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"The UN nuclear agency has declared its latest inspection visit to Iran a failure, with the regime blocking access to a key site suspected of hosting covert nuclear weapon research and no agreement reached on how to resolve other unanswered questions. The statement from the International Atomic Energy Agency was issued shortly after an Iranian general warned of a pre-emptive strike against any nation that threatens Iran." (02/21/12) http://bit.ly/yCvJ0I ----- |
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"U.S. officials called Tuesday for international action to stop the violence orchestrated by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and left open the possibility of 'additional measures' if the bloodshed continues. 'We believe that we are in a situation where we -- the international community needs to act in order to allow for the transition from Assad to a more democratic future for Syria to take place before the situation becomes too chaotic,' White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters." (02/21/12) http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/21/world/meast/syria-unrest/ ----- |
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"The departure of Al Qaeda-affiliated fighters from Iraq to join the rebellion against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Syria has had one benefit, Iraqi officials say: Violence has dropped in this country, in some areas by as much as 50 percent in just a few months. Iraqi officials declined to provide precise figures for the drop-off or to estimate how many Al Qaeda-affiliated fighters have left the country for Syria. But the impact of the departure, they said, has been especially apparent in Ninewah province ..." (02/21/12) http://bit.ly/zup2vB ----- |
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"More than 2,000 angry Afghans protested outside an American air base on Tuesday after they learned that copies of the Quran (Koran), the Muslim holy book, were burned in a pile of garbage at a sprawling U.S. military base north of Kabul. ... The burning of the Quran and other religious books was unintentional, said U.S. Gen. John Allen, the top commander of American and NATO forces in Afghanistan." (02/21/12) http://bit.ly/wdZYXc ----- |
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"akistan will ask Interpol to arrest ex-President Pervez Musharraf for his failure to prevent the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, the interior minister said Tuesday. Rehman Malik said the government was seeking Musharraf's arrest because he allegedly failed to provide adequate security for Bhutto, who was killed in a gun and suicide bomb attack in 2007." (02/21/12) http://wapo.st/yM57hc ----- |
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CA: Anti-family groups seek full appellate court review of pro-marriage ruling
Source: Los Angeles Times 'Backers of California's ban on same-sex marriage urged a federal appeals court Tuesday to reconsider and reject a Feb. 7 ruling against Proposition 8, arguing that California voters did not express disapproval of gay people but simply wanted to preserve marriage [by outlawing it for couples they don't like]. ... ProtectMarriage [sic] asked the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to grant a so-called en banc review: reconsideration by a panel that would include Chief Judge Alex Kozinski and 10 other judges chosen randomly." (02/21/12) http://lat.ms/A1o9QE ----- |
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"Kim Dotcom, the founder of the file-sharing website Megaupload, was released on bail Wednesday after a New Zealand judge determined that authorities have [stolen] any funds he could have used to flee the country. ... U.S. authorities claim Megaupload cost movie makers and songwriters some half a billion dollars in lost [rakeoffs from state-sponsored "intellectual property" rackets]. They are trying to extradite Dotcom, 38, and three of his colleagues on racketeering charges." (02/21/12) http://wapo.st/z456aB ----- |
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"Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch on Tuesday appeared to throw his weight behind Scotland's independence bid, a move welcomed by Scottish First Minister and pro-independence campaigner Alex Salmond. The News Corporation chief, who is in London for the launch of The Sun on Sunday weekly newspaper, used micro-blogging site Twitter to urge: 'Let Scotland go and compete. Everyone would win.' On Sunday, the Australian-born mogul tweeted that Salmond was 'clearly most brilliant politician in UK' who was 'loved by Scots.'" (02/21/12) http://tinyurl.com/7wms58m ----- |
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"Action on the so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill was delayed Tuesday as its sponsors worked on an amendment meant to make it easier for teachers and guidance counselors to answer questions posed by students about sexuality. The House Education Committee put off discussion of a measure meant to curb discussions about homosexuality in elementary and middle school for a week so new language can be added specifically protecting some talks between students and their teachers, school nurses and guidance counselors." [editor's note: I can hardly wait to see how they try to tweak this travesty of litigation - SAT] (02/21/12) http://tinyurl.com/7xgntxh ----- |
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"The Obama administration plans to unveil a long-awaited corporate tax reform plan on Wednesday, senior administration officials told Fox News. Officials said the announcement, which will be held at the Treasury Department, will fill in details of the tax reform outline Obama gave during his State of the Union address." (02/21/12) http://tinyurl.com/7smx4jc ----- |
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"An Indiana lawmaker won't support a resolution celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts because he believes it is a 'radicalized organization' that supports abortion and promotes homosexuality. Rep. Bob Morris of Fort Wayne has sent a letter to fellow Indiana House Republicans explaining why he opposes the nonbinding resolution." [editor's note: The level of dumbass among politicos continues to rise, as their confusion of power with wisdom prevails - SAT] (02/21/12) http://tinyurl.com/7bgmh4f ----- |
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"Texas Rep. Ron Paul praised the industrial crop hemp during a campaign stop in North Dakota on Monday. 'There is no reason, in a free society, that farmers shouldn't be allowed to raise hemp,' Paul said, according to the Associated Press. 'Hemp is a good product.' Hemp, a crop related to marijuana, is grown in Canada and other countries to make textiles and numerous other goods. But in the United States the cultivation of hemp is prohibited by federal law, even though it has little to no psychoactive effects." (02/21/12) http://tinyurl.com/7mo55o5 ----- |
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"Two young men shoved a 42-year-old customer to the floor as he reached for a pack of razors near the pharmacy, Orlando police Lt. John Holysz said. Alarmed customers at the store on Semoran Boulevard near Lake Margaret Drive began shrieking, he said. Meanwhile, the younger men punched the older one, Holysz said. But they picked the wrong guy. The older man had a gun in a holster and used it to pistol whip one of his assailants, police said. The younger men ran away, and police are looking for them." (02/14/12) http://bit.ly/zVMvw8 ----- |
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"Police in Moscow have detained around 20 people protesting Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's government. The protesters, shouting 'down with the police state' and 'Russia without Putin,' stood arm-in-arm outside the Central Election Commission to demand a free vote." (02/21/12) http://fxn.ws/yNqoTR ----- |
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"The National Security Agency (NSA) is apparently concerned that Anonymous will try to take down the nation's electrical grid via a cyberattack, according to a new report. ... Anonymous, however, insisted that it has no plans to disrupt the electrical grid. 'Ridiculous! Why should Anonymous shut off power grid? Makes no sense! They just want to make you feel afraid,' according to a post on the AnonOps blog." (02/21/12) http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2400493,00.asp ----- |
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"A Palestinian held without trial by Israel agreed Tuesday to end his 66-day hunger strike after Israeli authorities promised to release him in April in a deal that avoided judicial review of the detention policy. Khader Adnan, a 33-year-old member of the militant group Islamic Jihad, had been refusing food since mid-December and doctors had voiced fears about his deteriorating health." (02/21/12) http://reut.rs/wxkb6J ----- |
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"Violence in southern Yemen has marred an election to replace veteran leader Ali Abdullah Saleh. At least eight soldiers were killed at southern polling stations, in violence many had expected after separatists called for a voter boycott. Half of Aden's polling stations closed early as a result but voting in the capital Sanaa was calm and orderly." (02/21/12) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17108117 ----- |
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"The Dow Jones industrial average crossed 13,000 on Tuesday for the first time since May 2008, when the Lehman Brothers investment bank was solvent, unemployment a healthy 5.4 percent and the worst of the Great Recession months ahead. The milestone came about two hours into the trading day. The stock market got the final push from strong corporate earnings reports and a Greek bailout deal intended to prevent the next financial crisis." (02/21/12) http://on.msnbc.com/xdL10J ----- |
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"The Supreme Court will once again confront the issue of race in university admissions in a case brought by a white student denied a spot at the flagship campus of the University of Texas." (02/21/12) http://usat.ly/xmoYXb ----- |
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"Prosecutors in the trial of Egypt's Hosni Mubarak offered their closing remarks on Monday, demanding the former president be held responsible for the deaths of protesters during the clashes that led to his ouster last year, state media reported. The ailing Mubarak is on trial on charges of corruption and ordering the deaths of hundred of protesters. He has denied the charges." (02/21/12) http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/20/world/africa/egypt-mubarak-trial ----- |
COMMENTARY
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"With the din of another presidential election overwhelming all other would-be news, it's not easy to be among the uninterested. It isn't just that you're barraged with details of an election whose outcome doesn't matter to you -- it's that the outcome actually doesn't matter." (02/20/12) http://c4ss.org/content/9745 ----- |
