March of the state spies: One in 78 adults came under state-sanctioned surveillance last year 10 Aug 2009 Britain's extraordinary march towards a surveillance state is revealed today by shock new figures. They show that one request is made every minute for officials to spy on someone's phone records or email accounts. The number of Big Brother snooping missions by police, town halls and other public bodies has soared by 44 per cent in two years.
One in 78 under surveillance 10 Aug 2009 Big Brother requests to snoop on the public were made on average once a MINUTE last year, it was revealed yesterday. One in 78 people came under surveillance. Councils, police and the intelligence services asked more than half a million times - an average of 1,500 times a day - for permission to access private email, phone and text message data. All the requests were approved.
'Snoop' power is used 1,400 times a day to intercept private data 10 Aug 2009 Britain has "sleepwalked into a surveillance society", it was claimed last night after figures disclosed that public bodies had obtained access to private telephone and e-mail records about 1,400 times a day. Council, police and other organisations made more than half a million requests for confidential communications data last year. The statistics constitute a 44 per cent rise in requests over the past two years.
Another 45,000 US troops needed in Afghanistan, military adviser says 10 Aug 2009 The United States should send up to 45,000 extra troops to Afghanistan, a senior adviser to the American commander in Kabul has told The Times. Anthony Cordesman, an influential American academic who is a member of a team that has been advising General Stanley McChrystal, now in charge of Nato forces in Afghanistan, also said that to deal with the threat from the Taleban the size of the Afghan National Army might have to increase to 240,000.
Afghan 'drug suspects' on US hitlist --Fifty Afghans suspected of drug trafficking placed on Pentagon list of targets to be killed or captured 10 Aug 2009 Fifty Afghans suspected of drug trafficking and having links with the Taliban have been placed on a US target list to be captured or killed as part of a significant shift in Washington's counter-narcotics strategy, it emerged today... Those with known links to the insurgency had been put on the "joint integrated prioritised target list". That means they have been given the same target status as 'insurgent' leaders, and can be captured or killed at any time, according to the newspaper. The move will be disclosed in a report this week by the US Senate foreign relations committee.
U.S. to Hunt Down Afghan Drug Lords Tied to Taliban [How about the ones tied to CIA? There's a lot more of them.] 10 Aug 2009 Fifty Afghans believed to be drug traffickers with ties to the Taliban have been placed on a Pentagon target list to be captured or killed, reflecting a major shift in American counternarcotics strategy in Afghanistan, according to a Congressional study to be released this week. United States military commanders have told Congress that they are convinced that the policy is legal under the military’s rules of engagement and international law.
US top official wants more troops in Afghanistan 10 Aug 2009 The United States government is likely to announce another troop surge for Afghanistan. US national security adviser General Jim Jones has said he will not rule out the option of sending more American troops to bolster the other nations which are contributing to the effort, including the UN and NATO.
3 more Camp Lejeune Marines killed in Afghanistan 10 Aug 2009 The U.S. military says three more Camp Lejeune Marines have died in Afghanistan. All were killed in separate incidents in combat in Afghanistan over the weekend. They were all assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. The number of U.S. and international troops killed in Afghanistan has soared this year. At least 16 deaths were Marines stationed at Camp Lejeune.
Afghan war will exceed cost of Iraq, say experts 10 Aug 2009 As the US expands its involvement in Afghanistan, military experts are warning that it is taking on security and political commitments that will last at least a decade and a cost that is likely to eclipse that of the Iraq war. This assessment follows comments on Saturday from the new head of the British Army, General David Richards, who believes stabilising Afghanistan may take as long as 40 years. Since the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 the US has spent $US223 billion ($267 million) on war-related funding for that country, according to the Congressional Research Service. 'Aid' spending, excluding the cost of combat operations, has grew from $US982 million in 2003 to $US9.3 billion last year.
Iraqi Officials Concerned About Threat of Swine Flu From U.S. Troops 10 Aug 2009 Iraqi officials expressed concern on Sunday that more than 100 American soldiers in Iraq may be infected with swine flu, fearing they could spread the disease in the country. The United States military said Sunday that swine flu had been diagnosed in 51 American troops in Iraq and that it suspected that 71 others were carrying the virus. Members of Parliament have expressed alarm that United States troops could be introducing the disease into Iraq, particularly among members of the Iraqi military with whom they patrol.
At Least 50 Killed in Bombings in Iraq 11 Aug 2009 The entire village was gone. The latest wave of sectarian bombings struck northern Iraq and Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 50 people, wounding hundreds more and leveling the village, near Mosul. Nearly 100 people in Baghdad and the northern city of Mosul have been killed in attacks since Friday, raising serious concerns about the Iraqi government’s ability to maintain security. [Oh, gee - better have the US mercenaries stay in Iraq to 'clean things up,' right? That's why Xe is killing everything in sight - to show that Xe is 'needed.']
Briton may hang for killings in Baghdad 10 Aug 2009 A British guard working for a mercenary company inside Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone was arrested yesterday after two of his colleagues were killed and another wounded in a reported alcohol-fuelled rampage. Danny Fitzsimons, who fled the scene with a pistol, was held after a shootout and handed to Iraqi police. A judicial official in Baghdad said that Mr Fitzsimons could face the death penalty.
Pay Is Scrutinized at U.S. Contractors --KBR Inc., will be asked about its executive compensation billing policies. 11 Aug 2009 Executive pay at government contractors is drawing scrutiny from federal auditors, who have questioned some companies about compensation and pensions they have charged taxpayers. The questions come amid a broader examination of executive pay, especially at financial companies receiving taxpayer-funded bailouts. Contractors also receive government money, though until recently the question of how much of it has gone to executive pay hasn't been a big issue for lawmakers or auditors.
Americans' entry into Iran linked to vote unrest: MP 10 Aug 2009 A leading Iranian lawmaker said on Monday the illegal entry of three detained U.S. citizens into the country may have been related to unrest that erupted after Iran's June presidential election. "Their illegal entry cannot be altogether unrelated to the post-election unrest ... What mission were the three pursuing in Iran? Why did not they apply for Iran visas?" said Mohammad Karamirad, a member of parliament's Foreign Affairs and National Security Committee, the official IRNA news agency reported.
Iran will strongly resist West vote interference: official 10 Aug 2009 Iran accused the West on Monday of "meddling" in its state affairs for criticizing its mass trial of moderates charged with spying and trying to topple the clerical establishment after the disputed president vote. "Do we interfere in other countries' state matters? Why should they interfere in ours? Iran will strongly resist such meddling," senior official Hassan Qashqavi told a weekly news conference.
Lebanon army on high alert as Israel moves forces 10 Aug 2009 Lebanon's army has put its forces on high alert after Israeli forces made advances toward the area of Shaba farms amid heightened tensions with the Hezbollah movement. Lebanese army sources said Sunday that three armored Israeli vehicles, accompanied by a civilian car, advanced toward Shaba farms, along southeast borders with Lebanon on Monday, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported.
Benjamin Netanyahu says lands will never go back to Palestinians 09 Aug 2009 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told Jewish settlers they can stay in the occupied Palestinian lands. Speaking on Israeli public radio, he pledged he would never evict Jews from the West Bank.
Close 'loopholes' allowing war criminals into UK, Straw told 11 Aug 2009 Proposals from the justice secretary, Jack Straw, to change the law to enable the prosecution of overseas war criminals and torturers living in Britain for crimes dating back to 1991 fail to go far enough, according to a committee of MPs and peers. A report from parliament's joint human rights committee published today says the 1991 cut-off date and a requirement that only residents in the UK should face prosecution will leave an "impunity gap" which will allow international war criminals to visit and stay in Britain without fear of prosecution.
Mexican cartels tied to stolen oil sold in U.S. --Head of Houston oil company pleads guilty to conspiracy, U.S. officials say 10 Aug 2009 U.S. refineries bought millions of dollars worth of oil siphoned from Mexican government pipelines and smuggled across the border, the U.S. Justice Department told The Associated Press -- illegal operations now led by Mexican drug cartels expanding their reach. Criminals tap remote pipelines, sometimes building pipelines of their own, to siphon off hundreds of millions of dollars worth of oil each year, the Mexican oil monopoly said. At least one U.S. oil executive has pleaded guilty to conspiracy in such a deal.
Vaccine trials off to fast start for pandemic flu 10 Aug 2009 Early Monday, Nicholas Sarakas, 25, rolled up his sleeves for an injection in each arm, becoming one of dozens of adults enrolling in an unprecedented flurry of fast-track flu vaccine trials that will grow to include 11,131 adults and 5,740 children, with more trials planned... Studies of several thousand volunteers aren't big enough to detect more subtle [!] side effects such as Guillain-Barré syndrome.
8 cities in US line up for swine flu vaccine test 10 Aug 2009 Hundreds of Americans in eight cities are lining up for experimental swine flu shots in a race to get a vaccine out in case the new flu virus regains strength this fall and winter. Sharon Frey, who is leading the government-funded testing at Saint Louis University, said scientists have been working late nights and weekends to organize the studies and recruit volunteers.
Flu drugs 'unhelpful' in children 10 Aug 2009 Research has cast doubt on the policy of giving antiviral drugs to children for swine flu. Work in the British Medical Journal shows Tamiflu and Relenza rarely prevent complications in children with seasonal flu, yet carry side effects. Although they did not test this in the current swine flu pandemic, the authors say these drugs are unlikely to help children who catch the H1N1 virus. The government has stuck by its policy of offering them to anyone infected. [See: Donald Rumsfeld makes $5m killing on bird flu drug 12 Mar 2006 Donald Rumsfeld has made a killing out of bird flu. The US Defence Secretary has made more than $5m (£2.9m) in capital gains from selling shares in the biotechnology firm that discovered and developed Tamiflu.]
Senate probe: SC gov broke law on state travel 10 Aug 2009 South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford broke state law when he charged taxpayers for more expensive business and first-class flights, according to the chairman of the legislative committee investigating Sanford's international travel. State Sen. David Thomas, whose budget committee investigated Sanford's flights following reports last month by The Associated Press, sent evidence to Senate leaders Monday arguing the Republican governor violated state laws requiring the cheapest travel possible.
AP: SC gov's plane use questioned 09 Aug 2009 South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford used state aircraft for personal and political trips, often bringing along his wife and children -- contrary to state law regarding official use, an Associated Press investigation has found. Records reviewed by the AP show that since he took office in 2003, the two-term Republican has taken trips on state aircraft to locations of his children's sporting events, hair and dentist appointments, political party gatherings and a birthday party for a campaign donor.
Banks make $38bn from overdraft fees 09 Aug 2009 US banks stand to collect a record $38.5bn in fees for customer overdrafts this year, with the bulk of the revenue coming from the most financially stretched consumers amid the deepest recession since the 1930s, according to research. The fees are nearly double those reported in 2000. [Thanks, Bush!] The finding is likely to increase public hostility towards the financial sector, which has been under political pressure to ease the burden on consumers by increasing credit availability and lending more fairly after being bailed out by taxpayers.
'Death Panel' Palin dangerously irresponsible --Sarah the Quitter incites mob violence and national disunity by 'making stuff up' By Keith Olbermann 10 Aug 2009 Because the birther movement touches another essential part of the defective soul -- the need for an excuse. For they need to convince themselves of an immense conspiracy, and place that conviction as a barrier between their actions, and the sad reality that they are not the victims of intricate machinations against freedom, but are just garden-variety, ordinary, racists -- that they can handle the most limited of integration only in theory. They will take anything that will let them pretend that -- when they burst into tears and cry that they want their America back -- they are not asking for White Power, not asking that somebody make the black man in the White House go away.
Vast expanses of Arctic ice melt in summer heat 09 Aug 2009 The Arctic Ocean has given up tens of thousands more square miles (square kilometers) of ice on Sunday in a relentless summer of melt, with scientists watching through satellite eyes for a possible record low polar ice cap... By this weekend the ice edge lay some 80 miles (128 kilometers) at sea.
Baxter not to provide anti-swine flu vaccine to Czechs --Czech Health Ministry: Baxter unable to guarantee vaccine is safe, won't be responsible for its side-effects 03 Aug 2009 The U.S. pharmaceutical firm Baxter which manufactures a vaccine against the swine flu in its Czech branch will not ensure the vaccine for the Czech Republic in the case of a pandemic, Baxter media representative Jana Cechova told CTK today. "No contract for the delivery of the vaccines A(H1N1) between Baxter and the Czech Republic has been concluded," Cechova said. The server tn.cz writes that the Czech Health Ministry has explained its stopping the talks with Baxter by the firm's inability to guarantee that the vaccine is safe and who will bear the risks for possible side-effects. [See: Baxter: The 'Lucky Larry' of swine flu Baxter Vaccine 'Oddities' 17 Jul 2009.]
Afghanistan could take 40 years, says new army chief --General Sir David Richards says UK involvement will last decades 08 Aug 2009 The new head of the British army warned today that the UK's involvement in Afghanistan could last for up to 40 years, as the Ministry of Defence announced that three British soldiers working with special forces had been killed in a roadside ambush. The latest military losses in Afghanistan came as the army's incoming head, General Sir David Richards, predicted that British involvement in the country could last up to 40 years. Richards, who will become Chief of the General Staff later this month, told the Times: "I believe that the UK will be committed to Afghanistan in some manner – development, governance, security sector reform – for the next 30 to 40 years."
