Rejecting Obama, U.S. Jews push W. Bank settlement

JERUSALEM, Nov 18 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama may be telling Israelis that building settlements round Jerusalem risks dangerously fuelling Palestinian anger, but some of his fellow Democrats brought the opposite message to the city on Wednesday. Dov Hikind, a member of New York state's assembly, looked out over Jerusalem's Old City and dismissed the "extreme" view on the matter taken by his party's president. He urged fellow American Jews to buy homes on occupied land rather than in traditional U.S. vacation spots.

Israeli air strikes target Gaza 'smuggling tunnels'

Israeli aircraft have struck an alleged weapons factory and two suspected smuggling tunnels in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian officials reported no casualties, but Reuters news agency said three people had been injured in the attack.

US Army Corps blamed for Katrina floods

A US judge has ruled that negligence by the US Army Corps of Engineers led to massive floods in parts of New Orleans as Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. The court upheld complaints by six residents and a business against the Corps over its maintenance of a navigational channel. They were awarded damages totalling $720,000 (£431,000), and the ruling could lead to thousands more claims.

Canada complicit in torture of innocent Afghans, diplomat says

In a damning indictment of how Canada handled prisoners early in its southern Afghan mission, a government whistleblower says all captives that Canadian soldiers transferred to local authorities ended up being tortured – even though many were likely innocent. The revelation to MPs by Canadian diplomat Richard Colvin, who served 17 months in Afghanistan, is the first ever testimony by a government official that says the country's military handed over detainees to certain torture. The Harper government has never admitted it knew this was happening.

AOL to cut one-third of workforce

NEW YORK (Reuters) - AOL plans to cut one-third of its workforce, or about 2,500 jobs, in an effort to trim some $300 million in annual costs as part of the Internet company's planned spin-off from Time Warner Inc.

U.S. Mortgage Delinquencies Reach a Record High

The number of people at least one month behind on their house payments rose to a record in the third quarter, the Mortgage Bankers Association said Thursday. Nearly 10 in 100 homeowners are delinquent, according to the association’s data, up from about seven out of 100 in the third quarter of 2008. These numbers do not include those who are actually in foreclosure, a figure that also rose sharply. The combined percentage of those in foreclosure as well as delinquent is 14.41 percent, or about one in seven of mortgage holders.

Darwin book with creationist spin passed out at university
The book's introduction compares Darwin to Adolf Hitler.

Thousands of copies of Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of Species" with an introduction by creationist author Ray Comfort were distributed Wednesday at the University of Florida and other campuses across the nation.

Texas' gay marriage ban may have banned all marriages

AUSTIN — Texans: Are you really married? Maybe not. Barbara Ann Radnofsky, a Houston lawyer and Democratic candidate for attorney general, says that a 22-word clause in a 2005 constitutional amendment designed to ban gay marriages erroneously endangers the legal status of all marriages in the state. The amendment, approved by the Legislature and overwhelmingly ratified by voters, declares that "marriage in this state shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman." But the troublemaking phrase, as Radnofsky sees it, is Subsection B, which declares: "This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage."

Doug Hoffman Officially Unconcedes In Special House Election, Blames ACORN

After being prodded by Glenn Beck into saying he was "unconceding" an upstate New York House election, Doug Hoffman has made it official. In a statement on his website, the Conservative Party candidate said was revoking his concession and blamed ACORN for his initial loss.

Upon death, what happens to your digital assets?

After an American soldier died in Iraq five years ago, his father wanted to save copies of his son’s e-mails sent through a Yahoo account. But the Internet company’s privacy policy allowed access by only the soldier, triggering a legal fight. The case highlights a growing discussion concerning what happens when the owner of password-protected online accounts dies. To whom do they belong? And how can digital assets be passed on to heirs?

Port Huron Statement: Woman Threatens to Repeat Fort Hood at Newspaper

A woman who allegedly threatened the Times Herald of Port Huron, Mich., saying she would take a gun to the newspaper and "do what they did at Fort Hood," is being investigated, the paper reports. The Gannett daily's Web site stated that a call came into a Gannett customer service center in Louisville, Ky., from a 60-year-old unidentified woman last Thursday. "She was upset about an editorial in Thursday's paper," the Web site reported, adding, "The editorial criticized U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township, for participating in a Nov. 5 Capitol rally. Police said the call was made about 11:40 a.m. Thursday."

N.J., national environmental groups file lawsuit to halt Delaware River dredging

Frank Schaeffer Warns Against the Latest Threats From the Religious Right to President Obama

It's too bad Rachel Maddow isn't on MSNBC a bit earlier in the evening. There is not another show on cable television doing the type of reporting and muckraking she is night after night and some of the best interviews as well--tonight's interview with Frank Schaeffer being no exception. Rachel reports on the lastest round of attacks coming from the religious right against President Obama, this time with the use of Psalm 109:8 as reported by the Christian Science Monitor.

Netanyahu: Israel is world's 'most threatened country'

Israel is "the most threatened country in the world," and the rocket attacks its civilian population has suffered are "attacks not experienced by any other state since Britain in World War II," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday.

Netanyahu shrugs off worldwide criticism

THE Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has brushed aside international anger over the expansion of Jewish neighbourhoods in east Jerusalem by defining the new plans as ''standard procedure''. On Tuesday the Jerusalem municipality approved the construction of another 900 housing units in Gilo, which is built on land annexed by Israel after the 1967 Six-Day War and is regarded as an illegal settlement by the United Nations.

Democrats to Obama: Get Out of Afghanistan

With their history and their heft in mind, it is reasonable to say that when California Democrats take a strong stand on a contentious issues, it matters -- both as a signal with regard to popular sentiment within the party and as an indicator of the issues that could cause political headaches for a Democratic president. So what does the California Democratic Party have to say about the global conflict that many believe could be for Barack Obama's presidency what Vietnam was for Lyndon Johnson's? "End the U.S. Occupation and Air War in Afghanistan."

Germany's Nazi Exception: Constitutional Court OKs Curtailing of Free Speech

Germany's constitution strongly and explicitly protects the freedom of speech. Still, the country's highest court has now said that -- given the injustice and horrors of the Nazi regime -- it is constitutional to make an exception that bans speech glorifying Hitler's ideology.

Stupak: I have votes to defeat health bill

Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) pledged on Tuesday morning to defeat healthcare reform legislation if his abortion amendment is taken out, saying 10 to 20 anti-abortion-rights Democrats would vote against a bill with weaker language.

C Street House No Longer Tax Exempt

Residents of the C Street Christian fellowship house will no longer benefit from a loophole that had allowed the house's owners to avoid paying property taxes. Previously, the house -- despite being home to numerous lawmakers -- had been tax exempt, because it was classified as a church. That arrangement had allowed the building's owner, the secretive international Christian organization The Family, to charge significantly below market rents to its residents. In recent year, Senators John Ensign (R-NV), Tom Coburn (R-OK), Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Jim DeMint (R-SC), and Reps. Zach Wamp (R-TN), Bart Stupak (D-MI) and Mike Doyle (D-PA) have all reportedly called C Street home.

'Wasteful, improper' govt payments targeted in US

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama will act to rein in massive improper and wasteful payments by the government that totaled nearly 100 billion dollars this year alone, the White House has said. Obama is to sign an executive order "boosting transparency, holding agencies accountable and creating strong incentives for compliance," the White House said in a statement.

Miami-Dade commissioners' trade trips ring up $217K tab -- and no results

Taxpayers picked up the tab for commissioners and their county entourages on each trip, which were arranged by the International Trade Consortium, a county agency designed to open global markets for Miami-Dade businesses. Despite spending more than $217,000 on nine trips since 2007, ITC executive director J.A. ``Tony'' Ojeda Jr. could not identify a single contract signed as a result of the missions. In fact, the agency stopped keeping such records four years ago after a Miami Herald review found them grossly exaggerating the trips' economic benefit. To critics, the International Trade Consortium has become a punch line. “It's sort of a common joke that the ITC is International Travel for Commissioners,” said Mario Artecona, executive director of the Miami Business Forum, which represents the region's top business leaders.

CBC makes big Palin gaffe during 'The National'

TORONTO — The CBC has admitted it inadvertently displayed the jacket of an anti-Sarah Palin book during a story about the former vice-presidential candidate that aired on “The National.” The gaffe came Monday night during a piece on Palin’s hotly anticipated new memoir “Going Rogue: An American Life.” A CBC spokesman confirmed that the network mistakenly put up a graphic depicting the cover of “Going Rouge: Sarah Palin An American Nightmare.”

Fear of Fraud Prompts Massive [Credit Card] Recall in Germany

German banks are recalling at least 100,000 credit cards after being warned that a Spanish service provider stole data. The move is aimed at heading off a massive scam and customers of all German banks could potentially be affected.

Residents fight for the right to hang laundry

Nato chief promises Afghanistan will get 'substantially more forces'

Nato and its allies will order "substantially more forces" into battle in Afghanistan over the next few weeks, the alliance's secretary general said today. Speaking in Edinburgh at a Nato parliamentary assembly meeting, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said: "In a few weeks, I expect we will decide, in Nato, on the approach, and troop levels needed, to take our mission forward."

[At secret Bilderberg dinner] EU Presidency candidate Herman Van Rompuy calls for new taxes

Herman Van Rompuy, the man widely expected to be appointed the first President of Europe this week, has called for new eco-taxes and levies on the financial sector to fund a more powerful European Union. Belgium's prime minister made the controversial proposal, leaked to a Flemish newspaper, during a secret dinner to promote his candidacy hosted by the elite Bilderberg Group.

EU against recognizing Palestinian state

The European Union says it will discuss Palestine's demand to be recognized by the UN as an independent state, but has described the proposal as “premature”. Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency, told reporters in Brussels that EU foreign ministers would discuss more support for the Palestinians at a meeting on Tuesday but said it was premature to discuss the recognition of a Palestinian state.

Millions Will Have To Repay Part Of Tax Credit

WASHINGTON -- More than 15 million taxpayers may owe the government $250 or more because of how the IRS last spring set up President Barack Obama's tax break that was designed to help consumers spend the U.S. economy out of recession. Individuals with more than one job and married couples in which both spouses work may have to repay the government $400, either through a smaller tax refund or a larger tax bill, according to a report released Monday by the Treasury Department's inspector general for tax administration. Social Security recipients who also earn taxable wages may have to repay $250.

Swine flu in Ukraine: horrible mutation

British researchers learning the culture of swine flu caused the splash of respiratory diseases in Ukraine suspect its mutation. Some symptoms seem like notorious ”Spanish flu” splashed in Europe after the end of the First world war and robbed 50 million lives. The lungs of virus’ victims become black as coal: this is the description of this virus activity.

Masking Ukraine in hysteria: 315 dead

The Ukrainian death toll levitated, out in the open, in the headlines. Forty-eight deaths by Halloween, 60 by November 2, then 64 deaths later in the day, and 67 by end of day. On November 4 the death toll struck 81; a few hours later the grim tally climbed to 86. One day later the H1N1 swine flu deaths reached 95, and by November 6 headlines trumpeted One Hundred and Nine (109) deaths. For those not keeping count, that is a leap from 48 to 109 deaths in just seven days. One week later the death toll clanged like an iron bell at over 300. Three hundred fifteen dead and still the world watches and does not take this seriously.

Brazil Calls on Obama to Start Dialogue with Venezuela's Hugo Chavez

Celso Amorim, Brazil's Foreign Affairs minister is sounding the alarm that relations between the United States and Latin America are deteriorating and called on American president Barack Obama to begin a dialogue with Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.

Supreme Court: Miami school can ban book on Cuba

The Supreme Court Monday declined to hear a challenge to a Miami school board decision that removed a book about Cuba from public schools. The book was seen as presenting too cheery a view of life in Cuba.

Gaza braces for bitter winter

EZBT ABBED RABBO, occupied Gaza Strip (IPS) - Tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza living in tents and damaged homes face a wet, cold and miserable winter as Israel's blockade of the coastal territory continues to prevent the importation of building and reconstruction material.

U.S. offshore tax amnesty yields big response: IRS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some 14,700 rich Americans worried about a U.S. government crackdown on offshore tax cheats came forward to participate in a tax amnesty program, the top U.S. tax official said on Tuesday. Participation in the Internal Revenue Service's amnesty program was "unprecedented" and the final number was nearly double the agency's estimate in October, U.S. Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Douglas Shulman told reporters in a telephone briefing.

Illinois Lawmakers Push Red Light Camera Restrictions
Three bills pre-filed in the Illinois legislature would curb or eliminate the use of red light cameras.

Israel gaffe reveals 'Iran ship photos' were forged

After Israel released photos it said proved that a huge shipment of weapons for Hezbollah came from Tehran, Iranian news agencies publish evidence showing that the photos are forged. Israeli naval sources recently claimed that they found a large cache of Iranian-made arms when they stormed a vessel near Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea. . . . "Take a close look at the photos, one of which merely shows a couple of boxes labeled 'Ministry of Sepah' without providing corroborative evidence that they came from Iran, and you will see the huge gaffe committed by Israel," it added. The article explained that Iran's Ministry of Sepah gave its place to the Defense Ministry more than twenty years ago. "So this begs the question of what the emblem of a nonexistent body was doing on the cargo?"

Some Fear Bush Administration Could Become Target in 9/11 Trial

The Obama administration, in deciding to try alleged Sept. 11 conspirators in a New York courtroom, has said it is setting its sights on convictions, but some critics say a civilian trial -- instead of a military tribunal -- could end up targeting the Bush administration and its anti-terror policies.

IDF Chief Rabbi: Troops who show mercy to enemy will be 'damned'

The Israel Defense Forces' chief rabbi told students in a pre-army yeshiva program last week that soldiers who "show mercy" toward the enemy in wartime will be "damned." Brig. Gen. Avichai Rontzki also told the yeshiva students that religious individuals made better combat troops.

Why we will lose in Afghanistan

As both Britain and America are plunged into an orgy of tortured introspection over what we are doing in Afghanistan, a further very important factor needs to be fed into the discussion, because it helps to explain not only why we have got into such a tragic mess but also why our armed intervention in that unhappy country is doomed. What we are hardly ever told about Afghanistan is that it has been for 300 years the scene of a bitter civil war, between two tribal groups of Pashtuns (formerly known as Pathans). On one side are the Durranis ? most of the settled population, farmers, traders, the professional middle class. On the other are the Ghilzai, traditionally nomadic, fiercely fundamentalist in religion, whose tribal homelands stretch across into Pakistan as far as Kashmir.

Chamber seeks ‘respected economist’ to back predetermined conclusion

The US Chamber of Commerce, one of the leading opponents of both health care reform and climate change legislation, is soliciting for donations to hire a "respected economist" to study how health care legislation will affect jobs and the economy -- but the chamber apparently already knows what the results will be.

Health bill foes solicit funds for economic study

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and an assortment of national business groups opposed to President Obama's health-care reform effort are collecting money to finance an economic study that could be used to portray the legislation as a job killer and threat to the nation's economy, according to an e-mail solicitation from a top Chamber official. The e-mail, written by the Chamber's senior health policy manager and obtained by The Washington Post, proposes spending $50,000 to hire a "respected economist" to study the impact of health-care legislation, which is expected to come to the Senate floor this week, would have on jobs and the economy.

Israel could annex more of West Bank - minister

JERUSALEM, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Israel warned the Palestinians on Monday that declaring a state without concluding a peace agreement would lead to Israeli counter-measures that could include annexation of more of the occupied West Bank. "If the Palestinians take such a unilateral line, Israel should also consider ... passing a law to annex some of the settlements," Environment Minister Gilad Erdan, a close ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told Israel Radio.

Sink backs adoption by gays, lesbians

Alex Sink, Florida's chief financial officer and the leading Democratic candidate for governor, told the state's largest gay rights group Sunday that homosexuals should be allowed to adopt if it's in the children's ``best interest.''

Republicans heading for a spectacular bloodbath in Florida

CNN) -- The Republican fratricide in the November 3 special election in upstate New York may prove just an opening round of an even more spectacular bloodbath in Florida in 2010.

Just one heart attack leads to [equivalent of] 725 X-rays

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - The battery of tests given to a patient having a heart attack in a U.S. hospital adds up to a dose of radiation equivalent to 725 chest X-rays, researchers reported on Monday. One problem is that each procedure is viewed separately, and a patient's total cumulative dose is not usually considered by doctors ordering the test, the researchers told a meeting of the American Heart Association in Orlando.

Spam Worm Targets Twitter
Twitter users must cope with a new attack based on spam messages that open sites to identity theft.

The popular social media service Twitter is being targeted by a new attack seeking access to user accounts to send spam via direct messages.

Sarah Palin's Top 10 Biggest Lies

Palestinians to Seek U.N. Endorsement of Statehood

JERUSALEM -- Palestinian officials said Sunday they are preparing to ask the United Nations to endorse an independent state without Israel's consent because they are losing hope they can achieve their aspirations through peace talks.

In House, Many Spoke With One Voice: Lobbyists’

WASHINGTON — In the official record of the historic House debate on overhauling health care, the speeches of many lawmakers echo with similarities. Often, that was no accident. Statements by more than a dozen lawmakers were ghostwritten, in whole or in part, by Washington lobbyists working for Genentech, one of the world’s largest biotechnology companies. E-mail messages obtained by The New York Times show that the lobbyists drafted one statement for Democrats and another for Republicans.

High street fears VAT could rise to 20%

Prospect of sales tax increase could stamp out green shoots of recovery, say retailers

Retailers are worried: just when it starts to look as though the worst might be over on the high streets, there are growing fears that an increase in VAT to 20% next year – and maybe even an extension of the tax to food, albeit at a lower rate – is heading their way.

CIA says it gets its money's worth from Pakistani spy agency

It has given hundreds of millions to the ISI, for operations as well as rewards for the capture or death of terrorist suspects. Despite fears of corruption, it is money well-spent, ex-officials say.

How the US army protects its trucks – by paying the Taliban

Insurance, security or extortion? The US is spending millions of dollars in Afghanistan to ensure its supply convoys get through – and it's the Taliban who profit

Motion Picture Association of America Shuts Down Entire Town’s Wifi Over Single Download

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has managed to shut down the public Internet system for an entire town, over a single downloading incident.

Israeli ‘portable pain ray’ raises fears of non-lethal weapons proliferation

Israeli researchers have developed a portable device that causes excruciating sensations of burning and can be built for just $250,000, raising fears that even the world's poorest, most oppressive governments will now be able to use advanced non-lethal weapons on their civilian populations.

Why we will lose in Afghanistan

What we are hardly ever told about Afghanistan is that it has been for 300 years the scene of a bitter civil war, between two tribal groups of Pashtuns (formerly known as Pathans). On one side are the Durranis – most of the settled population, farmers, traders, the professional middle class. On the other are the Ghilzai, traditionally nomadic, fiercely fundamentalist in religion, whose tribal homelands stretch across into Pakistan as far as Kashmir.

Palin: I didn't know Bristol was having sex

NEW YORK | Sarah Palin said she didn't know daughter Bristol was sexually active before she learned the teenager was pregnant.

Spam Worm Targets Twitter