Posted: July 31st, 2008 | Author: edcutlip |
There continues to be considerable energy in Grand Rapids around the upcoming protests against the Republican National Convention (RNC). Next week, there will be workshops and a concert promoting the protests:
SPOONBOY (Folk Punk on Plan-It-X Records / On Tour to Promote the RNC Protests)
ACOUSTIC FRONT OF RESISTANCE (Acoustic from the other Side of the State)
BATTLE OF ATTRITION (Folk punk from the East Side)
MNISOTA (Rockin’ Local Indie Screamers)
WORKSHOPS!
Before the show, there will be workshops covering how to form an affi nity group for protests, organizing beyond electoral politics, and an overview of the RNC protests.
Workshops @ 6 / Music Starts @ 8
THE DAAC – 115 S Division
$6
Tags: grand rapids, michigan, protest, rnc
Posted: July 31st, 2008 | Author: edcutlip |
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is reporting that the income of the top 1% of households in the United States has grown by $60,000 or 5.8%. For the bottom 90% of the population, income rose only by $430 dollars. Since 2002, the average income of for the top 1% of households has increased by 42% compared to just 4.7% for the bottom 90%. The income share of the wealthiest households is now at the highest point since 1928.
Tags: capitalism, economy, wealth
Posted: July 31st, 2008 | Author: edcutlip |
Headlines from Democracynow.org, a daily TV/radio news program, hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, airing on over 650 stations, pioneering the largest community media collaboration in the US.
Olmert to Resign Amid Corruption Investigations
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced his resignation Wednesday, months after becoming the target of two corruption investigations. Olmert will remain prime minister until September 17, when his Kadima party will hold an election to choose a new leader. Palestinian legislator Mustafa Barghouti predicted Olmert’s resignation will mark the end of the Annapolis peace talks.
Mustafa Barghouti: “He shot Annapolis yesterday, when he declared that there is no possibility of reaching an agreement by the end of the year. He destroyed Annapolis by declaring that Jerusalem is not part of the discussion. And today, by this resignation, probably he’s providing the ammunition to kill finally the Annapolis process completely…Olmert is finishing with failures, but his biggest failure is that he has proven that, up ’til, now there is no partner for peace in Israel.”
Ehud Olmert has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in connection to the corruption claims that he received cash-stuffed envelopes from a US businessman.
House Committee Finds Karl Rove in Contempt
The House Judiciary Committee has voted to recommend that Karl Rove be held in contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena to testify about how the White House helped politicize the Justice Department. The committee vote is only a recommendation. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she would not decide until September whether to bring a contempt citation to a full House vote.
Turkish Court Rejects Ban on Ruling Party
Turkey’s highest court has struck down an attempt to outlaw the country’s ruling AK Party and ban many of its members, including Turkey’s prime minister and president. For years the Turkish military has accused the Islamic-rooted AKP of undermining Turkey’s secular laws. Six of the eleven judges on the Turkish court favored banning the AKP, one vote short of the seven required. Instead, the court sanctioned the AKP by cutting off state funding for the party. The chair of the Turkish constitutional court, Hasim Kilic, said the ruling should be seen as a strong warning for the AKP.
Hasim Kilic: “It is decided not to ban the party. The court decided to impose partial financial penalties. The party will not be banned, but everybody should evaluate the decision very carefully. The decision should be accepted as a very strong warning for AKP. Six court members voted ‘yes,’ four people voted for ‘imposing financial penalties,’ and one person voted for rejection of the case.”
Supporters of the AK Party accused the military and the court of trying to stage a judicial coup.
RAND Report Criticizes Military Focus of War on Terror
A major study prepared for the Pentagon has criticized how the Bush administration has focused on using military might to defeat al-Qaeda in the so-called war on terror. The RAND Corporation study concludes that the current strategy for defeating al-Qaeda has failed in diminishing the group’s capabilities. The study recommends a “fundamental rethinking of US strategy” to focus on minimizing overt military action while increasing intelligence collection and partnerships with law enforcement agencies around the world. The co-author of the study, Seth Jones, said, “Terrorists should be perceived and described as criminals, not holy warriors, and our analysis suggests there is no battlefield solution to terrorism.”
Olympic Committee Admits China Will Censor Internet During Games
The International Olympic Committee has acknowledged that foreign journalists in Beijing will be blocked from accessing websites critical of the Chinese government during the Olympic Games. Banned sites include Amnesty International, Reporters Without Borders and the BBC’s Chinese language site. A Beijing Olympics spokesperson defended the censorship.
Sun Weide, Beijing Olympics spokesperson: “Similar to practices in other countries, China is acting in accordance with its laws with regards to control of the internet. According to Chinese law, the internet cannot be used to transmit information that is illegal, such as promoting the evil cult Falun Gong or threatening national security. So we hope that the media will respect Chinese laws and regulations.”
Reporters Without Borders has issued a guide on how journalists can use proxy servers to get around China’s censorship. Meanwhile, the Chinese government has sent a fifty-four-year-old school worker to a labor camp for a year for posting photographs online of schools that collapsed during the May earthquake.
Radovan Karadzic to Appear Before UN War Crimes Tribunal
Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic has been taken into custody by the UN war crimes tribunal to face trial at The Hague on charges of genocide. He is due to appear in court today. Serbian journalist Aleksandar Vasovic praised Serbia for extraditing Karadzic.
Aleksandar Vasovic: “This is a major step towards Serbia’s place in Europe where the country belongs. Serbia now must face, through this trial and through every next trial, perhaps of, hopefully of, General Ratko Mladic soon–to face everything that was done and undertaken in the name of the people of Serbia, including crimes, atrocities and everything else.”
Radovan Karadzic was arrested in Belgrade last week after thirteen years on the run. Karadzic has said that he does not recognize the UN war crimes tribunal and plans to conduct his own defense.
Ecuador Refused to Renew Lease on US Air Force Base
Ecuador has formally told the Bush administration the US military must vacate its base in the Ecuadorian city of Manta once its lease expires next year. The US has used the Manta base for the past decade to lead anti-drug flights throughout Latin America. Ecuador’s ambassador to the United States, Luis Gallegos, said, “The Ecuadorian people do not want foreign troops on our soil, and the government has to follow the mandate of its people.”
Chevron Lobbies to Fight Amazon Pollution Lawsuit
Meanwhile, Newsweek reports Chevron is urging the Bush administration to yank special trade preferences for Ecuador if the country’s government doesn’t quash a lawsuit against the oil company. Chevron has been sued for dumping billions of gallons of toxic oil waste into Ecuador’s rain forest. Activists have described the disaster as an Amazon Chernobyl. Earlier this year, a court-appointed expert recommended Chevron be required to pay up to $16 billion to clean up the rain forest. Now, Chevron is lobbying the Bush administration to pressure Ecuador to quash the case. Chevron’s lobbying team includes former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, former Democratic Senator John Breaux and Wayne Berman, a top fundraiser for John McCain. One lobbyist told Newsweek, “We can’t let little countries screw around with big companies like this–companies that have made big investments around the world.”
Humanitarian Activists to Sail to Gaza to Break Israeli Blockade
Two boats carrying humanitarian activists are preparing to set sail this week from Cyprus and head to the Gaza Strip in a bid to break Israel’s blockade and raise awareness for Palestinian human rights. Paul Larudee of the Free Gaza Movement spoke in Athens on Tuesday.
Paul Larudee: “The mission is to enter Gaza without passing through the territory of Israel or Egypt, going from international waters directly into Gaza. It hasn’t been done since 1967, and there’s reason to think that no one will interfere with us if we go, because Israel has said that they no longer occupy Gaza, so we want to put it to the test.”
Report: US Military to Play Intelligence Role During DNC in Denver
Federal and state law enforcement officials in Colorado plan to increase intelligence operations during the Democratic National Convention in Denver and run a fusion center where intelligence analysts will collect and analyze reports of suspicious activity. The Colorado Independent reports the military will also be sharing intelligence information and providing support through US Northern Command, a unit stationed at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs that was created in 2002 for homeland defense. Civil rights advocates fear the fusion center could enable unwarranted spying on protesters exercising their First Amendment rights at the convention.
Gun Control Activist Exposed as Gun Lobby Spy
And Mother Jones magazine has revealed a well-known activist in the gun control movement is actually a secret spy for the National Rifle Association and the gun lobby. Over the past decade, the woman, Mary Lou Sapone, managed to become active in almost every single major gun violence prevention organization. Sapone, who went by her maiden name Mary McFate, helped organize the Million Mom March in 2000 and oversaw the lobbying efforts of States United to Prevent Gun Violence. Mother Jones reports Sapone has a history of spying on activists. During the 1980s, Sapone infiltrated the animal rights community while working as an operative for a Connecticut-based security firm.
Tags: headlines, international, national
Posted: July 30th, 2008 | Author: edcutlip |
Headlines from Democracynow.org, a daily TV/radio news program, hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, airing on over 650 stations, pioneering the largest community media collaboration in the US.
GOP Sen. Ted Stevens Indicted for Corruption
Republican Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska has been indicted on seven felony charges for receiving payments and gifts from the now-defunct oil services company VECO. Stevens is the longest-serving Republican senator in US history and is the former chair of the Appropriations Committee. He is the first sitting senator to face criminal charges in fifteen years.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich: “According to the indictment, the total amount of gifts that Senator Stevens is alleged to have received over the duration of the offense is greater than $250,000. Also, according to the indictment, these items were not disclosed on Senator Stevens’ financial disclosure forms, which he filed under penalties of perjury, either his gifts or his liabilities.”
The indictment said the oil company VECO bribed Stevens by paying for extensive home renovations and giving him a new Land Rover and other gifts. VECO has been at the center of a major political corruption scandal in Alaska that has already resulted in the convictions of three Alaskan state lawmakers. Last year the CEO of VECO, Bill Allen, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and bribing public officials. Stevens is up for re-election this fall. He is in a tight race with Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich.
World Trade Organization Talks Collapse
Talks to expand the World Trade Organization have collapsed after a week of negotiations. The United States and other industrial nations have been trying unsuccessfully to expand the WTO since 2001, after a trade meeting in Doha. The chief of the WTO, Pascal Lamy, admitted yesterday the talks had failed.
Pascal Lamy: “I think it’s no use beating around the bush. This meeting has collapsed.”
Lori Wallach of Public Citizen said the US and other nations now need to move on to a new agenda fixing the existing WTO rules. Wallach said, “Thank God no deal was reached, because the proposal under consideration would have exacerbated the serious economic, food security and social problems now rocking numerous countries.” The WTO talks failed in part because India and other developing nations demanded the right to protect their farming sectors against sudden surges in cheap food imports. The Bush administration was attempting to push through rule changes that would have given US corporations greater access to markets in India, China and other nations.
Air Force Begins Using Reaper Hunter-Killer Drone in Iraq
In Iraq, the US Air Force has begun flying missions with a new unmanned fighter drone known as the Reaper that is designed to carry out so-called hunter-killer missions. The remote-controlled Reaper is a larger and more lethal version of the Predator drone. It carries a mix of 500-pound bombs and Hellfire missiles as well as high-tech video surveillance equipment. The US has reportedly more than doubled the number of unmanned hunter-killer drones operating in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past year.
Ex-Pentagon Adviser Richard Perle to Invest in Iraq Oil Deals
The Wall Street Journal reports one of the most prominent advocates of the invasion of Iraq is now exploring investing in Iraqi oil fields. Former Pentagon adviser Richard Perle is reportedly part of a team discussing a possible oil deal with officials of the Kurdistan regional government. Perle was chair of the Defense Policy Board in the lead-up to the Iraq war. He is a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute think tank.
UK: No One Will Be Prosecuted for Killing of Journalist Terry Lloyd
In other Iraq news, the British government has announced there will be no prosecutions over the death of journalist Terry Lloyd, despite an investigation that blamed US troops. Terry Lloyd was shot dead in Iraq in March 2003 along with a French cameraman and an Iraqi interpreter. Two years ago, a British coroner ruled that US troops should be prosecuted for the unlawful killing of Lloyd, who was a well-known foreign correspondent for the British television network ITN. The coroner ruled that Lloyd was shot in the back by Iraqi soldiers. Then, as he was being driven to a hospital in a civilian minivan, Lloyd was shot in the head by US troops.
China Accused of Internet Censorship Ahead of Olympics
China is being accused of censoring the internet ahead of the opening of the Olympic Games. Journalists working at the main press facility in Beijing have been blocked from accessing the websites of several organizations critical of China, including Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders as well as the religious organization Falun Gong. Earlier this week, Amnesty accused China of failing to honor its human rights pledges by jailing several high-profile dissidents and attorneys. Amnesty’s Mark Allison singled out China’s treatment of human rights activist Hu Jia, who was recently sentenced to over three years in jail.
Mark Allison: “Now, Hu Jia has been in prison, too, on similar charges of subversion. His trial was politically motivated, completely unfair, and he should be released immediately and unconditionally. His wife is also a human rights activist. She is being harassed by the police, who are standing outside her home, monitoring her movements. She has a newborn baby, born at the end of last year. Meanwhile, her husband is in prison, and he should be released.”
ACLU Warns About Growing Network of Fusion Centers
The American Civil Liberties Union has issued a new warning about the growing network of fusion centers, where federal, state and local law enforcement officers collect and analyze information about potential threats. The ACLU warned that many local and state police agencies are expanding their intelligence gathering with little oversight. Many of these fusion centers collect reports not just on crimes but suspicious activity. Earlier this month, it was revealed the state police in Maryland had spied on peaceful antiwar protesters and critics of the death penalty even though the activists were committing no crimes. About fifty-eight fusion centers are currently operating in cities across the country.
Jay Stanley, of the ACLU: “Fusion centers are part of a much larger trend here: a trend of our nation’s movement towards a surveillance society where our every move and our every transaction, our every communication, is scanned and scrutinized for signs of, quote-unquote, ‘suspicious behavior’ and that that kind of vision for how to do law enforcement, how to stop terrorism, becomes a justification for really keeping tabs on all of us in our everyday lives.”
Israeli Troops Shoot Dead Palestinian Boy
Israeli troops shot dead a ten-year-old Palestinian boy on Tuesday during a protest against Israel’s construction of a wall through the West Bank. Witnesses said the boy, Ahmad Moussa, died instantly after being shot in the forehead. The shooting took place in the village of Nilin, the site of another controversial shooting earlier this month. On July 7th, an Israeli soldier was captured on film shooting a rubber bullet at a handcuffed Palestinian man.
Large Chunk of Arctic Ice Breaks Free in Northern Canada
In science news, a large chunk of Arctic ice measuring eight square miles has broken free of the northern Canadian coast. The block of ice is believed to be largest piece of ice shed in the region in three years.
Four Senators Call for Resignation of EPA Chief
Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, four members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee have called for the resignation of Stephen Johnson, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency. The Senators accused Johnson of misleading Congress about why the EPA decided to deny California a waiver to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Senator Barbara Boxer of California said Johnson had “become a secretive and dangerous ally of polluters.”
House Issues Resolution Apologizing for Slavery
In other news from Capitol Hill, the House has apologized to black Americans, more than 140 years after slavery was abolished. The House passed a resolution that apologized for the “fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality and inhumanity of slavery and Jim Crow” segregation.
Army Recruiter Suspended for Threatening Recruit
An Army recruiter in Texas has been suspended after he threatened a potential Army recruit who was having second thoughts about joining the military. The recruiter, Sgt. Glenn Marquette, warned the young man, Irving Gonzalez, that he would be sent to jail if he decided to go to college instead of joining the military, even though the teenager had signed a non-binding contract that left him free to change his mind before basic training. This is part of what Marquette told Gonzalez.
Sgt. Glenn Marquette: “As soon as you get pulled over for a speeding ticket, they’re gonna see that you’re a deserter. Then they’re going to apprehend you, take you to jail. So guess what. All that lovey-dovey ‘I want to go to college’ and all this? Guess what? You just threw it out the window, because you just screwed your life.”
After the Texas station KHOU broke the story, Republican Congressman Ted Poe hinted Congress may have to investigate Army recruiters. Poe said, “Our country cannot deceive its citizens. Since the Army hasn’t taken the initiative, now Congress may have to get involved.”
NYPD Officer Stripped of Badge After Tackling Cyclist
And a New York City police officer has been stripped of his badge after he was videotaped body-checking a bicyclist during last week’s Critical Mass ride. A video was posted on YouTube showing the officer, Patrick Pogan, violently knocking a cyclist off his bike. The officer then arrested the cyclist and charged him with attempted assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. The police have said the charges against the cyclist will likely be dropped.
Tags: headlines, international, national
Posted: July 29th, 2008 | Author: edcutlip |
On Sunday, well over one-hundred people stopped by Grand Rapids’ first “Really, Really Free Market.” The ‘Free Market–basically a garage sale or swap meet where everything is free–had a festival-like air with people playing music, sharing items they don’t need, and even sharing skills (for example, bike repair and guitar lessons). The event was an astounding success, as it attracted a broad array of people and turned an otherwise vacant parking lot at the corner of Wealthy and Fuller into a vibrant center of community. While not always an indicator of success, the event did make the cover of The Grand Rapids Press.
The ‘Free Market was facilitated by The Bloom Collective, although really, the Bloom Collective did not do much other than pick a date and do some fairly minimal amounts of advertising. The idea spread pretty quickly by word of mouth and happened very organically. Nobody planned for music, nobody directed people at the event, and there were no organizers calling the shots – everything worked well without hierarchy. To disperse the work in the future, flyers could be posted online so that people could distribute them more widely, as the more diverse folks that come out, the better the event is for the community.
Some possible venues to plan another market online include Facebook and G-Rad.org:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=8396231273
http://g-rad.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11202&p=45314
Additionally, people can contact The Bloom Collective for information – or even better — set a date and time for the next ‘Free Market, create a flyer, and start promoting it.
Tags: bloom collective, grand rapids, michigan, organizing
Posted: July 29th, 2008 | Author: edcutlip |
On Sunday, The Bloom Collective will be hosting a workshop about collective organizing. With so many folks–even on the left–assuming that we need hierarchy to accomplish things, the workshop should be a valuable learning experience for all who attend:
Activists unite! New York City activist, Mallory Knodel, presents Radical Activism & Organizing: An interactive workshop on non-hierarchical, collective organizing, Sunday Aug. 3 at The Bloom Collective, 1134 Wealthy St. SE. 1 p.m. Vegan Potluck, 2 p.m. Workshop. Cost: $5 – 10 sliding scale.
You’re invited to re-imagine the way radical organizing can build your community and ignite the movement for lasting, non-hierarchical, social change. Learn skills including facilitation, consensus decision-making, fundraising, conflict resolution and more. Collective organizing offers a sustainable, empowering, and holistically supportive solution to achieving community and organizational goals. Come connect with powerful womyn activists!
Presenter: Mallory Knodel
Mallory is an organizer on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York City. She is a former member of the Bluestockings Bookstore Collective and currently organizes the ALL7 Film Documentary Group and other media projects. Throughout her travels in Europe, she appeared on Indymedia Toulouse SmashMedia Radio, organized in London squatted social centers rampART and Bowl Court, and is working on a documentary about journalist Henri Alleg in Paris.
For information, visit http://ohmallory.wordpress.com/radact/grand-rapids/
For more information, contact The Bloom Collective at bloom [ AT ] mediamouse.org.
Tags: activism, bloom collective, grand rapids, michigan, organizing
Posted: July 29th, 2008 | Author: edcutlip |
Here is the latest “IGE Talks,” a monthly cable access show hosted by the Institute for Global Education (IGE) and aired on Grand Rapids’ public access television. As part of our ongoing efforts to support independent and do-it-yourself media here in West Michigan, we will be posting these shows each month. In this episode, “IGE Talks” focuses on the “Weed and Seed” program:
The topic for the next show is “The Real Cost of Food.” It will be taped on August 7 at 7:00pm at the IGE office. IGE is located at 1118 Wealthy Street SE. The public is welcome to participate in the discussion.
Tags: grand rapids, ige, ige talks, media, michigan
Posted: July 29th, 2008 | Author: edcutlip |
Headlines from Democracynow.org, a daily TV/radio news program, hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, airing on over 650 stations, pioneering the largest community media collaboration in the US.
At Least 60 Killed in Baghdad Suicide Attack
In Iraq, more than sixty were killed and another 250 wounded Monday in suicide bombings in Baghdad and Kirkuk. Four women carried out the attack, three of them strapping themselves with the bombs. It was one of the deadliest attacks on Iraqi civilians in months.
6 Die in US Missile Strike in Pakistan
In Pakistan, at least six people have been killed in a US missile strike on a northwestern village. The attack reportedly killed Abu Khabab al-Masri, a top operative for al-Qaeda. The bombing came as Pakistan’s new prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gillani, was in Washington for meetings at the White House.
Iran Seeking “Common Ground” with US
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is claiming Iran is making progress in international talks over its nuclear program. In an interview with NBC News, Ahmadinejad said Iran would find “common ground” with the US and five other nations.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: “We are not working to manufacture a bomb. We don’t believe in a nuclear bomb. Nuclear bombs belong to the twentieth century. We are living in a new century. Nuclear energy must not be equaled to a nuclear bomb.”
Iran has until Saturday to reply to an international offer to halt UN sanctions in return for a nuclear freeze.
Israel Won’t Negotiate on Jerusalem
In Israel and the Occupied Territories, the Israeli government has announced it will refuse to negotiate the long-term status of Jerusalem as part of ongoing peace talks with Palestinian leaders. On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said a deal could be reached on other issues but that Jerusalem won’t even be discussed until at least next year. Palestinians have long called for East Jerusalem as the capital of any future state. In Gaza, Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar criticized the Israeli move.
Mahmoud al-Zahar: “No peace process will be achieved, either in this year or the expected years. Israel, backed by America, is not intended to give the Palestinian people their basic demand, by establishment of an independent state. And for this reason, we resorted to the military activities in order to push the occupation and to make an end by our alternative method.”
Israel’s decision coincided with another demolition of a Palestinian residential building in East Jerusalem. Israeli officials say the owner hadn’t obtained the proper permits. Israel has demolished hundreds of Palestinian homes over the last decade.
Spain Issues Arrest Warrants for Israelis over 2002 Gaza Bombing
Meanwhile, the Israeli government has instructed several top officials not to visit Spain after a Spanish judge approved an international arrest warrant against them for allegedly committing war crimes. A Spanish human rights group filed the case over an Israeli air strike in 2002. Sixteen Palestinian civilians were killed when Israel bombed a crowded area in the heart of central Gaza. Israel says it was targeting a senior Hamas leader who was killed in the attack.
Admin to Leave Behind Record Deficit
Here in the United States, the Bush administration has admitted it will leave behind a record budget deficit of around $490 billion. The figure is more than $80 billion over President Bush’s forecast earlier this year. The projection is likely too small because the White House hasn’t requested war funding for the entire year.
Probe: Justice Dept. Vetted Applicants for Political Views, Sexual Orientation
An internal probe has found top Justice Department officials practiced routine political discrimination in hiring for top positions. Applicants were disqualified for everything from links to Democratic Party politics and rumors of being gay or lesbian. Less-experienced Republicans were given priority, including one lawyer who drew raves for his position on “god, guns and gays.” The report focuses on the conduct of senior aides to former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, including former top adviser Monica Goodling and former chief of staff Kyle Sampson. The officials relied on a White House internet search technique to vet the political views of potential employees. The aides searched for the applicants’ names, along with such key words as “abortion”, “homosexual”, “Florida recount” and “guns.”
EPA Imposes Gag on Employees
The Environmental Protection Agency’s enforcement office has told employees to direct any outside inquiries to a small group of officials rather than answer the questions themselves. According to the Washington Post, an EPA memo cites any contact from reporters, congressional investigators and the EPA’s inspector general. The memo says: “Please do not respond to questions or make any statements.” Critics say the move will further endanger employees who speak out against political interference with their work. A recent survey found more than half of EPA officials have encountered political interference in the past five years.
Assailant Attacked Tennessee Church for Liberal Views
In Tennessee, the assailant in Sunday’s deadly church shooting in Knoxville has told police he targeted the congregation because it was known for socially liberal and gay-friendly views. Two people were killed and eight others were wounded when Jim Adkisson walked into the church and opened fire with a shotgun. Knoxville police chief Sterling Owen said the attack is being treated as a hate crime.
Sterling Owen: “It appears that what brought him to this horrible event was his lack of being able to obtain a job, his frustration over that, and his stated hatred for the liberal movement. We have recovered a four-page letter in which he describes his feelings and the reason that he claims that he committed these offenses.”
Blackwater Awarded Millions in Small Business Contracts
A government audit has found the private military company Blackwater has obtained dozens of contracts meant for small businesses. The Inspector General of the Small Business Administration says Blackwater was awarded $110 million in small business contracts despite uncertainty over whether it qualifies as a “small business.” From 2005 to 2007, Blackwater was awarded thirty contracts intended for companies with revenues under $6.5 million. Blackwater’s revenues exceeded $200 million for each of those years.
Audit: Millions Wasted on Unfinished Iraqi Prisons, Courts
Meanwhile, another government audit has found tens of millions of dollars have been wasted on a Pentagon contract to build security facilities in Iraq. Stuart Bowen, the Special Inspector General for Iraq, says contractor Parsons Delaware completed just one-third of a $900 million project.
2 More Banks Close as Crisis Widens
In banking news, federal regulators have shut down two banks in California and Nevada. First National Bank of Nevada and the Californian First Heritage Bank were both folded for lacking sufficient capital. The closures come two weeks after the collapse of the California bank IndyMac.
La. Prosecutors Seek Indictment of Officer in Taser Death
And in Louisiana, prosecutors have announced they plan to seek the indictment of a white officer in the tasing death of a young African American man in the town of Winnfield. Baron Pikes died on January 17 from electrocution after the police officer shot him nine times with a taser. Pikes was already in handcuffs at the time. Last month, his death was ruled a homicide. Pikes was the first cousin of Mychal Bell, the lead defendant in the Jena Six case. Prosecutors say they’ll convene a grand jury next month.
Tags: headlines, international, national
Posted: July 28th, 2008 | Author: edcutlip |
The following articles of interest were published elsewhere on the web today:
Previously archived links are available on the news links page or on Media Mouse’s del.icio.us page. To recommend links, tag them with “mediamouserecommended” on del.icio.us or contact us via email.
Posted: July 28th, 2008 | Author: edcutlip |
Headlines from Democracynow.org, a daily TV/radio news program, hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, airing on over 650 stations, pioneering the largest community media collaboration in the US.
Reversing Account, US Admits Killing Iraqi Civilians But Won’t Prosecute Soldiers
In Iraq, the US military has admitted to killing three innocent civilians and then issuing a false statement covering up the attack. On June 25th, two women and one man were killed when soldiers fired hundreds of rounds at their car as they drove to work at a bank at Baghdad airport. The US military later released a statement saying the victims had fired on US troops. The military now admits that claim was false but insists there was no crime because the soldiers fired warning shots.
Obama Wraps Up Overseas Trip
On the campaign trail, Barack Obama has wrapped up his overseas trip to the Middle East and Europe. In Britain, Obama was asked about how the trip would effect his poll numbers.
Sen. Barack Obama: “I wouldn’t even be surprised if that in some polls that you saw a little bit of a dip as a consequence. We’ve been out of the country for a week. People are worried about gas prices. They’re worried about home foreclosures. So, the reason that I thought this trip was important was I am convinced that many of the issues that we face at home are not going to be solved as effectively unless we have strong partners abroad.”
McCain Denies Supporting Iraq Timetable, Backs Affirmative Action Ban
On the Republican side, Senator John McCain has backtracked on comments appearing to support a sixteen-month timetable for a US withdrawal from Iraq. Speaking to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Friday, McCain said, “I think it’s a pretty good timetable.” McCain later said he didn’t mean to use the word timetable.
Meanwhile, McCain has lent support to an effort in his home state of Arizona that would bar state and local governments from practicing affirmative action. Appearing on ABC’s This Week, McCain said he would back an effort for a referendum on affirmative action on the state ballot. A decade ago, McCain opposed a similar effort, calling it “divisive.”
Top McCain Fundraiser Lobbying for Chevron in Amazon Suit
Meanwhile, a top McCain fundraiser is drawing scrutiny for lobbying the US government on behalf of the oil giant Chevron in a lawsuit accusing it of environmental and social destruction in the Amazon. Nearly 30,000 Amazon residents have filed suit against Chevron, seeking $12 billion in damages. The fundraiser, Wayne Berman, has been one of McCain’s biggest financial supporters. Berman and other Chevron lobbyists are calling on the Bush administration to end Ecuador’s special trade preferences unless the Ecuadorian government forces the Amazon residents to drop the case.
3 Teens Charged in Beating Death of Mexican Immigrant
In Pennsylvania, three white teens have been charged in the beating death of a Mexican immigrant earlier this month. Witnesses said six white teenagers brutally attacked twenty-five-year-old Luis Ramirez while yelling racial slurs. Ramirez came to the United States six years ago. He was the father of two children and was engaged to marry. Two of the teens were charged as adults with homicide and ethnic intimidation. More charges are expected in the case.
Ex-CIA-Backed Haitian Death Squad Leader Convicted of Mortgage Fraud
Here in New York, a former CIA-backed Haitian death squad leader has been found guilty on all counts in a mortgage fraud case. Emmanuel “Toto” Constant was found to have orchestrated a scheme to flip properties at inflated prices by selling them to so-called straw buyers. Human rights groups say Constant ordered killings and torture in the Caribbean nation in the 1990s, before fleeing to the United States. He has evaded deportation after threatening to go public with the extent of his ties to the CIA. In a statement, Jennie Green of the Center for Constitutional Rights said, “The conviction gives…his victims hope that he will soon be brought to justice for his crimes in Haiti that included the murder and rape and other torture of thousands more.” Constant will be sentenced in September.
1,000 Protest Iowa Immigration Raid
In Iowa, an estimated 1,000 people gathered in the farm town of Postville on Sunday to protest a May 12th raid on a meatpacking plant. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, arrested 389 workers at Agriprocessors, the largest kosher slaughterhouse and meatpacking plant in the country. It was the largest immigration raid in US history. Nearly 300 workers were sentenced to five months in prison. Attorneys for the workers accused the government of violating due process rights by barring meetings with their clients and ignoring immigration laws.
4 Jailed Attempting Citizen’s Arrest on Rove
In other news from Iowa, four people have been arrested for trying to make a citizen’s arrest of former White House Deputy Karl Rove. The four were stopped outside a Des Moines country club where Rove spoke at a Republican fundraiser. The four were retired Methodist minister and peace activist Chet Guinn, as well as three members of Des Moines Catholic Worker.
2 Killed in Tennessee Church Gun Attack
In Tennessee, two people were killed and another seven wounded Sunday when a man opened fire in a Knoxville church. Fifty-eight-year-old Jim Adkisson was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
45 Killed in India Bombings
In India, forty-five people have been killed and another 160 injured in a wave of bombings in the western city of Ahmedabad. The bombings occurred in a religiously tense province that was the site of deadly Hindu-Muslim clashes in 2002.
16 Killed in Istanbul Bombings
In Turkey, sixteen people were killed and more than 150 wounded Sunday when two bombs ripped through a packed square in central Istanbul. It was the deadliest attack against civilians in Turkey in almost five years.
Israel Proceeds with New Settlement Construction
In Israel, the Israeli government is refusing to abandon its latest plan for building a new settlement in the Occupied Territories. Twenty homes are slated to be built at the site, known as Maskiyot, near the West Bank’s eastern border with Jordan. Yariv Oppenheimer of the Israeli group Peace Now criticized the move.
Yariv Oppenheimer: “We strongly condemn this decision by the Defense Ministry to allow new settlements in the West Bank in the Jordan Valley. This is not the interest of the Israeli people and the Israeli public to have new settlements while we are having negotiations with the Palestinians about having the two states.”
Israel had previously vowed to stop settlement activity but then claimed its pledge only applied to building new settlements, not expanding existing ones. The latest plan violates even that claim.
McClellan: White House Fed Talking Points to Fox News
Former White House spokesperson Scott McClellan has revealed the Bush administration routinely fed talking points to several top hosts at the Rupert Murdoch-owned network Fox News. McClellan was interviewed by MSNBC’s Chris Matthews.
McClellan: “Certainly, there were commentators and others, pundits at Fox News, that were helpful to the White House, and then, certainly–yeah, certainly, we got talking points to those people.”
Chris Matthews: “Did you use–did people say ‘Call Sean. Call Bill. Call whoever’? Did you do that as a regular thing?”
McClellan: “Certainly, certainly. It wasn’t necessarily something I was doing, but it was something that we at the White House, yes, were doing, and getting them talking points and making sure they knew where we were coming from.”
Matthews: “So you were giving them talking points”–
McClellan: “But I would separate the journalists.”
Matthews: “No, no. This is important. You were using these commentators as your spokespeople.”
McClellan: “Well, certainly. I mean, certainly, I think that happens both ways, when people go on other networks, as well, that are favorable towards the Democrats and so forth.”
Matthews: “Nobody’s ever fed me any crap like that, so I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
McClellan: “Well, you’re an independent-minded guy.”
The White House has not denied McClellan’s statement.
Lawmakers to Probe Yankee Stadium Bond Sale
And in Washington, a congressional panel has launched an investigation into whether New York City officials and the New York Yankees deliberately inflated the value of a new stadium to sell nearly $1 billion in tax-free bonds. By law, bonds must be sold at a price linked the site’s value. Congress member Dennis Kucinich is looking into whether the city could have over-valued the stadium site at seven times its actual price. The Yankees would have avoided millions in taxes, because bondholders are exempt from paying taxes on interest they earn. A congressional hearing is set for September.
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