In the News - Nov-13

Domestic spying inquiry restarted at DoJ - 13 Nov 2007 at 3:23pm - WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department has reopened a long-dormant inquiry into the government's warrantless wiretapping program, a major policy shift only days into the tenure of new Attorney General Michael Mukasey.

Judge orders White House to hold e-mails - 13 Nov 2007 at 4:50am - WASHINGTON -- A federal judge ordered the White House to preserve copies of all its e-mails, a move that Bush administration lawyers had argued strongly against.

'Hidden Costs' Double War Price - 13 Nov 2007 at 2:30pm - Study says wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost average U.S. family of four more than $20,000.

Iraq, Afghan war costs are $1.6 trillion - 13 Nov 2007 at 9:17am - WASHINGTON -- The economic costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are estimated to total $1.6 trillion - roughly double the amount the White House has requested thus far, according to a new report by Congress' Joint Economic Committee.

Teen with hairbrush shot to death by NYC cops - 13 Nov 2007 at 8:58am - A teenager in a dispute with his mother was shot and killed by police officers when he approached them with what they thought was a gun but later turned out to be a hairbrush, authorities said.

Bush vetoes health and education bill - 13 Nov 2007 at 10:44am - WASHINGTON -- President Bush on Tuesday signed a big increase in the Pentagon's non-war budget, and vetoed a spending measure for health and education programs prized by congressional Democrats.

Turkey sends special forces to Iraqi border - 13 Nov 2007 at 12:35pm - TUNCELI, Turkey (Reuters) - Four Turkish soldiers were killed in clashes with Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas on Tuesday and Turkey sent hundreds of anti-terrorism special forces to the troubled region bordering Iraq.

U.S. pulling 3,000 troops from Iraq's Diyala province - 13 Nov 2007 at 12:30pm - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. military is sending 3,000 soldiers home from Diyala province, the second large unit to leave Iraq as troop levels are cut after a 30,000-strong "surge" earlier this year.

Reid threatens funds for Iraq war - 13 Nov 2007 at 12:57pm - WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday that Democrats won't approve more money for the Iraq war this year unless President Bush agrees to begin bringing troops home.

U.S. Army reiterates waterboarding ban - 13 Nov 2007 at 1:23pm - WASHINGTON -- With Congress' approval of a new attorney general who refused to describe waterboarding as torture, the U.S. Army has sent out a message to its leaders repeating that the interrogation technique is prohibited in the military.

State extends time for Iraq volunteers - 13 Nov 2007 at 1:17pm - WASHINGTON -- The State Department has extended a window for diplomats to volunteer for Iraq duty in the hope the Bush administration can avoid ordering potentially unwilling candidates to serve in the combat zone, officials said Tuesday.

Reserve Bank board member calls for carbon tax - 13 Nov 2007 at 3:00pm - A member of the board of the Reserve Bank has warned that energy pricing needs to be revised if Australia is to cut its greenhouse emissions.

Thought for the day:
No matter how nice the company one might be with, however, it is never pleasant to have a rifle pointed at one's back. -Meg Cabot, (Jenny Carroll), Sanctuary, 2002