November 17, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has enacted new rules changing the procedure for private aircraft to provide advance notice of their intended arrival or departure, and submit manifests of the persons on board. Private aircraft are defined as any aircraft, other than government or military, which are not engaged in carrying passengers or cargo for compensation. The new process is similar to the one currently in use by commercial aircraft and will standardize advance notice procedures for all CBP airports of entry.

 http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1226943980107.shtm

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November 17, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

The Iraqi Cabinet voted on 16 November 2008 on a pending agreement to lay the legal framework for the presence of U.S. forces in Iraq past 2008. The Cabinet approved the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), which establishes 31 December 2011 as the final date for U.S. forces to leave Iraq. Approximately 150,000 U.S. forces remain in Iraq at present, and under the agreement (which will take effect upon the expiration of a U.N. mandate on 31 December 2008) troops will be required to leave the streets of Iraqi cities by June 2009; Iraqi officials will also gain a significant amount of authority of U.S. troops and their movements. Negotiations over the agreement have been ongoing between U.S. and Iraqi officials since March 2008; the pact will now go to the Iraqi Parliament for approval. A vote has been scheduled for 24 November, and although many Iraqi groups support the pact, some are against it; at least one large Sunni group wants it to be put to a referendum, and Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr opposes it.

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November 17, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

Wildfires have caused significant disruptions throughout southern California since 13 November 2008. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared states of emergency in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Riverside and Orange Counties. Firefighters have not been able to fully contain fires in the towns of Anaheim, Corona, Yorba Linda and Brea. Approximately 50,000 people in the region have evacuated in recent days, though authorities lifted mandatory evacuation orders for approximately 25,000 people. The region’s Santa Ana winds weakened on 16 November, allowing authorities to launch an aerial firefighting effort that made some progress. The situation has resulted in a thick cloud of smoke over Los Angeles that has reduced visibility and air quality. Traffic has been disrupted on most highways at various points, though most freeways reopened late on 16 November. Metrolink train services between Los Angeles and Orange County have resumed.

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