In the News: Feb-27

Obama says combat operation in Iraq to end by Aug 2010 - 27 Feb 2009 at 1:30pm - CAMP LEJEUNE, North Carolina (Reuters) - President Barack Obama announced on Friday he would withdraw U.S. combat forces from Iraq by August 31, 2010, winding down the unpopular six-year war but leaving behind up to 50,000 troops until the end of 2011.

50,000 is half the number of remaining U.S. troops in Iraq, so wouldn't that be only half a withdrawal by Aug-31, 2010? Unless he's saying that only 50,000 are devoted to combat; but, as of the SOFA, only Iraqi forces are involved in combat operations, anyway, no?

Army: Enemy fire caused copter collision in Iraq - 27 Feb 2009 at 10:44am - FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- The military now says enemy fire caused two U.S. Army helicopters to collide in Iraq last month, killing four American pilots.

U.S. economy shrank at 6.2% pace in Q4 - 27 Feb 2009 at 9:21am - The U.S. government said the economy contracted at an annualized pace of 6.2 per cent for the fourth quarter of last year, the worst showing in a quarter-century.

Officials: Obama sets Aug. 2010 as Iraq end date - 27 Feb 2009 at 7:07am - WASHINGTON -- A "substantial" number of the roughly 100,000 U.S. combat troops to be pulled out of Iraq by Aug. 31, 2010, will remain in the war zone through at least the end of this year to ensure national elections there go smoothly, senior Obama administration officials say.

Thought for the day:
We are confronted with insurmountable opportunities. -Walt Kelly (1913 - 1973), "Pogo"

In the News: Feb-26

U.S. expected to charge suspected al Qaeda agent - 26 Feb 2009 at 2:50pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal prosecutors are expected to bring criminal charges against Ali al-Marri, a suspected al Qaeda "sleeper" agent who has been held for 5-1/2 years at a U.S. military prison in South Carolina, someone involved in the case said on Thursday.

Officials: Pentagon OKs media photos of war dead - 26 Feb 2009 at 12:57pm - WASHINGTON -- News organizations will be allowed to photograph the homecomings of America's war dead under a new Pentagon policy, defense and congressional officials said Thursday.

Obama asks $130B for Iraq, Afghan wars next year - 26 Feb 2009 at 11:03am - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama says the true costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will no longer be "left off the books."

W. House's Volcker wants tighter bank oversight - 26 Feb 2009 at 10:24am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Banks that are big enough to destabilize markets should be subjected to tighter regulatory oversight, and some rules ought to be internationally agreed, White House economic adviser Paul Volcker said on Thursday.

U.S. workers on jobless benefits at record high - 26 Feb 2009 at 9:18am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of U.S. workers continuing to receive state jobless aid jumped to record high in mid-February, data showed on Thursday, as the 14-month recession ravaged the economy and squeezed companies.

Don't create new Guantanamo elsewhere, EU tells U.S. - 26 Feb 2009 at 9:01am - BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The United States must not allow its Bagram military base in Afghanistan to become a new Guantanamo Bay if it wants European Union help to close the prison on Cuba, a confidential EU policy document says.

Review of Bellingham immigration raid ordered by Napolitano - 26 Feb 2009 at 7:38am - Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has ordered a review of a Tuesday, Feb. 24, raid at Yamato Engine Specialists in Bellingham that resulted in the arrests of 28 workers believed to be in the country illegally.

Thought for the day:
Get all the fools on your side and you can be elected to anything. -Frank Dane

In the News: Feb-25

FEMA investigating La. hurricane recovery office - 25 Feb 2009 at 2:49pm - WASHINGTON -- Federal emergency management officials said Wednesday they are investigating allegations of cronyism and other misconduct at the New Orleans office that is overseeing efforts to rebuild the hurricane-battered Gulf Coast.

Bellingham company upset by handling of immigration raid - 25 Feb 2009 at 2:02pm - BELLINGHAM After federal agents raided Yamato Engine Specialists Ltd. and detained 28 employees Tuesday, Feb. 24, company officials expressed dismay about how U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers handled the matter.

Iraq says early U.S. pullout ok if Iraq army equipped - 25 Feb 2009 at 10:20am - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq within 19 months, faster than agreed in a bilateral security pact, will not pose a problem so long as Iraq can equip its forces in that time, an official said Wednesday.

Troops to leave Iraq in 18 months, officials say - 25 Feb 2009 at 9:18am - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama is expected to order all U.S. combat troops to leave Iraq by August of next year, administration officials said, closing the door on a war that has led to the deaths of at least 4,250 members of the U.S. military.

Spain may accept Guantanamo Bay detainees - 25 Feb 2009 at 6:02am - Spain has told the United States it is open "in principle" to accepting some prisoners currently being held at Guantanamo Bay when the military base is shut down.

Thought for the day:
The whole dream of democracy is to raise the proletarian to the level of stupidity attained by the bourgeois. -Gustave Flaubert (1821 - 1880)

In the News: Feb-24

Bail OK'd for alleged in-law of al-Qaida official - 24 Feb 2009 at 3:01pm - SANTA ANA, Calif. -- An alleged brother-in-law of Osama bin Laden's bodyguard was ordered to be released on $500,000 bail Tuesday, and a Muslim advocacy group said it wants a federal investigation into whether he was arrested because he had refused to become an FBI informant.

Court orders EPA to reconsider soot threshold - 24 Feb 2009 at 2:47pm - WASHINGTON -- A federal appeals court is pressing the Environmental Protection Agency for a better explanation of how the Bush administration's limit on the amount of soot and dust allowed in the air protects public health.

Four U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan - 24 Feb 2009 at 1:56pm - A roadside bomb killed four U.S. troops patrolling in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday in the deadliest single attack on international forces this year. An Afghan civilian working with the Americans also died. The troops were patrolling with Afghan forces when their vehicle struck a bomb Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. military said in a statement. The military did not release the location of the attack pending the notification of relatives.

Bernanke fears recession could extend to 2010 - 24 Feb 2009 at 1:54pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned on Tuesday the "severe" U.S. recession may drag into 2010 unless the government succeeds in stabilizing the banking system and financial markets with strong action.

Thought for the day:
Television is democracy at its ugliest. -Paddy Chayefsky

In the News: Feb-23

Obama pledges to cut deficit in half - 23 Feb 2009 at 2:48pm - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama has vowed to cut the country's budget deficit in half by the end of his first term. Obama laid out the guiding principle of his budget policy at a White House conference. He said he believes the time has come for "a frank conversation" about the problem and said the deficit, projected to total $1.3 trillion this year, must be brought under control.

Freed Guantanamo detainee says U.S. behind his torture - 23 Feb 2009 at 7:56am - LONDON (Reuters) - Binyam Mohamed, a British resident held at Guantanamo Bay for more than four years, was released and put on a plane to Britain on Monday and accused the U.S. government of orchestrating his torture.

Thought for the day:
There are no trifles in the human story, no trifling leaves on the tree. -Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885), Les Miserables

In the News: Feb-20

U.S. secures Afghan supply route - 20 Feb 2009 at 1:30pm - DUSHANBE (Reuters) - Tajikistan and Uzbekistan will allow the transit by land of non-military NATO cargo to Afghanistan, a U.S. commander said on Friday, as Washington seeks alternative supply routes for its troops there.

U.S. soldier found guilty in murder of 4 Iraqis - 20 Feb 2009 at 12:31pm - A U.S. Army medic was convicted of murder Friday for his involvement in the execution-style slayings of four bound and blindfolded Iraqi detainees shot in the back of the head in the spring of 2007. Sgt. Michael Leahy Jr. was found guilty on charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder by the nine-person jury who had heard testimony about the killings at the court-martial at the Army's Rose Barracks Courthouse since Wednesday.

Detainee will return to Britain next week: report - 20 Feb 2009 at 10:43am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A British resident held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, will be flown back to England next week, The Washington Post reported on Friday.

House members seek KBR contract review - 20 Feb 2009 at 11:07am - WASHINGTON -- Members of Congress are asking the Pentagon to review a $35 million contract awarded to a company under criminal investigation in the electrocution deaths of U.S. soldiers in Iraq.

Iran understates uranium stocks to IAEA: diplomats - 20 Feb 2009 at 10:56am - VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran recently understated by a third how much uranium it had enriched and U.N. nuclear inspectors are working with Tehran to ensure such a significant gap does not recur, diplomats said Friday.

Sources: War tours strain US military readiness - 20 Feb 2009 at 9:19am - WASHINGTON -- Strained by repeated war tours, persistent terrorist threats and instability around the globe, there is a significant risk the U.S. military may not be able to respond quickly and fully to new crises, a classified Pentagon assessment has concluded.

Britain bans Fred Phelps, daughter from entering U.K. - 20 Feb 2009 at 7:47am - The British government has banned Fred Phelps and his daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper from entering the United Kingdom.

Thought for the day:
Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand. -Kurt Vonnegut (1922 - 2007)

In the News: Feb-19

Moscow jury acquits defendants of journalist's killing - 19 Feb 2009 at 10:21am - Three men charged with murder in the killing of journalist and Kremlin critic Anna Politkovskaya were acquitted in a Moscow court Thursday.

U.S. jobless claims hit new all-time high - 19 Feb 2009 at 9:12am - The number of people in the United States getting unemployment benefits hit an all-time high of nearly five million last week, the U.S. government reported Thursday.

Conservative boost gives Netanyahu edge to become Israel PM - 19 Feb 2009 at 10:16am - Far-right politician Avigdor Lieberman endorsed Benjamin Netanyahu for Israeli prime minister on Thursday, all but guaranteeing that Netanyahu will be the country's next leader. The divisive Lieberman emerged as the kingmaker of Israeli politics after the Feb. 10 election produced a deadlock between its two largest parties, and his backing of Netanyahu could be the basis for a hardline government.

Radical cleric awarded compo for 9/11 - 19 Feb 2009 at 6:39am - The European Court of Human Rights awarded 2,800 euros ($3,546) in compensation to radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada for his wrongful detention in Britain following the September 11 attacks.

Thought for the day:
No one can earn a million dollars honestly. -William Jennings Bryan (1860 - 1925)

In the News: Feb-18

Two professors theorize on bin Laden hideout - 18 Feb 2009 at 2:30pm - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - After all these years, where is Osama bin Laden? Two college geography professors think they know.

Border-patrolling aircraft irk Manitoba MLA - 18 Feb 2009 at 11:32am - Manitobans on the southeastern border between Canada and the United States aren't happy with the idea of being watched by American spy planes. Emerson MLA Cliff Graydo said constituents are calling him and expressing concern over their privacy. He believes the U.S. government should have consulted Manitobans when the plan for the remote-controlled planes was first being considered.

Court reverses ruling bringing 17 detainees to US - 18 Feb 2009 at 11:18am - WASHINGTON -- A federal appeals court has overturned a ruling that would have transferred 17 Guantanamo Bay detainees to the United States.

Thought for the day:
All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them. -Galileo Galilei (1564 - 1642)

In the News: Feb-17

Israel engaged in covert war inside Iran: report - 17 Feb 2009 at 12:42pm - LONDON (Reuters) - Israel is involved in a covert war of sabotage inside Iran to try to delay Tehran's alleged attempts to develop a nuclear weapon, a British newspaper said on Tuesday, quoting a former CIA agent and intelligence experts.

U.N.: Afghan civilian deaths rose 40% in 2008 - 17 Feb 2009 at 8:59am - The number of Afghan civilians killed in armed conflict rose 40% last year to a record 2,118 people as the Afghan war turned increasingly bloody, the U.N. said in a new report Tuesday. The report said insurgents were responsible for 55% of the deaths, but that U.S., NATO and Afghan forces killed 829 civilians, or 39%. Of those, 552 deaths were blamed on airstrikes.

Thought for the day:
The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers. -Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826)

In the News: Feb-16

NY senator, husband keep 2 rifles under their bed - 16 Feb 2009 at 3:07pm - NEW YORK -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who has drawn criticism from fellow Democrats in New York because of her pro-gun stance, says she keeps two rifles under her bed.

Kinky.

Livni: Give up half of 'Land of Israel' - 16 Feb 2009 at 1:00pm - Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni says Israel must give up considerable territory in exchange for peace with the Palestinians.

Despite Obama pledge, Justice defends Bush secrets - 16 Feb 2009 at 11:39am - WASHINGTON -- Despite President Obama's vow to open government more than ever, the Justice Department is defending Bush administration decisions to keep secret many documents about domestic wiretapping, data collection on travelers and U.S. citizens, and interrogation of suspected terrorists.

U.S. set to launch unmanned aerial drones to monitor Manitoba border - 16 Feb 2009 at 10:40am - The first unmanned surveillance airplanes will start patrolling the Manitoba portion of Canada's border with the U.S. after a ceremonial launch Monday, officials say.

Thought for the day:
He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself. -Thomas Paine (1737 - 1809)

In the News: Feb-13

Report: Over 100,000 deportees had US children - 13 Feb 2009 at 2:23pm - WASHINGTON -- A new report says immigration officials deported more than 100,000 parents of U.S. citizen children over a decade.

Blackwater ditches tarnished brand name - 13 Feb 2009 at 11:26am - Blackwater Worldwide is abandoning its tarnished brand name as it tries to shake a reputation battered by oft-criticized work in Iraq, renaming its family of two dozen businesses under the name Xe. The parent company's new name is pronounced "zee." Blackwater Lodge & Training Center — the subsidiary that conducts much of the company's overseas operations and domestic training — has been renamed U.S. Training Center Inc., the company said Friday.

5 states challenge employer credit checks - 13 Feb 2009 at 10:15am - Amid skyrocketing layoffs and mortgage foreclosures, several states and the federal government are pushing new rules to stop employers from unfairly screening out job applicants who can't pass a credit check. Five states are considering laws that would restrict credit checks by employers. Stuart Ishimaru, President Obama's acting chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), is a vocal critic of the checks and has called for the agency to begin issuing guidelines on how such checks should be carried out.

Obama seen likely to hedge on missile defense - 13 Feb 2009 at 8:28am - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama's go-slow approach to missile defenses in Europe is stirring speculation that he is planning either to deep-freeze the costly project he inherited from the Bush administration or use it as a bargaining chip in broader security talks with Russia.

Report: Turkish bombs kill 13 Kurdish rebels in Iraq - 13 Feb 2009 at 7:44am - Turkey's state-run news agency said Friday that 13 Kurdish rebels were killed in northern Iraq during Turkish bombing last week.

Thought for the day:
Somebody has to do something, and it's just incredibly pathetic that it has to be us. -Jerry Garcia

In the News: Feb-12

Official: Economic crisis tops list of US threats - 12 Feb 2009 at 2:49pm - WASHINGTON -- The economic crisis has trumped bullets and bombs in the intelligence chief's latest assessment of the top security threats to the United States.

Pakistan admits internal link to Mumbai attacks - 12 Feb 2009 at 2:39pm - Pakistan acknowledged the Mumbai attacks were partly plotted on its soil and announced criminal proceedings against eight suspects, including three alleged ringleaders, in a sign it is heeding U.S. and Indian demands to punish those responsible for the deaths of 164 people. India called Thursday's announcement a "positive development" and the news was welcomed by Washington, which had feared tensions the attacks triggered between the nuclear-armed neighbors would distract Pakistan from its struggle against the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

Pentagon investigators head to Afghanistan - 12 Feb 2009 at 2:35pm - WASHINGTON -- A team of Pentagon auditors will travel to Afghanistan next month to determine whether the U.S. is doing enough to train and equip local security forces.

Is Obama following Bush's lead on official secrecy? - 12 Feb 2009 at 2:30pm - WASHINGTON — The Obama administration, which vowed to usher in a "new era of openness in our country," either has delayed action on requests for access to government records or refused to disclose them in three early, high-profile tests of the pledge.

TVA: Cleaning Tenn. spill could cost $825 million - 12 Feb 2009 at 2:04pm - KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- It could cost as much as $825 million to clean up a river and a rural neighborhood after a massive spill of coal ash sludge from a Tennessee Valley Authority power plant, the utility's chief executive said Thursday.

New RCMP policy says Tasers potentially lethal, limits use - 12 Feb 2009 at 12:53pm - The RCMP is restricting how officers can use Tasers through a new policy that recognizes the stun guns can cause death, especially when fired on "acutely agitated" individuals, the head of the Mounties said Thursday.

Elections Canada collects personal info on teens too young to vote - 12 Feb 2009 at 11:17am - Elections Canada has been collecting personal information about Canadians under 18, even though it has no authority to do so because they are too young to vote, says a new report from Canada's auditor general and privacy commissioner.

Thought for the day:
Change is the process by which the future invades our lives. -Alvin Toffler

In the News: Feb-11

All-Star Tejada pleads guilty to lying to Congress - 11 Feb 2009 at 2:37pm

Next: Bush & Cheney? Oh, that's right -- they testified, but not under oath.

FBI investigating 530 corporate fraud cases - 11 Feb 2009 at 11:24am - WASHINGTON -- The FBI is conducting more than 500 investigations of corporate fraud amid the financial meltdown, FBI Deputy Director John Pistole told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, and there is an even bigger mountain of mortgage fraud cases in which hundreds of millions of dollars may have been swindled from the system.

Peanut Co. owner urged shipping tainted products - 11 Feb 2009 at 10:52am - WASHINGTON -- The owner of a peanut company urged his workers to ship tainted products after receiving test results identifying salmonella, imploring employees to "turn the raw peanuts on our floor into money," according to internal company e-mails disclosed Wednesday by a House committee.

Thought for the day:
Never has a man who has bent himself been able to make others straight. -Mencius (371 BC - 289 BC)

In the News: Feb-10

EPA reconsiders Bush rule on air pollution permits - 10 Feb 2009 at 3:01pm - WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration is delaying a rule issued in the final days of President George W. Bush's presidency that would have let some industrial facilities avoid having to install pollution controls when they expand.

Hamas torturing, killing 'collaborators': Amnesty - 10 Feb 2009 at 3:00pm - Human rights group Amnesty International has accused the Palestinian militant movement Hamas of killing, torturing, maiming and abducting people it accuses of collaborating with Israel.

Salazar rejects Bush drilling plan - 10 Feb 2009 at 2:26pm - WASHINGTON -- Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has rejected a Bush administration plan to open vast waters off the Pacific and Atlantic coasts to oil and gas drilling.

Senate Roll Vote: How they voted on stimulus bill - 10 Feb 2009 at 2:23pm - The 61-37 roll call by which the Senate on Tuesday voted to pass an $838 billion economic recovery plan.

Geithner pledges forceful attack on banking crisis - 10 Feb 2009 at 11:25am - WASHINGTON -- Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner says the new administration will wage an aggressive two-front battle against the worst financial crisis in seven decades, while the Federal Reserve expands a key lending program to up to $1 trillion.

Thought for the day:
After one look at this planet any visitor from outer space would say "I want to see the manager." -William S. Burroughs (1914 - 1997)

In the News: Feb-09

Military chief caps add'l troops to Afghan at 30K - 9 Feb 2009 at 3:05pm - FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- No more than an estimated 30,000 additional troops will be sent to Afghanistan as the U.S. ramps up forces there, the nation's top military officer told soldiers Monday.

Oregon soldier's death is under investigation - 9 Feb 2009 at 2:34pm - WASHINGTON -- Army criminal investigators have opened a probe into the death of an Oregon soldier who was electrocuted while swimming in Iraq at a U.S.-operated base.

Sen. Leahy proposes truth panel on Bush era abuses - 9 Feb 2009 at 2:18pm - WASHINGTON -- The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee is proposing a "truth commission" to investigate abuses of detainees, politically inspired moves at the Justice Department, and whole range of decisions made during the Bush administration.

Four U.S. soldiers killed by suicide car bomb in Iraq - 9 Feb 2009 at 1:59pm - The military says four American soldiers and an interpreter have been killed in a suicide car bombing in northern Iraq.

Kyrgyz vote on closing U.S. base delayed - 9 Feb 2009 at 1:08pm - A Kyrgyz lawmaker says parliament will delay a vote for at least a week on whether to close a key U.S. air base until the Central Asian nation receives aid promised by Russia.

Or until it can be seen whether a favorable counteroffer from the U.S. is forthcoming?

IRAQ: Foot-and-mouth disease infects livestock in Basra - February 09, 2009 8:48:49 AM BAGHDAD, 8 February 2009 (IRIN) - A local official in Basra Province, 600km south of Baghdad, said on 7 February that there has been an outbreak in the province of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), a highly contagious disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals, in particular cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, camelids and deer.

IRAQ: Minister of women’s affairs tenders resignation - February 09, 2009 8:48:49 AM BAGHDAD, 9 February 2009 (IRIN) - Nawal al-Samaraie, minister for women's affairs, tendered her resignation on 3 February, saying she lacked the resources to implement her plans to help improve women's lives.

Thought for the day:
Money alone sets all the world in motion. -Publilius Syrus (~100 BC)

In the News: Feb-06

$35M contract despite electrocutions - 6 Feb 2009 at 2:53pm - WASHINGTON -- Defense contractor KBR Inc., which is under criminal investigation in the electrocution deaths of at least two U.S. soldiers in Iraq, has been awarded a $35 million contract by the Pentagon to build an electrical distribution center and other projects there.

With ice in retreat, U.S. regulators ban fishing in Arctic - 6 Feb 2009 at 2:42pm - Federal fishery regulators Thursday approved an unprecedented plan to ban U.S. commercial fishing in the Arctic Ocean.

Panetta: No Prosecution For CIA Interrogators - 6 Feb 2009 at 1:42pm - President Obama's choice for CIA director makes the clearest statement yet that the Obama administration will not prosecute CIA officers who participated in harsh interrogations that critics say crossed the line into torture. Panetta confirmed the policy in an interview with The Associated Press.

U.K. resident held at Gitmo alleges Canadian involvement in torture - 6 Feb 2009 at 11:43am - Allegations are emerging that two Canadians may have been involved in the torture of one of Britain's last remaining citizens at Guantanamo Bay.

U.S. employers cut 598,000 jobs in January - 6 Feb 2009 at 9:14am - The U.S. economy lost 598,000 jobs last month - the biggest one-month drop since 1974 - as the jobless rate climbed to 7.6 per cent.

129,000 jobs lost in January - 6 Feb 2009 at 7:29am - Canada's unemployment rate shot up by 0.6 percentage points in January to 7.2 per cent as 129,000 jobs were lost last month, Statistics Canada said Friday.

Canadian soldiers to target Afghan drug trade linked to Taliban - 6 Feb 2009 at 8:12am - Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan will be ordered to attack opium traffickers and their drug facilities when there is proof of direct links to the Taliban, CBC News has learned.

Thought for the day:
Thanks to TV and for the convenience of TV, you can only be one of two kinds of human beings, either a liberal or a conservative. -Kurt Vonnegut (1922 - 2007)

In the News: Feb-04

With tension rising, Iraq will recount ballots in Anbar - 4 Feb 2009 at 1:07pm - BAGHDAD — Iraqi officials moved Wednesday to quell rising tensions between rival Sunni Muslims factions in once restive Anbar province, announcing that they'll recount some of the votes cast in last weekend's provincial elections — even before offcial results are known.

Obama caps executive pay tied to bailout money - 4 Feb 2009 at 12:58pm - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama on Wednesday imposed $500,000 caps on senior executive pay for the most distressed financial institutions receiving federal bailout money, saying Americans are upset with "executives being rewarded for failure."

Polling group censures Iraq death toll researcher - 4 Feb 2009 at 9:49am - WASHINGTON -- A prominent group of polling researchers has accused the lead author of a 2006 study suggesting massive civilian deaths in Iraq of violating the polling profession's codes and ethics.

House sets hearing to find out how banks spent money - 4 Feb 2009 at 7:48am - WASHINGTON — Top banking executives are being asked to account for how they spent federal bailout money at a House committee hearing that the chairman hopes will dissipate some of the public's "deeply rooted anger" over the program.

U.N. head urges fewer civilian deaths in Afghanistan - 4 Feb 2009 at 8:01am - The U.N. chief urged U.S. and NATO-led forces in Afghanistan on Wednesday to prevent civilian casualties in their operations, ...

Thought for the day:
If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to. -Dorothy Parker (1893 - 1967)

In the News: Feb-03

Pentagon study: US should pare Afghanistan goals - 3 Feb 2009 at 2:42pm - WASHINGTON -- A classified Pentagon report urges President Barack Obama to shift U.S. military strategy in Afghanistan, de-emphasizing democracy-building and concentrating more on targeting Taliban and al-Qaida sanctuaries inside Pakistan with the aid of Pakistani military forces.

Duckworth nominated to VA post - 3 Feb 2009 at 11:00am - WASHINGTON -- Tammy Duckworth, the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs director, was nominated by President Barack Obama on Tuesday to serve as an assistant secretary at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Thought for the day:
War is a series of catastrophes that results in a victory. -Georges Clemenceau (1841 - 1929)

In the News: Feb-02

Fed: Banks still tightening loan standards - 2 Feb 2009 at 2:56pm - WASHINGTON -- Many banks have made it harder for borrowers to obtain all kinds of loans over the last three months despite a $700 billion federal bailout program and a flurry of other bold moves to stem the worst financial crisis to hit the country since the 1930s.

US to send badminton team to Iran - 2 Feb 2009 at 1:59pm - WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration is sending a women's badminton team to Iran this week as part of a broad bid to engage the Iranian people through educational and cultural exchanges.

Commission gets grim report on wartime spending - 2 Feb 2009 at 7:21am - WASHINGTON -- A new commission examining waste and corruption in wartime contracts is getting a grim report from government watchdogs who say poor planning, weak oversight and greed combined to soak U.S. taxpayers and undermine American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Thought for the day:
Nothing travels faster than the speed of light with the possible exception of bad news, which obeys its own special laws. -Douglas Adams (1952 - 2001), "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"