Afghanistan: Suicide attack in Lashkar Gah 'kills 13'

A suicide attack targeted at the gate of the police headquarters in Lashkar Gah

One innocent child and twelve Afghani policemen  have been killed in a suicide attack in the southern Afghan city of Lashkar Gah, officials say.

The suicide attacker targeted the gate of the police headquarters in the city, the capital of Helmand province.

The Taliban take the responsibility said it had carried out the attack, which also wounded 12 people.

Responsibility for Lashkar Gah was currently handed to Afghan forces as part of a plan to return all security to local forces by the end of 2014.

 

US parties hopeful of debt limit deal as deadline looms

US political rivals are seems to be positive about the chances of raising the $14.3tn (£8.7tn) debt limit by Tuesday and averting possible default.

 Mitch McConnell  Republican Senate leader said the sides were "very close" to a $3tn deal after talks with Vice-President Joe Biden.
 Richard Durbin Senior Senate Democrat spoke of "a more positive feeling regarding bill".
American politicians are hopeful a deal may be agreed before a procedural vote in the Democrat-dominated Senate shortly.
That in turn would allow for a new vote in the Republican-held House of Representatives before the Tuesday deadline.
America limits by law the total amount of debt its government can run up in order to pay its bills, and the Obama government is under mounting financial pressure.
White House senior adviser David Plouffe told NBC television on Sunday said that they will solve this matter positively and also said "Today is obviously a critical day."

Obama underscores urgency of debt-plan deal

US President Barack Obama has brief Democrat and Republican members must compromise to cut the US budget deficit and vote to raise the debt limit.

He bad time had almost run out, as Republican leaders scrambled to save their deficit-cutting bill amid a House of Representatives conservative revolt.

The Democrats meanwhile also announced they would present their plan to the Senate.

The fiscal fiasco leaves the US inching closer to a potentially catastrophic default on federal debt next Tuesday.

The US government will start running out of money to pay all its bills unless a $14.3tn (£8.7tn) borrowing limit is enhanced by 2 August.

US House set for key debt vote on Republican bill

A revised Republican bill to raise the US debt ceiling, cut spending and avert a federal default is set for a crunch House of Representatives vote later.

But House Speaker John Boehner's bill faces a conservative revolt, opposition by Senate Democrats and a White House veto threat.

Republicans needs 217 member out of 433to pass it.

Mr Boehner told dissenting colleagues on Wednesday: "Get your ass in line."

The US Treasury has warned the government will run out of money to pay all its bills unless a $14.3tn borrowing limit is enhanced by next Tuesday.

Afghanistan: Deadly attack in Tarin Kowt, Uruzgan

Officials said At least 22 dead in Afgainistan, Insurgents have carried out a gun and bomb attack in the south Afghan town of Tarin Kowt, Uruzgan province

They said the violence included three suicide bombings followed by fighting in a market, officials said that all eight attackers had now been killed.

Ahmed Omed Khpulwak also dead in this attack,

The Taliban say they carried out the attack, which comes amid renewed violence in Afghanistan.

Nato officials says it is providing air support to Afghan forces in attach of Tarin Kowt.

Norway commission to investigate Breivik attacks

Norwegian PM Jens Stoltenberg has announced the attach of a "22 July Commission" to investigate Friday's bomb and gun attacks.

He said the commission, all political parties are agreed, would investigate everything that happened.

The speed of the police response to Anders Behring Breivik's second attack, on Utoeya island, has been questioned.

The shootings, and a bomb attack on government buildings in the capital, Oslo, left at least 76 people dead.

Mr Breivik, admits carrying out the attacks.

On Wednesday police announced the names of 13 more victims who died in the bomb and gun attacks.

Ten were teenagers and the youngest was 14-year-old Sharidyn Svebakk-Bohn - all were killed on Utoeya.

Automakers Oppose 56-mpg Fuel Standard for 2025

Some years ago, two of the three large American car makers were starting the federal government to bail them out. Now they're buying ads and paying lobbyists to pressure the White House to withdraw light trucks and SUVs from a proposed 56 miles-per-gallon fuel standard by 2025.

“This is the same shortsighted thinking that got the U.S. automakers in trouble in 2008 when gas prices caused them to be overloaded with gas guzzling SUV inventories that just wouldn’t sell,” said Jack Gillis of the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and author of The Car Book.

CFA's research director, Mark Cooper, called the automakers'  campaign “economic suicide” and warned that it's unlikely U.S. taxpayers will bail them out again.