| Feb. 5, 2009 Panetta for CIA post | ||
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Panetta Open to Tougher Methods in Some C.I.A. Interrogation
NY Times — Leon E. Panetta, the White House pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, on Thursday left open the possibility that the agency could seek permission to use interrogation methods more aggressive than the limited menu that President Obama authorized under new rules issued last month. Under insistent questioning from a Senate panel, Mr. Panetta said that in extreme cases, if interrogators were unable to extract critical information from a terrorism suspect, he would seek White House approval for the C.I.A. to use methods that would go beyond those permitted under the new rules. click to read complete article |
Panetta: Waterboarding is torture
LA Times -- Leon E. Panetta, President Obama's pick to head the CIA, testified today that he believes the harsh interrogation technique known as waterboarding is torture and vowed to end an era in which the CIA's conduct became source of controversy in the United States and drew condemnation around the world. "I believe that waterboarding is torture and it's wrong," Panetta said during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee. Asked whether the president could authorize the agency to resume using such harsh methods, even in the midst of a crisis, Panetta replied: "Nobody is above the law." click to read complete article |
Panetta Styles Himself A CIA Company Man
San Francisco Chronicle --- Leon Panetta, President Obama's choice for CIA chief, pledged to lawmakers that he would end some of the most controversial intelligence-gathering practices of the last eight years, including waterboarding and renditions of suspects overseas. But the former Monterey congressman and Clinton White House chief of staff also endeared himself to the CIA rank-and-file by saying he does not believe U.S. interrogators should be prosecuted for past use of harsh methods approved by the Bush administration. click to read complete article |
| Feb. 5, 2009 Elections In Iraq | ||
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There Is No Victory in Iraq
HUFFINGTON POST - It is hard to read stories like this one from the New York Times, and to not be heartened, if nothing else than on a purely human level: BAGHDAD -- Iraqis voted on Saturday for local representatives, on an almost violence-free election day aimed at creating provincial councils that more closely represent Iraq's ethnic, sectarian and tribal balance. By nightfall, there were no confirmed deaths, and children played soccer on closed-off streets in a generally joyous atmosphere..."I just voted, and I'm very happy," Mukhalad Waleed, 35, said in the city of Ramadi, in Anbar. "We could not do the same thing the last time because of the insurgency." The subtext of this article is clear: a democracy has taken root in Iraq. Implicit in this is the idea that the United States has proven victorious in achieving a major aim, i.e. the replacement of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship with a new democratic ally in the Middle East. A second narrative is also well on its way to being established as part of the official story of the war... click to read complete article |
Iraq prime minister sweeps to victory in provincial elections
GUARDIAN UK Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki's candidates have swept to victory in nine of Iraq's 14 provinces, consolidating the once-troubled leader's rule ahead of national polls this year. Preliminary results announced today confirmed that Maliki had defied pre-election predictions that he would lose ground to a new guard of Iraqi lawmakers in the wake of four years of bloodshed and instability. The results also suggest that Maliki has emerged largely unscathed from the George Bush years,.. click to read complete article |
So, Sunnis: What Did Voting Get You?
WASHINGTON INDEPENDENT Tallies are still unofficial in the Iraqi provincial elections, but from the perspective of Sunni participation in the political process — one of the biggest imbalances in Iraqi politics that the elections were supposed to redress — it’s looking increasingly grim. First we’ve got the combustible mixture of acrimony, fraud accusations and lack of acceptance of legitimacy in Anbar province, where it appears the former insurgents and tribesmen who formed the Anbar Awakening didn’t get the electoral victory they expected... click to read complete article |
| Feb. 5, 2009 Gaza Relief Funds | ||
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Israel agrees to let $43 mln into Gaza for Abbas
REUTERS INDIA - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert agreed on Thursday to allow the transfer of $43 million to the Gaza Strip to enable Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's government to pay salaries, officials said. The amount was less than Abbas had requested. click to read complete article |
Let Gaza aid through, Israelis told
PRESS ASSOCIATION British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has made a fresh appeal to Israel to help aid get to the victims of the Gaza conflict following Downing Street talks with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. Mr Brown said it was in Israeli interests to allow full humanitarian access as the true scale of the damage inflicted by its controversial offensive became clear. He said: "More than 1,000 innocent civilians, including over 300 children, lost their lives as a result of the conflict in Gaza. Thousands more have been displaced and injured; many more remain in dire need of food and medical attention. We are only now seeing the full extent of the problems we face. So we must do everything we can. click to read complete article |
Hamas cash into Gaza is stopped
BBC A senior Hamas official has been prevented from crossing back into Gaza with millions of dollars in cash, say Egyptian authorities. Border guards at the Rafah crossing searched members of a Hamas delegation as they returned from talks in Cairo. They say the man had $9m (£6m) and 2m euros (£1.7m) in his bags. He was made to return to the Egyptian capital. The Palestinian territory has a shortage of cash caused by the Israeli blockade and other sanctions. click to read complete article |
| Feb. 5, 2009 Economic Stimulus Bill | ||
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No More Nice Guy: Obama Strikes Back On Stimulus
NPR.org, President Obama is turning the screws. Two weeks out from his historic inauguration and promises of a new, less partisan Washington, but with his stimulus plan taking a very public beating at the hands of minority Republicans on Capitol Hill, the president has been forced to transform. And quickly. click to read complete article |
Obama urges stimulus bill action
BBC US President Barack Obama has warned Congress that "the time for talk is over" on an economic stimulus bill. The US Senate could vote on the $900bn (£600bn) package by the end of Thursday, according to Senate Majority leader Harry Reid. Moderate senators from both parties are working to strip some spending commitments out of the legislation in order to garner bipartisan support. President Obama has said he wants the stimulus package passed by 16 February. click to read complete article |
Obama, Lawmakers Battle to Close Stimulus Divide Before Self-Imposed Deadline
Fox News President Obama is locked in his first major battle with Congress over the economic stimulus, but if he can't swiftly resolve the growing great divide between dueling versions of the bill he risks missing his own self-imposed deadline. Every time senators try to pare down their version of the economic stimulus package that passed at $819 billion in the House, it seems to get bigger. The bill was bloating past $920 billion Thursday. click to read complete article |
| Feb. 3, 2009 Automakers, Bailout and Sales | ||
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SALES OF ALL VEHICLES SUFFERS
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SALES OF HYUNDAI, SUBARU GAIN
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MORE BAILOUTS REQUIRED FOR AUTOMAKERS
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Toyota Motor Corp. said today sales of its cars and trucks in the
United States declined 31.7% in January, a month that saw continued
weakness in consumer confidence the U.S. economy.
For the month, Toyota said it sold 117,287 vehicles, down from 171,849
last year.
Toyota said sales of all Toyota vehicles declined 32.3% to 102,565
vehicles while sales of all Lexus vehicles declined 27.5% to 14,722
vehicles.
click to read complete article |
DETROIT (AP)— General Motors' U.S. vehicle sales plunged 49 percent
in January while Ford's sales dropped 40 percent, starting 2009 at an
abysmal pace for the whole auto industry as lower sales to fleet
buyers like rental car companies weighed down the results.
Toyota's sales dove 32 percent for the month, Nissan's dropped 30
percent and Honda's fell 28 percent, putting the overall industry on
track for its fourth straight month in which U.S. sales plunged 30
percent or more.
But Subaru bucked the trend of declines for a second month in a row,
posting an 8 percent sales increase, and Hyundai said its sales jumped
14 percent.
click to read complete article |
TIMESONLINE
President Obama may be forced to dig deeper into taxpayer pockets to
bail out the American car industry after General Motors and Ford
admitted to the lowest vehicle sales for 26 years.
General Motors, America's biggest car maker, said that it had sold 49
per cent fewer new vehicles in January, compared with the same period
the year before while Ford admitted that new car sales had fallen by
40 per cent last month. Chrysler, which is a private company owned by
the private equity firm Cerberus, is believed to have suffered a 49
per cent decline.
click to read complete article |
| Feb. 3, 2009 Iran Launches Satelite | ||
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Iran displays progress in
space technology at a time of persistent international tension over
its nuclear program
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Another achievement for Iranian
scientists under sanctions
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On the 30th anniversary of the Islamic revolution and with the order
of the president the national Omid satellite was launched
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TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran launched its first home-made satellite into
orbit on Tuesday, state television reported, displaying progress in
space technology at a time of persistent international tension over
its nuclear program.
The Omid (Hope) satellite, launched as Iran marks the 30th anniversary
of the 1979 Islamic revolution this month, was designed for research
and telecommunications, said the television, which carried footage of
the launch.
click to read complete article |
TEHRAN (BBC) - Iran has launched its first domestically made satellite
into orbit, state media reports.
TV commentary said the launch was "another achievement for Iranian
scientists under sanctions". President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called it
historic.
Iran is subject to UN sanctions because the US and other Western
powers suspect it of trying to build a nuclear bomb.
click to read complete article |
TEHRAN (AFP) – Iran has placed its first home-built satellite in orbit
using a Safir-2 rocket in a move that is set to raise new concerns in
the international community.
"On the 30th anniversary of the Islamic revolution and with the order
of the president the national Omid satellite was launched," Fars news
agency said.
"This is the first satellite that has been launched in the history of
our nation and it was carried by Safir-2 satellite carrier."
click to read complete article |
| Jan. 30, 2009 OIL! PROFITS? | ||
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Exxon Mobil sets record with $45.2 billion profit The Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — Exxon Mobil Corp. on Friday reported a profit of $45.2 billion for 2008, breaking its own record for a US company, even as its fourth-quarter earnings fell 33 percent from a year ago. The previous record for annual profit was $40.6 ... click to read complete article |
Exxon Profit Down 33% as Prices Fall
New York Times By JAD MOUAWAD Exxon Mobil, the world’s largest publicly traded oil company, said Friday that its fourth-quarter income fell 33 percent as oil prices collapsed and consumption slowed. Exxon’s fourth-quarter profit was $7.8 billion or a $1.55 a share, ... click to read complete article |
Despite sliding profits in 4th quarter, Exxon sets record for 2008
International Herald Tribune By Jad Mouawad NEW YORK: Exxon Mobil, the largest publicly traded oil company in the world, said Friday that its profit fell 33 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008 as the price of oil declined. But in a year where oil rose to a record price before ... click to read complete article |
| Jan. 30, 2009 White House Labor Policy | ||
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A union-friendly White House Boston Globe A day after handing labor unions a major victory by signing an equal-pay law, President Obama today issued a series of executive orders that he said should "level the playing field" for labor against management. -- Require federal contractors to offer ... click to read complete article |
Obama aims to reverse Bush labor laws
IranVNC Washington, 30 January (IranVNC)—US President Barack Obama today vowed to reverse a number of labor laws enacted under his predecessor, George W. Bush, which labor unions have criticized as favoring employers over workers. Obama told a gathering at the ... click to read complete article |
Obama to issue pro-labor executive orders
CNNMoney.com President to reverse order allowing unionized shops to post signs notifying employees of right to leave union. How will the economic stimulus package help your job situation? WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Obama plans Friday to reverse an executive ... click to read complete article |
| Jan. 30, 2009 Blagojevich Impeached | ||
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Illinois Governor Convicted and Impeached The International Herald Tribune reports that "Governor Rod Blagojevich [was convicted] on a sprawling article of impeachment that charged him with abusing his power." "The city was captivated" they report "as Blagojevich pleaded his innocence in blunt, unsparing terms." "in an interview after [Blojevich's] statement, Senator Christine Radogno, the Republican leader of the Senate, said she was not persuaded. 'I'm immune to his speech giving,' she said. 'We've seen those tricks before.'" The IHT quotes Illinois Senators as criticizing the Governor for not appearing under oath. They close noting he is the first Governor impeached since 1988 and the first in the history of the Illinois legislature. click to read complete article |
Governor Convicted Despite Passionate Closing Argument
The Los Angeles Times reports " The Illinois Senate voted to remove Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich from office today... [and] unanimously voted to impose what has been called the "political death penalty" on Blagojevich -- a lifetime ban from holding office in Illinois" They say that after the Governors "passionate" closing argument, "senator after senator stood up to criticize Blagojevich." They go on to say that now "lawmakers must bail out a state that is as much as $5 billion in the red." The LA Times quotes Sen. Matt Murphy as saying "'We bent over backward to make sure that this process was fair.'" and "State Sen. Kirk Dillard said Blagojevich was 'inept, he's corrupt, he's cost the state millions of dollars.'" click to read complete article |
Illinois Senate Kicks Out Blagojevich
Fox News Reports that "[Illinois] Senators voted unanimously to convict Blagojevich and bar him from holding political office in the state again." "Blagojevich said he was saddened and disappointed by the Senate's decision but not at all surprised." "'I predicted it,'" Fox quotes the governor as saying "'The fix was in from the very beginning.'" They report "Obama released a statement Thursday night, calling it 'a painful episode for Illinois.'" Fox calls the Governor's closing statement pleading but reports "state senators were unswayed. One by one... they expressed their contempt for Blagojevich with a litany of epithets, calling him 'dishonest,' 'devious,' 'corrupt,' and a 'hypocrite.'" "FBI wiretaps" they say "appear to show Blagojevich linking his decision on legislation to receiving campaign contributions." "Blagojevich told the state Senate the tapes captured something that 'all of us in politics do in order to run campaigns and win elections.'" click to read complete article |
| Jan. 27, 2009 Timothy Geithner Approved for Treasury | ||
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Bailout Poses Problems to Lawmakers The Wall Street Journal reports that after a 60-34 confirmation "[Geithner] is expected Tuesday to announce new rules intended to curb the influence of lobbyists and special interests". They explain that this is "part of Mr. Obama's plan to revamp the financial bailout". They continue by explaining the problem facing the government's attempt to bail out private banks; "With bank stocks low and bank capital needs high, additional government investments could give the U.S. effective control over financial firms", and saying that "If the government pays too low a price [for shares in banks], banks may have to take deeper write-downs than they have already, exacerbating their financial woes. But if the prices are too high, then banks -- and their shareholders -- are benefiting at taxpayer expense." click to read complete article |
Approval Amid Controversy
Reuters reports "Geithner will immediately start work on a massive overhaul of the $700 billion U.S. financial rescue program" quoting Obama as saying ""We cannot lose a single day because every day the economic picture is darkening" Reuters describes some of the controversy surrounding Geithner including a failure to pay taxes several years ago and the new chairman's own comments "Even before confirmation, Geithner stirred controversy by saying that Obama believes China, the largest holder of U.S. government debt, is "manipulating" its yuan currency." click to read complete article |
A More Personal Look
ABC News reports "While few people on Main Street have heard [Geithner's] name, all of Wall Street knows it well." going on to say that "If you examine the life story of Geithner you may think he and Obama are brothers, separated at birth." They continue that lacking a MBA or Economics Degree, "Like Obama, he has risen even while bucking the normal route to success." They quote the head of the team which selected Geithner for his job at the New York Federal Reserve Bank as saying he was "'clear thinking and clear speaking in a crisis and not at all reticent to speak his views.'" adding "'That is something important in a town like Washington.'" click to read complete article |
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Jan. 21, 2009 The Inauguration
A Middle East Centric View Al Jazeera jumps directly into analysis of President Obama's inaugural speech noting in the opening sentence of their story that Obama "promised 'mutual respect' for the Muslim world". They call his speech "something of a rebuke to the outgoing president" They go on to say "Obama's speech was aimed at convincing Americans that he will take a different course from Bush.", but site other papers as saying his words "did not highlight any major shift in US strategy." and noting his address was "meagre on the Middle East". Al Jazeera closes with quotes collected from people who watched the inauguration including one which called Obama's presidency a "'bloodless revolution'". click to read complete article |
Inaugural Address A Stark Repudiation of Bush
The International Herald Tribune calls Obama's inaugural address "a stark repudiation of the era of George W. Bush and the ideological certainties that surrounded it" and go on to say that "not since 1933, when Franklin D. Roosevelt called for a "restoration" of American ethics... has a new president so publicly rejected the essence of his predecessor's path." yet they note that "he was far less specific about how he would combine his lofty vision and his passion for pragmatism into urgently needed solutions." They compare his speech to "Roosevelt's warning that the market had been allowed to go haywire" but say he "skirted past" the specifics of how he would "remake American detention policy... set the rules for interrogation and... engage Iran and North Korea" click to read complete article |
President Emphasizes Change in Political Climate
The Wall Street Journal is quick to note that while "The inauguration of the first African-American... drew a crowd of well over one million" "The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 4%, its worst inauguration-day performance in history". They go on to say that while "Obama's political rivals aren't standing down", he has "vowed a new activism" "'What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them'" They report the new President "will have to confront renewed tensions in the Arab world" and remark that "The slow, 16-month withdrawal he plans for Iraq wouldn't end the nation's fighting but shift the focus to Afghanistan" They close speaking of "Ms. Kirkland, 64, [who] was in Washington 45 years ago [when] the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., declared, 'I have a dream.'" and quote her as saying "'This is really full circle to be able to be here today,'" click to read complete article |
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January 18, 2009 Gaza Ceasefire
REUTERS Hamas and Israel separately announce Gaza ceasefire Reuters reported "Hamas announced an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip Sunday and gave Israel... a week to pull its troops out of the territory" going on to report the death toll of 1300 palestinians and 13 israelis as well as "at least $1.6 billion" in infrastructure damage. They quote Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas's Gazah leader as saying "The enemy has failed to achieve its goals," during a televised speech interrupted by Israeli hackers with images of IAF aircraft attacking a rocket launching site. Reuters concludes by pointing out that "despite the signs of the ceasefire gaining momentum, there still remains no formal deal between Israel and Hamas." Reuters puts the number of bodies discovered on the day of the ceasefire: saying "Palestinian ambulances picked up more than 95 bodies, most of them gunmen" click to read complete article |
FOX NEWS Hamas Agrees to Cease-Fire, Gives Israel One Week to Remove Troops Fox News reported that "Hamas announced a one-week cease-fire on Sunday, a day after Israel said it was ending a three-week offensive in Gaza." This they verified with "An Islamic Jihad official in Gaza [who] confirmed in a phone call to FOX News that Hamas and all the Palestinian factions [had] agreed on a cease-fire. They also quote a lower still body count saying "[M]ilitants in Hamas-ruled Gaza fired salvoes of rockets into southern Israel on Sunday, defying a unilateral cease-fire called by Israel and threatening to reignite three weeks of violence that Palestinian medics say has killed more than 1,000 people" They describe violence saying "After the first volley hit the rocket-scarred town of Sderot, Israeli aircraft hit the rocket squad that fired it" going on to say that "In another incident after the truce took hold, militants fired small arms at an infantry patrol, which directed artillery and aircraft to strike back" They report the number of bodies discovered on the ceasefire: saying "medical workers sifting through mounds of concrete said they discovered 75 bodies" click to read complete article |
CNN Hamas, Israel set independent cease-fires CNN summed up the politics, reporting "Palestinian militants declared Sunday that they would stop attacks on Israel for a week... hours after Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced a unilateral cease-fire in the country's assault on Hamas in Gaza." They quote a senior Hamas official as saying "we demand that Israeli forces withdraw... [and] open all the border crossings to permit the entry of humanitarian aid... for our people in Gaza." CNN puts the Palestinian death toll slightly lower saying "more than 1,200 people have died, all but 13 of them Palestinians." They report the number of bodies discovered on the day of the ceasefire: saying "Palestinian medical sources said 23 bodies were pulled from rubble in Gaza" click to read complete article |
| Tue Jan 14, 2009 Guantanamo | ||
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REUTERS His treatment met the legal definition of torture.... Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon official overseeing the tribunals for Guantanamo Bay detainees has concluded that the U.S. military tortured a Saudi national who allegedly planned to participate in the September 11, 2001, attacks, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday. click to read complete article |
FOX NEWS Terror suspects... from Guantanamo Bay are increasingly returning to the fight against the United States and its allies Fox News reports that "Terror suspects... from Guantanamo Bay are increasingly returning to the fight against the United States and its allies" and quotes Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morell as saying "There clearly are people who are being held at Guantanamo who are still bent on doing harm to America, Americans, and our allies." click to read complete article |
CNN 43 of the men are only suspected of having committed terrorist acts CNN Reports that "Dozens of suspected terrorists released by the United States from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, are believed to have returned to terrorism activities" and goes on to say that 61 individuals have "committed or are suspected to have committed attacks [of terror]" after their release. CNN stresses the fact the 43 of the men are only suspected of having committed terrorist acts saying "Of the 43 other detainees suspected of taking part in terrorist attacks, only 'plausible reporting' on their activities indicated some kind of involvement" click to read complete article |