|
Today’s headlines brought to you by Carolyn Kay MakeThemAccountable.com Top StoryBush ends Mideast trip upbeat despite sceptics
US President George W. Bush was upbeat as he ended his Middle East tour Wednesday, saying he was optimistic an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal can be reached despite failing to win full Arab backing for his efforts. Pablo on Politics
The WorldFemale Suicide Bomber Kills 9 in Iraq
A woman wearing a vest lined with explosives blew herself up near Shiite worshippers in Diyala province north of the capital Wednesday, killing nine of them. Six people were wounded in the bombing in Khan Bani Saad, a town nine miles south of Baqouba, Diyala's provincial capital, police said.
Iraq's healthcare left in disarray after invasion
The full extent of the destruction of Iraq's healthcare system and the devastating impact it has had on its people is documented today in a new report which indicts the allied invasion force for failing in its duty to protect medical institutions and staff.
Reality bites Bush's Mideast peace plan
Six days after Bush personally appealed for his support, conservative Israeli lawmaker Avigdor Lieberman abandoned Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's coalition government on Wednesday. "All negotiations based on territory for peace are a fateful error, an incomprehensible mistake," Lieberman said Wednesday.
Hamas and Israel trade fire over Gaza
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Militants in Hamas-ruled Gaza bombarded southern Israel with rockets Thursday and Israel pounded back with air and ground fire, the latest spate of violence that has pushed peace efforts to the sidelines.
Blast at Pakistani Shi'ite prayer hall kills 4
PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN (Reuters) - A bomb exploded in a crowded Shi'ite Muslim prayer hall in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar on Thursday, killing four people and wounding several, a government spokesman said.
Islamic militants capture Pakistani fort
The loss of the Sararogha Fort was a significant blow to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's efforts to re-establish control over the frontier region of South Waziristan, which has become a base for Taliban and al Qaida operations.
Sri Lankan jets destroy rebel hideout
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka's military said air force jets destroyed a hideout used by senior Tamil Tiger rebels Thursday and soldiers captured a strategic stretch of road in a battle that left nine insurgents dead.
China urges U.S. help in blocking Taiwan vote
BEIJING (Reuters) - The United States stressed on Thursday that it opposes Taiwan plans to hold a referendum on U.N. membership, while China urged Washington to help oppose the vote that it calls a dangerous provocation.
Canada puts U.S. on torture watch list: CTV
Omar Khadr's lawyers say they can't understand why Canada is not doing more to help their client in light of new evidence that Ottawa has put the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on a watch list for torture. Khadr -- a Canadian citizen who was just 15-years-old when he was captured in Afghanistan more than five years ago and taken to Guantanamo -- has claimed that he has been tortured at the prison. Now, CTV News has obtained documents that put Guantanamo Bay on a torture watch list.
Chile congress backs pensions for all
SANTIAGO, Chile - Chile's congress backed a pension reform bill Wednesday to ensure the country's landmark social security program for the first time covers every citizen.
Mbeki arrives for talks with Zimbabwe government, opposition
HARARE (AFP) - South African President Thabo Mbeki arrived in the Zimbabwean capital of Harare on Thursday as part of efforts to mediate between President Robert Mugabe's governing party and the opposition.
Clashes erupt for second day in Kenya
NAIROBI, Kenya - Young men armed with machetes hurled stones at police who fired back tear gas in a slum in Kenya's capital Thursday, but most of the country was quiet as opposition protests over a disputed presidential election appeared to lose steam. The NationUS House votes to exempt Hussein's Iraq from lawsuits
The U.S. House of Representatives, bowing to pressure from President George W. Bush and the Iraqi government, passed a defense bill on Wednesday that would exempt Iraq from lawsuits dating back to the government of executed former President Saddam Hussein. The House, by a vote of 369-46, approved the measure allowing the exemption and authorizing a range of U.S. military programs. The Senate is likely to pass the bill after it returns from recess next week.
House ignores veto threat, passes tougher mine safety rules
WASHINGTON — Democratic backers of a bill designed to force mining regulatory agencies to take a tougher stance with coal operators eked out a victory in the House of Representatives Wednesday but fell far short of a veto-proof majority. President Bush has vowed to veto the measure, which would require the Mine Safety and Health Administration to impose stricter fines for health and safety violations, add safeguards to the oft-criticized "retreat mining" practice, call for a reduction in black lung and other mining-related health issues and improve emergency response to disasters.
Wexler: Cheney impeachment ‘far stronger than Watergate.’ (Think Progress)
(Tuesday) night, Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL) took to the House floor to urge the House Judiciary Committee to begin impeachment hearings into Vice President Cheney for “high crimes and misdemeanors.” Wexler, who has already acquired nearly 190,000 supporters through his website, explained his next steps: “Tomorrow, I will deliver these names to my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee with a letter to my friend, Chairman Conyers, calling for hearings… History demands that we take action, because the case against Vice President Cheney is far stronger than the illegality surrounding Watergate.”
Click through to watch the video of the speech.—Caro
McConnell backtracks on waterboarding. (Think Progress)
Earlier this week, The New Yorker reported that Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell said that “waterboarding would be torture” if used against him. Today, McConnell appeared to back away from his stance when asked about that comment. “The United States does not engage in torture. We do use enhanced interrogation techniques. … It has saved lives. And so from my point of view, we’ve accomplished the mission within the bounds of U.S. law,” he said.
The lives it has saved, please? Give us specifics.—Caro
Tapes destroyed over CIA's objections
WASHINGTON - The CIA official who gave the command to destroy interrogation videotapes apparently acted against the direction of his superiors, the top Republican House Intelligence Committee member said. "It appears he hadn't gotten authority from anyone," said Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich. on Wednesdau, speaking to reporters after the first day of closed testimony in the committee's investigation. "It appears he got direction to make sure the tapes were not destroyed." Hoekstra said that raises the troubling prospect that there's a thread of unaccountability in the spy culture.
Funny that he’s able to say this after closed testimony, and nobody can test its veracity. We all know who the unaccountable people are, and it’s not just the intelligence community.—Caro
Justice Dept. Cites Obstacles in Blackwater Case
Justice Department officials have told Congress that they face serious legal difficulties in pursuing criminal prosecutions of Blackwater security guards involved in a September shooting that left at least 17 Iraqis dead. In a private briefing in mid-December, officials from the Justice and State Departments met with aides to the House Judiciary Committee and other Congressional staff members and warned them that there were major legal obstacles that might prevent any prosecution.
They gave the perpetrators immunity. That’s an enormous obstacle!—Caro
Chertoff Permanently Installs Hand-Picked DHS Staffers, ‘Overextending His Influence’ After 2008
(L)ast week, the Wall Street Journal reported that all of a sudden, DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff had decided to replace many political appointees with career staffers… According to Chertoff, they want to create a smooth transition for the next administration… Based on the administration’s track record, however, its real intentions may be .. (that instead) of being able to appoint new, competent officials, the next administration will be stuck with Chertoff’s last-minute choices.
Watch for lots more shenanigans like this, all the way up to January 20, 2009.—Caro
White House copied over e-mail tapes
WASHINGTON - The White House acknowledges recycling backup computer tapes of e-mail, a practice that may have wiped out many electronic messages from the early years of the Bush administration, including some pertaining to the CIA leak case.
Court limits trusts' tax deductions
WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court upheld limits Wednesday on income tax deductions for trusts and estates, ruling against the family that created Pepperidge Farm.
Court upholds NY judicial nominee system
ALBANY, N.Y. - A U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upholds New York's system of choosing trial judges is likely to renew calls for legislative reform, but even some proponents of change say their chances of success are slim.
Clinton, McCain Top National Poll (Political Wire)
The latest Pew Research national poll shows Sen. Hillary Clinton leading the Democratic presidential race with 46%, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 31% and John Edwards at 13%. Key finding: Obama's gains have come from higher income Democrats; Gender is more of a benefit for Clinton than race is for Obama. On the Republican side, Sen. John McCain leads with 29%, followed by Mike Huckabee at 20%, Mitt Romney at 17% and Rudy Giuliani at 13%. Key finding: McCain's gains have come almost entirely from moderates and independents; Huckabee leads among evangelical Christians; Romney leads among non-evangelical conservatives.
Democratic Ballot Recount Underway In N.H.
The state on Wednesday began the process of recounting the Democratic ballots cast in last week's primary. Shortly before 8 a.m., the ballots that had been stored in Manchester were loaded onto hand trucks to begin the journey to Concord. The recount was requested by candidate Dennis Kucinich, who paid $27,000 to the secretary of state to begin the recount.
Food, Energy Prices Drive Inflation in 2007
Inflation spiked in 2007, driven by escalating food and energy costs that more than cancelled the wage gains earned by workers over the year. New federal government statistics show the consumer price index rose 4.1 percent over the 12 months ending in December, 2007, compared to a 2.5 percent increase in the 12 months before that. Energy prices, responding to a surge in the cost of oil, rose 17.4 percent over the period. The price of food increased 4.9 percent -- the largest rise in 18 years.
A Different Recession (by Harold Meyerson, the Washington Post)
(T)the coming recession will not be normal, and our economy is not fundamentally sound. This time around, the nation will have to craft new versions of some of the reforms that Franklin Roosevelt created to steer the nation out of the Great Depression -- not because anything like a major depression looms but because we face an economy that's been warped by two developments we've not seen since FDR's time. The first of these is the stagnation of ordinary Americans' incomes… The second … is the role played by our deregulated financial sector. MediaPermanent link to MTA daily media news
Study: John Edwards Doesn't Exist (by Greg Sargent at TPM Horse’s Mouth)
The Project for Excellence in Journalism has released its latest campaign coverage index for January 6-11, a study that does its damndest to try to quantify which political figures are sucking up the most media oxygen and why. It found that Edwards only got 7% of political coverage during those days… You can make a valid case, I suppose, that Edwards didn't merit more media attention during those days. Even post-Iowa he looked to be a long-shot for the nomination… But here's the thing about this. For literally the past year we've been hearing justifications for the fact that Edwards, despite being competitive in Iowa polls, didn't get the attention that his Dem rivals got… At a certain point we should just acknowledge that Edwards basically got screwed and that this shouldn't have happened to the extent that it did.
Edwards supporters are mounting a donation day tomorrow, Friday, January 17. You can help by donating directly to the campaign. Remember the #@$%&* FEC has disallowed matching funds for contributions made through ActBlue.—Caro
Media holds out hope for Giuliani (by Steve Benen at Crooks and Liars)
As recently as the summer, Rudy Giuliani was leading the field in Michigan’s Republican primary. As recently as early December, a Rasmussen poll showed him within two points of first place. (Tuesday), the former mayor finished a distant sixth, with a pathetic 2.8% of the vote. Consider this: Giuliani not only had well under half of Ron Paul’s support, he finished with a similar vote total to Dennis Kucinich — who was running in an uncontested primary and making no effort to actually win votes. Ouch. It naturally came as no surprise, then, when I saw this CNN headline: “Romney win may give a boost to Giuliani’s White House bid.” Yes, it appears bad news is good news for Rudy.
They've Really Come Full Circle (by dday at Hullabaloo)
Now, there's nothing wrong with someone who isn't a member of the political media holding a political opinion (for example, er, me), or even espousing that opinion on television. However, take a look at (sportswriter Stephen A Smith.'s) "comment" about (Tuesday) night's Democratic debate: “SMITH: I was totally bored, Chris, I was totally bored and I was disgusted.”… Over the last few weeks, politics has devolved into the same subject matter as sports talk radio. And so a discussion between three individuals who want to lead the United States for the next four years is "boring" and devolves into freshman-year psychobabble about how one guy deferred to someone else and there weren't any "fireworks" and the momentum stalled and it's enough to make you "disgusted."
You Sir, Are No Ronald Reagan (by digby)
I'm a bit baffled by this statement by Senator Obama: "I think Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not and in a way that Bill Clinton did not. He put us on a fundamentally different path because the country was ready for it…" I hate to say it because I'm going to get mercilessly roasted alive, but with all that jargon about government growing and growing without "accountability in terms of how it was operating" and "dynamism" and "entrepreneurship" it sounds an awful lot like DLC boiler plate.
Obama dogwhistles to the DLC and the Reaganites. Progressives here in Illinois elected him senator, and he immediately began to align himself with Hillary Clinton and Joe Lieberman. Many of us feel betrayed. Time to wake up, friends this is no Saint Barack.—Caro
Playing Telephone With MLK
How the press fanned the Dems' "racial tension."
O’Reilly: ‘There’s not many’ homeless veterans. (Think Progress)
On (Tuesday) night’s O’Reilly Factor, host Bill O’Reilly challenged John Edwards’ claim that 200,000 veterans “will go to sleep under bridges and on grates” because they are homeless. O’Reilly said, “They may be out there, but there’s not many of them out there. Okay? … If you know where’s a veteran, sleeping under a bridge, you call me immediately, and we will make sure that man does not do it.” The Washington Post checked into Edwards’ claim and reported that the Department of Veterans Affairs does indeed report that about 195,000 veterans are “homeless on any given night.”
Click through to watch the video.—Caro
How NBC Changed 'The Facts' To Block Dennis Kucinich From The Nevada Debate
NBC's own appeal to the court reveals that it changed the program's qualification rules.
Swift Boat Vet "Appalled" by McCain Smear (by Paul Kiel at TPM Muckraker)
Is the ragtag Vietnam Veterans against John McCain giving swift boating a bad name? Yes, said Swift Boat Veterans and POW’s for Truth treasurer Weymouth Symmes. "I don't think there's any truth to that at all. He was a hero, in my opinion. I'd be appalled if anybody questioned his war service." The reason I asked is that the anti-McCain group seems to be piggybacking on the Swift Boat Vets in their recent mailer, which was sent out to 80 newspaper editors… In the mailer…, you can see the icon for the Swift Boat Vets for Truth in the lower left hand corner… (O)n closer inspection, the Swift Boat Vets icon has a North Carolina address, the same as the anti-McCain vet group. And we've been having an internal debate here at TPM whether, in a possible precaution against charges of infringement, it actually says Swift Boot Vets for Truth.
Click through to see the entire ad. It’s infantile.—Caro
RON PAUL'S RACIST SWILL.... (by Kevin Drum at Political Animal, the Washington Monthly)
It's plain that (Ron) Paul knew what was being published in his newsletters. It's plain that he was familiar with the well-developed strategy that inspired the early-90s turn to racist demagoguery. It's plain that he knew it was a key part of his fundraising appeal. Paul can weasel all he wants, but it's plain that he endorsed a strategy of overt appeals to racist sentiment in order to build support for his political career. If he's given all that up since then, it's only because he no longer needs it. This whole affair highlights one of the reasons that I wish everyone would stop swooning over minor candidates who play the part of bold truthteller.
New Huckabee Adviser Called For ‘A Cop In Front Of Every Mosque’ Just ‘For Safe Keeping’ (Think Progress)
Earlier this month, Newsday columnist and Fox News contributor James Pinkerton joined former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee’s presidential campaign as a “senior adviser” who “will work at the intersection of policy and strategic messaging.”… Three months before Pinkerton joined the campaign, he recorded an episode of Bloggingheads.tv with Mother Jones editor David Corn. During their conversation, Pinkerton declared that he would handle “American Muslims” by putting “a cop in front of every mosque” in America. Technology & ScienceWhat Recession? PC Sales Stay Strong
Sales of personal computers increased faster in the fourth quarter of last year than expected, driven by lower prices and the move by Dell to sell through retail stores.
Microsoft is developing Big Brother-style software
The system would allow managers to monitor their employees' performance by measuring their body temperature, heart rate, movement, facial expression and blood pressure. But unions are concerned that employees could be sacked on the basis of the computer's assessment of their physiological state. It is understood that this is the first time that a company has proposed to devlop this big-brother-style software for mainstream workplaces. Similar monitoring technology has previously been limited to pilots, firefighters and Nasa astronauts.
Companies Launch Gadget Buyback Services
NEW YORK (AP) - We think a lot about getting new gadgets, but not so much about getting rid of old ones. The result: old cell phones, defunct laser printers and Pentium III computers gathering dust. A couple companies want to help us clear out those old gadgets, while feeding our upgrade habit
Computer Understands Barking Dogs
Artificially intelligent Dr. Doolittles can understand dog barks as good or better than humans do. These findings suggest computers might significantly help people comprehend animal communication.
Humans Crave Violence Just Like Sex
New research on mice shows the brain processes aggressive behavior as it does other rewards. Mice sought violence, in fact, picking fights for no apparent reason other than the rewarding feeling. The mouse brain is thought to be analogous to the human brain in this study, which could shed light on our fascination with brutal sports as well as our own penchant for the classic bar brawl.
That doesn’t mean we should indulge that craving.—Caro
Portable Device Quickly Detects Early Alzheimer's
ScienceDaily (Jan. 17, 2008) — The latest medications can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, but none are able to reverse its devastating effects. This limitation often makes early detection the key to Alzheimer’s patients maintaining a good quality of life for as long as possible.
New tree species found in Madagascar
ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar - A self-destructing palm tree that flowers once every 100 years and then dies has been discovered on the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, botanists said Thursday.
Exploration Of Lake Hidden Beneath Antarctica's Ice Sheet Begins
ScienceDaily (Jan. 17, 2008) — A four-man science team led by British Antarctic Survey's (BAS) Dr Andy Smith has begun exploring an ancient lake hidden deep beneath Antarctica's ice sheet. The lake -- the size of Lake Windermere (UK) -- could yield vital clues to life on Earth, climate change and future sea-level rise.
Curious Clouds Seen at Mars
With its thin atmosphere and scant moisture, Mars is often largely cloud-free. But new observations reveal clouds of dry ice thick enough to cast significant shadows on the red planet.
Pools of Invisible Matter Mapped in Space
A new map reveals dense pools of invisible matter tipping the scales at 10 trillion times the mass of the sun and housing a cosmic city of ancient galaxies. EnvironmentBoehner is a simple man with simple tastes. (Think Progress)
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently launched an initiative to “Green the Capitol” by selling more locally grown food and requiring the purchase of carbon offsets. In a press conference (Wednesday), House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) vented: “You know, we’re buying carbon credits. It reminds me of the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages when you could buy indulgences. I like the food that we had before. I like real food, food that I can pronounce the name of!” Boehner, a notorious chain smoker, is probably just sore that he’s no longer allowed to light up in the Speaker’s Lobby.
Click through to watch the video.—Caro
Norway says aims to go carbon neutral by 2030
OSLO (Reuters) - Norway, which last year set what it called the world's most ambitious target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, said on Thursday it aimed to go "carbon neutral" in 2030, which is 20 years earlier than its previous target. The new target was set when the Labour-led coalition government reached agreement with three opposition parties to bring the goal forward from 2050.
HSBC fund seeks firms tackling climate change
HSBC Holdings launched a climate change fund on Thursday to give investors a chance to turn a threat into an opportunity by buying into the increasing number of firms trying to tackle global warming.
Green-tech investment topped $5 billion in 2007
Investments in environmentally friendly "clean-tech" companies rose 44 percent to more than $5 billion last year as soaring oil prices, climate change concerns and government incentives boosted interest in renewable energy, an industry group said.
World oil demand to peak before supply: BP
World oil production may peak in the coming years, but it will be because of a decline in demand for petroleum rather than constraint on supply, a BP economist said on Wednesday.
I hope BP is right, but they’re not exactly an objective source.—Caro
Spain to put an end to free plastic bags
Madrid - The Spanish government wants to cut the number of plastic bags circulating in the country, where nearly all shops hand them out for free to every client, the daily El Pais reported Wednesday. For more headlines, visit MakeThemAccountable.com.
|
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
