In the News: Dec-31

Happy new year!

Lawyer: Police prevented Bhutto autopsy - 31 Dec 2007 at 9:37am - The local police chief stopped doctors at the hospital where Benazir Bhutto died from conducting an autopsy, according to a lawyer on the hospital's board. The revelation came hours after a new videotape of Bhutto's assassination emerged, showing her slumping just after gunshots rang out.

"Perfect storm" of cliches make bad English list - 31 Dec 2007 at 10:36am - CHICAGO (Reuters) - A "surge" of overused words and phrases formed a "perfect storm" of "post-9/11" cliches in 2007, according to a U.S. university's annual list of words and phrases that deserve to be banned.

U.S. Marine faces lesser charges in Haditha killings - 31 Dec 2007 at 1:24pm - SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich, the accused leader in the 2005 killings of 24 Iraqi civilians in Haditha, will face voluntary manslaughter charges but not more serious murder charges, the U.S. Marines said on Monday.

Electronic voting is questioned - 31 Dec 2007 at 2:40pm - DENVER -- With the presidential race in full swing, Colorado and other states have found critical flaws in the accuracy and security of their electronic voting machines, forcing officials to scramble to return to the paper ballots they abandoned after the Florida debacle of 2000.

Passport card technology criticized - 31 Dec 2007 at 2:38pm - WASHINGTON -- Passport cards for Americans who travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean will be equipped with technology that allows information on the card to be read from a distance.

Thought for the day:
If knowledge can create problems, it is not through ignorance that we can solve them. -Isaac Asimov (1920 - 1992)

In the News: Dec-28

Bhutto died from hitting car sunroof: interior ministry - 28 Dec 2007 at 11:11am - ISLAMABAD (AFP) - Benazir Bhutto died from hitting her vehicle's sunroof and there was no bullet or shrapnel found in her, the interior ministry spokesman said on Friday.

Pakistan says al Qaeda behind Bhutto killing - 28 Dec 2007 at 11:25am - ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan has "intelligence intercepts" indicating that al Qaeda was behind the killing of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, the Interior Ministry said on Friday.

Transcript of Alleged al-Qaida Intercept - 28 Dec 2007 at 1:13pm - A transcript released by the Pakistani government Friday of a purported conversation between militant leader Baitullah Mehsud, who is referred to as Emir Sahib, and another man identified as a Maulvi Sahib, or Mr. Cleric. The government alleges the intercepted conversation proves al-Qaida was behind the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

Bush to veto defense authorization bill - 28 Dec 2007 at 12:50pm - CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - President George W. Bush intends to veto defense authorization legislation over a provision that would "imperil Iraqi assets held in the United States," the White House said on Friday.

Thought for the day:
I don't mind what Congress does, as long as they don't do it in the streets and frighten the horses. -Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885)

In the News: Dec-20

Bomber kills 13 Iraq volunteers and 1 U.S. soldier - 20 Dec 2007 at 11:34am - BAQUBA, Iraq (Reuters) - A suicide bomber wearing a vest packed with explosives killed 13 neighborhood patrol volunteers and a U.S. soldier in a volatile Iraqi province on Thursday.

Bin Laden's driver is not a POW, U.S. judge says - 20 Dec 2007 at 12:39pm - MIAMI (Reuters) - Osama bin Laden's driver is not a prisoner of war as defined by the Geneva Conventions and can be tried by a Guantanamo war crimes tribunal, a U.S. military judge ruled in a decision made public on Thursday.

TSA draws travelers' complaints - 20 Dec 2007 at 2:56pm - WASHINGTON -- Hand sanitizer makes it through security in one airport, then it's confiscated at another. Screening lines back up because only two of six lanes are open. And then there's the occasional all-too-intimate patdown.

Iraq arms sales office to get more staff - 20 Dec 2007 at 2:26pm - WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon is bolstering a badly understaffed office in Baghdad to speed the flow of warfighting gear to Iraqi forces and help keep the weapons from insurgents and off the black market.

Heat on EPA after Calif. greenhouse gas denial - 20 Dec 2007 at 1:41pm - Congressional Democrats on Thursday announced an investigation of the Environmental Protection Agency?s refusal to let California implement its tailpipe emissions law.

Thought for the day:
Better fare hard with good men than feast it with bad. -Thomas Paine (1737 - 1809)

In the News: Dec-19

US probe confirms 2 friendly-fire deaths - 19 Dec 2007 at 11:21am - WASHINGTON -- Two U.S. soldiers who died in Iraq in February were killed by friendly fire, according to a military investigation that said improper training and mission preparation were to blame.

Will defenders of the war-to-take-nonexistent-weapons-away-from-a-dead-man still insist that it's not impacting troop readiness?

US Senate approves 70 billion dollars in war funds - 19 Dec 2007 at 7:42am - WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US House of Representatives was expected to vote Wednesday on a Senate-approved budget bill for 2008 that includes 70 billion dollars for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

U.S. frees Iranian prisoner held in Iraq - 19 Dec 2007 at 7:28am - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The United States has released one of about 10 Iranian prisoners it is holding in Iraq, U.S. forces and the Iranian embassy said on Wednesday.

Bush Lawyers Discussed Fate of C.I.A.Tapes - 19 Dec 2007 at 9:04am - At least four top White House lawyers took part in discussions with the C.I.A. about whether to destroy videotapes showing the secret interrogations of two Qaeda operatives.

Analysis: Dems lose key policy debates - 19 Dec 2007 at 11:14am - WASHINGTON -- Even though public opinion is overwhelmingly on their side, Democrats are winding up the year with little accomplished on the military and foreign policy issues that helped propel them to power in the last election.

White House defends response on CIA tapes - 19 Dec 2007 at 1:32pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Wednesday defended its response to disclosures about the CIA's destruction of videotapes that showed harsh interrogations of two terrorism suspects.

Thought for the day:
I'm astounded by people who want to 'know' the universe when it's hard enough to find your way around Chinatown. -Woody Allen (1935 - )

In the News: Dec-18

Rice flies to Iraq as Turkish troops cross border - 18 Dec 2007 at 9:29am - KIRKUK, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged Iraqi leaders on Tuesday to speed up national reconciliation on a trip overshadowed by an incursion by several hundred Turkish troops into northern Iraq.

Judge orders hearing on destroyed CIA videos - 18 Dec 2007 at 12:48pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A judge on Tuesday scheduled a hearing into whether the CIA violated a court order by destroying videotapes of the harsh interrogations of two terrorism suspects.

Congress requires better car, SUV mileage - 18 Dec 2007 at 2:09pm - WASHINGTON -- Congress by a wide margin approved the first increase in automobile fuel economy in 32 years Tuesday, and President Bush has signaled he will accept the mandates on the auto industry.

New York Times in Iraq: "Blackwater shot our dog" - 18 Dec 2007 at 2:05pm - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. embassy in Iraq is investigating another deadly shooting incident involving its Blackwater bodyguards -- this time of the New York Times's dog.

FCC Approves New Media Ownership Rule - 18 Dec 2007 at 2:05pm - The Federal Communications Commission, overturning a 32-year-old ban, voted Tuesday to allow broadcasters in the nation's 20 largest media markets to also own a newspaper.

Congress moves to ease access to records - 18 Dec 2007 at 1:51pm - WASHINGTON -- Congress is moving to reverse one area of the Bush administration's trend toward secrecy since the 2001 terrorist attacks by expanding the Freedom of Information Act, increasing penalties for noncompliance and making records held by government contractors subject to the law.

Thought for the day:
If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything. -Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)

In the News: Dec-17

Iraq sees need for foreign troops for 10 years - 17 Dec 2007 at 8:30am - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq will need foreign troops to help defend it for another 10 years, but will not accept U.S. bases indefinitely, government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said.

Judge: White House logs are public - 17 Dec 2007 at 1:11pm - WASHINGTON -- White House visitor logs are public documents, a federal judge ruled Monday, rejecting a legal strategy that the Bush administration had hoped would get around public records laws.

Iraq Angered by Turkish Bombing - 17 Dec 2007 at 12:42pm - The Turkish attacks on Sunday ? involving dozens of war planes and artillery ? were the largest known cross-border attack since 2003.

Thought for the day:
Just because your voice reaches halfway around the world doesn't mean you are wiser than when it reached only to the end of the bar. -Edward R. Murrow (1908 - 1965)

In the News: Dec-13

U.S. producer prices surge in November - 13 Dec 2007 at 10:25am - Wholesale prices shot up 3.2 percent in November, the biggest jump in 34 years, propelled by a record rise in gasoline prices.

Al Gore lays blame for Bali stalemate on U.S. - 13 Dec 2007 at 9:49am - NUSA DUA, Indonesia (Reuters) - Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore drew cheers at 190-nation talks by saying the United States was the main block to launching negotiations in Bali on a new global climate treaty.

Senate Republicans block energy bill - 13 Dec 2007 at 10:21am - WASHINGTON -- Senate Republicans blocked a broad energy bill Thursday because it included billions of dollars in new taxes on the biggest oil companies.

Panel votes on contempt for Rove, Bolten - 13 Dec 2007 at 11:30am - WASHINGTON -- The Senate Judiciary Committee voted for a contempt citation against Karl Rove and Josh Bolten on Thursday, the latest move in an inquiry into possibly politically motivated firings of federal prosecutors.

Thought for the day:
Be careful when you fight the monsters, lest you become one. -Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900)

In the News: Dec-12

Court won't release wiretap documents - 11 Dec 2007 at 5:12pm - WASHINGTON -- The nation's spy court said Tuesday that it will not release its documents regarding the Bush administration's warrantless wiretapping program.

Calif. town rejects Blackwater plan - 12 Dec 2007 at 7:52am - POTRERO, Calif. -- Residents balked at putting a Blackwater training camp near this sleepy mountain village, voting to recall five members of an advisory planning board that endorsed the global security firm's plan.

CIA chief knew of videotapes in '06 - 12 Dec 2007 at 9:48am - CIA Director Michael Hayden knew of the terrorist interrogation videotapes now at the center of controversy more than a year ago, he told the Associated Press on Wednesday. Hayden knew "the fact of" the destroyed videotapes late in his tenure as principal deputy director of national intelligence, a post he held from April 2005 to May 2006, he said on his way to brief the House Intelligence Committee about the unfolding investigation.

State to leave some open jobs vacant - 12 Dec 2007 at 3:10pm - WASHINGTON -- A critical shortage of diplomats will force the State Department to leave open 10 percent of its vacant positions around the world, with the exception of key posts such as in Iraq and Afghanistan, The Associated Press has learned.

Automakers' Suit on Gas Emissions Tossed - 12 Dec 2007 at 2:53pm - SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Handing a major defeat to the auto industry, a federal judge ruled Wednesday that California can regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles.

Thought for the day:
I am certain there is too much certainty in the world. -Michael Crichton (1942 - ), State of Fear

In the News: Dec-11

When Iraq's Middle Class Flee, They Often Get Poor - 11 Dec 2007 at 9:08am - Some Iraqi refugees in Syria are stuck in a no-man's land. Those who may want to return home to Iraq cannot do so, as Iraq's central government says it can't cope with a large influx of Iraqis. Aid organizations say refugees slip into severe poverty because they're mostly middle class professionals who lack the skills to thrive in a black-market economy.

New Details in CIA Waterboarding - 11 Dec 2007 at 8:59am - WASHINGTON (AP) -- The CIA's waterboarding of a top al-Qaida figure was approved at the top levels of the U.S. government, a former CIA agent said Tuesday as agency director Gen. Michael Hayden prepared for questioning by congressional panels about the destruction of videotapes of terror suspect interrogations.

Graham: Senate Intel Panel Had No Early Word on Tapes - 11 Dec 2007 at 9:02am - From 2001 to 2003, the Senate Intelligence Committee was not briefed on details of the CIA's interrogation tactics, and heard no mention of videotapes of the interrogations, says Former Sen. Bob Graham. The Florida Democrat chaired the panel from 2001 through 2003. The panel questions CIA Director Michael Hayden about the videotapes today.

Iraq rejects permanent U.S. bases: adviser - 11 Dec 2007 at 9:17am - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq will never allow the United States to have permanent military bases on its soil, the government's national security adviser said.

Waterboarding useful but torture: ex-CIA interrogator - 11 Dec 2007 at 10:47am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - CIA officials extracted valuable information from a terrorism suspect after he was subjected to waterboarding, a simulated drowning technique that has been condemned as torture, a former CIA interrogator told U.S. new media.

U.S. military in command changes in Iraq - 11 Dec 2007 at 1:18pm - WASHINGTON -- The U.S. military in Iraq is undergoing its biggest changeover in senior commanders since Gen. David Petraeus launched a new counterinsurgency strategy nearly a year ago.

U.S. refuses 'Any Wounded Soldier' mail - 11 Dec 2007 at 2:22pm - BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Hundreds of thousands of holiday cards and letters thanking wounded American troops for their sacrifice and wishing them well never reach their destination. They are returned to sender or thrown away unopened.

Thought for the day:
The world owes all its onward impulses to men ill at ease. The happy man inevitably confines himself within ancient limits. -Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804 - 1864)

In the News: Dec-10

U.N. climate talks under pressure to drop 2020 goals - 10 Dec 2007 at 8:45am - NUSA DUA, Indonesia (Reuters) - The United States has urged a tough 2020 target for rich nations to axe greenhouse gas emissions to be dropped from a draft text at climate change talks in Bali, delegates said on Monday.

Libby to drop appeal in CIA leak case - 10 Dec 2007 at 10:38am - Former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby is dropping his appeal in the CIA leak case, his attorney said Monday.

General: Some Iraq gains 'permanent' - 10 Dec 2007 at 12:05pm - WASHINGTON -- The U.S. commander in western Iraq said Monday that progress against insurgents in his area is "permanent" but that it will be another 19 months before Iraqi forces can operate there by themselves.

Court: Judges can reduce crack sentences - 10 Dec 2007 at 12:02pm - WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court on Monday said judges may impose shorter prison terms for crack cocaine crimes, enhancing judicial discretion to reduce the disparity between sentences for crack and cocaine powder.

Climate science manipulation alleged - 10 Dec 2007 at 4:35pm - WASHINGTON -- The White House has systematically tried to manipulate climate change science and minimize the dangers of global warming, asserts a Democratic congressional report issued after a 16-month investigation.

Funny headline of the day: "Troops overrun Taliban town, British PM in Afghanistan"

Thought for the day:
One of the lessons of history is that nothing is often a good thing to do and always a clever thing to say. -Will Durant (1885 - 1981)

No Recollection of Being Made Aware

Justice Asked to Probe Tape Destruction - 7 Dec 2007 at 12:15pm - WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate's No. 2 Democrat on Friday asked the Justice Department to investigate whether the CIA obstructed justice by destroying videotapes that documented the harsh 2002 interrogations of two alleged terrorists.

Embattled State Department inspector general resigns - 7 Dec 2007 at 2:51pm - WASHINGTON — Embattled State Department Inspector General Howard Krongard, under fire for allegedly impeding probes into problems with construction of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and with security firm Blackwater Worldwide, submitted his resignation Friday.

Bush denies knowledge of CIA 'torture' videos - 7 Dec 2007 at 2:57pm - US President George W Bush does not recall knowing about videotapes of CIA interrogations of suspected terrorists, or the decision to destroy those recordings in 2005, the White House said.... [White House spokeswoman Dana] Perino stopped short of denying any White House involvement, saying only that Mr Bush "has no recollection of being made aware of the tapes or their destruction before yesterday" when Mr Hayden briefed him.

Thought for the day:
Acting is all about honesty. If you can fake that, you've got it made. -George Burns (1896 - 1996)

Victory Dances In the End Zone

Petraeus cites violence decline in Iraq - 6 Dec 2007 at 5:51am - BAGHDAD -- Citing a 60 percent decline in violence in Iraq over the last six months, Gen. David Petraeus said Thursday that maintaining security is easier than establishing it and gives him more flexibility in deploying forces.... "There's nobody in uniform who is doing victory dances in the end zone," said Petraeus, saying it will require more tough work against a very dangerous adversary.

Is there anybody in (or out of) uniform who's willing to provide a hint as to the United States' definition of "victory"? Dance, or don't dance -- I haven't a care which you do -- but do you honestly think there remains some goal which is both worthy and militarily achievable?

Hadley Responds to NIE on Iran - 6 Dec 2007 at 9:04am - National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley discusses the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran, and how the intelligence reversal will affect international diplomacy on Iran. He says the report confirms that Iran had a convert program that could be restarted at anytime.

US: Iran still poses missile threat - 6 Dec 2007 at 8:42am - WASHINGTON -- The United States says it will not alter plans to build a missile defense system in Europe despite findings by U.S. intelligence agencies that Iran does not have an active nuclear weapons program.

USA under mounting pressure at climate conference - 6 Dec 2007 at 8:32am - American climate negotiators refused to back down in their opposition to mandatory cuts in greenhouse gas emissions Thursday, even as a U.S. Senate panel endorsed sharp reductions in pollution blamed for global warming.

Limits proposed on CIA interrogators - 6 Dec 2007 at 2:34am - WASHINGTON -- House and Senate negotiators working on an intelligence bill have agreed to limit CIA interrogators to techniques approved by the military, which would effectively bar them from using such harsh methods as waterboarding, congressional aides said Wednesday.

Senate Panel Passes Bill to Limit Greenhouse Gases - 6 Dec 2007 at 1:07am - The bill would be a major step toward passage of a measure that would for the first time slow and then reverse emissions of the gases that scientists blame for the warming of the planet.

Iran ambitions not "benign," U.S. spy official says - 6 Dec 2007 at 2:27pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iran retains key nuclear capabilities despite having frozen weapons development in 2003, and its ambitions cannot be considered benign, a senior U.S. spy official told Congress on Thursday.

Tail stem cells used to cure sickle cell anemia in mice - 6 Dec 2007 at 2:47pm - CHICAGO (AFP) - Stem cell research took another major step forward Thursday when scientists announced they had cured sickle cell anemia in mice using stem cells derived from adult skin.

Thought for the day:
Experts say you should never hit your children in anger. When is a good time? When you're feeling festive? -Roseanne Barr

In the News: Dec-05

Report: U.S. teen births rise - 5 Dec 2007 at 11:47am - ATLANTA -- The nation's teen birth rate has risen for the first time in 14 years, according to a new government report.

Heckuva job, abstinence-only programs.

Marine general shelves troop shift plan - 5 Dec 2007 at 3:35pm - WASHINGTON -- The top Marine general said Wednesday he has set aside his proposal to shift Marine forces from Iraq to Afghanistan, reflecting opposition from Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

More deferring to his commanders in the field?

Thought for the day:
If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe. -Carl Sagan (1934 - 1996)

We Reformed the Intel Community

US Defence Secretary Gates calls for more help for Afghanistan - 4 Dec 2007 at 11:09am - KABUL (AFP) - US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday he was pushing the world's countries for more commitment to Afghanistan's fight against growing extremist violence.

Does this constitute an admission that the Iraq war has been draining resources that should have been allocated to Afghanistan?

IAEA: US Iran Report Matches UN Agency - Dec 4, 9:07 AM EST - VIENNA, Austria (AP) -- A U.S. intelligence review that concludes Iran stopped developing a nuclear weapons program in 2003 is consistent with the U.N. atomic watchdog agency's own findings and "should help to "defuse the current crisis," the organization's chief said Tuesday.

ElBaradei 2, Bush/Cheney 0

Karzai: Afghan military needs equipment - 4 Dec 2007 at 10:55am - KHOST, Afghanistan -- The Afghanistan military needs more trainers and equipment in order to gain control of the country's security, President Hamid Karzai and his defense chief told Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on Tuesday.

Now Online, a Guide to Detainee Treatment - 4 Dec 2007 at 12:00am - [HatTip: Slashdot] As the Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments this week on the rights of enemy combatants at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the public is getting another peek at how detainees have been treated there.

15-month tours of Iraq likely for awhile - 4 Dec 2007 at 2:01pm - WASHINGTON -- The No. 2 U.S. commander in Iraq said Tuesday that 15-month combat tours are too long for U.S. soldiers but probably cannot be shortened until next fall as troop levels decline.

U.S. envoy says State Dept. knew of pulled U.N. text - 4 Dec 2007 at 2:23pm - UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Washington's U.N. envoy denied on Tuesday he had failed to consult the State Department before putting a Middle East resolution to the U.N. Security Council that he later withdrew after Israel objected.

Bush keeps up pressure on Tehran - 4 Dec 2007 at 3:03pm - WASHINGTON -- President Bush said Tuesday that the international community should continue to pressure Iran on its nuclear programs, asserting Tehran remains dangerous despite a new intelligence conclusion that it halted its development of a nuclear bomb four years ago.

From GWB's press conference: "You know, I want to compliment the intelligence community for their good work. Right after the failure of intelligence in Iraq, we reformed the intel community so that there was a lot of serious consideration of NIEs in a way that would give us confidence. And here's a - I think, a very important product that is a result of the reforms we've put in place."

But there was no "failure of intelligence" regarding Iraq and WMDs. There was, foremost, a determined effort by the White House -- and by those sympathetic to its extreme anti-Saddam bent -- to twist the intelligence into something it wasn't: evidence at a high level of confidence either of existing WMDs or of an ongoing WMD program. There was also a failure on the part of Congress, the media, and ordinary Americans to press the White House to explain the apparent contradiction between portions of the NIE that had been released to the public and its public statements regarding the certainty that Saddam had WMDs.

Thought for the day:
Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality. -Carl Sagan (1934 - 1996)

In the News: Dec-03

Pakistan's Sharif barred from election - 3 Dec 2007 at 9:07am - ISLAMABAD (AFP) - Pakistani authorities Monday banned former premier Nawaz Sharif's from standing in next month's general election, further damaging the credibility of a vote that the opposition may yet boycott.

Hundreds of Iraqis seek aid after al Qaeda battle - 3 Dec 2007 at 9:34am - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Hundreds of Iraqis displaced by fierce battles between al Qaeda militants and U.S. and Iraqi security forces began receiving humanitarian aid on Monday at a camp set up on Baghdad's southern outskirts.

Bush to press for war funding Tuesday - 3 Dec 2007 at 12:00pm - WASHINGTON -- President Bush will hold a news conference Tuesday morning to try to keep pressure on Congress to approve money for the war in Iraq and other administration priorities.

Pentagon chief in Afghanistan as al Qaeda regroups - 3 Dec 2007 at 11:56am - KABUL (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates landed in Afghanistan on Monday to gauge military commanders' needs as they face a strengthened Taliban and signs that al Qaeda is regrouping in the country.

Australia ratifies Kyoto warming treaty - 3 Dec 2007 at 11:38am - New Prime Minister Kevin Rudd signed the paperwork Monday to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, making good on an election promise to overturn Australia's decade-long opposition to the international global warming pact.

U.S.: Iran halted nuclear weapons program in 2003 - 3 Dec 2007 at 1:19pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. intelligence has determined that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 but believes it is continuing to develop technical capabilities that could be used to build a bomb, a government report said on Monday.

US: Iran still able to develop nukes - 3 Dec 2007 at 1:43pm - WASHINGTON -- Iran halted its nuclear weapons development program in the fall of 2003 under international pressure but is continuing to enrich uranium, which means it may still be able to develop a weapon between 2010 and 2015, senior intelligence officials said Monday.

U.S. report contradicts Bush on Iran nuclear program - 3 Dec 2007 at 2:26pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A new U.S. intelligence report says Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 and it remains on hold, contradicting the Bush administration's earlier assertion that Tehran was intent on developing a bomb.

U.S. objects to Russian treaty plans - 3 Dec 2007 at 2:51pm - WASHINGTON -- The United States asserted Monday that Russia does not have the legal right to suspend participation in a key European arms control treaty.

Iraqis in Syria face food shortages - 3 Dec 2007 at 3:05pm - DAMASCUS, Syria — Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees in Syria face a bleak winter, with rising fuel costs that could leave many without enough money for food, the director of the World Food Program said Monday.

Thought for the day:
Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything. -Charles Kuralt