johnhanblog

Hamas now controls all of the Gaza Strip. After five days of intense
fighting, the Islamic group says it will free all of its captives from
the rival Fatah group, and Gaza's embattled residents may now see a day
without bloodshed in their streets. 

# posted by John @ 6/15/2007 08:57:00 AM 0 comments

After Hamas gunmen overran Fatah security forces in Gaza, Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas declared a state of emergency, fired Prime
Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, dismantled the Hamas-Fatah coalition
and said he would form a new government. 

# posted by John @ 6/14/2007 06:53:00 PM 0 comments

WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal judge said Thursday he will not delay a 2
1/2-year
prison sentence for I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, a ruling that could send
the
former White House aide to prison within weeks.

# posted by John @ 6/14/2007 06:47:00 PM 0 comments

MONTREAT, N.C. - Ruth Graham, who surrendered dreams of missionary work
in Tibet to marry a suitor who became the world's most renowned
evangelist, died Thursday. She was 87. Graham died at her home,
surrounded by her husband and all five of their children, said a
statement released by Larry Ross, Billy Graham's spokesman.

# posted by John @ 6/14/2007 06:36:00 PM 0 comments

30-year fixed-rate mortgages spiked to 6.74% this week, up from 6.53%
last week, according to Freddie Mac.

# posted by John @ 6/14/2007 11:10:00 AM 0 comments

Hamas Takes Gaza Security Compound

Hamas militants have taken control of the primary security office in the
Gaza Strip, wresting control from forces allied with U.S.-backed
President Mahmoud Abbas. Hamas is now firing on Abbas' political
compound, and is poised to control all of Gaza. 

# posted by John @ 6/14/2007 08:59:00 AM 0 comments

The House passed what could become the first major federal gun control
law in more than a decade. The bill was spurred by the Virginia Tech
killings and buttressed by help from the NRA. The bill would improve
state reporting in background checks.

# posted by John @ 6/13/2007 07:04:00 PM 0 comments

U.S. Treasury says China's currency, the yuan, is undervalued but fails
to name the country a currency manipulator, Reuters reports.

# posted by John @ 6/13/2007 11:43:00 AM 0 comments

The holy Golden Dome shrine has again been seriously damaged by
suspected Sunni bombers, prompting Iraq's leader to enact a curfew in
Baghdad over fears of a new wave of sectarian killing. A 2006 bombing of
the same shrine sparked enduring violence. 

# posted by John @ 6/13/2007 09:23:00 AM 0 comments

With his immigration reform plan stalled in Congress, President Bush
made a rare personal appearance on Capitol Hill hoping to sway Senate
Republicans to back the bill. Mr. Bush said the status quo "is
unacceptable." 

# posted by John @ 6/12/2007 04:56:00 PM 0 comments

Dow tumbles 100+ points as U.S. 10-year yield hits 5-year high around
5.26%.

# posted by John @ 6/12/2007 03:22:00 PM 0 comments

http://www.bloglines.com/blog/johnDispatch

# posted by John @ 6/12/2007 01:47:00 PM 0 comments

Fire swept through a three-story home in Pittsburgh, killing five young
children, ages 2 to 7, who were believed to have been under a
babysitter's care at the time. Two other children were taken to
hospitals. Police are looking for the babysitter. 

# posted by John @ 6/12/2007 12:15:00 PM 0 comments

Officials say Afghan police apparently mistook U.S. and Afghan soldiers
as Taliban and opened fire on the troops. Taking fire in the dark, the
U.S. forces say they called in air support, which resulted in the deaths
of seven Afghan police.

# posted by John @ 6/12/2007 10:59:00 AM 0 comments

Teams of soldiers and civilians, in ATVs, helicopters and on horseback,
scoured the rugged terrain of Fort Hood, Tex., for a soldier missing
since he set out on a solo exercise on Friday. The 24-year-old was
attempting a 6-hour navigational mission. 

# posted by John @ 6/11/2007 11:57:00 AM 0 comments

A car bomb brought down a section of bridge over a highway south of
Baghdad yesterday, killing three soldiers, wounding six and blocking
traffic on Iraq's main north-south artery. Meanwhile, former Sunni foes
are being asked to help fight al Qaeda. 

# posted by John @ 6/11/2007 11:19:00 AM 0 comments