THE FLASHLIGHT, August 16-22, 2008

THE FLASHLIGHT
August 16-22, 2008
No Peace without Justice, no Justice without the Facts
Mary K. Matossian, Editor
mary@matossian.net, 9-M

Transcaucasia
CNN 8-15. Georgia signed truce with Russia. Widespread destruction in Tskhinvali, capital of South Ossetia. NYTimes 8-16. Russian signed truce with Georgia.

Iran

Tehran Times 8-18. Iran successfully launched its first communication satellite.

Turkey/Armenia

An-Nahar 8-17. In response to an invitation from the President of Armenia, Serzh Sarkisyan, to come for a visit, Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul said Turkey is “no enemy” to Armenia and that he is considering the invitation.
[Armenia proclaimed its independence from the defunct Soviet Union in 1991. In 1993, after Armenia seized some land in Azerbaijan that was heavily populated by Armenians, Turkey closed its border with Armenia.]

Syria/Lebanon

` An-Nahar 8-22. Lebanon decided to re-establish diplomatic ties with Syria.

Israel/Palestine

Haaretz 8-17. In exchange for the bodies of two Israeli soldiers, Israel released 200 Palestinian prisoners to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.


Israel/Lebanon

An-Nahar 8-20. In the event of a Hizbollah seizure of power in Lebanon, Israel threatened to hit all of Lebanon, including civilian targets everywhere.
An-Nahar 8-22. Hizbollah to Israel: Expect big surprises soon.

Pakistan

PBS 8-19. Musharraf resigned as President of Pakistan.

Health

Google News, Robert Johnson Foundation, 8-20. Since 1992, US adult obesity rates increased in all 50 states. In 28 states 25% of the adult population was obese. The highest rates for adults, over 30% obese, were in Mississippi, Alabama, and West Virginia. The adult obesity rate in California was 23.1%.