its smaller neighbor. Chatah was a moderate Sunni politician who opposed Hezbollah and Assad. His last tweet, posted an hour before Friday's explosion, read: "Hezbollah is pressing hard to be granted similar powers in security & foreign policy matters that Syria exercised in Lebanon for 15 yrs." Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Americans Still Pessimistic About Economy - TIME Posted: 27 Dec 2013 07:36 AM PST Never mind a stock market breaking records and an unemployment rate inching down: Americans still think this economy stinks. That's according to a new CNN poll out Friday, which found almost 70 percent of respondents think the economy is in bad shape, while only 32 percent think things are good. More than half of Americans don't think conditions will improve next year, according to the poll. The economy has seen marked improvements in recent weeks. Stocks have surged, unemployment is the lowest it's been in five years, gas prices have dropped and even the housing market is recovering. But the long-term unemployed or under-employed continue to cut back. The poll found 36 percent were reining in spending on food or medicine, a five-percent increase from 2008, during the height of housing market crash. Those who viewed the economy negatively are mostly rural residents, according to the poll. The poll surveyed 1,035 Americans by telephone between Dec. 16 and 19, with a sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points. [CNN]

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Business Times : latest Posted: http://www.btimes.com.my enFriday, December 27, 2013, 10.39 AMhttp://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20131227111120/Article/ http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20131227111120/Article/Fri, 27 Dec 2013 11:11:20 +0800The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) hit a new intra-day high of 1,855.62, up 11.52 points at 10.33am, lifted by window dressing activities in selective bluechip and heavyweights, an analyst said. Mercury Securities head of research Edmund Tham said the uptrend on the FBM KLCI did not reflect the broader market as the total trading volume was low and buying was more focus on index-linked counters. "Its selective window dressing in bluechips and key-heavyweights, not the whole market," he told Bernama. The previous intra-day high was recorded on December 17 at 1,861.94.-- Bernama http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20131227100258/Article/ http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20131227100258/Article/Fri, 27 Dec 2013 10:03:00 +0800At 10.30am today, there were 277 gainers, 163 losers and 262 counters traded unchanged on the Bursa Malaysia. The FBM-KLCI was at 1,854.70 up 10.60 points, the FBMACE was at 5,617.86 up 27.79 points, and the FBMEmas was at 12,768.42 up 61.85 points. Turnover was at 278.733 million shares valued at RM223.456 million.-- Bernama http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20131227100606/Article/ http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20131227100606/Article/Fri, 27 Dec 2013 10:06:07 +0800Shares on Bursa Malaysia opened slightly lower this morning but rose thereafter, extending its uptrend from yesterday, dealers said. At 9.22am, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) stood at 1,844.57, up 0.47 of-a-point, after opening 0.14 of-a-point easier at 1,843.96. HwangDBS Vickers Research said continuing from where it left off yesterday, Bursa Malaysia could maintain the rising momentum. "After posting an 8.6-points to overcome the immediate resistance line of 1,840 on 'Boxing Day', the benchmark FBM KLCI is poised to challenge its all-time peak of 1,851.94 before advancing towards the next resistance target of 1,860 ahead," it said in a research note today. Overseas, Wall Street continued to rise in overnight trade, with key stock indices gaining between 0.3 per cent and 0.7 per cent to finish at new record levels as jobless claims fell. On the local scoreboard, the Finance Index lost 5.85 points to 16,901.82, the Industrial Index slipped 0.98 of-a-point to 3,133.74 but the Plantation Index gained 27.08 points to 8,788.78. The FBM Emas Index added 5.149 points to 12,711.72, the FBMT100 Index increased 1.5 points to 12,445.38, the FBM Ace firmed 21.57 points to 5,611.64 while the FBM 70 dropped 4.87 points to 14,047.72. Gainers led losers 142 to 101 while 146 counters were unchanged, 1,172 untraded, and 33 others were suspended. Turnover stood at 120.07 million shares worth RM46.98 million. Among actives, Hubline, Nextnation Communication and Talam Transform added half-a-sen each to five sen, eight sen and seven sen, respectively, Xideland climbed one sen to 39 sen and TH Heavy Engineering gained three sen to 88 sen. Of heavyweights, Tenaga added four sen to RM11.18, CIMB gained three sen to RM7.65, Maybank lost two sen to RM10.02 and Sime Darby shed three sen to RM9.44 while Axiata was unchanged at RM6.80.-- Bernama http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20131227101118/Article/ http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20131227101118/Article/Fri, 27 Dec 2013 10:11:18 +0800The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives was traded higher in early trade, riding on the cash market's bullish momentum. At 9.33am, spot month December 2013 added two points to 1,850.5, January 2014 advanced four points to 1,855.5, March 2014 gained 3.5 points to 1,853 and June 2014 improved 2.5 points to 1,846. Turnover amounted to 2,753 lots while open interest stood at 49,090 contracts. The underlying FBM KLCI was 3.09 points higher at 1,847.19 after 33 minutes of trading.-- Bernama http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20131227101453/Article/ http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20131227101453/Article/Fri, 27 Dec 2013 10:14:53 +0800The ringgit opened slightly higher against the US dollar on renewed appetite, dealers said. At 9am, the ringgit was quoted at 3.2950/2980 to a dollar from Thursday's 3.2960/2990. A dealer said growing optimism over the recovery of the United States economy, the world's largest, sparked buying interest for the greenback and this helped spur some positive sentiment towards riskier assets like the ringgit. Meanwhile, the local unit was mixed against other major currencies. It appreciated against the Singapore dollar to 2.5953/5993 from 2.5996/5021 on Thursday and rose vis-a-vis the yen to 3.1402/1442 from 3.1459/1500 yesterday. However, against the British pound, the domestic unit depreciated to 5.4110/4170 from 5.3975/3041 and weakened versus the euro to 4.5161/5212 from 4.5109/5157 on Thursday.-- Bernama http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20131227101743/Article/ http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20131227101743/Article/Fri, 27 Dec 2013 10:17:43 +0800The physical price of gold as at 9.30am stood at RM124.11 per gramme, up 43 sen from RM123.68 at 5pm yesterday.-- Bernama http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20131227102037/Article/ http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20131227102037/Article/Fri, 27 Dec 2013 10:20:37 +0800Short-term interbank rates are likely to remain stable today following Bank Negara Malaysia's intervention to absorb excess liquidity from the financial system. The central bank estimated today's liquidity at RM29.188 billion in the conventional system and RM6.776 billion in Islamic funds. Bank Negara will conduct a RM7 billion range maturity auction tender for three days to 90 days, as well as, a RM300 million and RM750 million repo tender for 31 days and 90 days, respectively. It will also call for two Al-Wadiah tenders comprising RM1.2 billion for seven days and RM300 million for 14 days. At4pm, the central bank will conduct up to RM21.1 billion in conventional overnight tenders and a RM5.6 billion Al-Wadiah overnight tender.-- Bernama http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20131227102339/Article/ http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20131227102339/Article/Fri, 27 Dec 2013 10:23:39 +0800Gold futures contract extended gains to open higher on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives as fresh buying interest emerged, dealers said. At 9.20am, December 2013 was nine ticks better at RM128.15 sen a gramme, January 2014 went up 10 ticks to RM128.50 sen a gramme, February 2014 climbed eight ticks to RM128.80 sen while March 2014, April 2014 and June were untraded at RM128.40 sen agramme, respectively. Turnover stood at 28 lots while open interest amounted to 1,513 contracts.-- Bernama http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20131227103959/Article/ http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20131227103959/Article/Fri, 27 Dec 2013 10:39:59 +0800NEW YORK: Oil prices rose Thursday on concerns about output in conflict-wracked South Sudan and the latest round of improving US economic data. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for February delivery rose 33 cents to US$99.55 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. European benchmark Brent oil for February delivery increased 8 cents to US$111.98 a barrel on the Intercontinental Exchange in London. Volume on electronic exchanges was low due to the Boxing Day holiday, which closed major markets in London. Traders have been keeping an eye on developments in South Sudan, which has been rocked by a wave of deadly ethnic violence. Analysts say the conflict threatens oil output in South Sudan, where some oilfield staff has been evacuated. Robert Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho Securities, said South Sudan usually exports about 220,000 barrels a day to Japan, Malaysia and China. The UN Security Council said Thursday it was hurrying to deploy reinforcements to its peacekeeping force in the country, as neighbouring states Kenya and Ethiopia try to broker a solution to the crisis. Oil also gained after a Department of Labor report showed first-time claims for unemployment benefits fell to 338,000, below the 350,000 forecast by analysts. The better jobless claims report came on the heels of other recent strong US data on third-quarter growth, durable goods orders and other items that suggest a healthier economy. "The improving US economy and signs the global economy is steady has been driving prices higher," said Gene McGillian, broker and analyst at Tradition Energy. Markets are eyeing the weekly report on US oil inventories, which is delayed until Friday due to the Christmas holidays. Analysts expect a decline in stocks of 2.2 million barrels, according to a survey by the Wall Street Journal.-- AFP http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20131227103200/Article/ http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20131227103200/Article/Fri, 27 Dec 2013 10:32:00 +0800NEW YORK: US stock markets Thursday continued their bull run of 2013, closing at fresh records after a strong US unemployment report. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shot up 122.33 (0.75 per cent) to 16,479.88, finishing at a record high for the sixth straight session. The SandP 500, closing at a record high for the fourth straight session, added 8.70 (0.47 per cent) at 1,842.02. The tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index increased 11.76 (0.28 per cent) to 4,167.18. The latest record came after US Labor Department data showed first-time claims for unemployment benefits fell to 338,000 from an adjusted 380,000 the previous week. Analysts had projected that 350,000 claims would be filed. Other better-than-expected economic news in recent days has increased confidence in the US outlook after the Federal Reserve announced on December 18 it was scaling back its bond-buying programme. The yield on the 10-year US Treasury bond hit 3.0 per cent earlier Thursday before retreating. Higher yields sometimes crimp enthusiasm for equities, but the recent rise has been gradual, said Michael Gayed, chief investment strategist at Pension Partners. "If you have a spike in yields, it is a negative," Gayed said. "But as the yields are gradually going higher despite the Fed tapering, that means there is a growing sense of confidence that the stocks market does not need the Fed as much." Online retailer Amazon gained 1.3 per cent after reporting that subscriptions to its Amazon Prime two-day shipping programme jumped in December ahead of Christmas and now counts tens of millions of members worldwide. Amazon characterized the 2013 holiday shopping season as its best ever. Shipping company UPS advanced 0.2 per cent despite criticism after it missed some Christmas deadlines for gift-package delivery due to an unexpectedly large volume. Rival FedEx, which appeared to have somewhat fewer problems, rose 0.9 per cent. BlackBerry shed 8.7 per cent after co-founders Michael Lazaridis and Douglas Fregin disclosed they were selling a large percentage of their shares in the embattled smart-phone maker. Telecom company Sprint rose 3.1 per cent following a report that its parent SoftBank is in talks to purchase US wireless company T-Mobile. T-Mobile rose 2.3 per cent. Bond prices slipped. The yield on the 10-year US Treasury rose to 2.99 per cent from 2.98 per cent after breaching the 3.00 per cent level earlier in the session. The 30-year increased to 3.92 per cent from 3.90 per cent. Bond prices and yields move inversely.-- AFP

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Avoiding health insurance gaps takes persistence - Charlotte Observer Posted: 24 Dec 2013 11:03 PM PST CHICAGO The deadline has passed, and so too the surprise grace period, for signing up for health insurance as part of the nation's health care law. Now what? For those who were able to navigate the glitch-prone and often overwhelmed HealthCare.gov website, there's still work to be done to make sure success online leads to actual coverage come the new year. The first step experts recommend is to call your insurance company and double-check they received your payment. What if you missed the Christmas Eve deadline and still want insurance in 2014, as the health law requires of most Americans? You may be without health insurance for a month, but you can still sign up for coverage that will start in February. "Be patient, because they're trying to help you," said Tina Stewart, a 25-year-old graduate student in Salt Lake City who succeeded in enrolling in a health plan Tuesday morning. "It will take time." The historic changes made by the Affordable Care Act take full effect on Jan. 1. People with chronic health conditions can no longer be denied health insurance. Those who get sick and start piling up medical bills will no longer lose their coverage. Out-of-pocket limits arrive that are designed to protect patients from going bankrupt. But unless the 1 million Americans who have so far enrolled for coverage via the new marketplaces make sure their applications have arrived at their new insurance companies without errors, some may find they're still uninsured when they try to refill a prescription or make a doctor's appointment. "The enrollment files have been getting better and more accurate, but there is still work that needs to be done," said Robert Zirkelbach, a spokesman for America's Health Insurance Plans, a trade group that represents the private insurance industry. "The health plans are still having to go back and fix some of data errors coming through in these files." If everything went smoothly, consumers can expect to see a welcome packet arrive in the mail from their insurance company, Zirkelbach said. If not, a phone call to the insurer might clear things up. "If a consumer signed up yesterday, they shouldn't expect the health plan to have their enrollment application today," Zirkelbach said. "Allow a couple of days to receive and process those enrollments." Paying the first premium is crucial. Because of the changing deadlines for enrollment, most insurers have agreed to allow payments through Jan. 10 and will make coverage retroactive to Jan. 1, he said. Anyone who missed the Christmas Eve deadline to enroll for insurance to start in January can still apply at HealthCare.gov for coverage to begin later. The federal website serves 36 states, but also directs people elsewhere to the online insurance site serving their state. The site also offers directions to local agencies offering in-person help. After the disastrous rollout in October, the federal website received 2 million visits on Monday, and heavy — but not as heavy — traffic on Tuesday. White House spokeswoman Tara McGuinness said she had no immediate estimate of visitors Tuesday or how many succeeded in obtaining insurance before the midnight Christmas Eve deadline. The unexpected one-day grace period was just the latest in a string of delays and reversals. Unless you qualify for Medicaid, you'll pay a monthly "premium" fee to an insurance company for coverage. Before the company covers actual medical costs, you may have to pay a certain amount called a deductible, in addition to a possible set fee for a doctor visit (copay) or a percentage of the cost of a medical service (coinsurance). Federal tax credits are aimed at helping make premiums more affordable for households earning between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty line. That's $11,490 to $45,960 for an individual, $23,550 to $94,200 for a family of four. Finally, note the next significant deadline isn't for a few more months. If you don't have coverage by March 31, you'll pay a tax penalty next year of $95 or 1 percent of your income, whichever is higher. Ron Pollack, president of Families USA, a liberal advocacy group that has led efforts to get uninsured people signed up for coverage next year, said that's the deadline that matters most. "The real significant deadline is March 31," Pollack said. "The enrollment period extends for another three months."

American Held by Al Qaeda in Pakistan Asks Obama to Negotiate Release - New York Times Posted: 26 Dec 2013 08:45 AM PST By SALMAN MASOOD Published: December 26, 2013 ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — An American development consultant abducted by Al Qaeda in Pakistan more than two years ago has urged the Obama administration to help secure his freedom in an impassioned video message released by the group. The consultant, Warren Weinstein, 72, was abducted from the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore in August 2011 when a group of armed men broke into his house. Mr. Weinstein worked as the Pakistan director for J. E. Austin Associates, an international development consulting company based in Arlington, Va. The video by Al Sahab, the media wing of Al Qaeda, was first reported by The Washington Post on Thursday. In a 13-minute video message, Mr. Weinstein, bearded and wearing a light-colored jacket and a dark cap, appeared distraught and dejected when he spoke about his family, his ill health and his time in captivity. "I am not in good health," he said, looking at the camera. "The years have taken their toll." Mr. Weinstein said that he had served his country for 30 years, and that nine years ago he came to Pakistan to help the United States government. "I did so at a time when most Americans would not come here," he said. "And now, when I need my government, it seems that I have been totally abandoned and forgotten." Mr. Weinstein said his captors had agreed to let him meet with his family if Qaeda members held by the United States were released. "Mr. Obama, you are a family man, and so you understand the deep mental anxiety and anguish that I have been experiencing for these past more than two years," he said. "I am therefore appealing to you on a humanitarian basis, if nothing else, and asking that you take the necessary actions to expedite my release and my return to my family and to my country, to our country." He also asked Secretary of State John Kerry for his help. A handwritten letter, purportedly drafted by Mr. Weinstein, was also distributed along with the video message to local news media outlets. It was dated Oct. 3, 2013. This was the second video statement by Mr. Weinstein. An earlier video in which he made a similar plea was released by Al Qaeda in 2012. Mr. Weinstein's kidnapping came at a time when relations between the United States and Pakistan were deeply strained after a security contractor for the Central Intelligence Agency shot and killed two Pakistanis in Lahore. In an unrelated development on Thursday, at least four people suspected of being militants were killed by a drone strike on a possible militant compound in northwestern Pakistan, a Pakistani official said. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the drone strike had taken place near Qutab Khel village, about three miles south of Miranshah, in the North Waziristan tribal region, a haven for Taliban and Qaeda militants. The identity of those killed was not immediately known, but the Pakistani official said they may have been of Arab origin. The Pakistani government condemned the drone strike. The use of drones by the C.I.A. is deeply unpopular in Pakistan. "These strikes are a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "There is an across-the-board consensus in Pakistan that these drone strikes must end." It added, "These drone strikes have a negative impact on the government's efforts to bring peace and stability in Pakistan and the region." Ihsanullah Tipu Mehsud contributed reporting.

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