U.S. to investigate deadly NATO airstrike

Gen. James Mattis, head of U.S. Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the region, was expected by Monday to name an investigating officer to examine the incident, according to a defense official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

NATO has said it is conducting an investigation to determine the details of the Saturday airstrikes. The alliance has not commented on Pakistani claims the attacks killed 24 soldiers, but it has not questioned them.

A key question to be examined by the U.S. is who approved the airstrikes and why.

The attack could become the deadliest friendly fire incident against Pakistani troops since the war began a decade ago. It also raises serious questions about the extent of cooperation between supposed close allies in fighting terrorism.

"There's a lot of diplomacy that has to occur and it has to be tough diplomacy in the sense that they need to understand that our support for them financially is dependent upon their cooperation with us," said Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona, the Senate's No. 2 Republican.

Afghan officials say their soldiers called for help after being fired upon from the direction of Pakistani border posts. Pakistani authorities claim the airstrikes were unprovoked.

NATO officials previously have complained that insurgents fire from across the poorly defined frontier, often from positions close to Pakistani soldiers, who have been accused of tolerating or supporting them.

Obama pardons pair of gobblers for Thanksgiving

WASHINGTON (AP) – With a wave of his hand, President Obama on Wednesday gave two plump turkeys a Thanksgiving reprieve, noting that without his intervention, "they'd end up next to the mashed potatoes and stuffing."

The official national Thanksgiving turkey is a 19-week-old, 45-pound bird named Liberty. Its alternate, also spared, is a turkey of the same age and size named Peace.

Liberty sat calmly as Obama, accompanied by daughters Sasha and Malia, offered a blessing, his hand over the turkey's head. Obama said Liberty had the distinction of being . Obamas pay Thanksgiving visit to food bank
  

Obama jokingly cast his pardon as yet another of his "We Can't Wait" initiatives. "Recently, I've been taking a series of executive actions that don't require congressional approval," the president said. "Well, here's another one. We can't wait to pardon these turkeys."

In a more sober tone, Obama called on Americans to remember the meaning of Thanksgiving and to be mindful of those who have less.

Government offers to fly Border Agency staff home to work through strike

                                    

UK Border Agency staff in embassies across the world are being offered taxpayer-funded flights to Britain if they are willing to work at ports and airports in next week's strike against public sector pension reform.

Emails seen by the Guardian show the government has asked immigration officials from India, South Africa and Russia to return to the UK on Wednesday when thousands of their colleagues plan to take industrial action. Staff willing to return and cross a picket line would also be allowed to extend their stay to spend time with their families. The disclosure raises difficult questions for ministers on the use of taxpayers' money to help break a legal, union-backed strike.

Labour MPs expressed concern. David Winnick, a member of the home affairs committee, said: "Strike-breaking in any form is unacceptable and The government should be negotiating with the unions involved in a meaningful way." Khalid Mahmood, MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, said: "The government has made unforgivable errors with the agency that stem from cuts in resources and have led to unsafe borders. And so to cover for a legitimate strike, they are proposing to spend some of the public money they cut flying in staff. It is an absurd situation."

On 30 November, a month before the deadline for a deal between the government and union leaders on pension reform, up to three million public sector workers are likely to strike. Around 18,000 immigration officials are believed to be among them. Many more agency staff are posted via the Foreign Office to embassies as entry clearance and visa officers on secondments of two or three years.