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Morning headlines brought to you by Carolyn Kay MakeThemAccountable.com Top StoryIran says documents show U.S. backing "terrorists"
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran has access to evidence of U.S. support for terrorist groups in the Middle East, a senior Iranian official was quoted as saying on Sunday… The United States often accuses Iran of backing and training militias responsible for some of the bloodshed threatening to tear Iraq apart. Tehran denies the charge and blames the violence in Iraq on the presence of U.S. forces.
US: Iran seeks nuclear weapons
WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States on Monday brushed aside the UN nuclear watchdog agency chief's warning that there was no proof Iran seeks atomic weapons, and invited him to stay out of diplomacy with Tehran. Pollyticks
The WorldSecret move to upgrade air base for Iran attack plans
The US is secretly upgrading special stealth bomber hangars on the British island protectorate of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean in preparation for strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, according to military sources.
Top U.S. General Wounded in Iraq
A U.S. brigadier general was wounded in a roadside bombing Monday in northern Baghdad, the U.S. military reported. He was the highest-ranking American officer to be hurt since the conflict began in March 2003. Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Dorko was in stable condition and was evacuated to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. His injuries were not life-threatening.
Suicide bombing kills 29 in Baqouba
BAGHDAD - A suicide bomber rode his bicycle into a crowd of police recruits in Baqouba on Monday, killing at least 29 people in a province that has become a battleground among U.S. forces, al-Qaida militants and Shiite radicals.
Iraqi Kurds reject 'orders' from Ankara, Turkey pounds rebels
SIRNAK, Turkey (AFP) - Iraq's Kurdish leader dismissed the idea of taking "orders" from Ankara to crack down on Turkish Kurd rebel bases in his region as Turkey continued Tuesday to pound positions near their border.
Israel can't cut power to Gaza - attorney general
JERUSALEM, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Israel's attorney general told the government on Monday it could not cut electrical power to the Gaza Strip as part of its sanctions against the Hamas controlled territory, although he did approve other measures.
Egypt to build nuclear plants
CAIRO, Egypt - Egypt's president announced plans Monday to build several nuclear power plants — the latest in a string of ambitious such proposals from moderate Arab countries. The United States immediately welcomed the plan, in a sharp contrast to what it called nuclear "cheating" by Iran.
Coalition soldier, Afghan spy chief killed
KABUL (AFP) - A US-led coalition soldier was killed in a military operation in southern Afghanistan Tuesday, while an Afghan spy chief and three colleagues died in a roadside bombing, officials said.
Russia to file Arctic claim to U.N. this year: report
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia will file a claim to the gigantic mineral wealth of the Arctic seabed with the United Nations by the end of the year, Russia's natural resources minister was quoted as saying on Tuesday.
Envoys to meet Darfur rebels over talks boycott
KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Darfur rebels boycotting peace talks in Libya said on Tuesday they would meet envoys from an African Union-U.N. mediation team but specified conditions that gave little hope they would change their positions.
UN: Try or release enemy combatants
UNITED NATIONS - A U.N. human rights expert is calling on the United States to prosecute or release suspects detained as "unlawful enemy combatants" and to move quickly to close the Guantanamo Bay prison camp. The NationCongress Must Re-Assume War Powers, Lawmakers Say
(CNSNews.com) - Who has the primary authority to wage war on the behalf of the United States: the commander-in-chief or the Congress? It's a question that's been raised several times in history, and one that Congress thought was settled by the adoption of the Vietnam-era War Powers Act of 1973. Now sponsors of a resolution to amend that law hope to settle that question permanently and make it clear that the president must always seek the consent of Congress before getting the nation involved in armed conflict or war.
I agree with these Republican congressmen, and I hope their effort succeeds. But the Constitution specifically states that the ability to declare war is a function of the Congress, not the President. So why does Congress have to pass a law saying the same thing?—Caro
Abizaid Warns of 50-year U.S. Presence in Middle East
Retired Gen. John Abizaid, the former commander of the U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in a 27-country region that covers much of the Middle East, said Monday that it might take half a century before the U.S. military could leave the region.
Immunity Deal Hampers Blackwater Inquiry
The State Department promised Blackwater USA bodyguards immunity from prosecution in its investigation of last month's deadly shooting of 17 Iraqi civilians, The Associated Press has learned. The immunity deal has delayed a criminal inquiry into the Sept. 16 killings and could undermine any effort to prosecute security contractors for their role in the incident that has infuriated the Iraqi government.
Do not think for one moment that this wasn’t on purpose.—Caro
Bush: 'That's How I Work'
(Secretary of State Condoleezza) Rice agreed that "there is a hole" in U.S. law that has prevented prosecution of contractors. But did we really need an apparent massacre to point out this giant loophole and its perils? As it happens, President Bush has been aware of the hole for some time -- and deserves some of the blame for not fixing it earlier. Confronted about it in public more than a year ago, Bush literally laughed off the question -- and then, tellingly, described his response as a case study in how he does his job.
Click through for links to a transcript of the speech and to the video.—Caro
Bush May Recess-Appoint Homophobic Surgeon General Nominee Who Wants To Cure Gays
President Bush’s Surgeon General nominee James Holsinger appeared before the Senate health committee on July 12, forced to defend his controversial positions on homosexuality. Yet three months later, Holsinger is “no closer to becoming the nation’s next surgeon general.”… Holsinger’s lengthy delay indicates that Bush may be angling to recess appoint Holsinger.
Money? We don't need no stinkin' money!
The top official for consumer product safety says his agency doesn't need additional funds to strengthen the agency. On the surface, it looks like a bureaucrat is rejecting a chance to milk taxpayers. Or it could be an attempt to weaken the agency's role in protecting consumers. Funny how those things work.
Democrats consider more money for wars
WASHINGTON - Democrats are debating whether to approve $50 billion to $70 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan, less than half of President Bush's $196 billion request but enough to keep the wars afloat for several more months.
White House faces increased pressure in e-mail lawsuit.
The National Security Archive filed a motion seeking “expedited discovery against the Executive Office of the President to find out what e-mails are missing from the White House e-mail system or backup tapes.” The motion is meant to ensure that the White House cannot “render judicial preservation decisions meaningless.” The nonpartisan watchdog group CREW also has a pending lawsuit against the White House and other executive agencies over the missing e-mails.
GAO Investigation Reveals Gaps in FDA Drug Reviews for Seniors
Rep. Henry A. Waxman and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (Monday) released a new GAO report on FDA’s inclusion of seniors in clinical drug trials for prescription drugs. The report finds that in several key areas, FDA rules for drug approval fail to guarantee the safety and effectiveness of drugs for seniors.
Court to rule on Exxon Valdez verdict
The Supreme Court agreed on Monday to rule on the legality of the $2.5 billion punitive damages award against Exxon Mobil Corp… The Court limited its review to issues involving maritime law, declining to hear a claim that the verdict was excessive under the Constitution’s Due Process Clause. The Court also refused to hear a cross-appeal, seeking to reinstate an earlier $5 billion damages award.
1 in 10 Schools Are 'Dropout Factories'
It's a nickname no principal could be proud of: "Dropout Factory," a high school where no more than 60 percent of the students who start as freshmen make it to their senior year. That dubious distinction applies to more than one in 10 high schools across America. "If you're born in a neighborhood or town where the only high school is one where graduation is not the norm, how is this living in the land of equal opportunity?" asks Bob Balfanz, the researcher at Johns Hopkins University who defines such a school as a "dropout factory."
Study sees boon in climate change
Fighting global warming could be a boon for North Carolina's economy, researchers said Tuesday. If the state implements a host of strategies to cut greenhouse gas emissions, more than 325,000 jobs and $20 billion could be added to the state's economy by 2020, according to a preliminary report from Appalachian State University.
John Whitehead at Environmental Economics says “additional jobs created by climate change policy are … TRANSFERS, not benefits.” My comment: But at least there's no net LOSS of jobs, as there certainly will be, on a massive scale, if we allow the earth to become totally polluted. Thanks to Economist’s View.—Caro MediaPermanent link to MTA daily media news
Liberal Error (by digby)
One of the problems with (Time columnist Joe) Klein (who has admittedly become ever so slightly less reflexively Villager in recent months) is that his views were so long considered to be the epitome of those of a sensible liberal. This had the unfortunate effect of making average citizens naturally loathe and despise liberals while at the same time marginalizing actual liberals as being beyond the pale even though they are at least as large a constituency as the social conservatives who are worshipped and embraced as Real Americans among the village elders. It remains a serious problem for Democrats who have to tip-toe around these false designations to reach out to their own voters without getting the whole village lynch mob running after them with bar-b-que forks and sharpened swizzle sticks.
Well, digby, you can continue to wring your hands and complain, or we can start working together to change the dynamic (pdf). Your choice.—Caro
A First Look at Coverage of the 2008 Presidential Campaign (Project for Excellence in Journalism)
In all, 63% of the campaign stories (studied) focused on political and tactical aspects of the campaign. That is nearly four times the number of stories about the personal backgrounds of the candidates (17%) or the candidates’ ideas and policy proposals (15%). And just 1% of stories examined the candidates’ records or past public performance, the study found… Just 12% of stories examined were presented in a way that explained how citizens might be affected by the election, while nearly nine-out-of-ten stories (86%) focused on matters that largely impacted only the parties and the candidates… All of these findings seem to be at sharp variance with what the public says it wants from campaign reporting.
AP demonstrating irrelevance. Just look at these political headlines.... (by media girl)
Play of the Day: Romney's No Democrat… Edwards labels Clinton an Insider… Giuliani talks about his prostate cancer… Clinton, Giuliani top scary costume poll…
Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.—Caro
Study: Media Narrows Field of Candidates
WASHINGTON (AP) - When it comes to presidential politics, the news media loves front-runners. And seems to hate them, too. Within the first five months of the presidential contest, the media effectively had reduced the field to five candidates, even though there were 17 mainstream Democrats and Republicans, a study of political coverage found.
Snow: Bush ‘not the type to dis the press.’
At the 2007 American Magazine Conference over the weekend, former White House Press Secretary Tony Snow was asked if President Bush thinks “the press are fair?” “I don’t know… he’s not the type to dis the press,” replied Snow. Below — President Bush seen carrying Bernard Goldberg’s anti-media screed “Bias,” which Bill Press said at the time was “a message to the media” by Bush.
He calls them demeaning nicknames and he plants a gay hustler in the White House press corps, and that’s not dissing the press?—Caro
THE RANT: When shame replaces pride (by Doug Thompson at Capitol Hill Blue)
An email from an active-duty Marine suggests the phony press conference staged by the Federal Emergency Management Agency during the California wildfires last week wasn't the only skullduggery pulled by the Bush administration during that state's emergency. The Marine, home between deployments in Iraq, says he was sent to California to help in rescue and relief efforts but was ordered to not wear his USMC basic utilities but instead was given a uniform of the Army National Guard.
CNN Supports Citizen Journalism. In Second Life.
CNN has opened its latest “office” in Second Life. In an experimental move, the news company is not only moving into the realm of virtual reality, but it’s enabling Second Life users to create the content. This actually looks like a very interesting implementation of a virtual location, with tools that Second Life users can use to transmit copy and gather photos. There will be kiosks set up throughout the virtual world in order to provide news to users.
The iGoogle News Gadget, for those that Can’t Get Enough
Google’s latest gadget offering is for its News widget, which can be placed nicely on your iGoogle page, your own blog or website, or even your favorite social networking profile. What’s special about this new gadget is that it’s optimized for small space, with additional features. This means that the tiny guy packs a bit of a punch. This is a multi-tabbed widget that shows new headlines, snippets of news stories, and thumbnails, which are all grouped by news clusters. Technology & ScienceDa Vinci's 'Last Supper' Goes Online
MILAN, Italy (AP) - Can't get to Milan to see Leonardo Da Vinci's masterpiece "The Last Supper?" As of Saturday, all you need is an Internet connection.
Child advocates upset over "Manhunt 2"
SAN FRANCISCO - Child advocates are urging parents not to buy "Manhunt 2," a video game whose characters kill and torture using implements ranging from glass and shovels to a fuse box and a toilet.
Too many Halloween treats prompt health warnings
TORONTO (Reuters Life!) - While adults may relish the gore of Halloween, most children enjoy the night for another reason -- the vast amount of candy they receive which is prompting warnings to parents. With concern growing about rising childhood obesity rates, medical experts advised parents to limit how much candy they allow their children to eat.
Are rising obesity rates linked to U.S. farm aid?
Hoping to produce thinner waistlines, many doctors — including the American Medical Association — want Congress to stop subsidizing the production of foods that are high in fat and cholesterol and spend more to promote fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains that are not. Farm Belt lawmakers are on the defensive.
Low Buzz May Give Mice Better Bones and Less Fat
New research suggests that in mice, a simple treatment that does not involve drugs appears to be directing cells to turn into bone instead of fat.
Zinc Helps Elderly Ward Off Pneumonia
Nursing home study finds it can prevent or shorten the illness
UV light may offer "double whammy" for cancer
LONDON (Reuters) - Using ultraviolet light may one day offer a "double whammy" to kill cancer cells by better focusing antibody-based drugs and triggering the body's own defenses to eliminate tumors, researchers said on Tuesday.
Astronauts embark on key spacewalk
HOUSTON - Astronauts embarked on a high-stakes spacewalk Tuesday to install a solar power tower on the international space station, a job that must be completed to prevent malfunctioning equipment from delaying the addition of a much-anticipated European research lab. EnvironmentSurvey: Europeans More 'Green' than Americans
Europeans are more likely to "go green" than their American counterparts, a new survey shows.
U.S. States Join Int'l. Climate Change Forum
LISBON, Oct. 30, 2007 -- U.S. states such as California and New York joined forces with New Zealand, Norway and a slew of European countries and Canadian provinces to promote a global cap-and-trade carbon market.
Turbine expansion said to threaten birds
PORTLAND, Ore. - Wind energy may be emerging as an important alternative power source for the Northwest, but there are concerns about the danger to hawks and eagles as turbines expand to wild areas of the Columbia River Gorge.
GE says smart panel to cut power bills
NEW YORK (Reuters) - General Electric Co said it is developing a control panel that should allow homeowners to trim rising utility bills by helping manage power and water consumption.
Panel urges Bush to drop nuke waste plan
WASHINGTON - A panel of the National Academy of Sciences urged President Bush on Monday to abandon an ambitious plan to resume nuclear waste reprocessing that is the heart of the administration's push to expand the civilian use of nuclear power.
Corporations Are Embracing Green Real Estate, Survey Finds
ATLANTA, Oct. 30, 2007 -- Nearly 80 percent of industry leaders say sustainability is a major issue for today's businesses, and are willing to pay a premium to achieve it, according to a survey from CoreNet Global and Jones Lang LaSalle. For more headlines, visit MakeThemAccountable.com.
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