The News Crawler

The News Crawler
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Last Update: Monday, March 16, 2009

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U.S. officials mum on report that military shot down Iranian drone American military officials at all levels are refusing to comment on a report that the U.S. military shot down an Iranian drone flying over Iraq last month. 5 Biggest Holders of U.S. Securities by Country - US News and ... As of June last year, foreign countries held over $10 billion dollars in U.S. securities. China Worries About Its Holdings of $1 Trillion in U.S. Government Debt DOD rethinking 'two wars' theory Gates says US should be ready for more than two wars at a time.	Obama Justice Dept. defends Rumsfeld in torture case....Maddow w/ Jonathan Turley: Just what IS an 'enemy combatant'?....Obama's new detainee policy: Break from Bush, or the same doctrine?...Obama DOJ: ‘Aliens Held at Guantanamo Do Not Have Due Process Rights’ Pentagon plans blimp to spy from new heights The Pentagon said Thursday that it intends to spend $400 million to develop a giant dirigible that will float 65,000 feet above the Earth for 10 years, providing unblinking and intricate radar surveillance of the vehicles, planes and even people below.
Connecticut
Conn. casino workers to vote yes or no on union Region will get $5M to train workers About $5 million in federal stimulus funds will be allocated to work force training and education initiatives in the south-central area of the state and Workforce Alliance is inviting employers to make proposals that will create and sustain jobs. Congestion Pricing Considered For Connecticut Rush hour on I-91 and I-84 might get costly — but perhaps a bit less crowded — if supporters of a congestion pricing strategy prevail at the Capitol. Hypocrites in Connecticut: I rented a hotel room in Stamford this weekend and for a Republican town there sure are some outrageous taxes. Most notable was the 5 dollar Stamford City Tax for renting a room. This is on top of the normal sales tax. In total that's a 12 percent tax. Funny cause I though Republicans hate taxes. Fired Madison cop gets suspended sentence A fired town police officer facing several felony charges pleaded no contest to a single misdemeanor count Thursday and received a one-year suspended sentence in Superior Court in New Haven. Connecticut Marine Breathes Sigh of Relief A Marine officer from Meriden has won a legal skirmish, as a military judge determined that CBS News does not have to turnover unaired footage from a "60 Minutes" interview	Conn. towns grappling with FOI law Legislation pending before the Connecticut General Assembly would revise the 2008 law requiring towns and cities to post meeting minutes on their municipal Web sites within seven days Homeless In State: More Families Seeking Shelter The face of homelessness is changing in Connecticut and across the country. Although the number of individuals who are homeless hasn't changed, more and more of those crowding into the few shelters that will take them are families. Video raises questions about Conn. priest's arrest A videotape is raising questions about East Haven police officers' account of the events leading to the arrest of a priest last month Priest arrested for filming cops Cops say man wielded 'unknown' object; Video proves they knew better Some of Connecticut's low-income residents to get stimulus money for home repairs Bill Targets Cyberstalkers in CT A new bill would make internet harassment and threats illegal Bill Proposed To Leave Trust Money To Pets Lawmakers discuss a proposal that would allow people to leave money to their pets in their wills.
United States
'It Hurts,' Says First Lady of Military Families on Food Stamps DOD rethinking 'two wars' theory Gates says US should be ready for more than two wars at a time. Principal: student can't wear Obama mask in show An elementary school principal is barring a fifth-grader from wearing a Barack Obama mask in the school's talent show because parents have complained it's inappropriate. Government bans `downer' cows from food supply The government on Saturday permanently banned the slaughter of cows too sick or weak to stand on their own, seeking to further minimize the chance that mad cow disease could enter the food supply. Pentagon plans blimp to spy from new heights The Pentagon said Thursday that it intends to spend $400 million to develop a giant dirigible that will float 65,000 feet above the Earth for 10 years, providing unblinking and intricate radar surveillance of the vehicles, planes and even people below. Justice Department investigating Inglewood police shootings The Inglewood Police Department announced today that the Department of Justice is investigating the agency in the wake of several officer-involved shootings of unarmed suspects and other incidents. A.I.G. Planning $165 Million in Bonuses After Huge Bailout Patents Being Abused To Put Your Life In Danger	Judge: Will Rule in Week on Merrill Bonus Case Juge to decide within week whether Bank of America has to turn over list of bonuses Fake passports easy to get, investigators find Is MSNBC censoring mentions of Stewart/Cramer conflict? CIA Confirms 12 of 92 Videotapes Destroyed Showed Prisoners Tortured Race may be factor in police shooting of unarmed black man The death of Bernard Monroe comes amid research into what latent biases may explain disproportionate police violence against blacks. The Tribune's Howard Witt reports. Stimulus funds to affect paychecks Many taxpayers may find extra money in their paychecks starting this spring as one of the provisions of the federal stimulus package takes effect. Value of Suing Over 9-11 Deaths Is Still Unsettled After the 9/11 terror attacks, thousands of people faced a weighty and uncomfortable decision. Congress had created a special fund to compensate survivors and victims’ families, but said that those who received compensation from it could not sue airlines or airport security firms, among other entities. Nine bodies found near U.S.-Mexico border.....U.S. teens were hit men for Mexico cartel Tobacco tax? Then tax caffeine too, lawmaker says A conservative Mormon state lawmaker says that if Utah wants to raise its tax on tobacco then it might as well raise taxes on such addictive substances as caffeine too Buffett's '08 salary: $100,000; compensation: $175,000 The world's second-richest man, Warren Buffett, wasn't even the highest paid employee at his company last year Missouri report on militias, terrorists draws criticism Ginsburg: Possible court opening soon
Madoffed
Madoffs Were Worth More Than $823M, Documents Show...Madoff assets: $22 million in property, $7 million yacht, $2.6 million in jewelry Madoff's wife may have trouble protecting assets Madoff pleads guilty to 11 charges; no deal on names, where money went Recessions expose financial scandals Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme isn't the only scam uncovered during tough economic times.

Science
Near Miss Renews U.N. Interest in Asteroid Defence As the United Nations grapples with global problems related to collapsing economies, rising poverty and the devastating impact of climate change, there is apparently a new threat looming over Earth: plummeting asteroids.
Politics
Regulator: Before Banks Collapsed, They Pleaded With Feds To Let Them Fudge Their Books New record for number of PACs More groups than ever are contributing money to presidential and congressional candidates as their strongest growth in a generation reflects the fervor over last year's White House election and a desire for access and clout on Capitol Hill Uncle Sam: Marriage Counselor The federal government has launched a campaign to encourage people to tie the knot! 5 Biggest Holders of U.S. Securities by Country - US News and ... As of June last year, foreign countries held over $10 billion dollars in U.S. securities. China Worries About Its Holdings of $1 Trillion in U.S. Government Debt Internal dissent over Fed action won't halt policy Some Federal Reserve insiders are breaking ranks in alarm over action by the U.S. central bank to tackle the credit crisis, but this unusually blunt display of dissent will not force a reversal in policy.	Iraq bombings target police patrols Biden rolls out $1.3B for Amtrak Vice President Joe Biden continued the rollout of the economic stimulus bill Friday, highlighting $1.3 billion in funding for Amtrak. The $787 billion stimulus plan includes a total of $8 billion for improvements in rail service Closing arguments begin in Minn. Senate case Closing arguments are under way in the trial over Minnesota's disputed U.S. Senate seat. Gates calls off NATO trip to focus on US defence budget US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has called off his planned trip to a NATO summit next month because he needs more time to review budget decisions on major weapons programs, a spokesman said on Friday The Big Bad Database of Senator Norm Coleman....Coleman's Compromised Donors: Where They Came From
Obama
Obama Announces FDA Picks, Food Safety Measures Obama Admin To End Use Of Term "Enemy Combatant" 1937 Haunts Democrats During Spending Debate Obama's response reached back to the Great Depression. According to several Republicans in the room, Obama raised the specter of 1937, the year President Franklin Roosevelt succumbed to conservative pressure and cut spending, leading, economists insist, to a renewal of the economic collapse that has been dubbed the "recession within the Depression." U.S. Unveils New Reason To Hold Gitmo Detainees The Justice Department released Friday a new rationale for holding the detainees at the Guantanamo prison camp. The statement says the detainees are being held under the law called the Authorization for the Use of Military Force, passed by Congress after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.	Obama Justice Dept. defends Rumsfeld in torture case....Maddow w/ Jonathan Turley: Just what IS an 'enemy combatant'?....Obama's new detainee policy: Break from Bush, or the same doctrine?...Obama DOJ: ‘Aliens Held at Guantanamo Do Not Have Due Process Rights’ Fried named as Guantanamo Closure Czar The Obama administration Thursday created a top level diplomatic position of globe-trotting Guantanamo Closure Czar to plead individual war on terror detainee cases in Europe and the Middle East. White House objects to UN calling US 'deadbeat' The White House objected Thursday to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's description of the United States as a "deadbeat" donor to the world body. Obama should free Mumia
Economy
Iran: Too Much Oil Available Iranian oil minister says there is too much oil on the market OPEC calls for end to overproduction Dow's Rise Doesn't Reflect Economy	China, others join int'l bank oversight group Seven major economies including China, Russia and India have joined a key international banking oversight group, said a statement Friday. U.S. business leaders say hobbled by healthcare costs Why Obama Should Ignore The Dow

Iraq	Map of Iraq
Friday: 1 US Sailor, 6 Iraqis Killed; 8 Iraqis Wounded Saturday: 10 Iraqis Killed, 10 Wounded Kurdistan region to start exporting oil thru Iraqi pipelines Iraqi security leader wants 'war of intelligence' Iraq's top security official called Saturday for a shift from major military operations to a "war of intelligence" to track down remaining extremist cells responsible for attacks such as those that killed 60 people in the past week in the Baghdad area. U.S. officials mum on report that military shot down Iranian drone American military officials at all levels are refusing to comment on a report that the U.S. military shot down an Iranian drone flying over Iraq last month. Iraq's Talabani not seeking re-election, but not to quit politics Iraq wages war on packs of stray dogs Iraq mulls bringing Baath Party members into fold The Iraqi government is seeking to bring former members of the ousted Baath Party into the process of national reconciliation, a media report said Saturday.	Iraqi VPs call to hold security officials accountable for deterioration Movement claims black people rights in Iraq Suspected Kurdish rebel targets in Iraq hit Turkish warplanes bombed suspected Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq on Thursday, a military spokesman said Friday. Iraq, Iran Agree To Demarcate Border Joint technical teams of Iraqi and Iranian experts have been formed to demarcate the two countries' 1,200 kilometer border. Iraq: 128 face execution in batches of 20 Amnesty International today called for the immediate intervention of Iraq’s Justice Minister to stop the execution of 128 prisoners on death row, amid reports that the authorities are planning to start executing them in batches of up to 20 starting next week. Video: Muslim protesters jeer British soldiers returning from Iraq Security developments in Iraq, March 14
Middle East
Hezbollah will not recognise Israel Find the Iranian Arms Dealer in This Picture Laura Wang-Woodford pleads guilty to arms sales; husband on run with millions. Hamas criticises Gaza rocket fire Palestinian group says "wrong time" for attacks on Israel as Gaza toll rises to 1,400. Sources: Israel agrees to free all 450 Hamas prisoners for Shalit Israel has agreed to free all 450 of the prisoners demanded by Hamas in exchange for kidnapped Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, and the dispute now revolves around Israel's demand that some of these prisoners be deported rather than returned home, Palestinian sources in Cairo said Thursday Iran signs $3.2-billion natural gas deal with China Shiite, Sunnis Tensions Rise In Saudi Arabia Sectarian tensions between Shiites and Sunnis are on the rise in Saudi Arabia. As in much of the Muslim world, Shiites are a minority in Saudi Arabia. The current troubles started last month, when the religious police reportedly harassed Shiite women worshipping in Islam's second-holiest city.	New Bin Laden Audio Tape: Arab Leaders "Collaborated" With Israel....Nothing new in Bin Laden tape: US official (AFP) The United States on Saturday downplayed the latest audio recording by Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, saying there was nothing new about the tape. American wounded by Israeli troops has surgery An American activist struck in the head by a tear gas canister fired by Israeli troops in the West Bank was in serious condition Saturday after undergoing surgery, hospital officials said. Arms dealer promotional film dubbed 'most atrocious of all time' Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Israel's armament development authority, has launched a promotional film that was dubbed "the most atrocious defense video of all time" by Wired, the popular technology magazine Freeman Affair Puts Israel Lobby in Spotlight Independent Shia Muslims fight against Hezbollah's influence in Lebanon Palestinian factions disagree on gov't formation, elections
Afghanistan	Map of Afghanistan
Surge 'no solution in Afghanistan' US commander says mass influx of troops would not restore security to the country. 5 killed in Afghan operation targeting bomb-maker (AP) Petraeus: No Iraq-Style Surge In Afghanistan 5 killed in Afghan operation targeting bomb-maker An overnight raid conducted by U.S. coalition troops and Afghan special forces killed five militants during a mission against the leader of a roadside bomb-making cell south of Kabul, a U.S. spokesman said Saturday. Guantanamo inmate joins Taleban The Taleban have confirmed that a former Guantanamo detainee has become their senior military commander in southern Afghanistan. Dangerous decisions in Afghanistan Pt. 3 Bombs, clashes kill six in Afghanistan Bombs exploded in Afghanistan's two main cities Sunday, killing one man and wounding at least a dozen people, authorities said.	Cargo UAVs considered for supply delivery By this summer, combat troops in Afghanistan could be resupplied by giant unmanned aerial vehicles, a Marine Corps general told Congress. Petraeus: War Will Get Worse Before It Gets Better Focus of Afghan War Shifts South Security developments in Afghanistan, March 15 5 killed in Afghan operation targeting bomb-maker (AP) NATO wants more Australian troops for Afghan vote NATO has asked Australia to send more troops to Afghanistan to help provide security during elections in the strife-torn nation later this year, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said Sunday Netherlands to send commandos to Afghanistan Bomb Near Afghan Mayor Kills Bystander; US Kills 5 Militants
Pakistan	Map of Pakistan
Pakistan seeks way out of crisis, detentions multiply Pakistan's year-old civilian government sought a compromise to appease opposition leaders and a lawyers movement on Friday as police detained hundreds of activists in a bid to stifle a nationwide protest. India answers 26/11 queries, puts ball in Pak's court India gave 32 answers including CDs and intercepted voice recordings US gives a deadline to Pak to end political crisis Shahbaz Sharif detained; his convoy stopped The situation in Pakistan seems to be heading towards a showdown as the convoy of Nawaz Sharif's brother Shahbaz Sharif, who is leading the long march, has been stopped. Pakistan information minister quits Sherry Rehman, Pakistan's information minister, has resigned over the government's handling of the country's media.	Death toll in Pakistan missile attack hits 22 Militants searched Friday for bodies in the debris of a house destroyed by suspected U.S. missiles in northwestern Pakistan as the death toll rose to 22, including foreign extremists, intelligence officials said Pak govt says ready for talks with Sharif Zardari govt issues orders for Sharif's house arrest Pakistan's government on Sunday issued orders to put former premier and main opposition PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif under house arrest for three days to prevent him from leading the long march. Pakistan boiling Pakistan is in complete chaos ISI has to cut ties with extremist groups: Mullen
Asia
China frees 2 jailed intellectuals Critic of Kyrgyzstan Leader Is Believed Dead in a Suspicious Car Crash A car accident that opposition politicians say killed a disaffected ex-official is seen as part of a crackdown by a repressive government.	U.S. in deal to refurbish aircraft for Taiwan Australian beaches 'disaster zone' Oil spill threatens ecological disaster near Great Barrier Reef.
Europe
Italy 'violating' migrant rights Amnesty says holding migrants in detention centres on Lampedusa is unlawful Switzerland eases bank secrecy laws Government agrees to strengthen exchange of banking information with other countries. Germany: fix system before stimulus Germany said Saturday that fixing the financial system has to come ahead of any new economy stimulus program. Switzerland Breaks With Tradition On Tax Evasion Switzerland is hoping to avoid being blacklisted by world powers when they meet to discuss stepping up the fight against tax cheats.	Activists accuse Russia of mistreating Muslims Two activists accused Russia's government on Friday of encouraging prosecutors to target Muslims on trumped up charges of terrorism and extremism, and said the abuse could lead to anti-government unrest. Litvinenko suspect may run for mayor of Olympic city Britain's main suspect in the London murder of dissident Alexander Litvinenko is likely to run for mayor in the Russian city hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics, according to an announcement by his party on Friday. Arrests In N. Ireland Troop, Cop Killings
Africa
Guinea narcostate revealed in TV confessions When the planes arrived loaded with cocaine, it was Guinea's presidential guard that secured the cargo.	Abducted aid workers freed in Darfur
The Americas
Russia Says Chavez Offering Air Base For Strategic Bombers Chavez takes over transport links Venezuela's National Assembly voted to give President Hugo Chavez control of the country's roads, ports and airports UN tells Aristide party to fight in Haiti election A U.N. Security Council delegation praised the party of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide on Saturday for fighting to overturn the disqualification of its Senate candidates, saying it could help avert a potentially dangerous crisis. Drug cartels' new weaponry means war Narcotics traffickers are acquiring firepower more appropriate to an army -- including grenade launchers and anti-tank rockets -- and the police are feeling outgunned. American recklessness led to global recession: Canada Canadian PM blamed non-conservative idea of living beyond one's means.	Bolivia passes land from rich to poor Emboldened by a new leftist constitution, Bolivia President Evo Morales on Saturday handed over ownership of farmland seized by the state from wealthy estate holders to poor indigenous people. Nicaragua blasts US's decision to hold back aid Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega is accusing the U.S. of "taking bread" from the poor by holding back aid. Bolivia's Morales: Army, police have CIA contacts Bolivian President Evo Morales is once again accusing the CIA of meddling in internal affairs. Mexico drug cartels buying public support As traffickers recruit among the poor, their networks are being woven into the social fabric of the country Report: Russia may base bombers in Cuba