The News Crawler

North Branford fed up with the junk Neighbors in North Branford are fed up with a junkyard and they're hoping the Attorney General will help them take action.

Legislator: Cheshire Plant Is Essential In an aggressive letter to Pratt & Whitney Thursday, U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, D-5th District, said he views the potential closing of the company's Cheshire plant as a threat to national security and is spreading that view in Congress.

Judge Seals 'Damning' Parts Of Report On Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez The judge running a secret 18-month probe into allegations of corruption in the administration of Mayor Eddie A. Perez has decided to seal the parts of his report in which he finds probable cause that crimes were committed, saying that the report's release could either damage a person's right to a fair trial or their reputation.

State Finds 1st West Nile Mosquitoes of Season Some pesky mosquitoes trapped in Stratford on July 15 have tested positive, state officials said in a news release. They are the first in the state this year.

Pratt Jobs Headed Abroad, Union Says Union officials say Pratt & Whitney is planning to transfer work from its Cheshire repair plant to other facilities in Georgia and Singapore.

$1.2 billion worth of pot seized in Cal Federal and state agents have arrested 83 people accused of growing more than $1.2 billion worth of marijuana in a crackdown on illegal pot gardens in California's Sierra Nevada range.

FDNY written exams excluded hundreds of black and Hispanic firefighters, federal judge rules

Florida town fires manager after learning he's married to porn star A South Florida town manager who married a porn star last year was fired at an emergency meeting after the mayor and council members learned about it.

Old Enough to Strip, but Too Young to Drive Rhode Island's quirky laws allow teens to strip or enter "indoor" prostitution.

Openly gay member joins Air Force board A Colorado Democrat who last year became the first openly gay non-incumbent elected to Congress took his place Friday on the U.S. Air Force Academy's supervisory board

Police

30 People, Two Mayors, Arrested In New Jersey Corruption Probe The mayors of two New Jersey cities and a current and former state legislator were among more than two dozen people arrested Thursday in a sweeping corruption investigation.US rabbis arrested in crime probe....Charges Include Trafficking Of Kidneys From Israeli Donors

Rogue kidney brokers resell organs from poorest nations on black marke

Boston Globe 'proves' cop who arrested Gates no racist

Beyond Gates arrest, a growth of police power Arrests of those who challenge police authority are not uncommon, say civil libertarians

Obama walks back police criticism President Obama made a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room Friday to address the spiraling controversy over his comments on the Monday arrest of Harvard Prof. Henry Louis Gates by the Cambridge, Mass., Police Department.

Gates: It's Time To 'Move On' From Arrest

Racial justice only for the 'well connected'? blacks ask

Cop who arrested black scholar is profiling expert The white police sergeant accused of racial profiling after he arrested renowned black scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. in his home was hand-picked by a black police commissioner to teach recruits about avoiding racial profiling. Gates's run-in with the law was tame compared with other incidents, one says in an interview.

Black officer at Gates home during arrest said scholar acted strange, supports arrest A black police officer who was at Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s home when the black Harvard scholar was arrested says he fully supports how his white fellow officer handled the situation.

Cop accused of punching woman put on leave The city police officer being investigated for punching a woman last month applied to the Greenwich Police Department in 2005 but was disqualified over his background check

Study: More black than white inmates get life

Man sodomized by police Taser plans to sue

Existing Home Sales in U.S. Rise for Third Month on Lower Borrowing Costs

SEC, FDIC heads want new council to be supercop Key regulators on Thursday broke with the Obama administration, reaffirming their belief that some new powers to monitor big institutions against financial threats should go to an interagency council, not the Federal Reserve

SEC Poised to Move Against AIG Execs Financial Products personnel could face civil penalties.

Dealerships Give 'Cash For Clunkers' A Jump-Start The final details of the government program that encourages people to trade in older, gas-guzzling cars for more fuel-efficient ones will be released Friday. But car dealers have been using the program to sell cars for weeks

Buffett: I'm keeping my Goldman Sachs warrants Warren Buffett said he has no plans to soon exercise Berkshire Hathaway Inc's warrants to buy $5 billion of Goldman Sachs Group Inc stock, although he could make a big profit by doing so

Weekend Opinionator: 'Is Wall Street Picking Our Pockets?'."As new marketplaces have emerged, PCs have been unable to compete with Wall Street’s computers. Powerful algorithms — “algos,” in industry parlance — execute millions of orders a second and scan dozens of public and private marketplaces simultaneously. They can spot trends before other investors can blink, changing orders and strategies within milliseconds.

Blackwater Seeks Gag Order Now, Blackwater (which recently renamed itself "Xe") is attempting to use other means to silence its victims. On July 20, the company's high-powered lawyers from Mayer Brown, which boasts that it represents eighty-nine of the Fortune 100 companies and thirty-five of the fifty largest US banks, filed a motion in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to impose a gag order on Iraqi civilians suing the company

Iraqi Kurds go to polls, still at odds with Baghdad Iraqi Kurds will vote on Saturday in elections expected to keep President Masoud Barzani in power in Kurdistan but unlikely to erase voter concern about corruption or end a bitter feud with Baghdad over land and oil.

Iraq PM admits US troops may stay Nouri al-Maliki says US forces may remain in the country past 2011 withdrawal deadline.

Iraqi Weapons Monitor Describes Abuse At Hands Of U.S. Interrogators

Iraq investigates alleged U.S.-Sunni insurgent talks

Iraq criticizes U.S. talks with armed groups Iraq criticized the United States on Friday for holding talks with Iraqis that Baghdad describes as terrorists, delivering a rebuke to Washington during a visit by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to the U.S. capital.

Obama: 'Victory' not right word for Afghanistan President Barack Obama says he's uncomfortable using the word "victory" to describe the United States' goal in Afghanistan. He says the U.S. fight there is against broader terrorism and not a nation

U.S. stops giving militant death tolls in Afghanistan U.S. military officials in Afghanistan have halted the practice of releasing the number of militants killed in fighting with American-led forces as part of an overall strategy shift that emphasizes concern for the local civilian population's well-being rather than hunting insurgent groups.

Int'l troops mistakenly kill 2 Afghan police

CIA Kept bin Laden Son's Death Secret U.S. officials believe tactic meant to 'mess' with al Qaeda.

US citizen captured in Pakistan gives window into Al Qaeda's world The New York man is now cooperating with US authorities, providing them with information about terrorist training camps and leaders.

Delayed offensive wears at Pakistan's antiterror credibility

Involve us in talks: Pak army, ISI Pakistan Army and Inter-Services Intelligence agency have launched concerted efforts to be involved in talks with India. Diplomatic and other sources say the two organisations believe they can play a role because they are intrinsically linked to policy-making in Pakistan.

ISI creating chaos in Kashmir: US official Mullen has asked the Pakistani spy agency to change its "strategic thrust".

U.S. Overlooks Kyrgyzstan Rights Abuses

Police: Third bomb malfunctioned in Jakarta attacks

Four US airline officials booked for frisking Kalam No end to row created by frisking of former Indian president.

China eases one-child rule

Uighurs taken by police do not return

Chinese hack film festival site Chinese hackers have attacked the website of Australia's biggest film festival over a documentary about Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer. Content on the Melbourne International Film Festival site

Japan suspends beef shipments from Kansas company after finding bovine spinal columns

Philippines halts offensives against Muslim rebels

Al-Jazeera Report On Prominent Indonesian Cleric On Jakarta Attacks: Terror Justified Against Non-Muslims Abu Bakar Bashir, a prominent cleric in Indonesia,has defended last Friday's twin bombings in Jakarta which killednine and left more than 50 wounded. In an interview with The Australian newspaper

Two candidates pull out of Kyrgyz presidential election

Killers of Burundi albinos jailed Gang sold body parts from murdered African albinos for use in witchcraft.

Turkish commandos seize 5 pirates

Big Tobacco Sets Its Sights on Africa While half the world is trying to break the smoking habit, the industry is pushing hard for customers in the other half -- and most aggressively in Africa

SOMALIA: The not-so-organised Shabaab organisation The Shabaab - a militia that has dominated three-quarters of Somalia - are not the organised force many believe them to be. In fact, it is a mistake to believe they are a single fighting unit at all

Mauritania police arrest al-Qaida murder suspect

UPDATE: Honduran President Crosses Border, Stays For 30 Minutes

Mexican cartels target polygamist Mormon sect In the past three months, American Mormon communities in Mexico have been sucked into a dust devil of violence sweeping the borderlands.

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World Headlines
Israel wary of U.S. ‘defensive umbrella’ A series of failed tests of a U.S.-Israel anti-missile system raised new questions Thursday about the U.S. goal of providing an "umbrella" to defend its allies against an Iranian nuclear attack. US citizen captured in Pakistan gives window into Al Qaeda's world The New York man is now cooperating with US authorities, providing them with information about terrorist training camps and leaders. Iran Updates: Ahmadinejad Sacks VP Under Pressure, Then Names Him Chief Of Staff Iraq PM admits US troops may stay Nouri al-Maliki says US forces may remain in the country past 2011 withdrawal deadline. Iraq criticizes U.S. talks with armed groups Iraq criticized the United States on Friday for holding talks with Iraqis that Baghdad describes as terrorists, delivering a rebuke to Washington during a visit by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to the U.S. capital.	UPDATE: Honduran President Crosses Border, Stays For 30 Minutes Kyrgyzstan Election Marred By Ballot Box-Stuffing, Counting Irregularities: Monitoring Group Intel Appeals Antitrust Ruling Filing the appeal will not delay Intel’s payment of the $1.5 billion fine, the largest ever assessed in Europe in a market-dominance case. Obama: 'Victory' not right word for Afghanistan President Barack Obama says he's uncomfortable using the word "victory" to describe the United States' goal in Afghanistan. He says the U.S. fight there is against broader terrorism and not a nation Report: Cleric issues fatwa against VP pick Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent pick for the country's top vice president has continued to draw fire, with a senior cleric issuing a fatwa against the appointment, a reformist newspaper has reported. full story
US Headlines
Cheney Wanted To Send U.S. Troops To Buffalo To Arrest Terror Suspects U.S. admits it has no case against teen held at Guantanamo The Justice Department conceded Friday that it lacks the evidence to hold a teenage Guantanamo detainee as an enemy combatant after a federal judge last week ruled that his confession was inadmissible. Sen. Schumer warns SEC on "flash" stock orders U.S. Senator Charles Schumer warned a top regulator on Friday that if she does not ban so-called "flashes" -- orders that stock exchanges send to a select group of traders before revealing them to the wider market -- he will introduce legislation that does. Pentagon's pics of global warming Obama declassifies satellite photos that Bush admin. tried to hide. Beyond Gates arrest, a growth of police power Arrests of those who challenge police authority are not uncommon, say civil libertarians 30 People, Two Mayors, Arrested In New Jersey Corruption Probe The mayors of two New Jersey cities and a current and former state legislator were among more than two dozen people arrested Thursday in a sweeping corruption investigation.US rabbis arrested in crime probe....Charges Include Trafficking Of Kidneys From Israeli Donors Dow soars past 9,000 mark First time since January; investors cheer home sales, earnings from Ford, 3M. Over a Barrel: U.S. Oil Addiction From futures trading to the terrorist threat: forces that move the oil market. Military-Industrial Complex Loses F-22 Battle, But Still Reigns Strong	Secrets of CIA 'ghost flights' to be revealed Guantánamo detainee's lawyers hail UK air firm's U-turn that allows rendition case to go to court Confidential documents showing the flight plans of a CIA "ghost plane" allegedly used House panel axes DoD 'propaganda' Lawmakers hit brakes on Pentagon's nearly $1B plan for greatly expanded Information Operations programs. Dialing for dollars: Inmates scam Qwest, run own phone service out of jail US bank profits: repossessions rise Bank that is repossessing homes by the hundred, turns a massive profit Obama’s drug czar: Marijuana ‘has no medical benefit’ Judge: Terror shield law doesn't apply to officers A shield law for those who report suspected terrorist activities does not apply to law enforcement, a judge ruled Friday in a discrimination lawsuit filed by six imams who were removed from a US Airways flight in 2006. Jobless claims rise to 554,000 Govt. says report distorted by timing of auto plant shutdowns Bernanke: Jobless Rate To Stay High Even In Recovery Weekend Opinionator: 'Is Wall Street Picking Our Pockets?'."As new marketplaces have emerged, PCs have been unable to compete with Wall Street’s computers. Powerful algorithms — “algos,” in industry parlance — execute millions of orders a second and scan dozens of public and private marketplaces simultaneously. They can spot trends before other investors can blink, changing orders and strategies within milliseconds.
Connecticut
Conn. DMV Says Teen Driving Laws Having Impact he Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles says that new teen driving laws that took effect nearly a year ago appear to be working. Journal Register To Pay $11M For Income Taxes Newspaper publisher Journal Register Co. has reached a proposed settlement with Connecticut officials in which the company will pay $11 million to settle claims for income taxes. Late Blight Confirmed On Tomato Plants In 6 Of 8 Connecticut Counties Late blight, the potentially devastating fungus affecting tomatoes across the Northeast, has been confirmed in six of the state's eight counties. Jury selection begins for cop charged in groping Jury selection has started for a New Haven police officer accused of groping two women while working in uniform at a Crown Street bar. North Branford fed up with the junk Neighbors in North Branford are fed up with a junkyard and they're hoping the Attorney General will help them take action.	Legislator: Cheshire Plant Is Essential In an aggressive letter to Pratt & Whitney Thursday, U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, D-5th District, said he views the potential closing of the company's Cheshire plant as a threat to national security and is spreading that view in Congress. Judge Seals 'Damning' Parts Of Report On Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez The judge running a secret 18-month probe into allegations of corruption in the administration of Mayor Eddie A. Perez has decided to seal the parts of his report in which he finds probable cause that crimes were committed, saying that the report's release could either damage a person's right to a fair trial or their reputation. State Finds 1st West Nile Mosquitoes of Season Some pesky mosquitoes trapped in Stratford on July 15 have tested positive, state officials said in a news release. They are the first in the state this year. Pratt Jobs Headed Abroad, Union Says Union officials say Pratt & Whitney is planning to transfer work from its Cheshire repair plant to other facilities in Georgia and Singapore.
United States
Standoff over a dead pig nearly led U.S., Britain to war The pig was part of a herd owned by the Hudson's Bay Co., a British outfit. An American farmer shot it in the summer of 1859.Killing livestock on the frontier was a serious offense. The farmer offered to pay restitution. Hudson's Bay wanted $100, an exorbitant sum back then. The farmer balked. Both countries sent in troops, with weapons were locked and loaded Tech faculty oppose Gonzales-More than 40 faculty members sign petition against former AG Petition creator Walter Schaller, a Tech philosophy professor since 1986, said Friday he decided to take action because "with the emphasis on ethics the university has adopted, a guy that misled Congress is not the kind of person we want to represent Texas Tech." Security Issues Military-Industrial Complex Loses F-22 Battle, But Still Reigns Strong Israel wary of U.S. ‘defensive umbrella’ A series of failed tests of a U.S.-Israel anti-missile system raised new questions Thursday about the U.S. goal of providing an "umbrella" to defend its allies against an Iranian nuclear attack. 8 Are Shot at Texas Campus Event Gunfire broke out at an event on the Texas Southern University campus. Report blasts FEMA on storm trailer formaldehyde The Federal Emergency Management Agency took too long to respond to initial reports of dangerous levels of formaldehyde in trailers delivered to victims of the 2005 hurricanes, exposing people to possible health risks, a report of the Homeland Security Department inspector general said Thursday. Swine flu could hit 40% of Americans over 2 years MLB player tests positive Mullen "Infuriated ... Appalled" By Suppressed Torture Photos US in terrorism simulation all next week Border agent killed in unusual violence within US Federal investigators scrambled Friday to find whoever shot a U.S. Border Patrol agent in the head in an unusually violent attack within the U.S. that has left a baffling trail of evidence Courts Judges Have Quietly Decided 31 Cases Brought By Detainees Judge: Terror shield law doesn't apply to officers A shield law for those who report suspected terrorist activities does not apply to law enforcement, a judge ruled Friday in a discrimination lawsuit filed by six imams who were removed from a US Airways flight in 2006. Birther Soldier’s Newest Lawsuit: Dismissed Education Christian right aims to change history lessons in Texas schools Members of a panel of experts appointed by the board to revise the state's history curriculum, who include a Christian fundamentalist preacher who says he is fighting a war for America's moral soul, want lessons to emphasise the part played by Christianity in the founding of the US and that religion is a civic virtue. Your Chance of a Student Loan Just Got Better Environmental Pentagon's pics of global warming Obama declassifies satellite photos that Bush admin. tried to hide. Drug War Obama’s drug czar: Marijuana ‘has no medical benefit’ $1.2 billion worth of pot seized in Cal Federal and state agents have arrested 83 people accused of growing more than $1.2 billion worth of marijuana in a crackdown on illegal pot gardens in California's Sierra Nevada range.	Media Jon Stewart Eviscerates The 'Birther' Movement Lou Dobbs: "Limp-Minded, Lily-Livered Lefties" Attacked Me Because I Had The "Temerity To Inquire As To Where [Obama's] Birth Certificate Was" CNN President Backtracks: What Lou Dobbs Does "Is His Editorial Decision To Make" Navy Commander Accuses Miami Herald Reporter Of Sexual Harassment Civil Rights Mother Of 555-Pound Boy Arrested For Criminal Neglect FDNY written exams excluded hundreds of black and Hispanic firefighters, federal judge rules Florida town fires manager after learning he's married to porn star A South Florida town manager who married a porn star last year was fired at an emergency meeting after the mayor and council members learned about it. Old Enough to Strip, but Too Young to Drive Rhode Island's quirky laws allow teens to strip or enter "indoor" prostitution. Openly gay member joins Air Force board A Colorado Democrat who last year became the first openly gay non-incumbent elected to Congress took his place Friday on the U.S. Air Force Academy's supervisory board Police 30 People, Two Mayors, Arrested In New Jersey Corruption Probe The mayors of two New Jersey cities and a current and former state legislator were among more than two dozen people arrested Thursday in a sweeping corruption investigation.US rabbis arrested in crime probe....Charges Include Trafficking Of Kidneys From Israeli Donors Rogue kidney brokers resell organs from poorest nations on black marke Boston Globe 'proves' cop who arrested Gates no racist Beyond Gates arrest, a growth of police power Arrests of those who challenge police authority are not uncommon, say civil libertarians Obama walks back police criticism President Obama made a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room Friday to address the spiraling controversy over his comments on the Monday arrest of Harvard Prof. Henry Louis Gates by the Cambridge, Mass., Police Department. Gates: It's Time To 'Move On' From Arrest Racial justice only for the 'well connected'? blacks ask Cop who arrested black scholar is profiling expert The white police sergeant accused of racial profiling after he arrested renowned black scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. in his home was hand-picked by a black police commissioner to teach recruits about avoiding racial profiling. Gates's run-in with the law was tame compared with other incidents, one says in an interview. Black officer at Gates home during arrest said scholar acted strange, supports arrest A black police officer who was at Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s home when the black Harvard scholar was arrested says he fully supports how his white fellow officer handled the situation. Cop accused of punching woman put on leave The city police officer being investigated for punching a woman last month applied to the Greenwich Police Department in 2005 but was disqualified over his background check Study: More black than white inmates get life Man sodomized by police Taser plans to sue

Science
Human Stabbed a Neanderthal, Evidence Suggests "What we've got is a rib injury, with any number of scenarios that could explain it," said study researcher Steven Churchill, an associate professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University in North Carolina. "We're not suggesting there was a blitzkrieg, with modern humans marching across the land and executing the Neandertals [aka Neanderthals]. I want to say that loud and clear."	Stem cell feat revives ethics debate on human cloning Researchers successfully breed healthy living mice from non-embryonic stem cells, taking a step closer to human cloning. 'We have gone from science fiction to reality,' says one expert Agent Orange linked to serious heart disease
Politics
House Lawsuit seeks CIA records for Pelosi briefings House permits needle exchange programs The House voted Friday to lift a ban on using taxpayer dollars for needle exchange programs for intravenous drug users intended to prevent the spread of HIV House panel axes DoD 'propaganda' Lawmakers hit brakes on Pentagon's nearly $1B plan for greatly expanded Information Operations programs. House passes increase for housing, high-speed rail The Democratic-dominated House Thursday approved generous funding for housing subsidies for the poor and President Barack Obama's initiative to build high-speed railroads as it passed a $123.1 billion transportation and housing bill. Senate U.S. Braces For Swine Flu Surge Congress briefed on pandemic; health officials prep for August vaccine tests Sen. Schumer warns SEC on "flash" stock orders U.S. Senator Charles Schumer warned a top regulator on Friday that if she does not ban so-called "flashes" -- orders that stock exchanges send to a select group of traders before revealing them to the wider market -- he will introduce legislation that does. Gun Amendment Supporters Backed by NRA DonationsThe Senate narrowly voted down an amendment this afternoon that would have permitted gun owners to carry concealed firearms across state lines into states with tighter gun regulations. Taxes One Percenters" Enjoy Unprecedented Protection According to government figures, 1-percenters' share of America's total income is the highest it's been since 1929, and their tax rates are the lowest they've faced in two decades. Through bonuses, many 1-percenters will profit from the $23 trillion in bailout largesse the Treasury Department now says could be headed to financial firms. And most of them benefit from IRS decisions to reduce millionaire audits and collect zero taxes from the majority of major corporations. Obama backs millionaire's tax Federal Reserve/Bailouts SHAFTED AGAIN Ignoring Watchdog Report, Treasury Gives Three Major Banks Sweetheart Deals Eliot Spitzer -- The Fed is a Ponzi scheme, an inside job Defense Spending Senate kills funding for F-35 engine The Senate has again gone along with Obama administration efforts to change the way the Pentagon buys weapons, voting yesterday to eliminate spending on a jet engine program the defense secretary says is superfluous.	Health Insurance Single Payer: The Health Care Plan Not On The Table Many of the world's industrialized countries have a single-payer health care system, in which government administers all medical care. Support for such a system exists in the U.S.; even President Obama has expressed admiration for it. Yet it is absent from the debate. Promoting Healthcare Reform, Obama Admits US Can't Insure All Americans Without Single Payer Research Firm Cited by GOP Is Owned by Health Insurer GOP Health Care Point Man: We Shouldn't Have Our Own Plan, It Would "Confuse" People Whistleblower tells of America's hidden nightmare for its sick poor GITMO/Abu Ghraib/Bahgram U.S. admits it has no case against teen held at Guantanamo The Justice Department conceded Friday that it lacks the evidence to hold a teenage Guantanamo detainee as an enemy combatant after a federal judge last week ruled that his confession was inadmissible. Biden says Guantanamo will close by January Illegal Bush Activities Cheney "Got In President's Face" Over Libby Pardon: "He Just Wouldn't Give It Up" Cheney Wanted To Send U.S. Troops To Buffalo To Arrest Terror Suspects Cheney: Libby Deserved a Pardon After Time cover story, Cheney issues blunt statement in defense of Libby UK lawsuit against alleged CIA contractor to proceed Lawyers for Binyam Mohamed, who spent some seven years in US custody, five of them at Guantanamo, say that Jeppesen UK, a subsidiary of Boeing, has agreed to the presentation of evidence about the “ghost flights” it allegedly operated for the CIA — off-the-grid private jets that transferred terrorist suspects to sites where they would be tortured. Obama Obama announces $4.35-billion school-funding competition Watchdog criticizes Obama mortgage plan Lobbying Dem Brings In Big Bucks From Wall Street, Won't Reveal Guests At Fundraiser
Economy	Click for Economic Statistics
Jobless claims rise to 554,000 Govt. says report distorted by timing of auto plant shutdowns Bernanke: Jobless Rate To Stay High Even In Recovery Regulators shut 7 more banks, boosting the total to 64 for the year Dow soars past 9,000 mark First time since January; investors cheer home sales, earnings from Ford, 3M. Ford posts surprise profit of $2.3 billion in 2nd quarter Oil rises above $68 Banks offer little love for savers Americans may be saving more nowadays, but they certainly aren't getting paid for it Raytheon 2Q Earns Rise 15 Pct, Boosts Outlook Defense contractor Raytheon Co. said Thursday its second-quarter earnings rose 15 percent on higher profits from radar systems, satellite equipment, information technology and Army training programs. The company also raised its outlook for the year. Drastic cuts boost U.S. companies Corporate America is turning a profit again, but only by spending less, not making more. Some IMF members say China's currency undervalued Over a Barrel: U.S. Oil Addiction From futures trading to the terrorist threat: forces that move the oil market.	Existing Home Sales in U.S. Rise for Third Month on Lower Borrowing Costs SEC, FDIC heads want new council to be supercop Key regulators on Thursday broke with the Obama administration, reaffirming their belief that some new powers to monitor big institutions against financial threats should go to an interagency council, not the Federal Reserve SEC Poised to Move Against AIG Execs Financial Products personnel could face civil penalties. Dealerships Give 'Cash For Clunkers' A Jump-Start The final details of the government program that encourages people to trade in older, gas-guzzling cars for more fuel-efficient ones will be released Friday. But car dealers have been using the program to sell cars for weeks Buffett: I'm keeping my Goldman Sachs warrants Warren Buffett said he has no plans to soon exercise Berkshire Hathaway Inc's warrants to buy $5 billion of Goldman Sachs Group Inc stock, although he could make a big profit by doing so Weekend Opinionator: 'Is Wall Street Picking Our Pockets?'."As new marketplaces have emerged, PCs have been unable to compete with Wall Street’s computers. Powerful algorithms — “algos,” in industry parlance — execute millions of orders a second and scan dozens of public and private marketplaces simultaneously. They can spot trends before other investors can blink, changing orders and strategies within milliseconds.

Iraq	Map of Iraq
Blackwater Seeks Gag Order Now, Blackwater (which recently renamed itself "Xe") is attempting to use other means to silence its victims. On July 20, the company's high-powered lawyers from Mayer Brown, which boasts that it represents eighty-nine of the Fortune 100 companies and thirty-five of the fifty largest US banks, filed a motion in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to impose a gag order on Iraqi civilians suing the company Iraqi Kurds go to polls, still at odds with Baghdad Iraqi Kurds will vote on Saturday in elections expected to keep President Masoud Barzani in power in Kurdistan but unlikely to erase voter concern about corruption or end a bitter feud with Baghdad over land and oil.	Iraq PM admits US troops may stay Nouri al-Maliki says US forces may remain in the country past 2011 withdrawal deadline. Iraqi Weapons Monitor Describes Abuse At Hands Of U.S. Interrogators Iraq investigates alleged U.S.-Sunni insurgent talks Iraq criticizes U.S. talks with armed groups Iraq criticized the United States on Friday for holding talks with Iraqis that Baghdad describes as terrorists, delivering a rebuke to Washington during a visit by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to the U.S. capital.
Middle East	Map of the Middle East
Report: Cleric issues fatwa against VP pick Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent pick for the country's top vice president has continued to draw fire, with a senior cleric issuing a fatwa against the appointment, a reformist newspaper has reported. full story Opposition leader Mousavi's brother-in-law arrested in Iran Hezbollah arms cache violated U.N. embargo: U.S The United States joined Israel on Thursday in accusing Hezbollah guerrillas of violating a U.N. weapons embargo in southern Lebanon and undermining the efforts of U.N. peacekeepers there. Report: Hamas militants killed in blast en route to 'holy mission' Son of Iranian politician's aide dies in prison Iranian ministry reports two Turkish PJAK members killed Kuwaiti Financier Charged With Fraud In The US Kills Himself Assassination plot lieutenant reportedly linked to terrorist PKK At least one of the five naval lieutenants arrested on Tuesday and Thursday on charges of plotting to assassinate two admirals is allegedly linked to the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), reports said Friday.	Rare syndrome identified among Arab Israelis who inbreed MACS syndrome enlarges skulls, twists spines and ages skin. IDF, US conduct X-Band radar test Radar deployed near Nevatim Air Force Base, can track targets from thousands of kilometers away. US transfers $200 million in aid to Palestinians Hundreds hold protest at UN against Iran regime Israeli troops arrest Palestinian activist Iran: We Can Strike Israel's Nukes Iran Updates: Ahmadinejad Sacks VP Under Pressure, Then Names Him Chief Of Staff Iran opposition leader's brother-in-law arrested Israel arrests soccer player of Palestinian national team Iranian Ammunitions Industries Group analysis of Metal Storm as used in remote controlled tank, 2009 Serious nuclear accident may lay behind Iranian nuke chief's mystery resignation Assorted plans and papers from the Iranian Ammunition Industries Group, 2009 Purported Iranian Kamayeshe Kousar security force recordings, 9 hours, 2007
Afghanistan	Map of Afghanistan
Obama: 'Victory' not right word for Afghanistan President Barack Obama says he's uncomfortable using the word "victory" to describe the United States' goal in Afghanistan. He says the U.S. fight there is against broader terrorism and not a nation U.S. stops giving militant death tolls in Afghanistan U.S. military officials in Afghanistan have halted the practice of releasing the number of militants killed in fighting with American-led forces as part of an overall strategy shift that emphasizes concern for the local civilian population's well-being rather than hunting insurgent groups. Int'l troops mistakenly kill 2 Afghan police	7 Militants Killed in Taliban Attack on a Police Station in Southeast Afghanistan Unfit translators struggling in Afghanistan U.S. troops say companies that recruit military translators are sending linguists to southern Afghanistan who are unprepared to serve in combat, even as more are needed. Mass Afghan grave raises questions Iraq Veterans Find Afghan Enemy Even Bolder US eyes private guards for bases in Afghanistan
Pakistan	Map of Pakistan
CIA Kept bin Laden Son's Death Secret U.S. officials believe tactic meant to 'mess' with al Qaeda. US citizen captured in Pakistan gives window into Al Qaeda's world The New York man is now cooperating with US authorities, providing them with information about terrorist training camps and leaders. Delayed offensive wears at Pakistan's antiterror credibility	Involve us in talks: Pak army, ISI Pakistan Army and Inter-Services Intelligence agency have launched concerted efforts to be involved in talks with India. Diplomatic and other sources say the two organisations believe they can play a role because they are intrinsically linked to policy-making in Pakistan. ISI creating chaos in Kashmir: US official Mullen has asked the Pakistani spy agency to change its "strategic thrust".
Asia	Map of Asia
U.S. Overlooks Kyrgyzstan Rights Abuses Police: Third bomb malfunctioned in Jakarta attacks Four US airline officials booked for frisking Kalam No end to row created by frisking of former Indian president. China eases one-child rule Uighurs taken by police do not return Chinese hack film festival site Chinese hackers have attacked the website of Australia's biggest film festival over a documentary about Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer. Content on the Melbourne International Film Festival site	Japan suspends beef shipments from Kansas company after finding bovine spinal columns Philippines halts offensives against Muslim rebels Al-Jazeera Report On Prominent Indonesian Cleric On Jakarta Attacks: Terror Justified Against Non-Muslims Abu Bakar Bashir, a prominent cleric in Indonesia,has defended last Friday's twin bombings in Jakarta which killednine and left more than 50 wounded. In an interview with The Australian newspaper Two candidates pull out of Kyrgyz presidential election
Europe	Map of Europe
Intel Appeals Antitrust Ruling Filing the appeal will not delay Intel’s payment of the $1.5 billion fine, the largest ever assessed in Europe in a market-dominance case. Famous Photo Of Spanish Civil War Likely Staged: Researchers Kyrgyzstan Election Marred By Ballot Box-Stuffing, Counting Irregularities: Monitoring Group	EU food authorities say genetically modified maize is safe Report: Big Brother Switzerland: real-time internet interception to start on August 1, 2009 Russian Navy Accidentally Fires On Town...Again
Africa	Map of Africa
Killers of Burundi albinos jailed Gang sold body parts from murdered African albinos for use in witchcraft. Turkish commandos seize 5 pirates Big Tobacco Sets Its Sights on Africa While half the world is trying to break the smoking habit, the industry is pushing hard for customers in the other half -- and most aggressively in Africa	SOMALIA: The not-so-organised Shabaab organisation The Shabaab - a militia that has dominated three-quarters of Somalia - are not the organised force many believe them to be. In fact, it is a mistake to believe they are a single fighting unit at all Mauritania police arrest al-Qaida murder suspect
The Americas	Map of North America and South America
UPDATE: Honduran President Crosses Border, Stays For 30 Minutes Mexican cartels target polygamist Mormon sect In the past three months, American Mormon communities in Mexico have been sucked into a dust devil of violence sweeping the borderlands.	Exiled Honduran leader promises border camp