U.S. Senate confirms Leon Panetta to be Defense SecretaryJune 22, 2011 - 10:54 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Leon Panetta's nomination to be Defense Secretary, hailing his successes as CIA chief just as major challenges await him in Afghanistan and Libya. According to AFP, all 100 members of the Senate approved the nomination of Panetta, a rare move of unanimity for a federal government official. The incoming defense chief will have to oversee a troubled war in Afghanistan, the withdrawal of the remaining American troops from Iraq, and U.S. involvement in the NATO-led Libya campaign. But lawmakers hailed his role in tracking down and eliminating Osama bin Laden, killed in a dramatic U.S. commando raid last month deep in Pakistan. Partner news  Top stories Amy Elliott, chief administrative officer of the Oklahoma medical examiner's office, said 51 were confirmed dead. An Islamist insurgency, once confined largely to the republic of Chechnya, has spread across the North Caucasus in recent years. Earlier, at least five Azerbaijan soldiers were killed and six seriously injured when their vehicle rammed into a tree and overturned. Among its provisions are bans on child marriage and the traditional practice of selling and buying women to settle disputes.   Partner news |  Latest news Human Rights Watch: more Afghan women imprisoned for "moral crimes"  Human Rights Watch says many are jailed for running away from home, often from forced marriages or domestic violence.Benedict Cumberbatch’s Julian Assange biopic to open in Oct The drama centers on the relationship between Assange and Domscheit-Berg, which became increasingly fraught as WikiLeaks' influence grew.Disney greenlights new "Star Wars" animated series "Star Wars Rebels" takes place between the events of "Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" and "Episode IV: A New Hope".Shanghai Film Festival jury announced The fest announced that Oliver Stone will be receiving an Outstanding Achievement honorary award at the festival this year. |
