The News Crawler

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Last Update: Thursday, December 30, 2010	Click here for Previous Edition

World Headlines
Afghanistan DUPED! Taliban 'Leader' In Secret Afghan Talks Was An Impostor Al Qaeda 'can't be beaten' The head of Britain's armed forces said Sunday that Al-Qaeda can never be completely beaten, but argued that outright victory is "unnecessary" as long as governments are able to contain the militants $69.3 million Afghan-contracting fine may be a record A nearly $70 million fine announced Friday against one of the U.S. government's largest Afghanistan contractors is an apparent record war-zone settlement, and it grew from a classic David vs. Goliath confrontation. » read more Iraq Iraqi leader: No need for U.S. troops after 2011 Hostages die in Iraq church raid Al-Qaeda-linked group claims responsibility for attack on Baghdad church that resulted in deaths of 58 people. Attacks target Iraq's Christians again, killing 5 WikiLeaks release to show NATO ally Turkey helped Al Qaeda in Iraq Pakistan Suicide Bomber Kills At Least 65 In Pakistani Mosque The Americas Claim: 10K bodies found in Colombia Astonishing number of unidentified corpses discovered by tribunal Man Beheaded, Bodies Hung From Bridge In Mexican Drug War Violence Haitians Barricading Streets with Coffins as Protests against U.N. Continue over Cholera Outbreak Protests are continuing in Haiti over the cholera outbreak that has now killed more than 1,100 people and infected some 17,000. On Wednesday, residents in the city of Cap-Haïtien clashed with U.N. troops for the third consecutive day. Crowds have taken to the streets expressing anger at the Haitian government and the United Nations for failing to contain the disease. Cholera claims 1,415 in Haiti Haiti holds 1st election since quake...Haiti candidates denounce election Nearly all the major candidates in presidential poll call for election to be cancelled over fraud and violence. Asia Obama Condemns North Korea Attack, Affirms 'Commitment To Defend' South Korea North and South Korea exchanged artillery fire Tuesday after the North shelled an island near their disputed sea border, killing at least two South Korean marines, setting dozens of buildings ablaze and sending civilians fleeing for shelter.The skirmish began when Pyongyang warned the South to halt military drills in the area, according to South Korean officials. When Seoul refused and began firing artillery into disputed waters, albeit away from the North Korean shore, the North retaliated by bombarding the small island of Yeonpyeong, which houses South Korean military installations and a small civilian population.US and S Korea to hold war games.... U.S. sends ships to Korean peninsula As Obama Arrives in Jakarta, Secret Docs Show U.S.-backed Indonesian Special Forces Unit Targets Papuan Churches, Civilians We go to Jakarta to speak with investigative journalist and activist Allan Nairn, who has just released secret documents from Kopassus—the feared Indonesian special forces—which has been responsible for human rights abuses since the 1950s. Earlier this year, the Obama administration lifted a 12-year funding ban for the training of Kopassus. While Obama talks about human rights, the documents indicate that Kopassus targets churches and civilians and includes a Kopassus enemies list topped by a local Baptist minister in West Papua.	Middle East US rebukes Israel on settlements Hillary Clinton joins international leaders in denouncing Israel's plans to build new settler homes in East Jerusalem. Bush: (Israeli PM) Olmert asked me to bomb suspected Syria nuclear plant U.S. offers Israel warplanes in return for new settlement freeze Rabin's son unveils peace plan Son of assassinated Israeli PM says plan would return Israel to '67 borders. 'Vote rigging' mars Egypt election Low turnout, isolated protests, clashes and claims of vote rigging mark country's parliamentary election as polls close. Worm Was Perfect for Sabotaging Centrifuges Their conclusion, while not definitive, begins to clear some of the fog around the Stuxnet worm, a malicious program detected earlier this year on computers, primarily in Iran but also India, Indonesia and other countries. The paternity of the worm is still in dispute, but in recent weeks officials from Israel have broken into wide smiles when asked whether Israel was behind the attack, or knew who was. American officials have suggested it originated abroad. Super Virus A Target For Cyber Terrorists (Incl. Report That Stuxnet Has Been Sold On The Internet) A super virus that was used to disrupt Iran's nuclear programme has been traded on the black market and could be used by terrorists, Knocking Back Neocons, SecDef Gates Says Military Action Would ‘Bring Together A Divided’ Iran Europe The lying game Many people were surprised to discover last week that it is against the law for politicians to tell lies about each other. A court ruled that campaign literature, in which former Labour minister Phil Woolas accused his Lib Dem opponent of cosying up to Islamic militants, contravened an old statute prohibiting "false statements" against a rival's "character or conduct". Pope endorses condom use... for male prostitutes only..Vatican Walks Back Pope's Condom Approval: Nothing's Changed Ireland Unveils Harshest Cuts, Tax Hikes In Its History.....EU Agrees To $89 Billion Bailout For Ireland....100,000 protest Irish bailout Irish angry at austerity measures, taxpayer bailout of banks. New round of tuition rioting rocks London Thousands of British students take to the streets to vent their anger at government plans to triple university fees, two weeks after a similar demonstration sparked a small riot. Photos Mail Bombs EXPLODE At Embassies As Wave Of Bombings Continues German police disarmed a mail bomb Tuesday that was sent from Greece to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's office , hours after similar small bombs exploded outside the Russian and Swiss embassies in Athens in attacks blamed on far-left Greek extremists Africa Al-Qaeda Cocaine Smuggling Bust Raises New Fears "We are dealing with an apparent coordination and collaboration between drug traffickers and terrorists linked to Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb,” said Interior Minister Taieb Cherquaoui after the arrests. Thirty-four people were detained for smuggling more than 1,300 pounds of cocaine from Algeria and Mauritania.
US Headlines
Weighing Safety of Weed Killer in Drinking Water, EPA Relies Heavily on Industry Companies with a financial interest paid for thousands of studies federal regulators are using to assess the health risks of a common herbicide -- while independent studies documenting potentially harmful effects on humans are not included in research the EPA deems relevant. By Danielle Ivory Fertilizer Runoff Is Killing Our Waterways Feds Issue 1st-Ever Greenhouse Gas Reduction Guidelines...Greenhouse Gases In Atmosphere Hit Record Levels EPA: Toxic Waste Dump Leeched Cancer-Causing Chemicals Into Soil Pentagon Study Offers Major Endorsement Of Repealing DADT...Majority Of Troops Buck Historical Trend By Saying Gays OK National Labor Board: Employees' Facebook Statements Are Protected Speech ACLU: Walgreens Wouldn't Sell 'Morning After Pill' To Men NYPD Starts Photographing Irises of Crime Suspects The New York Police Department is taking photographs of the irises of crime suspects along with their fingerprints and mug shots. 12 Year-Old Girl Beaten By Kids Over Her "Male" Name (And guess where they were before the attack?) Feds launch 50 criminal probes into bankers The criminal investigations are separate from civil lawsuits approved by the FDIC's board against some 80 bank executives, employees and directors. The FDIC is seeking to recoup about $2 billion in bank losses that the regulator says were the result of negligence or misconduct by executives or directors. Failed Oregon 'terror' an FBI setup: Undercover agents gave teen live explosives for 'test run,' planned attack AND supplied fake car bomb...FBI successfully thwarts its own terrorist plot The latest government success story is met with virtually no skepticism -- despite plenty of reason for it Suspected Oregon Terror Act Yet Another Plot Foiled Because Of Intelligence Provided By A Muslim .....Ore. 'terrorist' to claim entrapment Teen at center of FBI-created 'terror' plot plans aggressive defense Arsonist Attacks Oregon Mosque Frequented By Would-Be Car Bomber Man Makes Ridiculously Complicated Chart To Find Out Who Owns His Mortgage Rush To Clear Foreclosure Cases, Judges Give Banks The Benefit Of Doubt EPA Subpoenas Halliburton Over "Fracking" The battle over the controversial natural gas process known as "fracking" got a little hotter today after the Environmental Protection Agency announced it has subpoenaed energy giant Halliburton after the company refused to submit information for a congressionally mandated study. Native Americans sue U.S. over solar power plant in desert Part of Jessica's Law ruled unconstitutional (restrictions on sex offender residency) (Former BART cop Johannes) Mehserle sentenced to 2 years A judge sentenced former BART police Officer Johannes Mehserle today to two years in state prison for fatally shooting unarmed train rider Oscar Grant during a video-recorded arrest in Oakland on Jan. 1, 2009. Tom DeLay convicted on money-laundering charges A jury convicted former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay on charges of illegally funneling corporate money to help elect GOP candidates to the Texas legislature. FULL STORY Mass spying alleged in Israel lobby A former foreign policy chief for the largest Israeli lobby in the US is threatening to provide evidence members of the organization regularly traffic in classified US government information. 100,000 Hispanics fled Arizona after immigrant law Oil Spill BP Oil Spill Claim Denials See HUGE Spike Boat engine causes oil to rise from seafloor --"Just dead, everything's dead" Halliburton frac fluid website unsatisfying to EPA A new Halliburton website providing general information about the fluids the company uses for hydraulic fracturing of wells in Pennsylvania does not satisfy the U S Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) request for detail NOAA Closes 4,200 Square Miles of Gulf Waters to Royal Red Shrimping 24 November 2010 Shrimper: Finding visible oil in shrimp and crabs -- Gulf Oil Spill Isn't Gone -- Recent Images Show Region Is Still Devastated Marine-Life Devastation Near BP Oil Spill Indicates Much Worse Long-Term Damage Than Feds Had Admitted Dead Coral Found Near Site of Gulf Oil Spill The Video NOAA and The FDA Are Afraid You'll Watch. Lab Finds 193 ppm Oil in Gulf Shrimp Spill Investigator Sees No Sign That Cost Trumped Safety The lead investigator for a panel investigating the BP oil spill said he found no evidence of shortcuts taken to save money. ‘Acceptable risks’ likely led to BP blast The BP oil rig explosion and spill wasn’t about anyone purposely trading money for safety, investigators on a special presidential commission said Monday. Instead, it was more about seemingly acceptable risks adding up to disaster. Multiple independent tests confirm oil present in Gulf shrimp, fish, crab BP ignored warning signs on doomed well Could Joe Barton, who defended BP, really lead energy panel? Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, who everyone thought was facing long odds at becoming chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee because he called the $20 billion BP oil spill relief fund a "shakedown," may be improving his chances. He'll now be given a chance to make his case to the GOP Steering Committee without having to get a waiver because of term limits. » read more Oil-Covered Shrimp Hauled From Newly Opened Gulf Waters BP tells school what to research; Spill expert has massive federal contract Economy Federal Reserve to print billions for massive shadow stimulus At the conclusion of the meeting Wednesday, the Fed is expected to announce it will resume the large-scale purchase of long-term US bonds -- essentially printing billions of dollars -- in the hope of boosting a weak recovery. Why the Fed's bold move won't work....What the Fed should really be buying In November 2008 for example, the Fed invoked a provision of the Federal Reserve Act that allows it more wiggle room under "unusual and exigent circumstances," and created the Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility as a way to buy student, auto and credit card debt. Recovery Act Raised GDP And Lowered Unemployment But Effects Are ‘Expected To Wane’ U.S. CORPORATIONS POST BIGGEST PROFITS EVER...yet Global poverty doubled since '70s Banks hiring as rich get richer Some banks have more employees today than before financial crisis There Aren't Enough Jobs For 4 Out Of 5 Unemployed Americans Banks' Bad Foreclosure Documents Pose Real Economic Risk But the meat of the report comes in its analysis of the threats that false loan documentation may pose to banks’ balance sheets and to financial stability in the broader economy. These perils are related to the possibility that banks will have to buy back loans from investors if they were based on false documentation, or if the proper records required when setting up mortgage securities trusts were not kept, the report said. Science Scientists Trick Cells Into Switching Identities Scientists are reporting early success at transforming one kind of specialized cell into another, a feat of biological alchemy that doctors may someday perform inside a patient's body to restore health. So if a heart attack damages muscle tissue in the heart, for example, doctors may someday be able to get other cells in that organ to become muscle to help the heart pump. Large Hadron Collider (LHC) generates a 'mini-Big Bang'The Large Hadron Collider has successfully created a "mini-Big Bang" by smashing together lead ions instead of protons..'Overwhelming' breakthrough: CERN traps the antimatter atom...Big Bang element detected by CERN Quark-gluon plasma measured in Europe for the first time ever.	Politics 79% want cuts to defense budget NYT interactive feature reveals how Americans would balance budget. Warren Buffett: Trickle-Down Theory Has Failed...The Rich 'Have It Better Than We've Ever Had It' "I think that people at the high end, people like myself, should be paying a lot more in taxes. Analysis Shows Rich People Save, Not Spend. Obvious Solution? Bigger Tax Cuts! Austerity Road to 19th Century James Crotty: Right-wing billionaires use crisis to weaken social programs WATCH: A 2-Year-Old Explains The Bush Tax Cuts 16 of the Dumbest Things Americans Believe -- And the Right-Wing Lies Behind Them More Americans can identify the Three Stooges than the three branches of government--you know, the ones who are jockeying over our welfare.. Tea party leader: Keeping vote only for property owners 'makes sense' White House reportedly gives up on closing Gitmo Appeals court overturns judge's Guantanamo release order The U.S. Court of Appeals for Washington, D.C., said a district judge should have asked more questions about the detainee's past links to al Qaeda before ruling they were too long ago to be relevant to his detention at Guantanamo. Body scanner CEO accompanied Obama to India Obama Has 'Largely Accepted Conservative View Of The World' White House 'concedes,' will allow rich bigger tax cut than middle class White House Had To Get Deficit Commission Report From Internet....Commission Staffers Being Paid By Outside Groups .. Report Fails To Mention Wasteful Ethanol Subsidies House Republicans Still Can’t Name Any Programs They Would Cut To Pay For Bush Tax Cuts The Breakdown: Why Did the GOP Block the Paycheck Fairness Act? Women still earn 77 cents on a man's dollar for full-time work. The Paycheck Fairness Act would have helped remedy that unequal pay. Caught: GOP senator who railed against healthcare and earmarks got $960,000 healthcare earmark Federal Investigation Could Redefine Insider Trading Monday's raids targeted three hedge funds: Level Global Investors in New York, Diamondback Capital Management in Stamford, Conn., and an address that matched Loch Capital Management in Boston. FBI raids offices of three hedge funds.....Steal A Little And They Throw You In Jail, Steal A Lot And They Make You King' Pentagon awards $600 million contract to secretive corporation whose ownership is unknown Secret Papers Detail U.S. Aid for Ex-Nazis A secret history of the government’s Nazi-hunting operation concludes that intelligence officials created a “safe haven” for Nazis and collaborators. Wikileaks US EMBASSY CABLES POSTED US embassy cables: browse the databaseUse our interactive guide to discover what has been revealed in the leak of 250,000 US diplomatic cables. wikileaks posting here (Documents) Putin: Oligarchy? I'll Show You An Oligarchy...Prime Minister Vladimir Putin got his snark on in response to a WikiLeaks cable in which a U.S. official refers to Russia as to as an oligarchy Observers Express Concerns For Assange's Safety Over Russian Leaks With the American government telling The Daily Beast that the Russian FSB is monitoring Wikileaks -- and suspicions that the denial-of-service attacks on the site come from the same US embassy cables: Gates warns of war with Iran...Saudi Arabia urges US attack on Iran to stop nuclear programme Sec. Clinton ordered diplomats to spy on UN...US spying on UN leadership (Washington is running a secret intelligence campaign) Iran could hit Europe with N Korean missiles: WikiLeaks Leaked Cables: Iranian spies 'used Red Crescent to enter war zones' Iran abused the strict neutrality of the Iranian Red Crescent (IRC) society to smuggle intelligence agents and weapons into other countries, including Lebanon during the 2006 war with Israel, according to claims in a leaked US embassy cable. US ‘Warned’ Germany Over Bungled El-Masri Kidnapping Masri was kidnapped in early 2004 by CIA officials and sent to Baghdad and later Afghanistan, where he was repeatedly abused before officials finally discovered that they meant to kidnap Khalid al-Masri, an entirely different person with a similarly spelled name. Yemen covered up US air strikes Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh admits covering up US military strikes on al-Qaeda in Yemen by claiming they are carried out by Yemeni forces, according to US documents leaked by WikiLeaks. Shocking cable: US says Saudi donors are chief financiers of al Qaeda CSIS 'vigorously harassing' Hezbollah members Canada’s spies have developed an intelligence channel into Iran, have been ‘vigorously harassing’ Hezbollah operatives inside Canada, Ecuador Offers WikiLeak's Founder Assange Residency, No Questions Asked....Ecuador modifies offer to WikiLeaks founder Foreign minister changes official tune of unconditional residency to embattled whistle-blower Julian Assange Kabul says US relations unaffected by diplomatic leaks US diplomats described Karzai in the documents as "driven by paranoia" and "conspiracy theories". Another cable from the US embassy in Kabul said former vice president Ahmed Zia Massoud carried 52 million dollars in cash to Dubai last year. WikiLeaks blows cover off Israel's covert Gulf states ties · Israel's covert relations with the United Arab Emirates were yet another issue exposed by the recent leak of 250,000 diplomatic cables by the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks on Sunday. US trying to remove weapon grade uranium from Pakistan: WikiLeaks Concerned that enriched uranium might be used to make a rogue nuclear device, US is involved in top level secret efforts to shift bomb making material from Pakistan, leaked US diplomatic cables have revealed. Honduras: State Dept. Busted on Support of Coup By July 24, 2009, the U.S. government was totally clear about the basic facts of what took place in Honduras on June 28, 2009. The U.S. embassy in Tegucigalpa sent a cable to Washington with subject: "Open and Shut: The Case of the Honduran Coup," asserting that "there is no doubt" that the events of June 28 "constituted an illegal and unconstitutional coup." Australian Police Investigate WikiLeaks Founder Iran 'lied to UN inspectors about Qom nuclear site' US cables show IAEA officials were denied blueprints and told evidence of bomb-grade uranium enrichment was forged Iranian officials withheld from international atomic energy Karzai pardoned drug dealers, cable reveals WikiLeaks says hackers attacked site No evidence that WikiLeaks releases have hurt anyone Bin Laden's PR is better than ours, Americans complained Assange: Danish govt requested files the US refused to give them China 'ready to abandon North Korea' Leaked dispatches show Beijing is frustrated with military actions of 'spoiled child' and increasingly favours reunified Korea Seoul cancels drill on disputed isle Rude' Prince Andrew shocks US ambassador Assange: Clinton 'should resign' Sec. of State should step down over UN spying, WikiLeaks chief says. Leaks show America's 'hatred of democracy' In the context of Israeli and US policymakers view of Iran shown in the cables, Chomsky said that the perspectives of the leadership stand in sharp contrast to the opinions of the populations they supposedly serve. State Dept. Severs Database of Cables From One Classified Govt. Network Hillary Should Go After Torturers The Way She's Going After WikiLeaks WikiLeaks release to show NATO ally Turkey helped Al Qaeda in Iraq Wikileaks also brings to light Project Vigilant, an alliance of 600 volunteers who have been scrutinizing internet traffic for 14 years and passing information on to federal authorities. Lieberman: Amazon Told Me It Took Down Wikileaks A statement from Sen. Joe Lieberman, chair of the Homeland Security Committee, saying "Amazon.com decided to terminate its relationship with Wikileaks." The full statement:
Connecticut
Man shot dead in New Haven convenience store Malloy called clear winner for Conn. governor; Foley not New Haven and Bridgeport apparently put former Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy over the top, electing him the first Democratic governor in two decades, according to unofficial election results announced Wednesday.Foley concedes in Connecticut Cost figured in Bridgeport, Conn., ballot shortage Elections officials in the state's largest city, which is also one of its poorest, said they didn't order enough ballots for Tuesday's election in part because of the cost. Gilbert Corp. agrees to accept seventh, eighth grade next year Seventh and eighth-graders will attend The Gilbert School next fall.The Gilbert Corp., which oversees the quasi-public high school, voted unanimously tonight to agree to the conditions set forth by the school board of the kindergarten-through-grade eight system. Those conditions, approved Oct. 26, include forgiving the $288,000 the K-8 board owes Gilbert for underprojecting the number of incoming freshmen last year; forming a joint finance committee to develop budget proposals and subsequent recommendations; hiring a joint, full-time curriculum coordinator; and agreeing to a three-year contract. Woman charged with sex assault on cop A 43-year-old woman was arrested Thursday on a warrant for allegedly grabbing a male cop in the groin North Branford saving $233G in interest on bonds Conn. court rules drugs can be forced on defenda The state Supreme Court ruled on Friday that possession of more than 8 pounds of marijuana is a serious enough charge to warrant forcing medication on a defendant so he is competent to stand trial. Conn. wrongful convictions panel idle for 2 years A state commission designed to examine cases where people are wrongfully convicted of crimes and recommend reforms has not investigated notable exonerations in Connecticut or made any suggestions to the General Assembly, an Associated Press review has found. City schools, NVCC to offer college-level courses in high school]About 70 percent of city high school graduates move on to community colleges, but large numbers fail to pass basic English and math competency tests needed to avoid remedial courses in colleg	Feds rule against WWE clothing giveaway at polls (document) WWE pulls Conn. voter giveaway after feds warning World Wrestling Entertainment says it has reluctantly agreed to stop plans to give away merchandise to Connecticut voters after receiving a warning from the U.S. Justice Department. Sen. Joe Lieberman: Fox News ‘Is My Favorite,’ ‘Anything Rupert Murdoch Owns’ Memo on preference in teacher hiring rankles some in Conn. (2835) A memo sent by the superintendent of schools in Bristol has rankled some teachers as well as some officials in the Connecticut State University system. Superintendent Philip Streifer urged school administrators to give preference in hiring teachers to those who graduated highly-ranked colleges and universities as identified by U.S. News & World Report.The dean CCSU’s education school, Mitchell Sakofs, tells the New Britain Herald there is no research that shows students from so-called “tier one” schools make better teachers than those from state universities. Panel to look into Conn. ballot short Wallingford Man Arrested for Filming New Haven Police A Wallingford man was arrested for taking video of police. In-state tuition urged for illegal immigrant students in Conn.; Measure that failed in 2007 resurrected with pledge from Malloy (video) Health plan would save Conn. at least $174 million, consultants say Consultants to the SustiNet Board of Directors Thursday outlined options for implementation of the health plan that they conservatively estimate would save the state from $174 million to $371 million a year and extend coverage to 206,000 of the state’s uninsured Officials lag in paying taxes to West Haven; delinquents include police chief, board members, school workers Last big hurdle passed for Cape Wind The state Department of Public Utilities gave permission yesterday for National Grid to purchase half of Cape Wind’s power, removing the last significant hurdle for construction to begin on the controversial wind farm in Nantucket Sound next year.
United States
A haven for homeless veterans In Pittsfield, a $6.1 million project that looks like a high-end condo complex will provide homeless veterans attractive one-bedroom and studio apartments for as long as they want to stay. San Francisco votes to restrict fast-food meals with toys Security Issues Government trying to block cell phones in cars Government Refuses To Act On Cancer-Causing Insulation Airlines to gather personal data New rules require flyers' names, birth dates and genders to be scribed. FedEx searching for missing radioactive package..Missing radioactive rods found US launches giant eavesdropping satellite Bomb Makers Plotted Blasts Over U.S. An analysis of the cellphone circuitry in two package bombs intercepted last week suggests the bomb makers intended to delay any explosion until U.S.-bound planes carrying them were close to landing, U.S. officials said. Exclusive: Disguised man boards flight Canadian authorities are investigating an "unbelievable" incident in which a passenger boarded an Air Canada flight disguised as an elderly man, according to a confidential alert obtained by CNN. Flier: I warned about disguised man A passenger on the Air Canada flight in which a young Asian man boarded disguised as an elderly man told CNN that she tried to warn the crew about the mask but was rebuffed. FULL STORY Banks spying on your bills, rent payments, paychecks: report Spy Agencies Infiltrate al-Qaida Report: Failed Al Qaeda Plot Involving Sewing Bombs Inside Dogs Police Suspend Investigation of Giant Home 'Bomb Factory' in CA The San Diego Sheriff's Department has suspended its investigation of the alleged home "bomb factory" of George Djura Jakubec because the huge weapons cache was just too dangerous. KBR knew of Oregon soldiers' exposure to cancer-causing hexavalent chromium in Iraq Man Confronts TSA Screeners Over Pat-Downs: 'If You Touch My Junk' I'll Have You Arrested Few businesses using feds' E-Verify tool to check workers' immigration status Menstruating woman subjected to TSA grope because panty-liner obscured her vulva on pornoscanner Pentagon data diverted to Chinese servers....China denies 'hijacking' web traffic Report claims telecoms company had access to 15% of global traffic, including military emails, for 18 minutes Cancer surviving flight attendant forced to remove prosthetic breast during pat-down Airport pat-downs an infection risk? Gloved hands that touch multiple passengers could transmit disease. TSA Boss: New Pat-Downs Are More Invasive Feds saved over 35,000 body scans, from just one Florida courthouse Fla. airport to opt-out of TSA, hire private security firm TSA screeners could lose immunity to sex assault laws TSA AGENTS LEAVE CANCER SURVIVOR COVERED IN URINE A retired teacher from Lansing, Michigan, says he had to walk through an airport and board a plane covered in urine after TSA agents tore open his urostomy bag during a pat-down. ABC producer says TSA agent felt inside of her underwear Man invents underwear the TSA can't see through Hillary Clinton: I Would Not Submit To TSA Pat-Down -- 'Who Would?' Drivers Transporting Nuclear Material Arrested For Public Intoxication, Bar Fights TSA harasses pregnant mother, makes her wait >1hr, miss flight, for carrying breast milk DHS shuts down dozens of websites without court order... Courts Greenpeace Sues Chemical and PR Firms for "Unlawful" Spying In 2008, Mother Jones blew the lid off corporate black ops against environmental groups. Now one of the targets is fighting back. Student facing three years in jail for modifying Xbox 360 The Cal State Fullerton liberal arts student is accused of installing chips on Xbox 360 consoles that allowed people to run pirated DVDs and other unofficial content. US jury convicts five Somalis of piracy (Attack on US frigate, after mistaking it for a cargo ship) Indicted Casino Owner: Campaign Contributions Can't Be Bribes! Madoff Victims Trustee Sues UBS, Investors For $2 Billion The trustee liquidating Bernard Madoff's investment management firm sued UBS AG and various other entities for allegedly profiting from the massive Ponzi scheme, according to a court filing. Texas businessman settles military food fraud case for $15 million Girls sue school over 'boobies' bracelet ban Middle-schoolers, ACLU sue school district over ban on breast-cancer bracele Supreme Court Declines to Lift Military Ban on Gays Labor Dept. Asks Court To Close Massey Mine In Ky. Iowans Sack Judges Who Ruled For Gay Marriage Muslim group challenges Oklahoma sharia law ban Council on American-Islamic Relations argues the preemptive law is unconstitutional Court order blocks Okla. amendment on Islamic law federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking a state constitutional amendment that prohibits state courts from considering international or Islamic law when deciding cases. Oklahoma voters may have also banned Native American rights DA Drops Hit-And-Run Charges Out Of Concern For Wealth Manager's Job Court Rules High School Cheerleader Is Required To Cheer For Her Alleged Rapist Supreme Court strikes down challenge to health reform Judge Dismissed $292,500 in Debt Due to Shady Lender Practices -- Wall St. Freaks Out Whistleblower accuses HSBC and JP Morgan of silver futures scam a lawsuit filed in New York last week, trader Eric Nalven has launched a class action suit against the two banks, claiming they "artificially depressed the price of silver dramatically downward" in a scheme that netted the banks "substantial illegal profits". Assassination In Court, US Argues to Make Legal What It’s Always Done » Justice Scalia admits he doesn't care about intent behind laws ACLU Challenges Discriminatory Military Policy Cutting In Half Separation Pay For Honorably Discharged Gay And Lesbian Service Members Social Security Judges Face Violent Threats Court OKs N.H. law allowing "God" pledge Concludes voluntary recitation of Pledge of Allegiance doesn't violate constitutional rights 45 Years Later, Former Alabama State Trooper Pleads Guilty to Killing Black Civil Rights Worker Jimmie Lee Jackson Ghailani acquitted on all but one charge Guantanamo detainee tried in NY faced 280 counts; guilty of one. Arkansas man sues over new TSA full-body scansAn Arkansas man has filed a federal lawsuit against the Transportation Security Administration, claiming that the agency's new screening rules are detrimental to his "emotional, psychological and mental well-being Education ‎Cal State approves 15.5 pct tuition hike next fall Teachers Take Charge To Save Ailing Public Schools Test scores are up 18 percent and enrollment has spiked more than 30 percent. The model works, teachers say, because everyone from the principal to the janitor is vested in the outcome. "Everybody has a stake," said teacher Bruce Newborn. "We all suffer and we all win." Vet Who Wrote About Addiction To Violence Barred From MD College Economists Take Aim At Bonuses For Teachers With Master's Degrees Every year, American schools pay more than $8.6 billion in bonuses to teachers with master's degrees, even though the idea that a higher degree makes a teacher more effective has been mostly debunked.Despite more than a decade of research showing the money has little impact on student achievement, state lawmakers and other officials have been reluctant to tackle thi Hearst Official to Replace Klein at Helm of N.Y. Schools Cathie Black, former USA Today publisher and Hearst Magazines chairwoman, will become the New York City schools chancellor, as Joel I. Klein leaves to work at the News Corporation. NYC Schools Chancellor Joel Klein Steps Down, Joins News Corp .....NYC starves schools of resources then closes them for failing. Student body president is illegal immigrant Former valedictorian had been afraid to go public; status disclosed by Fresno State campus newspaper Border tunnel, 20 tons of pot found Environment Texas officials covered up radioactive tap water for years BP rates own Alaska pipes 'F' for safety Eighty percent of oil and gas pipelines corroded and could rupture. US Department of Defense is the Worst Polluter on the Planet Workers find more radioactivity at Hanford site Workers cleaning up the nation's most contaminated nuclear site have discovered an area of soil so radioactive it exceeds lethal limits tenfold, Barstow water ban is partly lifted Golden State Water Co. is flushing city pipes after one well is found to have 15 times the accepted level of perchlorate. Residents report mixed messages on whether it's safe to bathe. Polar bears losing out to grizzlies, study foresees Polar bears are likely to lose out to grizzly bears in fierce competition for food as climate change drives the two species closer together into shared habitat, biologists concluded in a study released on Tuesday	Boss Fires Herself To Save Employees When Lola Gonzalez, owner of Florida-based Accurate Background Check, realized that she had to begin layoffs to keep her company afloat, she couldn't bear to let go of anyone. So she fired herself instead. Greed Life Insurance Companies Cancel Thousands Of Policies Fraud Inquiries Focus on Construction Hiring Two of the nation’s major construction companies are under federal investigation for defrauding government programs on some of the biggest public works projects in and around New York US charges 17 over '$42m theft' of Holocaust funds Seventeen people have been charged in the US with the theft of $42m of Holocaust compensation funds provided by the German government. Wells Fargo Repossesses A Fully Paid Off Car Debt collector used phony courtroom to ‘intimidate' debtors Land of plenty? U.S. hunger rate remains stubbornly high How Countrywide Profited on Foreclosures An Unsealed Lawsuit Indicates Dell Hid Faults of Computers FEAR PAYS: Bush DHS Secretary Cashes In On Security Ties Media Comcast Charging Netflix Partner New Fee That Breaks Proposed 'Open Internet' Rules Fox Reporter Claims CEO Roger Ailes Sought To 'Silence Me' Former insurance executive apologizes to Michael Moore Fox News said to reject television ad on 'don't ask, don't tell' Fox News Chief: NPR Run By 'Nazis'......Fox News Chief Apologizes Over 'Nazis' Remark FBI pressures Google over wiretapping NPR, you are an appeaser just like Obama Glenn Beck may never recover from Jon Stewart's evisceration of his vicious Soros smear FCC may forgo 'Net Neutrality' for wireless networks Ex-WikiLeaks staffers plan rival whistleblower site Keith Olbermann SUSPENDED From MSNBC Indefinitely Without Pay MSNBC has suspended star anchor Keith Olbermann following the news that he had donated to three Democratic candidates this election cycle."I became aware of Keith's political contributions late last night. Mindful of NBC News policy and standards, I have suspended him indefinitely without pay," MSNBC president Phil Griffin said in a statement. Before Bush Donor Takeover Of MSNBC, Network Selectively Applies Rules To Suspend Olbermann......CNBC must suspend Larry Kudlow Under the NBC News ethics policy that Olbermann broke, his donation to a Republican should get him in trouble Do NBC's campaign donation rules apply to CNBC? If they do, a decent chunk of the financial news network's primetime lineup is in trouble Trade group: Comcast takeover of NBC ‘will send monthly cable bills higher by billions’As the proposed takeover of NBC-Universal by cable TV provider Comcast comes down to the wire, a trade organization representing hundreds of smaller cable and internet providers has urged federal regulators to protect consumers from a deal they say "will send monthly cable bills higher by billions of dollars over the next decade". FCC probes Google privacy breach Company admitted Street View cars stole personal info through wi-fi. Righthaven seeks to dismiss suit over posting of R-J story(Democratic Underground) The Las Vegas Review-Journal's copyright enforcement company no longer wants to litigate one of its more controversial cases: a complaint against the big political website the Democratic Underground. Bush memoir 'lifted passages' Bush accused of 'scene fabrication' in autobiography. Roger Ailes: Obama A Far-Left Socialist In an interview, Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes told The Daily Beast's Howard Kurtz that he thinks President Obama is a far-left socialist. "The president has not been very successful," Ailes said. "He just got kicked from Mumbai to South Korea Debt collectors using Facebook to stalk and humilate Police/Prison FBI: Over 6K hate crimes in 2009 More than 60 percent of known offenders white, report says. Man Had Bomb Factory in Home (Largest ... in U.S. History) Oakland cops shoot man wielding scale Hairstyling shop owner shot repeatedly after reaching for scale used to weigh drugs. DNA test casts doubt on executed Texas man's guilt (Bush's final months as governor) 'Sheriff Joe' used secret database to misspend $80 million: officials Navy SEAL arrested for arms trafficking Police officer acquitted who beat man on tape; Watch video... Gas station manager says U.S. flag pole used in Election Day attack - Two Turkish-American gas station workers on suburban Long Island say they were assaulted and beaten with a flagpole bearing an American flag on the night of Election Day Police: Protesters 'tearing up' Oakland Authorities in Oakland, California, said unruly marchers were "tearing up the city" as they protested a two-year sentence for a former transit police officer convicted for killing an unarmed man. 152 arrested in BART protest Anger over 2-year sentence for transit cop who shot Oscar Grant. FBI: 69 Children, 99 Pimps Found in National Bust More than five dozen child prostitutes have been found in the last three days as part of a nationwide crackdown on the sexual exploitation of children, the FBI said Monday. Somali Gangs Ran Sex Ring in 3 States Crackdown on child prostitution brings 884 arrests Ex-Marines arrested in weapons scheme (AP) – 3 hours ago Federal agents have arrested three retired Marines suspected of selling illegal assault weapons to a notorious Los Angeles street gang, FBI: Md. official's wife hid $80K in bra Fellow Cop: New Orleans Police Laughed After Burning Man's Body Man charged for covering head during police beating A Miami man whose beating at the hands of police was captured on cell phone video has been charged with resisting arrest without violence, a charge his lawyer says came from nothing more than the man's attempts to cover his head from the blows. Civil Rights Neo-Nazis March In Support Of SB-1070 In Arizona Yesterday, members of the Neo-Nazi National Socialist Movement gathered in front of the Sandra Day O’Connor Federal Court Building in Phoenix, AZ to protest a federal judge’s decision to block several provisions of the state’s controversial immigration law, SB-1070. Pollice had to interfere with tear gas and pepper spray when a group of counter-protesters clashed with the neo-Nazi march. Watch ABC15′s coverage: 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Extended Indefinitely DEATH THREATS force gay bishop to retire. State official fired after targeting gay student leader An assistant AG in Michigan has been fired, weeks after coming under fire for targeting an openly gay university student online and in person, the attorney general said. FULL STORY Black Voter Forced to Swear on Bible Before Casting Vote in Mid-Term Election Report: Child Abuse Rate At Zero Percent In Lesbian Households Pentagon group finds there is minimal risk to lifting gay ban during war Megachurch Pastor Comes Out After Gay Teen Suicides New Rules Require Equal Visitation Rights For All Patients Marines Most Resistant To Openly Gay Troops Drug War Boy, 5, shot in head by suspected gang member Elaborate U.S.-Mexico Drug Tunnel Discovered During Massive Drug Bust US appeals court judge endorses legal marijuana Some San Jose pot clubs shut down in protest of aggressive police raids Prosecutor: Heroin Mill Found Near Times Square A newly renovated, nearly $4,000-a-month apartment two blocks from Times Square was being used as a major heroin-packaging mill, processing millions of dollars' worth of the drug for sale, authorities said Thursday. Surge in city homicides laid to drug crime The number of people slain in Boston has risen 46.5 percent since this time last year, a dramatic increase that Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis attributed to a rise in drug crime New York City Murder Rate On Pace For Big Spike Drug reformers raise alarm over Obama's DEA nominee FDA to crack down on caffeinated alcoholic drinks; Four Loko maker says it will remove caffeine from drink Texas Governor Signals Willingness To Send U.S. Troops Into Mexico To Fight Drug War Counter-terrorism exercise features pot growers setting off bombs, seizing California dam DEA Using Emergency Powers To Ban Fake Pot Two years after bust, Kentucky's 'king of pot' still evades cops

Science	History
CT Scans Can Reduce Lung Cancer Deaths, Study Finds For the first time, a major trial has shown that early detection of lung cancer, using annual CT scans rather than chest X-rays, can sharply reduce deaths from the disease. Hybrid 'runner' rats resist disease Can Science Tell Us Right From Wrong? NASA's Fermi Telescope Finds Giant Structure in our Galaxy Dolphins form complex networks Scientists discover unknown lizard species at lunch buffet - Researchers have identified a previously undocumented species of all-female lizard in the Mekong River delta that can reproduce itself by cloning, and the story of how it was discovered is almost as exotic as the animal itself. Cell phone warnings included 'in fine print' Makers issue little-noticed warnings as brain cancer fears grow. Scientists back one way Mars trips Travel to Mars could happen cheaply if missions are one-way. Scientists find new seismic fault in Rocky Mountains Satellites Used to Track Black Friday Mall Traffic	nsa-computers.pdf NSA And Computer Development Secret Papers Detail U.S. Aid for Ex-Nazis A secret history of the government’s Nazi-hunting operation concludes that intelligence officials created a “safe haven” for Nazis and collaborators. Chalmers Johnson has died
Politics
Sarah Palin Complains About Invasion Of Privacy On First Episode Of Her Reality TV Show Palin's Dangerous Race Game In her new book, the former Alaska governor questions the patriotism of African Americans who point out the country's imperfections. ALASKA SPELLING BEE: Miller Sues To Enforce Exact Spelling Of 'Murkowski' In Senate Count Grayson: Democratic ‘appeasement’ cost us the election All backers of net neutrality lost Tues. The FCC has been trying to expand its authority to regulate broadband internet providers, initially losing a court case in April. After that, it pushed Congress to pass legislation that would prevent the providers from blocking access to certain internet content, and force them to treat all web content providers equally. One-third of gays voted for GOP Frustration over lack of progress on gay-rights issues spills over to polls Election Judge: New Black Panther 'Not Bothering' Voters Robo-Call Tells Kansas Voters That They Need Proof Of Home Ownership To Vote ‘On Wednesday’ Redistricting Could Hand Republicans The Next Decade Robert Gates: Repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Now, Before GOP Takes Control Mayoooor Bloomberg: Congress members ‘can’t read,’ ‘don’t have passports,’ may start trade war “If you look at the US, you look at who we’re electing to Congress, to the Senate — they can’t read,” he said. “I’ll bet you a bunch of these people don’t have passports. We’re about to start a trade war with China if we’re not careful here ... only because nobody knows where China is. Nobody knows what China is.” Rand Paul: GOP must cut defense F.D.A. Unveils Graphic Warning Labels for Cigarettes Designed to cover half of a pack’s surface area, the proposed labels are intended to vividly remind smokers of tobacco’s dangers. Soledad O'Brien: Jesse Jackson Told Me I 'Didn't Count' As Black Tennessee Republican: Illegal Immigrants Will Multiply 'Like Rats' Non-Kentuckians most Rand Paul donors Sarah Palin gets FEC letter asking her to explain SarahPAC’s Spending A College Art Director In TX Was Fired For Calling Rep. Louie Gohmert A 'Fear-Monger' ... And The Incident Left A Paper Trail ... WATCH Gohmert: 'Yes We Can' Shut Down Gov't Cubs Owners Rail Against Gov't Spending -- But Ask For $300 Million To Renovate Wrigley Field Katrina victims get more federal money for housing Did Eric Cantor commit a felony? It is that and more. Cantor not only met in private with a foreign leader to undercut the foreign policy of the elected American president, he proceeded to brag about it. Also keep in mind, a few years ago, Speaker Nancy Pelosi traveled to Syria and met with Bashar al-Assad. At the time, none other than Eric Cantor personally accused Pelosi of possibly violating the Logan Act, "which makes it a felony for any American 'without authority of the United States' to communicate with a foreign government to influence that government's behavior on any disputes with the United States." Palin's PAC Reportedly Paid Big Money To Mysterious Company Managed by a shell company, and incorporated in a state with favorable tax laws and scant disclosure requirements, Paideia's corporate structure virtually assured anonymity. But interviews and a review of domestic and international business records led to the identity of Paideia's owner—which presented yet another mystery: Why is Palin's political action committee employing a Dutch right-wing journalist named Joshua Livestro, who is known for incendiary rhetoric? Budget and Taxes Soda pop, sales tax targeted to cut deficit	Health Insurance Here's how GOP will try to kill health care overhaul Number of Uninsured American Adults Hits Record High (Nearly 50 million) Ensign Privately Lobbied Obama Admin For Nearly $1 Million In Health Reform Money Seniors' drug coverage(plan costs) soaring KY orders insurers to offer child-only plans State says refusal to offer kids' plans a form of discrimination. Florida Woman Dies After Medicaid Program Outsourced To Private Insurers Denies Her Liver Transplant Health law snag may cost hospitals Partisan tensions on Capitol Hill are delaying efforts to fix an error in the federal health care law that could cost Children’s Hospital Boston and others like it millions of dollars in added drug costs. Defense Spending F-35 May Be Delayed Further, Cost More; Pentagon’s Price Tag For Stealthy Warplane Tops $382 Billion 'Iron Man' suits for future soldiers? In a prosthetic shell of metal and hydraulics, test engineer Rex Jameson puts an XOS-2 exoskeleton through its paces. Raytheon is developing the suits to help the U.S. military -- with even broader commercial possibilities. 23 Top Conservative Leaders Urge GOP Leadership To Pursue Defense Budget Cuts Lobbying Report: Rove-linked group funded by Wall Streeters NBC reports that hedge fund managers and private equity execs were big donors to a group that attacked Democrats Big business might not get what it paid for in election Business groups spent record amounts during this year's congressional elections, in support of mostly Republican candidates. Now, these groups hope their investment pays off on everything from lower corporate taxes to a resumption of free-trade agreements. » read more Treasury/Federal Reserve/Bailouts/SEC/IRS The Fed Rains Money On Corporate America -- But Main Street Left High And Dry AIG loses more than $2 billion after asset sales Report: Auto bailout saved more than 1.4 million jobs U.S. in Vast Insider Trading Probe The investigations, if they bear fruit, have the potential to expose a culture of pervasive insider trading in U.S. financial markets, including new ways non-public information is passed to traders through experts tied to specific industries or companies, federal authorities say. Wells Fargo to pay Citi $100 million over Wachovia Wells Fargo & Co will pay Citigroup Inc $100 million to settle multiple lawsuits over the contentious 2008 purchase of Wachovia Corp, closing another chapter in the receding financial crisis. Warren Helped Shoot Down Bill That Would Have Sped Foreclosures Elizabeth Warren was the first senior Obama administration official to recognize the potentially incendiary impact of a bill that would have made it significantly easier for mortgage companies to foreclose on homes, and her subsequent warnings played a crucial role in persuading the President to veto the measure, according to freshly released documents and people familiar with the deliberations. Stimulus New GOP Governors Kill $1.2 Billion In High-Speed Rail Jobs Rape victim funds 'misspent' Federal stimulus cash for rape victims 'misspent or squandered.'
Congress
GOP: Fund unemploy- ment by cutting GOP might extend benefits but only if paid for by cutting other spending. GOP Recommends Cutting Welfare Program That Already Expired Dems To Cave On DADT Repeal GOP's Top Tax Guy: GOP Will Block Permanent Middle-Class Tax Cut Senate Sanders to craft own deficit proposals Sen. Bernie Sanders will focus on raising taxes on wealthy, cutting defense. Coalition of (tea party backed) senators challenges GOP on earmarks Likely Armed Services Chairman And Defense Contractor-Funded McKeon Blasts Deficit Commission’s Defense Cuts McConnell backs earmark ban Senate minority leader reverses on congressional district spending. Senate approves $4.6B for black farmers, Indians Lieberman on DADT: We Have 60 SENATOR KILLS WEB CENSORSHIP BILL FEC lets Senator's $96,000 payment to mistress go unpunished Franken wants antitrust probe of Comcast Comcast's announcement of a new management team for NBC Universal may have been an illegal attempt to exert control over the company before the government has completed its antitrust review, according to Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.). Senate Passes Sweeping Food Safety Bill With Bipartisan Vote... Read Its Key Points Senate votes down earmark ban	Stunning Number Of Americans Don't Know GOP Took Back The House GOP Majority in House will push to end "Birthright Citizenship" AP: Earmark ban is 'largely cosmetic' Despite their claims, the Republicans' ban on earmarks won't stop lawmakers from steering taxpayers' dollars to pet projects. And it will have little if any effect on Washington's far graver problem — the gigantic budget deficit. House GOP 'plans hearings on 'scientific fraud' of global warming' Republicans plan to investigate Obama Rep. Darrell Issa says he will probe allegations of White House misconduct. Conyers joins call for Bush torture probe...Amnesty: prosecute Bush for admitted waterboardi House Passes Ban On 'Crush' Videos The House on Monday voted to ban so-called crush videos that depict the abuse and killing of animals. House ethics panel convicts Charlie Rangel. Like it actually means anything. First GOP-Ordered Vote Since Election Is To Defund NPR.House fails to eliminate NPR funding After Promising To ‘Listen To The American People,’ Pence Rejects Americans’ Call To Not Cut Social Programs No Security Pat-Downs for Boehner Representative John A. Boehner, soon to be the Speaker of the House, has pledged to fly commercial airlines back to his home district in Ohio. But that does not mean that he will be subjected to the hassles of ordinary passengers, including the controversial security pat-downs. Maxine Waters' November 29 Ethics Trial Canceled
White House
Obama OBAMA EXCLUDED BP FROM ENVIRONMENTAL OVERSIGHT While the stimulus bill was being debated in Congress in 2009, numerous companies lobbied for environmental exemptions, but their efforts were ultimately rebuffed by environmental advocates.But while companies may have failed to pressure Congress into issuing legislative exemptions from environmental oversight, federal agencies granted exemptions to 96 percent of stimulus projects so far, according to documents obtained by the Center for Public Integrity. Fed. Pay Freeze: Freeze Is Part Of 'Broad Sacrifice' Needed To Cut Deficit OBAMA PANEL: SLASH SOCIAL SECURITY, REDUCE CORP. TAXES....Sen. Bernie Sanders: Proposal to reduce Social Security 'reprehensible' Dean says Obama ran as reformer, then surrounded himself with DC insiders. Meet the leader of the Obama witch hunt If past is prologue, Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa will aim low and cheap -- by probing stimulus road signs! Obama opposes permanent tax break for wealthy: aide Critics Slam Obama Administration for 'Hiding' Massive Saudi Arms Deal Obama signals he'll allow rich to keep tax cuts, kill chance of climate bill....Obama open to tax break for rich says he'll consider extending Bush-era tax cuts for wealthy. Obama says he's out of touch, but offers no concessions After leading his party to the worst midterm drubbing in 72 years, President Barack Obama all but conceded Wednesday that he's lost touch with the American people. The president appeared subdued and at times reflective but not outwardly chastened and offered no change in direction. » read more WH Announces $10B in Trade Deals With India Watchdog wants probe of Google's 'unusually close' ties to Obama Obama: Freeze federal pay	GITMO/Bahgram/CIA-Blacksites 'Damn right' I personally ordered waterboarding: Bush No charges for destroying CIA tapes Tapes allegedly contained evidence showing the interrogation of detainees. Gov.-Elect Cuomo Opposes 9/11 Trial in New York KSM may not get a trial at all Alleged 9/11 plotter may simply be left to military custody with no trial. UK to compensate Gitmo detainees Britons held in camp to get 'millions' in out-of-court settlement. MI5 Agent Cleared Over 'Detainee Torture' Gonzales once again implicates self in Bush torture program Yoo: I Said Torture Was Legal, But It Doesn't Mean They Should've Done Itl DOJ Justice Dept. to reverse Bush-era policy on DNA testsThe waivers have been in widespread use in federal cases for about five years and run counter to the national movement toward allowing prisoners to seek post-conviction DNA testing to prove their innocence. More than 260 wrongly convicted people have been exonerated by such tests, though virtually all have been state prisoners. CIA CIA To Investigate Wikileaks Documents
Economy	Click for Economic Statistics	Financial Crisis for Beginners
Krugman: 'Tell Janitors To Work Until They’re 70 Because Lawyers Are Living Longer'... Ethanol subsidies to expire Dec. 31 Oil Rises a Second Day on U.S. Stimulus Speculation, Chinese Manufacturing Crude oil surged to its highest level in three weeks as the dollar weakened against major currencies on speculation the Federal Reserve will inject funds into the U.S. economy. McDONALD'S FURIOUS after SF bans Happy Meals. BP profit nears $2 billion despite spill British Petroleum posts huge profit for third quarter, despite cost of spill.	Initial Unemployment Claims in U.S. Increase More Than Forecast to 457,000 Microsoft CEO dumps $1.3b in shares Google to give 10 pct raises to entire work force all 23,300 of them Chinese goods to cost more Canada Said to Resist U.S. Push to Sell More GM Shares in IPO Raising Retirement Age Hurts The Poor, Government Auditors Say George Soros Warns Gold will be "the ultimate bubble"

Iraq	Map of Iraq
Bombs go off across Baghdad; at least 35 die Bush book reveals McConnell's hypocrisy on Iraq Ky. senator privately advocated an Iraq pullout even as he publicly blasted Democrats for the same position Former Iraqi MP Ayad Jamal Al-Din: Iran Should Be Negotiated with in order to End Its Occupation of Iraq Talabani refuses to sign Tariq Aziz execution order Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said on Wednesday he will not sign an execution order for Tareq Aziz, the former deputy of dictator Saddam Hussein sentenced to death last month over the persecution of Islamic parties. Car Bomb Kills 7, Including Iranians, in Iraq City Kerbala Bush lying, says ex-German leader	Iraqi prisoners 'abused at UK's Abu Ghraib' Hundreds starved and threatened with execution at secret base, high court told Iraq breaks 8-month- long political impasse Iraq’s leaders reached a tentative agreement late Wednesday night to create a unity government embracing the country’s major ethnic and religious factions, ending an eight-month political impasse and returning Nuri Kamal al-Maliki to power for a second term as prime minister. Drug expert told police Iraq whistleblower David Kelly was 'murdered' Iraq vet convicted in slaying of college student A former Army soldier who claimed to be mentally disturbed from his tour in Iraq has been convicted of capital murder in the abduction and shooting death of an Auburn University student from Georgia.
Middle East	Map of the Middle East
Iran <Click for video and history> U.S. Blocks Iran's Bid To Join U.N. Board On Women's Rights Iran developing long-range radar, upgraded missile defense Iranian hackers target Murdoch Website of channel co-owned by Robert Murdoch hijacked. Saudi Arabia Rich-poor divide at the Hajj The Hajj is meant to be the great leveler, but for those without the means the trip can be a testing experience. Saudi's Kingdom, Alwaleed buy $500 million of GM IPO Saudis arrest 149 terror suspects Other PKK denies role in Turkish blast Kurdish group distances itself from Sunday's suicide attack and extends truce until 2011 elections. White House Pushing Yemen For More Interrogation Powers, Intelligence Sharing In Wake Of Bomb Plot Turkey wary of Nato missile shield Ankara wants to make sure that Nato's Europe-wide missile defence system is not a 'proxy' protection for Israel. Lebanon Lebanon arrests preacher who praised 9/11 hijackers (Omar Bakri Mohammed) Hariri tribunal slams CBC report Prosecutor says Canadian report linking Hezbollah to the killing of Lebanon's former PM could jeopardise lives.	Israel Israelis bulldozed mosque, villagers say A mosque and other structures were demolished by bulldozers in a Palestinian village in the West Bank early Thursday, according to village residents. The Israeli Civil Administration said the demolished structures did not have "the required permits in a fire area, risking the lives of the population." Israeli police accused of kidnapping children, interrogating kids as young as 8 years old Palestinians: No building freeze, no talks Israel claims assassination of top Islamist militant in Gaza Israel to publish Palestinian 'incitement index' Cabinet debates draft mechanism to measure anti-Israel sentiment in the Palestinian Authority. Israel cuts ties with UNESCO in row over holy sites Government furious over UN decision to classify West Bank biblical tomb as a mosque. It's about to get more complicated for town on Israel-Lebanon border There's no line marking the divide between the north and south Ghajar, a village that straddles Israel's northern border with Lebanon, but soon there could be an international border between the two parts, thanks to Israel's new decision to accept a United Nations demarcation line. » read more Israel is giving the northern half to the U.N. peacekeeping force, while retaining the southern part, which according to all maps belongs to Syria. UN: Blockade easing did nothing for Gaza Israeli War Criminals
Afghanistan	Map of Afghanistan
US to spend $500 million to expand Kabul embassy McCain, Lieberman urge Obama to drop 2011 Afghan date Taliban stealing US Army uniforms Marines Receive Extra Firepower; US Tanks Headed to Afghanistan 61 lawmakers announce opposition to Afghan war extension Afghan violence at an all time high Taliban fighters earn money in UK Taliban fighter in Dhani-Ghorri reveals he lives for most of year in London and heads to Afghanistan for combat Women set selves afire to escape Many women in Afghanistan experience entrapment, sealed off more completely inside the home than out. But so desperate is the need for some to escape abusive marriages, they set themselves on fire. FULL STORY Arrests in Afghan poll fraud probe Twin suicide bombings kill at least 8 in Afghanistan Canadians handed children over to notorious Afghan security, CBC reports The Canadian Forces in Afghanistan have for at least four years captured children accused of co-operating with the Taliban and transferred them to a local security unit suspected of torture 6 U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan Karzai aide blames British for Taliban impostor	Contractor Louis Berger settles in Afghan overbilling probe One of the government’s highest profile American contractors in Afghanistan has agreed to pay tens of millions of dollars to settle allegations that it overbilled the U.S. government. In return, the Justice Department will end its investigation into allegations that Louis Berger was intentionally over charging American taxpayers "No-Go" Tribal Areas Became Basis for Afghan Insurgency Documents Show Washington's Immediate 9/11 Demands to Islamabad Taliban mount series of attacks in Afghanistan Armed men burn down girls' school Armed men burned down a girls' primary school in eastern Afghanistan on Monday night, an act that also destroyed hundreds of Qurans, a government official said on Tuesday. Karzai's criticism stuns Petraeus Afghan leader called for fewer US troops and end of nighttime raids.Petraeus gives Karzai warning Gen. David Petraeus personally warned Afghan officials over the weekend the U.S.-Afghan partnership could be "untenable" if Karzai wants U.S. troops out of Afghanistan prematurely. Factory, coal mine show connections matter most in Afghan business The Ghori Cement Factory and the nearby Karkar Coal Mine have become symbols of the corruption, nepotism and mismanagement that pervade President Hamid Karzai's government, hobble the U.S. effort to rebuild Afghanistan, and fuel the Taliban-led insurgency that now threatens both sites. Taliban impostor warnings ignored by Afghan leaders, says former spy chief

Pakistan	Map of Pakistan
Sufis march against Taliban (in the Pakistani city of Lahore) US Missile Strike Kills 4 Militants in NW Pakistan Pakistani intelligence officials say a U.S. missile strike has killed four suspected militants near the Afghan border.	Powerful bomb destroys building in centre of Pakistan's largest city Karachi
North&South Asia	Map of Asia
Voting under way in Myanmar Polling stations open in country's first elections in 20 years with odds heavily stacked against opposition parties. Thousands flee violence in Burmal....Myanmar Releases Archrival, Democracy Leader Aung San Suu Kyi China directed Google hacking: leaked US documents Thailand extradites alleged arms dealer Bout to US India lost $462bn in illegal capital flows, says report India has lost more than $460bn since Independence because of companies and the rich illegally funnelling their wealth overseas, a new report says. Fiji Water Embroiled in Junta Meltdown A company official gets kicked off the island, and political disorder ensues.The fight comes at a potentially awkward moment for Fiji Water—and for the State Department, which just nominated the company for its 2010 Corporate Excellence Award. US relations with Fiji have been cool in recent years, but Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has announced that Washington will re-engage with Bainimarama's regime by putting a $21 million USAID climate change office in Fiji—amove some consider an attempt to counter China's rising influence there. Where's most of that toxic e-waste going? Overseas Five years after California launched an ambitious effort to control pollution from electronic waste, much of our e-waste is being shipped overseas, where it is contributing to a legacy of pollution and disease that would not be tolerated in this state, a Bee investigation has found. » read m	US, Australia to Boost Security Ties Protesters bomb police station with cart full of burning pot Police in the New Zealand capital of Wellington were weighing charges Friday against a group of pro-cannabis protesters who invaded the cop-shop with a cart full of burning marijuana, according to a report from the scene. The activists had been demonstrating on parliament grounds by smoking marijuana openly in front of police and security, as party of an ongoing campaign of civil disobedience. Cambodia anti-tank mine kills 14 on tractor Former China nuclear head jailed for life over bribes The former head of China's main nuclear energy company has been jailed for life for taking almost $1m in bribes. 2,000 foetuses found at Thai Buddhist temple 'Maoist rebel bomb' kills seven in India's Bihar state Tonga Democrats 'leading' in polls Pro-democracy party emerges with biggest bloc after Pacific nation's first vote for popularly elected parliament. Police to investigate Roy over Kashmir remarks In an appeal to a local court, Sushil Pandit, a private citizen, accused Roy of sedition for saying that Kashmir was not an integral part of India at a seminar in New Delhi last month.
Europe	Map of Europe
Russia Visit to Disputed Area Angers Japan President Dmitri A. Medvedev visited the Kuril Islands, seized from Japan in World War II, making it clear that Russia has no plans to return the territory. Japan recalls ambassador to Russia WikiLeaks’ Assange to Sue Sweden Over Rape Investigation Georgia: Russia 'Spy Ring' Nabbed Russian journalist attacked in Moscow Oleg Kashin sustains numerous injuries after what witnesses describe as an ambush by two men. President Medvedev condemns the beating, which some suspect is linked to the crusading reporter's work. Dagestan shootouts leave many dead ·(Canada) Liberals defend meeting terrorist-branded group Five Liberal members of Parliament say they did nothing wrong when they accepted an invitation from an Iranian opposition group on Canada's terrorist list. Data reveals higher Greek debt Athens says debt reduction on track despite new EU figures showing higher debt last year than projected. Up in smoke! Dutch to ban tourists from buying pot Sweden to detain WikiLeaks founder NHS 'is best free healthcare provider' Britain is only industrialised country where wealth is not factor in access to healthcare, study finds 'Detonator' in Germany-bound Namibia plane..Bomb' in Namibia was 'security test' Sweden issues international warrant for WikiLeaks chief Medvedev Digs Into United Russia President Dmitry Medvedev has warned the ruling United Russia party that the country risks falling into stagnation without more political competition. "If the ruling party has no chances to lose anywhere at anytime, it becomes 'bronzed,'" he said. Facebook Unblocks Khodorkovsky Account Facebook on Tuesday restored the account of jailed oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky and apologized for the temporary suspension, which it said was done by mistake. Met under fire for charging at protest YouTube footage shows mounted police riding at speed into a crowd of around 1,000 protesters in London	Britain and France sign 50-year defence deal Treaty envisages joint use of aircraft carriers, 10,000-strong joint expeditionary force and new levels of co-operation over nuclear missiles Plot sparks Europe flight crackdown UK bans freight from Yemen and Somalia, as Germany extends Yemen ban to passenger flights in wake of US-bound bomb plot. U.K. Reveals Arrest of Al Qaeda Member (from earlier this year) US spied on Norweigan protestors at Oslo embassy EU Bans Phosphates In Laundry Detergents To Clean Up Water Pollution Sweden says US has carried out secret surveillance McDonald's and PepsiCo to help write UK health policy Nuke bunker built to last 100,000 years What to do with nuclear waste? Finland believes it has an answer with a huge system of underground tunnels that is being carved from solid rock. None of the people working on the facility today will live to see it completed. FULL STORY Berlusconi Aide Was ‘Liaison’ With Mafia: Court Ruling No proof to link Sarkozy to Karachi bomb probe: source Families of the victims have said Sarkozy should be summoned for questioning in the probe, which aims to clarify whether the attack was a reprisal against France for a decision to stop paying commissions on Agosta submarine sales to Pakistan. Canadians overuse ER after hours: survey Russia Admits Stalin Ordered Katyn Massacre of Poles Russia’s parliament on Friday declared Stalin responsible for ordering the Katyn massacre of Polish officers in World War II, a crime Moscow spent decades blaming on the Nazis to the fury of Poland.... Vatican Now Views Condoms As Lesser Of Two Evils To Stop Spread Of HIV Arrests in Europe 'terror plot' Officials arrest 10 suspects in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany for allegedly plotting an attack.
Africa	Map of Africa
Coup Attempt by Military Is Reported in Madagascar.Madagascar forces storm rebel base Dissident soldiers who attempted coup have reportedly given themselves up after operation by security forces. Twenty-one civilians 'killed by shelling in Mogadishu' Nigeria charges arms traffickers An Iranian and three Nigerians are charged with illegal arms trafficking as a shipment is intercepted in Lagos port. Nigeria Detains 12 in Halliburton Bribery Case Cote d'Ivoire vote-counting begins Presidential run-off wraps up amid allegations of vote fraud and intimidation	Somali pirates receive record ransom for ships' release U.S. BANS CARGO FROM YEMEN, SOMALIA Several kidnapped in Nigeria oil rig attack: sources Libya Orders U.S. Diplomat To Leave The Country British warship destroys Somali pirate 'mother-ship' vessel (in full view of the pirate camp) South Africa's Shocking Violence: 1 In 3 Men Admit To Rape .
The Americas	Map of North America and South America
Haiti's cholera 'from South Asia' Test results show origin of the cholera strain but findings yet to confirm where the outbreak started, official Colombia Suspends 7 in Military After Children’s Killings 30 tons of marijuana found on U.S.-Mexico border Former army captain accused of torturing Brazil´s president-elect Dilma Rousseff Judge orders Lori Berenson freed from Peru prison A Peruvian judge has ordered that convicted rebel collaborator Lori Berenson be released from prison. The 40-year-old New York woman Experts iffy on swamp gas explanation of hotel explosion Some experts are skeptical about a claim by Mexican authorities that a previously undetected mass of swamp gas caused the deadly explosion beneath the Grand Riviera Princess Hotel. Haiti candidate's convoy attacked Blanco Maya called for questioning (US Drummond Coal union workers' murders in Colombia) Jamie Blanco Maya, the brother of Colombia's former Inspector General Edgardo Maya, was called for questioning by a human right prosecutor in relation to the murder of two unionists working for multinational coal company Drummond, Military vehicles enter Brazil slum Armoured carriers roll into Vila Cruzeiro slum in Rio de Janeiro as security forces prepare to take on drug gangs.	Six Americans dead in Mexico drug war US consulate says 6 US citizens killed in Juarez since Saturday. MASS GRAVE Discovered In Mexican Town Nearly 100 Toronto officers to be disciplined over (G20) summit conduct Mexico: Forces kill drug cartel leader Mexico hunts 12-year-old hitman Bolivia moves to nationalize pensions, lower age Bolivia's leftist government said on Tuesday it had agreed a bill to nationalize the country's pension system and lower the retirement age to 58. Haitians, fearing cholera, attack workers collecting bodies The incident Saturday came as tensions are rising over an unprecedented cholera outbreak that has sickened more than 18,000 people and left more than 1,000 dead. The crowd's ire was directed at government workers who have been hired to collect the dead. » read more Chavez Promotes General Criticized by Opposition Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Saturday promoted a general who sparked controversy by suggesting the military would not accept an electoral return to power by government opponents.