The News Crawler

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Last Update: Saturday, May 16, 2009

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Pipeline-Istan: Everything You Need to Know About Oil, Gas, Russia, China, Iran, Afghanistan and Obama Nothing of significance takes place in Eurasia without an energy angle. Tillman's parents want general's record reviewed The parents of slain Army Ranger and NFL star Pat Tillman voiced concerns Tuesday that the general who played a role in mischaracterizing his death could be put in charge of military operations in Afghanistan. US plans derivatives regulations The US Treasury seeks more regulation of the financial instruments that brought down leading Wall Street firms. Japan 'would avoid dollar bonds' Japan's opposition party says it would refuse to buy American government bonds denominated in US dollars, if elected. U.S. Elected To U.N. Human Rights Council ( The United States was today elected to a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council for the first time Flight 93 panel member resigns over eminent domain US-Iranian journo released, media’s hypocrisy under spotlight US media has responded ecstatically to news that their cause-celebre, Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi, is being released. But there's more than a little hypocrisy -- they didn't exactly shine this light on Guantanamo, writes Glenn Greenwald .	White House Czar Calls For End To 'War on Drugs' The Obama administration's new drug czar says he wants to banish the idea that the U.S. is fighting "a war on drugs," a move that would underscore a shift favoring treatment over incarceration in trying to reduce illicit drug use. Ex-FBI agent: Waterboarding produced 'no actionable intel' Study: Road aid bypasses neediest Counties suffering the most from job losses stand to receive the least help from President Barack Obama’s plan to spend billions of stimulus dollars on transportation projects. Senate bill bans interest hikes on most existing balances The Senate appears likely to pass a measure that would shield credit-card consumers from sharp, sudden interest rate increases, limit retroactive rate increases and require 45 days notice for such changes. Many banking industry officials are concerned about the legislation. Plot Thickens After CIA 'Ghost Prisoner' Tortured Into Giving Iraq-al Qaeda Connection Is Found Dead in Libya Five guilty in Chicago bomb plot Five men are convicted in Miami of plotting attacks against several US targets, including Chicago's Sears tower. TRUSTEES: RECESSION QUICKLY DEPLETING SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE FUNDS
Connecticut
Blumenthal Arguing Against Southwestern Conn. Flight Plan Attorney General Richard Blumenthal plans to argue before a federal appeals court against a plan he says routes more large planes over southwestern Connecticut. Connecticut's environment looking good thanks to slow, steady progress Bold measures and grand steps forward are the things that catch our increasingly short attention spans. Who cares about the slow, steady incremental changes? How boring!But our environment in Connecticut is the beneficiary of just those kinds of changes -- of regulations set up years, sometimes decades, ago that have made things better than we may realize 8 CT Nursing Homes Face Walk Out Marijuana and Casino Smoking Bills Suffer Temporary Setbacks The lack of a vote was a blow to bills that would have decriminalized marijuana for those over 18 for possession of small amounts and banned smoking at the state's Indian-owned casinos in southeastern Connecticut. But proponents of each measure said the fight is not over, and they predicted further debate on the House and Senate floors before the General Assembly's regular session adjourns on June 3. Conn. House nixes credit checks of employees The Connecticut House of Representatives has passed legislation that prevents employers from requiring workers or prospective hires to consent to a credit check.	Sen. Dodd Defends Jackie Clegg Dodd in Courant Op-Ed The commentary piece is in response to a previous story one week ago by The Courant's Ed Mahony and Jon Lender on the corporate boards that Jackie Clegg Dodd serves as a director Blumenthal Asking for Federal Probe into Gas Prices Connecticut’s Attorney General wants a federal, multi-state investigation into gas prices. Court: Connecticut towns, cities can collect Enron millions Connecticut considers using fuel cells to power two state prisons Teen charged for having fake gun A 13-year-old Connecticut boy has been arrested after an incident involving a fake gun in North Haven. Rell reaffirms support of death penalty Conn. pedestrian who inspired morality debate dies A Hartford man has died a year after he was left paralyzed and mute in a hit-and-run accident that was mostly ignored by witnesses and inspired a debate about the city's morality. Lieberman: We're not less safe Sen. Joe Lieberman breaks with former VP Dick Cheney on foreign policy.
United States
Bizarre: Chemical 'attacks' at Chicago, Afghan schools on same day A school in the Chicago, Ill. suburb of Lockport was shut down today after a "chemical improvised device" jettisoned black smoke, exposing 14 to a possibly toxic substance, authorities said. Strangely enough, a very similar event occurred on the same day on the other side of the world, in Afghanistan. NPR Spikes "Outrage" Review For Outing Gay Republicans Five guilty in Chicago bomb plot Five men are convicted in Miami of plotting attacks against several US targets, including Chicago's Sears tower. Flight 93 panel member resigns over eminent domain Facebook about-face: Site won't ban Holocaust deniers FDA: Cheerios is an illegally marketed 'drug' Judge forbids LA teachers from staging walkout A judge has forbidden Los Angeles teachers from staging a one-day walkout Friday to protest planned layoffs and class-size increases Man convicted in NY of trying to start terror camp A jury convicted a Lebanese-born Swede on Tuesday of plotting to help al-Qaida recruit by trying to set up a weapons-training post in Oregon and distributing terrorist training manuals over the Internet. Eminem to take autoworkers to Jimmy Kimmel show Eminem says he and Jimmy Kimmel will fly about 200 laid-off autoworkers to Los Angeles for Friday's taping of his appearance on Kimmel's show. Plot Thickens After CIA 'Ghost Prisoner' Tortured Into Giving Iraq-al Qaeda Connection Is Found Dead in Libya Firms delivering aid 'also trafficked arms' Use in peacekeeping missions of air carriers that have supplied arms and drugs is 'dirty secret of the humanitarian aid world' Air cargo companies involved in illicit arms and drug trafficking have been repeatedly contracted by the UN and other aid agencies to deliver humanitarian aid, a leading thinktank reveals today. Why Do Women Bully Women in the Workplace? They're Easier Targets.Surprising? Not really--it's easier than bullying a man. Jesus would permit followers to torture, some evangelicals believe RI lawmakers adopt ban on indoor prostitution Rhode Island could soon end a dubious distinction: being the only place outside certain counties in Nevada where indoor prostitution is legal. Rural America Facing More Foreclosures Many families refinanced into risky subprime loans. As miners and factory workers lose their jobs, their adjustable mortgage rates are going up, and they can no longer afford the payment. WATCH: Police Officer Brutally Punts Man In The Head, Then High-Fives Partner NPR censors review of gay documentary	US-Iranian journo released, media’s hypocrisy under spotlight US media has responded ecstatically to news that their cause-celebre, Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi, is being released. But there's more than a little hypocrisy -- they didn't exactly shine this light on Guantanamo, writes Glenn Greenwald . Schwarzenegger Warns Next Year's Deficit Could Climb To $21.3 Billion Could Food Shortages Bring Down Civilization? Finally someone is listening to Lester Brown and his warnings of a collapse in our food supplies, as a new article reveals in Scientific American. Judge rules 1st US genocide case should proceed A federal judge has rejected a Justice Department request for more trial preparation time in the case of an immigrant accused in the 1994 Rwandan massacre. W.R. Grace Acquitted in Libby, Montana Asbestos Case A federal jury in Montana acquitted W.R. Grace and Company and three of its former executives last Friday of knowingly exposing mine workers and residents of Libby, Montana, to asbestos poisoning and then covering up their actions. The government has called this the nation’s biggest environmental disaster. Hundreds of miners and residents of Libby have died, and at least 1,200 more have developed cancer or lung disease from exposure to the asbestos-containing ore from W.R. Grace’s vermiculite mine Lockheed Martin says open to Indian parts in Aegis (AFP) US defence industry giant Lockheed Martin said it is open to using some Indian components if chosen to supply the country's navy with its Aegis ballistic missile defence system. David Barstow: TV Networks Ignoring Retraction Of Report That Exonerated Generals Pentagon Pundits: New York Times Reporter David Barstow Wins Pulitzer Prize for Exposing Military’s Pro-War Propaganda Media Campaign In his first national broadcast interview, New York Times reporter David Barstow speaks about his 2009 Pulitzer Prize-winning expose of the Pentagon propaganda campaign to recruit more than seventy-five retired military officers to appear on TV outlets as military analysts ahead of and during the Iraq war. This week, the Pentagon inspector general’s office admitted its exoneration of the program was flawed and withdrew it 'White African-American' Sues Med School Med student says he was suspended for saying he was African-American. Medea and Desiree of Code Pink confront Rumsfeld at Correspondents Craigslist to End Controversial Erotic Ads One-fourth of overseas votes go uncounted One out of every four military personnel and other Americans living abroad may have been thwarted in their efforts to vote in the 2008 election because of communications and bureaucratic problems, according to a congressional report released Wednesday.... Pentagon official charged with conspiracy The criminal complaint alleges that James Wilbur Fondren Jr., while working for the Defense Department, conspired to turn over classified information to an agent of China TN nixes trans -gendered wedding Slaves to Denial The Cherokee Nation is determined to deny black folks citizenship. Descendants of Freedmen cannot let that happen. U.S. Elected To U.N. Human Rights Council ( The United States was today elected to a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council for the first time Father: Army 'broke' soldier accused of killing 5
Madoffed
WHO ELSE KNEW? Billions Withdrawn Before Madoff Arrest SEC may charge Angelo Mozilo with fraud - The staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission has decided to recommend that the agency bring civil fraud charges against Angelo Mozilo, the former chief executive of mortgage lender Countrywide Financial Corp., according to a published report Wednesday.

Science
ACLU sues over patents on cancer genes Patents on two human genes linked to breast and ovarian cancers are being challenged in court by the American Civil Liberties Union, which argues that patenting pure genes is unconstitutional and hinders research for a cancer cure	Space junk raises risks for Hubble repair mission (AP) Nonstick Chemical Pollutes Water at Notable Levels Orangutan Short-Circuits Wires, Builds Ladder In Zoo Escape
Politics
Torture Report Contradicts Cheney: Waterboarding Neither "Efficacious Or Medically Safe" Feingold objected to CIA torture in classified letter On Monday, the Washington Post reported the impending release of a May 7, 2004 IG report that, the paper added, would show that in several circumstances the techniques used to interrogate terrorist suspects "appeared to violate the U.N. Convention Against Torture" and did not produce desired results. Japan 'would avoid dollar bonds' Japan's opposition party says it would refuse to buy American government bonds denominated in US dollars, if elected. Citigroup: TARP Loans Near $45 Billion Mark Ventura: Powell's a 'war hero,' while Cheney 'ran and hid' TRUSTEES: RECESSION QUICKLY DEPLETING SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE FUNDS Senate bill bans interest hikes on most existing balances The Senate appears likely to pass a measure that would shield credit-card consumers from sharp, sudden interest rate increases, limit retroactive rate increases and require 45 days notice for such changes. Many banking industry officials are concerned about the legislation. Democrats: CIA is out to get us Dems charge that the CIA has released documents on congressional briefings to deflect blame away from itself. AIG to say its need for bailouts is over Coburn Gun Amendment Tacked Onto Credit Card Bill The Senate voted 67-29 to add a gun-rights provision to the consumer credit card bill on Tuesday, handing a victory to Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), who has employed a variety of procedural tools to advance the gun measure over the last two years.Senate allows guns into national parks.The amendment would allow visitors to carry concealed weapons onto national park property by requiring those parks to follow state gun laws. THIS IS A HOAX! IT IS A SWINDLE! WAKE UP AMERICA! Smokers, drinkers to carry tax burden? The Senate Finance Committee considers the option of taxing vices to pay for health care reform. Native American Apology Resolution legislation re-introduced Credit card companies piling on fees, raising rates ahead of new federal rules Senate begins terrorist-memo hearings The Senate began hearings Wednesday on recently released Bush administration documents related to harsh interrogation tactics for suspected terrorists. "This is a major undertaking," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, California Democrat and Senate Judiciary Committee member. "The committee will review millions of pages of unredacted documents, phone records and letters." Mrs. Feinstein said the hearings will be a bipartisan effort Written Testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing FBI Investigating Norm Coleman In Minnesota Soda Tax Weighed to Pay for Health Care - WSJ.com The Congressional Budget Office, which is providing lawmakers with cost estimates for each potential change in the health overhaul, included the option in a broad report on health-system financing in December. The office estimated that adding a tax of three cents per 12-ounce serving to these types of sweetened drinks would generate $24 billion over the next four years.	Congressman Hammers Treasury: "It's Not Illegal If Wall Street Wants It" Major Health Care Reform Blocker Tied To Internet Censorship In Iran And Saudi Arabia Lawmakers Try to Block New Abuse Photos Civil libertarians are condemning a call by two influential U.S. senators for the White House to block the impending release of photographs showing detainees being abused by U.S. military personnel at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and at other U.S. detention facilities in the Middle East Bush Failure To Disclose Waterboarding Appears To Violate Law Subprime Prosecution Lets Goldman Sachs Off The Hook Coleman wants to use campaign cash in lawsuits Former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman is asking the Federal Election Commission for permission to use his campaign funds to pay for legal bills in two lawsuits Freddie Mac seeks $6.1B in US aid after 1Q loss Study: Road aid bypasses neediest Counties suffering the most from job losses stand to receive the least help from President Barack Obama’s plan to spend billions of stimulus dollars on transportation projects. Citigroup: $45 billion TARP money goes toward loans Senators weigh tax hikes to pay for health care (AP) Senators are considering limiting — but not eliminating — the tax-free status of employer-provided health benefits to help pay for President Barack Obama's plan to provide coverage to 50 million uninsured Americans US judge declines to give interrogation testimony U.S. Circuit Judge Jay Bybee has declined to give Senate testimony on the memos he approved while at the Justice Department that supported harsh interrogation methods for detainees Bailout money to go to small banks 'Cash for clunkers' bill hits speed bump Legislation that would give car buyers a government voucher up to $4,500 when they trade in gas guzzlers hit a speed bump in the Senate amid concerns that a compromise between the White House and House Democrats doesn't go far enough to protect the environment. Senate Rejects a 15% Ceiling on Credit Card Interest Rates A measure by Senator Bernie Sanders, independent of Vermont, to cap credit card rates at 15 percent received only 33 votes, far short of the 60 needed to pass. Documents detail pressure from Treasury (Paulson) for banks to accept bailout Lindsey Graham: Bush Saw Law As A 'Nicety We Could Not Afford' Senate Democrats want Gitmo inmates kept out of US New legislation by Senate Democrats would fund the closure of the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, but it would block the transfer of any of the detainees to the United States. Ex-FBI agent: Waterboarding produced 'no actionable intel'
Obama
Biden says unions are way to rebuild middle class Vice President Joe Biden, making a renewed pitch for a major change in labor law, told union leaders Tuesday that the best way to rebuild the middle class is to help labor unions grow Obama defends abuse photos U-turn Barack Obama says releasing more photos of prisoner abuse by US soldiers is unnecessary and could inflame anti-US opinion. Fact-Checking The Stimulus Progress Report The Obama Administration unveils its first progress report on whether all that stimulus spending is actually stimulating the economy. Vice President Joe Biden says the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, as the stimulus program is officially known, has already saved or created 150,000 jobs. On credit card reform, where's Biden? the VP is in an awkward position: As a Senator, he tried to stop some reforms his boss is now pushing.	Obama IMF aid request goes into Senate bill The U.S. Senate will include President Barack Obama's request for up to $100 billion for the International Monetary Fund in its bill to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Senator Judd Gregg said on Wednesday. Gates: General wasn't fired over troop requests Defense Secretary Robert Gates said his decision to fire the top U.S. general in Afghanistan was not a result of disagreement over the general's repeated requests for more forces. White House Czar Calls For End To 'War on Drugs' The Obama administration's new drug czar says he wants to banish the idea that the U.S. is fighting "a war on drugs," a move that would underscore a shift favoring treatment over incarceration in trying to reduce illicit drug use.
Economy
AIG sells Japan headquarters for $1.2 billion Bloated Empire and the Financial Crash News coverage of today’s brutal recession wears blinders when it comes to some reasons for the financial crash: how America’s overextended global empire contributed to the 9/11 attacks, how the Fed propped up the post-9/11 economy with low interest rates, and how the easy money created the housing bubbl U.S. trade gap widens first time in eight months The U.S. trade gap widened in March for the first time in eight months, as oil imports jumped and weak overseas demand took a bite out of exports. Ford raises $1.4 billion through offering US plans derivatives regulations The US Treasury seeks more regulation of the financial instruments that brought down leading Wall Street firms. Oil above $60 on economy hopes	Sharp fall in exports from China China's exports in April were down 22.6% from a year ago, figures show, the sixth successive month of decline. Judge approves GMAC-Chrysler deal A bankruptcy judge on Tuesday ruled that GMAC Financial Services can become Chrysler LLC's preferred lender, potentially sending a slew of new business to the financing company and ensuring that Chrysler's dealers will have access to the loans they need to stay in business. Retail Sales Drop Unexpectedly in April The IMF is hurting poor countries \| Mark Weisbrot So it is with the IMF's continuing confrontations with its borrowers, with one government after another pleading: "You don't have to do this." Turkey and Latvia were in the news last week, having joined the roster of governments whose IMF disbursements are being withheld because they find it politically impossible to impose the required punishments on their citizens.

Iraq	Map of Iraq
UPDATE: Soldier-On-Soldier Shooting Suspect Had Been Disarmed After Earlier Incident Tuesday: 9 Iraqis Killed, 19 Wounded At least nine Iraqis were killed and 19 more were wounded in today’s attacks. The number of casualties in a suicide bombing in Kirkuk could rise. No Coalition deaths were reported, but authorities identified the U.S. soldier who killed five fellow soldiers yesterday in Baghdad. Army Times: The Real Story Of What Happened Iraq to Use Bulgaria Companies in Rebuilding Process Some US Soldiers Forced To Steal Water From Private Contractors In Iraq Gunmen hunt down Iraqi police Gunmen assassinated circulation police Chief Major Abdul Hussein Mohsen Al Kazemi while he was heading to Al Saadun region in Baghdad, a police source said. A circulation police officer noted that Al Kazemi’s body was found at Al Andalos Square. Car Bomb Attack Kills 5 Iraqi Police, Wounds 10 7 killed,14 wounded in Kirkuk suicide blast As US Forces are preparing to withdraw from Iraqi cities, lights are shed on a region that has not been the main target, yet, consequent security incidents along with political crisis have urged the reconsideration of the situation in Kirkuk. In details, seven people were killed including six	Iraq approves export of Kurdistan crude oil The Iraqi government said on Sunday it has approved Kurdish plans to export crude oil from fields in the northern Kurdish region through Iraq's national pipeline. "The Iraqi Ministry of Oil approved that the Kurdish regional government to export crude oil through the Iraqi pipeline to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan," an official in the ministry's media office told Xinhua on condition ... Iran urges Iraq to "pay special attention" to terrorist groups Iran urged neighboring Iraq on Monday to "pay special attention" to terrorist groups operating in its border areas, a week after Baghdad condemned the Iranian bombing of bases of a breakaway faction of the terror organization PKK in northern Iraq. Qaeda-linked group in Iraq denies head captured Suspect in Iraq shootings is on 3rd tour there US Continues to Imprison Reuters Photographer in Iraq Wednesday: 5 Iraqis Killed, 9 Wounded; 100 Kurdish Bodies Found In Mass Grave Iraq Parliament binds government to include water share in neighbors’ agreements
Middle East
Report: Iran deploys missile batteries in Persian Gulf Iran has deployed missile batteries in the Persian Gulf in an attempt to deter an attack against its nuclear facilities, the Saudi newspaper al-Watan reported Tuesday Obama warns Netanyahu: Don't surprise me with Iran strike President Barack Obama has sent a message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanding that Israel not surprise the U.S. with an Israeli military operation against Iran. Israel hands over Lebanon cluster bomb maps: U.N. Israel handed over to U.N. peacekeepers Tuesday maps of where it dropped cluster bombs in Lebanon during the 2006 war with Hezbollah guerrillas, the UNIFIL peacekeeping force said.	US reporter in Iran had secret report on Iraq war Court to state: Explain failure to evacuate 6 West Bank outposts The High Court on Wednesday ordered the state to explain within 90 days why it had not evacuated six illegal West Bank outposts that were slated for evacuation in 2004 Hizbullah confirms broad aid for Hamas Iranian militia kill five rebels near border (AFP) Five rebels and three members of the hardline basij militia were killed in clashes in western Iran near the border with Turkey and Iraq, a press report said on Wednesday. CIA chief in secret Israel talks on Iran
Afghanistan	Map of Afghanistan
Afghan commander tied to Tillman cover-up Did new Afghan general run alleged assassination wing? Reparations paid in Afghan civilian deaths Commission concluded 140 civilians died, over twice the figure cited by US. Third Afghan Girls’ School Experiences Sudden Illness At least 98 people from an Afghan girls school were admitted to a hospital Tuesday for headaches and vomiting in the third such episode in three weeks. Teams of bombers spark Afghan street battle Teams of suicide bombers and insurgents attacked government buildings in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday. Afghan Official: 95 Kids Died in U.S.-Taliban Clash Hard History Lesson In 'Talibanistan' To accommodate new troops, the U.S. military expanded a base and inadvertently disrupted ancient Afghan canals – handing the Taliban a propaganda victory.	Who Are the Real Psychopaths in Afghanistan? The U.S. has killed twice as many Afghan civilians as the Taliban this year and that number is sure to rise Another Mass Poisoning of Schoolgirls? 84 Afghan girls hospitalized in 2nd apparent poisoning in 2 days. What's The Appeal Of The Taliban? The Taliban brutally flogged a teenage girl, burned schools to the ground and advanced to within 60 miles of Pakistan's capital. Despite the stern rules and intolerant attitude, many Pakistanis support the Taliban insurgency. Why? Who are the Taliban, and what's their appeal? Neal Conan explores those questions with authors and experts on the region. Tillman's parents want general's record reviewed The parents of slain Army Ranger and NFL star Pat Tillman voiced concerns Tuesday that the general who played a role in mischaracterizing his death could be put in charge of military operations in Afghanistan. Taliban storm strategic Afghan city
Pakistan	Map of Pakistan
Pakistan will eliminate Taliban, says Zardari Pakistan's sharia cease-fire: I knew it wouldn't work, Zardari says 'Drone kills eight in Pakistan' Missiles fired by a suspected US drone kill at least eight people in Pakistan, close to the Afghan border, officials say.	Pakistan 'captures Taliban hideout' Military says it has taken local leader's base as hundreds of thousands flee. Pak 'kills' 751 militants, but shows no evidence Pakistan sends helicopter-borne commandos into Swat
Asia
China blocks U.S. from cyber warfare China has developed more secure operating software for its tens of millions of computers and is already installing it on government and military systems, hoping to make Beijing's networks impenetrable to U.S. military and intelligence agencies. Foreigners among 349 isolated by China over flu (AFP)	Parents' anger unresolved 1 year after China quake (AP) China marked the first anniversary of a massive earthquake on Tuesday in a somber, nationally televised ceremony filled with flowers and speeches, as the normally distant Chinese leadership provided an unusually cathartic public moment Exiled Tiananmen-Era Dissident Detained in China
Europe
Spanish court convicts 4, frees 10 in terror trial Italy arrests 'al-Qaeda plotters' Two French nationals detained in Italy for immigration offences are suspected of being key al-Qaeda figures, Italian police say. Novo Nordisk Agrees to Pay US$9 Million Fine in Connection with Payment of US$1.4 Million in Kickbacks Through the UN Oil-for-Food Programme Neo-Nazis attack concentration camp survivors during memorial service Survivors of a Nazi death camp were shot at and abused as they gathered to remember their liberation. 'Vatican to stop missionizing Jews' At Heichal Shlomo, chief Ashkenazi rabbi thanks pope for gesture and congratulates him for arriving. Russia media say cargo ship docks at space station (AP) An unmanned Russian cargo ship docked at the international space station Tuesday. Al Qaeda Suspects May Have Plotted Paris DeGaulle Attack from Jail Investigators allegedly heard cellmates talk airplanes, grenades in terror op. Only a third of UK terrorism arrests lead to charges (Reuters)	Greece puts brakes on Street View Greece stops Google from taking any more Street View pictures, pending "additional information" from the firm. Intel faces huge competition fine Chip maker Intel is facing a huge fine from the European Commission for anti-competitive practices. Norway's Drunken Driving Fines Based On Income American shames British lawmakers A U.S. freelance reporter has become the scourge of Britain's parliament, forcing the publication of legislators' expense claims for such things as porn movies and swimming pools. Pipeline-Istan: Everything You Need to Know About Oil, Gas, Russia, China, Iran, Afghanistan and Obama Nothing of significance takes place in Eurasia without an energy angle. UK oil traders dumped toxic waste Greece: Bomb Destroys Athens Bank The explosion was triggered by 44 pounds of explosives stashed in a suitcase left at the entrance of a Eurobank bank branch in the suburb of Argyroupoli.
Africa
Al-Qaeda Ally Shabab Al-Mujahideen Claims to Control Most of Mogadishu; Major Warlord Reported to Join Rebels; Fighting Near Presidential Palace In a communiqué dated May 10, 2009, and posted on jihadist websites on May 11, the Somali jihad group Harakat Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen claimed to have taken control of major positions in Mogadishu from forces loyal to the government.	Somalia 'worst drought in decade' Zimbabwe court frees journalists
The Americas
Columbia and Extrajudicial Killings Scandal Slain lawyer accuses Guatemala's president in tape A lawyer slain by gunmen over the weekend appears in a video tape that emerged Monday alleging that if anything happened to him it would be at the behest of Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom. El Salvador grapples with rising bloodshed Drugs, corruption and a history of violence and abuse contribute to a per capita homicide rate that is 10 times that of the U.S. In the first three months of 2009, 12 people were killed each day.	Asylum fight heating up Bolivia-Peru tensions Bolivia demanded Monday that Peru hand over three former government ministers charged with genocide in the 2003 killing of dozens of protesters, and President Evo Morales called asylum an "open provocation of the Bolivian people." Chavez, Citgo sued for $5 billion Freedom Watch, journalist sue for alleged human rights abuses. Turks and Caicos Seeks Referendum on British Rule