Citizens for Legitimate Government

CLG's BREAKING NEWS and COMMENTARY

Military stops cremating troops by contractor that also handles pets --A Pentagon Delaware cremation contractor, Torbert Funeral Home, incinerated both soldiers and animals 09 May 2008 The U.S. military will no longer cremate troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan at a Dover facility that also cremates pets, the Pentagon announced Friday evening at a hastily planned new conference. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates made the decision Friday after a soldier who works at the Pentagon informed the department that a crematory contracted by the department also incinerated animals.

U.S. makes changes to cremations for slain troops 09 May 2008 The Pentagon ordered changes to procedures for the cremation of slain troops after concerns emerged about the military's use [hiring of a contractor] of a crematorium that burns both human and animal remains, officials said on Friday. The crematorium in question was used by the mortuary at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, where the bodies of troops killed in Iraq, Afghanistan and other overseas locations are returned to the United States, officials said.

Iraq Plans $1 Billion 'Zone of Influence' Near U.S. Embassy In Baghdad 08 May 2008 Marriott International is considering opening a hotel in Baghdad's Green Zone, in response to a request from U.S. government officials who want to help Iraq revive its economy through foreign investments and economic activities. Baghdad authorities have approached other hotel operators aside from Marriott, but Iraq wants to maximize its links with the Bush administration since Bill Marriott chairs the U.S. Export Council. Even before Marriott has confirmed its interest, a license for a hotel construction has already been issued by Baghdad, said Paul Brinkley, deputy defense undersecretary for business transformation.

Rehired KBR driver in Iraq caught with child porn -- again 09 May 2008 A former bus driver for Iraq war contractor KBR Inc. who was fired in 2006 for possessing child pornography got rehired less than a year later, and has again been caught with a large collection of child porn, according to prosecutors. Ira L. Waltrip of Lampasas, Texas, who had been working for KBR at Camp Liberty in Baghdad, was charged this week in U.S. District Court with possessing child pornography. [See: Iraqis allege sex abuse at the British Embassy 08 May 2008; KBR's Rape Problem By Karen Houppert 17 Apr 2008; KBR's Flawed Wiring Still Kills G.I.'s, Despite Alert 04 May 2008; KBR awarded $385M Homeland Security contract for U.S. detention centers 24 Jan 2006; Memo: Halliburton failed to purify GIs' water 16 Mar 2006; Contractor served troops dirty food in dirty kitchens 14 Dec 2003. Gee, it all kinda makes you want to stand up and cheer for Muqtada al-Sadr, doesn't it?]

Blackwater unlikely to face charges in Iraq shooting 09 May Blackwater Worldwide, the ~~security contractor~~ mercenaries blamed by an angry Iraqi government for the shooting deaths of 17 civilians, is not expected to face criminal charges -- all but ensuring the company will keep its multimillion-dollar contract to protect U.S. diplomats.

Iraqi military orders Sadr City residents to evacuate 08 May 2008 Iraqi security forces on Thursday told residents to evacuate their homes in the northeast Shiite Sadr City and to move to temporary shelters on two soccer fields. The military's call indicated the possibility of stepped-up military operations and came as Iraqi security forces raided a radio station run by backers of Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr.

Iraq: Running Out of Water in Rising Heat 09 May 2008 Water supply is drying out in what was once the agriculturally rich Diyala province north of Baghdad. Baquba, the capital city of Diyala, is now running out of water both for drinking and for irrigation. Water supply has been hit by power failures. The central pumping station has been running short of electricity supply over the last two years.

Armor added to Iraq vehicles as roadside bombs surge 09 May 2008 The U.S. military is reinforcing the sides of its topline mine-resistant vehicles to shore up what could be weak points as troops see a spike in armor-piercing roadside bombings across Iraq, The Associated Press has learned.

A Secret Afghanistan Mission Prepares for War with Iran By William M. Arkin 09 May 2008 Those predicting war with Iran or some Bush-Cheney October surprise attack on Tehran are constantly looking for signs of military preparations: a B-52 bomber that mistakenly takes off from North Dakota with nuclear-armed cruise missiles; a second or third aircraft carrier entering the Persian Gulf; a B-1 crashing in Qatar. Since the most likely path to war with Iran is not Marines storming the beach but a strike on nuclear facilities and "regime" targets, signs such as these can often just be mirages. The true strike is not necessarily going to come with any warning, and the U.S. military has developed an entire system called "global strike" to implement such a preemptive strike.

US military denies Iraq report of al-Qaida arrest 09 May 2008 The U.S. military on Friday denied Iraqi government claims that the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq was captured and said a man with a similar name [LOL!] had been arrested in the northern city of Mosul. Iraqi authorities had announced Thursday that police commandos captured Abu Ayyub al-Masri in a raid in the northern city of Mosul.

US missile strike kills 11 in Somalia 09 May 2008 U.S. missiles destroyed the house of the man identified by the U.S. military as the [Wait for the punchline... wait...here it comes:] top al-Qaida commander in Somalia, killing him and 10 others Thursday in a pre-dawn attack that analysts warned could torpedo peace talks. [LOL! So many 'top al-Qaeda leaders in ___,' so little time.]

U.S. (forgetting Katrina) "outraged" by Myanmar's response to cyclone By Lori Price 09 May 2008 'The United States expressed outrage on Thursday at the delays in allowing in aid.' Really? Well, I am outraged that they are outraged! This is the 'Pot-Kettle' moment of the decade. Heckova job, ~~Brownie~~ Burma! [Updated! The item is 'Diggable' now, please click so that the media finally reports on this outrageous Bush hypocrisy!]

US judge orders CIA to turn over 'torture' memo-ACLU 08 May 2008 A U.S. judge ordered the Central Intelligence Agency on Thursday to submit to the court a 2002 memo said to specify harsh interrogation methods used on suspected terrorists held abroad. The American Civil Liberties Union said the memo was written by the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel and sent to the CIA in August 2002. The ACLU described the memo as "one of the most important torture documents still being withheld by the Bush administration."

Plame seeks to resurrect suit in CIA leak case 09 May 2008 Valerie Plame is trying to resurrect a lawsuit against those in the Bush administration she says illegally outed her as a CIA operative in 2003. Plame says her CIA cover was blown as retribution for her husband's criticism of the Iraq war. A federal judge dismissed Plame's lawsuit last year on procedural grounds. Her lawyers asked a federal appeals court Friday to force the judge to consider the merits of the case.

E-Mails Show Derogatory Banter at Secret Service 10 May 2008 Secret Service supervisors shared crude sexual jokes and engaged in racially derogatory banter about blacks, and passed around an anecdote about a possible assassination of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, according to internal e-mail disclosed in a federal court filing on Friday by lawyers for black Secret Service agents. The messages were written mainly from 2003 through 2005, and were sent to and from e-mail accounts of at least 20 Secret Service supervisors. Eric Zahren, a spokesman for the Secret Service, said that an internal inquiry had been opened and that the inspector general at the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Secret Service, had been alerted.

Report Urges Greater US Response to 'Terrorist Ideology' on Internet 08 May 2008 A U.S. Senate panel has released a report concluding that terrorist groups have stepped up their appeals to English-speaking audiences, including those in the United States. The report, warning that such appeals could foment homegrown terrorism, is urging the U.S. government to do more to isolate and discredit the violent extremist ideology. Joe LieberBush (R-Israel), who chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said terrorists have become sophisticated in their communications abilities. [He should know.]

FBI seeking records of 2004 Condoleeza Rice ethics probe 07 May 2008 FBI agents investigating government watchdog Scott Bloch have subpoenaed any records that would reveal whether concerns about the 2004 elections prompted him to clear Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice of ethics violations. Bloch, the U.S. special counsel who investigates federal employee whistleblower complaints, found no merit to allegations that Rice, then President [sic] Bush's national security adviser, timed some of her trips to boost Bush's 2004 re[s]election campaign.

Senate wrangling kills airline safety bill on procedural vote 09 May 2008 The Senate grounded the airline safety bill this week, a victim of political infighting and partisan wrangling. "The most frustrating week I have spent in the Senate in my 24 years here," Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, who led the fight for the bill, said on the Senate floor. The only vote taken was a 49-42, nearly party-line procedural step to end debate and bring the airline safety bill to a vote. But the largely Democratic backers needed 60 votes to be successful.

Obama picks up 9 superdelegates, union endorsement 09 May 2008 Barack Obama all but erased Hillary Clinton's once-imposing lead among national convention superdelegates on Friday and won fresh labor backing as elements of the Democratic Party began coalescing around the Illinois senator for the fall campaign.

In Oregon, Clinton hits Obama while he targets McCain 09 May 2008 Campaigning a few miles from each other Friday, Barack Obama trained his eye on November and the GOP, while Hillary Clinton battled for her political life, trying to hang on a bit longer in hopes of denying him the Democratic presidential nomination.

Monsanto, Cargill, ADM make billions on growing [created] global food crisis --Speculators blamed for driving up price of basic foods as 100 million face severe hunger 04 May 2008 Giant agribusinesses are enjoying soaring earnings and profits out of the world food crisis which is driving millions of people towards starvation, The Independent on Sunday can reveal. Monsanto last month reported that its net income for the three months up to the end of February this year had more than doubled over the same period in 2007, from $543m (�275m) to $1.12bn. Its profits increased from $1.44bn to $2.22bn. Cargill's net earnings soared by 86 per cent from $553m to $1.030bn over the same three months. And Archer Daniels Midland increased its net earnings by 42 per cent in the first three months of this year from $363m to $517m.

Oil over $126, new peak for 5th straight day 09 May 2008 Oil prices leapt to a new peak of more than $126 a barrel on Friday, hitting a record for the fifth straight session. U.S. crude for June delivery rose $1.87 to $125.56 by 1335 GMT, off a record high of $126.20 a barrel. London Brent crude rose $2.81 to $125.65 per barrel.

Barely surviving by using their credit cards 09 May 2008 Finding themselves strapped for cash and unable to use their home as an ATM, Americans are increasingly turning to credit cards to cover gas, groceries and other living expenses. [Consumers] spent $335 on groceries and $242 on gas, on average, in April. A year earlier, those outlays averaged only $291 and $181, respectively.

Train Death and Series of Illnesses Unrelated Says Chief Medical Officer of Health 09 May 2008 What initially looked to be a frightening infectious disease outbreak that led to the death of one woman aboard a Via Rail train turned out to be a remarkable series of unconnected coincidences [?!?], Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. David Williams, explained during a Friday afternoon press conference.

One dead and 280 quarantined on Canadian train 09 May 2008 One person died and about 280 were placed in quarantine aboard a cross-Canada train on Friday after a mystery illness caused violent flu-like symptoms. Police spokesman Marc Depatie told CTV television that seven passengers who boarded the VIA Rail train in the Rocky Mountain resort of Jasper, Alberta, had fallen ill, and one had died. Another passenger had been airlifted to hospital.

Great Dane makes a deer friend 07 May 2008 Doe-eyed Cindy would have been left all alone in the world were it not for the strong paternal instincts of a Great Dane, who is as protective of her as he is his puppies. Staff at the Secret World Animal Rescue Centre in Highbridge, Somerset, have been caring for Cindy since she was found close to death when she was days old. The 9st dog [Rocky] towers over his spotted companion, who he gently nuzzles and accompanies on daily walks, ever watchful.

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Marines ignore Afghan poppy fields, assure locals plants won't be touched --'Many Marines in the field are scratching their heads over the situation.' 06 May 2008 Last week, the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit moved into southern Helmand province, the world's largest opium poppy-growing region [thanks to Bush], and now find themselves surrounded by green fields of the illegal plants that produce the main ingredient of heroin. The Marines are not destroying the plants. In fact, they are reassuring villagers the poppies won't be touched. American commanders say the Marines would only alienate people and drive them to take up arms if they eliminated the impoverished Afghans' only source of income.

Who benefits from the Afghan Opium Trade? By Michel Chossudovsky 21 Sep 2006 The United Nations has announced that opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan has soared and is expected to increase by 59% in 2006... The Western media in chorus blame the Taliban and the warlords. The Bush administration is said to be committed to curbing the Afghan drug trade... Yet in a bitter irony, US military presence has served to restore rather than eradicate the drug trade. What the reports fail to acknowledge is that the Taliban government was instrumental in implementing a successful drug eradication program, with the support and collaboration of the UN. Implemented in 2000-2001, the Taliban's drug eradication program led to a 94 percent decline in opium cultivation. In 2001, according to UN figures, opium production had fallen to 185 tons. Immediately following the October 2001 US led invasion, production increased dramatically, regaining its historical levels.

Congress to pass Iraq war funds by end of May: Pelosi --DemocRATs to give Bush $162.5 billion for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through mid-2009. 08 May 2008 The U.S. Congress will send President [sic] George W. Bush a bill by the end of this month to pay for the war in Iraq through next year, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday. The legislation, which would give Bush $162.5 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through mid-2009, had been scheduled for debate in the House of Representatives on Thursday.

U.S. deploys more than 43,000 unfit for combat 08 May 2008 More than 43,000 U.S. troops listed as medically unfit for combat in the weeks before their scheduled deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan since 2003 were sent anyway, Pentagon records show. This reliance on troops found medically "non-deployable" is another sign of stress placed on a military that has sent 1.6 million servicemembers to the war zones, soldier advocacy groups say.

Baghdad stadium to 'shelter' Iraqis fleeing Sadr City danger [Yeah, that worked out *so well* in New Orleans.] 08 May 2008 A top official in Baghdad said the capital's biggest stadium is one of three locations being prepared for residents fleeing Baghdad's Sadr City, where Iraqi and U.S. forces have been fighting Shiite militants for weeks. Tahseen al-Sheikhly, the civilian spokesman for the Baghdad security 'plan,' said gangs are trying to generate hatred of security forces by distributing a ~~"fabricated"~~ video of coalition forces assaulting a woman.

'Some KBR managers groped Iraqi staff regularly, paid or otherwise rewarded them for sex and dismissed those who refused or spoke out.' Iraqis allege sex abuse at the British Embassy 08 May 2008 An Iraqi cleaner and two cooks claim that a culture of sexual harassment, abuse and bullying exists at the British Embassy in Baghdad. The middle-aged cleaner told The Times that a British contractor with KBR, the company hired to maintain the embassy�s premises, offered to double her daily pay if she would stay the night with him. When she refused, she said, her pay was cut and she was later dismissed. The Iraqis accuse the embassy of leaving the abuse unchallenged and failing adequately to respond to complaints against several British managers for KBR. The company was allowed to conduct its own inquiry, an arrangement criticised as a very serious conflict of interest.

At least 16 dead in Iraq blasts, clashes 08 May 2008 A car bomb killed seven people and injured 19 in the Iraqi capital on Thursday, shortly after two rockets slammed into the city centre, killing two civilians, police said. Three policemen and four civilians were killed by the car bomb in the Mansur neighbourhood of west Baghdad, a police official said, adding that two policemen were among the wounded, apart from two women and a child.

Al-Qaida in Iraq leader arrested 08 May 2008 Defense Ministry spokesman says al-Qaida [al-CIAduh] in Iraq leader has been arrested. [Does that mean he goes off the Blackwater payroll?] Mohammed al-Askari said the arrest of al-Masri, also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, was confirmed to him by the Iraqi commander of the province. There was no immediate confirmation or comment from U.S. forces.

Guantanamo judge threatens to halt Canadian case 08 May 2008 A Guantanamo ~~war~~ kangaroo court judge threatened on Thursday to halt the case of a Canadian terrorism suspect captured at age 15 if the U.S. government fails to turn over records of his detention. The judge, Army Col. Peter Brownback, ordered prosecutors to give a classified daily prison-camp log to the military attorney for Omar Khadr, who is now 21 and facing trial on charges of throwing a grenade that killed a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan in 2002.

Israeli PM Olmert says he'll resign if indicted 08 May 2008 Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, responding to fresh accusations that he illegally accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars from a U.S. citizen, on Thursday said he will step down if he is indicted. Olmert said he never took illegal campaign contributions, denying allegations in a police investigation against him. According to police suspicions, Olmert accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal contributions from a U.S. citizen, Morris "Moshe" Talansky.

Olmert suspected of receiving massive amounts in illicit funds from U.S. businessman 09 May 2008 Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is suspected of illicitly receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars from Morris (Moshe) Talansky, according to the details of an investigation currently being carried out against him. At the request of police and judicial officials, the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court on Thursday relaxed a sweeping media gag order that has prevented the reporting of details on the probe.

4th Fleet returns, gunning for drug smugglers 26 Apr 2008 Almost 60 years after closing shop, the Navy�s 4th Fleet, which oversaw the hunt for German subs in the South Atlantic, is coming back. Only this time, the prey is drug runners [?] in the Caribbean. The Navy announced April 24 the re-establishment of 4th Fleet, to be based at Naval Station Mayport, Fla. The command will operate as the naval component of U.S. Southern Command and will have a SEAL at the helm.

Air Force Spy Drone Vanishes In Central Fla. 08 May 2008 U.S. Air Force officials were searching for a unmanned spy air craft [UAV Raven] that vanished in the Marion County sky Tuesday.

Feds Practice Evacuation From D.C. to Test 'Continuity of Government' --In Big National Drill, Executive Branch 'Runs' Government From Outside D.C. as Mock Crises Mount 08 May 2008 A national disaster exercise that began last week involves the evacuation of thousands of federal personnel from Washington, D.C., the Washington Post reported [Buried in the 'Metro' section, Page B08]. In National Exercise 2-08, which continues through Saturday, [Bush bin Laden's] terrorists release a poisonous gas from a tanker in Washington state while Oregon authorities must handle the unintentional escape of nerve agent from the Umatilla Chemical Depot. Meanwhile, the capital region is faced with a terrorist threat and a major hurricane making its way up the East Coast. Over three days this week, the federal government is using cars and helicopters to move large numbers of employees to temporary sites in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. The drill is intended to test the ability to maintain "continuity of government" in the face of a crisis. This is among the largest such drills since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, officials said. President [sic] George W. Bush was not expected to be among the evacuees, but some White House personnel would be sent out of town, said spokesman Scott Stanzel.

Cheney aide subpoenaed to testify to Congress 07 May 2008 U.S. Vice President [sic] Dick Cheney's chief of staff was subpoenaed on Wednesday to testiLIE in a congressional probe of the administration's treatment and possible torture of enemy combatants. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) issued the subpoena to David Addington a day after it was authorized by a House panel.

Federal agents raid offices of OSC head in probe of alleged evidence destruction 07 May 2008 Agents from the White House Office of Personnel Management and the FBI Tuesday searched the home and office of US Office of Special Counsel (OSC) head Scott J. Bloch as part of an investigation into a 2005 complaint filed by current and former OSC employees. The complaint alleged that Bloch had intimidated or forcibly transferred employees who disagreed with his policies, including the halting of investigations into complaints by federal employees of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Federal agents Tuesday were reportedly investigating claims that Bloch had destroyed evidence that might have supported the allegations.

BREAKING, but not surprising: Senate Ethics Committee dismissed Ethics Complaint against Senator Vitter By crew 08 May 2008 The Senate Ethics Committee did what it does best today -- NOTHING. Today, CREW received a response to the ethics complaint we filed against Senator Vitter last year. It was dismissed "without prejudice."

Police will harass yobs in new plan to tackle antisocial behaviour 08 May 2008 Thousands of yobs are to be photographed and videoed in big-brother style police operations to tackle persistent antisocial behaviour, the Home Secretary announced today. Suspects will be "harassed" by officers visiting them day and night and issued with repeated warnings about their behaviour under the drive to deal with a hard core of offenders who persist with yobbish behaviour on estates.

Police should harass young thugs - Smith --Home secretary wants antisocial youths to be openly filmed and hounded at home 08 May 2008 Police should be harassing badly behaved youths by openly filming them and hounding them at home to make their lives as uncomfortable as possible, the home secretary will say today. As part of the crackdown on bad behaviour, Jacqui Smith will urge police forces across the country to follow the example of Essex police, who have mounted four-day "frame and shame" operations by filming and repeatedly stopping identified persistent offenders on problem estates.

New York protest results in 200 arrests 08 May 2008 200 people have been arrested in New York after a large protest against last month's acquittal of three policemen who killed an unarmed black man. Police said the arrested people were praying and blocking roads.

Bill Targets Oil Firms and OPEC --Democrats Would Levy Windfall Tax 08 May 2008 Democratic leaders in Congress unveiled energy legislation yesterday targeting big oil companies and members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. The package drew sharp criticism from Republicans, oil firms and foreign policy experts. The legislation, dubbed the Consumers First Energy Act, features a 25 percent windfall profits tax on oil companies operating in the United States, a rollback of existing tax breaks for oil and gas companies worth $17 billion over 10 years, and an authorization for the U.S. attorney general to bring price collusion charges against OPEC members.

Monsanto enters partnership to make biofuel from grass 29 Apr 2008 Mendel Biotechnology Inc. is getting lessons from an agricultural master [terrorists], Monsanto Co. of Creve Coeur, in developing a grass crop for use in producing biofuel. The companies said Monday that Monsanto will lend its crop-testing, breeding and seed-production expertise to the Bioenergy Seeds & Feedstocks unit of Mendel, based in Hayward, Calif.

Republicans Focus on Obama as Fall Opponent 08 May 2008 At least one political party is acting like it knows who the Democratic nominee will be: the Republicans, who have greatly stepped up their criticisms of Senator Barack Obama in recent weeks while practically ignoring Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Obama gets big welcome, fresh support on Capitol tour 08 May 2008 Sen. Barack Obama got a front-runner's welcome back at the Capitol Thursday, pressing congressional "superdelegates" to support him in a visit that had the look and feel of a campaign victory lap. On the House floor, he was quickly surrounded by well-wishers calling him, "Mr. President" and reaching out to pat him on the back or shake his hand. The glad-handers included a few Republicans and supporters of his Democratic presidential rival, Hillary Clinton.

Obama Stops By U.S. Capitol ... Just To Say "Hello" 08 May 2008 Sen. Barack Obama stepped into a swarm of superdelegates this morning when he visited the House of Representatives in the middle of a vote. Obama stayed on the floor for almost half an hour visiting with both Democrats and Republicans who looked completely star struck. Even Speaker Nancy Pelosi left her weekly press briefing and made a beeline for the House floor to say hello.

Clinton makes case for wide appeal 08 May 2008 Hillary Rodham Clinton vowed Wednesday to continue her quest for the Democratic nomination, arguing she would be the stronger nominee because she appeals to a wider coalition of voters -- including whites who have not supported Barack Obama in recent contests. "I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on," she said in an interview with USA TODAY.

MSNBC's Russert: 'We Now Know Who the Nominee Will Be' 07 May 2008 (video) [Top GOP whore, Timmy Russert, decides/announces the outcome of the Democratic race for president. --LRP]

Dear Timmy By Taylor Marsh 07 May 2008 You loud mouthed, self-important, elitist, John McCain pimping, pile on artist, anti feminist, misogynistic, ego driven, over paid, hack, blow hard, Clinton hating, so 20th century male, mind numbing pontificator, against all things Democratic jackass. Who elected you to anything? Whose place is it to announce we have a nominee when neither candidate has enough delegates? I'll tell you who: no one... It's also embarrassing to see a grown man get paid all that money to make an ass out of himself every day, but especially when it comes to Hillary Clinton. Don't think for a second we don't know your real game. It's been obvious for a very long time.

U.S. "outraged" by Myanmar's response to cyclone [Burma's response is the same as the Bush junta's! Bush kept international aid out of New Orleans after 'Hurricane Katrina' (blown levies?) so that he could bring in KBR and Blackwater and kill as many poor people and minorities as possible.] 08 May 2008 The United Nations estimates 1.5 million people have been "severely affected" by the cyclone that swept through Myanmar and the United States expressed outrage on Thursday at the delays in allowing in aid. "We're outraged by the slowness of the response of the government of Burma (Myanmar) to welcome and accept assistance," U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Zalmay Khalilzad, told reporters. "It's clear that the government's ability to deal with the situation, which is catastrophic, is limited." ['The United States expressed outrage on Thursday at the delays in allowing in aid.' Really? Well, I am outraged that they are outraged! This is the 'Pot-Kettle' moment of the decade. Heckova job, ~~Brownie~~ Burma! --Lori Price]

Katrina: Authorities bar Red Cross from NOLA; Blackwater gets carte blanche By Xeni Jardin 09 Sep 2005 Armed with assault rifles, contractors from private security firm Blackwater are patrolling the black-water-flooded streets of New Orleans. Meanwhile, unarmed Red Cross workers toting food and medicine have been unable to enter the city for days... Richard Steven Hack says: The reason the Red Cross is not allowed in, according to the Red Cross Web site, is that the authorities believe their presence would invite people to return to the city. Since it would seem the goal of this project is to demolish the city, then dun the former inhabitants for the demolition costs, then seize the property for nonpayment, then auction it off for pennies to Bush cronies and then give Halliburton billions to rebuild it for corporations and whites only, I'd say that policy fits right in.

'Giant wave dragged everything into the sea' 08 May 2008 Haunted survivors emerging from the devastation of Burma's ravaged southwest say entire families were wiped out when Cyclone Nargis cut its deadly path through the region. A Burma military official today said an estimated 80,000 people had died in the remote Labutta district, with dozens of the 63 villages surrounding Labutta township wiped out.

'Last year's cubs may not have survived very well.' Deadline for endangered listing looms, polar bear plight continues --Sometime between now and next Thursday the U.S. Department of the Interior is expected to announce whether polar bears should be placed on the endangered species list. 06 May 2008 A research project in the Beaufort Sea is uncovering some surprising new details about Alaska's polar bear population. The findings of the U.S. Geological Survey show polar bear cubs and their habitat could be dwindling. Researchers say they've found precious few polar bear cubs this spring. They could be falling victim to melting sea ice. [See: Last chance to save polar bears 06 May 2008.]

Platypus proves even odder than scientists thought 08 May 2008 The duck-billed platypus has finally given up its evolutionary secrets. The creature, considered one of the strangest mammals in the world, has become the latest to have its genetic code sequenced, revealing it to be a bizarre mix of mammal, bird and reptile, with very complex sexuality. While humans have two sex chromosomes, the X and Y, the platypus has 10, with five of each kind.

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Democrats in US Congress Prepare Iraq-Afghanistan Funding Measure --Majority Democrats are preparing for a possible vote on legislation to fund war operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. 06 May 2008 The debate, which could take place on Thursday, involves the bulk of the money President [sic] Bush requested last year for Iraq and Afghanistan, including funds to help the Pentagon [Blackwater, KBR] get through the early months of 2009.

US Accuses Iran of Interfering in Afghanistan --A senior U.S. official says Iran is interfering in Afghanistan's politics and lending support to the Taliban 'insurgency.' 06 May 2008 Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher says Iran is known to have funneled weapons to the Taliban on several occasions, and suggests Tehran wants a weak and unstable Afghanistan.

Israel: Iran could have nukes by '09 07 May 2008 With Iran racing forward with its nuclear program, Israel now believes the Islamic Republic will master centrifuge technology and be able to begin enriching uranium on a military scale this year, The Jerusalem Post has learned. The new assessment moves up Israel's forecasts on Teheran's nuclear program by almost a full year - from 2009 to the end of 2008. [Yup, just in time for the US 'elections.']

John Bolton: US should bomb Iranian camps 06 May 2008 John Bolton, America�s ex-ambassador to the United Nations, has called for US air strikes on Iranian camps where 'insurgents' are trained for war in Iraq. Mr Bolton said that striking Iran would represent a major step towards victory in Iraq.

Iran's ambassador meets Iraqi president 07 May 2008 Iran�s ambassador to Baghdad Hassan Qazemi-Qomi and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani held talks on Tuesday. According to a report released by Talabani�s office, the two sides discussed issues of mutual interest and ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

Lawyers for Guant�namo Prisoners Accuse U.S. of Eavesdropping 07 May 2008 In interviews and a court filing Tuesday, lawyers for prisoners at Guant�namo said they believed government agents had monitored their conversations. The assertions are the most specific to date by Guant�namo lawyers that officials may be violating legal principles that have generally kept government agents from eavesdropping on lawyers.

Canadian becomes first child soldier since Nuremberg to stand trial for war crimes 07 May 2008 An inmate at the US-run Guantanamo Bay prison camp in Cuba is set to be the first child soldier to go on trial for war crimes since Nuremberg, after a military judge ruled that there were no legal obstacles preventing the camp's special military tribunals from prosecuting him. Omar Khadr, a Canadian national, was 15 at the time of his alleged crimes. His defence team said his age should see him treated as a victim and rehabilitated, rather than prosecuted as a war criminal.

The ordeal of Al-Jazeera cameraman 07 May 2008 After six and a half years of imprisonment in Guantanamo Bay military prison, Al-Jazeera cameraman, Sami Al-Hajj, was released on May 2, 2008 in a very bad shape... Al-Hajj�s case symbolizes the policy of torture and human rights violation of the Bush Administration. His detention may be described as political since the U.S. interrogators focused almost exclusively on obtaining intelligence on Al-Jazeera and its staff. At one point, U.S. officials reportedly told Al-Hajj that he would be released if he agreed to inform U.S. intelligence authorities about the satellite network�s activities. Al-Hajj refused. From his hospital bed in Khartoum, now a free man, he told Al-Jazeera TV that "rats are treated with more humanity", than the Guantanamo inmates, whose "human dignity was violated."

Anti-government protests paralyse Lebanese capital 07 May 2008 Anti-government protesters blocked roads with blazing tyres in the Lebanese capital and disrupted air traffic during a strike over wages on Wednesday that escalated into a confrontation between rival political camps. Anti-riot police and the army were out in full force, cutting off access to many areas to prevent clashes between supporters of the Hezbollah-led opposition and the Western-backed government.

Gorbachev: US could start new Cold War 07 May 2008 Mikhail Gorbachev has accused the United States of mounting an imperialist conspiracy against Russia that could push the world into a new Cold War. With Dmitry Medvedev due to be inaugurated today as Russian president, the Soviet Union's last leader said that the White House's claims of peaceful intentions towards its former superpower rival could no longer be trusted.

Clinton pushes ahead with White House bid 07 May 2008 A tenacious Hillary Clinton pushed ahead with her White House bid Wednesday, revealing that she lent her cash-strapped campaign $6.4 million while vowing to seek the nomination at the ballot box and through Democratic Party channels. Clinton met with fresh pressure to bow out of the race. Former Sen. George McGovern, the 1972 Democratic presidential nominee who had backed her candidacy, urged her to get out on Wednesday and said he had decided to endorse Barack Obama.

Clinton: seeking to become first woman U.S. president 07 May 2008 Hillary Clinton's narrow win in Indiana kept alive the White House hopes of a woman who has been both admired and reviled as she took on her own political battles after decades fighting for her husband.

Clinton loans her campaign $6.4 million: source 07 May 2008 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton loaned her campaign $6.4 million from her own pocket in the past month, a campaign source said on Wednesday.

Clinton wins Indiana nail-biter 07 May 2008 Hillary Clinton has narrowly won the Democratic presidential primary in Indiana, eking out a two-point victory after a protracted vote count.

Obama Announces 3 Superdelegates 07 May 2008 From this point forward in the Democratic presidential nominating contest, the fight between Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will be boiled down to a day-by-day accounting of superdelegates. Today, the Obama campaign is announcing three new superdelegates: Jerry Meek, chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party, Jeanette Council, a member of the D.N.C. from North Carolina and Inola Henry, a member of the D.N.C. from California.

N.C. Voter Turnout Shatters Record 07 May 2008 North Carolina's primary has shattered voter turnout records. More than 2.1 million people cast a ballot in Tuesday's election, and most voted in the Democratic primary that featured the historic race for the White House.

Obama campaign rebounds with win in North Carolina primary 07 May 2008 Barack Obama scored a crucial win over Hillary Clinton Tuesday in the North Carolina Democratic primary, regaining his footing after weeks of setbacks and moving closer to becoming the first black presidential nominee of a major U.S. political party.

Bill Clinton shakes hands, leaves for Indiana 06 May 2008 Closing a wild week in which he visited about 20 towns and cities in North Carolina, former President Bill Clinton shook hands with voters at the North Carolina School of Science and Math in Durham on Thursday afternoon before heading to Indiana... Michael Rectenwald, an English professor at North Carolina Central University, was one of the loudest Hillary Clinton supporters. After Bill Clinton went through the handshake line once, he came back to Rectenwald and talked for a minute.

Nuns with dated ID turned away at Ind. polls --Women, all in their 80's, 90's, showed up with old passports 06 May 2008 About 12 Indiana nuns were turned away Tuesday from a polling place by a fellow sister because they didn't have state or federal identification bearing a photograph. Sister Julie McGuire said she was forced to turn away her fellow members of Saint Mary's Convent in South Bend because they had been told earlier that they would need such an ID to vote. The nuns, all in their 80s or 90s, didn't get one but came to the precinct anyway.

McCain seeks to quash fears on the right [Right, he want to assure them he's another Reichwing whackjob like Bush - no worries; he is.] John McCain promised on Tuesday to nominate ~~conservative judges~~ more Nazis to the Supreme Court and for other judicial vacancies, seeking to quash doubts among some Republicans about his conservative credentials.

McCain vows to name more 'Alitos' and 'Robertses' 06 May 2008 John McSociopath sought to burnish his conservative credentials Tuesday with a broadside against "the common and systematic abuse of our federal courts by the people we entrust with judicial power" and a promise of "better judges" in the mold of Supreme Court Justices John G. Roberts and Samuel Alito.

Summit County judge orders Taser references deleted from medical examiner's rulings 03 May 2008 (OH) Summit County Medical Examiner Lisa Kohler must delete any reference that Tasers contributed to the deaths of three men, a Summit County Common Pleas judge ordered Friday. The deaths of Dennis Hyde and Richard Holcomb, who were [allegedly] on drugs... when police shot them with Tasers, should be ruled accidental, visiting Judge Ted Schneiderman wrote in his ruling. Any reference to homicide or "electrical pulse stimulation" should be deleted from death certificates and autopsy reports, he said. The order to change the ruling in the death of the third man, Mark McCullaugh, could be more far-reaching.

FBI Withdraws Unconstitutional National Security Letter After ACLU and EFF Challenge (eff.org) 07 May 2008 The FBI has withdrawn an unconstitutional national security letter (NSL) issued to the Internet Archive after a legal challenge from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). As the result of a settlement agreement, the FBI withdrew the NSL and agreed to the unsealing of the case, finally allowing the Archive's founder to speak out for the first time about his battle against the record demand.

Government wiretaps--the ones we know about--up 20% for 2007 By Nate Anderson 04 May 2008 The US last week released its 2007 wiretapping stats, and they show that such surveillance is up a full 20 percent over the year before. The number of non-secret wiretaps is higher than it has ever been in the last decade, and not a single application was denied in all of 2007.

Burger With a Side of Spies By Eric Schlosser 07 May 2008 ...[T]he Burger King Corporation, home of the Whopper, hired a private security firm to spy on the Student/Farmworker Alliance, a group of idealistic college students trying to improve the lives of migrants in Florida... The Bill of Rights was adopted to protect Americans from the abusive power of their government. I�ve come to believe that we now need a similar set of restrictions to defend against irresponsible corporate power. Today companies like Wal-Mart and ExxonMobil have annual revenues larger than the entire budgets of some states, and they employ former agents from the F.B.I., the C.I.A. and the Secret Service to do security work.

Suspect attack: 15 officers off street 08 May 2008 Fifteen Philadelphia police officers were taken off the street as authorities investigate a video showing three suspects being kicked, punched and beaten after they were pulled out of a car during a traffic stop. "At a glance it does appear to be a bit beyond the pale," Doug Oliver, a spokesman for Mayor Michael Nutter, said. "Officers are not allowed to operate outside of the law."

Bomb explodes at San Diego school 08 May 2008 A San Diego school was placed on lockdown early on Wednesday after a home-made bomb exploded inside a garbage bin, but there were no injuries, police said. San Diego Police Sergeant Kerry Tom said the bomb rattled the Wagenheim Middle School in the suburb of Mira Mesa at around 7.30am (0030 AEST Thursday), before most students had arrived for class.

6 fraternities suspended in drug probe at San Diego State U. 07 May 2008 San Diego State University has suspended six fraternities after a sweeping drug investigation that landed members of three fraternities in jail on suspicion of openly dealing drugs on campus. The probe led to the arrests of 96 people, 75 of them San Diego State students. Those arrested included a student who was about to receive a criminal justice degree and another who was to receive a master's degree in homeland security.

EPA might not act to limit rocket fuel in drinking water 06 May 2008 An EPA official said Tuesday there's a "distinct possibility" the agency won't take action to rid drinking water of a toxic rocket fuel ingredient that has contaminated public water supplies around the country. Democratic senators called that unacceptable. They argued that states and local communities shouldn't have to bear the expense of cleansing their drinking water of perchlorate, which has been found in at least 395 sites in 35 states -- or the risk of not doing so.

Oil climbs above $US123 08 May 2008 Crude oil rose to a record above $US123 a barrel in New York... Crude oil for June delivery rose $US1.69, or 1.4%, to settle at $US123.53 a barrel at 2.58pm on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It was the highest close since trading began in 1983. Oil touched a record $US123.80 in intraday trading.

Burma cyclone: death toll 'could be 100,000' 07 May 2008 The number of dead Burma's cyclone disaster could climb to more than 100,000 lives, it has been claimed. As survivors battled to stay alive with little relief in sight five days after Cyclone Nargis struck, the US embassy in Rangoon issued a new estimate of the scale of the human cost in the disaster. "The information that we�re receiving indicates that there may well be over 100,000 deaths in the delta area," said Shari Villarosa, the US charge d�affaires.

Global warming puts koalas under threat 07 May 2008 Global warming will threaten the survival of koalas by making the eucalyptus leaves on which they feed toxic, scientists warned on Wednesday. Australia's most endearing marsupial is already under threat from a severe drought and loss of habitat as housing encroaches on woodland. But higher temperatures and increased carbon dioxide could shut down their food supply, leaving them to starve to death.

Protect the Polar Bear (The Hartford Courant) 07 May 2008 After years of denials, dodges and delays, the Bush administration is finally facing its moment of truth about global warming: A federal judge has ordered the Interior Department to conclude by mid-May whether the polar bear deserves protection under the Endangered Species Act. Prodded by a lawsuit brought by three environmental groups, the department had proposed listing the bear as threatened in December 2006. Since then, the department has missed two of its own deadlines for a final decision. It's time for the Interior Department to come clean, respect the rule of law and issue its decision.

Last chance to save polar bears (biologicaldiversity.org) 06 May 2008 On May 15th, the federal government will make one of the most important decisions in conservation history. If it declares the polar bear to be an "endangered" species, it will set off an unprecedented worldwide discussion on global warming... and establish legal requirements to do something about it. If the government refuses, desperately needed global action will again be delayed by the Bush administration's stubbornness. It will all happen -- or not -- on May 15th. Sign our petition today and pass it on.

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