In the News: May-05

EPA: ethanol crops displaces climate-friendly ones - 5 May 2009 at 11:38am - WASHINGTON -- The Environmental Protection Agency says that corn ethanol - as made today - has a worse impact on climate than gasoline when land use changes are considered.

Probe of interrogation memo lawyers nears end - 5 May 2009 at 11:06am - WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department is nearing the end of its probe into Bush administration lawyers who wrote secret memos approving harsh interrogation techniques.

Afghan official sees 30 bodies killed in airstrike - 5 May 2009 at 11:02am - Bombing runs by U.S.-led coalition jets killed dozens of civilians taking shelter from a fierce ground battle between Taliban militants and Afghan and international forces, two Afghan officials said Tuesday. The U.S. confirmed fighting Monday in western Afghanistan and said reports of civilian deaths were under investigation. One Afghan official said angry and mournful villagers transported an estimated 30 bodies to a provincial capital to show officials. Other officials estimated the civilian toll to be between 70 and 100.

House Democrats won't give Obama funds to close Gitmo - 5 May 2009 at 5:47am - WASHINGTON — The Obama administration's bid for $50 million to move prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay detention facility was left out of the Democratic-authored emergency war-spending bill unveiled Monday.

U.S. military says Afghan bibles have been destroyed - 5 May 2009 at 5:12am - KABUL (Reuters) - Bibles in Afghan languages sent to a U.S. soldier at a base in Afghanistan were confiscated and destroyed to ensure that troops did not breach regulations which forbid proselytizing, a military spokeswoman said.

Thought for the day:
The most common of all follies is to believe passionately in the palpably not true. It is the chief occupation of mankind. -H. L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)