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Sunday, April 02, 2006
Friday, March 03, 2006
Top CIA official investigated on corruption charges: report
The number three official at the CIA is the subject of an internal corruption investigation related to the bribery case of a US congressman, a US television network reported. The CIA inspector general has opened an investigation into the Central Intelligence Agency's executive director, Kyle "Dusty" Foggo, ABC reported.
story
Video Shows LA Gov. Blanco Saying Levees Intact
As Hurricane Katrina loomed over the Gulf Coast, federal and state officials agonized over the threat to levees and lives. Hours after the catastrophic storm hit, Louisiana's governor believed New Orleans' crucial floodwalls were still intact. "We keep getting reports in some places that maybe water is coming over the levees," Gov. Kathleen Blanco said shortly after noon on Aug. 29 the day the storm hit the Gulf coast. "We heard a report unconfirmed, I think, we have not breached the levee," she said on a video of the day's disaster briefing that was obtained Thursday night by The Associated Press. "I think we have not breached the levee at this time."
story
He was a kid -- Somebody's son (video)
Family grieves over death at boot camp
The day before he left for a six-month stint at the Bay County Sheriff's boot camp, Martin Lee Anderson asked his 13-year-old sister for a favor. He had stacks of quarters, nickels and dimes on his television stand in his room. She was to take a coin from the stack every month he was gone, and when he returned June 27, tell him how much change was left. "She never got a chance to pick up one," said Martin's mother, Gina Jones.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Jury Convicts Animal Welfare Activists
An animal-rights group and six members were convicted Thursday of using their Web site to incite threats, harassment and vandalism against a company that tests drugs and household products on animals.
The group, Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty, maintained its actions were protected under the First Amendment. The government charged that SHAC waged a five-year campaign against Huntingdon Life Sciences, posting on its Web site information about the lab's employees and those who do business with Huntingdon, including their home phone numbers, addresses and where their children attended school.
The group, Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty, maintained its actions were protected under the First Amendment. The government charged that SHAC waged a five-year campaign against Huntingdon Life Sciences, posting on its Web site information about the lab's employees and those who do business with Huntingdon, including their home phone numbers, addresses and where their children attended school.
Bush Warned Before Katrina
Video shows president assuring state leaders that his
administration was "fully prepared" to help.
videos
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
'MySpace' Parody Launches Film Career
MySpace: The Movie" was posted Jan. 28 to David Lehre's personal Web site, DavidLehre.com, and three days later it was placed on YouTube.com by a user named "eggtea," who downloaded it from Lehre's site and uploaded it to the popular video sharing site. About 20,000 videos are uploaded to YouTube each day and more than 15 million are watched. With 3.4 million viewings, "MySpace: The Movie" ranks as the site's most viewed video. The film also has been on rotation on Current TV, a new network aimed at the 18-to-34-year-old audience that reaches 20 million U.S. homes. Lehre was recently offered a development deal by MTVU, which is MTV's on-air, online and on-campus network.
full story
Lou Dobbs reports that "Dubai Ports World" officials have tried to silence him and get CNN to suppress his reports
DOBBS: "They are refusing to give any more interviews to CNN or allow them to video tape their operations overseas. To CNN's credit they have refused to comply with their demands".videohit tip Crooks & Liars
Supreme Court Backs Abortion Protesters
The Supreme Court dealt a setback Tuesday to abortion clinics in a two-decade-old legal fight over anti-abortion protests, ruling that federal extortion and racketeering laws cannot be used to ban demonstrations. The 8-0 decision ends a case that the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had kept alive despite a 2003 ruling by the high court that lifted a nationwide injunction on anti-abortion groups led by Joseph Scheidler and others. Anti-abortion groups brought the appeal after the appellate court sought to determine whether the injunction could be supported by charges that protesters had made threats of violence.
full story
Monday, February 27, 2006
Iraqi forces capture Zarqawi aide: TV
Iraqi Interior Ministry forces have captured a senior aide to al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Iraqi state television said on Monday. Iraqiya named the man as Abu Farouq and said he was captured with five others in the Sunni insurgent stronghold of Ramadi, west of the capital. It said Abu Farouq al-Suri, previously unknown to the media, was captured by the Wolf Brigade, one of several counter-insurgency units operating within the Shi'ite-run Interior Ministry but accused by Sunnis of targeting civilians in their community. The word Suri is Arabic for Syrian, indicating that the captured man may have come from Iraq's western neighbor. U.S. military spokespeople were unaware of the capture.
full story
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Report on Bush's UK bike accident provides surprising new details
"[At] about 1800 hours the President approached the junction at speed on the bicycle. The road was damp at the time. As the President passed the junction at speed he raised his left arm from the handlebars to wave to the police officers present while shouting 'thanks, you guys, for comin.' "As he did this he lost control of the cycle, falling to the ground, causing both himself and his bicycle to strike [the officer] on the lower legs. [The officer] fell to the ground, striking his head. The President continued along the ground for approximately five metres, causing himself a number of abrasions. The officers... then assisted both injured parties....
Powder in Texas Dorm Not Ricin, FBI Says
The FBI determined a powdery substance found in a roll of quarters at a University of Texas dormitory was not ricin after initial state tests had indicated it was the potentially deadly poison, a spokesman said Sunday. The FBI tests did not identify the substance, but they came back negative for the poison that is extracted from castor beans, said San Antonio FBI spokesman Rene Salinas.
full story
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Chinese-made hoodies being recalled
Next Marketing Inc. of Wabash, Ind., said Friday it was recalling 22,000 hooded fleece pullovers. The Chinese-made garments have a drawstring through the hood, posing a strangulation hazard to children. In February 1996, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued guidelines to help prevent children from strangling or getting entangled on the neck and waist by drawstrings in upper garments, such as jackets and sweatshirts. No injuries have been reported. The recalled youth hooded fleece garments have drawstrings. They were sold in a variety of colors and many of them have the names of colleges and universities printed or embroidered on them. A sewn-in tag reads, "Lil Fan" or "LF 2."
Body of Fla. Boot Camp Teen to Be Exhumed
The family of a teenager who died at a boot camp for juvenile delinquents plans to exhume his body for a second autopsy because they do not believe the official finding that the death was unrelated to a scuffle with guards.
Martin Lee Anderson's family disputes that he died from hemorrhaging caused by sickle cell trait, a normally benign condition, and not from a 30-minute confrontation with guards that was captured by a camp security camera.
"Saying (Anderson) died of sickle cell trait is like saying a man who was lynched died because he had a weak neck," said attorney Benjamin Crump.
Martin Lee Anderson's family disputes that he died from hemorrhaging caused by sickle cell trait, a normally benign condition, and not from a 30-minute confrontation with guards that was captured by a camp security camera.
"Saying (Anderson) died of sickle cell trait is like saying a man who was lynched died because he had a weak neck," said attorney Benjamin Crump.
full story
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Google Ready To Appeal Photo Copyright Ruling
The company is expected to fight a recent court decision that it can't use thumbnail photos from an adult site.
story
story
TIA Lives On
A controversial counter-terrorism program, which lawmakers halted more than two years ago amid outcries from privacy advocates, was stopped in name only and has quietly continued within the intelligence agency now fending off charges that it has violated the privacy of U.S. citizens.
story
Documents Reveal White House Deal on Ports
Under a secretive agreement with the Bush administration, a company in the United Arab Emirates promised to cooperate with U.S. investigations as a condition of its takeover of operations at six major American ports, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. The U.S. government chose not to impose other, routine restrictions. In approving the $6.8 billion purchase, the administration chose not to require state-owned Dubai Ports World to keep copies of its business records on U.S. soil, where they would be subject to orders by American courts. It also did not require the company to designate an American citizen to accommodate requests by the government.
full story
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Iraq Blast Destroys Gold Dome of Shrine
Suspected insurgents blew up the gold-domed shrine in Samarra that houses two important Shiite imams today in an act apparently tailored to stoke sectarian passions between Iraq's Shiite majority and Sunni minority. Witnesses near the Askari shrine complex said it was badly damaged in one and possibly two 6:45 a.m. explosions. There was no official word of casualties, but some witnesses said victims might be under the rubble.Little of the massive gold dome remained, witnesses said. Residents were angrily chanting, "God is great." The explosions targeted the burial site of the 10th and 11th imams in the Shiite faith, both descendants of the prophet Muhammad. Also damaged was a basement to the shrine complex where the Imam Mahdi, the 12th and last figure in Shiism, was said to have disappeared.His possible reappearance is considered by Shiites as the heralding of a new age. The shrine complex in the mostly Sunni Arab city on the Tigris River is a major pilgrimage site for the world's Shiite Muslims. The attack is sure to heighten tensions in the power struggle between Iraq's Shiites and Sunnis, as well as stoke the anger of Shiites in Iran, the Persian Gulf states and South Asia.
more
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Iraq angrily rejects US sectarian warning
Iraq's Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari angrily dismissed on Tuesday U.S. warnings to shun sectarianism in the country's new government, saying Iraqis would not accept interference in their affairs. Speaking after talks with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who echoed the U.S. call for a government of national unity in Iraq, the normally calm and diplomatic Jaafari said Iraq knew its own best interests. "When someone asks us whether we want a sectarian government the answer is 'no we do not want a sectarian government' -- not because the U.S. ambassador says so or issues a warning," he told a news conference. "...We do not need anybody to remind us, thank you."
full story
U.S. Reclassifies Many Documents in Secret Review
In a seven-year-old secret program at the National Archives, intelligence agencies have been removing from public access thousands of historical documents that were available for years, including some already published by the State Department and others photocopied years ago by private historians.
The restoration of classified status to more than 55,000 previously declassified pages began in 1999, when the Central Intelligence Agency and five other agencies objected to what they saw as a hasty release of sensitive information after a 1995 declassification order signed by President Bill Clinton. It accelerated after the Bush administration took office and especially after the 2001 terrorist attacks, according to archives records.
The restoration of classified status to more than 55,000 previously declassified pages began in 1999, when the Central Intelligence Agency and five other agencies objected to what they saw as a hasty release of sensitive information after a 1995 declassification order signed by President Bill Clinton. It accelerated after the Bush administration took office and especially after the 2001 terrorist attacks, according to archives records.
full story
Dubai company set to run U.S. ports has ties to administration
The Dubai firm that won Bush administration backing to run six U.S. ports has at least two ties to the White House. One is Treasury Secretary John Snow, whose department heads the federal panel that signed off on the $6.8 billion sale of an English company to government-owned Dubai Ports World - giving it control of Manhattan's cruise ship terminal and Newark's container port. Snow was chairman of the CSX rail firm that sold its own international port operations to DP World for $1.15 billion in 2004, the year after Snow left for President Bush's cabinet. The other connection is David Sanborn, who runs DP World's European and Latin American operations and who was tapped by Bush last month to head the U.S. Maritime Administration. The ties raised more concerns about the decision to give port control to a company owned by a nation linked to the Sept. 11 hijackers.
Ex - Malaysia PM Says Abramoff Paid to Help
Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said Monday that disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff was paid $1.2 million to organize his 2002 meeting with President Bush, but denied the money came from the Malaysian government.
Mahathir told reporters he was aware a payment was made to Abramoff, but he didn't know who made it. He said he had been persuaded by the U.S. think tank Heritage Foundation to meet with Bush at the time.
''It is true that somebody paid but it was not the (Malaysian) government,'' Mahathir said. ''I understood some people paid a sum of money to lobbyists in America but I do not know who these people were and it was not the Malaysian government.'' Mahathir said the Heritage Foundation believed he could help ''influence (Bush) in some way regarding U.S. policies.''
Mahathir told reporters he was aware a payment was made to Abramoff, but he didn't know who made it. He said he had been persuaded by the U.S. think tank Heritage Foundation to meet with Bush at the time.
''It is true that somebody paid but it was not the (Malaysian) government,'' Mahathir said. ''I understood some people paid a sum of money to lobbyists in America but I do not know who these people were and it was not the Malaysian government.'' Mahathir said the Heritage Foundation believed he could help ''influence (Bush) in some way regarding U.S. policies.''
full story
UAE Would Also Control Shipments of Military Equipment For The U.S. Army
There is bipartisan concern about the Bush administration’s decision to outsource the operation of six of the nation’s largest ports to a company controlled by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) because of that nation’s troubling ties to international terrorism. The sale of P&O to Dubai World Ports would give the state-owned company control of “the ports of New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia.” A major part of the story, however, has been mostly overlooked. The company, Dubai Ports World, would also control the movement of military equipment on behalf of the U.S. Army through two other ports.
Anesthesiologists Delay Calif. Execution
The planned execution of a man convicted of raping and murdering a 17-year-old girl was delayed until Tuesday night after two anesthesiologists refused to participate because of ethical concerns.
With the execution scheduled for 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, defense lawyers requested a stay from the federal judge who last week ordered San Quentin State Prison to have an anesthesiologist on hand to minimize Michael Angelo Morales' pain as he was put to death by lethal injection. A second anesthesiologist was retained as a backup.
With the execution scheduled for 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, defense lawyers requested a stay from the federal judge who last week ordered San Quentin State Prison to have an anesthesiologist on hand to minimize Michael Angelo Morales' pain as he was put to death by lethal injection. A second anesthesiologist was retained as a backup.
full story
Monday, February 20, 2006
Rumsfeld Wrong in Saying Press Propaganda Campaign Ended in Iraq?
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Friday that the controversial Pentagon-back program to plant propaganda in Iraqi newspapers had been completely shut down. This appears at odds with other statements recently, the Los Angeles Times reports, calling Rumsfeld's comments mistaken.
Bush hands control of major US ports to United Arab Emirates
The Bush administration is facing criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike over its decision to allow an Arab company to run six major US ports. Senior Republican Senator, Lindsay Graham, says the decision to give the United Arab Emirates' government-owned ports company control over the operations of major ports in the United States was "unbelievably tone deaf". The UAE was used by some of the 9/11 terrorists as both an operational and a financial base.
Senior Lawyer at Pentagon Broke Ranks on Detainees
One of the Pentagon's top civilian lawyers repeatedly challenged the Bush administration's policy on the coercive interrogation of terror suspects, arguing that such practices violated the law, verged on torture and could ultimately expose senior officials to prosecution, a newly disclosed document shows.
The lawyer, Alberto J. Mora, a Republican appointee who retired last month after more than four years as general counsel of the Navy, was one of many dissenters inside the Pentagon. Senior uniformed lawyers in all the military services also objected sharply to the interrogation policy, according to internal documents declassified last year.
The lawyer, Alberto J. Mora, a Republican appointee who retired last month after more than four years as general counsel of the Navy, was one of many dissenters inside the Pentagon. Senior uniformed lawyers in all the military services also objected sharply to the interrogation policy, according to internal documents declassified last year.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Woman sues McDonald's over fries content
The news last week that McDonald's french fries contain wheat and milk ingredients has resulted in a lawsuit filed Friday against the Oak Brook-based company.The Chicago law firm Dale and Pakenas filed suit in a Cook County court on behalf of Debra Moffatt of Lombard, alleging consumer fraud. The suit seeks class-action status and unspecified damages.Moffatt's lawyer, Thomas Pakenas, said his client suffers from celiac disease, which interferes with the absorption of nutrients and is triggered by eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley."You cannot sell gluten-free french fries when they have gluten," Pakenas said.
NEWSWEEK: Inside Dick Cheney's dark, secretive mind
Dick Cheney has never been your normal politician. He has never seemed as eager to please, as needy for votes and approval and headlines as, say, Bill Clinton. Cheney can seem taciturn, self-contained, a little gloomy; in recent years, his manner has been not just unwelcoming but stand-offish. This is not to say, however, that he is entirely modest and self-effacing, or that he does not crave power as much as or more than any office-seeker. This, after all, is a man who, in conducting a search for George W. Bush's vice president, picked himself.
FULL NEWSWEEK ARTICLE
FULL NEWSWEEK ARTICLE
In N.C., GOP Requests Church Directories
The North Carolina Republican Party asked its members this week to send their church directories to the party, drawing furious protests from local and national religious leaders. "Such a request is completely beyond the pale of what is acceptable," said the Rev. Richard Land, head of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. During the 2004 presidential race, the Bush-Cheney campaign sent a similar request to Republican activists across the country. It asked churchgoers not only to furnish church directories to the campaign, but also to use their churches as a base for political organizing.
The tactic was roundly condemned by religious leaders across the political spectrum, including conservative evangelical Christians. Ten professors of ethics at major seminaries and universities wrote a letter to President Bush in August 2004 asking him to "repudiate the actions of your re-election campaign," and calling on both parties to "respect the integrity of all houses of worship."
Officials of the Republican National Committee maintained that the tactic did not violate federal tax laws that prohibit churches from endorsing or opposing candidates for office, and they never formally renounced it. But Land said he thought the GOP had backed down.
The tactic was roundly condemned by religious leaders across the political spectrum, including conservative evangelical Christians. Ten professors of ethics at major seminaries and universities wrote a letter to President Bush in August 2004 asking him to "repudiate the actions of your re-election campaign," and calling on both parties to "respect the integrity of all houses of worship."
Officials of the Republican National Committee maintained that the tactic did not violate federal tax laws that prohibit churches from endorsing or opposing candidates for office, and they never formally renounced it. But Land said he thought the GOP had backed down.
full story
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Boot-camp tape sparks outrage
The release Friday of a videotape showing Bay County [Florida] guards restraining and striking a limp and seemingly lifeless 14-year-old has ignited national attention and cries for a special prosecutor in the case and even closing the state's juvenile boot camps.
The parents of Martin Lee Anderson, who died on Jan. 6, a day after the incident, believe the tape raises questions about an autopsy by District Medical Examiner Dr. Charles Siebert that said the boy died from internal bleeding caused by a genetic blood disorder and not from injuries in an altercation with guards.
The parents of Martin Lee Anderson, who died on Jan. 6, a day after the incident, believe the tape raises questions about an autopsy by District Medical Examiner Dr. Charles Siebert that said the boy died from internal bleeding caused by a genetic blood disorder and not from injuries in an altercation with guards.
White House Aims to Protect New Texas Map
The Supreme Court on Friday granted the Bush administration's request to join Texas in defending a Republican-friendly congressional map engineered by Rep. Tom DeLay.
The administration will share time with Texas lawyers on March 1, when the court holds a special afternoon session to consider four appeals that stem from the bitter dispute over Texas congressional district boundaries. Justices are considering whether the Republican-controlled Legislature acted purely for partisan gain in 2003 when it threw out district boundaries that had been used in the 2002 elections, and whether the new map violated a federal voting rights law.
The Justice Department approved the plan although staff lawyers concluded that it diluted minority voting rights. The Bush administration asked the high court last week for permission to participate in the case, supporting Texas. The redistricting helped Republicans win 21 of Texas' 32 seats in Congress in the last election, up from 15.
The administration will share time with Texas lawyers on March 1, when the court holds a special afternoon session to consider four appeals that stem from the bitter dispute over Texas congressional district boundaries. Justices are considering whether the Republican-controlled Legislature acted purely for partisan gain in 2003 when it threw out district boundaries that had been used in the 2002 elections, and whether the new map violated a federal voting rights law.
The Justice Department approved the plan although staff lawyers concluded that it diluted minority voting rights. The Bush administration asked the high court last week for permission to participate in the case, supporting Texas. The redistricting helped Republicans win 21 of Texas' 32 seats in Congress in the last election, up from 15.
Friday, February 17, 2006
Media failed to report contradiction in Cheney's and Armstrong's alcohol claims
Reporting on Vice President Dick Cheney's admission that he had consumed "a beer at lunch" prior to accidentally shooting a hunting companion, numerous media outlets failed to report that Cheney's admission contradicted earlier statements by Katharine and Anne Armstrong, co-owners of the ranch where the accident occurred, who had said that Dr. Pepper was served with lunch and "heavily implied," according to The New York Times, that "no alcohol was served at all."
Landslide Slams Village, 1,500 Missing
A rain-soaked mountainside disintegrated into a torrent of mud, swallowing hundreds of houses and an elementary school in the eastern Philippines on Friday. At least 23 people were confirmed dead, and 1,500 were missing."It sounded like the mountain exploded, and the whole thing crumbled," survivor Dario Libatan told Manila radio DZMM. "I could not see any house standing anymore."
The farming village of Guinsaugon on Leyte island, 420 miles southeast of Manila, was virtually wiped out, with only a few jumbles of corrugated steel sheeting left to show that the community of some 2,500 people ever existed.
Two other villages also were affected, and about 3,000 evacuees were at a municipal hall.
"We did not find injured people," said Ricky Estela, a crewman on a helicopter that flew a politician to the scene. "Most of them are dead and beneath the mud."
The mud was so deep — up to 30 feet in some places — and unstable that rescue workers had difficulty approaching the school. Education officials said 200 students, six teachers and the principal were believed to have been there.
Sen. Richard Gordon, head of the Philippine Red Cross, issued the casualty estimates and made an international appeal for aid. The provincial governor asked for people to dig by hand, saying the mud was too soft for heavy equipment.
There appeared to be little hope for finding many survivors, and only 53 were extricated from the brown morass before dark halted rescue efforts for the night, officials said.
full story
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Coroner: Boy beaten in boot camp died of internal bleeding
The teenager beaten by guards in a state-run boot camp for juvenile delinquents died from internal bleeding caused by a blood disorder and not from any injuries he may have suffered while being restrained, a medical examiner reported Thursday.
Martin Lee Anderson suffered complications caused by sickle cell trait, Bay County medical examiner Dr. Charles Siebert said.
"It was a natural death," Siebert said. "The trait caused red blood cells to sickle and change shape, causing a whole cascade of events that led to bleeding and hemorrhaging."
However, there was no indication on the facility's intake form that the youth or his family were aware of the disorder that affects about one of every eight African Americans, Siebert said. The sickle cell disorder would not show up in routine bloodwork, he said.
Martin Lee Anderson suffered complications caused by sickle cell trait, Bay County medical examiner Dr. Charles Siebert said.
"It was a natural death," Siebert said. "The trait caused red blood cells to sickle and change shape, causing a whole cascade of events that led to bleeding and hemorrhaging."
However, there was no indication on the facility's intake form that the youth or his family were aware of the disorder that affects about one of every eight African Americans, Siebert said. The sickle cell disorder would not show up in routine bloodwork, he said.
"Unbelievable," said state Rep. Gus Barreiro, a Miami Beach Republican who chairs the House Criminal Justice Appropriations Committee. "It still does not justify the type of treatment this kid received in this boot camp."
Siebert said there were some bruises and abrasions on the body, but he attributed them to attempts to resuscitate the youth.
The autopsy was also met with skepticism by the Anderson family's attorney.
"The medical examiner said he died from internal bleeding," Tallahassee attorney Benjamin Crump said. "One thing we do know is that damage to his internal organs wasn't caused from this alleged sickle cell trait."
A videotape that allegedly shows guards beating Anderson will be made public Friday by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in response to a lawsuit brought by The Miami Herald and CNN.
Barreiro and Rep. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, viewed the tape last week of the events leading to the youth's death.
"He was so limp and not about to go anywhere and you see a guard punching his arm, a knee to the back of the leg to knock him back down to the ground and choking him," Barreiro said.
There were also some minor cuts behind Anderson's ears, possibly as a result of efforts by guards to gain control of the youth, Siebert said. No drugs were discovered by the autopsy.
Anderson died Jan. 6 at a Pensacola hospital where he was taken from the Panama City camp where he had become uncooperative and was restrained by guards, according to the Bay County sheriff's office. The 14-year-old boy's mother, Gina Jones, contends that her son was murdered by guards who beat him to death.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Justice Department said it has opened an investigation into the death.
Siebert said there were some bruises and abrasions on the body, but he attributed them to attempts to resuscitate the youth.
The autopsy was also met with skepticism by the Anderson family's attorney.
"The medical examiner said he died from internal bleeding," Tallahassee attorney Benjamin Crump said. "One thing we do know is that damage to his internal organs wasn't caused from this alleged sickle cell trait."
A videotape that allegedly shows guards beating Anderson will be made public Friday by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in response to a lawsuit brought by The Miami Herald and CNN.
Barreiro and Rep. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, viewed the tape last week of the events leading to the youth's death.
"He was so limp and not about to go anywhere and you see a guard punching his arm, a knee to the back of the leg to knock him back down to the ground and choking him," Barreiro said.
There were also some minor cuts behind Anderson's ears, possibly as a result of efforts by guards to gain control of the youth, Siebert said. No drugs were discovered by the autopsy.
Anderson died Jan. 6 at a Pensacola hospital where he was taken from the Panama City camp where he had become uncooperative and was restrained by guards, according to the Bay County sheriff's office. The 14-year-old boy's mother, Gina Jones, contends that her son was murdered by guards who beat him to death.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Justice Department said it has opened an investigation into the death.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Cheney Takes Blame for Shooting But 'Unapologetic' About Aftermath, Admits Drinking One Beer at Lunch
In an exclusive interview with Fox News' Brit Hume this afternoon, Vice President Dick Cheney took full responsibility for shooting his hunting companion, who has until now been pictured as the guilty party. The interview will not air in full until 6 p.m., but according to Hume, in summarizing the contents, the vice president remained "totally unapologetic" about the long lag in reporting the shooting to the public -- and also said that he had consumed one beer at lunch that day
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Group sends soldiers Valentines from home
Members of the U.S. military all over the world will have a Valentine's Day surprise, thanks to a group of Purdue students. The club, Letters from Home, is sending 50 packages of candy and cards to members of the military. Each package has materials for three to four soldiers.
Caitlin Fizpatrick, a senior in the College of Liberal Arts and president of the organization, said they wanted to let troops who may not get as much mail as others know that they are still remembered. "I think that it's something that will remind them of home and let people know they care about them at home and appreciate what they're doing," she said. The group held a fund-raiser last week where interested people could sponsor a candy gram. Also, the group has received a grant from the University, which will help cover costs.
Emily Frurip, a senior in the School of Management and marketing director for the group, said that the grant can also help them send more items, such as magazines and disposable cameras. Frurip said the group, which has about 20 members, started a year and a half ago. They have sent packages for other times of the year as well, such as Halloween and the holiday season. "I think any holiday is a good excuse to get people together," she said. "People are more in the mood to help each other out."
Those interested in donating to or joining the group can send inquiries to purdueletters@yahoo.com. Also, organizations that want to set up a letter-writing or card-making session should contact the group at the same e-mail address.
Caitlin Fizpatrick, a senior in the College of Liberal Arts and president of the organization, said they wanted to let troops who may not get as much mail as others know that they are still remembered. "I think that it's something that will remind them of home and let people know they care about them at home and appreciate what they're doing," she said. The group held a fund-raiser last week where interested people could sponsor a candy gram. Also, the group has received a grant from the University, which will help cover costs.
Emily Frurip, a senior in the School of Management and marketing director for the group, said that the grant can also help them send more items, such as magazines and disposable cameras. Frurip said the group, which has about 20 members, started a year and a half ago. They have sent packages for other times of the year as well, such as Halloween and the holiday season. "I think any holiday is a good excuse to get people together," she said. "People are more in the mood to help each other out."
Those interested in donating to or joining the group can send inquiries to purdueletters@yahoo.com. Also, organizations that want to set up a letter-writing or card-making session should contact the group at the same e-mail address.
Monday, February 13, 2006
Cheney Violates Cardinal Rule of Hunting
Vice President Dick Cheney apparently broke the No. 1 rule of hunting: be sure of what you're shooting at. Cheney wounded fellow hunter Harry Whittington in the face, neck and chest Saturday, apparently because he didn't see Whittington approaching as he fired on a covey of quail in Texas. Hunting safety experts interviewed Monday agreed it would have been a good idea for Whittington to announce himself - something he apparently didn't do, according to a witness. But they stressed that the shooter is responsible for knowing his surroundings and avoiding hitting other people.
Bush Did Not Learn for Several Hours That Cheney Shot Hunter
President Bush did not learn for several hours that Vice President Dick Cheney was the shooter in a hunting accident in South Texas on Saturday afternoon that left a prominent Austin lawyer and Republican campaign supporter wounded by shotgun pellets in the neck, shoulder and chest, the White House said today.
In a briefing with the White House press corps, Scott McClellan, the president's spokesman, said he himself did not learn until about 6 a.m. on Sunday that it was Mr. Cheney who had shot the lawyer, Harry Whittington, 78, when the two were on a weekend quail hunting trip along with several others at the Armstrong Ranch in South Texas.
Mr. Whittington is still listed in stable condition at the intensive care unit of Christus Spohn Memorial Hospital in nearby Corpus Christi, Tex. Peter Banko, the hospital administrator, told reporters today that Mr. Whittington would be moved out of the intensive care unit later in the day but that no date had yet been set for him to leave the hospital.
In a briefing with the White House press corps, Scott McClellan, the president's spokesman, said he himself did not learn until about 6 a.m. on Sunday that it was Mr. Cheney who had shot the lawyer, Harry Whittington, 78, when the two were on a weekend quail hunting trip along with several others at the Armstrong Ranch in South Texas.
Mr. Whittington is still listed in stable condition at the intensive care unit of Christus Spohn Memorial Hospital in nearby Corpus Christi, Tex. Peter Banko, the hospital administrator, told reporters today that Mr. Whittington would be moved out of the intensive care unit later in the day but that no date had yet been set for him to leave the hospital.
More Questions Raised About Delay in Reporting Cheney Misfire
The more than 18-hour delay in news emerging that the Vice President of the United States had shot a man, sending him to an intensive care unit with his wounds, grew even more curious late Sunday. E&P has learned that the official confirmation of the shooting came about only after a local reporter in Corpus Christi, Texas, received a tip from the owner of the property where the shooting occured and called Vice President Cheney's office for confirmation.The confirmation was made but there was no indication whether the Vice President's office, the White House, or anyone else intended to announce the shooting if the reporter, Jaime Powell of the Corpus Christ Caller-Times, had not received word from the ranch owner.
One of Powell's colleagues at paper, Beth Francesco, told E&P that Powell had built up a strong source relationship with the prominent ranch owner, Katharine Armstrong, which led to the tip. Powell is chief political reporter for the paper and also covers the area where the ranch is located south of Sarita.Armstrong called the paper Sunday morning looking for Powell, who was not at work. When they did talk, Armstrong revealed the shooting of prominent Austin attorney Harry Whittington, who is now in stable condition in a hospital. Powell then called Cheney's office for the confirmation around midday. The newspaper broke the story at mid-afternoon--not a word about it had appeared before then.The Cheney spokesman Powell spoke with, Lea Anne McBride, would not comment on whether the White House would have ever released the information had the Caller-Times not contacted them."I’m not going to speculate," McBride said, according to Powell. "When you put the call into me, I was able to confirm that account."Francesco, at the Corpus Christi paper, said she felt it was a bit odd that her newsroom had not received any information about the shooting since "we often call law enforcement in area, even on weekends. We checked in and didn’t hear anything about it."While E&P was first to raise the question about the delay Sunday afternoon, Frank James, reporter in the Chicago Tribune's Washington bureau, put his how spin on it later in the day, asking, "How is it that Vice President Cheney can shoot a man, albeit accidentally, on Saturday during a hunting trip and the American public not be informed of it until today?"
U.S. Northeast Socked by Snowstorm; NYC Sets Record
The U.S. Northeast's first major snowstorm of the season descended on the region today, bringing people and traffic to a halt and blanketing New York City with the heaviest snowfall in its history.
About 26.9 inches (68.3 centimeters) of snow has fallen so far on New York City's Central Park Zoo, the Weather Channel reported. In December 1947, the park recorded 26.4 inches of snow. In Maryland, 22.5 inches fell in Baltimore's suburbs.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, speaking at a news conference, said the roads should be cleared in time for Monday's morning commute, while urging workers to take mass transit.
New York City buses are experiencing about 15-minute delays and some subway lines are running with delays or on different tracks, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said on its Web site. The Long Island Rail Road is experiencing up to 30-minute delays, while the Metro North Railroad is experiencing delays of as many as two hours. Some New Jersey Transit trains are also running with delays and service changes.
About 26.9 inches (68.3 centimeters) of snow has fallen so far on New York City's Central Park Zoo, the Weather Channel reported. In December 1947, the park recorded 26.4 inches of snow. In Maryland, 22.5 inches fell in Baltimore's suburbs.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, speaking at a news conference, said the roads should be cleared in time for Monday's morning commute, while urging workers to take mass transit.
New York City buses are experiencing about 15-minute delays and some subway lines are running with delays or on different tracks, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said on its Web site. The Long Island Rail Road is experiencing up to 30-minute delays, while the Metro North Railroad is experiencing delays of as many as two hours. Some New Jersey Transit trains are also running with delays and service changes.
Cheney accidentally shoots hunting companion
Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally wounded a companion with shotgun pellets on a weekend quail hunt in Texas, his office said on Sunday.
Cheney's companion, Austin lawyer Harry Whittington, 78, was listed in stable condition after being brought in on Saturday night, said Yvonne Wheeler, a spokeswoman for the Christus Spohn Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas. Cheney's office said Whittington had been sprayed by birdshot while hunting at the Armstrong Ranch in south Texas, about 200 miles south of San Antonio.
Cheney's companion, Austin lawyer Harry Whittington, 78, was listed in stable condition after being brought in on Saturday night, said Yvonne Wheeler, a spokeswoman for the Christus Spohn Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas. Cheney's office said Whittington had been sprayed by birdshot while hunting at the Armstrong Ranch in south Texas, about 200 miles south of San Antonio.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
VA Nurse Investigated for “Sedition” for Criticizing Bush
Laura Berg is a clinical nurse specialist at the VA Medical Center in Albuquerque, where she has worked for 15 years. Shortly after Katrina, she wrote a letter to the editor of the weekly paper the Alibi criticizing the Bush Administration. After the paper published the letter in its September 15-21 issue, VA administrators seized her computer, alleged that she had written the letter on that computer, and accused her of “sedition.”
Libby, Abramoff, Brown sing like birds
You've heard of the three tenors? Now three Washington figures, each of them implicated in either wrongdoing or incompetence, are singing like canaries.
You might call their song, "It Wasn't Just Me.''
"It Wasn't Just Me,'' sings Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's indicted former chief of staff.
This week, special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald revealed in grand jury documents that Libby testified that his White House superiors authorized him to disclose intelligence information to the media.
The National Journal, citing knowledgeable sources, identified one of those superiors as Cheney.
The vice president authorizes leaks. That's quite a song.
"It Wasn't Just Me,'' sings former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who pleaded guilty last month to bribery.
When asked about Abramoff, who raised more than $100,000 for the Bush re-election campaign, the president said, "I don't know him."
"The guy saw me in almost a dozen settings and joked with me about a bunch of things, including details of my kids." Abramoff wrote in an e-mail. "Perhaps he has forgotten everything, who knows?"
"It Wasn't Just Me," sings former FEMA director Michael Brown.
He says his superiors knew a levee had broken the night Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans.
"So for them to now claim that we didn't have awareness of it is just baloney," Brown said.
Did the White House know?
"If I've told Joe Hagin or told Andy Card, I've told the president," Brown said, referring to the White House chief of staff, Card, and his deputy.
The three men are singing to save themselves -- by implicating higher-ups.
You might call their song, "It Wasn't Just Me.''
"It Wasn't Just Me,'' sings Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's indicted former chief of staff.
This week, special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald revealed in grand jury documents that Libby testified that his White House superiors authorized him to disclose intelligence information to the media.
The National Journal, citing knowledgeable sources, identified one of those superiors as Cheney.
The vice president authorizes leaks. That's quite a song.
"It Wasn't Just Me,'' sings former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who pleaded guilty last month to bribery.
When asked about Abramoff, who raised more than $100,000 for the Bush re-election campaign, the president said, "I don't know him."
"The guy saw me in almost a dozen settings and joked with me about a bunch of things, including details of my kids." Abramoff wrote in an e-mail. "Perhaps he has forgotten everything, who knows?"
"It Wasn't Just Me," sings former FEMA director Michael Brown.
He says his superiors knew a levee had broken the night Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans.
"So for them to now claim that we didn't have awareness of it is just baloney," Brown said.
Did the White House know?
"If I've told Joe Hagin or told Andy Card, I've told the president," Brown said, referring to the White House chief of staff, Card, and his deputy.
The three men are singing to save themselves -- by implicating higher-ups.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Republican overseeer of NSA calls for full congressional probe
A Republican lawmaker whose subcommittee oversees the National Security Agency has broken ranks with the White House and called for a full Congressional inquiry into the Bush administration's domestic spying program, a newspaper reported.
The The New York Times said Representative Heather Wilson of New Mexico, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Technical and Tactical Intelligence, said in an interview that she had "serious concerns" about the surveillance program.
By withholding information about its operations from many lawmakers, she said, the administration has deepened her apprehension about whom the agency is monitoring and why, the report said.
Wilson, who was a National Security Council aide in the administration of President Bush's father, is the first Republican on either the House's Intelligence Committee or the Senate's to call for a full congressional investigation into the program, the paper said.
President George W. Bush has admitted authorizing the NSA to eavesdrop without warrants on the international communications of people inside the United States believed to have links with Al-Qaeda.
But his administration, backed by Republican leaders in both houses, has resisted calls for inquiries by either Congress or an independent prosecutor.
Wilson said in the interview she considered the limited congressional briefings about the program to be "increasingly untenable" because they left most lawmakers knowing little about it, The Times said.
She said the House Intelligence Committee needed to conduct a "painstaking" review, including not only classified briefings but also access to internal documents and staff interviews with NSA aides and intelligence officials, according to the report.
Wilson, a former Air Force officer, said she realized that publicizing her concerns over the surveillance program could harm her relations with the administration, the paper pointed out.
"The president has his duty to do, but I have mine too, and I feel strongly about that," The Times quoted her as saying
The The New York Times said Representative Heather Wilson of New Mexico, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Technical and Tactical Intelligence, said in an interview that she had "serious concerns" about the surveillance program.
By withholding information about its operations from many lawmakers, she said, the administration has deepened her apprehension about whom the agency is monitoring and why, the report said.
Wilson, who was a National Security Council aide in the administration of President Bush's father, is the first Republican on either the House's Intelligence Committee or the Senate's to call for a full congressional investigation into the program, the paper said.
President George W. Bush has admitted authorizing the NSA to eavesdrop without warrants on the international communications of people inside the United States believed to have links with Al-Qaeda.
But his administration, backed by Republican leaders in both houses, has resisted calls for inquiries by either Congress or an independent prosecutor.
Wilson said in the interview she considered the limited congressional briefings about the program to be "increasingly untenable" because they left most lawmakers knowing little about it, The Times said.
She said the House Intelligence Committee needed to conduct a "painstaking" review, including not only classified briefings but also access to internal documents and staff interviews with NSA aides and intelligence officials, according to the report.
Wilson, a former Air Force officer, said she realized that publicizing her concerns over the surveillance program could harm her relations with the administration, the paper pointed out.
"The president has his duty to do, but I have mine too, and I feel strongly about that," The Times quoted her as saying
Injured soldier told to pay for body armor
The Pentagon is being challenged for demanding a West Virginia Army officer who was wounded in Iraq pay $700 for his damaged body armor.
The state's two Democratic senators, Jay Rockefeller and Robert Byrd, raised the issue of 1st Lt. William "Eddie" Rebrook IV with the Pentagon and within the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette reported.
When the news broke after Rebrook's medical discharge from Fort Hood, Texas, last week, more than 200 people from across the country sent him donations totaling $5,700 in a show of support. However, the 25-year-old said he wouldn't keep the money, but rather donate it to a Louisiana woman who lost her home in Hurricane Katrina. He said the woman's son helped save his life in Iraq.
Gen. Peter Schoomaker, the Army's chief of staff, said he would follow-up on why Rebrook was billed.
"That is a very unusual story," Schoomaker said. "I have no idea why we would ever do something like that."
The state's two Democratic senators, Jay Rockefeller and Robert Byrd, raised the issue of 1st Lt. William "Eddie" Rebrook IV with the Pentagon and within the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette reported.
When the news broke after Rebrook's medical discharge from Fort Hood, Texas, last week, more than 200 people from across the country sent him donations totaling $5,700 in a show of support. However, the 25-year-old said he wouldn't keep the money, but rather donate it to a Louisiana woman who lost her home in Hurricane Katrina. He said the woman's son helped save his life in Iraq.
Gen. Peter Schoomaker, the Army's chief of staff, said he would follow-up on why Rebrook was billed.
"That is a very unusual story," Schoomaker said. "I have no idea why we would ever do something like that."
Bush Plan Would Cut Survivor Benefits
If President Bush gets his way, the venerable $255 Social Security death benefit will fade into history. And 16- and 17-year-old high school dropouts will lose their monthly survivor payments. Not, however, if Democrats get their way.
"The Republican Congress has given a whole new meaning to the term 'women and children first,'" Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel , chairman of the House Democratic campaign committee, said Tuesday.
"There they go again," said New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, who heads the party's Senate campaign effort. "They can't resist trying to cut Social Security, and to cut a survivor, a widow or widower's benefits, it just shows how warped the priorities are in this budget."
White House officials defended the proposals, included in the budget that Bush submitted to Congress on Tuesday and estimated to trim costs by $3.4 billion over the next decade.
"Children who have lost a parent need every assistance and encouragement we can provide, and everything the federal government can do to encourage them to stay in school and get an education makes it that much more likely that they can succeed," said Scott Milburn, a spokesman at the Office of Management and Budget.
"Linking benefits to school attendance provides that encouragement and is, in fact, currently the rule for 19-year-olds. We think more children can be helped by lowering that age to 16," he said.
"The Republican Congress has given a whole new meaning to the term 'women and children first,'" Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel , chairman of the House Democratic campaign committee, said Tuesday.
"There they go again," said New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, who heads the party's Senate campaign effort. "They can't resist trying to cut Social Security, and to cut a survivor, a widow or widower's benefits, it just shows how warped the priorities are in this budget."
White House officials defended the proposals, included in the budget that Bush submitted to Congress on Tuesday and estimated to trim costs by $3.4 billion over the next decade.
"Children who have lost a parent need every assistance and encouragement we can provide, and everything the federal government can do to encourage them to stay in school and get an education makes it that much more likely that they can succeed," said Scott Milburn, a spokesman at the Office of Management and Budget.
"Linking benefits to school attendance provides that encouragement and is, in fact, currently the rule for 19-year-olds. We think more children can be helped by lowering that age to 16," he said.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
States Eye Picketing at Soldiers' Funerals
States are rushing to limit when and where people may protest at funerals — all because of a small Kansas church whose members picket soldiers' burials, arguing that Americans are dying for a country that harbors homosexuals.During the 1990s, the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., went around picketing the funerals of AIDS victims with protest signs that read, "God Hates Fags." But politicians began paying more attention recently when church members started showing up at the burials of soldiers and Marines killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Legislation is being considered in at least 14 states, and several of the bills moving quickly, with backing from legislative leaders and governors.
If they pass, the bills could set up a clash between privacy and free speech rights, and court challenges are almost certain.
"We're not proposing to silence the speech of the Westboro Baptist Church, as offensive as most of us find that," said Kansas Senate Majority Leader Derek Schmidt, a Republican. Instead, he said, he is trying to achieve a balance that respects "the rights of families to bury their dead in peace."
Monday, February 06, 2006
Mystery shrouds al-Qaida escape in Yemen
The mysterious escape of 23 dangerous al-Qaida operatives from a high-security prison in Yemen is bound to further strain U.S.-Yemeni relations.
Observers expressed fears that the flight of the convicted terrorists will increase tensions in relations between Sanaa and Washington, and expose serious deficiencies in the Yemeni security system.
"We do not know exactly what is going on behind the scenes in terms of reactions to the incident and its direct impact on Yemeni-U.S. relations, which have been extremely tense in the past phase," said political commentator and journalist Mounir Mawri.
"But one thing is certain is that regardless of the explanations of the incident, it will have sequels and consequences that should be taken seriously inside and outside Yemen," Mawri told the local English-language daily News.
U.S. anti-terror agencies, which are strongly present and rooted in Yemen, have not shown any special concern over the mass escape of al-Qaida operatives, including the main plotter of the attack on the USS Cole in the port of Aden in October 2000 in which 17 U.S. servicemen perished.
Official sources disclosed that 18 of the 23 al-Qaida operatives were tried and convicted in terrorist attacks, including the attack on the USS Cole and the French giant tanker, the Limburg. They were also convicted of forming terrorist cells and plotting to carry out attacks on foreign targets, especially American.
Observers expressed fears that the flight of the convicted terrorists will increase tensions in relations between Sanaa and Washington, and expose serious deficiencies in the Yemeni security system.
"We do not know exactly what is going on behind the scenes in terms of reactions to the incident and its direct impact on Yemeni-U.S. relations, which have been extremely tense in the past phase," said political commentator and journalist Mounir Mawri.
"But one thing is certain is that regardless of the explanations of the incident, it will have sequels and consequences that should be taken seriously inside and outside Yemen," Mawri told the local English-language daily News.
U.S. anti-terror agencies, which are strongly present and rooted in Yemen, have not shown any special concern over the mass escape of al-Qaida operatives, including the main plotter of the attack on the USS Cole in the port of Aden in October 2000 in which 17 U.S. servicemen perished.
Official sources disclosed that 18 of the 23 al-Qaida operatives were tried and convicted in terrorist attacks, including the attack on the USS Cole and the French giant tanker, the Limburg. They were also convicted of forming terrorist cells and plotting to carry out attacks on foreign targets, especially American.
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Super Bowl Broadcast to Have Tape Delay
ABC is putting a five-second defensive line between the Super Bowl and television viewers.The delay, according to ABC, is the first-ever in the 40-year history of the Super Bowl.The tape delay, for the game itself as well as the pre-game, halftime and post-game entertainment, is an apparent echo of the Janet Jackson "wardrobe malfunction" that marred the 2004 broadcast on CBS.
While ABC confirmed the broadcast delay, network officials who could explain when the decision was made and why were not immediately available, an ABC spokeswoman said Friday.
A tape delay was in place for the past two years of ABC's "Monday Night Football."
The decision drew immediate praise from the Parents Television Council, a media watchdog group. The halftime show this year features the Rolling Stones.
"ABC has wisely decided to ensure that this year's Super Bowl is not hijacked by raunchy performers as it was in 2004," said L. Brent Bozell, PTC president. "Now, we hope that millions of families can safely watch this family program without the worry of seeing inappropriate sexual content or hearing vulgar language."
'Grandpa Munster' Al Lewis Dies at 95
Al Lewis, the cigar-chomping patriarch of "The Munsters" whose work as a basketball scout, restaurateur and political candidate never eclipsed his role as Grandpa from the television sitcom, died after years of failing health. He was 95.
Lewis, with his wife at his bedside, passed away Friday night, said Bernard White, program director at WBAI-FM, where the actor hosted a weekly radio program. White made the announcement on the air during the Saturday slot where Lewis usually appeared.
"To say that we will miss his generous, cantankerous, engaging spirit is a profound understatement," White said.
Lewis, sporting a somewhat cheesy Dracula outfit, became a pop culture icon playing the irascible father-in-law to Fred Gwynne's ever-bumbling Herman Munster on the 1964-66 television show. He was also one of the stars of another classic TV comedy, playing Officer Leo Schnauzer on "Car 54, Where Are You?"
But Lewis' life off the small screen ranged far beyond his acting antics. A former ballplayer at Thomas Jefferson High School, he achieved notoriety as a basketball talent scout familiar to coaching greats like Jerry Tarkanian and Red Auerbach.
He operated a successful Greenwich Village restaurant, Grandpa's, where he was a regular presence — chatting with customers, posing for pictures, signing autographs.
Lewis, with his wife at his bedside, passed away Friday night, said Bernard White, program director at WBAI-FM, where the actor hosted a weekly radio program. White made the announcement on the air during the Saturday slot where Lewis usually appeared.
"To say that we will miss his generous, cantankerous, engaging spirit is a profound understatement," White said.
Lewis, sporting a somewhat cheesy Dracula outfit, became a pop culture icon playing the irascible father-in-law to Fred Gwynne's ever-bumbling Herman Munster on the 1964-66 television show. He was also one of the stars of another classic TV comedy, playing Officer Leo Schnauzer on "Car 54, Where Are You?"
But Lewis' life off the small screen ranged far beyond his acting antics. A former ballplayer at Thomas Jefferson High School, he achieved notoriety as a basketball talent scout familiar to coaching greats like Jerry Tarkanian and Red Auerbach.
He operated a successful Greenwich Village restaurant, Grandpa's, where he was a regular presence — chatting with customers, posing for pictures, signing autographs.
Friday, February 03, 2006
Not Enough Lifeboats!
Egyptian authorities admitted last night that a ferry that sank in the Red Sea with more than 1,400 people on board was unsafe and did not have enough lifeboats. More than 1,100 were feared dead.
The Al Salam Boccaccio 98, a 35-year old vessel driven out of European waters by stringent safety regulations, went down suddenly early yesterday morning local time, 57 miles from its destination at the Egyptian port of Safaga. Coast Guard ships pulled about 185 bodies from the sea, and at least 263 survivors escaped on lifeboats.
“The speed at which the ship sank and the fact that there were not enough liferafts on board confirm that there was a (safety) problem but we cannot anticipate the results of the investigation,” President Mubarak’s spokesman said.
ABC News has Woodruff video
ABC News executives in New York say they have not viewed the tape that was rolling when an Iraqi roadside bomb hit anchor Bob Woodruff and his cameraman.
The videotape is still in Doug Vogt's damaged camera, which was transported with the injured men to the United States, the New York Post reported Friday.
"It was hand-carried back from Iraq to Germany to Washington and now to New York," the ABC News spokesman said. "The tape is still in the camera."
It is unknown whether any of the explosion that injured Woodruff and Vogt or its aftermath appear on the tape.
Vogt, 46, was shooting video of Woodruff, 44, and the surrounding area as the two were standing in an Iraqi military vehicle when their convoy was rocked by a roadside bomb.
Both journalists are being treated at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland.
The videotape is still in Doug Vogt's damaged camera, which was transported with the injured men to the United States, the New York Post reported Friday.
"It was hand-carried back from Iraq to Germany to Washington and now to New York," the ABC News spokesman said. "The tape is still in the camera."
It is unknown whether any of the explosion that injured Woodruff and Vogt or its aftermath appear on the tape.
Vogt, 46, was shooting video of Woodruff, 44, and the surrounding area as the two were standing in an Iraqi military vehicle when their convoy was rocked by a roadside bomb.
Both journalists are being treated at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
UBL #2 mock US President
In a new video , al-Qaida's No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahri mocked President Bush as a "failure" in the war on terror, called him a "butcher" for killing innocent Pakistanis in a miscarried airstrike and chastised the United States for rejecting Osama bin Laden's offer of a truce.
Al-Zawahri, wearing white robes and a white turban and speaking in a forceful and angry voice, also threatened a new attack in the United States — "God willing, on your own land."
The video, broadcast on Al-Jazeera TV a day before Bush delivers his State of the Union address, provided the first concrete evidence that al-Zawahri was still alive after the Jan. 13 airstrike in eastern Pakistan that targeted him but killed four other al-Qaida leaders and 13 villagers.
The message came on the heels of a Jan. 19 audiotape by bin Laden, the al-Qaida leader's first tape in more than a year. Bin Laden said his followers were preparing an attack in the United States and offered the Americans a conditional truce, though he did not spell out terms.
A U.S. counterterrorism official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in compliance with office policy, said there is no reason to doubt the authenticity of the al-Zawahri video, which U.S. intelligence officials were analyzing.
Al-Zawahri, wearing white robes and a white turban and speaking in a forceful and angry voice, also threatened a new attack in the United States — "God willing, on your own land."
The video, broadcast on Al-Jazeera TV a day before Bush delivers his State of the Union address, provided the first concrete evidence that al-Zawahri was still alive after the Jan. 13 airstrike in eastern Pakistan that targeted him but killed four other al-Qaida leaders and 13 villagers.
The message came on the heels of a Jan. 19 audiotape by bin Laden, the al-Qaida leader's first tape in more than a year. Bin Laden said his followers were preparing an attack in the United States and offered the Americans a conditional truce, though he did not spell out terms.
A U.S. counterterrorism official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in compliance with office policy, said there is no reason to doubt the authenticity of the al-Zawahri video, which U.S. intelligence officials were analyzing.
Monday, January 30, 2006
Bush Looks for Boost From State of Union
President Bush, in his State of the Union speech Tuesday, will offer ideas for dealing with domestic problems like high energy prices and health care and international troubles like Iran's suspected nuclear ambitions. The unspoken agenda underpinning the address, Bush's fifth, is the rescue of his presidency from arguably its worst year.
His poll numbers fell to the lowest point of his presidency under the weight of missteps following Hurricane Katrina, soaring energy costs, the withdrawal of a Supreme Court nominee, the failure of his high-profile effort to drive a Social Security overhaul, and increasing scrutiny from the public and Congress of the unpopular Iraq war.
While Bush's approval rating has recovered slightly, it remains in the still-anemic low 40s. It is a matter of concern for Republicans as they worry about maintaining control of Congress in this fall's midterm elections.
''I can't tell you how upbeat I am about our future, so long as we're willing to lead,'' Bush said at a photo opportunity Monday with his Cabinet. Referring to the bitter political tone in Washington, Bush said, ''I'll do my best to elevate the tone here in Washington, D.C., so we can work together to achieve big things for the American people.''
Unlike last year's focus on Social Security, an initiative that failed, Bush's emphasis will be more diffuse, with proposals aimed at taming health care costs, moving America away from its dependence on foreign energy sources, remaining competitive in the global economy, and getting the ballooning federal deficit under control.
His poll numbers fell to the lowest point of his presidency under the weight of missteps following Hurricane Katrina, soaring energy costs, the withdrawal of a Supreme Court nominee, the failure of his high-profile effort to drive a Social Security overhaul, and increasing scrutiny from the public and Congress of the unpopular Iraq war.
While Bush's approval rating has recovered slightly, it remains in the still-anemic low 40s. It is a matter of concern for Republicans as they worry about maintaining control of Congress in this fall's midterm elections.
''I can't tell you how upbeat I am about our future, so long as we're willing to lead,'' Bush said at a photo opportunity Monday with his Cabinet. Referring to the bitter political tone in Washington, Bush said, ''I'll do my best to elevate the tone here in Washington, D.C., so we can work together to achieve big things for the American people.''
Unlike last year's focus on Social Security, an initiative that failed, Bush's emphasis will be more diffuse, with proposals aimed at taming health care costs, moving America away from its dependence on foreign energy sources, remaining competitive in the global economy, and getting the ballooning federal deficit under control.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
White House Declines to Provide Storm Papers
The Bush administration, citing the confidentiality of executive branch communications, said Tuesday that it did not plan to turn over certain documents about Hurricane Katrina or make senior White House officials available for sworn testimony before two Congressional committees investigating the storm response.
The White House this week also formally notified Representative Richard H. Baker, Republican of Louisiana, that it would not support his legislation creating a federally financed reconstruction program for the state that would bail out homeowners and mortgage lenders. Many Louisiana officials consider the bill crucial to recovery, but administration officials said the state would have to use community development money appropriated by Congress.
The White House's stance on storm-related documents, along with slow or incomplete responses by other agencies, threatens to undermine efforts to identify what went wrong, Democrats on the committees said Tuesday.
"There has been a near total lack of cooperation that has made it impossible, in my opinion, for us to do the thorough investigation that we have a responsibility to do," Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, Democrat of Connecticut, said at Tuesday's hearing of the Senate committee investigating the response. His spokeswoman said he would ask for a subpoena for documents and testimony if the White House did not comply
The White House this week also formally notified Representative Richard H. Baker, Republican of Louisiana, that it would not support his legislation creating a federally financed reconstruction program for the state that would bail out homeowners and mortgage lenders. Many Louisiana officials consider the bill crucial to recovery, but administration officials said the state would have to use community development money appropriated by Congress.
The White House's stance on storm-related documents, along with slow or incomplete responses by other agencies, threatens to undermine efforts to identify what went wrong, Democrats on the committees said Tuesday.
"There has been a near total lack of cooperation that has made it impossible, in my opinion, for us to do the thorough investigation that we have a responsibility to do," Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, Democrat of Connecticut, said at Tuesday's hearing of the Senate committee investigating the response. His spokeswoman said he would ask for a subpoena for documents and testimony if the White House did not comply
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
White House Had Early Warning on Katrina
Documents obtained by The Washington Post reveal, according to the newspaper, that in the 48 hours before Hurricane Katrina hit last August, the White House "received detailed warnings about the storm's likely impact, including eerily prescient predictions of breached levees, massive flooding, and major losses of life and property."
The 41-page assessment by the Department of Homeland Security's National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center (NISAC) was delivered by e-mail to the White House's "situation room" in the early hours of Aug. 29, the day the storm hit, according to an e-mail cover sheet.The NISAC paper warned that a storm of Katrina's size would "likely lead to severe flooding and/or levee breaching" and noted the potential for levee failures along Lake Pontchartrain. "It predicted economic losses in the tens of billions of dollars, including damage to public utilities and industry that would take years to fully repair," writes Washington Post reporter Joby Warrick in the Tuesday paper. "Initial response and rescue operations would be hampered by disruption of telecommunications networks and the loss of power to fire, police and emergency workers, it said.
The 41-page assessment by the Department of Homeland Security's National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center (NISAC) was delivered by e-mail to the White House's "situation room" in the early hours of Aug. 29, the day the storm hit, according to an e-mail cover sheet.The NISAC paper warned that a storm of Katrina's size would "likely lead to severe flooding and/or levee breaching" and noted the potential for levee failures along Lake Pontchartrain. "It predicted economic losses in the tens of billions of dollars, including damage to public utilities and industry that would take years to fully repair," writes Washington Post reporter Joby Warrick in the Tuesday paper. "Initial response and rescue operations would be hampered by disruption of telecommunications networks and the loss of power to fire, police and emergency workers, it said.
Friday, January 20, 2006
Google shares hammered after government challenge
After climbing for a year and a ,Google shares fell 8.5 percent on Friday to $399.46 a share. It was the largest one-day percentage drop for the company and the highest volume -- more than 41 million trades -- since August 18, 2004, when the search giant went public.The market move comes one day after news that Google is challenging a U.S. Department of Justice request for Web search data. While Yahoo, AOL and MSN have complied with a subpoena to provide information on random Web searches and Web sites indexed, Google said "no."
The government is trying to resurrect the 1998 Child Online Protection Act, which would make it a crime for commercial Web sites to post material that could be deemed harmful if minors came across it, such as pornography. The administration wants the information to help bolster its argument that Web filtering software is ineffective.
Google contends that the government's request for information -- one million random Web addresses indexed by the search engine and all the keywords used in searches for a specified one week period -- is overreaching and too broad. None of the information sought could be traced back to any individual users.
Privacy advocates applauded Google's action, saying that while the government's subpoena covers Web search data that is not personally identifiable, future requests could go further and invade Web surfers' privacy.
U.S. Approves Cuba for World Baseball Event
By JACK CURRY
Cuba has been granted a license to participate in the World Baseball Classic by the Treasury Department, two people with direct knowledge of the process said today, enabling the country to compete in the 16-team tournament that runs from March 3-20. The license eliminates a thorny complication and potentially fatal blow to the event. If Cuba had been denied a license, the inaugural event would have been jeopardized because the International Baseball Federation said it would remove its sanction.
The two people with knowledge of the decision spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not yet authorized to discuss it. Officials from Major League Baseball and the Players Association were certain to be relieved that Cuba, which won the 2004 Olympic gold medal, could participate in the World Baseball Classic. Cuba, a traditional baseball power, is in Pool C in the four-pool event, with Puerto Rico, Panama and the Netherlands. An official announcement about the license was expected this afternoon.
When the World Baseball Classic first sought a license for Cuba, the Treasury Department denied it because the Cubans would have made American dollars. That would have violated the United States' trade embargo against Cuba. The tournament organizers submitted a second license request on Dec. 22 and eliminated any possibility that the Cubans would earn money. Paul Archey, baseball's senior vice president for international matters, and Doyle Pryor, a union lawyer, met with Cuban officials last week to gather information that had been requested by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, a division of the Treasury Department. After Mr. Archey and Mr. Pryor gave the information to the Treasury Department, they were optimistic that Cuba would soon get a license, and the approval came through today. The deadline for provisional rosters has already passed so Cuba will have to provide its roster as soon as possible.
Cuba has been granted a license to participate in the World Baseball Classic by the Treasury Department, two people with direct knowledge of the process said today, enabling the country to compete in the 16-team tournament that runs from March 3-20. The license eliminates a thorny complication and potentially fatal blow to the event. If Cuba had been denied a license, the inaugural event would have been jeopardized because the International Baseball Federation said it would remove its sanction.
The two people with knowledge of the decision spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not yet authorized to discuss it. Officials from Major League Baseball and the Players Association were certain to be relieved that Cuba, which won the 2004 Olympic gold medal, could participate in the World Baseball Classic. Cuba, a traditional baseball power, is in Pool C in the four-pool event, with Puerto Rico, Panama and the Netherlands. An official announcement about the license was expected this afternoon.
When the World Baseball Classic first sought a license for Cuba, the Treasury Department denied it because the Cubans would have made American dollars. That would have violated the United States' trade embargo against Cuba. The tournament organizers submitted a second license request on Dec. 22 and eliminated any possibility that the Cubans would earn money. Paul Archey, baseball's senior vice president for international matters, and Doyle Pryor, a union lawyer, met with Cuban officials last week to gather information that had been requested by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, a division of the Treasury Department. After Mr. Archey and Mr. Pryor gave the information to the Treasury Department, they were optimistic that Cuba would soon get a license, and the approval came through today. The deadline for provisional rosters has already passed so Cuba will have to provide its roster as soon as possible.
Sunni Parties Net Gains After Boycotting Previous Election
A coalition of Shiite parties won 128 of 275 seats in last month's parliamentary elections, falling 10 votes short of a majority, Iraqi election officials announced today.
The results mean that the Shiite group will remain the dominant force in Iraq's new government, but will still need to form a coalition. In second place came a coalition of Kurdish parties, who took 53 seats. The largest Sunni party, the Iraqi Accordance Front, won 44 seats and another Sunni party won 11. A party headed by former prime minister Ayad Allawi, a secular Shiite, took 25 seats. The Sunnis will have more representatives in the new parliament than they did in the old, whose elections they mostly boycotted last January.
The results mean that the Shiite group will remain the dominant force in Iraq's new government, but will still need to form a coalition. In second place came a coalition of Kurdish parties, who took 53 seats. The largest Sunni party, the Iraqi Accordance Front, won 44 seats and another Sunni party won 11. A party headed by former prime minister Ayad Allawi, a secular Shiite, took 25 seats. The Sunnis will have more representatives in the new parliament than they did in the old, whose elections they mostly boycotted last January.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Google Rebuffs Feds on Search Requests
Google Inc. is rebuffing the Bush administration's demand for a peek at what millions of people have been looking up on the Internet's leading search engine — a request that underscores the potential for online databases to become tools for government surveillance.
Mountain View-based Google has refused to comply with a White House subpoena first issued last summer, prompting U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales this week to ask a federal judge in San Jose for an order to hand over the requested records.
The government wants a list all requests entered into Google's search engine during an unspecified single week — a breakdown that could conceivably span tens of millions of queries. In addition, it seeks 1 million randomly selected Web addresses from various Google databases.
In court papers that the San Jose Mercury News reported on after seeing them Wednesday, the Bush administration depicts the information as vital in its effort to restore online child protection laws that have been struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Mountain View-based Google has refused to comply with a White House subpoena first issued last summer, prompting U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales this week to ask a federal judge in San Jose for an order to hand over the requested records.
The government wants a list all requests entered into Google's search engine during an unspecified single week — a breakdown that could conceivably span tens of millions of queries. In addition, it seeks 1 million randomly selected Web addresses from various Google databases.
In court papers that the San Jose Mercury News reported on after seeing them Wednesday, the Bush administration depicts the information as vital in its effort to restore online child protection laws that have been struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Release of prisoners 'not linked' to kidnap deadline
Iraqi officials called for the release of six women prisoners held by the US military but emphasised that the move had not been made in response to demands set out by the kidnappers of an American reporter.
A Justice Ministry official said that its decision to free six of the eight women held in US-controlled prisons had been taken by a review board last Monday, the day before the kidnappers of Jill Carroll said that they would kill her unless all women prisoners were released by the Americans. “There was no outside pressure on the commission” to release the women, another Human Rights Ministry official said. The women are due to be released in the coming days, leading to hopes that the kidnappers will extend their 72-hour deadline, set on Tuesday night, to murder the freelance journalist if their conditions are not met.
A Justice Ministry official said that its decision to free six of the eight women held in US-controlled prisons had been taken by a review board last Monday, the day before the kidnappers of Jill Carroll said that they would kill her unless all women prisoners were released by the Americans. “There was no outside pressure on the commission” to release the women, another Human Rights Ministry official said. The women are due to be released in the coming days, leading to hopes that the kidnappers will extend their 72-hour deadline, set on Tuesday night, to murder the freelance journalist if their conditions are not met.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Rush to Sell Shuts Down Tokyo Stock Exchange
TOKYO, Japan - An avalanche of sell orders forced Tokyo’s stock market to close early Wednesday, with the main benchmark closing down 2.94 percent, after plunging almost as much on Tuesday when it lost 2.84 percent.
The trigger was a prosecutors' raid Monday night on the offices of Livedoor Co., a fastgrowing Internet services group. Livedoor shares did not trade Wednesday for lack of buy orders but were marked down by the daily 100-yen limit for a second day in a row to 496 yen.
At that price, more than $1.8 billion of the company's market value would be wiped out.
With the abrupt tumble, analysts debated whether the damage would stop Thursday with Internet stocks or whether it would pull down the world’s second largest market, a bourse that grew 40 percent last year, drawing investors from around the world.
The trigger was a prosecutors' raid Monday night on the offices of Livedoor Co., a fastgrowing Internet services group. Livedoor shares did not trade Wednesday for lack of buy orders but were marked down by the daily 100-yen limit for a second day in a row to 496 yen.
At that price, more than $1.8 billion of the company's market value would be wiped out.
With the abrupt tumble, analysts debated whether the damage would stop Thursday with Internet stocks or whether it would pull down the world’s second largest market, a bourse that grew 40 percent last year, drawing investors from around the world.
Monday, January 16, 2006
New Zogby Survey shows Iraq a Partisan War
In the face of rising gas prices, partisan sniping over Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, and a resumption of insurgent violence in Iraq, President Bush’s job approval rating has slipped into a post-holiday funk, again dipping below 40%, a new telephone poll by Zogby International shows. His approval rating almost mirrors the percentage of respondents (40%) who said the nation overall is headed in the right direction.
The deterioration in the President’s numbers appears to be the result of eroding support among the investor class and others who supported him in his 2004 re-election bid, said Pollster John Zogby, President and CEO of Zogby International. And the problem is the Iraq war – just 34% of respondents said Mr. Bush was doing a good or excellent job managing the war, down from 38% approval in a Zogby poll taken in mid-October.
Bush’s overall job approval rating in that poll was at 46%.
Among investors, Bush’s support for managing the war dropped five points since October, from 45% to 40%, Zogby data shows. But Zogby said the glaring split between how Republicans, Democrats and independents think the President is handling Iraq is remarkable.
“The numbers in support for the war in Iraq are extremely low among Democrats and independents,” Zogby said. “This is a partisan war.”
While 61% of Republicans said he was doing a good job managing the war (down from 70% in October), just 11% of Democrats and 28% of independents gave him good marks in that area. Among Democrats, 71% said Bush was doing a “poor” job with the war, while 17% said he was doing only a “fair” job.
Among men, 36% said the President was handling the war well, while 31% of women agreed
The deterioration in the President’s numbers appears to be the result of eroding support among the investor class and others who supported him in his 2004 re-election bid, said Pollster John Zogby, President and CEO of Zogby International. And the problem is the Iraq war – just 34% of respondents said Mr. Bush was doing a good or excellent job managing the war, down from 38% approval in a Zogby poll taken in mid-October.
Bush’s overall job approval rating in that poll was at 46%.
Among investors, Bush’s support for managing the war dropped five points since October, from 45% to 40%, Zogby data shows. But Zogby said the glaring split between how Republicans, Democrats and independents think the President is handling Iraq is remarkable.
“The numbers in support for the war in Iraq are extremely low among Democrats and independents,” Zogby said. “This is a partisan war.”
While 61% of Republicans said he was doing a good job managing the war (down from 70% in October), just 11% of Democrats and 28% of independents gave him good marks in that area. Among Democrats, 71% said Bush was doing a “poor” job with the war, while 17% said he was doing only a “fair” job.
Among men, 36% said the President was handling the war well, while 31% of women agreed
Ethics Committees Won't Commit to Action
The leaders of Congress' ethics committees are not committing to any investigation of misconduct despite the growing revelations about the favors that lobbyist Jack Abramoff won for clients and the largesse he arranged for lawmakers.The committees, for now, are poised to remain on the sidelines.
The House committee, stymied by partisan disagreements, launched no investigations in 2005 even after former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, requested an inquiry into his foreign travel arranged by Abramoff.
The lack of commitment to investigate issues about lawmakers' conduct with Abramoff, his lobbying team and his clients is raising anew the question of whether Congress adequately can discipline its own.
"There have always been questions about whether Congress can police itself," said Kathleen Clark, a law professor at Washington University in St. Louis who specializes in ethics. "The situation in the House removes all doubt. The House is not policing itself."
The House committee, stymied by partisan disagreements, launched no investigations in 2005 even after former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, requested an inquiry into his foreign travel arranged by Abramoff.
The lack of commitment to investigate issues about lawmakers' conduct with Abramoff, his lobbying team and his clients is raising anew the question of whether Congress adequately can discipline its own.
"There have always been questions about whether Congress can police itself," said Kathleen Clark, a law professor at Washington University in St. Louis who specializes in ethics. "The situation in the House removes all doubt. The House is not policing itself."
Saddam judge stands by resignation: court spokesman
The chief judge in the trial of Saddam Hussein is standing by his resignation and efforts by Iraqi officials to dissuade him were not expected to reach a conclusion on Monday, a spokesman for the court said.
"It won't be settled today," said the spokesman, who in keeping with tribunal practice, declined to give his name.
He also declined to name the senior High Tribunal judge who was dispatched to Judge Rizgar Amin's Kurdish home city of Sulaimaniya to negotiate with him after the Iraqi government in cabinet rejected the resignation he submitted last week.
In the first direct comment from the U.S.-sponsored High Tribunal's administration since the head of the five-judge panel made public his resignation on Friday, the spokesman said: "The administrative magistrates responsible for cabinet issues delivered the resignation request to the cabinet.
"It will take some time in cabinet before a final decision."
The trial of Saddam and seven others for crimes against humanity is due to resume on January 24 after a month-long recess.
Amin has made no formal statement himself but has made clear he is unhappy about interference in the trial and pressure put on him personally by the government and other Shi'ite political leaders who accuse the Kurdish judge of being soft on Saddam.
"It won't be settled today," said the spokesman, who in keeping with tribunal practice, declined to give his name.
He also declined to name the senior High Tribunal judge who was dispatched to Judge Rizgar Amin's Kurdish home city of Sulaimaniya to negotiate with him after the Iraqi government in cabinet rejected the resignation he submitted last week.
In the first direct comment from the U.S.-sponsored High Tribunal's administration since the head of the five-judge panel made public his resignation on Friday, the spokesman said: "The administrative magistrates responsible for cabinet issues delivered the resignation request to the cabinet.
"It will take some time in cabinet before a final decision."
The trial of Saddam and seven others for crimes against humanity is due to resume on January 24 after a month-long recess.
Amin has made no formal statement himself but has made clear he is unhappy about interference in the trial and pressure put on him personally by the government and other Shi'ite political leaders who accuse the Kurdish judge of being soft on Saddam.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
DeLay Associate Expects to be handed GOP House Leadership
Representative Roy Blunt of Missouri says he has firm commitments from enough House Republicans to be elected majority leader, replacing Tom DeLay in an internal party election Feb. 2.Blunt's rivals, Representatives John Boehner of Ohio and John Shadegg of Arizona, were not ready to concede.
"This will be a long campaign, leading up to a secret ballot election," Boehner said. He called on Blunt to give up his whip's position formally, a post he could retain under current rules if he lost the majority leader's race.
Shadegg, a conservative who entered the race on Friday, said he had already cut into Blunt's support.
"We already have defections from the Blunt list and we expect more," he said. "Vote counts in this sort of race are notoriously inaccurate. I am in this race to the finish."
With the current House Republican membership at 231, with one vacancy, 116 would constitute a majority. Blunt said he had commitments from more than 117 lawmakers.
Blunt has come under criticism for his links to Washington's lobbyists in a party fight that has been dominated by talk of reforms and ethics related to the lobbying scandal surrounding the lobbyist Jack Abramoff, once a close associate of DeLay.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Qaeda No.2 Away During Attack: Pakistan Official
A U.S. airstrike in Pakistan targeted al Qaeda's second-in-command, U.S. sources said, but Ayman al-Zawahri was away at the time, according to a senior Pakistani official on Saturday. The strike on Friday killed at least 18 people, including women and children, and three houses were destroyed in a village near the Afghan border, residents said.
Pakistan condemned the airstrike and would summon the U.S. ambassador to protest the attack, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said. He had no information about Zawahri.
CIA-operated unmanned drones were believed to have been used in the attack on Damadola village, across the border from Kunar province in eastern Afghanistan, the U.S. sources said.
A high-ranking Pakistani official said Zawahri, deputy to al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, was not in the village. The United States has offered $25 million for either Zawahri or bin Laden.
``Al-Zawahri was not there at the time,'' the Pakistani official told Reuters.
Pakistani intelligence sources said Zawahri was believed to have made visits to the Bajaur area, though on Friday he was not in Damadola, 200 km (125 miles) northwest of Islamabad.
President Pervez Musharraf, addressing officials in the town of Swabi to the north of Islamabad, said only: ``There was an incident in Bajaur. We are looking into it, who did it -- people from outside have come.''
A military spokesman at U.S. Central Command in Florida said there had been no official report of an attack in Pakistan.
Pakistan condemned the airstrike and would summon the U.S. ambassador to protest the attack, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said. He had no information about Zawahri.
CIA-operated unmanned drones were believed to have been used in the attack on Damadola village, across the border from Kunar province in eastern Afghanistan, the U.S. sources said.
A high-ranking Pakistani official said Zawahri, deputy to al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, was not in the village. The United States has offered $25 million for either Zawahri or bin Laden.
``Al-Zawahri was not there at the time,'' the Pakistani official told Reuters.
Pakistani intelligence sources said Zawahri was believed to have made visits to the Bajaur area, though on Friday he was not in Damadola, 200 km (125 miles) northwest of Islamabad.
President Pervez Musharraf, addressing officials in the town of Swabi to the north of Islamabad, said only: ``There was an incident in Bajaur. We are looking into it, who did it -- people from outside have come.''
A military spokesman at U.S. Central Command in Florida said there had been no official report of an attack in Pakistan.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Clinton says he didn't use warrantless wiretaps
Former President Clinton said Thursday that he never ordered wiretaps of American citizens without obtaining a court order, as President Bush has acknowledged he has done. Clinton, in an interview broadcast Thursday on the ABC News program ''Nightline,'' said his administration either received court approval before authorizing a wiretap or went to court within three days after to get permission, as required by law.
''We either went there and asked for the approval or, if there was an emergency and we had to do it beforehand, then we filed within three days afterward and gave them a chance to second guess it,'' Clinton told ABC. Bush said in December that he authorized wiretaps without obtaining court permission and defended the practice as a ''vital tool'' in tracking terrorist suspects and accomplices.
''We either went there and asked for the approval or, if there was an emergency and we had to do it beforehand, then we filed within three days afterward and gave them a chance to second guess it,'' Clinton told ABC. Bush said in December that he authorized wiretaps without obtaining court permission and defended the practice as a ''vital tool'' in tracking terrorist suspects and accomplices.
Bush Admin. Launched Secret Smear Campaign Against Murtha
The Huffington Post has learned the Bush administration recently asked high ranking military leaders to denounce Congressman John Murtha. Congressman Murtha has called for the Bush Administration to withdraw US troops from Iraq.
The Bush Administration first attacked Rep. Murtha for his Iraq views by associating him with the filmmaker Michael Moore and Representative Jean Schmidt likened him to a coward on the floor of the House of Representatives. When those tactics backfired, Dick Cheney called Murtha "A good man, a marine, a patriot and he's taking a clear stand in an entirely legitimate discussion." Though the White House has backed off publicly, administration officials have nevertheless recently made calls to military leaders to condemn the congressman. So far they have refused.
Rep. Murtha spent 37 years in the Marine Corps earning a Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts and a Navy Distinguished Service Medal. His service has earned him the respect of the military, and made him a trusted adviser to both Republican and Democratic presidents and leaders of the armed forces.
Documents tie shadowy US unit to inmate abuse case
Newly released military documents show U.S. Army investigators closed a probe into allegations an Iraqi detainee had been abused by a shadowy military task force after its members used fake names and asserted that key computer files had been lost.
The documents shed light on Task Force 6-26, a special operations unit, and confirmed the existence of a secret military "Special Access Program" associated with it, ACLU lawyer Amrit Singh said on Thursday.
The documents were released by the Army to the American Civil Liberties Union under court order through the Freedom of Information Act. They were the latest files to provide details of the numerous investigations carried out by the Army into allegations of detainee abuse in Iraq.
A June 2005 document by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command in Iraq described its investigation into suspected abuse of a detainee captured in January 2004 by Task Force 6-26 in Tikrit, deposed President Saddam Hussein's hometown. His name was redacted, but he was mentioned as the son of a Saddam bodyguard.
The man was taken to Baghdad international airport, documents stated. The United States maintains a prison there for "high-value" detainees.
He told Army investigators that U.S. personnel forced him one night to remove his clothes, walk into walls with a box over his head connected to a rope around his neck, punched him in the spinal area until he fainted, placed him in front of an air conditioner while cold water was poured on him, and kicked him in the stomach until he vomited, the documents stated.
The documents shed light on Task Force 6-26, a special operations unit, and confirmed the existence of a secret military "Special Access Program" associated with it, ACLU lawyer Amrit Singh said on Thursday.
The documents were released by the Army to the American Civil Liberties Union under court order through the Freedom of Information Act. They were the latest files to provide details of the numerous investigations carried out by the Army into allegations of detainee abuse in Iraq.
A June 2005 document by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command in Iraq described its investigation into suspected abuse of a detainee captured in January 2004 by Task Force 6-26 in Tikrit, deposed President Saddam Hussein's hometown. His name was redacted, but he was mentioned as the son of a Saddam bodyguard.
The man was taken to Baghdad international airport, documents stated. The United States maintains a prison there for "high-value" detainees.
He told Army investigators that U.S. personnel forced him one night to remove his clothes, walk into walls with a box over his head connected to a rope around his neck, punched him in the spinal area until he fainted, placed him in front of an air conditioner while cold water was poured on him, and kicked him in the stomach until he vomited, the documents stated.
Clinton Strikes Deal for AIDS Drugs
NEW YORK - Former President announced Thursday that his foundation has negotiated agreements to lower the prices of rapid tests and anti- AIDS drugs in the developing world, potentially saving "hundreds of thousands of lives."
Under the agreement, four companies will offer the tests for 49 cents to 65 cents apiece, slicing the cost of a diagnosis in half. Four more companies will provide the antiretroviral drugs efavirenz and abacavir at prices about 30 percent less than the current market rates, Clinton said.
"Too many people die because they can't afford or don't have access to the drugs," Clinton said at his office in Harlem. "Too many people are being infected because most of the people who have the virus today have not been tested."
Under the agreement, four companies will offer the tests for 49 cents to 65 cents apiece, slicing the cost of a diagnosis in half. Four more companies will provide the antiretroviral drugs efavirenz and abacavir at prices about 30 percent less than the current market rates, Clinton said.
"Too many people die because they can't afford or don't have access to the drugs," Clinton said at his office in Harlem. "Too many people are being infected because most of the people who have the virus today have not been tested."
Thursday, January 12, 2006
General Asserts Right On Self-Incrimination In Iraq Abuse Cases
Maj. Gen. Geoffrey D. Miller, a central figure in the U.S. detainee-abuse scandal, this week invoked his right not to incriminate himself in court-martial proceedings against two soldiers accused of using dogs to intimidate captives at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, according to lawyers involved in the case.
The move by Miller -- who once supervised the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and helped set up operations at Abu Ghraib -- is the first time the general has given an indication that he might have information that could implicate him in wrongdoing, according to military lawyers.Miller, now based at the Pentagon as a senior official managing Army installations, was recommended for administrative punishment for his alleged mishandling of interrogations of a valuable detainee in Guantanamo Bay. But high-ranking military officials have declined to impose the penalty.
The move by Miller -- who once supervised the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and helped set up operations at Abu Ghraib -- is the first time the general has given an indication that he might have information that could implicate him in wrongdoing, according to military lawyers.Miller, now based at the Pentagon as a senior official managing Army installations, was recommended for administrative punishment for his alleged mishandling of interrogations of a valuable detainee in Guantanamo Bay. But high-ranking military officials have declined to impose the penalty.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
NSA Employee Admits to Being Source For NYT
Russell Tice, a longtime insider at the National Security Agency, is now a whistleblower the agency would like to keep quiet. For 20 years, Tice worked in the shadows as he helped the United States spy on other people's conversations around the world.
President Bush has admitted that he gave orders that allowed the NSA to eavesdrop on a small number of Americans without the usual requisite warrants. But Tice disagrees. He says the number of Americans subject to eavesdropping by the NSA could be in the millions if the full range of secret NSA programs is used.
"That would mean for most Americans that if they conducted, or you know, placed an overseas communication, more than likely they were sucked into that vacuum," Tice said.The same day The New York Times broke the story of the NSA eavesdropping without warrants, Tice surfaced as a whistleblower in the agency. He told ABC News that he was a source for the Times' reporters. But Tice maintains that his conscience is clear."As far as I'm concerned, as long as I don't say anything that's classified, I'm not worried," he said. "We need to clean up the intelligence community. We've had abuses, and they need to be addressed."
President Bush has admitted that he gave orders that allowed the NSA to eavesdrop on a small number of Americans without the usual requisite warrants. But Tice disagrees. He says the number of Americans subject to eavesdropping by the NSA could be in the millions if the full range of secret NSA programs is used.
"That would mean for most Americans that if they conducted, or you know, placed an overseas communication, more than likely they were sucked into that vacuum," Tice said.The same day The New York Times broke the story of the NSA eavesdropping without warrants, Tice surfaced as a whistleblower in the agency. He told ABC News that he was a source for the Times' reporters. But Tice maintains that his conscience is clear."As far as I'm concerned, as long as I don't say anything that's classified, I'm not worried," he said. "We need to clean up the intelligence community. We've had abuses, and they need to be addressed."
Monday, January 09, 2006
Over Medicated: V.P. Rushed to Hospital Overnight
Vice President Dick Cheney was taken to George Washington Hospital early Monday experiencing shortness of breath, a spokeswoman said. He was released four and a half hours later.
Cheney spokeswoman Lea Anne McBride said Cheney was taken to the hospital at 3 a.m. He was released about 7:30 a.m. Doctors found his EKG, or electrocardiogram, unchanged and determined he was retaining fluid because of medication he was taking for a foot problem. Cheney, who has a long history of heart problems and has a pacemaker, was placed on a diuretic at the hospital. The foot ailment forced Cheney to use a cane on Friday.
Cheney spokeswoman Lea Anne McBride said Cheney was taken to the hospital at 3 a.m. He was released about 7:30 a.m. Doctors found his EKG, or electrocardiogram, unchanged and determined he was retaining fluid because of medication he was taking for a foot problem. Cheney, who has a long history of heart problems and has a pacemaker, was placed on a diuretic at the hospital. The foot ailment forced Cheney to use a cane on Friday.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Ministers Say They Blessed Seats Ahead of Alito Hearing
Insisting that God "certainly needs to be involved" in the Supreme Court confirmation process, three Christian ministers [Friday] blessed the doors of the hearing room where Senate Judiciary Committee members will begin considering the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito on Monday.
Capitol Hill police barred them from entering the room to continue what they called a consecration service. But in a bit of one-upsmanship, the three announced that they had let themselves in a day earlier, touching holy oil to the seats where Judge Alito, the senators, witnesses, Senate staffers and the press will sit, and praying for each of the 13 committee members by name.
"We did adequately apply oil to all the seats," said the Rev. Rob Schenck, who identified himself as an evangelical Christian and as president of the National Clergy Council in Washington.
Capitol Hill police barred them from entering the room to continue what they called a consecration service. But in a bit of one-upsmanship, the three announced that they had let themselves in a day earlier, touching holy oil to the seats where Judge Alito, the senators, witnesses, Senate staffers and the press will sit, and praying for each of the 13 committee members by name.
"We did adequately apply oil to all the seats," said the Rev. Rob Schenck, who identified himself as an evangelical Christian and as president of the National Clergy Council in Washington.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
DeLay won't seek to regain leader post
Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, says he won't fight for the leadership post he left after being indicted on state political money laundering charges. The concession came in a letter to U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., Saturday, a day after a group of fellow house Republicans circulated a petition calling for a Jan. 31 leadership election. GOP Reps. Jeff Flake of Arizona and Charlie Bass of New Hampshire, the authors of the petition, said it was a message to DeLay to let someone else lead the party.
If 50 Republican representatives would have signed the petition it would forced a new election. DeLay's letter to Hastert made the petition moot. The Chicago Tribune reports DeLay said in the letter to Hastert that the Republican Party would be threatened by his problems if he were to push for reinstatement. DeLay was indicted Sept. 28 on conspiracy and money laundering charges in Texas and subsequently stepped down from his position as U.S. House majority leader.
Friday, January 06, 2006
Extra Armor Could Have Saved Many Lives, Study Shows
A secret Pentagon study has found that at least 80 percent of the marines who have been killed in Iraq from wounds to their upper body could have survived if they had extra body armor. That armor has been available since 2003 but until recently the Pentagon has largely declined to supply it to troops despite calls from the field for additional protection, according to military officials.
The ceramic plates in vests currently worn by the majority of military personnel in Iraq cover only some of the chest and back. In at least 74 of the 93 fatal wounds that were analyzed in the Pentagon study of marines from March 2003 through June 2005, bullets and shrapnel struck the marines' shoulders, sides or areas of the torso where the plates do not reach.
Thirty-one of the deadly wounds struck the chest or back so close to the plates that simply enlarging the existing shields "would have had the potential to alter the fatal outcome," according to the study, which was obtained by The New York Times.
For the first time, the study by the military's medical examiner shows the cost in lost lives from inadequate armor, even as the Pentagon continues to publicly defend its protection of the troops. Officials have said they are shipping the best armor to Iraq as quickly as possible. At the same time, they have maintained that it is impossible to shield forces from the increasingly powerful improvised explosive devices used by insurgents. Yet the Pentagon's own study reveals the equally lethal threat of bullets.
The vulnerability of the military's body armor has been known since the start of the war, and is part of a series of problems that have surrounded the protection of American troops. Still, the Marine Corps did not begin buying additional plates to cover the sides of their troops until this September, when it ordered 28,800 sets, Marine Corps officials acknowledge.
The Army, which has the largest force in Iraq, is still deciding what to purchase, according to Army procurement officials. They said the Army is deciding between various sizes of plates to give its 130,000 soldiers; the officials said they hope to issue contracts this month.
Additional forensic studies by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner's unit that were obtained by The Times indicate that about 340 American troops have died solely from torso wounds
The ceramic plates in vests currently worn by the majority of military personnel in Iraq cover only some of the chest and back. In at least 74 of the 93 fatal wounds that were analyzed in the Pentagon study of marines from March 2003 through June 2005, bullets and shrapnel struck the marines' shoulders, sides or areas of the torso where the plates do not reach.
Thirty-one of the deadly wounds struck the chest or back so close to the plates that simply enlarging the existing shields "would have had the potential to alter the fatal outcome," according to the study, which was obtained by The New York Times.
For the first time, the study by the military's medical examiner shows the cost in lost lives from inadequate armor, even as the Pentagon continues to publicly defend its protection of the troops. Officials have said they are shipping the best armor to Iraq as quickly as possible. At the same time, they have maintained that it is impossible to shield forces from the increasingly powerful improvised explosive devices used by insurgents. Yet the Pentagon's own study reveals the equally lethal threat of bullets.
The vulnerability of the military's body armor has been known since the start of the war, and is part of a series of problems that have surrounded the protection of American troops. Still, the Marine Corps did not begin buying additional plates to cover the sides of their troops until this September, when it ordered 28,800 sets, Marine Corps officials acknowledge.
The Army, which has the largest force in Iraq, is still deciding what to purchase, according to Army procurement officials. They said the Army is deciding between various sizes of plates to give its 130,000 soldiers; the officials said they hope to issue contracts this month.
Additional forensic studies by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner's unit that were obtained by The Times indicate that about 340 American troops have died solely from torso wounds
Report: Rep. Cunningham wore a wire
Former U.S. Rep Randy Cunningham, R-Calif., wore a wire to help prosecutors get evidence against others in the corruption scheme that drove him from office.Citing sources familiar with the investigation Time magazine reported Friday that Cunningham began cooperating with prosecutors who were looking into his dealings with defense contractors, and wore a wire at some point between that time and Nov. 28, 2005, when the government announced he had pleaded guilty to corruption charges.
The names of those with whom Cunningham met while wearing the wire were not known, but were the focus of furious -- and nervous -- speculation among congressional Republicans, Time said.
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Author of 'Bush's Brain' Placed on "No Fly" List
"I have been on the No Fly Watch List for a year. I will never be told the official reason. No one ever is. You cannot sue to get the information. Nothing I have done has moved me any closer to getting off the list. There were 35,000 Americans in that database last year".
James Moore is an Emmy-winning former television news correspondent and the co-author of the bestselling, Bush's Brain: How Karl Rove Made George W. Bush Presidential. He has been writing and reporting from Texas for the past 25 years on the rise of Rove and Bush and has traveled extensively on every presidential campaign since 1976. This author was placed on the no fly list.
James Moore is an Emmy-winning former television news correspondent and the co-author of the bestselling, Bush's Brain: How Karl Rove Made George W. Bush Presidential. He has been writing and reporting from Texas for the past 25 years on the rise of Rove and Bush and has traveled extensively on every presidential campaign since 1976. This author was placed on the no fly list.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
NBC Removed Reference To Amanpour
Andrea Mitchell asked James Risen if he had uncovered evidence that CNN correspondent Christiane Amanpour was eavesdropped upon.
Yesterday, MSNBC.com published a transcript of Andrea Mitchell's interview with author James Risen about the CIA's domestic spying program. In it, Mitchell asked Risen if he had uncovered evidence that CNN correspondent Christiane Amanpour was eavesdropped upon. It was a specific and pointed question that led AMERICAblog to ask if the veteran journalist had been spied on by the Bush administration. This afternoon, MSNBC.com removed the portion of the transcript that referred to Amanpour. (Here's what it originally said.) In a statement to TVNewser tonight, NBC explained why.
Yesterday, MSNBC.com published a transcript of Andrea Mitchell's interview with author James Risen about the CIA's domestic spying program. In it, Mitchell asked Risen if he had uncovered evidence that CNN correspondent Christiane Amanpour was eavesdropped upon. It was a specific and pointed question that led AMERICAblog to ask if the veteran journalist had been spied on by the Bush administration. This afternoon, MSNBC.com removed the portion of the transcript that referred to Amanpour. (Here's what it originally said.) In a statement to TVNewser tonight, NBC explained why.
UPDATE 1/6/6
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