The ESL Free Press

"Holding Phase" in Marja

The "clearing phase" in the city of Marja is over, the U.S. military says. Now troops are in the "holding phase".

The fight to take back the city began thirteen days ago. Now, much of the city is controlled by Afghan and coalition troops. People are going back to their homes. Businesses are reopening.

However, Geoff Morell of the U.S. Defense Department says, "We're still losing troops." Roadside bombs are the greatest danger.

More Americans than Afghans have been killed or wounded. Morell says this is because Americans often take the more dangerous missions. Also, the enemy sees more value in killing them. However, Afghan soldiers are doing their part.

"They match us one for one on the ground," says Morell.

Source

Printable: Download holding phase in marja.pdf (19.9K)

Video from Marja

Man and Woman Go to Prison for Selling Illegal Insurance

Two people who ran an illegal car insurance business have been sentenced to prison. James S. Kalfsbeek got 10 years and Donna Jean Rowe got four.

They ran a business called "Puget's Sound Agricultural Society, Limited". PSASL charged people $500 to join, and $250 per car. It said it would pay them if they were in a car accident. But it said it didn't sell insurance.

Kalfsbeek and Ms. Rowe say the government has no authority over them. They are "sovereign citizens", part of a movement that rejects the rule of the U.S.

PSASL paid small claims, but not large ones. Many members who were in bad accidents were not able to get any money. Also, people who got into accidents with PSASL members got nothing. For example, a member hit a homeless man. He was badly injured. The man took PSASL to court. The judge ordered it to pay him $25,000. It gave him $6,000 -- not enough to pay his medical bills.

PSASL was banned in many states and two provinces of Canada.

The two were found guilty of mail fraud and other crimes.

Source

Printable:Download man and woman go to prison for selling illegal insurance.pdf (21.9K)

Links to February 26th's Top News Stories

The Supreme Court in Thailand is deciding what to do with the property of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. There are rumors this could lead to a coup. Read more.

The Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan met on Thursday. But they had trouble agreeing on which issues to discuss. Read more.

The Presidents of Iran and Syria, together, have spoken out against the U.S. and Israel. Read more.

A shopping mall in Dubai was cleared out because an aquarium full of sharks began leaking water. Read more.

This week's quiz

Find the answers in today's posts. There is a link to a printable version below.

1. What is the Afghan word for a meeting like the one in Marja?

2. List two things (good or bad) that are happening in Marja now.

3. How much money did Comcast lose from being hacked?

4. Who is Viktor Yanukovich?

5. Which two countries are meeting for the first time in two years?

Download quiz 2-25-10.pdf (13.0K)

Meetings in Marja

The city of Marja, Afghanistan, is trying to go back to peacetime life. 

The deputy governor, Haji Zahir, held a meeting called a "shura". Two hundred people came. They were given rice, beans, cooking oil, and sugar. Zahir promised to bring in more police, and to open clinics and stores.

Some new stores are already opening. They sell things like food, phones, and computers.

People who once lived in Marja are coming back. Many people have told the government they are displaced persons (they had to leave their homes because of the fighting).

There are still gunfights between soldiers and Taliban. Also, there are still many bombs planted beside roads. But people are warning the soldiers about these.

Source

Printable: Download meeting in marja.pdf (19.0K)

Hacker Pleads Guilty

A young man in Delaware, USA, has pleaded guilty to conspiring (planning with others) to disrupt the Comcast website.

Christopher Allen Lewis was a member of a group of hackers called Kryogenics, the court said. On May 28th, 2008, the charge said, he and two other members hacked into Comcast.net. They re-directed all its visitors to a site that had a message from them: “KRYOGENIKS Defiant and EBB RoXed COMCAST sHouTz to VIRUS Warlock elul21 coll1er seven.”

This happened to about five million people. Comcast lost about $128,000.

Lewis will be sentenced in May. The two other defendants have not gone to court yet.

Source

Printable: Download hacker pleads guilty.pdf (21.2K)

Links to February 25th's Top News Stories

Iran is trying to influence the elections in Iraq, the U.S. Secretary of State says. Read more.

India and Pakistan are meeting to talk. This is the first time since the Mumbai attacks in 2008. Read more.

Viktor Yanukovich has been sworn in as President of Ukraine. He says Ukraine must build up connections with more powerful countries. Read more.

iTunes has sold its 10 billionth song. Read more.

Military Trainers Needed in Afghanistan

Nine countries have already sent people to train Afghan soldiers -- and NATO is asking its members to send 2,000 more.

British Brigadier Simon Levey commands the training mission. He says Afghan soldiers will need schools where they can learn:

• weapons handling

• infantry (ground) fighting

• policing

• engineering

• health care

• signaling

• finance (managing money)

and many other skills.

The Afghan army is hoping to recruit (take in) 134,000 new soldiers. 

Source

Printable: Download Military Trainers Needed in Afghanistan.pdf (20.5K)

Housing Official Charged with Taking Bribes from Egyptian

A man who worked for the U.S. Army in Kuwait is charged with asking for and taking bribes (money for doing something wrong).

William Rondell Collins worked in the Army's housing office in Kuwait City. This office finds places for soldiers and government workers to live, away from their military bases.

A company owned by an Egyptian businessman did maintenance (repairs and other work) at these places. It had a contract to do this. The charge says Collins asked the owner to pay him $1400 a month to help him keep the contract. It says the owner did this five times. Collins is also charged with taking money from the businessman for other favors.

He is accused of asking for over $30,000 in all.

Source

Printable:Download Housing Official Charged with Taking Bribes from Egyptian.pdf (21.6K)