Fake faith and epic crimes
By John Pilger
The Brussels War Crimes Tribunal and the newly established Blair War Crimes Foundation are building a case for the former British prime minister’s prosecution
Clock ticks for Iran despite Obama's offer of talks
The United States will push for new U.N. sanctions against Iran later this year if President Barack Obama's effort to improve relations fails to stop Tehran from pursuing its nuclear program.
White House says U.S. needs H-1B visas to avoid 'competitive disadvantage'
President Barack Obama has so far reversed a number of actions taken by President George W. Bush -- on embryonic stem cell research, species protection and medical research -- but his administration has so far shown no interest in reversing a Bush-approved rule that has drawn the ire of H-1B opponents.
PPG loses bid for World Trade Center
A local manufacturing plant won’t have its glass on the new One World Trade Center building after all. Instead, the glass will be manufactured in China.
One in 10 Americans gets help to buy food
A record 32.2 million people -- one in every 10 Americans -- received food stamps at the latest count, the government said on Thursday, a reflection of the recession now in its 16th month.
Twitter switch for Guardian, after 188 years of ink
Consolidating its position at the cutting edge of new media technology, the Guardian today announces that it will become the first newspaper in the world to be published exclusively via Twitter, the sensationally popular social networking service that has transformed online communication.
Cops storm G20 'rioters HQ'
Police hunting G20 rioters threatened 70 squatters with tasers after storming their derelict HQ yesterday.
Democrats Duck Bush Torture Probe
Despite now overwhelming evidence that ex-President George W. Bush and many top aides engaged in a systematic policy of illegal torture, national Democrats appear to be shying away from their recommendation last year for a special prosecutor to investigate these apparent war crimes.
Obama: Stop Filling Administration with RIAA Insiders
Nearly two dozen public interest groups, trade pacts and library groups urged President Barack Obama on Thursday to quit filling his administration with insiders plucked from the Recording Industry Association of America.
Exposing lies about U.S. guns and Mexican crime
An ATF spokesperson explained to CNSNews.com that the bureau does not actually count, acquire, inspect, or warehouse the weapons confiscated in Mexico; and it does not know for sure how many guns in total have been confiscated by Mexican authorities, or how many confiscated guns may not have serial numbers.
Holder Pledges Caution in Prosecuting Public Corruption Cases
Attorney General Eric Holder, taking charge of a U.S. Justice Department wounded by allegations of partisanship and overreaching, pledged to exercise care in managing a stepped-up drive against public corruption.
G20 supports IMF's plan to sell 403 tons of gold
Leaders from the Group of 20 nations Thursday endorsed the International Monetary Fund's plan to sell 403 tons of gold to raise funds to support the world's poorest countries.
Carlos Santana wishes Obama would legalize pot
President Barack Obama brushed off a question about legalizing marijuana in his online town hall last month, but guitar god Carlos Santana says he wishes he would seriously consider it.
Art Nadel 'Ponzi Pal' linked to 5-ton coke bust
A hedge fund partner of accused Ponzi Fraudster Arthur G. Nadel, the current owner of what used to be terror flight school Huffman Aviation, was well-known in the New York Tri-State area as the “Garbage King of New Jersey,” the MadCowMorningNews has learned.
Phoenix police raid home of blogger whose writing is highly critical of them
In what should send a frightening chill down the spine of every blogger, writer, journalist and First Amendment advocate in the United States, Phoenix police raided the home of a blogger who has been highly critical of the department.
The latest handsets are so advanced they can reveal the location of the owner to within a few yards - along with their internet shopping habits, their interests and the names and addresses of their friends.
Clashes on Thai-Cambodian border
Troops from Thailand and Cambodia have exchanged heavy gunfire twice during the day in a disputed border area.
Japan aims for walking robot on the moon by 2020
Japan hopes to have a two-legged robot walk on the moon by around 2020, with a joint mission involving astronauts and robots to follow, according to a plan laid out Friday by a government group.
House, Senate budget plans boost Obama agenda
Passage by both House and Senate of companion budget plans gave President Barack Obama and his allies on Capitol Hill a key victory, but the debates also exposed some of the president's vulnerabilities.
G-20 Shapes New World Order With Lesser Role for U.S., Markets
Global leaders took their biggest steps yet toward a new world order that’s less U.S.-centric with a more heavily regulated financial industry and a greater role for international institutions and emerging markets.
US March payrolls fall 663,000, jobless rate 8.5 pct
U.S. employers slashed 663,000 jobs in March, lifting the unemployment rate to 8.5 percent, the highest since 1983, official data showed on Friday in a report underscoring the growing distress in the labor market.
NASA's Embattled Inspector General Resigns
NASA's embattled Inspector General Robert "Moose" Cobb has resigned from his post as the space agency's internal watchdog after years of criticism from lawmakers.
Under New Accounting Rule, Toxic Assets May Be Revalued
The board that sets U.S. accounting rules voted yesterday to let financial firms report higher values for some troubled assets, a controversial step likely to increase some banks' reported earnings but also heighten suspicions that the companies are concealing problems. It's Hocus-Pocus Magic!
Robo-scientist's first findings
Scientists have created an ideal colleague - a robot that performs hundreds of repetitive experiments.
The robot, called Adam, is the first machine to have independently "discovered new scientific knowledge".
Failure Rate Rises on Mortgages Revised in Late 2008, U.S. Says
Mortgages modified in the third quarter failed at a faster pace than those revised in the first, and the delinquency rate on the least risky loans doubled, signs of deteriorating credit quality, U.S. regulators said.
Churchill wins CU suit but awarded just $1
Ward Churchill won his case against the University of Colorado today as a Denver jury unanimously decided he was fired in retaliation for his controversial essay about the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Clashes at Nato summit protests
Police have clashed with several hundred protesters, with scores of people being arrested, ahead of a Nato summit in Strasbourg.
Obama in France to discuss Afghan plans with NATO
U.S. President Barack Obama was mobbed by cheering crowds after arriving in France Friday for a NATO summit, where he hopes to secure backing for his new strategy over Afghanistan.
As Crisis Loomed, Geithner Pressed But Fell Short
Before Timothy Geithner became Treasury chief, he regulated major U.S. banks. Now he says: "We're having a major financial crisis in part because of failures of supervision."
New World Order Hailed After Rescue
Experts are digesting the G20's "historic" trillion-dollar bid to pull the world out of recession after Gordon Brown hailed the creation of a "new world order".
Afghan prisoners can challenge detention: judge
The Obama administration's plan to close the prison at Guantánamo Bay grew more complicated Thursday, after a federal judge ruled that some of the long-term prisoners at the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan are entitled to the same legal rights as the Guantánamo detainees.
Dmitry Medvedev hails Barack Obama as 'comrade'
Russia's leader hailed President Barack Obama as a "comrade" on Thursday and predicted that the two countries would resolve the vexed issue of a missile defence shields in Eastern Europe.
Marijuana helps in battle against cancer: study
The main chemical in marijuana appears to aid in the destruction of brain cancer cells, offering hope for future anti-cancer therapies, researchers in Spain wrote in a study released Thursday.
DARE and Back Again
By William N. Grigg
The target of any domestic "war" is individual liberty, and the DARE program serves as a form of crypto-conscription.
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
Many police officers are asking the question: if prohibition didn't work for alcohol, why are we in denial about it working for other things? LEAP is a major initiative now, and gaining steam. Check out www.leap.cc for more.
The Battle in the States: Freedom Vs Protection
By Tom Deweese
Across the nation, state legislatures are struggling to take back their Constitutional rights as they also seek ways to protect us from outside threats. This has led to some near schizophrenic legislative sessions with laws swinging widely from left to right.
GMO Proliferation Bills
By Stephen Lendman
Using the ruse of food safety and security, they aim to eliminate competition to have it all and replace wholesome foods with unsafe GMOs. Congress is willing to go along. And why not. Representatives like DeLauro get large Ag business contributions. In return, they assure bills like HR 875 are passed. It's for concerned people to stop them.
Why Fearing the Police Is Not Irrational
By Brian Cohoon
There was a day in America when we, the people, had great respect for the police. When they would ask you how you are doing, they sincerely wanted to know because they cared.
South African judge to head UN inquiry into Gaza war crimes
South African judge Richard Goldstone will head an international fact-finding mission into allegations of war crimes by Israeli forces and Palestinian militants in Gaza, the United Nations said on Friday.
EU says U.S. emission plan to help in climate deal
The European Union's executive arm welcomed on Wednesday a new U.S. plan on cutting greenhouse gas emissions, saying the proposal would facilitate a global deal late this year on fighting climate change.
Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives launched a sweeping effort on Tuesday to control emissions of gases blamed for global warming and at the same time help industries that will struggle to meet the proposed environmental requirements.
Climate change not all man-made, report says
It's wrong to blame our warming climate on human pollution alone, says a major analysis by U. S. climate scientists who say North America's warming and drying trend also has important natural causes.
Venezuela's Chavez slams results of G20 summit
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has harshly criticized the plans to overcome the global financial crisis announced by G20 leaders after their summit in London.
U.S. House passes $3.55 trillion budget for fiscal year 2010
The House of Representatives passed a $3.55 trillion budget for fiscal year 2010 Thursday night, capping off weeks of acrimonious partisan debate and a long day of voting marked by the defeat of several alternative plans.
Blagojevich, 5 Associates Indicted
Even before he took office six years ago, former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, his brother and a circle of associates conspired to use the governor's office to enrich themselves at the expense of taxpayers and "honest government," a federal grand jury indictment charged Thursday.
US reconciliation offer lunatic idea, say Taliban
Taliban rejected on Wednesday a US offer of “honourable reconciliation” as a “lunatic idea” and said the withdrawal of foreign troops was the only way to end the war in Afghanistan.
U.S. Weighs Putting 70,000 Troops in Afghanistan
President Barack Obama is weighing whether to deploy 10,000 more troops to Afghanistan but lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are questioning an increased commitment and seeking specific measures of progress against the deteriorating conditions in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Obama weighing more troops for Afghan war
President Barack Obama faces a decision later this year whether to send an extra 10,000 US troops to Afghanistan, amid an escalating war against Islamist insurgents, defense officials said.
Planning the Steps to World Government
By Joan Veon
The United Nations headed up by Dr. Joseph Stiglitz is calling for the G20 to become a fully recognized Economic Security Council on par with the Security Council.
Man detained and harassed at airport for carrying CASH!
A man was detained by TSA in St. Louis for carrying cash. The man was traveling home following a Campaign For Liberty (Ron Paul) event. I thought the MIAC document was retracted? Apparently these goons didn't get the word.
To urban hunter, next meal is scampering by
When selecting the best raccoon carcass for the special holiday roast, both the connoisseur and the curious should remember this simple guideline: Look for the paw.
Obama tells Netanyahu: U.S. committed to Israel's security
U.S. President Barack Obama called newly sworn in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to congratulate him on his new position, and to reaffirm steadfast U.S. commitment to Israel and its security.
Police question Israeli FM
Israeli police questioned the new foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, for more than seven hours on Thursday on suspicion of bribery and money laundering.
US, Russia agree on nuke arms cuts
Australia's goal to rid the world of nuclear weapons moved a step closer after the United States and Russia set ambitious targets to reduce their atomic arsenals.
Former AIG chief: Bailout not working
Former AIG Chief Executive Maurice "Hank" Greenberg, blaming his successors for the mistakes that led to the company's failure, told Congress Thursday that the government's plan to unwind the giant insurer is not working and threatens its ability to pay back the billions it has received in taxpayer funds.
Deep Solar Minimum
The sunspot cycle is behaving a little like the stock market. Just when you think it has hit bottom, it goes even lower.
G-20 to give $1 trillion to IMF, World Bank
G-20 leaders hoping to end the global economic crisis pledged an additional $1.1 trillion in financing Thursday to the International Monetary Fund and other global institutions and declared a crackdown on tax havens and hedge funds.
FASB Eases Fair-Value Rules Amid Lawmaker Pressure
The Financial Accounting Standards Board, pressured by U.S. lawmakers and financial companies, voted to relax fair-value rules that Citigroup Inc. and Wells Fargo & Co. say don’t work when markets are inactive.
The changes to so-called mark-to-market accounting allow companies to use “significant” judgment when gauging the price of some investments on their books, including mortgage-backed securities. Analysts say the measure may reduce banks’ writedowns and boost their first-quarter net income by 20 percent or more.
U.S. Economy: Jobless Claims Climb to Highest Level Since 1982
The number of Americans seeking jobless benefits last week climbed to the highest level in 26 years, providing a reminder that unemployment will keep mounting long after the economy stabilizes.
Water wars leave northern Colorado farmers dry
Many farmers in this northern Colorado plains region are struggling to keep their crops irrigated and stay afloat as they find themselves on the wrong side of state water rules dating back to the 19th century.
Lieberman and Wiping Countries off the face of the Map
By Juan Cole
The world has had a lot of fun laughing at the pronouncements of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who stands falsely accused of threatening to wipe Israel off the face of the map. But Ahmadinejad has protested that it would be wrong to kill large numbers of civilians.
Mexico's president given George Orwell's 1984 by the Queen
At Buckingham Palace, Felipe Calderon was presented with a first edition of George Orwell's nightmarish book, which tells of a totalitarian regime and coined the concept Big Brother.
Traders Bet on Number of G20 Demonstrators, Arrested, Injured or Killed
At Coq D'Argent, the restaurant atop the distinctive salmon coloured building at Number One Poultry, adjacent to Bank underground station, the bankers appeared slightly drunk on the excitement of the protests down below; basking in the sunshine, ordering wine and necking oysters.
Aircraft could be brought down by DIY 'E-bombs'
ELECTROMAGNETIC pulse weapons capable of frying the electronics in civil airliners can be built using information and components available on the net, warn counterterrorism analysts.
US marshals seize Madoff property
Marshals in Florida have seized the multi-million dollar Palm Beach house of disgraced US financier Bernard Madoff and his wife.
Sean O'Grady: Next stop in the crisis could be the collapse of the euro
The mighty of the G20 meeting in London are unlikely to give much thought to Mr Cowen and his artistic and economic challenges. Yet, in its own small way, Ireland and the other economic sick men of Europe could presage the most violent international currency crisis in decades; the break-up of the euro. Alarmist? Certainly. Impossible? Certainly not.
US spy agencies at sixes and sevens, report says
FIVE years after sweeping reforms, US spy agencies continue to be hobbled by turf battles, incompatible computer systems and uncertainty over legal boundaries, says a report by an internal watchdog on intelligence matters
U.S. February Factory Orders Rise More Than Forecast
Orders placed with U.S. factories rose in February for the first time in seven months, reflecting a rebound in demand for construction machinery, computers and air conditioning equipment that signals the worst of the manufacturing slump has passed.
CIA's destruction of torture videotapes leads to calls for 9/11-style commission.
The CIA has betrayed the public trust by destroying videotapes which would have been used in court to determine culpability in Abu Ghraib torture claims. What gives the CIA the right to do this, and why are there no sanctions when powerful evidence has been willfully destroyed by government officials?
Record fine for Soros 'illegal manipulation of financial markets'
The principle financier of the Democrats, the man whose early support catapulted Obama into the lead for the nomination, the man who made billions from the stock market crash that changed everything in the fall campaign (McCain was in the lead when the crisis hit), has been given a record fine by Hungarian financial authorities.
Unlikely pair on same civil liberties side
Former U.S. Reps. Bob Barr and Cynthia McKinney aren't often on the same side, but both are speaking out on potential abuse of "fusion centers," funded by the Department of Homeland Security to blend state and local law enforcement with national security aims.
UN chief: Crisis may lead to social unrest
UN chief Ban Ki-moon has warned that failing to act to halt the global economic crisis could lead to widespread social unrest and failed states.
Surging Further Into the Afghan Abyss
By Chris Floyd
The political class has failed us. At every level, they have failed us. Republican and Democrat, they have failed us. Liberal, conservative and centrist, they have failed us.
Ousting bailed-out U.S. bank CEOs an option: Geithner
U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Wednesday he would consider forcing out chief executives of banks that receive government bailouts if they were not managing their businesses properly.
Obama says other countries need to 'pick up the pace'
President Barack Obama heads into a global economic summit on Thursday warning that the world can no longer depend on the U.S. to be the consumer-driven engine of economic growth and that other nations will have to step up and do more.
DARPA wants 'clandestine' 3D building-interior mapping kit
Pentagon bizarro-tech chiefs have issued a requirement for mysterious sensor systems which would be able to peer through concrete walls to produce a complete internal picture of a building. US Forces would use such kit for "overseas urban building interior awareness".
Will Mexico's drug war lead to tighter gun control laws in U.S.?
Hunters, target shooters and general gun owners: Try to imagine living in a country that has only one gun store. It's run by the army, and buyers, who often wait months before receiving a permit, have to prove first that they make an honest living.
TSA Union Wants Bargaining Rights
Border Patrol agents can do it. So can federal protective officers and U.S. Capitol Police. But Transportation Security Administration officers, who screen passengers at airports across the country, are not allowed to engage in collective bargaining.
Guantanamo 'fun' - Miss Universe
Life may be tough for its full-time residents, but for Miss Universe a day out at the US prison camp at Guantanamo Bay was simply "a loooot of fun!"
2012 may bring the “perfect storm” – solar flares, systems collapse
Long scorned as “mysticism” and “parascience,” concern about the year 2012 has now surfaced in a mainstream NASA report on the potential impacts on human society of solar flares anticipated to peak in 2012.
China to Boost Yuan Swaps, Payments on Dollar Concern
China’s leaders, increasingly concerned about the nation’s $740 billion of U.S. Treasuries, are making it easier for trading partners and consumers to do business in yuan.
The People’s Bank of China has agreed to provide 650 billion yuan ($95 billion) to Argentina, Belarus, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea through so-called currency- swaps. More such arrangements are being planned so importers can avoid paying for Chinese goods with dollars, the central bank said. In Hong Kong, which has pegged the currency to its U.S. counterpart since 1983, stores from Park’n Shop supermarkets to jewelers accept yuan.
Rule change intended to ease bank crisis could make it worse
The little-known Financial Accounting Standards Board is poised to deliver Thursday a change in accounting rules that proponents say will save the banking system — and opponents warn could bring even more ruin to the U.S. economy.
Israel closes probe of Gaza incidents, denies they happened
The Israeli military announced Monday that it's closed its swift criminal investigation into two explosive allegations by its soldiers that army units intentionally killed Palestinian civilians during the recent offensive in Gaza.
Congress gives community service programs a boost
The nation's volunteer corps will expand dramatically to aid the country's poor people, spruce up its parks, help veterans and military families, and provide new programs for seniors and students under legislation the House of Representatives approved on Tuesday.
Did Holder Violate Protocol on D.C. Voting Issue?
We just can’t get enough on the question of whether D.C. residents should get a congressional vote, partly because we find those “Taxation Without Representation” license plates so, well, feisty. But the issue potentially grew more explosive with news that AG Eric Holder may have breached protocol to get an opinion on the issue that he liked.
Blackstone Rejects SEC Request for Fund Data as Fortress Agrees
Blackstone Group LP, the world’s largest private-equity firm, rebuffed a request from securities regulators to publicly disclose the performance of its buyout and hedge funds while Fortress Investment Group LLC agreed.
Masters of the Universe - Federal Reserve Fraud
The Federal Reserve, or the Fed as it is lovingly called, may be one of the most mysterious entities in modern American government. Created during Wilson's presidency to protect the economy in times of financial turmoil, its real business remains to be discovered. During the Wilson presidency, the U.S. government sanctions the creation of the Federal Reserve. Thought by many to be a government organization maintained to provide financial accountability in the event of a domestic depression, the actual business of the Fed is shrouded in secrecy. Many Americans will be shocked to discover that the principle business of the Fed is to print money from nothing, lend it to the U.S. government and charge interest on these loans. Who keeps the interest? Good question. Find out as the connective tissue between this and other top-secret international organizations is explored and exposed.
Border Patrol to install surveillance towers in Detroit
The U.S. Border Patrol is erecting 16 more video surveillance towers in Michigan and New York to help secure parts of the U.S.-Canadian border, awarding the contract to a company criticized for faulty technology with its so-called “virtual fence” along the U.S.-Mexico boundary.
Stephen Colbert Rips Apart Glenn Beck: Building His Career On 9/11
Stephen Colbert ripped apart Fox News host (and New York Times cover boy) Glenn Beck Tuesday night, mocking his 9-12 project, meant to conjure the spirit of compassion and camaraderie Americans felt on September 12, 2001.
Two Balkan countries officially join NATO
Albania and Croatia officially became NATO's newest members on Wednesday, bringing the number of countries in the military alliance to 28.
Finally, Talking the Lobby’s Role in America
By Karin Friedemann
Most Americans would prefer to keep their lights on than to personally finance Israel’s existence. It finally seems acceptable, even within polite circles, to discuss the role of the Israeli Lobby on US foreign policy. AIPAC’s recent success in deposing the almost National Security Chief Chas Freeman stimulated much free thought worldwide.
