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Afghanistan
McChrystal: Let militants quit ‘with dignity’ The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan says that the coming 18 months should be used to convince the Taliban they can't win and offer militants a way to quit "with dignity." U.N. Officials Say American Offered Plan to Replace Karzai As fraud surfaced in the Afghan election, the No. 2 U.N. official in the country proposed enlisting the White House in a plan to replace Hamid Karzai. Many fear Taliban will wait out U.S. troop presence Karzai says he would talk to Taliban chief Congress to probe ‘US funding of Taliban’ A House committee has launched an investigation into claims that US military contractors in Afghanistan are paying the Taliban to guarantee the safety of their transportation convoys, an allegation that could mean American taxpayers are indirectly funding the insurgency How to Pay Off Afghan Warlords Taliban lets Red Cross visit detainees U.S. Training Commander Reports Burst in Afghan Recruiting Iraq Baghdad bombs kill 127 as Iraq vote is set The four car bombs in the capital are seen as intended to undermine faith in the political process. Key adviser: U.S. did not expect to stabilize Iraq American troops did not expect to play a role in stabilizing Iraq after overthrowing Saddam Hussein, a key adviser to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Monday. Pakistan U.S.-born militant: Al-Qaida not behind killings Al-Qaida issued a new English-language video denying it was behind a series of bombings in Pakistan that have killed hundreds of civilians, calling such attacks un-Islamic At least 46 killed in Pakistan bombings Two explosions at a market in Lahore kill at least 36 and injure more than 100; many of the victims are women and children. In Peshawar, a suicide bomber kills 10 people outside a courthouse. Pakistan's president gives up control of nuclear weapons Zardari, widely unpopular, says he plans to transfer other powers too to the directly elected prime minister. The move comes as an amnesty that shielded him against corruption charges expires. Blackwater' men nabbed, released (Pakistan) FBI investigates 'US arrests' in Pakistan The FBI is investigating the arrest in Pakistan of five suspected US nationals for possible extremist links. The men were held in a raid on a house in Sarghoda in eastern Punjab province, Pakistan's US embassy told the BBCn Police: Five U.S. citizens detained in Pakistan Asia China, India helped draft controversial 'Copenhagen Agreement,' insider says A person with deep knowledge of the negotiations says many developing countries knew in advance about the climate-change provisions they now are publicly protesting. Japan to give US base relocation plan next week Japan's prime minister said Wednesday that he hopes to meet with President Barack Obama next week to offer his proposals on the relocation of a major American military base in Okinawa New Gas Pipeline From Central Asia Feeds China The natural gas conduit will provide the first major alternative to exporting gas through Russia. |
Middle East Turkey's Top General Lashes Out At Circles Showing Terrorist Attacks As False-Flag Operations "I am calling on those who are waging a psychological warfare on the Turkish Armed Forces, your stance, and your path are wrong," Basbug told a press conference Thursday on board the TGC Orucreis Frigate in Trabzon. ABC: Obama Ordered U.S. Strikes That Killed Terrorists In Yemen CIA working with Palestinian security agents...Report: CIA Backing PA Forces in Torture of Hamas Prisoners Israeli Police Officer Beaten, Seriously Injured By Settlers Angry settlers beat and seriously injured a female Israeli police officer Tuesday, police said, as she tried to enforce a government ban on new housing construction in Jewish West Bank settlements. Israel condemns mosque attack Jewish settlers suspected in hate graffiti, burning of holy books.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday condemned the desecration of a mosque in a village in the occupied West Bank by suspected Jewish settlers. Pro-government militiamen attack protesting students at two Tehran universities Pro-government Basiji militiamen stormed the campuses of two Tehran universities Tuesday and attacked hundreds of protesting students, and Iran's chief prosecutor vowed to come down harder than ever on peaceful demonstrators he described as a threat to the nation's security. Burning of Ayatollah Khomeini's picture sparks uproar in Iran Iran Test-Fires Advanced Missile Capable Of Reaching Israel, Europe Iran accuses U.S. and Saudis of kidnapping a nuclear scientist Iran has also alleged that the U.S. and Israel abducted a Defense Ministry official who disappeared in 2006. In both incidents, there are suspicions that the missing men defected to the West. Iranian Foreign Ministry: Saudi Arabia Extradited Iranian Nuclear Scientist To U.S. Europe Italy cops seize $330 million in mob assets Italian police have broken up a major mafia clan, issuing 83 arrest warrants and seizing businesses, land, race horses and a London-based online betting company, officials said. Abkhazia presidential election opens A presidential election has begun in Abkhazia, the first poll in the breakaway Georgian region since Russia recognised its independence last year. All five candidates support strong ties with Moscow Nearly 1,000 arrested at climate protests...Using Controversial Law, Danish Police Preemptively Arrest Over 1,000 Protesters Africa Bush birth control policies helped fuel Africa's baby boom The Americas Mexico forces kill drug lord Beltran Leyva Chile judge: Ex-president was murdered; 6 charged A Chilean judge ruled Monday that former President Eduardo Frei Montalva was assassinated nearly 30 years ago and his killing covered up by people linked to the dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet. Six people were charged in the case. Jailing of judge provokes debate in Venezuela The NAACP's Connecticut branch wants a federal review of the case in which an all-white jury exonerated a white Hartford detective who fatally shot an unarmed black teenager. |
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US Headlines |
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Headley helping FBI to avoid death penalty? Pakistani-origin US
national David Coleman Headley, a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operative
charged with criminal conspiracy in the 26/11 terror attacks, now
appears to have turned into an informant for the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) to avoid death penalty. Headley, 49, was
arrested on October 3 by the FBI and has been charged for being
involved in the Mumbai terror attacks, in which 166 people were
killed.
Mumbai terror suspect David Headley was ‘rogue US secret agent’ A key terror suspect who allegedly helped to plan last year’s attacks in Mumbai and plotted to strike Europe was an American secret agent who went rogue, Indian officials believe. Why are David Headley's visa papers missing? How did terror suspect David Headley get a visa to India? What documents did he provide to establish his identity? Uncovering this will be tough since it’s now official that Headley’s papers have gone missing from the Indian Consulate in Chicago which granted Headley his visa. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao has written to the Consulate asking for an explanation. New Orleans Police Shot 10 Civilians, 4 Of Whom Died, After Katrina, New Probe Finds FCC questions Verizon about doubling fee Federal regulators are asking Verizon Wireless why it recently doubled the fees it charges customers when they break their contracts on some of their phones. Fox-backed anti-healthcare reform seniors group exposed as conservative front 9/11 hero convicted in WTC cleanup fraud Sept. 11 made a hero of Mark Jakubek, lauded for his key role in rescuing two people from an elevator in one of the burning World Trade Center towers. But the aftermath of the attacks became a forum for his crimes. Oklahoma Abortion Law 'Invasive,' Critics Say A new Oklahoma law requires any woman seeking an abortion to first answer dozens of personal questions — information that would be posted on a state Web site. Abortion rights advocates, who are challenging the law in court, say it would have a chilling effect on women considering the procedure. Houston Is Largest City to Elect Openly Gay Mayor Supreme Court Rejects Guantanamo Detainees' Torture Case The Supreme Court has refused to take up an appeal from former Guantanamo Bay detainees who say they were tortured and denied religious rights. U.S. To Settle Indian Trust Lawsuit The U.S. government will settle a long-running lawsuit against the Interior Department over its management of Indian assets held in trust. The settlement of more than $3 billion would award each of the Native American plaintiffs about $1,000 each. It would also establish a scholarship fund for Indian students Intelligence Improperly Collected on U.S. Citizens Documents released Wednesday show several cases in which the Department of Homeland Security improperly collected information about citizens or lawful residents Terrorists, Crooks Allowed to Keep FAA Pilot's Licenses That Tap Water Is Legal but May Be Unhealthy The federal law regulating tap water is so out of date that the water Americans drink can pose serious health risks. Fugitive worked for Homeland Security Prosecutors don't understand how a fugitive wanted in New Jersey worked for the Homeland Security Department in Georgia despite a nationwide alert for her arrest. 1 in 6 Americans have had swine flu; 10,000 died Swine flu has sickened about 50 million Americans, and killed about 10,000, according to new estimates released by federal health officials on Thursday. EconomySaudi oil minister says oil is at ‘perfect’ price Treasury: Foreclosure Program Has Only Helped 31,000 Borrowers Disaster and Denial - NYTimes.com America emerged from the Great Depression with a tightly regulated banking system. The regulations worked: the nation was spared major financial crises for almost four decades after World War II. But as the memory of the Depression faded, bankers began to chafe at the restrictions they faced. And politicians, increasingly under the influence of free-market ideology, showed a growing willingness to give bankers what they wanted. Wall Street's a casino, so maybe state gambling laws apply Sen. Maria Cantwell wants to use state gambling laws to regulate parts of Wall Street, saying someone needs to police financial markets where "casino capitalism" involving highly speculative trades she likens to sophisticated betting continue unabated and threaten to create yet another financial crisis. Drug money saved banks in global crisis, claims UN advisor OPEC head backs Saudi compensation claims over lost oil revenues Oil producing countries wants compensation as developed countries move away from oil towards greener energy sources [The Media Line]. |
Raw Story acquires internal Bush
admin. email passing bogus rumor about Gore, Bin Laden Soros: Finance gap could 'wreck' climate talks The $10 billion a year proposed by rich nations to help the poor adapt to climate change is "not sufficient," American billionaire George Soros said Thursday. States With No Death Penalty Share Lower Homicide Rates GOP convention docs ordered released Judge: NYPD must release 2,000 pages of documents on protestors from '04. Politics Toxic Swaps Approved By Larry Summers Cost Harvard Almost $1 Billion Obama Blasts Banks For Opposing Reform: 'People On Wall Street Still Don't Get It' Massive military funding bill OK'd $636B boost; 'War bonds' plan?; France may send more troops; Russia too? Analysis of Conference Agreement on the Fiscal Year 2010 Defense Appropriations Bill (H.R. 3326)3326 Kucinich panel to investigate Citigroup tax ruling A House subcommittee said Thursday that it will investigate the Treasury Department's decision to change a long-standing law so that Citigroup could keep billions of dollars in tax breaks. IRS Gives Citigroup Massive $38 Billion Tax Break To 'Wean' It Off First Bailout Hundreds’ hired to hunt offshore tax evaders A Internal Revenue Service unit set up to catch rich tax cheats hiding their wealth through complex business entities is rapidly taking shape with the hiring of hundreds of employees. BRITAIN SLAPS WINDFALL TAX ON FAT BANK BONUSES...Meanwhile: AIG Still Hasn't Paid Back The Bonuses That Sparked Outrage GM Will Pay Back Gov't Loan...With Gov't Money? TARP bailout extended 10 months The controversial $700 billion federal bailout program will be extended through Oct. 3, 2010, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner said Wednesday Beyond Right And Left: McCain, Cantwell To Propose Resurrecting Glass-Steagall More than a year after the election, the Arizona Republican is looking to repair that reputation by joining up with Democratic firebrand Maria Cantwell to propose something that will be anathema to both Wall Street and the Obama administration. According to two congressional sources, the two maverick senators want to reinstate Glass-Steagall Act, the Depression-era law that forced the separation of regular commercial banking from Wall Street investment banking. Senate rejects low-cost drug imports...Roll Call: How they voted on drug imports plan Senate Bill Provision Creates Private Industry Rationing: Reform Advocate Millions Of Missing Emails From Bush White House Found...Emails Are From 'CIA Leak' Cover-Up Period....Docs Suggest Bush WH Failed to Search for Libby's "Missing" Emails Subpoenaed in CIA Leak Probe U.S. Study: 1 in 5 Lost Health Insurance in Past Year Report: Senate Dems cede Medicare buy-in...CNN source: 'It's what the White House wants ANALYSIS SHOWS 135,000 UNINSURED WILL DIE BEFORE HEALTH REFORM TAKES EFFECT... Howard Dean: “Kill The Senate Bill” In a blow to the (health care reform) bill grinding through the Senate, Howard Dean bluntly called for the bill to be killed in a pre-recorded interview set to air later this afternoon, denouncing it as “the collapse of health care reform in the United States Senate,” the reporter who conducted the interview tells me. Dean said the removal of the Medicare buy-in made the bill not worth supporting Dean: Bill is insurance firms' dream....Howard Dean: Health Care Bill 'Bigger Bailout for the Insurance Industry Than AIG' Democrats: Private Medicare plans waste billions Private health insurance companies that offer alternative Medicare coverage funnel billions of dollars toward company profits and marketing efforts rather than to patien SEC: Ex-New Century execs misled investors Federal regulators on Monday accused three former top executives of collapsed mortgage lender New Century Financial Corp. of fraud, saying they misled investors as the company's subprime loan business was failing in 2006
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Connecticut |
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Cancer Survivor Jane Hamsher Petitions Cancer Foundation To Cut Ties
With Lieberman's Wife Lieberman Rules Out Voting for Health Bill In a surprise setback for Democrats, Senator Joseph I. Lieberman said he would vote against the health care bill in its current form Rich getting richer? Particularly in Connecticut If you're feeling like the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, you may be on to something. Especially if you live in Southern Connecticut. Joe Lieberman Humiliates Himself LIEBERMAN'S FLIP-FLOP ...WATCH: Lieberman Endorsed Medicare Compromise 3 Months AgoLieberman: Liberal Enthusiasm Convinced Me To Oppose Medicare Buy-In Shays’ former campaign manager faces numerous charges The campaign manager for former U.S. Rep. Chris Shays pleaded not guilty Friday to charges that he embezzled about $250,000 in campaign funds Conn. power plant agrees to pay $300,000 fine Connecticut environmental regulators say the operators of a Bridgeport power plant have agreed to pay a nearly $300,000 penalty for allegedly exceeding pollution limits and underreporting emissions. |
Former cop cleared in shootings A retired police officer was acquitted Tuesday of manslaughter and assault
for shooting two unarmed men, angering the
victims’ families and prompting a call for
peace from the city’s mayo Census opens office, calls for cooperation Tuition Hike Coming for State University Students The CSUS Board of Trustees voted Thursday to raise tuition at all four state universities. Online Smokers, the State Wants You If you are one of the more than 900 Connecticut residents who bought cigarettes on the Internet without paying state sales tax, state officials are looking for you. NAACP seeks fed review of Conn. teen's shooting Over two dozen dead in Pak. blast Powerful car bomb rips through busiest shopping market in Khosa. Connecticut Dem Congresswoman Calls For Joe Lieberman Recall“ No individual should hold health care hostage, including Joe Lieberman, and I’ll say it flat out, I think he ought to be recalled,” Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) told POLITICO. Smart’ Electric Utility Meters, Intended to Create Savings, Instead Prompt Revolt Customers in California are in open revolt, and officials in Connecticut and Texas are questioning whether the rush to install meters benefits the public. |
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| United States | ||
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Tipsters in Moussaoui case still quarreling over FBI reward
The FBI has belatedly awarded $100,000
to a former Minnesota flight school
manager whose phone tip eight years ago
led to the arrest of al Qaida
conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui, but the
bureau gave nothing to a man widely
credited as a second tipster.
Security Issues 800,000 US swine flu shots recalled Routine tests show lots for children had lost potency, says CDC in health alert. Pentagon, CIA Eye New Threat: Climate Change For the first time, Pentagon planners in 2010 will include climate change among the security threats identified in its list of priorities. But the new attention to climate concerns does not mean the Pentagon and CIA have taken sides in the debate over the validity of data on global warming. NYT: U.S., Russia open talks on cyberwar limits The United States has begun talks with Russia and a United Nations arms control committee about strengthening Internet security and limiting military use of cyberspace. TSA to Conduct Full Review After Leak of Sensitive Information ...TSA puts 5 on leave after security manual hits Internet...Five Transportation Security underlings put on leave after airport screening files posted online....US Lawmakers Want to Criminalize Whistleblower Sites Over TSA LeakFemale vets face homelessness, dearth of services The $15,000 that former Army Pvt. Margaret Ortiz had in the bank when she left Iraq is long gone, spent on alcohol and cocaine. Did US group raise funds for Hamas? Congressman Brad Sherman urges probe into NGO he suspects raised terror group funds on campuses. Toyota expands recall to target gas pedals in 4 million vehicles Feds: Pa. Firm Gamed Visa Program, Stockpiling Work Visas For Landscaping, Construction Jobs A Pennsylvania staffing company gamed the nation's visa program by obtaining hundreds of work visas under names culled from a Mexican phonebook and supplying the paperwork to illegal immigrants Courts Chicago Area Wal-Mart Warehouse Workers Announce Wage Theft Lawsuit Workers at a Wal-Mart warehouse in Chicago are announcing a class action lawsuit today alleging that a temporary staffing agency is in essence stealing wages. Hyundai must pay $8 million in accident case, judges rule In a suit over the backward collapse of a front seat in a crash, the automaker had withheld evidence of other such incidents from the plaintiff's lawyers, the Washington state Supreme Court finds. Judge dismisses charge against Broadcom co-founder federal judge this afternoon threw out the guilty plea of Broadcom Corp. co-founder and billionaire Henry Samueli and dismissed the charge against him of lying to investigators in a stock options backdating probe. Buckley kin accuse dad of tapping trust fund Six children of the sister of the late conservative columnist William F. Buckley are accusing their father in a lawsuit of stealing money from a trust fund their mother set up for them with some of the Buckley family fortune. Are Workers' Text Messages Private? Supreme Court Will Decide
Supreme Court throws out Korean war veteran's death sentence
The Supreme Court on Monday threw out a death sentence for a
decorated Korean War veteran, ruling for the first time that
combat stress must be considered by a jury before it hands down
the harshest punishment.
Education 4-Year-Old Texas Boy Suspended For Long Locks Racial Tensions Grow Violent At Philly High School Asian-American Tensions Dozens of Asian and Asian-American Philadelphia high school students are back in the classroom following an eight-day boycott. The students mobilized to demonstrate their frustration after being targeted in a series of violent, racially-charged attacks by their African-American peers. Drug War Los Angeles to close hundreds of legal pot shops Russia seeks U.S. help in fight against heroin epidemic U.S. Adds Drones to Fight Smuggling The Homeland Security Department is expanding its use of unmanned aircraft beyond the Mexican and Canadian borders to the Caribbean and possibly other seas. The Americas: Mexico: United States Delivers 5 Helicopters he United States delivered five helicopters to Mexico on Tuesday to help the country fight drug traffickers. U.S. Charges 3 in Drug Case With Helping Al Qaeda Federal agent faces prison for tipping off traffickers Members of a drug-trafficking organization in Mexico got access to confidential information about U.S. anti-drug agencies thanks to a veteran immigration agent, according to court filings, and bragged about it while dining at a Weston restaurant. |
Greed Rothstein pleads not guilty to racketeering charges Scott Rothstein, the flashy Fort Lauderdale attorney who authorities say ran a $1.2 billion investment scam while acting like a philanthropic tycoon, faces up to 100 years in prison if convicted on federal racketeering and other charges.
Feds target Medicare fraud Federal agents took down
alleged Medicare rackets in Miami,
Detroit and New York Tuesday, arresting
a South Florida physician along with 29
nurses and other health care operators
on charges of submitting more than $61
million in bogus bills to the
taxpayer-funded health care program
Media Comcast strikes deal to buy NBC Universal from GE The $30-billion transaction would put a major production studio and broadcast network under the control of the nation's largest cable TV company. 6 Ways Comcast-NBC Deal Could Affect Consumers Cable giant Comcast is trying to build an entertainment empire with its purchase of NBC Universal, but analysts warn the deal might not turn out well for consumers. It could bring higher prices and more charges for content that used to be free, even as it reshapes the media landscape. Detroit artists use city’s blight as canvas Artists across the Detroit area are using the city's blight as their canvas, transforming abandoned homes into high-concept projects to draw attention to urban decay Charting A Typical Glenn Beck Broadcast Networks Still Hosting Military Analysts Without Identifying Massive Conflicts Of Interest Google allows publishers to limit free content FCC pushes for Internet access on your TV Comcast Corp.'s chief executive, Brian Roberts, was gushing last week about his company's impending takeover of NBC Universal, saying the deal would give consumers what they want, "which is access to all different types of content on different platforms and different times." Professor sees Nancy Grace involvement in suicide A Harvard professor says CNN Headline News host Nancy Grace's relentless questioning of a Florida mother three years ago contributed to her suicide, according to a filing in the family's wrongful death case. House votes to turn down volume of noisy TV ads
Environment
Alaska Oil Spill Among The Worst Ever Sunspots do not cause climate change, say scientists; key claim of global warming sceptics debunked 'Acidifying oceans' threaten food supply, UK warns Climate negotiators eye the 'forgotten 50%' of greenhouse gas pollutants While the U.S. has focused on CO2 emissions, some nations are pushing for measures to curb black carbon, HFCs and methane, which they say will be easier to achieve and will show quick results. Giant oil spill in Alaska likely caused by ice Officials believe that ice plugged up a pipeline and likely caused a rupture that sent 46,000 gallons of crude oil and water gushing onto snow-covered tundra on Alaska's North Slope late last month GE inks largest wind turbine contract ever General Electric says it has received a $1.4 billion contract to supply wind turbines and related services for a wind farm project that is expected to be the largest ever. Study shows wind farms don’t hurt home prices Wind farms have no measurable effect on nearby property values, according to a government report published Wednesday Company Plans To Pull Solar Energy From Orbit As companies go to great lengths to find nonpolluting energy sources, Solaren Corp. is preparing to go 22,000 miles, to trap solar power in orbit around the Earth. With the blessing of California regulators, it already has its first client: Pacific Gas and Electric Co. Civil Rights Tarlach MacNiallais, Gay Activist, Beaten By Bar Bouncers For Dancing With Man Just two months after two men were caught on tape beating a gay man nearly to death, and a week after the New York State Senate rejected a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, a prominent gay activist was attacked by bouncers at a Queens nightclub on Saturday for dancing with another man. Atheists Banned From Public Office in 7 State Constitutions NBA Commish Thinks Women Can Jump - into Men's League Sure, there's a separate women's league, but NBA Commissioner David Stern believes that women will be able to play in the men's league within the next decade. |
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| Science | History Resources | |
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Bone marrow transplant 'gets rid of' sickle cell anemia Missing gene tied to obese children EARTH-LIKE, water-rich planet found. Device mimics human muscle size and strength According to new research, scientists have created a strong and silent hydrogen-powered artificial muscle, modeled on human skeletal muscle. 2010 to be the world’s warmest year Artifacts Show Ancient Greeks, Romans Completely Uninhibited About Sex |
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| Politics | Political Resources | |
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Timber program becomes vast entitlement
A federal program that began as a safety net
for Pacific Northwest logging communities
hard-hit by battles over the spotted owl in
the 1990s has morphed into a sprawling
entitlement — one that ships vast amounts of
money to states with little or no historic
connection to timber, an analysis by The
Associated Press shows.
Blagojevich's legal team burglarized Burglars broke into the offices occupied by two members of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's legal defense team overnight and stole eight computers and a safe, police said Friday. U.S. System for Tracking Traffic Flow Is Faulted The federal government has committed more than $50 million for a highway traffic monitoring system that is of limited used, a review finds. Senate CREW Files Ethics Complaint against Sen. John McCain over Robocalls in Five States Paid for by NRSC Banking Committee approves Bernanke for second term, 16-7 Treasury/Federal Reserve/Bailouts/SEC/IRS
Kucinich seeks 60 percent excise tax on TARP executive bonuses
Auto bailout: 78% spent so far The U.S. auto industry has spent
nearly 78% of the taxpayer funds lent to it by the Treasury
Department through the Troubled Asset Relief Fund, according to a
report released Thursday by a bailout overseer.
Is a 1940 securities law too old to be enforced? Companies
routinely request a special waiver from the Securities and Exchange
Commission by arguing that a tough enforcement law written in 1940
shouldn't apply to them.
Wells Fargo to Repay $25 Billion in TARP Money
SEC probes 9 deals for insider trading: report U.S. securities
regulators are investigating at least nine mergers, including
Pfizer's takeover of Wyeth and Merck's acquisition of
Schering-Plough Corp, for possible insider-trading violations.
Fed leaves key interest rate unchanged The Federal Reserve has decided to hold interest rates at a
record low and pledged to keep them there for an "extended period"
to keep the recovery going and drive down double-digit unemployment. Intel Sued For Antitrust Violations Battle lines forming over TARP extension The Obama administration has extended the $700 billion financial bailout program until October, setting up a struggle between Democrats and Republicans. FTC sues to stop deceptive credit card calls
SEC Widens Probe Of Bank Of America-Merrill Deal The Securities
and Exchange Commission has expanded its probe of Bank of America to
include the bank's possible failure to disclose mounting losses at
Merrill Lynch, an agency official said. The SEC has been pursuing
civil charges that Bank of America failed to disclose bonuses to
Merrill employees.
Do Banks Owe Taxpayers More Than TARP Funds? President Obama
said Monday that U.S. banks that received bailout funds from
taxpayers must help rebuild the economy. Do banks owe U.S. taxpayers
anything beyond repayment of money borrowed from the Troubles Assets
Relief Program? Alex Pollock, resident fellow at the American
Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, and Robert Shapiro,
chairman of the economic advisory firm Sonecon, offer their insight.
Treasury Backs Out Of Plans To Sell Citi Stake Citigroup decided
to repay its TARP money so this week it held a giant share offering
in order to raise money for that repayment effort. Investors were so
lukewarm, the bank had to sell its stock at a significant discount.
The government took that as a sign that this may not be the best
time to sell its Citigroup shares. The U.S. had bought those shares
as part of the bank rescue program.
Bill Exempts Auto Dealers From Agency Oversight Under the
financial overhaul bill before the House, auto dealers would not be
regulated by a proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency.
Consumer advocates want to change that. They argue that the
exemption means car buyers won't be protected against abusive auto
loans originated by the dealers. |
Health Insurance HMO stocks rise as public option wanes in U.S. reform Shares of U.S. health insurers rose on Wednesday after efforts to overhaul the health system moved away from creating a government-run insurance plan long viewed as damaging to the industry Chuck Norris: Public health care would have killed Baby Jesus Senate Bill Provision Creates Private Industry Rationing: Reform Advocate A major health care reform group is criticizing a provision in the Senate health care reform bill that would cap the cost of medical care that consumers could have on a yearly basisIn a conversation with the Huffington Post, Richard Kirsch, national campaign manager for the pro-reform group Health Care for America Now, said that imposing limits would essentially institutionalize the rationing of care within the private health insurance industry."This is one more example of a way the insurance industry want to ration people's care to protect their profits," Kirsch said. "It is a total gift to the insurance industry Unions pressure Dems on health insurance tax Unions leaders, among the most passionate backers of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, pressed Democratic senators Thursday to drop a tax on high-value insurance plans to pay for remaking the nation's system. Can We Afford It? - Republican critics have a fiercely argued list of reasons to oppose health care reform. One that is resonating is that the nation cannot afford in tough economic times to add a new trillion-dollar health care entitlement. Pelosi Backs Off Public Option House PELOSI GETS THE JOB DONE Fights Off Deficit Hawks To Pass $154 Billion Jobs Bill
House Scales Back Proposed Rules For Wall
Street Entering the final stretch on a
regulation bill, lawmakers vote to make it
easier for corporations to engage in complex
derivatives trades without government
restrictions, eroding the reach of proposed
rules to govern financial institutions.
GITMO/Bahgram/CIA-Blacksites
Defense Dept. in Contempt of Court
for Failing to Videotape Detainee
Testimony
Death penalty in 9/11 trials may be difficult Legal experts say Obama was overly confident when he said that critics of the New York trial would be silenced 'when the death penalty is applied to' suspect Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. Obama Plans To Hold Gitmo Detainees Indefinitely At Illinois Facility Budget and Taxes
Estate tax: Cancel the death knell
Next year was supposed to be a great
year for you to die. Not great for
you, of course, but for your heirs
who would inherit your wealth
completely tax free.
U.S. in red for 14th straight month
The U.S.
government
rang up
a
deficit
of
$120.3
billion
in
November
- the
14th
straight
month it
has
spent
more
than it
has
taken
in.
House OKs $3.9 billion in earmarks
in spending bill Democrats note
that they've cracked down on
pork-barrel politics seen in
Republican times, and sponsors say
the projects are important to
economic recovery - but critics
aren't impressed. Obama 3 Secret Service officers placed on leave over party crashers Obama Dramatically Interrupts Meeting, Negotiators Reach Final Agreement Late in the afternoon on Friday, the door swung open revealing President Obama, who hadn’t been invited but had arrived to crash the meeting. Several diplomats protested the intrusion, but Obama simply informed them he wouldn’t accept them negotiating in secret. He sat down and started talking. Stimulus We need a second stimulus package, especially for minorities |
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| Economy | Click for Economic Statistics | Financial Crisis for Beginners |
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Banks Cut Lending By $100 Billion AP IMPACT: Monsanto seed business role revealed Confidential contracts detailing Monsanto Co.'s business practices reveal how the world's biggest seed developer is squeezing competitors, controlling smaller seed companies and protecting its dominance over the multibillion-dollar market for genetically altered crops Rates on 30-year mortgages set new record low Chain stores get 'big lump of coal' In an unexpected step backward, the nation's leading retailers suffered a sales slump in November -- a poor start to the holiday season and an ominous sign for the fragile economic recovery. New jobless claims rise, trade gap narrows Black teens' unemployment rate spikes. Seven U.S. Banks Fail, Raising Tally This Year to 140 as FDIC Expects More Seven U.S. banks were seized by regulators today, bringing this year’s total of failed lenders to 140 as financial companies are tested by the recession and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. anticipates more shutdowns. |
Lawsuit Reveals The Problems Inside Wall
Street's Mortgage Machine DURING the lending mania, as Wall Street’s mortgage machinery hummed and
the money poured in, millions of loans were
bought and sold, zipping across town or
around the world.
The flip side of Habitat for Humanity The mortgage meltdown has prompted the nonprofit known for building homes for the poor to shift to buying foreclosures, sprucing them up and selling them to low-income families. U.S. loses almost no jobs in November The surprising employment picture fuels hopes that the bottom is here -- or near. Ford to reinstate raises, 401(k) matches next year 10 Industries That Will Lose The Most Jobs In The Next Decade Stocks close sharply down; dollar strengthens Investors dumped stocks and sought safe-haven assets like the dollar and Treasurys on signs that the global economy is still struggling |
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| Iraq | Map of Iraq | |
| MI6 boss: US military's 'Darth Vadar kit and wraparound shades' alienated Iraqi locals after invasion The head of MI6 today attacked the US's use of 'Vietnam-era generals' and 'Darth Vader kit' for turning post-war Iraq into a shambles. Sir John Sawers, who took over as spymaster 'C' last month, said the wraparound | ||
| Middle East | Map of the Middle East | |
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Iran
<Click
for video and history> Iranian sect head seeks asylum for beliefs The U.N. refugee agency is considering an asylum request from the Iranian leader of a sect that believes in extraterrestrials. Senior Cleric Denounces Iranian Militia for Crackdown Iran’s most senior cleric denounced the role of the Basij in the crackdown against protesters, saying the force’s actions were “in the path of Satan.” Twitter hacked by 'Iranian Cyber Army' US agents hold suspected Iran-bound helicopter Federal agents are investigating whether a helicopter they have held for 14 months at an airport in Texas was earmarked for shipment to Iran. Hamas Delegation Arrives for Talks in Tehran Iran: U.N. station near border is for spying Iran claims that a U.N. station to detect nuclear explosions is set up near the border so that world powers could spy on the country, the latest accusation from Tehran. Protesters deny burning Khomeini photos Hundreds of students at Tehran University renew anti-government protests, accusing authorities of fabricating images of demonstrators burning photos of the Islamic Republic's revered founder. Rival student groups hold rallies in Iran Pro-government and pro-opposition students stage rival rallies at a Tehran university in a sign of continuing tension after clashes during protests last week, news agencies report. Mousavi Supporters: The Tearing of Khomeini's Portrait -- Staged by the Regime Other UAE/US nuclear deal becomes official Yemen Yemen teeters on brink of failure The nation is grappling with poverty, a stubborn insurgency and Al Qaeda presence. Some say its strategic location near Saudi Arabia and the Horn of Africa mean it cannot be allowed to fail. Children Recruited in Yemen Conflict Syria Iranian bus explodes in Syrian capital Conflicting reports on number of casualties; Syrian interior minister: Tire explosion cause of blast. |
Israel
'Israel might
withdraw from
northern Ghajar'
UNIFIL, Foreign Ministry discuss terms of pullout; meanwhile, Hizbullah sneak cameras to border area.
Hamas: Abolish Palestinian Beauty Pageants The Hamas Culture Ministry and the Palestinian Ulemaa Council have condemned a decision to hold a Palestinian beauty pageant in the West Bank, with the support of the Fatah government. Israel to Recruit More Building Inspectors to Enforce a Freeze on West Bank Construction Settlement Activities to Restart Full Force in 10 Months, Says Lieberman Israeli Police Arrest Settlement Leader In West Bank UK court issues, retracts arrest warrant for top Israeli pol Egypt Egypt: women should have right to polygamy article causes stir Saudi Arabia Saudis urged to reverse death sentence on 'witchcraft' Saudi Arabia: We've Captured Somalis Who Helped Houthis Saudi border patrol forces have captured, at the Yemen-Saudi border, several Somalis with weapons, ammunition, and a listening device. The Somalis were reportedly planning attacks on Saudi territory in the service of the Houthi rebels. Turkey Turkey court bans pro-Kurdish party Turkey's constitutional court has banned the country's main pro-Kurdish party for having links to armed separatist fighters. Kurds fight battles with Turkish police Television footage shows hundreds of angry Kurdish demonstrators fighting running street battles with Turkish police, tossing firebombs and stones at armored cars as protests against the closure of a Kurdish party grip the country's mostly Kurdish southeast. |
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| Afghanistan | Map of Afghanistan | |
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Afghans' Anger at Obama's Nobel Peace Win (Claim SF Killed
Civilians) Rules Of Engagement Are A Dilemma For U.S. Troops Canada defended Afghan 'human-rights abuser,' memos allege Afghan president pledges to support U.S. war plan Afghan immigrant likely to face more charges in alleged terror plot Prosecutors says it's 'likely there will be additional charges' against Najibullah Zazi, 24, who has denied conspiring to bomb targets in New York using homemade explosives NATO members to add 7,000 troops in Afghanistan The alliance's secretary-general says at least 25 nations will provide additional soldiers next year. Britain, Italy, Slovakia and Poland will take part, but France and Germany have yet to commit. Afghan teens allege abuse at U.S. ‘black’ site Two Afghan teenagers held in U.S. detention this year say they were beaten by American guards, photographed naked and deprived of sleep while undergoing interrogation. |
Hundreds of women lead protest in Afghanistan Followed by about
500 men, they demand that the government purge anyone connected to
the Taliban, war crimes or corruption. Many hold pictures of slain
relatives. Several hundred women Marines plow ahead with anti-poppy campaign in Afghan district The U.S. troops emphasize persuasion in trying to get farmers to change to other crops to keep drug money out of the Taliban's hands. They're also planning an assault on an insurgent stronghold. Key Senate Democrat questions lack of Afghan forces to aid U.S. troop surgeSen. Carl Levin says a partnership with local security forces is vital to success behind a U.S. buildup. Defense Secretary Gates says additional troops will deploy in 2 to 3 weeks. Monster mine-clearing tank goes to work in Afghanistan KABUL, AFGHANISTAN — The new NATO offensive in Helmand Province marked not only the largest assault yet for the VM-22 Osprey, but also the combat debut of the Marines' massive new combat mine and bomb-clearing machine, the Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV), said a Marine Corps spokesman in Helmand. In Taliban stronghold, U.S. medics win friends for Marines Taliban To Reportedly Release New Tape Of Captured US Soldier |
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| Pakistan | Map of Pakistan |
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Terror probe leads FBI
to India, Pakistan
FBI agents made an
urgent trip to India and
Pakistan last week after
they learned of plotting
for Mumbai-style
terrorism attacks while
investigating a Chicago
man's case, according to
current and former U.S.,
Indian and European
counter-terrorism
officials.
How a terrorist called Zardari How did Omar Saeed Sheikh, a terrorist in jail in Pakistan, manage to call Pakistani President Asif Zardari after 26/11? Sheikh, who killed journalist Daniel Pearl, pretended, in his call, to be Pranab Mukherjee, who was then India’s Foreign Minister. FBI raid found Al-Qaida DVDs at Rana’s house Officials: US missile barrage kills 17 in Pakistan Pakistan slaps travel ban on defence minister Pakistan has barred the defence minister from travelling abroad as the fallout Friday from a court ruling reviving graft cases against a raft of top politicians threatened the government's stability. |
U.S. officials say top al-Qaida leader killed (Not Bin Laden) Pakistan Taliban regrouping outside Waziristan Villagers in nearby districts report an influx of militants escaping the Pakistan army offensive in South Waziristan, a campaign critics say should not have been announced ahead of time. Anti-Taliban lawmaker killed in Pakistan Pakistan Amnesty Law Under Legal Scrutiny Pakistan's Supreme Court began hearing challenges Monday to an amnesty that has protected the country's president and his allies from corruption charges. If the court declares the controversial amnesty to be unconstitutional, hundreds of cases ranging from graft to murder cold reopen. Pakistan Reported to Be Harassing U.S. Diplomats In what U.S. officials describe as a concerted effort, frequent car searches and the denial of visas have disrupted embassy work Court Examines Pakistan Leader’s Offshore Riches Judges asked why $60 million of suspect gains were given back to companies in President Asif Ali Zardari’s name rather than returned to the treasury. |
| North&South Asia | Map of Asia |
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Mercedes to sponsor AEG arena in China The automaker is expected to announce a 10-year deal for the $280-million venue in Shanghai that is being developed by AEG, the National Basketball Assn. and a division of Shanghai Media.
Chinese dissident held without charges A former professor who co-authored a document calling for more civil rights in China remains in jail without being charged a year after the paper's publication. China executes corrupt securities trader China executes the former manager of a securities company who embezzled millions of dollars and never told where it's hidden, state media reports. China cracks down on Christian churches Militants raid Philippine jail, free 31 inmates American Engineer Detained for Year in China An American automotive engineer has been detained by the Chinese police for more than a year on charges of violating trade secrets, according to United States officials. |
Islamists flee Philippines prison after
militants' raid
U.S.-South Korea free-trade pact stalls over politics The U.S. could use a boost in exports, some analysts say, but a deal with South Korea isn't likely any time soon. Sea turtle sacrifices? Indonesia says no way Indonesia has rejected a push by Bali for rare turtles to be legally slain in Hindu ceremonies, siding with conservationists of the protected reptiles against religious advocates. Suicide attackers have sneaked into India: Sources Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata are on high-alert after reports that Taliban-trained suicide attackers have managed to sneak into India. Sources tell NDTV the police is looking for Pashtoons and Afghans. Obama Interviewer in China Is Said to Be Demoted The top editor of one of China’s most influential newspapers had annoyed Communist Party propaganda officials with an interview of President Obama he carried out a few weeks ago. |
| Europe | Map of Europe |
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New Russian missile may be behind Norwegian lights Ironically, Climate Talks Enlarge Carbon Footprint World leaders are nearing the end of the climate meeting in Copenhagen. President Obama arrives Friday. There's a certain irony to the talks aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By just having the summit — all the airplane flights, hotel rooms and taxi rides — generates a lot of carbon. Google Defends Itself in Italian Court Attorneys for the Internet giant presented the company's defense in a trial of four of its executives Wednesday, telling the court that Google was not responsible if objectionable videos were uploaded. U.S. To Help Raise $100 Billion Climate Aid Fund U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tells the U.N. climate summit that the United States is prepared to join other rich countries in raising $100 billion in yearly climate financing for poor countries by 2020. The U.S. declaration could give a boost to the deadlocked Copenhagen talks Italian Premier Berlusconi ATTACKED At Rally....Italian PM Berlusconi new attack footage 14 Dec 09 U.K. slaps 50 percent tax on bankers’ bonuses Russian court rules against Jehovah's Witnesses Russia's highest court on Tuesday upheld a ruling halting the activities of a regional branch of Jehovah's Witnesses and banning dozens of its publications in what the group deplored as an unfair move. |
Britain slaps one-time tax on bankers'
bonuses
Europe Drops Microsoft Antitrust Case Over Browsers The settlement ends what could have been a second costly legal battle for the American software giant. French minister to Muslims: Speak properly A junior French minister tells young Muslims living in France they should dress properly, find a job and stop speaking slang. U.K. Jewish school policy ruled discriminatory Britain's top court was accused of interfering in religious matters after it ruled on Wednesday that a Jewish school was guilty of discrimination. Russia admits missile caused UFO lights A spectacular spiral light show in the sky above Norway was caused by a Russian missile that failed just after launch, according to Russia's defense ministry. Russian policeman convicted of killing journalist A court in southern Russia convicted a police officer Friday in the 2008 killing of a journalist and sentenced him to two years in prison. |
| Map of Africa | |
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Somalia replaces top security officials The
Somali government replaced its police and army
chiefs Sunday ahead of a planned military offensive,
the Somali information minister said
Guinea soldier: I shot the president Guinea's former presidential guard chief said Wednesday he shot the country's military strongman earlier this month because the junta leader wanted him to take the blame for a massacre by troops of pro-democracy demonstrators in September. |
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| The Americas | Map of North America and South America |
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Venezuela, Cuba Sign
$3 Billion in Joint
Projects
Chavez: Venezuela acquires thousands of missiles Mexico to review witness protection program Mexican federal prosecutors will review their witness protection program after gunmen killed a drug case informant in a Starbucks coffee shop in the capital, officials said Wednesday. American subcontractor's arrest in Cuba confirmed A U.S. government contractor confirmed Saturday that Cuba has detained one of its subcontractors' employees but did not comment on a report he went to the island as a tourist and was handing out laptops and communications equipment. Former Haitian official appears in Miami federal court A former Haitian government official charged in a telecom bribery scheme involving Haiti's state-owned telecommunications company must come up with $100,000 if he hopes to be released from a federal detention center in Miami, a judge ordered Monday. Robert Antoine, who has homes in Miami and Haiti, was extradited from Port-au-Prince Saturday after being indicted for his alleged role in a foreign bribery, wire fraud and money laundering scheme. Venezuela: Chávez Accuses Netherlands of Plotting Aggression With the U.S. |
Brazil's police killings condemned by Human Rights Watch More
than 11,000 people have died at the hands of authorities in Rio de
Janeiro and Sao Paulo since 2003. The rights group says the cities'
police forces are fraught with mafia-like corruption.
Argentine leaders throw chairs, punches in public Rights activist who protested Honduras coup killed Drought-hit Venezuela to ‘bombard’ clouds Hugo Chavez says he is starting to "bombard" clouds now that Cuba has provided Venezuela with cloud-seeding help in an effort to produce rain and alleviate the effects of a severe drought. Mexican cops free dozens of slave workers UN-backed Congo troops killing civilians Mexico Still Waiting for U.S. Aid, Report Says The United States government has only spent 2 percent of the more than $1 billion it has pledged to help Mexico fight drug traffickers. |