Archive for April 2009
Letter to Secretary Clinton on Blockade of Gaza Strip
30 Apr 09 | HRW
Dear Secretary Clinton,
I am writing in regard to your April 22 comments on Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip. Your characterization of Israel’s policy greatly understates the extent and impact of the border closure, which amounts to the collective punishment of Gaza’s civilian population – a serious violation of international law. Instead of downplaying the consequences of this blockade, we ask that you use the influence of the United States and your office to press Israel to end this policy which purposefully punishes civilians as a way to pressure Hamas. We also urge you to press Egypt, which has largely cooperated with Israel’s blockade, to allow humanitarian assistance through the Rafah crossing, which it controls. Read the rest of this entry »
Teenage Somali Pirate Charged as Adult in New York
30 Apr 09 | NYT
The federal courthouse in Lower Manhattan is a towering presence, more than big enough to have handled such history-in-the-making cases involving a Gotti, a Madoff, and several men who have pledged allegiance to Osama bin Laden.
Peres Threatens Iran With ‘Nuclear Response’; Ahmadinejad: West Controlled by Israel Lobby
Israeli President Shimon Peres says the best way to deter Iran from continuing its nuclear program is to threaten it with a ‘nuclear response’.
Israel Moves Forth with Judaization of Palestinian Territory
Israel is constructing 50 more synagogues and dozens of security centers near al-Aqsa Mosque in a move viewed as an attempt to judaize Jerusalem (al-Quds).
White House Split on Drone Strikes Against Balochistan
Attacks on refugee camps “controversial”. Read the rest of this entry »
April Iraq’s Deadliest Month in Over a Year
by Jason Ditz
29 Apr 09 | AWC News
Baghdad toll doubled each of last two months. Read the rest of this entry »
Spain to Probe Guantanamo ‘Abuses’, CCR Applauds Action
A Spanish judge has started a criminal investigation into the suspected torture of detainees in the US detention camp at Guantanamo Bay , saying he would target both US military personnel and those who issued their orders.
Turkey Hits Kurdish Bases in Iraq
30 Apr 09 | BBC
Turkish warplanes bombed Kurdish rebel positions in northern Iraq on Wednesday and Thursday, Turkish officials say.
Where did the Trillions of Bailout Money Go?
The government has pledged $11.3 trillion for economic rescue – and has spent one-quarter of that. On what?
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Obama Is a Statist, Not a Socialist
by Edward H. Crane
29 Apr 09 | CATO
Pres. Barack Obama is not a socialist. He is a thoroughgoing statist, perhaps the worst in American history. Read the rest of this entry »
NH: Senate Passes Medical Marijuana, Gay Marriage Bills
Critically and terminally ill patients would be able to use marijuana to ease their pain under a bill the Senate passed today. Read the rest of this entry »
Obama’s First 100 Days: The Party is Over
by Hamed Naderian
29 Apr 09 | PTV
US president is through with his first 98 days in office with a promising approval rating while many warn of the end to a short-lived “presidential stupor”.
FEMA Site Yanks ‘Scary’ Coloring Book Depicting 9/11 Attacks
29 Apr 09 | Raw Story
Forget the Air Force One lookalike panic story and file this in the O.M.F.G. department.
Activists to Protest Torture, Guantanamo Outside White House
Syria: Leave Iraq or Face Crisis, Wants Iran’s Nuclear Case Confined to Appropriate Agency
29 Apr 09 | PTV
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has warned Obama that Washington will face a crisis in the Middle East if he does not pull US troops out of Iraq.
Mumbai Voters Head to Polls with Terror Attack in Mind
29 Apr 09 | VOA News
Nearly 14 million Mumbai residents are eligible to vote Thursday for the first time since the terror attack on India’s commercial capital, last November. Although the city’s congested roads, an influx of migrants and access to drinking water are among major concerns, many voters say at the top of their list is security. That has inspired some candidates to call for a unified national security agenda.
Amnesty International and Other NGO’s Under Scrutiny of Moldovan Authorities
29 Apr 09 | AI
The authorities of Moldova appear to be punishing non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for carrying out their duties as human rights defenders, Amnesty International said today. Read the rest of this entry »
U.S. Economy Shrinks 6.1%
29 Apr 09 | FT
The US economy continued to contract in the first quarter of this year as business investment collapsed in the face of eroding global demand. Read the rest of this entry »
Hold Mexican Military to Account on Rights Abuses
29 Apr 09 | HRW
Mexico is failing to hold members of the military who commit human rights violations accountable, undercutting its efforts to curb drug-related violence and improve public security, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Read the rest of this entry »
U.A.W. May Take Over Chrysler
29 Apr 09 | Guardian
Chrysler may give union 55% stake instead of $10.6bn to provide healthcare after Obama administration piles pressure on carmaker.
AIPAC Pushing for New Iran Sanctions Bill?
28 Apr 09 | PTV
Influential Israeli lobby group in the US, AIPAC is to push for a newly crafted resolution designed to choke off Iranian gas imports.
Major Defeat for Bush/Obama Position on Secrecy
by Glenn Greenwald
28 Apr 09 | Salon
The first sign that the Obama DOJ would replicate many of the worst and most radical arguments of the Bush DOJ was in the Jeppesen case, a lawsuit brought by five victims of the CIA’s rendition and torture program (including Binyam Mohamed). Read the rest of this entry »
Shadows of Past Violence Cling to a Politician on the Rise
28 Apr 09 | NYT
Narendra Modi, India’s most incendiary politician, is trying to cast himself as the vanguard of India’s modern industrial future. The ghosts of this city’s savage past, though, are refusing to leave his side.
Wonderland Wire 