CLG News

Ban on Guantanamo reporters is illegal: News companies 02 Jul 2010 A coalition of major news organizations is challenging as unconstitutional Pentagon rules that were used in May to ban four reporters from covering military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In a letter to Pentagon General Counsel Jeh Johnson, the organizations argue that the Pentagon's interpretation of the rules is "plainly illegal" because it bars publication of information considered "protected" even if the information is already widely known and publicly available. Such a restriction is "a 'classic example' of a prior restraint" that "the Supreme Court repeatedly has refused to allow... even in the name of national security," the organizations said.

Heads up! It's the Obusha/BP holiday weekend really bad news dump: Government and BP working together to assess oil spill damage [Thanks, Obusha!] 04 Jul 2010 In recent weeks, the Obama administration has sought pretended to distance itself from BP in handling the Gulf of Mexico oil spill -- with one notable exception: When it comes to assessing how badly the spill has harmed the gulf, the two sides are working hand in hand. Their shared goal? To calculate how much it will cost to restore the gulf to its pre-spill state. But this close collaboration between federal and state authorities and BP has begun to spark concerns among lawmakers and some environmentalists.

US military: 2 American soldiers die in Iraq 03 Jul 2010 The U.S. military says two American soldiers have died in Iraq. A military statement released on Friday says the soldiers died in separate incidents but not in combat. It says the deaths are under investigation and provided no details.

Fire breaks out at nuclear power station 04 Jul 2010 An overnight fire at the Sizewell B nuclear power plant near Leiston on the Suffolk coast was brought under control by eight fire crews after more than six hours. The blaze, in a building housing a charcoal absorber which filters gases, was the second incident this year. In March, 50 firefighters spent almost seven hours tackling a similar blaze which resulted in the plant being closed.

US Defense Secretary restricts media access to military 04 Jul 2010 US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has issued a memo ordering tighter control over how US military personnel interact with the media. The memo instructs military officials to obtain formal approval before talking to the media regarding matters of national or international scope, although Wilson indicated that reporters would still be able to interview soldiers regarding issues to do with their individual units in the field.

D.C. agrees to $13.7 million settlement in 2000 mass arrest 01 Jul 2010 A federal judge gave final approval Wednesday to a $13.7 million settlement between the District and people who were picked up in a mass arrest during a 2000 protest near the World Bank and International Monetary Fund buildings. U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman said the class-action lawsuit, which has wended its way through the court for about a decade, will benefit "future generations" who want to speak out and air their grievances.

'Up To 300 Russian Spies Operating In UK' 03 Jul 2010 As US investigators continue to probe a suspected Russian spy ring, Sky News has been told that there could be as many as 300 Russian spies in the UK alone. Intelligence sources have said that espionage continues to be a significant issue decades after the end of the cold war. Edward Lucas, an expert and author on post cold war spying techniques said the figure of hundreds of Russian intelligence operatives in the UK was credible.

US: Felony charges, big fines for reporting within Gulf oil spill zone 03 Jul 2010 Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees - The Spill and Transparency - Aired July 1, 2010 (Transcript) COOPER: We're talking about the government, a new a rule announced today backed by the force of law and the threat of fines and felony charges, a rule that will prevent reporters and photographers and anyone else from getting anywhere close to booms and oil-soaked wildlife and just about any place we need to be. By now, you're probably familiar with cleanup crews stiff-arming the media, private security blocking cameras, ordinary workers clamming up, some not even saying who they're working for because they're afraid of losing their jobs... Well, the Coast Guard today announced new rules keeping photographers and reporters and anyone else from coming within 65 feet of any response vessel or booms out on the water or on beaches -- 65 feet... Violators could face a fine of $40,000 and Class D felony charges. [Boy, George W. Bush has got to be the most frustrated individual on God's green Earth! Can you *imagine* the outrage -- and protests -- if Bush threatened reporters and photographers with felony charges and fines, as Barack Obama is doing in the Gulf of Mexico? It makes my head *spin* to think of how fast the left would be up in arms. But when Obama lays down and dies for his corporaterrorist paymasters day after day and suspends the First Amendment, the so-called 'left' remains silent. Oh. Not to mention, his thriving assassination squads, busy little CIA bees hunting down US citizens who allegedly support 'terrorism.' --LRP]

US court seeks more evidence to hold terror detainees 03 Jul 2010 US government prosecutors must present evidence that an Algerian detainee prisoner held at Guantanamo Bay for over eight years truly belongs to Al-Qaeda or release him, a federal appeals court has ruled. The decision by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has broad implications for the credibility of evidence the administration of President Barack Obama has presented to justify holding terror suspects without trial.

US to 'prosecute' media-friendly officers 03 Jul 2010 Following the 'Runaway General' incident, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates has ordered Pentagon officials to acquire clearance before they talk to the media. "I am concerned that the department has grown lax in how we engage with the media," Gates wrote, according to a New York Times article on Friday... "The leaking of classified information is against the law, cannot be tolerated, and will, when proven, lead to the prosecution of those found to be engaged in such activity," Gates added.

Hospital could face fine over terrorism drill gone awry --Investigation details traumatic events 03 Jun 2010 (NV) Nurses were caring for 26 patients in the intensive care unit at St. Rose Dominican Hospital -- Siena Campus, when a man, edgy and brandishing a handgun, appeared in a hall and began herding nurses, doctors and other employees into a break room... But, the handgun was not loaded. It was a terrorism training exercise. The role-playing gunman was an off-duty Metro Police officer. But no one told the staff the events that unfolded May 24 were not real. And on Friday, the state Health Division said it may fine the hospital because patients were left unattended during those 15 minutes of terror. [See state report.]

BP Texas Refinery Had Huge Toxic Release Just Before Gulf Blowout By Ryan Knutson 02 Jul 2010 Two weeks before the blowout in the Gulf of Mexico, the huge, trouble-plagued BP refinery in this coastal town spewed tens of thousands of pounds of toxic chemicals into the skies. The release from the BP facility here began April 6 and lasted 40 days. It stemmed from the company's decision to keep producing and selling gasoline while it attempted repairs on a key piece of equipment, according to BP officials and Texas regulators. [See Facebook group: 'Insurgents' at BP's HQ.]

Iran remembers victims of airliner shot down by US 03 Jun 2010 Iranian helicopters scattered flowers into the Persian Gulf waters on Saturday as family members and relatives remembered the 290 passengers killed when a U.S. warship shot down an Iranian airliner 22 years ago. About 250 relatives of victims and officials sailed from the southern port city of Bandar Abbas to the spot where the Iran Air A300 Airbus was downed on July 3, 1988 -- just a month before the end of the Iraq-Iran war.

US-led forces kill three Afghan civilians 03 Jul 2010 US-led forces in Afghanistan have killed at least three civilians as their new commander General David Petraeus makes his debut in Kabul. The civilians, including a woman, were killed in a NATO operation in the volatile southern province of Kandahar, a Press TV correspondent reported.

U.S. Homeland Security head announces Amtrak information-sharing security initiative --DHS head outlined new nationwide intelligence-gathering scheme that will start with Amtrak Police 01 Jul 2010 Underscoring the government’s commitment to securing transportation on the ground as well as in the air, Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano swore in the new chief of the Transportation Security Administration today at New York Penn Station, and announced a nationwide expansion of New York’s "See Something, Say Something," campaign... "Today, along with the Department of Justice and Amtrak, we are announcing a significant step toward enhancing security of the nation's rail infrastructure through the implementation of a ...nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting, or SAR, capability throughout the entire Amtrak rail system," she told reporters.

Michael Steele: Afghanistan is "War of Obama's Choosing" 02 Jun 2010 Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele suggested at a Connecticut fundraiser that Afghanistan is "a war of Obama's choosing" despite the fact that it began years before the president took office. As criticism of his comments grew Friday, Steele issued a statement saying that he supported the U.S. troops, but did not address his factual mistake. "Well if he's such a student of history, has he not understood that, you know, that's the one thing you don't do is engage in a land war in Afghanistan," Steele says of the president. "Alright? Because everyone who has tried over a thousand years of history has failed. And there are reasons for that. There are other ways to engage in Afghanistan without committing more troops." [*Exactly.*]

'No apology for attack on flotilla' 03 Jul 2010 Israel has ruled out any formal apology for the May 31 attack on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla that left nine Turkish activists dead. In a meeting with Israeli Trade Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer in Brussels on Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu reiterated Ankara's demands that Israel apologize for the deadly attack on the Turkish-owned ship Mavi Marmara, offer compensation to the victims, agree to an international investigation, and end the blockade of Gaza.

Court sides with Schwarzenegger's minimum-wage plan 02 Jul 2010 With paychecks for 200,000 state employees hanging in the balance, an appellate court Friday cleared the way for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to slash workers' pay to the federal minimum wage without a budget in place -- even as the state officer who actually cuts their checks said he would continue to defy the order. Soon after the 3rd District Court of Appeal issued its ruling, State Controller John Chiang said he would appeal to the state Supreme Court before complying with Schwarzenegger's Thursday order to cut hourly pay to $7.25

Polar bear overseer: few tools to stop melting ice 26 Jun 2010 Polar bear policy in America can be summed up succinctly: The iconic bears are threatened with extinction, and so far nothing much is being done. Two years after they were listed under the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has taken no major action in response to their principal threat, the loss of sea ice habitat due to climate change. Federal officials have declared that the Endangered Species Act will not be used in the attempt to regulate greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming and melting ice in the Arctic Ocean.

Payrolls in U.S. Fall 125,000; Jobless Rate at 9.5% 02 Jun 2010 Employment fell in June for the first time this year, reflecting a drop in federal census workers and a smaller-than-forecast gain in private hiring. The pace of hiring signals it will take years for the world’s largest economy to recover the more than 8 million jobs lost during the recession that began in December 2007. The turmoil in financial markets brought on by the European debt crisis raises the risk that employment will slow, depriving American households of the income needed to maintain spending.

Texas Rep. Louis Gohmert Warns of Terrorist Babies 29 Jun 2010 Citing a "retired F.B.I. agent" as his source, U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler, said on the floor of Congress last week that terror cells are plotting to breed future terrorists inside the United States. "It appeared they would have young women who became pregnant [and] would get them into the United States to have a baby. They wouldn't even have to pay anything for the baby," Gohmert said. "And then they would return back where they could be raised and coddled as future terrorists. And then one day, 20, 30 years down the road, they can be sent in to help destroy our way of life."

Protesters demand Bill Blair's resignation, call for inquiry into G20 policing 01 Jul 2010 Hundreds of demonstrators demanding the resignation of Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair and an independent, public inquiry into police actions and treatment of G20 protesters thronged a rowdy but peaceful rally at Queen’s Park Thursday night. Among the participating groups were Canadians Advocating Political Participation, Amnesty International and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, all there to decry what they called a violation of human rights over the G20 weekend, including alleged police intimidation, brutality and mass arrests.

Iran general: US brought atrocity to ME 02 Jul 2010 A senior Iranian military official has condemned Western military presence in the Middle East region, accusing world powers of exploiting other nations. "Undoubtedly, the presence of the Americans and extra-regional powers in the Middle East has only brought death, unlawfulness, atrocity and insecurity for the people of this critical region," IRNA quoted Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri as saying on Friday.

Oil found in Gulf crabs raises new food chain fears 01 Jul 2010 University scientists have spotted the first indications oil is entering the Gulf seafood chain -- in crab larvae -- and one expert warns the effect on fisheries could last "years, probably not a matter of months" and affect many species. Scientists with the University of Southern Mississippi and Tulane University in New Orleans have found droplets of oil in the larvae of blue crabs and fiddler crabs sampled from Louisiana to Pensacola, Fla.

UN: Israeli settlement expansion illegal 02 Jul 2010 UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says Israel is violating international law by expanding its settlements in the occupied Palestinian land, including al-Quds (Jerusalem). “Settlement construction should stop, as should measures which discriminate against Palestinian residents of the city and the ability of Palestinians to access the city,” Ban said on Thursday.

US-led soldier killed in Afghanistan 02 Jul 2010 A monthly record of 102 US-led soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan in June alone. Another US-led soldier has been killed while fighting the Taliban in eastern Afghanistan, after a record 102 foreign troops were killed in the country in June. The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a statement on Friday that the NATO soldier died "following an insurgent attack."

Scholar details US police brutality --Afrasiabi said his arrest was over an un-paid driving ticket dating back more than two decades ago. 01 Jul 2010 An Iranian-American university professor and senior political analyst, Kaveh Afrasiabi, has detailed US police brutality against him while in custody in Cambridge. Speaking to Press TV in an exclusive interview on Thurday, Afrasiabi said that police denied him his constitutional rights and racially discriminated against him... The American-Iranian Friendship Committee also confirmed that Afrasiabi had been the victim of police brutality, accusing US law enforcement officers of injuring the Iranian-American academic while in custody in Cambridge.

Swedish BP chairman 'whisked married lover on luxury cruise as oil spill chaos erupted' 01 July 2010 He was brought in as a steady hand to make BP's troubles go away. But chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg has put the company back into the spotlight, this time with embarrassing revelations about his personal life. The gaffe-prone Swede is said to have begun an affair with a married mother-of-three just as his own marriage collapsed. So enamoured was he with Louise Julian that within days of the oil spill erupting, he allegedly whisked her away for a cruise on board his 77-foot luxury yacht, the Cygnus Montanus II.

AP: Millions of swine flu vaccine doses to be burned --More than 43 percent of the supply for the U.S. public will have gone to waste. 01 Jul 2010 About a quarter of the swine flu vaccine produced for the U.S. public has expired -- meaning that a whopping 40 million doses worth about $260 million are being written off as trash. The outdated vaccine, some of which expired Wednesday, will be incinerated. The amount, as much as four times the usual leftover seasonal flu vaccine, likely sets a record. And that's not even all of it. About 30 million more doses will expire later and may go unused, according to one government estimate. [Right, no one wanted their mercury-laden, squalene-filled pharmaterrorists' sh*t.]

NASA Flight Director Confirms 9/11 Aircraft Speed As "Elephant In the Room" By Pilots For 9/11 Truth 22 Jun 2010 Recently, Pilots For 9/11 Truth have analyzed the speeds reported for the aircraft utilized on 9/11. Numerous aviation experts have voiced their concerns regarding the extremely excessive speeds reported above Maximum Operating for the 757 and 767, particularly, United and American Airlines 757/767 Captains who have actual flight time in all 4 aircraft reportedly used on 9/11. These experts state the speeds are impossible to achieve near sea level in thick air if the aircraft were a standard 757/767 as reported. Combined with the fact the airplane which was reported to strike the south tower of the World Trade Center was also producing high G Loading while turning and pulling out from a dive, the whole issue becomes incomprehensible to fathom a standard 767 can perform such maneuvers at such intense speeds exceeding Maximum Operating limits of the aircraft.