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Sonatrach of Algeria tighten up security after attack

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Aljiers (Reuters)-energy giant Algeria, Sonatrach promised to reinforce security measures in its energy installations around the country after a deadly attack, against a complex gas fields in southern Algeria in January, according to national radio reports.

Abdelhamid Zerguine, CEO of Sonatrach, Sunday said, "we are reviewing all security measures in an effort to strengthen it. We submitted a proposal, and we will implement this new plan shortly thereafter in accordance with the regulations. "

He said the failure of security is not an armed security guard in the location of production at gas fields Tiguentourine, which was attacked by the guerrillas in mid-January.

"Internal regulations do not allow the presence of armed personnel. In the new proposal, we will ask for armed personnel to secure remote location, "said Zerguine, as reported by Xinhua.

On 16 January, the armed group has ties with Al Qaida attacked the Tiguentourine complex In Amenas, about 1,700 kilometres south-east of Algeria's capital city, Aljiers.

They kidnap as many as 800 workers from various countries, most of them were freed by the Algerian rescue operation in a few days afterward.

(C003)

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The Governor of Pakistan's security officers after the bombing kecam

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Hazara Shiite community following the funeral victim bomb blast in Quetta, Pakistan, Monday (14/1). (REUTERS/Naseer Ahmed)

Quetta, Pakistan (Reuters)-officials denouncing the security forces of Pakistan province on Sunday after the bombing of the Shia Hazara community, killing 80 people in the Northwest of the town, Quetta.

"The terrorist attacks on the Shia Hazara community in Quetta is password and security failure," said Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi, Governor of the province of Baluchistan, when organizing the hospital.

"We give freedom to the security to act against the terrorists and the Group hard, but Quetta incident happened," he said.

The number who perished as a result of the bombing on Saturday night rose to 80 people, with most of the victims were in the city's main bazaar, the capital of Baluchistan, near the border with Afghanistan.

Most of the dead were citizens of Hazara, Shia tribal groups. High security officials said that number could rise as 20 people were seriously injured.

The Pakistani Government, which is not favored over various issues, such as poverty and electricity outages, ahead of the election predicted in the coming months, increasingly hard pressed to pursue Sunni pegaris, who consider Shiites not a Muslim.

A spokesman for Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), Sunni, claimed responsibility for the bomb in Quetta, which is also causing casualties near the school and the computer center.

LeJ also stated was behind bombings in the past month in Quetta, which killed almost 100 people, one of the worst school attack in Pakistan.

Shia political institutions called for a strike in Quetta to denounce the latest massacre. Many shops and bazaars are closed. Relatives who were injured responding to a request by the hospital's blood.

Officials said Pakistan hard group password command bombings and shootings increase LeJ against Shiites to spark violence, which will pave the way for a Sunni theocracy in Pakistan, an ally of United States.

More than 400 people dead in Pakistan's Shiites in the past year, many of them by gunmen or bomb. Some hard-line Shiite group retaliated by killing Sunni clerics.

The split with Sunni Shia evolved after the Prophet Muhammad died in 632, when his followers disagree over his successor.
(B002/AK)

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The SECURITY COUNCIL condemnation of North Korea nuclear test

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South Korea's Foreign Minister Kim Sung-Hwan. (INTERMEDIATE)

United Nations (Reuters)-the Security Council of the United Nations (DK-UN), Tuesday, denounced the nuclear test North Korea carried out a third time and was determined to take action against Pyongyang.

"The members of the Security Council condemned vigorously these trials, which is a violation of the resolutions of the Security Council," said South Korea's Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan, told reporters, Reuters reported.

South Korea currently is President of the Security Council's monthly.

Sung-hwan says now DK-UN would consider taking "appropriate measures."

Non-binding statement was agreed to by all 15 members of the DK-UN.

United States Ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, said Washington and its allies want the Security Council passed a resolution that would "add to the sanctions"--who had previously been dropped atomic trials related by Pyongyang in 2006 and 2009.

The Council statement was agreed upon when he did, the trial closed the emergency dituanrumahi by South Korea.

The diplomat said the negotiations about new sanctions could run for weeks because China seems to reject the new measures over fears that new sanctions will lead to further reprisals by North Korea's leader.

Beijing also previously worrisome that heavier sanctions will weaken the economy and cause a flood of refugees fleeing North Korea North Korea to China.

United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia and China--the five permanent members of the 15-Member Council of State--denounced the latest nuclear test by Pyongyang.

It's called trial supervisory international nuclear test in Vienna as approximately two times larger than North Korea had done in 2009.

U.s. President Barack Obama said the "dangers of threatening activities that North Korea conducted a guarantee for taking further action that is rapid and assured by the international community."

Obama will deliver the annual State of the Union Speech on Tuesday night.

Diplomats say North Korea may indeed choose to blow up the Atomic Sealsa day because Pyongyang usually do such measures on important days in the calendar.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Tuesday called North Korea's Ambassador to China to deliver a protest against its latest nuclear test by North Korea.

Who said China "strongly dissatisfied and resolutely opposed" the test.

A number of diplomats from member countries of the Security Council said that the u.s. and its allies will attempt to embody the overthrow sanctions heavier than just extending the sanctions currently applied after a nuclear test by Pyongyang in 2006 and 2009.

There is no clarity about what steps, if any, that will be supported by China.

Diplomats say China's delegation at the meeting pointed out that his country closed there is the possibility of supporting a new Security Council resolution is a matter of North Korea but does not specify which aspects will they support. (T008/AK)

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France: Paris talks centered on security of Libya

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Laurent Fabius (INTERMEDIATE/REUTERS)

Despite the goodwill and talent of its leaders, there is not enough security in Libya. "

Paris (Reuters)-France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius on Sunday said talks with Libya antarpejabat high Western diplomats in Paris this week will be centered on security issues following the overthrow of Moamar Gaddafi.

"Despite the goodwill and talent of its leaders, there is not enough security in Libya," Fabius said on BFM Television ahead of the talks on Tuesday, reported AFP.

"Meeting on Tuesday aiming to help them control their borders, to give them support in order to prevent the arms moving in all directions," he said.

Fabius will join in the talks along with the Abkhaz from Libya, Mohamed Abdulaziz, the Foreign Minister of the United Kingdom, Italy, Denmark, Turkey and Malta as well as high officials from Libya.

Senior diplomats from other countries will also take part. The Conference will be followed by the visit of the Prime Minister of Libya Ali Zeidan to Paris, Wednesday, to meet with President Francois Hollande.

Efforts to revive the economy will also be discussed, Libya when Libya some Ministers met on Monday evening with the head of France's business.

Diplomatic sources said the talks were a result of serious concerns over the security of Libya, including a flood of weapons from storage places Gaddafi across the region since the collapse of the regime's leaders.

"The bad news is that there is a real security risk in Libya, the good news is that Libya is not in denial. They want us to offer solutions on them, "said one diplomatic source.

The guerrillas who ruled Mali last year was one of a number of parties are believed to benefit from looting the Armory Gaddafi. (G003/B002)

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Despite Job Security, Federal Workers Gripe About Pay

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AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Some federal workers just can't be pleased. Despite avoiding the massive layoffs, pay cuts, and harsh benefit reductions suffered by private sector workers, Uncle Sam's workforce is less satisfied with their pay than last year and generally less satisfied with their jobs than nonfederal workers, according to an Obama administration new survey.

In the new Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, a minority of bureaucrats said they are satisfied with their bosses and believe they have the opportunity to get a better job.

[See who will benefit from the slowing economy.]

But not all of the news is bad. "One clear finding: federal employees continue to be dedicated to their jobs and to accomplishing their missions. Employees are willing to give extra effort, are looking for ways to do their jobs better, and believe their work is important," said Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry.

Unlike private employers and state and local governments, the Obama administration has not responded to the mounting deficit and sinking economy with job cuts. The administration did levy a pay freeze, but it did not freeze pay increases called for in union contracts or limit the check-fattening "step increases" employees are eligible for. Currently, 459,016 of the government's 2.14 million workers make at least $100,000 in average base salary, according to OPM. [See political cartoons about the economy.]

Still, the employee survey logged a decrease in pay satisfaction. While 65.8 of the federal workforce said last year that they were satisfied with their pay, this year it dropped to 62. 5 percent with just 18.3 percent saying that they are "very satisfied" with their pay check. Nearly 6 percent of the 253,704 employees who answered the survey said that they are "very dissatisfied" with their pay. [Check out the new U.S. News Weekly iPad app.]

When compared to the views of workers in the private sector federal workers aren't as satisfied in many areas either. While there is parity in job satisfaction, federal workers, for example, feel that they aren't as challenged to do things better than private workers. And less federal workers are satisfied with their organization than are private workers.

As for which departments have the happiest employees, State led among the biggest cabinet departments. According to the OPM, the top 10 agencies with the higest job satisfaction are:

1. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

2. National Aeronautics and Space Administration

3. Department of State

4. Social Security Administration

5. Federal Trade Commission

6. National Credit Union Administration

7. Office of Personnel Management

8. Court Services & Offender Supervision Agency

9. Department of Justice

10. Department of the Treasury

5 Ways to Reform Social Security

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AppId is over the quota

In an economy this weak, no news is good news.

New Census data shows that from 2007 to 2010, median household incomes dropped for every age group except people 65 and older, for whom it actually grew 5.5 percent since the period before the recession. But a Census Bureau official also tells U.S. News that data suggest that household income may be on the rise due to seniors "doubling up"—combining households with other family members or individuals—not to mention the many older Americans who have been forced to delay retirement and are still working.

[Read about the president's job-creation ideas.]

Given the fiscal challenges facing both the federal government and America's large and growing population of seniors, it's no wonder why the program is a hot-button issue. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office's 2011 long-term budget outlook, the program's trust fund is projected to be insolvent as early as 2036. Meanwhile, the Census Bureau reported this week that 13.8 million Americans 65 and older would be below the poverty threshold if it weren't for income from Social Security. Many seniors rely heavily on the program: 43 percent of unmarried Social Security recipients get 90 percent of their income from the Social Security, whose average monthly payout for an individual retiree as of December 2010 was $1,176, making for an annual payout of $14,112.

Republican presidential candidates have begun touching the so-called "third rail" of America politics, none more forcefully than Texas Gov. Rick Perry who has branded it a Ponzi scheme. However, candidates' assertions that the system needs to change outnumber concrete ideas about reforming the system. This is understandable, as every potential solution seems to carry with it a heavy economic or political price tag. Below are a few of the more common ways to reform Social Security and the risks, political and economic, they bring.

[Read about how the Fed might try to grow the economy.]

Switching the Cost Of Living Calculation

Currently, Social Security's cost of living adjustment is determined by using the traditional Consumer Price Index. The "chained" CPI, however, attempts to reflect how consumers change their spending habits in response to price changes—buying chicken when the price of steak goes up, for example. While this will mean smaller benefits, it could particularly hurt older beneficiaries.

"The very fact that it raises money shows that less money is going to people," says Monique Morrissey, an economist at the liberal Economic Policy Institute. "The oldest old tend to be the poorer population in Social Security."

Means-Testing

It sounds like an easy fix—shift money from the wealthiest retirees to the recipients who need it most—but in the long run, the politics of means-testing might jeopardize the program's popularity. Making Social Security more redistributive takes away from one of its basic premises: that workers who pay in more over their working lifetimes get more out of it in retirement. Viard says that means-testing is unpalatable on two levels: "That's a penalty on saving, so I think that makes it economically undesirable. [And] it makes Social Security look like a welfare program, which is politically unappealing." Morrissey agrees that such a change would hurt the system's wide approval. "The political problem is that, historically, programs that become focused on low-income workers eventually shrink. Social Security's strength is that it's universal," she says.

Raising the Retirement Age

Proponents of this solution point out that life expectancies have grown, meaning that beneficiaries receive benefits for longer and thus can and should also work longer. Raising the eligibility age for full benefits is a solution that makes logical sense but could mean hardship for some. "Some people have easy jobs that they really love, and some people have jobs that they don't want to do at 68 years old," like assembly line work, says David Shulman, senior economist at UCLA's Anderson Forecast. Morrissey points out that raising the retirement age thus means a benefit cut for many, as workers are first eligible for benefits—albeit reduced—at 62. "[Raising the normal retirement age] doesn't directly in any way affect when people retire; it just reduces how much they get at any given age," she says.

After 9/11, Immigration Became About Homeland Security

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AppId is over the quota

The morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Angela Maria Kelley remembers driving past the Pentagon on her way to an immigration policy meeting on Capitol Hill. She'd heard on NPR that a plane had crashed into one of the World Trade Center towers in New York City, but like the rest of the nation at that point, Kelley had no idea about the magnitude of what was going on.

Kelley, then deputy director of the immigrant-rights organization National Immigration Forum, was on her way to meet with congressional staffers on putting together policies to reflect recent collaboration by President George W. Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox—the two leaders planned to work together on border security, anti-drug trafficking measures, and a path to legalization for undocumented Mexican immigrants living in the United States. Fox had addressed a joint session of Congress five days earlier, a symbol of the growing cooperation between the nations.

[Read more about immigration reform.]

Kelley recalls waiting in then Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's office reception area along with his staffers and aides from Sen. Ted Kennedy's and House Minority Leader Rep. Richard Gephardt's staffs, waiting to start the meeting.

But the news trickled in: A plane hit the Pentagon, another hit the second tower in New York, and an additional plane was missing. Capitol Police evacuated the building.

Kelley, now vice president for immigration policy and advocacy at the left-leaning Center for American Progress, says that immigration meeting was never rescheduled. "We just shifted topics," Kelley explains, to deal with tightening up nonimmigrant visas for students and businesses—the sort of visas the 9/11 terrorists had used. "It redirected the conversation with such ferociousness because of the completely understandable concerns in the wake of such a horrible tragedy," she says, explaining that the policy discussions were dominated by enforcement, pushing the previous priorities to the back burner. "But it took it into a space that made it difficult for a long time."

News that the hijackers had entered the country legally through the U.S. visa process—and that a few had overstayed visas and were in the country illegally—led to a string of laws to tighten the visa process and other restrictions on immigrants. The concept of immigration was suddenly viewed through the lens of "homeland security," a newly ubiquitous term, and the debate swung heavily toward enforcement and prevention, accompanied by a heightened rhetoric of fear.

[Read more about national security, terrorism, and the military.]

Latin Americans and National Security

Latin Americans had nothing to do with 9/11: The terrorists did not use the southwestern U.S. border, and all were from the Middle East. But since, according to Pew Hispanic Center, the vast majority of unauthorized immigrants come from Latin America and the largest group of U.S. foreign-born residents are from Mexico, when America's spotlight focused on immigration enforcement, that spotlight was shining on them.

Before the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it seemed likely a path to legal status was in the cards for Mexicans in the country illegally. Just five years earlier, in 1997, the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act gave a way for some illegal immigrants from Nicaragua, Cuba, El Salvador, and Guatemala to gain permanent resident status. In 1998, the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act did the same for Haitians. Opponents, who called these actions "amnesties," were already working to build opposition, but for those advocating a pathway to citizenship, hopes were high.

For Roy Beck, president of Numbers USA, which advocates limiting immigration overall, this new focus on enforcement was a relief since it changed a growing pattern of legalization legislation. "There have been zero amnesties passed since 9/11," he says. "It may be that 9/11 did change the environment so that it became harder for Congress to continue to pass an amnesty every couple years."

Hacked security firm to shut down

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A report into the DigiNotar hack found a "severe breach" of the firm's network Dutch security firm DigiNotar has filed for voluntary bankruptcy following a series of attacks by a hacker.

The attackers penetrated DigiNotar's internal systems and then issued fake security certificates so they could impersonate web firms.
The certificates are believed to have been used to eavesdrop on the Google email accounts of about 300,000 people.
The hacker behind the attacks claims to have penetrated four other firms that issue security certificates.
No tears
DigiNotar's parent company Vasco Data Security said the firm had been put into voluntary bankruptcy. A trustee for the business has been appointed who will oversee the winding up of DigiNotar.
The scale of the attack on DigiNotar began to be uncovered on 19 July when the firm said it first found evidence of an intrusion. It started to revoke certificates and an investigation was carried out to find out how much damage had been done.
An initial report found that hundreds of fake certificates had been issued and hackers had almost total access to DigiNotar's network.
The security certificates it and many other firms issue act as a guarantee of identity so people can be sure they are connecting to the site they think they are.
The fake certificates DigiNotar revoked were for some of the biggest net firms including Google, Facebook, Twitter and Skype.
It is thought the fake certificates for Google were used in Iran to peep at the email accounts of about 300,000 people.
Soon after discovering the attack, DigiNotar stopped issuing certificates altogether. Once wound up its business and assets will be folded into Vasco.
"We are working to quantify the damages caused by the hacker's intrusion into DigiNotar's system and will provide an estimate of the range of losses as soon as possible, " said Vasco in a statement.
It added that its network and systems remained separate from DigiNotar and, as a result, "there is no risk for infection of Vasco's strong authentication business".
Writing on the Sophos blog, Graham Cluley said few people would shed tears over the closure.
"The firm lost all trust when it was discovered that it had known that it had suffered a security breach weeks before coming clean about the problem," he said.

Jets of military security escort flight to NYC after reported disruption

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Published September 11, 2011| Associated Press

Two aircraft escorted hunting a flight bound for the New York American Airlines in Los Angeles after three passengers locked themselves in the bathroom Sunday, the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, said responsible.

An official of the implementation of said law it was not considered as terrorism, and spokesperson for the American Airlines Tim Smith said, "In our eyes, it's a big nothing."

The North American Aerospace Defense Command scrambled two jets of F-16 shadow flight 34 up to what it is is put safely at the airport Kennedy of New York at 16: 10 (2010 GMT) Sunday, the Transportation Security Administration said in a news release.

The nature of the incident was not clear, but passengers themselves locked in the bathroom, and were still inside when the plane landed, said the official law enforcement. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to Associated Press provided anonymity.

Application of the Act met the flight and will interview the passengers, the statement of TSA said. The FBI responded to the airport.

The jets stopped flying approximately 100 miles (160 kilometers) West of New York and she shadowed until it landed, said John Cornelio, a spokesman for the North American Aerospace Defense Command. He described the precautionary measure.

Smith said a "security concern" has been brought to the attention of the airline, but the captain of the aircraft never declared any sort of threat to security and is never requested assistance under the Act.

He said the crew used "standard procedures" to evaluate the circumstances and the aircraft landed as planned.

New York was in a State of security after federal officials received credible tip but not corroborated a conspiracy of the car bomb on the anniversary of New York or Washington.

Security in NYC, DC match to the middle of the threat of terror "credible".

4:08 AM Unknown No comments

Member of the Committee on Homeland Security on the flight cancelled after security breach

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Published September 07, 2011| FoxNews.com

A flight from Dallas to Washington was cancelled after a passenger reported that two other passengers were acting suspiciously.

Rep. Blake Farenthold, R - TX., Member of the Committee on Homeland Security was on flight scheduled and said Fox News, the crew had delays repeated ten minutes before police officers boarded the aircraft to remove the suspects.

Farenthold said his wife called his attention to men and that the other passengers had informed flight attendant on their suspicious behavior.

The suspects were reportedly loose fitting clothes of the runway and Farenthold, said one of them had a printer to the computer.

He said that he heard that one of the passengers had put a bag in the compartment in first class, and that another passenger had complained, which prompted flight attendant to talk about the pilot.

The Member of Congress, said the pilot announced that there was a violation of security and needed to get off the aircraft to return by screening passengers.

Farenthold called his Office then notified the TSA was a member of the Congress on board. He was then escorted the aircraft.

Farenthold said that although press reports can say that the incident is not a big problem, when you are sitting on a plan a few days before 9/11 and there is a breach of security, "certainly gives you an alarm clock."

He said he suspects that everyone is more guard that they would normally be, and that this experience will make him change his behavior to be more alert.

Federal officials say that they spoke with the two passengers and released without charge.

There are 140 passengers aboard the American Airlines flight to the Airport International of Dallas-Fort Worth on Wednesday.

The airline, said that all passengers had been set on flights later in Washington.

Fox News Chad Pergram, and Associated Press contributed to this report.