In the News: Jun-16

AG Holder urges new hate crimes law - 16 Jun 2009 at 2:57pm - WASHINGTON -- Attorney General Eric Holder says recent violent attacks show the need for a tougher hate crimes law.

Pentagon wavers on release of report on Afghan attack - 16 Jun 2009 at 2:06pm - WASHINGTON — Defense Department officials are debating whether to ignore an earlier promise and squelch the release of an investigation into a U.S. airstrike last month, out of fear that its findings would further enrage the Afghan public, Pentagon officials told McClatchy Monday.

Lawsuit: White House won't release visitor records - 16 Jun 2009 at 2:05pm - WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration is declining to release documents that would identify visitors to the White House, embracing a legal position taken by the Bush administration, according to a watchdog group that filed a federal lawsuit over access to the records.

NATO boss says Afghan strategy was flawed: report - 16 Jun 2009 at 12:46pm - AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Making individual NATO members responsible for specific provinces in Afghanistan has hindered international cooperation efforts, NATO chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said in a magazine interview.

NH soldier killed disarming bomb in Iraq - 16 Jun 2009 at 12:36pm - SALEM, N.H. -- Bright and hardworking like his immigrant parents, Edmond Lo's future grew even more promising when he was offered a full scholarship to a prominent engineering school. But he turned it down, choosing instead to disarm bombs for the Army.

U.S. housing starts jump in May, inflation muted - 16 Jun 2009 at 9:23am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New U.S. housing starts and permits surged in May from record lows, while producer prices rose at a slower pace despite higher gasoline prices, boosting prospects for the economy's recovery from recession.

Iraqis take control of Baghdad's Green Zone - 16 Jun 2009 at 9:19am - BAGHDAD (Reuters) - As the armored car carrying Westerners cut to the front of the line at a checkpoint into Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone, an enraged Iraqi leapt from his BMW and yelled at the occupants.

Israel sees deal soon with Obama over settlements - 16 Jun 2009 at 9:04am - JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is negotiating a deal with Washington under which Israeli building in existing Jewish settlements could go forward in certain cases, Israeli and Western officials said on Tuesday.

Pretty safe bet that however this deal is worded, from the Israeli perspective, it will be considered applicable to all cases.

Odierno: U.S. to stick to Iraq withdrawal date - 16 Jun 2009 at 4:17am - The top U.S. commander in Iraq said Monday that the country's "dark days" of violence have passed, and that improved security ...

Italy agrees to take 3 detainees from Guantanamo - 16 Jun 2009 at 3:19am - WASHINGTON -- Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, seeking to restore some shine to his tattered international image, agreed to take three detainees from Guantanamo Bay and praised President Barack Obama after a long meeting at the White House.

Thought for the day:
There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you. -Will Rogers (1879 - 1935)