BBC – The former head of MI5 has claimed US intelligence agencies "concealed" their mistreatment of terror suspects.Baroness Eliza Manningham-Buller said she only discovered alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was waterboarded after retiring in 2007. In a lecture at the House of Lords, she said the US had been "very keen to conceal from us what was happening". Her comments follow controversy over UK agents’ alleged collusion with US counterparts using torture...
BBC – Brussels has said it would be "extremely concerned" if the defence group EADS was prevented from fairly bidding for a major US defence deal.Its comments came after pan-European EADS and US partner Northrop Grumman abandoned a bid for a $35bn (£23bn) mid-air refuelling aircraft contract. Northrop Grumman and EADS said the terms of the Pentagon tender "clearly favour" US aerospace giant Boeing. Boeing is now widely expected to win the contract for the aircraft. ‘Disappointed’The...
BBC – The Brazilian government has announced trade sanctions against a variety of American goods in retaliation for illegal US subsidies to cotton farmers.The World Trade Organization (WTO) approved the sanctions in a rare move. Brazil published a list of 100 US goods that would be subject to import tariffs in 30 days, unless the two governments reached a last-minute accord. It said it regretted the sanctions, but that eight years of litigation had failed to produce a result. It said it would...
BBC – Some of more than 1.5 million condolence letters sent to US President John F Kennedy’s widow after his death have been published for the first time.The poignant collection includes dozens from an 11-year-old girl from Texas, where Kennedy was shot, and others who wrote of their grief at his death. One child said her "tears wouldn’t stop", while a man wrote of his body "trembling at the terrible incident". Kennedy was assassinated on a visit to Texas with...
BBC – US Vice-President Joe Biden has said there is a "moment of real opportunity" for peace between the Palestinians and Israel during a visit to the region.Mr Biden said he hoped the agreement to begin indirect talks would be a vehicle by which both sides could "allay that layer of mistrust that has built up". He made the comments during meetings with Israeli leaders in Jerusalem. Hours before Mr Biden’s arrival, Israel enraged Palestinians by approving 112 new homes...
BBC – Northrop Grumman and its European partner EADS have pulled out of bidding for a $35bn (£23bn) US defence deal.The move should clear the way for Boeing to win the contract to supply the mid-air refuelling aircraft. But the European Commission has queried the tender process, amid concerns that foreign companies were being excluded. The EC said in a statement that it would be "extremely concerned" if the "terms of the tender were such as
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BBC – US President Barack Obama has criticised insurance firms for denying coverage to some and raising rates for their remaining customers.The attack comes as he engages in a last push to have Congress adopt his proposals to reform America’s mostly-private healthcare system. Healthcare has been a priority for Mr Obama but the legislation has been blocked by the Republican minority. More than 40 million Americans lack health insurance. Mr Obama said insurers calculated that it was more...
BBC – The US treasury department has eased sanctions on Iran, Cuba and Sudan to help further the use of web services and support opposition groups.US technology firms will now be allowed to export online services such as instant messaging and social networks. Companies had not offered such services for fear of violating sanctions. Opposition supporters in Iran used social networking sites and services to organise protests after the country’s disputed presidential poll last year. The...
BBC – Colombia’s Camilo Villegas maintained his advantage to win the Honda Classic at Palm Beach by five strokes.Villegas, who led by three overnight, shot his worst round of the week – a 68 – but still managed to claim his third PGA career win and first since 2008. The 28-year-old finished his round with a 15-foot birdie, with American Anthony Kim back in second on eight under. England’s Justin Rose was third on seven under after he equalled the course record with...
BBC – Kathryn Bigelow has become the first woman to win the best directing Oscar, as her Iraq war drama The Hurt Locker took six prizes, including best film."It’s the moment of a lifetime," said Bigelow – only the fifth woman to be nominated in Academy Awards history. She praised her fellow nominees "who have inspired me for decades", and paid tribute to those in the military. Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock won the top acting Oscars for their roles in Crazy Heart...
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