Jet named in torture flight report is met by SAS at British airport --The Gulfstream, registration number N478GS, is owned by a company called L-3 Integrated Systems. 31 Oct 2009 A U.S. plane that featured in a European Parliament report into the 'extraordinary rendition' of terror suspects was met by two SAS helicopters in a secret operation at one of Britain's biggest airports. The Gulfstream jet landed at Birmingham International Airport on Friday, October 2, having flown in from an undisclosed location, and was seen by a member of staff being met minutes later by the Special Forces regiment aircraft. Records show that the jet is owned by a subsidiary of L-3 Communications, a multi-billion-dollar defence corporation based in New York, whose clients include several American government departments, among them the Department of Homeland Security.
Canadian sent to Syria can't sue U.S. over torture --In a 7-4 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit agreed with a lower court that Arar could not sue U.S. officials. 02 Nov 2009 A Canadian man who was detained at a New York airport and then moved to Syria, where he says he was tortured, cannot sue the United States, a federal appeals court ruled on Monday. Maher Arar, a Syrian-born software engineer, was arrested by U.S. officials during a 2002 stopover in New York while on his way home to Canada and then deported to Syria because of suspected links to al Qaeda [al-CIAduh]. Arar says he was imprisoned in Syria for a year and tortured and has sued top U.S. government officials, claiming his civil liberties were violated.
U.S. court denies Maher Arar's appeal 02 Nov 2009 Syrian-born Canadian Maher Arar has again been denied the right to sue the United States over his deportation to Syria, where he was tortured. During a September 2002 stopover in New York, while returning to Canada from a vacation in Tunisia, Arar was detained by U.S authorities, who were acting on information from Canadian security officials. Based on the erroneous Canadian information that Arar had links to al-Qaeda, the U.S. deported him to Syria, even though he was carrying a Canadian passport.
Suicide bomber kills 35 near Pakistan's capital --No group claimed responsibility for the bombing [Yeah, but we can all take a guess.] 02 Nov 2009 A suicide bomb killed 35 people near Pakistan's military headquarters Monday while a second blast wounded several police, continuing a wave of terrorism that prompted the United Nations to suspend long-term development work near the Afghan border. The rash of attacks by Islamist militants has killed at least 300 people across Pakistan over the past month -- including 11 U.N. workers -- and threatened to destabilize the nuclear-armed nation.
'Obama hasn't visited Pakistan. He's the unmanned drone at home.' Pakistanis challenge Clinton over drone attacks, US bullying By Keith Jones 02 Nov 2009 During a three-day visit to Pakistan last week, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pressed Pakistan’s government and military to do even more to support the US drive to subjugate Afghanistan and secure a strategic foothold in oil-rich Central Asia. [Not to mention, all those poppy fields under CIA management.] Specifically, she urged Islamabad to extend the current military offensive against Taliban-aligned militias beyond South Waziristan, a Pashtun-speaking tribal agency bordering Afghanistan. Under heavy pressure from Washington, Pakistan since October 17 has been mounting a three-pronged assault on South Waziristan involving 30,000 troops, helicopter gunships and F-16 jets. [I guess the difference is that in losing, Clinton's the one who has to face the people we are bombing with unmanned drones. Obama hasn't visited Pakistan. He's the unmanned drone at home. --MDR]
Bomb expert killed on last day of tour 03 Nov 2009 A senior British explosives expert was killed while trying to defuse a bomb on the last day of his tour in Afghanistan. Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid, 30, of the Royal Logistic Corps, died near Sangin in central Helmand Province on Saturday.
Afghan election farce ends, escalation to begin By Bill Van Auken 03 Nov 2009 President Barack Obama called [Hamid] Karzai to congratulate him. Admitting that the election had been "messy," Obama said he had told Karzai this was the "time in which we begin to write a new chapter..." The "new chapter" or "new phase" in Afghanistan is being prepared in the form of a major military escalation, in which tens of thousands of additional American troops will be deployed in an attempt to quell armed resistance to the US-led occupation that has grown and spread to 80 percent of the country. The only purpose of the election was to lend "legitimacy" to this escalation of Washington’s colonial-style war.
Civilian deaths in Iraq jump higher in October 02 Nov 2009 The number of civilians killed by violence in Iraq jumped higher in October after two huge suicide bombings in Baghdad while the two U.S. soldiers killed in combat in October was the lowest monthly number this year, data showed. Security sources said 343 civilians were killed, almost half of them in the Oct. 25 attacks on the justice ministry and Baghdad governorate building, which dealt a blow to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki as he seeks 're-election' in January.
Iraqi MPs delay election law vote 01 Nov 2009 Iraqi MPs say they are not yet ready to pass an election law that needs to be approved urgently if polls are to be held on schedule in January. The UN had warned that it could not guarantee to endorse the polls if the bill was not approved on Sunday. MPs have told the BBC that the 'vote' might not be held for several days as several sticking points remain.
KBR faulted for ineffective drawdown in Iraq 02 Nov 2009 Houston-based KBR Inc could save the government at least $193 million by reducing its workforce in Iraq more quickly, in line with the drawdown of U.S. troops, the Pentagon's chief auditor said on Monday. "In October 2009, we issued a report concluding that KBR's drawdown was ineffective and KBR could save the government at least $193 million by improving the staff management and aligning their labor drawdown with the military drawdown," April Stephenson, director of the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA), said at a hearing on wartime contracting.
Blackwater facility accepting civilians 01 Nov 2009 The massive Blackwater training center in Moyock, Va., is opening its doors to civilians, the company's ads indicate. An advertisement in The (Norfolk, Va.) Virginian-Pilot indicated the Blackwater facility, owned by Xe Services LLC of McLean, Va., has changed its name to the U.S. Training Center and is offering gun training courses to civilians as well as to military personnel and police officers, the newspaper reported Sunday.
Netanyahu savours victory after US drops settlement demand 01 Nov 2009 Israel's premier savoured a victory on Sunday after Washington hailed his "unprecedented" stand on settlements and backed his call for peace talks to resume without the construction freeze sought by the Palestinians. "There is no question that the United States are our staunchest friends and that Israel's firm stance on its positions pays off," Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon happily told public radio. Speaking before the weekly cabinet meeting, Science and Technology Minister Daniel Hershkowitz said: "The US administration understands what we have always said -- that the real obstacle to negotiations are the Palestinians." [The 'real obstacle to negotiations' are mayhap the people who dumped white phosphorous on the Palestinians' heads, stole their water and shot up their chicken farms (yes, I realize those hens could have been suicide bombers --and their eggs, weapons of mass destruction) during Operation Cast Lead. --LRP]
Israeli man arrested in Tel Aviv for killing Palestinians 02 Nov 2009 Police in Israel have arrested a Jewish settler on suspicion of murder and carrying out bomb attacks. Yaakov Teitel, an immigrant from the United States, is alleged to have been involved in the murder of two Palestinians in 1997. He has also been accused of carrying out four bomb attacks since 2006.
Cheney FBI interview: 72 instances of can't recall 02 Nov 2009 Federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald famously declared in the Valerie Plame affair that "there is a cloud over the vice president." Last week's release of an FBI interview summary of Dick Cheney's answers in the criminal investigation underscores why Fitzgerald felt that way. On 72 occasions, according to the 28-page FBI summary, Cheney equivocated to the FBI during his lengthy May 2004 interview, saying he could not be certain in his answers to questions about matters large and small in the Plame controversy.
More Olympic security exercises this week --In the air, and in 'mock disaster' scenarios on the ground 02 Nov 2009 The skies above Metro Vancouver could be filled with the roar of fighter jets this week. Today through Friday, pilots with NORAD will be doing test flights above the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. It's all part of "Exercise Gold"--the final round of security rehearsals for the 2010 Games. Part of the full-scale test includes events simulating chemical, biological, nuclear or explosive incidents in Richmond and Vancouver -- complete with mock casualties.
'This is the big question: Who sent them in? And don't give me some lame excuse that it was a low-level officer.' Officers accused of inciting violence to testify before police ethics panel 31 Oct 2009 Three undercover officers accused of inciting protesters to attack riot police at the 2007 North American leaders summit in Montebello are being summoned to testify before Quebec's independent police ethics committee. The decision from the committee released this week overrules an independent review that exonerated the officers. It also comes more than two years after the black-clad trio were first exposed on YouTube. Dave Coles, the union leader who confronted the men at the time and filed a complaint against the police, said a public inquiry is needed to determine whether they were acting on orders from federal officials.
Chicago reviewing who made G-20 detainee kneel for photo 16 Oct 2009 Chicago police are investigating more than a dozen officers for their involvement in a "trophy" style photo taken with a university student arrested during the G-20 protests last month, an episode caught on tape and flashed across the Internet. The tape shows roughly 15 officers in riot helmets around University of Pittsburgh student Kyle Kramer, who is then made to kneel while what appears to be a supervisor in a white shirt snaps a photo.
Doctors May 'Fire' Parents Who Don't Vaccinate Children 23 Oct 2009 An anti-vaccination movement is growing online, from parent to parent, and through activist celebrities, such as actress Jenny McCarthy. Now, more and more doctors are feeling compelled to say "no" back to these parents. The issue was raised Wednesday at the annual American Academy of Pediatrics meeting in Washington, D.C. Dr. Gary Marshall, a presenter at the meeting, said there are some cases when it's ethical and legal to refuse to continue to see, or treat, a child.
Another city student gets flu vaccine by mistake: Dept. of Ed. officials 01 Nov 2009 Officials admitted on Friday that a third student was 'mistakenly' given the swine flu vaccine - an error the school nurses union blamed on the city. "Nurses are not getting the support they need," said Judith Arroyo, president of Local 436, District Council 37, adding that the union had warned of problems.
Pharmaterrorists are making a *killing* on their pandemic: Kids will 'need' two doses of H1N1 flu vaccine 02 Oct 2009 Up to 30 million doses of [squalene-laden, mercury-filled, Polysorbate 80-laced] vaccine against the pandemic H1N1 flu have been delivered to the U.S. government and production is now picking up, officials said on Monday. But they said more studies confirm that children under the age of 9 will need two doses to be fully protected.
Connecticut probes seasonal flu vaccine pricing 02 Nov 2009 The state of Connecticut's top prosecutor said on Monday he is investigating complaints of price fixing by companies that make and distribute the seasonal flu vaccine. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said his office has received reports that the seasonal flu vaccine is being offered at many times the normal price, and of distributors and manufacturers reneging on previously negotiated agreements.
RBS and Lloyds agree to bonus clampdown as taxpayer injects billions more --Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group have agreed to a clamp down on bonuses in exchange for the UK taxpayer pumping more money into the banks. 03 Nov 2009 The banks will not to pay cash bonuses to any staff earning over £39,000 this year as part of a wide-ranging plan that will see the Government inject a further £5.7bn into Lloyds as part of the bank's own cash call and another £25.5bn into RBS. The move comes as the European Union forces the two troubled institutions to sell off a range of businesses that the Government claims will inject more competition into high street banking.
Tory MP apologises for 'gas chambers' expenses email 03 Nov 2009 A Conservative MP was ordered to apologise by David Cameron after he likened the plight of politicians over expenses to the persecution of the Jews in Nazi Germany. David Wilshire's remarks, on the eve of tomorrow's publication of wide-ranging plans to overhaul the expenses system, provoked anger and embarrassment in the Tory leadership. In an email to constituents, Mr Wilshire protested that the "witch-hunt" against politicians would "undermine democracy". He added: "Branding a whole group of people as undesirables led to Hitler's gas chambers." Mr Wilshire later apologised, saying he had been responding to some "very unpleasant emails".
GOP Rep: Health reform scarier than terrorism 02 Nov 2009 A Republican congresswoman said Monday that people have more to fear from Democratic health care legislation than from terrorists. Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina made the comments in a speech on the House floor Monday. "I believe that the greatest fear that we all should have ... to our freedom comes from this room, this very room, and what may happen later this week in terms of a tax increase bill masquerading as a health care bill," she said. "I believe we have more to fear from the potential of that bill passing than we do from any terrorist right now in any country."
Limbaugh, Palin urge right wing to step up efforts to purge moderates from Republican Party 02 Nov 2009 Right wing purists egged on by Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin fought to capture an upstate House seat today and electrify their drive to purge moderates from the Republican Party. With Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman jumping to the lead in a new poll, the hard-core right smelled [it usually does] a chance to remold the GOP in the image of raucous town hall protests and "tea party" rallies of the summer.
Last-minute NY 23rd poll: Conservative Doug Hoffman surges, but ... 02 Nov 2009 A last-minute poll of New York's suddenly significant 23rd District interim House race shows that with less than 12 hours before voting begins, the Conservative/Republican candidate Doug Hoffman has built a 5-point lead over Democrat Bill Owens. But, the undecided voters there have doubled to nearly 1 in 5, making the final hours volatile.
Climate change will melt snows of Kilimanjaro 'within 20 years' --Ice on Africa's highest peak is vanishing at fastest rate for 100 years 03 Nov 2009 The snows of Mount Kilimanjaro - the highest mountain in Africa - may soon be falling on bare ground following a study showing that its ice cap is destined to disappear entirely within 20 years, due largely to climate change. The vast ice fields of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania are melting at a faster pace than at any time over the past 100 years and at this rate they will be gone completely within two decades or even earlier according to one of the world's leading glaciologists.
Previous lead stories: 'Journalists risk detention.' Iraq restricts movement by TV journalists, bans live broadcasts --The orders have no time-limit and it is not clear for how long the authorities want to have them in place. 30 Oct 2009 The government has banned movement by press vehicles with equipment to broadcast live. The measure, which will prevent live coverage of events particularly inside Baghdad, has been harshly criticized by Iraqi journalists. The order has been issued by the military command of Baghdad operations which specifically denies television broadcasters the right of live coverage. Such coverage, the military orders say, will only take place after applying for permission from the military authorities. Without permission, the orders add, the journalists risk detention. The request of permission before driving in Baghdad essentially blocks all live coverage of events. Previous experience shows that journalists or media outlets that happened to be at the scene just before such large-scale bombing take place have been suspected of collaborating with the attackers. Numerous Iraqi journalists have been imprisoned on such suspicions.
Occupiers involved in drug trade: Afghan minister --Drug production in Afghanistan has increased dramatically since the US-led invasion eight years ago. 01 Nov 2009 The Afghan minister of counter narcotics says foreign troops are earning money from drug production in Afghanistan. General Khodaidad Khodaidad said the majority of drugs are stockpiled in two provinces controlled by troops from the US, the UK, and Canada, IRNA reported on Saturday. He went on to say that NATO forces are taxing the production of opium in the regions under their control.
Documents Detail Conditions Found at Secret C.I.A. Jails: "How close is each technique to the 'rack and screw?' " 01 Nov 2009 F.B.I. agents who arrived at a secret C.I.A. jail overseas in September 2002 found prisoners "manacled to the ceiling and subjected to blaring music around the clock," and a C.I.A. official wrote a list of questions for interrogators including "How close is each technique to the 'rack and screw,' " according to hundreds of pages of partly declassified documents released Friday by the Justice Department. Newly disclosed passages from a 2008 report by the Justice Department inspector general describe what agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation saw at the C.I.A. jail where Ramzi bin al-Shibh, one of the plotters of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, was being questioned. The F.B.I. agents helped C.I.A. officers prepare questions for Mr. Binalshibh but "were denied direct access to him for four or five days," the report said. Then an F.B.I. agent, identified as "Thomas," was allowed to see him and found him "naked and chained to the floor."
