London, June 21.─ Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi asked for practical help in completing Burma's journey towards democracy, during a high-profile visit to London's Westminster Hall. The Nobel laureate addressed both houses of Britain's parliament.

Aung San Suu Kyi said Burma must grasp the opportunity it has for democracy. "It is an opportunity for which we have waited many decades," she said. "If we do not use this opportunity, if we do not get things right this time round, it may be several decades more before a similar opportunity arises again."

The Nobel laureate spoke at Westminster Hall, the 11th century venue typically reserved for heads of state. Read more ...

• Federal prosecutors say they uncovered an international money-laundering operation that moved millions in stolen Medicare dollars to Havana's banks
• Republic Bank in Trinidad (photo) had firm instructions on two of those accounts to wire all the money immediately into the Cuban banking system
• 70 medical company owners in South Florida submitted more than $374 million in claims to Medicare, and were reimbursed about $70 million
• The Institute for Cuban & Cubanamerican Studies denounced the scam & Cuban involvement early in 2011 ◄◄ click to see report
• Cuban analyst Maria Werlau said if the money indeed wound up in Cuba's national banking system, "it is almost impossible to conceive that anyone not in the pay of Cuban intelligence would pour millions into Cuban banks" ◄◄ click to see report

Miami, June 18.─ In an unprecedented case, federal prosecutors have charged a Miami man with engaging in a massive money-laundering operation that moved millions stolen from the federal Medicare program into Cuban banks.

Prosecutors say Oscar Sanchez, 46, was a key leader in a group that funneled $31 million in Medicare dollars into banks in Havana — the first such case that directly traces money fleeced from the beleaguered program into the Cuban banking system.

Read more ...

Supporters of Muslim Brotherhood's presidential candidate
Dr Mohammed Mursi celebrate in Cairo

Cairo, June 18 (AFP).─ Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood claimed victory in historic presidential polls here on Monday, hours after the ruling military council issued a constitutional document claiming sweeping power, including legislative control.

"Doctor Mohammed Mursi is the first Egyptian president of the republic elected by the people," read a tweet from the official Twitter account of the Freedom and Justice Party, the Brotherhood's political arm.

The party made the announcement after votes from nearly all Egypt's 13,000 polling stations had been counted.

Small Greenpeace boat tries to stop whaling in the South Atlantic

Phil Kline is heading a Greenpeace delegation to Panama as an official observer of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meetings just starting this Monday until July 6. He will personally deliver a message to the US delegation signed by all US citizens sposoring this petition. Citizens from other countries should approach their own delegations to this meeting.

Whales play an important role in the life of the oceans. As such, they serve as flagships for the health and well being of the whole marine ecosystem that in turn is supporting human life on Earth. 

Whales are quite simply one of the many gardeners of the oceans.