– Militants torch NATO trucks in Pakistan: police (AFP):
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP) — Taliban militants in northwestern Pakistan torched eight trucks carrying supplies for NATO forces in neighbouring Afghanistan in a pre-dawn attack on Sunday, police said. A dozen more trucks and trailers were damaged when the militants, armed with automatic weapons and rockets, attacked a terminal on the outskirts of Peshawar city.
– Pakistan ex-PM ignores ‘arrest’ (BBC News):
Pakistan opposition leader Nawaz Sharif has defied an apparent bid to put him under house arrest in Lahore ahead of a “march” on the capital Islamabad. Thousands of supporters joined him after he broke through a police barricade of his home to reach a rally. Police fired tear gas as protesters hurled stones.
– Pakistan clamps down on protests amid fresh fears of a military coup (Independent):
The government is trying to stop a march by lawyers from reaching Islamabad
– Hawaii Soldier Charged With Stealing $400K In Afghanistan (MSNBC):
HONOLULU – A former dispersing officer for Schofield Barracks units in Afghanistan pleaded not guilty to stealing $400,000 from the government while on deployment in a finance battalion.
– Staggering Deficits In A Depressionary Economy (International Forecaster)
– As travel declines, aircraft ‘boneyard’ in Victorville fills up (Los Angeles Times):
Industry experts say this year is likely to set a record for planes sitting on the ground rather than flying. Storing them is a growing business.
– Administration Is Open to Taxing Health Benefits (New York Times):
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is signaling to Congress that the president could support taxing some employee health benefits,…. (Yes, we can!)
– Job centre crisis as ten bid for each vacancy (Guardian):
Startling new figures have revealed that on average there are 10 jobseekers for every vacancy advertised in the UK. In one area of the south-east, 60 workers are available for each job.
– The price of a sterling crisis (Guardian):
‘A weak currency arises from a weak economy, which in turn is the result of a weak government.” That was Gordon Brown, speaking in the wake of the exchange rate mechanism debacle in 1992.
– Barclays tax dodge ‘nets £1bn a year ’ (Times Online):
BARCLAYS, the high street bank, is alleged to be making about £1 billion a year from an international web of financial schemes designed to avoid paying tax in the UK and abroad.
– G20 summit approves IMF cash boost (Telegraph):
The world’s biggest economies yesterday sanctioned an unprecedented cash injection into the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and pledged to launch a major overhaul of the way it distributes cash, as the fund prepares to bail out a further swathe of struggling governments.
– Now Coca-Cola feels force of Chavez’ colourful revolution (Guardian):
The soft drinks giant, a symbol of America and globalisation, is feeling the edge of what Chávez calls “21st-century socialism”: extended state control over the economy and controls over private companies. The president has threatened to oust Coca-Cola delivery trucks from this plot of land in Catia, a slum in the capital, to make way for housing for the poor. “We have to accelerate the transition to socialism,” he said.
– Israel’s new defence minister accused of war crime (Times Online):
A HAWKISH general, who cancelled a trip to London four years ago because he feared being arrested on war crime charges, is expected to become Israel’s new defence minister.
– The far right is on the march again: the rise of fascism in Austria (Daily Mail):
In Austria’s recent general election, nearly 30 per cent of voters backed extremist right-wing parties. Live visits the birthplace of Hitler to investigate how Fascism is once again threatening to erupt across Europe.
– Britons suffer 17% plunge in wealth (Times Online)
– ‘Bridge to Microsoft’ Is One of Puget Sound Prizes in Stimulus (Bloomberg):
March 13 (Bloomberg) — Microsoft Corp., which has $20 billion of cash in the bank, is among the first in the Puget Sound area to benefit from the investment in roads and bridges through President Barack Obama’s stimulus plan.
– Living in US, rejecting its laws, targeted as terrorists (Las Vegas Sun)
– Sex claims against US Roman Catholic Church rise (BBC News):
The number of new claims of sexual abuse made against US Roman Catholic priests rose by 16% to more than 800 last year, a Church report says.
– Volcanic smog shutting down some Hawaii farmers (AP):
Sulfur dioxide volumes have reached levels unseen since scientists began keeping data in 1979.
– Global Cooling Continues (Heartland Institute)