Chile: 129 to be arrested on `dirty war' charges A Chilean judge on Tuesday ordered the arrests of 129 former security officers on charges tied to the disappearance of leftists and the slaying of the communist party leadership during the Pinochet dictatorship

Clinton Told Of "Lord Of The Flies" Environment At Afghan Embassy: Supervisors Threatening, Urinating On People

'Sharp drop' in Afghan opium crop Afghan opium cultivation has decreased by more than a fifth in a year, with the biggest fall in Helmand, the UN says.

Palestinians warned not to declare de facto state Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Monday warned the Palestinians against a plan to establish a state by 2011 regardless of the outcome of the Middle East peace process.

Arabs Feel Like Foreigners in N.Iraq's Kurdistan Iraqi Arab Raad Walli and his family were excited about going for a summer break in Kurdistan, with its mountains and waterfalls, but their enthusiasm was sapped by a two-hour wait at the border.

Blackwater Gets Iraq Contract Extended by State Dept

Was Russia's 'Arctic Sea' Carrying Missiles to Iran? EU official: Israel likely hijacked Mideast-bound ship Israel was likely behind the hijacking in July of an Russian-manned ship en route to Algeria, the European Union's rapporteur on piracy has told TIME

Japan’s Victors Set to Abandon Market Reform Japan’s opposition party returned to power on a pledge to a shift away from deregulation and market-led growth.

US: Freed Pakistani nuke scientist a proliferation risk.....Pakistan court again puts curbs on nuke scientist A Pakistani court on Wednesday suspended an earlier order lifting restrictions on the movement of nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, who is alleged to have spread nuclear technology to Iran, North Korea

Yemen convenes Iran Envoy Yemen has called the Iranian ambassador to protest against Iran's support for the Houthi rebels in northern parts of the republic

Kurds rally for their rights Turkey's Kurds hold separate protesters asking the government for general amnesty.

IAEA chief: Iran threat 'hyped'  Departing chief of watch -dog says no proof that Iran is soon to have a nuke

Qaeda militant says trained in Syria for Iraq attack Syria rejects Iraqi 'terror' claim Damascus says that claims of harbouring assailants of Baghdad attack are "immoral".

US Headlines

U.S. Loses Ruling on Cotton Payouts The WTO ruled that Brazil can set around $295 million in annual sanctions against American goods as a result of the U.S.'s failure to eliminate illegal subsidies to cotton growers.

London's Weapon of Choice The vast majority of victims dying in London from gang violence are young African-Caribbean men. But while their U.S.-city counterparts live and die by the gun, these gangs come bearing knives

'Iran arms dealer' arrested in US US officials arrest a Belgian man on charges he sought to smuggle F-5 fighter jet engines and other parts to Iran.

Inspector: SEC botched investigation of Madoff scam (was incompetent but not corrupt)....

Beck: I'm a 'clown' who 'wants to make money'

Why Is iTunes Selling White Supremacy?

Connecticut

Lieberman: "Significant" health care reform possible this year, but not a public health insurance plan

Budget and Taxes

Conn. Senate gives final approval to $37.6B budget  The House Monday adopted a $37.6 billion biennial budget that incorporates the millionaire’s tax proposed by Gov. M. Jodi Rell, while it revises, rather than eliminates, the inheritance tax and delays a drop in the sales tax. The plan boosts taxes by $880 million, which includes income taxes, as well as a $1 on cigarettes to $3 per pack and a 10 percent 3-year corporate surcharge; fees jump by $118 million.

House, Senate Vote to Borrow $950 Million to Cover Deficit

Groundbreaking News: Atwater Work Begins, Geothermal Looks Good A few feet from apparently successful geothermal tests, several ceremonial shovels hit the dirt Aug. 19 to officially start the construction clock at the Atwater Library project. If all goes according to plan, the expanded library building, which will double in size to 12,500 square feet, will reopen for business in early September 2010. Thanks to lower construction costs
(estimated to be almost $200,000 under the $4.5 million budget) and state grant funding, the town was recently able to consider adding a new, geothermal environmental control system as part of the project. The system costs about $150,000 more than conventional cooling and heating systems. However, if the site supports it, the clean and sustainable energy system is expected to have paid for itself in about five years’ time.