Panetta Says CIA Officials Have Misled Congress Since 2001 08 Jul 2009 Central Intelligence Agency Director Leon E. Panetta has told lawmakers that CIA officials misled Congress "for a number of years" since 2001 [i.e., the start of the Bush regime], according to a letter released Wednesday from six Democratic lawmakers. The lawmakers say the CIA also withheld information about unspecified "significant actions." [i.e., 9/11] The letter didn't identify when Mr. Panetta made the statements or to what they referred. "This is similar to other deceptions of which we are aware from other recent periods," the letter continued.[Oops! Murdoch's Wall Street Urinal already dropped 'Since 2001' from their headline, lol.]

Child prostitution we can believe in: DynCorp Up On Army Award For Afghanistan Work Worth Up to $7.5B 08 Jul 2009 Shares of DynCorp International Inc. rose Wednesday as the service provider to government agencies and Fluor Corp. were selected over rival KBR Inc. for U.S. contracts worth up to $7.5 billion each to support base-camp operations in Afghanistan. DynCorp and Fluor were notified Tuesday that each won one-year contracts worth as much as $1.5 billion with four one-year options for the same annual amount, Dan Carlson, spokesman for the U.S. Army Sustainment Command, told Dow Jones Newswires. [See: Secrets and Lies: How Secret Bidding and the Shut-Out of Foreign Corporations in Iraqi Reconstruction Violates International Trade Principles By Anupam Chander 24 Apr 2003 "DynCorp received the contract despite its checkered past. Just three years ago, its American employees on U.S. government contracts in Bosnia were allegedly deeply implicated in an international prostitution ring, which included child prostitutes." See also: DynCorp Disgrace (from Insight Magazine) 14 Jan 2002 By Kelly Patricia O’Meara "Middle-aged men having sex with 12- to 15-year-olds was too much for Ben Johnston, a hulking 6-foot-5-inch Texan, and more than a year ago he blew the whistle on his employer, DynCorp, a U.S. contracting company doing business in Bosnia."]

Iraq group calls for further attacks on US troops 08 Jul 2009 An insurgent group linked to al-Qaeda of Iraq urged militants to continue attacks against U.S. forces even after combat troops were pulled from city centres, according to an audiotape released on Wednesday. The Islamic State of Iraq is believed to be affiliated with al Qaeda's main organisation in Iraq, led by Abu Ayyub al-Masri, also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir Blackwater, also known as Xe.

Afghanistan in a serious state, UK minister warns 08 Jul 2009 Britain's defence secretary, making his first speech since being promoted to head the ministry last month, said on Wednesday the war in Afghanistan was a serious struggle that needed patience. "Let us be under no illusion," Bob Ainsworth, the third person to head the Ministry of Defence in the past nine months, told the Royal Institute for International Affairs. "The situation in Afghanistan is serious, and it is not yet decided. The way forward is hard and dangerous. More lives will be lost and our resolve is going to be tested."

Nick Clegg: We're throwing lives away in Afghanistan 08 Jul 2009 The cross party consensus on the British military mission in Afghanistan has been broken by Nick Clegg with a warning that young lives are being "thrown away" by politicians. After seven days in which seven British soldiers have lost their lives in the country, the Liberal Democrat leader urges Gordon Brown and his military planners to think again "before it’s too late." He claims that British troops will be "demoralised" by having to be "bailed-out" by the latest American troop surge.

Troop surge sign of 'failure': Afghan election candidate 08 Jul 2009 The increasing number of foreign troops battling in Afghanistan represents failure, not success, according to the leading election contender to Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Dr. Abdullah Abdullah -- the country's former foreign affairs minister and the person polling closest to Karzai in the run-up to the Aug. 20 national election -- said Wednesday that more war can't solve his country's problems.

11 NATO troops killed in 2 days in Afghanistan 07 Jul 2009 International troops in Afghanistan endured another deadly attack Tuesday, a day after 10 NATO-led troops were killed in that country. Seven Americans, two Canadians and one Briton died in four separate incidents Monday.

At Least 12 Killed in Iraq Attacks 08 Jul 2009 Authorities in Iraq say at least 12 people were killed in a series of attacks Wednesday, mainly in and around the northern city of Mosul. Iraqi officials say a car bomb exploded near a Shi'ite mosque on the outskirts of Mosul, killing nine people and wounding others. A second blast in a nearby village also caused injuries. At least 22 people were wounded in the two explosions.

Attacks Kill Five in Iraq 06 July 2009 Iraqi authorities say unidentified gunmen killed three Iraqi soldiers and two policemen during an attack at a security checkpoint in western Baghdad. Officials say the attack took place late Sunday night. In other violence, police say a car bomb in the northern city of Mosul has wounded at least eight people.

G8 sets Iran deadline for nuclear talks 08 Jul 2009 Group of Eight major powers will give Iran until September to accept negotiations over its nuclear ambitions or else face tougher sanctions, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Wednesday. Upping the stakes in a dispute with Tehran, Sarkozy said the powers would review the situation at a G20 meeting of developed and developing countries in Pittsburgh on September 24 and 25.

'That window is a very narrow window.' U.S. military chief says clock ticking on Iran nuke 08 Jul 2009 The top U.S. military officer warned on Tuesday that time is running out for dialogue with Tehran to avoid either a nuclear-armed Iran or a possible military strike against the Islamic Republic. Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said it is critical for diplomatic efforts to reach a solution before Iran develops a nuclear weapon or faces an Israeli or U.S. strike to turn back its nuclear program.

Israeli sub sails Suez, signaling reach to Iran 03 Jul 2009 An Israeli submarine sailed the Suez Canal to the Red Sea as part of a naval drill last month, defense sources said on Friday, describing the unusual maneuver as a show of strategic reach in the face of Iran. Israel long kept its three Dolphin-class submarines, which are widely assumed to carry nuclear missiles, away from Suez so as not to expose them to the gaze of Egyptian harbormasters.

Israeli activist goes on the record for Gaza 08 Jul 2009 An Israeli human rights activist says detainees were held with no access to food, water or restrooms and subjected to violent interrogations during the Gaza war. Attorney Majd Bader of the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI) testified in Geneva on Tuesday before a UN investigation team that is probing the three-week Israeli onslaught against Gaza which started in December.

Israel's spying 'violation of Lebanon's sovereignty' 08 Jul 2009 A top UN envoy says the running of spy networks by Israel in Lebanon is considered a serious violation of the country's sovereignty. "If these allegations are confirmed in court, this would constitute a very serious violation of Lebanon's sovereignty and consequently undermine relevant Security Council resolutions," Michael Williams said on Wednesday.

'Iran to publish detailed report on elections' 08 Jul 2009 Iran is to publish a report on its latest presidential election to clarify in full detail how the complaints about the election results were dealt with. The Guardian Council Spokesman Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei told Fars news agency that the "detailed report" will be published for the first time in the coming days. The report is aimed at resolving any ambiguities some people may still see in the election process, the official said.

Fresh US drone attacks kills dozens in Pakistan 08 Jul 2009 US drones targeting suspected militants have fired missiles killing about thirty people in Pakistan's troubled South Waziristan, leaving dozens injured. The Wednesday strike was the second drone attack of the day in the area controlled by Pakistan militant chief Baitullah Mahsud. The death toll is expected to rise as some of the injured are said to be in critical condition.

CIA Drone Targeting Tech Revealed, Qaeda Claims 08 Jul 2009 American drone strikes are finding their targets in Pakistan through a series of infrared homing beacons, 'Al Qaeda' alleges in a new online publication. The unmanned aircraft have supposedly carried out 28 attacks on suspected militants, just since the start of the year. Hundreds [of civilians] have been killed, including as many as 45 more people in a series of strikes today.

Funding totaling $11.5 million obtained for Minot AFB facilities 08 Jul 2009 Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., announced Tuesday $11.5 million in funding has been obtained for construction of new facilities critical to the 'nuclear mission' at Minot Air Force Base. Dorgan, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured the funding in the fiscal year 2010 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations bill to construct a new missile procedures training operations facility and a munitions trailer storage facility at the Minot base.

US leaves Honduras to its fate --Washington is unwilling to take the side of democracy in Honduras by opposing the coup leaders it helped to train By Mark Weisbrot 08 Jul 2009 The military coup that overthrew President Manuel Zelaya of Honduras took a new turn when he attempted to return home on Sunday. The military closed the airport and blocked runways to prevent his plane from landing. They also shot several protesters, killing at least one and injuring others. The violence and the enormous crowd – estimated in the tens of thousands and reported as the largest since the coup on 28 June – put additional pressure on the Obama administration to seek a resolution to the crisis.

Calif. students quarantined in Japan for swine flu 08 Jul 2009 A group of 20 students studying in Japan through the University of California Davis have been quarantined after two of their Japanese tutors were diagnosed with swine flu. UC Davis summer abroad coordinator Kathy Cunningham said Wednesday the students arrived in Kyoto, Japan, on June 27 and were quarantined to a dormitory on July 3.

Bomb parts smuggled into 10 federal buildings during test 08 Jul 2009 Plainclothes investigators sent to test security at federal buildings in four U.S. cities were successful in smuggling bomb components through guard posts at all 10 of the sites they visited, according to a government report. The buildings contained offices of several federal lawmakers as well as agencies within the departments of State, Justice and Homeland Security, which is responsible for safeguarding federal office buildings.

US officials eye North Korea in cyber attack 08 Jul 2009 U.S. authorities eyed North Korea on Wednesday as the origin of the widespread cyber attack that overwhelmed government Web sites in the United States and South Korea, although they warned it would be difficult definitely to identify the attackers quickly. The powerful attack that targeted dozens of government and private sites underscored how unevenly prepared the U.S. government is to block such multipronged assaults [despite the *billions* taxpayers forked over to Bush's corpora-terrorist trolls for 'security'].

Former Bush aide testifies on prosecutor firings 07 Jul 2009 Former Bush White House official Karl Rove was questioned by House Judiciary Committee lawyers Tuesday on any role he may have played in politically motivated firings of U.S. attorneys. Committee Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., confirmed Rove's closed-door appearance through a committee spokesman who was not authorized to be quoted by name. The committee has been seeking answers on who created the list of federal prosecutors who would lose their jobs.

House Panel Interviews Karl Rove About Attorney Firings 08 Jul 2009 Former presidential aide Karl Rove sat for a day-long interview with members of the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday and is expected to return for another round of testimony later this summer, according to people familiar with the session. The panel, led by Chairman John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), is continuing to examine why the Bush administration fired nine top federal prosecutors in 2006, setting off an outcry that prompted the resignation of more than a dozen Justice Department officials including former attorney general Alberto R. Gonzales.

Arizona Sheriff Won't Cooperate With DOJ 08 Jul 2009 The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office will not cooperate with the U.S. Department of Justice in an ongoing investigation into whether the office uses racial profiling, Sheriff Joe Arpaio announced in a news conference Tuesday. Arpaio said he's halting all interviews between his staff and DOJ investigators. The sheriff claims the DOJ is investigating his office for political reasons, not because of racial profiling.

Court Upholds Dismissal of Colorado Professor 08 Jul 2009 Three months after a jury ruled that Ward L. Churchill, a former University of Colorado professor, was wrongfully terminated for his political views, a judge on Tuesday refused to give him his job back. Chief Judge Larry J. Naves of Denver District Court ruled that the university’s regents were effectively acting as judicial officers when they voted to dismiss Mr. Churchill in 2007 after a faculty committee concluded that he had committed 'academic fraud.' As a result, Judge Naves found, the regents were legally protected from Mr. Churchill’s effort to reverse their ruling.

Ensign told him, 'I'm in love with your wife.' Ensign Hampton speaks publicly, says Ensign paid severance --Hampton said Ensign paid the woman more than $25,000 in severance when she stopped working for the senator. 08 Jul 2009 Doug Hampton spoke publicly for the first time today about the affair his wife had with Sen. John Ensign, saying the Nevada Republican continued his pursuit even after intermediaries tried to get him to stop. Hampton said that Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and others urged him to end the affair and help the Hamptons pay off their home and move to Colorado. But Ensign was so infatuated that he continued, Hampton said. Hampton and Ensign were bonded by their conservative evangelical faith. Hampton said he reached out to intermediaries involved in a Christian fellowship home in Washington, D.C., where Ensign and several other powerful Washington figures live. The group, including Coburn, a well-known conservative, confronted Ensign and suggested that the Hamptons needed to be given financial assistance -- in the millions of dollars -- to pay off their $1 million-plus mortgage and move them to a new life away from Ensign. [So he gets two bl*wjobs! One from the woman and one for the mortgage!]

40% of GOP Voters Say Resignation Hurts Palin’s Chances in 2012 07 Jul 2009 Forty percent (40%) of Republican voters nationwide say Sarah Palin’s decision to resign as governor of Alaska hurts her chances of winning the party’s presidential nomination in 2012. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of GOP voters finds that (24%) believe Palin’s resignation helps her chances of winning the Republican nomination, while 28% say it will have no impact on the race.

Bern to block UBS record transfer to US 08 Jul 2009 18:38 The Swiss government on Wednesday waded into the legal battle between UBS and the US authorities by saying it would forbid the bank from handing over confidential client information, if a crucial court case next week required it. Bern warned it might go as far as confiscating the data, should a US court in Miami rule the bank was obliged to transfer the client names requested.

G8 leaders claim historic break through on new deal to tackle global warming 09 Jul 2009 President Obama and other leaders backed historic new targets for tackling global warming last night in an agreement designed to pave the way for a world deal in the autumn. For the first time, America and the other seven richest economies agreed to the goal of keeping the world’s average temperature from rising more than 2C (3.6F). They also agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050 as they strove for a worldwide deal at Copenhagen in December.

Group will sue EPA over pesticides in polar bears 08 Jul 2009 An environmental group said Wednesday that it plans to sue the federal government to stop approving pesticides that end up in food eaten by polar bears. The Center for Biological Diversity gave 60-day notice it will sue the Environmental Protection Agency for failing to consider the effects of pesticides on polar bears, a threatened species, and their Arctic habitat.

Polar Bears Poisoned by Pesticide Pollution --Lawsuit to Be Filed to Force EPA to Protect Arctic From Pesticide Contamination 08 Jul 2009 Today the Center for Biological Diversity notified the Environmental Protection Agency of its intent to file suit against the agency for failing to consider impacts to the polar bear and its Arctic habitat from toxic contamination resulting from pesticide use in the United States. Pesticides approved by EPA for use in the United States are known to be transported to the Arctic via various atmospheric, oceanic, and biotic pathways. Such pesticides are biomagnified with each step higher in the food web, reaching some of their greatest concentrations in polar bears, the apex predators of the Arctic.

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Previous lead stories: MI5 accused of bribe offer in Rangzieb Ahmed torture case --Jailed torture victim says he was offered cash to drop collusion claim 06 Jul 2009 The Security Service MI5 is being accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice by offering a man inducements to drop his allegation that its officers colluded in his torture. Rangzieb Ahmed had three of his fingernails ripped out after MI5 and Greater Manchester police (GMP) drew up a list of questions for officers from a notorious Pakistani intelligence agency who had detained him in Pakistan. He was later deported to the UK and jailed for terrorism offences. Ahmed says he was visited in prison by an MI5 officer and a police officer who offered to secure a reduction in his sentence or a payment of money to withdraw his torture complaints when his appeal against conviction is heard later this year.

MI5 accused of bribe offer in Rangzieb Ahmed torture case --Jailed torture victim says he was offered cash to drop collusion claim 06 Jul 2009 The Security Service MI5 is being accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice by offering a man inducements to drop his allegation that its officers colluded in his torture. Rangzieb Ahmed had three of his fingernails ripped out after MI5 and Greater Manchester police (GMP) drew up a list of questions for officers from a notorious Pakistani intelligence agency who had detained him in Pakistan. He was later deported to the UK and jailed for terrorism offences. Ahmed says he was visited in prison by an MI5 officer and a police officer who offered to secure a reduction in his sentence or a payment of money to withdraw his torture complaints when his appeal against conviction is heard later this year.

'The deeper you look into the murky world of governments and germ warfare, the more worrying it becomes. We have proved there is a black market in anthrax.' Kelly's Book of Secrets 05 Jul 2009 Weapons inspector David Kelly was writing a book exposing highly damaging government secrets before his mysterious death. He was intending to reveal that he warned Prime Minister Tony Blair there were no weapons of mass destruction anywhere in Iraq weeks before the British and American invasion. Following his death, his computers were seized and it is still not known if any rough draft was discovered by investigators and, if so, what happened to the material. Dr Kelly was also intending to lift the lid on a potentially bigger scandal, his own secret dealings in germ warfare with the apartheid regime in South Africa. US television investigators have spent four years preparing a 90-minute documentary, Anthrax War, suggesting there is a global black market in anthrax and exposing the mystery "suicides" of five government germ warfare scientists from around the world.

Officials: Fate of Guantanamo detainees uncertain 07 Jul 2009 Obama administration lawyers acknowledged Tuesday they are uncertain how they will prosecute and deal with more than 200 detainees being held in the Guantanamo Bay prison. With just over six months to go on President Barack Obama's commitment to shut down the U.S. Navy's prison camp in Cuba, administration officials told the Senate Armed Services Committee it's far from clear how many detainees will face court trial, or where.

US and Russia to scrap 2000 nuclear weapons 07 Jul 2009 The United States and Russia are to slash their nuclear stockpiles by up to a third as part of a move to improve relations between the former Cold War foes. The weapons deal was agreed in principle after four hours of talks at the Kremlin between US president Barack Obama and Russia's Dmitry Medvedev.

Russia allows U.S. weapons shipments to Afghanistan 03 Jul 2009 Russia will allow the United States to ship weapons across its territory to Afghanistan, Kremlin spokesman Alex Pavlov said Friday. Pavlov said he doesn't know when the policy will take effect, but imagines the details will come out when presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev meet Monday and Tuesday in Moscow.

Afghanistan Helicopter Crash Kills 3 NATO Soldiers 07 Jul 2009 Three NATO soldiers were killed in a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan, taking the death toll for international forces in the country yesterday to 10, the alliance said. Two Canadian personnel and one British soldier were killed when the helicopter went down in Zabul province, Lieutenant Commander Chris Hall said by telephone today from the Afghan capital, Kabul. Seven American personnel were killed in attacks on the same day, he said.

7 US troops killed in Afghanistan 06 Jul 2009 Bombs and bullets killed seven American troops throughout Afghanistan Monday, officials said, as thousands of U.S. Marines continued with their massive anti-Taliban offensive in the south. A suicide car bomber also blew himself up outside the gate of the main NATO base in the region, killing two civilians and wounding 14 other people.

At Least 16 Killed in Reported Drone Strike in Pakistan 08 Jul 2009 Two missiles, believed to be from a remotely piloted aircraft, struck a 'militant base' Tuesday in the South Waziristan tribal region, according to intelligence officials and residents reached by telephone. At least 16 people, including 3 foreigners, were reported killed. Tuesday’s drone attack struck a Taliban base in Zangara, a remote village in South Waziristan that has been struck by at least two other drone attacks.

Twelve killed in US drone attack in Pakistan 07 Jul 2009 At least 12 people have been killed in a missile attack by a drone incursion over a Taliban stronghold in northwestern Pakistan near the Afghan border. "There was a US missile strike on militant hideouts in the Zangara area," a Pakistani security official has revealed... At least 500 Pakistanis -- suspected militants as well as civilians -- have been killed by the drone attacks.

Holy hypocrisy, Batman! US admiral says North Korean missiles threaten peace 06 Jul 2009 Chief of the US Naval Operations Admiral Gary Roughead denounces the new round of missile launches by North Korea, accusing the North of threatening regional peace. "They were very unhelpful and clearly counter to the desires of the international community for a peaceful and stable region," Adm. Roughead said referring to the firing of seven ballistic missiles by Pyongyang on Saturday. [What about US invasions and occupations -- all round the world -- to steal nations' oil and water? Do those invasions/occupations 'threaten peace?' I am thinking they're also 'very unhelpful.']

KBR hails court ruling as wartime suit protection 06 Jul 2009 KBR Inc said a U.S. appeals court ruling would help protect the company from civil lawsuits stemming from its work done under U.S. military logistics contracts. The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last Tuesday that KBR could not be found negligent in the case of a U.S. Army sergeant severely brain-damaged when a KBR fuel tanker he was escorting in a military convoy crashed in Iraq in 2004. Apart from civil lawsuits by soldiers, KBR's conduct as a military contractor has been called into question by U.S. lawmakers as well as some investors.

More 'Operation Iraqi Freedom' Iraqi gov't bans organized visits to Saddam Hussein's grave 06 Jul 2009 The Iraqi government decided Monday to ban organized visits to the grave of the former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein after some schools in Salahudin province arranged trips for their pupils to the site. The instructions came after some pupils of a school in Tikrit, the hometown of Saddam Hussein, arranged a trip to his grave, which is regularly visited by some Iraqis -- particularly Saddam's loyalists in his native village of Awja, some 20 km southeast of the provincial capital city of Tikrit.

Still more 'Operation Iraqi Freedom' Iraq to unify national ID Cards 06 Jul 2009 The Iraqi government has announced a new plan to unify the national ID cards by launching a single plastic identity card system. Brigadier General Mahmoud Abdul Al-Ghafour, the project's director, made the announcement before reporters in Baghdad on Monday. The new plastic cards will replace four different types of paper documents currently used by 30 million Iraqi citizens, AFP reported.

Israel turns to cyberware to foil Iran nukes 07 Jul 2009 ...So began a cyberwarfare project which, a decade on, is seen by independent experts as the likely new vanguard of Israel's efforts to foil Iran's nuclear ambitions. The appeal of cyber attacks was boosted, Israeli sources say, by the limited feasibility of conventional air strikes on the distant and fortified Iranian atomic facilities, and by U.S. reluctance to countenance another open war in the Middle East. "We came to the conclusion that, for our purposes, a key Iranian vulnerability is in its on-line information," said one recently retired security cabinet member, using a generic term for digital networks. "We have acted accordingly."

Obama: U.S. 'absolutely' did not give Israel green light to strike Iran 07 Jul 2009 U.S. President Barack Obama rebuffed suggestions that Washington had given Israel a green light to attack Iran's nuclear facilities, in an interview with CNN on Tuesday. Asked by CNN whether Washington had given Israel approval to strike Iran's nuclear facilities, Obama answered: "Absolutely not."

Israel Air Force preparing for Iranian strike 05 Jul 2009 The Israel Air Force is planning to participate in aerial exercises in the US and Europe in the coming months. It is believed pilots will be trained for long-range flights as a precautionary measure against possible Iranian attacks and in test-runs for potential strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Zeyala asks US to do more to help him 07 Jul 2009 Jose Manuel Zelaya, the ousted Honduran constitutional President, says he expects the US to play a bigger role in aiding his return to power. "I ask the United States to do more than the other countries of the world," Zelaya said late Monday in a CNN interview ahead of a planned visit with the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday.

Al-Qaeda cell was preparing to attack pipeline 06 Jul 2009 An international Al-Qaeda [al-CIAduh] cell, based in the northern Sinai Peninsula, is suspected of being involved in plans to attack gas pipelines running between Israel and Egypt. According to Egyptian media, the plan was to strike Israeli ships passing through the Suez Canal.

Police tactics at G20 Summit 'inadequate', report finds 07 Jul 2009 Police public-order tactics are "inadequate" and should be reviewed, a report into the G20 protests by Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary has found. Denis O'Connor said police are too focused on tackling violence and not enough on allowing peaceful protest. His report also found police use of "kettling" techniques was "inconsistent" when dealing with thousands of protester in the City of London on April 1.

Warren hosts national-level exercise 26 Jun 2009 A simulated terrorist attack on a 90th Missile Wing ICBM launch facility provided the exercise scenario for Nuclear Weapon Accident/Incident Exercise 2009. This national-level exercise involving 11 federal agencies and 1,300 personnel was the largest and most complex exercise ever conducted at a missile base. Close and careful coordination with a number of federal agencies, particularly the FBI, was essential to gather information swiftly to identify and capture the terrorists responsible for the attack.

Swine flu quarantine grows at San Quentin 06 Jul 2009 The number of quarantined prisoners at San Quentin has ballooned from 800 last week to 2,100 over the weekend. That is nearly half the prison's total population of 5,200 men... The quarantine includes all prisoners that are found in an area of suspected flu. The men that are healthy will be confined to their cells and the sick individuals will be isolated. No visitors will be allowed during the quarantine.

Swine Flu Fears Spark Cambridge Jail Riot 06 Jul 2009 Inmate fears over an apparent swine flu outbreak sparked a riot at the Middlesex County Jail in Cambridge on Sunday... Middlesex County Sheriff James DiPaola said the disturbance started after fears of H1N1 influenza, or swine flu, spread. Last week one inmate was diagnosed with a likely case of H1N1 and put in medical quarantine. Over the weekend, ten more inmates were diagnosed with the flu and put into isolation.

AIG lawyer says ex-CEO lied in court battle 06 Jul 2009 Maurice "Hank" Greenberg, former chief executive of American International Group Inc, fabricated documents and lied under oath in a bid to rewrite history and cloud who is the rightful beneficiary of a large and valuable block of AIG stock, AIG lawyer Ted Wells told a federal jury on Monday. Wells, delivering closing arguments in a high-profile trial over rightful ownership of the stock, said Greenberg's assertions at trial that the beneficiary of the stock was always intended to be a charitable trust was no more than an attempt to cover up a pledge made 35 years earlier.

Health-care industry spending over $1.4 million per day on lobbying 06 Jul 2009 The nation's largest insurers, hospitals and medical groups have hired more than 350 former government staff members and retired members of Congress in hopes of influencing their old bosses and colleagues, according to an analysis of lobbying disclosures and other records...Nearly half of the insiders previously worked for the key committees and lawmakers, including Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), debating whether to adopt a public insurance option opposed by major industry groups. The hirings are part of a record-breaking influence campaign by the health-care industry, which is spending more than $1.4 million a day on lobbying in the current fight, according to disclosure records.

Sen.-elect Franken visits Capitol Hill 07 Jul 2009 Al Franken -- the former comedian who won a bruising, eight-month vote recount and court battle in Minnesota -- arrived on Capitol Hill on Monday, a day before he was to be sworn in as a new Democratic member of the Senate. But Franken immediately downplayed the importance of his vote in the Senate.

Robert McNamara, Architect of Vietnam War, Dies at 93 06 Jul 2009 Robert Strange McNamara, the former secretary of defense whose record as a leading executive of industry and a chieftain of foreign financial aid was all but erased from public memory by his reputation as the primary architect of U.S. involvement in the war in Vietnam, died early this morning at age 93.

More Polar Bear Populations in Decline 06 Jul 2009 There is rising concern among polar bear biologists that the big recent summertime retreats of sea ice in the Arctic are already harming some populations of these seal-hunting predators. That was one conclusion of the Polar Bear Specialist Group, a network of bear experts who met last week in Copenhagen to review the latest data (and data gaps) on the 19 discrete populations of polar bears around the Arctic. Only one bear population is increasing (in the Canadian high Arctic), while eight are declining in numbers, the scientists said.

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Previous lead stories: Conspiracy fever: As rumours swell that the government staged 7/7, victims' relatives call for a proper inquiry 03 Jul 2009 Today almost four years on, the images of that dreadful morning are etched into our minds... [of] the country's worst-ever terrorist atrocity during London's morning rush hour on July 7, 2005... Why did the four bombers get return tickets to London if they were on a one-way suicide mission? Why are there no CCTV images of the four together in London even though the city has thousands upon thousands of such cameras in public places? Why did so many survivors of the Tube bombings say that the explosions came upwards through the floor of the trains, not down, as would be the case if a backpack blew up inside? And why do no passengers on the London-bound Luton train clearly remember the four bombers with their huge rucksacks on that fateful morning?

Conspiracy fever: As rumours swell that the government staged 7/7, victims' relatives call for a proper inquiry 03 Jul 2009 Today almost four years on, the images of that dreadful morning are etched into our minds... [of] the country's worst-ever terrorist atrocity during London's morning rush hour on July 7, 2005... Why did the four bombers get return tickets to London if they were on a one-way suicide mission? Why are there no CCTV images of the four together in London even though the city has thousands upon thousands of such cameras in public places? Why did so many survivors of the Tube bombings say that the explosions came upwards through the floor of the trains, not down, as would be the case if a backpack blew up inside? And why do no passengers on the London-bound Luton train clearly remember the four bombers with their huge rucksacks on that fateful morning?

Legal fight to stop US destroying torture images --Binyam Mohamed says photographs are evidence of abuse at Guantánamo 05 Jul 2009 Former Guantánamo detainee Binyam Mohamed has launched an urgent legal attempt to prevent the US courts from destroying crucial evidence that he says proves he was abused while being held at the detention camp, the Guardian has learned. The evidence is said to consist of a photograph of Mohamed, a British resident, taken after he was severely beaten by guards at the US navy base in Cuba. The image, now held by the Pentagon, had been put on his cell door, he says. Mohamed claims he was told later that this was done because he had been beaten so badly that it was difficult for the guards to identify him. In a sworn statement seen by the Guardian, Mohamed has appealed to the federal district court in Washington not to destroy the photograph, which neither he nor his lawyers have a copy of, and which is classified under US law.

Unmanned drones could be banned, says senior judge --Israel was accused last week of using missile-firing drones to unlawfully kill at least 29 Palestinian civilians during the Gaza Strip war. The US admitted to 26 civilian deaths in a series of drone attacks that took place in May. 06 Jul 2009 Unmanned drones could be banned from use in conflicts, Lord Bingham, one of Britain's most senior judges has suggested. Lord Bingham, who retired last year as a senior law lord, said the aircraft could follow other weapons considered "so cruel as to be beyond the pale of human tolerance" in being consigned to the history books. He likened drones, which have killed hundreds of civilians in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Gaza, to cluster bombs and landmines.

Blast kills 2 near Afghanistan NATO base 06 Jul 2009 A car bomb explosion has struck outside the main NATO base in the troubled southern Afghanistan, killing two civilians and wounding 14 others. The attacker blew up an explosive-laced van early on Monday, as it was lined to be searched at an Afghan security check point near the gates of Kandahar Airfield, Gen. Sher Mohammad Zazai, the top military commander for southern Afghanistan said. Those wounded included 12 civilians and two Afghan soldiers.

Three more soldiers die as Afghan toll hits 174 06 Jul 2009 A third British soldier has been killed over the weekend in southern Afghanistan, bringing to 174 the total number of UK services personnel killed during the deployment in the country. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) last night announced that the soldier, from the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, died while taking part in one of the UK military's biggest co-ordinated air operations of modern times.

US Marines under heavy fire in Afghanistan --200 Marines still fighting to hold position, had to call in helicopter gunships for assistance. 05 Jul 2009 Troops from a US Marine company in Afghanistan have been under almost constant fire since entering the country with 4,000 other troops during the week. Since flying in by helicopter to Mian Poshteh in Helmand province, troops from the 2/8 infantry battalion have been held down by 'insurgents.'

US troops expand Afghan operation 04 Jul 2009 US marines taking part in an offensive against Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan have been attempting to take control of an area along the border with neighbouring Pakistan. The US forces, backed by the Afghan national army, moved into Baramshar on Saturday after taking the main districts of Nawa and Garamsir, as well as Khananshid, the previous day, local officials said.

As Israel gears up for war, US divide appears 05 Jul 2009 As Israel continues its efforts to portray Iran as a regime hell-bent on a nuclear war, top officials in the White House and the US military express contradictory stances on a potential Israeli attack on Iran. The top US military commander, Admiral Mike Mullen, warned on Sunday that any military strike against Iran would have "unintended consequences". Meanwhile, US Vice President Joe Biden said that the US would not stop Israel if it launches an attack against Iran. The US "cannot dictate to another sovereign nation what they can and cannot do," Biden said, the Associated Press reported. Israel, the possessor of the sole nuclear arsenal in the Middle East, accuses Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons and drawing up plans to attack the regime.

Israel denies Saudis gave IDF airspace clearance for Iran strike 05 Jul 2009 Saudi Arabia has indicated to Israel that it would not protest use of its airspace by Israeli fighter jets in the event the government resolves to launch a military assault against Iran, according to a report which appeared in the British newspaper The Sunday Times. The Prime Minister's office issued a statement in response Sunday morning, saying that "the Sunday Times report is fundamentally false and completely baseless."

Saudis give nod to Israeli raid on Iran 05 Jul 2009 The head of Mossad, Israel’s overseas intelligence service, has assured Benjamin Netanyahu, its prime minister, that Saudi Arabia would turn a blind eye to Israeli jets flying over the kingdom during any future raid on Iran’s nuclear sites. Earlier this year Meir Dagan, Mossad’s director since 2002, held secret talks with Saudi officials to discuss the possibility.

Will Israel help NATO police the Mediterranean? 05 Jul 2009 Israel is to issue a request shortly to allow it to join a NATO operation in the Mediterranean aimed to prevent the passage of terrorists and weapons of mass destruction as well as improve the security of the region's shipping industry. The cabinet approved the recommendation made by the Israel Defense Forces and the navy to join the operation - dubbed Active Endeavour - last Wednesday when it was presented.

McKinney Returning to U.S. Sunday Evening 05 Jul 2009 The father of former congresswoman Cynthia McKinney confirms his daughter is enroot to New York after her release by Israeli authorities, Billy McKinney told 11Alive News he got the word Sunday Afternoon. Cynthia McKinney and a group of 20 were detained Tuesday by the Israeli Navy while they were reportedly trying to deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza.

Iran deploys fresh warships to Gulf of Aden 06 Jul 2009 The Iranian Navy has deployed two warships to join international efforts to preserve shipping security in the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden. Iran's Deputy Naval Commander, Gholam-Reza Khadem, said Monday that the dispatched warships are set to replace aging vessels and protect Iranian merchant containers and oil tankers from Somali pirates in the volatile Gulf of Aden.

Iran brings formal charges against UK embassy official 03 Jul 2009 A British embassy employee is to stand trial in Tehran for "acting against national security" -- a dramatic escalation in Iran's campaign to blame Britain for protests against disputed election results. The man, an Iranian who is the British embassy's chief political analyst, was arrested on Saturday and has been formally charged at Tehran's Evin Prison. It was is not clear whether any other embassy staff will face prosecution.

Honduras says Nicaragua has troops moving on border 05 Jul 2009 Honduras' interim President [sic] Roberto Micheletti said on Sunday Nicaraguan troops were moving to the mutual frontier and urged Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega to respect Honduran sovereignty. He gave no further details about troop movements in Nicaragua which shares a border with Honduras to the southeast of the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa.

Zelaya back in exile after failed return 06 Jul 2009 Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya has landed in the Nicaraguan capital of Managua, after he was refused permission to land in Tegucigalpa. The interim government of Honduras closed the capital's international airport on Sunday, preventing a Venezuelan plane carrying Zelaya to land.

Honduras Coup General Was Charged in 1993 Auto Theft Ring By Al Giordano 04 Jul 2009 General Romeo Vásquez Velásquez, who appeared on stage this week with Honduran coup "president" Roberto Michiletti, and who ordered the kidnapping and forced deportation of President Manuel Zelaya last Sunday, was charged with grand auto theft in 1993, Narco News has learned. On February 2, 1993, the front page of the Tegucigalpa daily El Heraldo included this headline: "Eleven Members of the Gang of 13 Go to Prison."

Six police hurt in clashes at Italian anti-US military base demo 05 Jul 2009 Six policemen were hurt in clashes late Saturday with demonstrators at a rally of more than 3,000 people against the 500-million-dollar enlargement of a US military base in Italy, police said. Some 300 youths, wearing helmets and carrying plexiglass shields, pelted riot cops with rocks and bottles during the American Independence Day demo. The police replied with tear gas and baton charges, AFP photographers said.

17 veterans with rare cancer or tumors have Camp Lejeune ties 04 Jul 2009 Scientists studying drinking water contamination at Camp Lejeune were startled when 11 men with breast cancer and ties to the North Carolina base were identified over the last two years. Six more have been found in one week. Five additional men with breast cancer and a sixth who had a double mastectomy after doctors found precancerous tumors contacted the St. Petersburg Times last week after reading a story about the 11 men with the rare disease.

Niger militants attack Chevron oil manifold 06 Jul 2009 The main Nigerian militant group says it has forced the closure of a manifold owned by the US oil giant Chevron in the Western Niger Delta. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) on Monday, claimed it wrecked one of the Chevron Nigeria Limited's (CNL) oil pipeline junction points in the Okan offshore field, Reuters reported. "The strategic Okan manifold…was blown up at about 2045 hours on Sunday," MEND was quoted as saying.

Sarah Palin threatens legal action over resignation rumours 05 Jul 2009 Sarah Palin has threatened legal action over allegations about her motive for her shock resignation as Governor of Alaska. As speculation swirled that her decision was connected to a pending corruption investigation, Mrs Palin's lawyer issued a four-page letter warning legal action against bloggers and US publications that reprinted the allegations, which she strongly denies. "To the extent several websites ... are now claiming as 'fact' that Governor Palin resigned because she is 'under federal investigation' for embezzlement or other criminal wrongdoing, we will be exploring legal options this week to address such defamation," said Thomas Van Flein, her lawyer, in a statement. [Explore *this.* BTW, no one cares why the self-serving bimbo is gone. All creatures - particularly the polar bears and the wolf pups she has gassed in their dens -are celebrating that Palin will soon be unable to continue the destruction of Alaska. Thomas Van Flein: Clapp, Peterson, Van Flein, Tiemessen & Thorsness, LLC - 711 H Street Suite 620 Anchorage, Alaska 99501-3454 - 907-272-9228 Fax: 907-272-9586.]

Sarah Palin not under FBI investigation, agency spokesman says 05 Jul 2009 A day after Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin resigned, a federal official in her home state dismissed one potential explanation for her sudden and unexpected resignation -- a rumored FBI investigation into the former Wasilla mayor on public corruption charges. Despite rumors of a looming controversy after Palin's surprise announcement Friday that she will leave office this month, the FBI's Alaska spokesman said the bureau had no investigation into Palin for her activities as governor, as mayor or in any other capacity.

Sarah Palin Turns Pro By Paul Begala 03 Jul 2009 I wish Hunter S. Thompson had lived to see this. As Hunter said, "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." Sarah Palin makes Mark Foley, the congressman who sent filthy emails to pages look almost normal... Her statement was incoherent, bizarre and juvenile. The text, as posted on Gov. Palin's official website, uses 2,549 words and 18 exclamation points. Lincoln freed the slaves with 719 words and nary an exclamation; Mr. Jefferson declared our independence in 1,322 words and, again, no exclamation points. Nixon resigned the presidency in 1,796 words -- still no exclamation points. Gov. Palin capitalized words at random - whole words, like "TO," "HELP," and "AND," and the first letter of "Troops." [Palin is so stupid that THE light FROM stupid IS going TO take ten billion years TO reach THE earth.]

Now, Sarah's Folly By Maureen Dowd 05 Jul 2009 Sarah Palin showed on Friday that in one respect at least, she is qualified to be president. Caribou Barbie is one nutty puppy. Usually we don’t find that exquisite battiness in our leaders until they’ve been battered by sordid scandals like Watergate (Nixon), gnawing problems like Vietnam (L.B.J.), or scary threats like biological terrorism (Cheney)... She refuses to succumb to the "politics of personal destruction." It’s no fun unless she’s the one aiming those poison darts, as she did when she accused Barack Obama of associating "with terrorists who targeted their own country."

Swiss banks cutting U.S. clients loose 04 Jul 2009 Swiss banks are shunning business from the U.S. amid concerns over legal issues and prospects for tighter regulation. The U.S. is also pushing Swiss banks to open their books to tax investigators despite Swiss secrecy laws.

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Previous lead stories: Obama Weary of Attacks By Left-Wing Groups 04 Jul 2009 President Obama, strategizing yesterday with congressional leaders about health-care reform, complained that liberal advocacy groups ought to drop their attacks on Democratic lawmakers and devote their energy to promoting passage of comprehensive legislation. In a pre-holiday call with half a dozen top House and Senate Democrats, Obama expressed his concern over advertisements and online campaigns targeting moderate Democrats, whom they criticize for not being fully devoted to "true" health-care reform.

Obama Weary of Attacks By Left-Wing Groups 04 Jul 2009 President Obama, strategizing yesterday with congressional leaders about health-care reform, complained that liberal advocacy groups ought to drop their attacks on Democratic lawmakers and devote their energy to promoting passage of comprehensive legislation. In a pre-holiday call with half a dozen top House and Senate Democrats, Obama expressed his concern over advertisements and online campaigns targeting moderate Democrats, whom they criticize for not being fully devoted to "true" health-care reform. [B*** me, Obusha. Who do you think gave you $750 million so that you could get elected and implement 'change?' That's right - mainly the *left* side of your base, that is already sick and more than tired of your sycophantic acts of conciliation and out-and-out lies. --LRP]

US warns North Korea after reports of Scud missiles test --South Korea reports launch of seven ballistic missiles --Tests on US Independence Day violate UN resolutions 04 Jul 2009 The United States warned North Korea not to "aggravate tensions" today after South Korea said its neighbour had fired seven ballistic missiles in violation of UN resolutions. The tests, seen as a message of defiance to the US on Independence Day, will further increase pressure in the region as America tries to gather support for tough enforcement of the UN resolution imposed on the government for its May nuclear test.

North Korea Launches 7 Missiles Off Its East Coast 04 Jul 2009 Defying the United States on Independence Day, North Korea fired seven missiles on Saturday into the sea off its east coast. The test-firings came two days after North Korea fired four short-range missiles into the sea. North Korea had warned ships to avoid waters near its east coast through July 10 because of military exercises, and the test-firing were widely predicted.

Attack on U.S. base in eastern Afghanistan kills two soldiers --U.S. military officials say 'several' U.S. soldiers also were wounded in the assault on the remote outpost in Paktika province. It's the same area where an American soldier disappeared on Tuesday. 04 Jul 2009 'Insurgents' armed with rockets, mortars and a truck bomb staged an unusual frontal attack on a U.S. base in eastern Afghanistan today, killing two American soldiers and forcing the defenders to call in airstrikes to avoid being overrun.

KBR might seek federal funds to pay its legal bills --Uncle Sam could soon be writing another big check to KBR. 04 Jul 2009 KBR may ask the U.S. government to reimburse it for legal bills if a jury decides the company failed to protect KBR truck drivers during a deadly April 2004 roadside attack, a lawyer for the Houston-based government contractor said. Though no final decision has been made, lawyer Robert Meadows said, if the cases go to trial and result in a jury award, "it’s conceivable that KBR would look to the government to accept responsibility under its contract" with the company.

Iraq tells Biden: Reconciliation pure internal affair 05 Jul 2009 The reconciliation in Iraq is pure Iraq's internal affair and the involvement of U.S. officials is not desired by Iraqis, said Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh on Saturday. "The reconciliation issue is purely Iraqi affair and any non-Iraqi involvement would certainly have a negative impact," said Dabbagh. He confirmed that Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki expressed the same meaning to the visiting U.S. Vice President Joe Biden during their meeting on Friday.

Biden spends July 4 with son, other troops in Iraq 04 Jul 2009 Vice President Joe Biden spent the Fourth of July with his son and other American troops in Iraq on Saturday. Biden took a break from politics and presided over a naturalization ceremony for 237 U.S. troops from 59 countries in a marble rotunda at one of Saddam Hussein's former palaces at what is now Camp Victory, the U.S. military headquarters on the western outskirts of Baghdad.

Guantanamo suspect's lawyers seek CIA site access 30 Jun 2009 Lawyers for the first detainee transferred from Guantanamo Bay for trial in a U.S. civilian court asked a judge on Tuesday for access to CIA "black sites" where they say he was harshly interrogated tortured. Lawyers for Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani said they needed access to the secret detention sites prisons, whose locations abroad have not been publicly identified, to gather evidence and inspect whether any statements the Tanzanian made under interrogation were reliable, according to court papers filed in Manhattan federal court.

'Iran nuke could wipe Israel off map in seconds' 04 Jul 2009 Michael Oren, Israel's ambassador to the United States, on Friday warned that an Iranian atomic bomb could "wipe Israel off the map in a matter of seconds," and that the Iranians could "accomplish in a matter of seconds what they denied Hitler did, and kill 6 million Jews, literally." Oren made his comments in a conversation with journalist Jeffrey Goldberg at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado.

New IAEA chief sees no proof Iran developing nuclear weapons 03 Jul 2009 The incoming head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says he knows of no hard evidence that Iran is trying to gain the ability to develop nuclear weapons. Japanese diplomat Yukiya Amano told the Reuters newsagency he has seen no such evidence in IAEA official documents.

Damning report slams Israel, Hamas over civilian deaths, destruction 03 Jul 2009 Israeli forces killed hundreds of unarmed Palestinian civilians and destroyed thousands of homes in Gaza in attacks which breached the laws of war, Amnesty International concluded in a new report published this week. Operation 'Cast Lead': 22 days of death and destruction, is the first comprehensive report to be published on the conflict, which took place earlier this year.

Israel/Gaza: Operation 'Cast Lead' - 22 Days of Death and Destruction (Amnesty International USA) 02 Jul 2009 Facts and Figures: Gaza --Some 1,400 Palestinians were killed, including some 300 children, and hundreds of other unarmed civilians, including more than 115 women and some 85 men aged over 50 during the 22-day Operation "Cast Lead".

Gaza activists still in Israel jail 04 Jul 2009 A number of foreign activists are still in detention in a Tel Aviv jail four days after the Israeli navy stopped their boat as they attempted to reach the Gaza Strip. Mairead Maguire, a Nobel peace prize winner, told Al Jazeera on Saturday that the activists had agreed to remain in detention until Israel agreed to free all of the activists.

In Israeli jail, McKinney expects more from Washington 04 Jul 2009 Former US lawmaker Cynthia McKinney, who is in an Israeli jail for trying to take humanitarian aid to Gaza, says the White House has done nothing to secure her release. Speaking to Press TV from inside the Israeli jail, she said US taxpayers paid for Israel's 22-day war on the Gaza Strip. "Operation Cast Lead was made possible by the US taxpayers' gift to the Israeli war machine in the form of F16s, helicopters gunship, white phosphorous, uranium cluster bombs and anything that kills," she told Press TV from inside the Israeli jail on Saturday.

CLG News and Action Alert: IDF Seizes Gaza Aid Ship Posted by Lori Price 01 Jul 2009 Israeli forces have boarded a ship trying to carry aid and pro-Palestinian activists to the Gaza Strip in defiance of Israel's blockade of the territory. The 20 passengers include former US congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and Nobel Prize winner Mairead Maguire. [Updated]

US to employ new approach to win over Muslims: Envoy 03 Jul 2009 The Obama administration wants to engage the Muslims in a way that is innovative, dynamic and out of the box, says Farah Pandith, America’s first special envoy to the Muslim communities. The main objective behind the administration’s new strategy is to 'know the next generation of (Muslim) thinkers. And in this role I’ll be doing that,' Pandith told a briefing in Washington.

Video: Pentagon's Robo-Hummingbird Flies Like the Real Thing By Noah Shachtman 02 Jul 2009 Military-backed researchers have built a tiny drone that looks and flies like a hummingbird, flapping its little robotic wings to stay in the air. So far, the mock bird, built for Pentagon mad-science division Darpa, has only stayed aloft for 20 seconds at a time. But that short flight was enough to show the potential of a whole new class of miniature spies, inspired by nature. Darpa just handed AeroVironment, makers of the winged "nano air vehicle," another $2.1 million to build a hummingbot 2.0.

OAS set to suspend Honduras after coup 04 Jul 2009 The Organization of American States was likely to suspend Honduras on Saturday after a caretaker government refused to restore President Manuel Zelaya who was toppled in a military coup last weekend. Honduras' interim rulers who took power after the coup have rejected an OAS demand to restore Mr. Zelaya, and defiantly renounced the OAS charter in an apparent pre-emptive move. But an OAS official said such a renunciation was not valid, since the Honduras authorities were not a legitimate government.

Swine flu: UK ministers warn 40 a day could die by end of summer 04 Jul 2009 Yesterday there were more than 7,400 confirmed cases of swine flu in the UK. If the number of cases continues to grow at the current pace, the UK could have 100,000 new cases every day by the end of August. Under the Government's pandemic action plan, there are three levels of alert for a serious flu outbreak. Earlier this week the Health Secretary announced the UK would now enter the third, most serious, phase.

'The re-emergence of H1N1 in 1977 made it potentially a man-made pandemic.' Swine flu pandemic 'caused by accidental leak from laboratory' 30 Jun 2009 The swine flu pandemic may have been caused by an 'accidental' leak from a laboratory three decades ago, scientists have claimed. An investigation into the genetic make-up of flu viruses claims the pandemic may not have occurred, had it not been for the 'accidental' release of the same strain of influenza virus from a research lab in 1977.

Anti-G8 demonstrators clash with police in Italy 04 Jul 2009 Anti-G8 demonstrators clashed briefly with Italian police on Saturday in the first big protest ahead of next week's summit of the world's richest nations. Police in riot gear fired teargas at protesters to prevent them from crossing a bridge and moving closer to a contested U.S. military base in the northeastern city of Vicenza.

Guard units train for militia attacks 30 Jun 2009 (Camp Crowder, MO) It isn't easy being an insurgent in Neosho, Mo... Such was the case for several members of the headquarters detachment of the 229th Multifunctional Medical Battalion. During the battalion's annual training exercise, eight members of the Jefferson City-based [Missouri National Guardsmen] unit, acting as a fictitious militant group, attempted to disrupt the battalion's operations through attacks and harassment. The battalion's other two units, the Kansas City-based 205th Area Support Medical Company, and the Springfield-based 206th Area Support Medical Company, fended off the attacks while performing their medical duties.

Passenger Spots Handgun Being Smuggled Past Airport Security 04 Jun 2009 An eagle-eyed passenger at Philadelphia International Airport spotted another passenger handing a bag directly to an airline employee -- skipping airport security. The passenger alerted the TSA, who located the US Airways flight and searched the bag. An unloaded handgun was inside the bag. The Philadelphia Inquirer says that Flight 1195 to Phoenix was delayed 4 hours due to the incident.

Gov. Palin Says She Will Quit, Citing Probes, Family Needs 04 Jul 2009 Sarah Palin, the Republican Alaska governor, announced her resignation yesterday. The announcement that she will step down by the end of July stunned the political establishment, fueling speculation about why she is leaving office with 18 months left in her first term and whether her future will include a run for the presidency. Palin offered few clues about her ambitions but said she arrived at her decision in part to protect her family, which has faced withering criticism and occasional mockery, and to escape ethics probes that have drained her family's finances and hampered her ability to govern.

Pound Drops as Reports Show Economic Recovery May Be Faltering 04 Jul 2009 The pound posted its first weekly decline against the dollar in a month after worse-than-expected reports on U.K. services and gross domestic product signaled the economic recovery may be faltering. The British currency also dropped for the second straight week against the euro... Bank of England policy maker David Miles said on July 2 that the U.K. banking industry "remains on life support."

Purity of Federal 'Organic' Label Is Questioned 03 Jul 2009 ...The government's turnaround, from prohibition to permission, came after a USDA program manager was lobbied by the formula makers and overruled her staff. That decision and others by a handful of USDA employees, along with an advisory board's approval of a growing list of non-organic ingredients, have helped numerous companies win a coveted green-and-white "USDA Organic" seal on an array of products. Some consumer groups and members of Congress say they worry that the program's lax standards are undermining the federal program and the law itself.

Former QB Steve McNair Found Shot to Death 04 Jul 2009 Nashville fire officials and Tennessee Titans sources are confirming to affiliate station WSMV that former Titans quarterback Steve McNair has been found shot to death at an apartment in downtown Nashville. Another woman was also found shot to death in the apartment, but her identity has not been confirmed, Metro Police reported.

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Previous lead stories: Grand Jury Inquiry on Destruction of C.I.A. Tapes --The tapes had shown C.I.A. officers using torture, including waterboarding, on two prisoners. 03 Jul 2009 Current and former top Central Intelligence Agency officers have appeared before a federal grand jury in Virginia as part of an 18-month investigation into the agency’s destruction of 92 videotapes depicting the brutal interrogations of two Qaeda prisoners. The witnesses recently called by the special prosecutor, former government officials said, include the agency’s top officer in London and Porter J. Goss, who was C.I.A. director when the tapes were destroyed in November 2005.