 U.S.
announces tenfold increase in tsunami aid
12/31/4 ["Powell said. "I'm not sure $350
million is the end number. It's the number that we settled on for
now." ...The money comes from the Defense Department budget
and USAID's International Disaster Famine and Assistance account
..."In due course, wherever the money comes from, those accounts
will have to be replenished, and that will take action with the
Congress..."]
Bush
signs executive order to raise federal workers' pay kltv.com
12/31/4 ["The cost-of-living raise lifts salaries for
members of the House and Senate from 158-thousand dollars to
162-thousand-100 dollars in 2005. The measure provides
civil servants with three-and-a-half percent raises -- the same
that military personnel will receive next year."]
Dollar
Falls to Another Record Low Vs. Euro forbes.com
12/31/4 ["The 12-nation euro
initially fell against the dollar after its 1999 debut, but it
has risen about 66 percent since bottoming out at 82 U.S. cents
in October 2000."]
Dollar
down, gold rises
signonsandiego.com
12/31/4 ["close to its record low
against the euro Friday amid continuing concerns about the size
of the U.S. fiscal and budget deficits. Gold prices rose.
...investors are worried about the state of the U.S. economy and
the Bush administration's apparent unwillingness to intervene to
support the dollar."]
China's
Hu: Taiwan won't be independent seattlepi.nwsource.com
12/31/4 ["touted his country's booming economy in a
televised year-end speech Friday, while calling for a larger role
for Beijing in world affairs in 2005 and vowing never to allow
Taiwan to become independent. ...China's economy, buoyed by
huge exports to America and Europe, led the developing world in
2004 with a growth rate forecast to end the year at 8.8 percent.
...Hu said the world is "undergoing very deep changes." On the
one hand, economic globalization and progress toward a "multipolar"
world create opportunities"]
Russia
recalls European emergency situations center initiative
interfax.ru
12/31/4 ["as further evidence of the need to step up
international cooperation in preventing natural and industrial
disasters and creating effective multilateral mechanisms to deal
with their consequences"]
Guardsman
loses challenge of stop-loss order statesmanjournal.com
12/31/4 ["The case centered on the Department of Defense's
stop-loss policy, which has generated debate as thousands of
soldiers were barred from leaving Iraq and Afghanistan even
though their enlistment terms had been fulfilled. ...no
court has ruled against the military's stop-loss policy."]
Vatican
Satanism Seminar Seeks to Curb Devil Worship
tlc.discovery.com
12/31/4 ["According to a parliamentary group studying the
problem, there are as many as 1,000 satanic cult sects in Italy,
with more and more young people involved."]
Montana
court says gay couples due same benefits as unmarried
opposite-sex couples kfor.com
12/31/4 ["In a 4-to-3 decision, the justices overturned the
state university system's policy of denying benefits to the
partners of gay employees. The court ruled that the policy
violated the Montana Constitution's guarantee of equal
protection."]
Cuba
moves to clamp down on hard currency control after oil find
channelnewsasia.com
12/31/4 ["all revenues from state-run businesses must be
channeled though Cuba's central bank. ...The shift would make the
central bank the only Cuban institution authorized to move hard
currency; state businesses would have to seek special
authorization to do so. ...Cubans, having no
alternative, exchanged their greenbacks for "convertible pesos"
usable only on the island. The government invented the currency
-- which Cubans call "chavitos" or "Monopoly (board game) money"
-- to make up for the short supply of dollars. "]
U.S.
Widens Definition of Torture, Calling It `Illegal' in Memo
bloomberg.com
12/31/4 ["The 2002 memo said the president ``enjoys complete
discretion'' in his role as commander in chief, and that
interrogators charged with torture could plead ``necessity'' or
``self-defense.''
The 2002 memo was written by then-Assistant Attorney General Jay
Bybee to White House counsel Alberto Gonzales. Bybee is now a
federal appeals court judge, while Bush has nominated Gonzales to
be the next attorney general. "]
BUSH
ON U.S. ROLE: We will head disaster relief effort sfgate.com
12/30/4 ["critics noted that U.S. aid so far was about the
equivalent of what the United States spent in seven hours for its
military intervention in Iraq. "We spend $35 million before
breakfast every day in Iraq"]
Pentagon
to trim $60 billion iht.com
12/30/4 ["The Pentagon plans to retire one of the navy's 12
aircraft carriers, buy fewer amphibious landing ships for the
Marine Corps and delay the development of a costly army combat
system as part of $60 billion in proposed cuts over the next six
years, according to defense and congressional officials.
...military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, which combined
now amount to more than $5 billion a month ...supplemental
appropriations, and the Pentagon is preparing another such
request of about $80 billion early next year"]
Tanks,
missiles on Russian military's shopping list for 2005
spacewar.com
12/30/4 ["will receive more than 90 new
T-90 tanks, seven fighter jets and new nuclear missiles next
year, Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov said Thursday as he unveiled
a 6.9-billion-dollar military budget for 2005. ...Part of
the buget would go toward development of the new Topol-M mobile
inter-continental nuclear missile, which Moscow claims will be
able to penetrate anti-missile shields."]
Coincidence!
Major quake exactly 1 year ago worldnetdaily.com
12/30/4 ["The 9.0 killer earthquake in Asia that unleashed
tsunamis killing tens of thousands followed exactly one year to
the hour after the Bam, Iran, earthquake that killed 26,000."]
Spain's
Government Approves Gay Marriage Bill news.scotsman.com
12/30/4 ["the third country to recognise gay marriages.
The bill was approved at a Cabinet meeting and is expected to be
presented to Parliament in February for debate."]
Nations'
leaders wake up to the scale of disaster timesonline.co.uk
12/30/4 ["millions of people were at “grave risk” from
respiratory and waterborne diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea."
- aftereffects can be just as deadly if not worse.]
Russia
May Offer 20% of Yukos's Yugansk to China
bloomberg.com
12/30/4 ["giving the Asian state part
of a company that extracts 11 percent of Russia's oil."]
Russian
Military to Get More New Weapons news.scotsman.com
12/30/4 ["The overall Russian military
budget, which includes new weapons purchases, rose by 27.6%
...President Vladimir Putin’s government has steadily increased
military spending over the past few years, thanks to steadily
rising revenues from the export of oil, Russia’s main
cash-earner."]
 Foreknowledge
of A Natural Disaster globalresearch.ca
12/30/4 ["Washington was aware that a deadly Tidal Wave was
building up in the Indian Ocean"]
China
official slams U.S. on weapons deal seattlepi.nwsource.com
12/30/4 ["A senior Chinese official criticized the United
States for pressuring Israel to confiscate Chinese-owned drone
aircraft, calling the American action "groundless and
unreasonable." ...The drones are designed to destroy radar
stations and anti-aircraft batteries."]
Tsunami
Toll Jumps to Over 125,000, Fear Lingers reuters.com
12/30/4 ["The Indonesian Health Ministry said just under
80,000 people had died in the northern Aceh province that was
close to the undersea quake, some 28,000 more than previously
announced. ...Hungry crowds jostling for aid biscuits
besieged people delivering them in the city. Some drivers dared
not stop..."]
Eye
on Eurasia: Camps in Russia for [illegal] aliens
washingtontimes.com
12/30/4 ["the first such camp to be opened in post-Soviet
Russia and one organized in such a way that seems certain to
exacerbate ethnic tensions not only there but elsewhere as well.
...Tkachev has played upon popular prejudice by suggesting that
illegal immigrants are responsible for a rise in crime. Research
by the Interior Ministry in Moscow and by the noted
ethno-sociologist Emil Pain have disproved that contention, but
many Russians are inclined to believe it."]
Bush
Vows More U.S. Aid for Tsunami Victims reuters.com
12/29/4 ["a $35 million U.S. pledge for victims of the Asian
tsunami was only the beginning and any suggestions America was
stingy were "misguided and ill-informed." ...The United
Nations has for decades pushed for rich nations to give away 0.7
percent of gross domestic product every year in development aid.
The United States gives 0.13 percent of its GDP. But this
amount excludes aid to Iraq and Afghanistan as well as food aid,
where the United States is the biggest donor but does not attach
a monetary value to its contributions."]
U.S.
Relief More Than Doubled to $35 Million; Bush to Speak on
Disaster ap.tbo.com
12/29/4 ["U.S. Agency for International Development chief
Andrew Natsios told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the $35
million aid package has drained his organization's emergency
relief fund, forcing it to ask Congress or the White House for
more money. "We just spent it," Natsios said. "We'll be
talking to the (White House) budget office." "]
U.S.
dollar slips to new all-time low against euro sfgate.com
12/29/4 ["The shared European currency hit a record high
against the dollar for the fifth straight business day, rising
above the previous record of $1.3643 set Tuesday, as light
trading around the Christmas and New Year's holidays exaggerated
currency swings in foreign exchange markets. The U.S.
currency recovered ground in later trading, with the euro sliding
back to $1.3571. ...The dollar has
been weighed down by worries over the ballooning U.S. trade and
budget deficit."]
30
million cars now record drivers' behavior usatoday.com
12/29/4 ["So far most of the devices record the last five
seconds of readings before a crash, for example, a little like
flight-data recorders in airplanes. The information has proven
extremely useful to auto designers and accident investigators.
It's also being used to prosecute drivers. ...event data
recorders (EDRs). ...most cars from General Motors and Ford, as
well as some Toyotas and Hondas, track even more information,
including vehicle and engine speed, and whether the driver was
accelerating or braking."]
Ark.
Judge Voids Ban on Gay Foster Parents newsday.com
12/29/4 ["said the state Child Welfare Agency Review board
had overstepped its authority by trying to regulate "public
morality." At issue was a 1999 board regulation that said
gays cannot become foster parents, and foster children cannot be
placed in any home with a gay member under its roof."]
Breast
Cancer Group Says Associated Press Still Ignores Abortion Link
lifenews.com
12/29/4 ["In the latest news story, AP profiled the state of
Mississippi and discussed how pro-life laws have been a factor in
significantly reducing the number of abortions over the last
decade. According to the report, Mississippi "is one of two
states, along with Texas, requiring that women seeking abortions
be told, in contradiction of National Cancer Institute findings,
that abortion might increase their risk of breast cancer.""]
 Sacramento
Police Promise to Allow Christians Access to Capitol Sidewalks
agapepress.org
12/29/4 ["Dacus says there is no
reason why Christians should give up a "prime venue" -- public
sidewalks -- for sharing their faith. A public sidewalk, he says,
is a recognized forum for handing out literature."]
Israel:
Civil Disobedience Begins israelnationalnews.com
12/29/4 ["against the transfer/expulsion plan has begun.
Shomron residents waged a sit-in on a road near Shavei Shomron,
blocking a Disengagement Authority bus on its way."]
In
war on terrorism, U.S. drafts shops to be on guard
gazettetimes.com
12/29/4 ["On Sept. 24, 2001,
President Bush signed an executive order barring business
dealings with anyone on the specially designated list, which
includes the names and aliases of suspected terrorists, drug
kingpins and their associates. Those failing to comply can be
fined $10 million and jailed up to 10 years. ...other U.S.
business must steer clear of people on the government's 192-page
list of "specially designated nationals," which has more than
5,000 names and is updated frequently. "]
Israel
Charges 'Jesus Box' Relics Ring with Fraud reuters.com
12/29/4 ["Israeli prosecutors charged four antiquities
dealers on Wednesday with forging a slew of biblical artifacts
including a "Jesus box" that had been claimed as proof of
Christianity's origins."]
Mass.:Romney
prepares to file "scientific" death penalty bill boston.com
12/29/4 ["Lawmakers opposed to the death penalty also say
they don't believe the death penalty is a deterrent to crime.
...It also suggests doing away with the legal standard of guilt
"beyond a reasonable doubt" in a death penalty case, and
replacing it with a finding of "no doubt.""]
Quake
made Earth wobble, changed map: experts dawn.com
12/29/4 ["It was like "flicking a top," said Paul Tapponnier,
head of the tectonics laboratory at the Institut de Physique du
Globe (IPG), France's leading centre for the Earth sciences."]
Mount
St. Helens regrows odd-shaped top cbc.ca
12/29/4 ["At the present rate, they say it could take 11
years for the volcano to look like it did before the 1980
eruption that blew 300 metres off the volcano's summit, killing
57 people. ...If deeper magma with a lot of gas in it moves
closer to the surface then more explosive activity could occur,
said Major."]
Warning
systems vital to slash disaster tolls says U.N. reuters.co.uk
12/28/4 ["Governments around the world must work together to
build early warning systems that can cut death tolls from natural
disasters like the Indian Ocean tsunami that killed nearly
40,000, United Nations experts say."]
World's
biggest rescue mission news.scotsman.com
12/28/4 ["But the United Nations says it faces an
unprecedented challenge in co-ordinating the distribution of aid
to survivors.
Hundreds of planes carrying emergency aid will be airborne within
the next couple of days, the UN’s emergency relief co-ordinator
Jan Egeland said. "]
China's
Military Modernisation 'Targeted at Taiwan' news.scotsman.com
12/28/4 ["Beijing’s State Council, or
Cabinet, yesterday published a white paper or special report on
the Chinese military’s plans to modernise. The document included
a strong warning that China would crush any Taiwanese
independence attempt “at any cost”."]
General
Assembly votes for funds to strengthen world body's security
un.org
12/28/4 ["to establish a new Department of Safety and
Security, requested by Secretary-General Kofi Annan. ...The
UN, the humanitarian organizations and other traditional UN
partners had become targets of political violence - the UN since
1992 - "challenging the long-held perception that we were
protected by our flag and by our status as an impartial,
benevolent actor," he said."]
Putin
sets up new governor voting system seattlepi.nwsource.com
12/28/4 ["a law that abolished their direct election amid a
continuing consolidation of power by the Kremlin. The
decree signed by Putin gives the presidential chief-of-staff the
task of drawing up and submitting lists of gubernatorial
candidates to the president."]
Russia,
China plan joint military exercise seattletimes.nwsource.com
12/28/4 ["mostly state-of-the-art weapons — navy, air,
long-range aviation, submarines — to practice interaction with
China in different forms of military maneuvers ...a
reminder that Russia is still a great military power."]
Florida
pro-lifers win right to protest at abortion clinic
crosswalk.com
12/28/4 ["The
lawsuit, filed in early November on behalf of three Christian
pro-lifer activists, claimed that enforcement of the ordinance
violated the plaintiffs' constitutional rights, including their
freedom of speech. The lawsuit also targeted a separate city
policy barred pro-life advocates from approaching people and
distributing informational literature. ...This week, a
federal judge ordered Fort Myers to stop enforcing its permit
ordinance as well as its policy prohibiting the distribution of
literature."]
Boston:
Same-sex marriage, Red Sox top news stories in 2004
boston.com
12/28/4 [3 out of 10 top stories were about sports]
UK
laws promote infanticide says cloning pioneer
sundayherald.com
12/28/4 ["The US-based scientist, who is attempting to
become the first doctor to clone a human being, branded UK rules
governing reproduction as “super-conservative” and warned they
were forcing many adults into having multiple abortions because
it was illegal for them to choose the sex of their baby."]
Revealed:
the UK's secret terrorism agency news.independent.co.uk
12/28/4 ["Neither Parliament nor the public have been told
how far the Government has gone to put the service - which will
deal with chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attacks
- into operation over the course of 2004. The body, called
the Government Decontamination and Recovery Service, is such a
sensitive topic even within Whitehall that it is deliberately
known only by its initials - GDRS. Even then it is hardly
mentioned, even in official documents."]
Debate
over same-sex marriage returns to California sfgate.com
12/28/4 ["California can no longer claim to
have a legitimate reason for denying gays and lesbians the right
to marry given that such unions already are allowed in several
places and the state is poised to give same-sex couples nearly
all the legal benefits of marriage, a lawyer for 12 couples told
a judge Wednesday."]
A
Rare Tsunami, and a Change in Geography latimes.com
12/28/4 ["The magnitude 9.0 earthquake that struck off
Indonesia on Sunday morning moved the entire island of Sumatra
about 100 feet to the southwest, pushing up a gigantic mass of
water that collapsed into a tsunami and devastated shorelines
around the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea."]
 Mount
St. Helens, Washington Update Center usgs.gov
12/28/4 [""]
Lawmakers
want state to monitor home-school tests aberdeennews.com
12/26/4 ["Sen. Clarence Kooistra, R-Garretson, and
co-sponsor Rep.-elect Elaine Roberts, D-Sioux Falls, say it's an
issue of quality control. Under their proposed law, the
state would furnish tests for home-school students, and local
districts would monitor the tests and communicate with parents
about the results."]
Japan
is world's No. 2 buyer of U.S. arms washtimes.com
12/28/4 ["coming second only to Greece"]
Rumsfeld
says 9-11 plane 'shot down' in Pennsylvania worldnetdaily.com
12/28/4 ["During surprise Christmas Eve trip, defense
secretary contradicts official story ...Was it a slip of
the tongue? Was it an error? Or was it the truth, finally being
dropped on the public more than three years after the tragedy of
the terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000? ...five
eyewitnesses reported seeing a second plane at the Flight 93
crash site."]
EU
grapples with translation boom news.bbc.co.uk
12/28/4 ["Making sure delegations from European Union member
states understand each other when they meet in Brussels is no
easy feat. ...But there is no let-up. The
Commission is already preparing for the next wave of enlargement,
which could mean more languages, such as Romanian and Bulgarian.
Multilingual decision-making, it seems, only works with years of
preparation. "]
Lawmakers:
Anti-Secession Law "Extremely Necessary" china.org.cn
12/28/4 ["Standing Committee members unanimously agreed that
Taiwan is an indispensable part of China, and that the mainland
has made a sustained effort to promote peaceful reunification."]
 It
Can't Happen Here house.gov
12/20/4 [by Ron Paul "Is America becoming a police state?"]
UK:
Terror detainees win Lords appeal news.bbc.co.uk
12/17/4 ["Detaining foreign terrorist suspects without trial
breaks human rights laws, the UK's highest court has ruled."]
Colleges
Promote Abortion Over Pregnancy in Student Health Care Plans
lifenews.com
12/17/4 ["some university health plans, such as Yale
University's, provide coverage for abortion but not for giving
birth. "When students receive positive results on a
pregnancy test, campus health clinic staff too often say ‘I'm
sorry' and automatically refer women to abortion clinics
...a nurse practitioner told the student
newspaper that most Columbia students who become pregnant choose
abortion."]
China
moves to ban late abortions guardian.co.uk
12/17/4 ["a pilot programme aimed at halting the widespread
termination of female foetuses. The new policy bans doctors
from carrying out abortions on most women who are more than 14
weeks into pregnancy."]
Pres.
Bush signs intelligence reform bill into law wistv.com
12/17/4 ["The bill becomes
law as the man behind that strike resurfaces, this time on the
Internet. US officials believe it is Osama bin Laden's voice
praising an attack on the US consulate in Saudi Arabia this
month."]
Bush
Considers Domestic Spending Freeze, Prods Congress on Social
Security ap.tbo.com
12/17/4 ["Even a program receiving the same as this year
would lose purchasing power due to inflation, now running about 3
percent annually. ..The growth of domestic programs slowed
to about 1 percent this year. Even so, overall expenditures
including defense and domestic security continue to climb,
largely due to the costs of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Congress approved $87.5 billion for those wars in fall 2003 and
$25 billion more last spring, and Bush is expected to request
another $75 billion to $100 billion early in 2005."]
Russia
takes first step towards new terror law alertnet.org
12/17/4 ["During that period, even if no attack takes place,
authorities could introduce emergency measures including banning
public demonstrations, tapping telephones, conducting spot street
checks and restricting movements of people and traffic."]
Kansas
Court Overturns State's Death Penalty reuters.com
12/17/4 ["Kansas Supreme Court on Friday ruled that state's
death penalty unconstitutional, handing another victory to
opponents of capital punishment. Kansas is one of 38 states
with the death penalty, though it has not executed anyone since
capital punishment was restored in the United States in 1976. "]
EU
leaders hint at June date for lifting China arms ban
eubusiness.com
12/17/4 ["declared their "political will" to lift an arms
embargo on China, possibly by next June, while stressing that
Beijing must respect human rights and regional stability."]
Legislation
sets stage for uniform driver's licenses usatoday.com
12/17/4 ["The anti-terrorism bill to be signed by President
Bush on Friday opens the door for people across the nation to
have similar driver's licenses, a plan that is fueling a debate
over whether security concerns will lead to what amounts to a
national identification card."]
Explosive
predictions for Mount St Helens newscientist.com
12/17/4 ["Luckily today, if there were to be a major
eruption, the immediate area is uninhabited and the US Army corps
of engineers has built a dam in the nearby valley intended to
protect against possible landslides. But few contingency
plans can protect against the clouds of ash the volcano might
throw up.]
Russian
draft anti-terrorism law seen as open to abuse abc.net.au
12/16/4 ["The Russian government is considering a draft law
under which the authorities could impose a 60-day security
clampdown solely on suspicion that a terror attack was being
planned."]
Philly
Court Orders Four Christians to Trial; Emergency Appeal Likely
agapepress.org
12/16/4 ["Attorney Contends Reading Scripture in Public
Landed Them in Jail"]
Bush
Nominee for Health Secretary Stirs Concern over Abortion Position
lifesite.net
12/16/4 ["Tony Perkins, President of Family Research Council
(FRC), said that, though a self-proclaimed pro-lifer, Governor
Leavitt's background begs serious questions as to his advocacy."]
Bush
Prepares for Possible GPS Shutdown cnn.com
12/16/4 ["has ordered plans for temporarily disabling the
U.S. network of global positioning satellites during a national
crisis to prevent terrorists from using the navigational
technology ..."]
UK
Mother Wins Right to Challenge Parental Consent Law
lifesite.net
12/16/4 ["A mother-of-five, battling to overturn the UK's
parental notification laws, has been granted leave to challenge
the laws in court. Current UK law allows girls under 16 years old
to obtain abortions without a parent's permission."]
ALL:
Planned Parenthood Private Donations Dwindling
christianpost.com
12/16/4 ["Planned Parenthood aborted 138 children for every
adoption referral to an outside agency compared to its 18:1
abortion to adoption referral ratio in 1997"]
Clarke:
no ID cards rethink guardian.co.uk
12/16/4 ["The
new home secretary, Charles Clarke, today rejected calls to
reconsider plans for ID cards after Labour backbenchers suggested
the departure of David Blunkett yesterday should prompt a
rethink."]
Oregon
Supreme Court Hears Gay-Marriage Arguments koin.com
12/16/4 ["...since 3,000
gay and lesbian couples were married in Multnomah County in
March. But eight months later, Oregonians passed Measure 36,
which banned same sex marriage."]
Civic
Officials can Refuse to Perform Same-Sex "Marriages," Canadian
Justice Minister says lifesite.net
12/16/4 ["has indicated he will add a clause to the proposed
same-sex "marriage" legislation allowing civil servants to opt
out of performing the weddings, if it violates their conscience."]
Iraq
War Price Tag Tops $100B cbsnews.com
12/16/4 ["The cost has gone up each year and is expected to
go up again next year when the Pentagon estimates it will need
another $100 billion for the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
...The difference is that then the U.S. did not attempt to occupy
another country. "]
Mom
ousted for taping gay acceptance `lies' news.bostonherald.com
12/16/4 ["Cariani and another parent,
Brian Camenker, were in the audience when adults in a panel
discussion talked about being gay. When one man told the students
he was attracted to his sister's husband, Cariani said she
started to record the ``propaganda, false information and lies.''
"]
Illinois
Governor Wants Ban on Graphic Video Games reuters.com
12/16/4 ["proposed the state ban the sale and rental of
violent and sexually explicit video games for children under 18,
a restriction that has failed so far elsewhere in the country."]
Who's
Your Daddy? Reality show outrage smh.com.au
12/16/4 ["Adoption rights advocates are outraged at a US
reality TV show in which a young adopted woman tries to identify
her biological father among eight men - seven of whom are
impostors seeking to convince her they are the real thing."]
North
Korea Warns Japan Against Imposing Sanctions bloomberg.com
12/15/4 ["North Korea would consider any decision by Japan to
impose economic sanctions as a ``declaration of war,'' the
communist nation's Foreign Ministry said. ... Japanese
lawmakers this year approved measures that allow their government
to impose sanctions that include barring North Korean ships from
Japanese ports and a halt to remittances to the communist
country. Those money transfers by Korean residents in Japan are
among North Korea's biggest sources of foreign currency."]
Cuba
hails wargame warning to US sg.news.yahoo.com
12/15/4 ["with 400,000 reservists joining regular forces and
millions of civilians in wargames which the authorities say are
to deter a US invasion. ...coverage of the wargames which
proceeded as ailing President Castro welcomed Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez, his only close ally in the Americas, whose
government helps keep Cuba's energy-starved economy afloat with
cut-rate oil."]
Bush
Pledges Strong-Dollar Policy abcnews.go.com
12/15/4 ["Some economists believe that the administration, while
publicly professing support for a strong dollar, actually prefers
the decline in the greenback's value against other currencies as
a way of dealing with the country's huge trade deficit. A
weaker dollar would make U.S. goods cheaper on foreign markets
while making imports more expensive for Americans, thus boosting
the fortunes of domestic manufacturers. The country has lost 2.7
million manufacturing jobs over the past three years. "]
Dollar
Declines as Investors Slow Purchases of U.S. Assets
bloomberg.com
12/15/4 ["The dollar fell the most in almost a month against the
yen and dropped versus the euro on a report showing purchases of
assets in the U.S. increased in October at the slowest pace in a
year. ..`People were expecting it to be worse than last
month, but nobody was expecting it to be below 50,'' said Simon
Derrick, head of currency strategy in London at Bank of New York.
``We will continue to see the dollar slide in the last part of
this month.''"]
Study
Claiming Rapid Arctic Ice Melt Refuted at Climate Summit
cnsnews.com
12/15/4 [""The temperature graph [of the Arctic used in the ACIA
study] does not agree with any of the known [temperature] data
sets for the Arctic. In other words, who knows where they got
this data from," Ebell told CNSNews.com. "]
Montana
Lawmaker Harassed After Floating Pro-Life Bill on Abortion
lifenews.com
12/15/4 ["...proposing legislation that would issue death
certificates for unborn children who die as a result of
abortions."]
Despite
boycott, thousands march against abortion in Spain cwnews.com
12/15/4 ["More than 2,000 people participated in a march for life
this past Saturday near the Ministry of Health in Madrid in order
to make known to the country's leaders their rejection of
abortion, their support for pregnant women, and their respect for
human life from conception to natural death."]
Power
From the Pulpit rense.com
12/15/4 [By Craig Roberts - " It seems like our 'organized
religion' has become regimented to a point that you can almost
set your watch by events in the church service...
Today things are different. We have ministers who are actually
afraid to get into areas that might be 'dangerous.' They avoid
certain topics so that they do not offend certain special
interest groups or government officials."]
Army
Guard says its Iraq troop numbers are wrong detnews.com
12/15/4 ["Count used to show part-timers were more likely to die
than active-duty soldiers." - hmm]
Army
spending $4 billion to rush more armored vehicles to Iraq
boston.com
12/15/4 [""]
Japan drafts
evacuation manual as attack fears grow
12/15/4 ["by terrorists and foreign nations as the avowedly
pacifist country adapted further to the risks of its growing
global role. ...The manual was drafted in accordance with
legislation enacted in June to let Japan's military cooperate
with the United States in the event of a local or regional armed
conflict."]
Governor's
choice for stem cell chairman Palo Alto developer appears shoo-in
to direct new program sfgate.com
12/14/4 ["...Prop. 71. The measure is aimed mainly
at promoting embryonic stem cell research ineligible for federal
grants under restrictions President Bush enacted in 2001."]
China,
Russia Will Hold First War Games apnews.myway.com
12/14/4 ["The announcement came during a visit to Beijing by
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, who was expected to
discuss expanding the Kremlin's multibillion-dollar annual arms
sales to China."]
U.S.
Trade Deficit Swells to Record $55.5B apnews.myway.com
12/14/4 ["as imports - including those from China - surged to the
loftiest levels on record. Skyrocketing crude-oil prices also
contributed to the yawning trade gap. ...Persistent
concerns in Europe over the U.S. trade and budget deficits has
been a key factor in the U.S. dollar's recent slid - on several
occasions to record lows - against the euro, the currency used by
12 countries."]
Better
for old to kill themselves than be a burden, says Warnock
timesonline.co.uk
12/14/4 ["Warnock's views are of
considerable significance as she sat on an influential Lords
select committee that agreed on a complete ban on euthanasia in
1993. Last year, however, she and two other peers on the
committee conceded that the law needed to be reviewed and backed
a private member's bill permitting assisted suicide for the
terminally ill."]
Cuba
starts 'huge' military drill news.bbc.co.uk
12/14/4 ["Cuba's armed forces have begun their biggest military
exercise for nearly 20 years, involving hundreds of thousands of
troops and civilians. The exercise, called Bastion 2004, is
a response to "the continued aggression and threats" of the US,
Cuba says. "]
City
will prosecute Christian protesters worldnetdaily.com
12/14/4 ["A federal appeals court denied an emergency appeal to
stop prosecution of 11 Philadelphia-area Christians who allege
the District Attorney's office retaliated against them for
exercising their constitutional rights at a homosexual event in
which they were arrested and later charged with felonies."]
Watch
list checks to grow chron.com
12/14/4 ["Anyone who works at an airport or aboard a cruise ship
will have his identity checked against government watch lists,
just like commercial airline passengers."]
Rate
of Guard deaths surpasses regular Army detnews.com
12/14/4 ["In a reversal of trends from past
wars, part-time soldiers in the Army National Guard are about
one-third more likely to be killed in Iraq than full-time
active-duty soldiers serving there, a USA TODAY analysis of
Pentagon statistics shows."]
Court
OKs Arrest on 'Reasonable' Grounds news.yahoo.com
12/14/4 ["The 8-0 ruling sets aside a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals (news - web sites) ruling in favor of Jerome Alford. Two
Washington State Patrol officers had arrested him for tape
recording their conversation during a traffic stop in November
1997. "]
Bush
Administration Funds Abortion to Record-High Levels
ladiesagainstfeminism.org
12/13/4 ["He is funding selected
surgical abortions, chemical abortions, and the nation’s largest
chain of abortion centers and perpetrators of abortion in
America…. via Medicaid"]
'UK
church faces life underground' worldnetdaily.com
12/13/4 ["In a private report to the pair, Ozanne warned the
outlook for the church was not good – that it would continue to
implode and self-destruct over homosexual clergy and other
issues. She says that its future will be one of an underground
movement comparable to resistance movements during World War II."]
Dollar
Falls as Reports May Show Deficits Widening, After Rally
bloomberg.com
12/13/4 [" Speculation that government reports this week
will show the U.S. trade and current-account deficits widened
undermined support for the dollar. The U.S. currency has dropped
6.4 percent against the euro and 4.7 percent versus the yen this
quarter, partly on concern the U.S. will fail to attract enough
international investment to fund its deficits. ``The
downtrend in the dollar isn't over yet,"]
Seeking
respect and protection, Russia bolsters nuclear arsenal
seattletimes.nwsource.com
12/13/4 ["The world may have only one superpower, but the
United States and Russia still could destroy each other many
times over."]
Canada:
Calls for gay friendly tourism training vancouver.cbc.ca
12/13/4 ["Bruce McDonald, head of the Canadian Gay and
Lesbian Chamber of Commerce says the ruling presents the tourism
industry with a huge opportunity to tap even further into the
lucrative gay tourist market. ...Canada's new international
image of tolerance could draw over a billion tourism dollars in
the next three years"]
U.S.
Debt: Beyond Repair? progress.org
12/13/4 ["When the political conflict finally explodes into
violence, the transfer society urgently needs a peacemaker who is
prepared to suppress violence with superior violence. In the end,
a society that can no longer work together in peace must submit
to the dictates of a strong president armed with an array of
emergency powers. In other places, at other times, he would be
called Caesar."]
Pro-Abortion
Film Continues to Rack Up Awards, Golden Globe Nomination
lifenews.com
12/13/4 ["Vera Drake, named best film
at the Venice Film Festival of 2004, is set in the 1950s. Vera is
a cleaning lady who "helps girls out" when they are pregnant and
considering an illegal abortion."]
Polls:
Europe Negative on Bush Re-Election guardian.co.uk
12/13/4 ["`Above all, they appear to be worried about the
consequences of this election,'' Corman said. ``The predominant
feelings about Bush's re-election in the European countries are
disappointment and surprise more than anger.'' Bush's
re-election was greeted with dismay by many in Europe and
prompted negative headlines in various newspapers. "]
Oklahoma:
Gun owners claim right to take their rifles to work
news.telegraph.co.uk
12/13/4 [""]
10,000
reservists to assist pullout jpost.com
12/13/4 ["The IDF plans a massive call-up of reservists,
possibly up to 10,000, to help with the disengagement from the
Gaza Strip and northern West Bank. The army has allocated
12 weeks for implementing the disengagement starting in early
July. But the massive call up of reservists will begin in May to
relieve troops who will undergo disengagement training. "]
Report:
Cord Blood Eliminates Need for Embryonic Stem Cells
lifesite.net
12/12/4 ["the need for stem cells derived from embryonic babies
is completely unnecessary, because stem cells derived from
umbilical cord blood can do everything that other stem cells can
do. "We already have these cells making insulin in a
dish... Doctors have been substituting bone marrow
transplants for leukemia treatment in children with cord blood
cell transplants - the blood from a single cord is enough to
treat one child. Scientists also recently discovered that this
method is effective in adults with leukemia as well."]
Rights
activists denounce Putin's reforms miami.com
12/12/4 ["Hundreds of Kremlin critics gathered Sunday on
Constitution Day to denounce what they call a retreat from
democracy as President Vladimir Putin signed a bill scrapping
gubernatorial elections. Putin on Sunday also denied he
seeks to change the constitution - a concern raised by critics
who fear his administration might seek amendments to keep him in
power past 2008. The constititution allows only two consecutive
four-year terms."]
US
Army plagued by desertion and plunging morale
timesonline.co.uk
12/12/4 ["A further sign of strain can be seen in the Army’s
decision this year to mobilise 5,600 members of a pool of former
soldiers that can be mobilised only in a national emergency...
Few experts are surprised to hear that a recent army survey
discovered that half the soldiers were not planning to re-enlist.
...Experts are divided over how stretched America’s military
really is. But they agree that another conflict would put the
military in overdrive. "]
Latin
America a hot topic at pre-Kyoto talks indystar.com
12/12/4 ["delegates from nearly 200 nations assembled to prepare
for the launch next year of the Kyoto Protocol."]
Mockery,
calumny and scorn: these are the weapons to fight zealots
timesonline.co.uk
12/12/4 ["It is to be a crime, says David
Blunkett, the Home Secretary, for a person to use abusive or
insulting words or behaviour, or to display any written material
which is abusive or insulting, “if he intends thereby to stir up
religious hatred”. ...hatred against a group of persons
defined by reference to lack of religious belief”."]
Rumsfeld
under fire for 'hillbilly armour' used to defend army
news.independent.co.uk
12/12/4 ["The row over America's failure to send enough military
vehicles to Iraq took a new twist yesterday when the company that
manufactures them said it could deliver 1,200 more a year, but
has had no request from the Pentagon. ...A spokesman for
Armor Holdings, which makes the fully protected Humvees, said:
"We have always said, 'Tell us how much you want and we'll build
them'." The company had even proposed setting up new assembly
lines to produce more, he added."]
Kerik,
White House Say Withdrawal Was His Decision
olympics.reuters.com
12/11/4 ["News organizations had also raised questions about
some of Kerik's business dealings, including his profitable
membership on the board of Taser International, the stun-gun
maker seeking to sell more of its devices to federal government."]
Tokyo's
defence review names China and North Korea as security threats
news.ft.com
12/11/4 ["The five-year plan, the first to name specific
countries as causes for concern, outlines a shift to a more
flexible force able to deal swiftly with terrorism, missile
attacks and rogue states. ...is pushing for a
revision to the 60-year-old pacifist constitution to enable more
effective participation in such missions as a way of
strengthening the US-Japan alliance."]
Uncle
Sam Wants Your Kids – Now! sftt.org
12/11/4 ["Since this tragic war kicked off in March 2003,
the United States has evacuated an estimated 50,000 KIA, WIA and
non-battle casualties from Iraq back to the States – leaving
50,000 slots that have had to be filled. ...By the end of
this recruiting year, the Regular Army, Reserves and Guard could
fall short more than 50 percent of its projected requirement, or
about 60,000 new soldiers. And according to many recruiters,
quality recruits are giving way to mental midgets who have a hard
time telling their left foot from their right."]
Anglicans
Wary On 'Satanic Symbols' allafrica.com
12/11/4 ["reformists in the Presbyterian Church of East
Africa - who have smashed church windows and gates bearing
masonic symbols - saying that while Freemasonry was incompatible
with Christianity... "Some practices of Freemasons are
incompatible with Christianity," he said. "The Freemasons have to
make a choice; whether to remain Anglican Christians or
Freemasons." ...Among the symbols already removed from St
Andrew's are a compass and square on the grilles at the entrance
to the church, masonic coffins on the church's 30 windows and
celestial globes on stairs leading to the main sanctuary."]
Russia
Reiterates Right to Use Preventive Strikes news.scotsman.com
12/10/4 ["may conduct preventive
strikes against terrorists abroad, saying it was a common US
practice, but he ruled out the use of nuclear weapons.
...we see in practice that such strikes are conducted – in
Afghanistan, in Iraq, in other regions of the world,” he said,
answering a question submitted at the meeting at the academy of
the Russian military’s general staff. “It exists; it’s already a
norm of life."]
Leaders
gather to form South American bloc chron.com
12/10/4 ["Presidents and high-ranking officials from 12
South American countries gathered in this ancient Inca capital to
create a political and economic bloc they hope will put them on a
more equal footing with the United States and Europe.
Rodriguez said South America's combined gross domestic product
exceeds Canada's..."]
"God
Is With Us": Hitler's Rhetoric and the Lure of "Moral Values"
buzzflash.com
12/10/4 ["If photographic evidence of the Third Reich's
Christian leanings were not enough, Hitler's own speeches and
writings prove, at the very least, that he presented many of the
same faith-based arguments heard in America today."]
Bush
'disappointing' some pro-lifers washtimes.com
12/10/4 ["because he supported Specter for the Judiciary
chairmanship over the strong objections of pro-life Christians
and because he nominated pro-choice candidates for both attorney
general and secretary of state" - surprise, surprise]
Strong
pound threatens to breach $2 guardian.co.uk
12/10/4 ["Amid expressions of growing concern from the
European Central Bank and EU finance ministers, renewed dumping
of the greenback helped nudge the pound above $1.95 for the first
time since September 1992. Profit-taking later saw it slip
back to $1.9420. "]
German
Chancellor Schroeder calls for strengthening the UN
thestaronline.com
12/10/4 [""The strengthening of the United Nations is one of
the main issues in the international politics,'' Schroeder told
students at Sophia University. "This is the most important task
that we have before us in the coming times.''"]
Tremors
rock earth deep beneath San Andreas Fault sfgate.com
12/10/4 ["whether the faint underground
tremors -- termed "chatter" by some seismologists -- portend an
increased likelihood of a major quake in the area is an unsolved
puzzle."]
Anti-terror
bill worries liberties groups usatoday.com
12/10/4 ["People indicted on terror charges will have a much
harder time getting free on bail under a provision in the new
intelligence bill. The provision also broadens the government's
authority to spy on terror suspects. ...allows the FBI to
obtain secret surveillance warrants against "lone wolf"
extremists not known to be tied to a specific terrorist group."]
Army
Reserve runs short on officers chron.com
12/10/4 ["a situation aggravated by a surge in resignation
requests. The shortage — primarily of captains — has
seriously reduced the capabilities of the reserves, and continued
losses will further reduce the readiness of "an already depleted
military force," an Army briefing document submitted last month
to Congress said."]
Report:
China detains leader of church seattlepi.nwsource.com
12/10/4 ["a prominent minister of an unofficial Protestant
church in a crackdown on Christian groups that defy Communist
Party control ...Zhang, 53, has spent a total of nearly 12
years in prison and labor camps since the 1970s"]
Israel
recognizes homosexual couples worldnetdaily.com
12/10/4 ["Same-sex couples in Israel will now have many of
the same rights as heterosexual spouses according to a decision
today by the Jewish State's attorney general which drew fire from
many rabbis who warned Israel risked becoming another Sodom and
Gomorrah."]
Growing
tolerance towards homosexuals in China chinadaily.com.cn
12/10/4 ["Some homosexual behaviors were even considered
violation of the Criminal Code before 1997 and homosexuality was
listed among psychological diseases until 2001."]
Japan
Defense Plan Shifts Pacifist Stance guardian.co.uk
12/10/4 ["adopted
new defense guidelines Friday, including the relaxation of an
arms-export ban that will facilitate missile security with
Washington, another sign of Tokyo's move away from its postwar
pacifism in favor of greater military cooperation with its top
ally."]
Abortion
Advocates File Lawsuit Against Provision Protecting Hospitals
lifenews.com
12/10/4 ["The provision protects
hospitals, health insurance companies and medical personnel from
being forced to be involved with abortions."]
Russia
reserves reach $121bn gulf-daily-news.com
12/10/4 ["Russia climbed a place yesterday to sixth in the
league table of countries with the world's largest central bank
reserves as its stock of gold and foreign exchange rose to a
record $121.6 billion. ...Unlike Asian tigers like China,
whose gaping trade surplus with the US has led it to accumulate
huge dollar balances, Russia's riches are driven by booming oil
exports and central bank dollar buying to keep the rouble
competitive."]
Russia
may bar 'disrespectful' foreigners washingtontimes.com
12/9/4 ["Foreigners could be denied entry if they "commit actions
of a clearly disrespectful nature toward the Russian Federation
or the federal organs of the government of the Russian
Federation," says a draft of an amendment to a Russian law."]
Russia
Parliament Approves Election Bill guardian.co.uk 12/9/4
["would give the president the right to appoint governors, who
would then be confirmed by regional legislatures.
...If a candidate is rejected for the third time, the president
can dissolve the legislature without waiting for consultations to
play out. "]
Ten
Commandments Backed by Bush Administration in Court Fight
bloomberg.com 12/9/4 ["saying that religion
``has played a defining role'' in the nation's history, urged the
U.S. Supreme Court to permit Ten Commandments displays in
courthouses."]
Canada:
Supreme Court okays same-sex marriage; religious freedom
protected canada.com 12/9/4 ["but religious officials cannot
be forced to perform unions against their beliefs."]
New
Zealand opens same-sex union door washingtontimes.com
12/9/4 ["The new law will allow couples to register their
relationship as a civil union at the births, deaths and marriages
office. It gives them the same legal rights and responsibilities
as married couples, but marriage will still only be available to
a man and a woman."]
World
Leaders Call for Future Oriented Ecumenical Movement
christianpost.com 12/9/4 ["Over 100 leaders in the world’s
Christian scene gathered at the Ecumenical Center in Geneva,
Switzerland, to discuss the challenges and promises of a
“future-oriented” ecumenical movement. The consultation, which
lasted from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3, also affirmed the role of the
largest ecumenical organization, the World Council of Churches (WCC),
in "facilitating the further and deeper participation of all
those involved in the ecumenical movement, including those that
are not members of the WCC.""]
Fewer
Iraq casualties die, but wounds more severe chron.com 12/9/4
["For every American soldier killed in Iraq, nine others have
been wounded and survived -- the highest rate of any war in U.S.
history."]
Sodomy
conviction in military reversed sfgate.com 12/9/4 ["A
military appeals court has overturned the conviction of a soldier
for consensual sodomy in a decision that gay rights activists are
hailing as an important legal victory removing some of the
barriers to homosexual activity in the armed forces."]
President
Bush Signs Spending Bill Containing Hospital-Abortion Protection
lifenews.com 12/9/4 ["includes language
protecting hospitals, medical professionals and health insurance
providers from being forced or perform or pay for abortions.
...Pro-abortion Senator Barbara Boxer of California is expected
to put forward a bill next year that would overturn the measure."]
Members
of Reestablished Sanhedrin Ascend Temple Mount
israelnationalnews.com 12/9/4 ["It is unconscionable that on the
eve of Chanukah, which celebrates the rededication of the Holy
Temple, we should once again be barred from worshipping – by our
own people,” Rabbi Chaim Richman of Jerusalem’s Temple Institute
...This past October, the Sanhedrin was reestablished for the
first time in 1,600 years ...Another Talmudic tradition (Eruvin
43b; Maharatz Chajas ad loc; Rashash to Sanhedrin 13b) states
that Elijah the Prophet will present himself before a
duly-ordained Sanhedrin when he announces the coming of the
Messiah"]
Russia's
Exchange Reserves May Change forbes.com 12/9/4
["Russia's hard currency reserves have been boosted by dollar
revenue from soaring oil prices. Ignatyev said that 70 percent of
the reserves are dollars, 25 percent euros, and other currencies
make up the remaining 5 percent. "We are closely following
events on the international currency markets, " Ignatyev said.
"The sharp fall of the dollar against other currencies does
indeed cause concern." "]
Fuel
not flowing to Iraqis chron.com 12/9/4 ["A monthlong gasoline
crisis that has paralyzed the Iraqi capital is the result of an
insurgent sabotage campaign aimed at choking off fuel supplies to
Baghdad"]
Terrorism
Caused Russian Gas Pipe Blast Say Officials news.scotsman.com
12/9/4 ["No one immediately took
responsibility for the explosion, which sent flames soaring into
the air and lit up the night sky, but Chechen rebel leaders
previously have threatened and been blamed for attacks against
pipelines, electricity towers and other infrastructure in Russia."]
Abu
Ghraib torture complaint names Rumsfeld abc.net.au
12/8/4 ["The New York-based Centre for Constitutional Rights (CCR)
and Berlin's Republican Lawyers' Association have filed the
complaint in Germany. ...The lawyers say that they have
chosen Germany because of its Code of Crimes Against
International Law, which was introduced in 2002."]
ACLU
challenges measure requiring collection of DNA
signonsandiego.com
12/8/4 ["to stop implementation of
Proposition 69, which requires the collection of DNA samples from
those arrested for felonies. ...The lawsuit, filed in U.S.
District Court in San Francisco, states that with Proposition 69,
"California now has the most Draconian" DNA collection and
sharing program in the nation."]
Putin
says moral superiority helped Soviet troops defeat Nazis
itar-tass.com
12/8/4 [""]
'Not
much interest' capecodonline.com
12/7/4 ["Pearl Harbor vet sees attention to Dec. 7 attack
fade ...noting how in recent years he's come to question
whether top government officials knew about the attack before it
was unleashed. ...also wonders about young people who
have a difficult time connecting with a historical event so far
removed from their lives."]
Japan
threatens huge dollar sell-off observer.guardian.co.uk
12/7/4 ["Japan
is warning the White House that there will be 'enormous capital
flight' from the dollar if the Bush administration maintains its
laissez-faire approach to the mounting currency crisis.
...will be taken as a veiled threat that Japan could start to
sell off its multi-billion-dollar holdings of US Treasuries. 'The
Japanese government is going to ask for a strong dollar policy;
if it continues to fall, there would be enormous capital flight
from the dollar"]
New
Calif. Agency Begins Stem Cell Project abcnews.go.com
12/7/4 ["Researchers extract most of their experimental stem
cells from fertilized human eggs, most of which are now donated
by fertility clinics. But scientists say they need to find or
create other supply sources to broaden their research, including
using cloning techniques to create stem cell sources.
...But conservative Christians and others oppose the research as
immoral because days-old embryos are destroyed in the lab."]
EU
ready to end ban on arms sales to China timesonline.co.uk
12/7/4 ["Washington said that the
prospect that its Pacific forces could be threatened by advanced
European weapons sold to China was unacceptable and that lifting
the embargo would lead to restrictions on American co-operation
with Europe on defence issues."]
Iran
conducts largest exercise ever worldtribune.com
12/7/4 ["They said
the aim of the exercise was to demonstrate ground force
capabilities and weaponry in an effort to deter any attack from
the United States. ...Officials said many of these
weapons and platforms were introduced into service over the last
two years"]
New
Digital Fingerprint Scans Expand to Border Crossings in Arizona,
California ap.tbo.com
12/7/4 ["Within minutes, photos of Moroyoqui's face and
index fingers were digitally scanned into a computer. After his
data was matched with federal agencies' criminal databases and
everything was cleared, he paid a $6 processing fee and was on
his way."]
OPEC
Nations Seen Cutting Worldwide Deposits in Dollars
nytimes.com
12/7/4 ["have cut the proportion of their deposits
denominated in dollars by more than 13 percentage points in the
past three years, mainly to the advantage of the euro, the Bank
for International Settlements said Sunday."]
Montana:
Lawmaker wants death certificates for abortions helenair.com
12/7/4 ["It's a small way for our society to acknowledge
that a life did exist, even if they didn't get to see a sunrise
or blow out a birthday candle"]
Fears
Grow As Military Thins military.com
12/6/4 ["Right now, you're really using the reserves at an
unsustainable pace, and you're violating the norms that you have
for deploying people overseas that you've established not only
for equity but for retention. ...The United States
has more troops in all branches serving abroad than it averaged
from 1950 to 2003, and three times as many overseas as it had in
December 2001, according to a study by the Washington-based
Heritage Foundation."]
Fears
grow of military spread thin news.yahoo.com
12/6/4 ["With nearly all of the Army's 10 divisions serving
in Iraq, preparing for deployment there or refitting from a
combat tour in that country, there are few forces available to
deal with a new major threat or emergency, military experts say."]
Russia
reveals new missile news.com.au
12/6/4 ["RUSSIA revealed today it was fitting its strategic
bombers with cruise missiles capable of delivering a massive
precision strike thousands of miles away - giving away the first
clear hint of its post-Cold War military strategy.
...developing a multi-stage intercontinental ballistic missile
that uses cruise missile technology to zigzag and avoid being
shot down ...Russia also announced that it was making
its most feared and powerful trans-Atlantic missile mobile within
the next two years."]
Christian
Killers? lewrockwell.com
12/6/4 ["But even if a Christian hears nothing but pro-war
propaganda from the pulpit, it is still no excuse, for Christians
have access to the truth if they will just put forth the effort
to look for it. They have a Bible they can read for themselves.
To justify their consent or silence, and to keep their
congregations in line, Christian leaders repeat to their
parishioners the mantra of "obey the powers that be," a loose
paraphrase of Romans 13:1..."]
Euthanasia
in Netherlands troubles doctors in Oregon oregonlive.com
12/6/4 ["euthanasia of children -- administering a lethal
drug dose -- is widely condemned. Critics say the practice blurs
a fine line in the treatment of terminally ill patients. The
Dutch allow physicians to deliver life-ending injections to some
patients. ...Ethicists such as Merkens say a distinct
but often misunderstood difference exists between actively ending
a life and removing medical intervention, letting nature take its
course."]
Returning
Fallujans will face clampdown boston.com
12/6/4 ["Under the plans, troops would funnel Fallujans to
so-called citizen processing centers on the outskirts of the city
to compile a database of their identities through DNA testing and
retina scans. Residents would receive badges displaying their
home addresses that they must wear at all times. Buses would
ferry them into the city, where cars, the deadliest tool of
suicide bombers, would be banned."]
Taiwan
Removing 'China' From Company Names kansascity.com
12/6/4 ["Taiwan's leader said that state-run companies will
drop any references to China in their names to avoid being
confused with mainland firms - a move Beijing will likely view as
another dangerous step toward formal independence."]
US
games under North Korea's 'nuclear cloud' atimes.com
12/6/4 ["The blast prompted people to believe that North
Korea is very close to possessing nuclear weapons, if it does not
actually have one in hand already. Yet the main player in
dismantling North Korea's nuclear project - the United States,
which for long has taken it as its priority policy in East Asia
to prevent North Korea from being nuclear-armed - appears
strangely calm."]
Uncle
Sam has his own gulag canoe.ca
12/6/4 ["Red Cross has accused the Bush administration for a
second time of employing systematic, medically supervised torture
against suspects being held at Guantanamo Bay, and at U.S.-run
prisons in Iraq and Afghanistan. ...As White House
counsel, Gonzales wrote briefs justifying torture and advised the
White House on ways to evade or ignore the Geneva Conventions."]
U.S.
welcomes EU share in security burden washingtontimes.com
12/6/4 ["U.S., British and European officials have welcomed
proposals for a European Union defense force as a significant
step forward for trans-Atlantic cooperation ...The first
battlegroup, headed by France and Britain, is expected to be
ready next year."]
Attorney
Hopes Texas Court Will Uphold Pastor's Rights agapepress.org
12/6/4 ["A Texas appeals court has ruled that a pastor can
be sued for following biblical mandates in administering church
discipline, but a civil rights defender says the United States
Constitution is on the minister's side."]
Abortion
battle rages on in US news.bbc.co.uk 12/5/4 ["Anti-abortion
groups are hailing the legislation as much-needed protection for
hospitals and other health care providers who do not want to
conduct abortions."]
Protesters
gather in Ohio to support US presidential recount
nzherald.co.nz 12/5/4 ["A federal judge in Columbus ruled that a
recount might proceed if two minority party candidates who sued
can pay for it. Green and Libertarian party officials say they
can. A recount would probably not begin before December 13"]
Iraq
forces 'need extra US help' news.bbc.co.uk 12/5/4 ["The top
US commander in Iraq has expressed concern about the ability of
Iraqi forces to cope with security in the run-up to elections
next month."]
President
Chen vows to press for greater use of "Taiwan"
channelnewsasia.com 12/5/4 ["rather than the island's official
designation of Republic of China (ROC), a move sure to rile
Beijing. "]
Asia
recognises the need for a common currency, but it is more hype
than reality busrep.co.za 12/5/4 ["The challenge of getting
Asia's economies in a row will make Europe's experience seem
trivial. When the Maastricht treaty, which set the euro in
motion, was signed in 1992, Europe wasn't grappling with such a
disparate mix of governments, economic fundamentals,
underdeveloped financial markets and poverty."]
Intrusive
body pat-downs at airports anger women detnews.com 12/5/4 ["Until
we get technology in place, the pat-down procedures will be
needed to address security issues."]
Taiwan
Central Bank Denies Plan to Cut Dollar Assets
bloomberg.com 12/5/4 ["Taiwan, which has the
world's third- largest foreign-exchange reserves, denied a report
that the island plans to reduce dollar-denominated holdings
because of declines in the U.S. currency. ...A report on
the same day that China, the second-biggest holder of U.S.
Treasuries after Japan, trimmed its holdings sent U.S. Treasury
notes lower."]
US
Says No Plans to Sign New Climate Change Pacts news.yahoo.com
12/5/4 [""]
Property
taxes rising nationwide csmonitor.com 12/5/4 [""]
Israel's
new road plans condemned as 'apartheid' guardian.co.uk 12/5/4
["Israel has
released plans for the upgrade of roads and construction of 16
tunnels which would create an 'apartheid' road network for
Palestinians in the West Bank."]
Putin
attacks US 'dictatorship' news.com.au
12/4/4 ["over global affairs and able only to worsen humanity's
problems. ...He warned ...against attempts to rebuild the
modern system of international relations along the lines of a uni-polar
world. ..."Even when dictatorship is
beautifully gift-wrapped in pseudo-democratic phraseology it has
never been capable of resolving such systemic problems. On the
contrary, it can only make them worse,"]
Treasury
calls for flexible yuan cbs.marketwatch.com
12/4/4 ["The Treasury Department said late Friday that China
should move to a flexible exchange rate as soon as possible, but
stopped short of issuing a formal finding that Beijing is
manipulating the exchange value of the yuan. ...the
fixed Chinese exchange rate provides an unfair cost advantage to
China's exports and is costing thousands of U.S. jobs."]
Bush
ups pressure on Congress to pass intel reform alertnet.org
12/4/4 ["Bush has pushed Congress to create a national
intelligence director, overhaul the nation's 15 spy agencies and
strengthen the ability to arrest those who aid and train
terrorists."]
National
Guard Hiring Recruiters to Stem Thinning Ranks
ap.tbo.com
12/4/4 ["In fiscal 2004, the Guard had expected 7,100 soldiers to
sign up after active duty tours. Instead, only 2,900 did - not
even half. ...What's changed the face of the Guard is
the increased likelihood of active duty deployment in the last
decade"]
Drug
safety system on 'very shaky ground' chron.com
12/4/4 ["Recent worries about high-profile medicines raise doubts
about FDA approval process ...Since the late 1980s,
Americans have mostly been begging for faster approval of
presumed lifesaving drugs for such diseases as AIDS and cancer.
Lately, they are wondering if medicines — pumped out by a $200
billion annual industrial powerhouse — are arriving too quickly
and doing too much harm."]
Bush
calls for global cooperation washingtontimes.com
12/3/4 ["My country is determined to work as far as possible
within the framework of international organizations, and we're
hoping that other nations will work with us to make those
institutions more relevant and more effective in meeting the
unique threats of our time"]
Schools
barred from telling parents of abortion worldnetdaily.com
12/3/4 ["California AG says leaving campus for certain
services confidential"]
United
States A Deficit State Living On Borrowed Money, Says Mahathir
bernama.com
12/3/4 ["Dr Mahathir said Malaysia had avoided losses to its
foreign exchange reserves despite the decline in the value of the
dollar by building its euro and gold holdings. "Why are we
clinging to the US dollar when we know we are going to lose
money?" Dr Mahathir asked."]
Entertaining
Ourselves to Death cbn.com
12/3/4 ["the average person today has about 33,000 more
leisure hours than a person in the mid-1800's. ...These are
addictive pursuits, so that people spend hours and hours, and
that becomes their reality. It's a sort of, they live in a
virtual reality, rather than the real reality of God's world, the
physical universe that we are set in." ...voluntary
quadriplegia"]
N.Korea
Says U.S. 'Red Line' Is Trigger for War reuters.com
12/3/4 ["the United States had no right to unilaterally set
limits on Pyongyang's nuclear activities and these "red line"
limits could spark a war."]
U.S.
Dollar Continues Its Broad Decline washingtonpost.com
12/3/4 ["The U.S. dollar sank anew against other major
currencies yesterday, even though Japanese officials publicly
raised the prospect of joining with European governments to brake
its slide."]
Mass.
Gets Electronic Gun Fingerprinting newsmax.com
12/3/4 ["With a quick electronic scan of a fingerprint, gun
shop owners in Massachusetts will know immediately if a customer
is eligible to buy a weapon, using a system that officials say is
the first of its kind in the nation. ...This enables us to make
sure that the only people bearing arms in the commonwealth have
the right to bear arms"]
Ukraine
Supreme Court Declares Election Invalid reuters.com
12/3/4 ["a disputed presidential election officially won by
Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich was invalid. ...after five
days of deliberations, said a "repeat vote" was required. "]
China
tests ballistic missile submarine washtimes.com
12/3/4 ["A second intelligence official said building
submarines is a top priority of the Chinese, and the Type 094
will be "China's first truly intercontinental strategic nuclear
delivery system."]
Torture
Can Be Used to Detain U.S. Enemies abcnews.go.com
12/3/4 ["U.S. military panels reviewing the detention of
foreigners as enemy combatants are allowed to use evidence gained
by torture in deciding whether to keep them imprisoned at
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the government conceded in court Thursday."]
Most
younger people have never heard of Auschwitz
news.independent.co.uk
12/3/4 ["A survey undertaken for the BBC found that 45 per
cent of British adults did not recognise a name that others might
have assumed was synonymous with evil. ...The poll,
which questioned 4,000 people, found that even among those who
had heard of Auschwitz, 70 per cent admitted they did not know a
great deal about the subject and 74 per cent did not know that
Jewish people were not the only victims."]
Catholic
Bishops in Malta Upset United Nations Pushing Abortion There
lifenews.com
12/3/4 ["Maltese bishops criticized a
document released by a UN committee urging the nation to consider
allowing abortions in cases of rape or incest or to protect the
health of the mother."]
Raytheon
'heat beam' weapon ready for Iraq boston.bizjournals.com
12/3/4 ["compares it to having a hot iron placed on the
skin. "It will likely be in Iraq in the next 12 months. They are
very, very close.''"]
Christian
Teacher Barred from Using Historical Documents with God
References in Class christianpost.com
12/2/4 [California, Oakland: "...included the Declaration of
Independence and other historical documents. ...did not ask
any other teachers to submit their lesson plans but only asked
him because he was a professed Christian."]
More
set for duty in Iraq newsday.com
12/2/4 ["will mean a U.S. force even greater than during the
spring 2003 invasion of Iraq"]
Canadian
Supreme Court to Release Decision on Same-sex Marriage Case
christianpost.com
12/2/4 ["Lower courts have already legalized marriage
between gay couples in six of Canada’s ten provinces and one
territory. ...However, whatever the Supreme Court
decides is advisory and not legally binding."]
MCLU
honors Patriot Act rebels bangornews.com
12/2/4 ["his
parents' values and the memory of the Senate hearing on communism
chaired in the 1950s by U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy taught him that
people are more important than ideology ...Nationwide, more
than 360 municipalities, including Orono, Bangor, Mount Vernon,
Waterville and Portland, have adopted similar resolutions,
according to information on a Web site for the Bill of Rights
Defense Committee, the national organization that initiated the
effort."]
Britain,
France, Germany Back Annan; Bush Waivers reuters.com
12/2/4 ["The moves came a day after U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman,
a Minnesota Republican who chairs a committee investigating
mismanagement in the U.N. oil-for-food program called on Annan to
resign."]
ACLU
Says FBI Spying on Religious, Protest Groups reuters.com
12/2/4 ["on groups that criticize the government, like the
Quakers in Colorado or Catholic Peace Ministries in Iowa"]
Good
Boundaries Make Good Christians christianitytoday.com
12/2/4 ["The Early Church often worshiped behind closed
doors, and joining the church involved a long process of
instruction that could take three years. The lives of those who
sought Christian instruction were examined, and people in
questionable professions were rejected unless they changed their
line of work. ...their lives were scrutinized again to see if
they had been leading holy lives while they prepared for baptism.
...But Christians who do not know their own tradition and do not
know the Scriptures will commit idolatry in the name of
inclusiveness."]
HIV,
AIDS cases rise among US gay, bisexual men boston.com
12/2/4 ["new HIV and AIDS diagnoses in 32 U.S. states rose
11 percent among gay and bisexual men between 2000 and 2003.
Rates were stable among most other population sectors, and the
overall infection rate rose to 19.7 cases per 100,000 people in
2003 from 19.5 per 100,000 people in 2000."]
Bush
Signs Bill for Nev. Wilderness Area news.yahoo.com
12/2/4 ["has signed into law a
measure creating what conservationists say will be the largest
piece of federally protected wilderness in Nevada — an area about
half the size of the state of Delaware."]
Florida
Gov. Asks Court to Hear Right-To-Die Case reuters.com
12/2/4 ["asking the nation's highest court to overturn the
Florida Supreme Court's September ruling that struck down a state
law allowing Bush to intervene in the long-running right-to-die
case involving Terri Schiavo. ...Unless the State of
Florida retains the power to protect the rights of its most
vulnerable citizens to due process and equal protection of the
laws, the Fourteenth Amendment's guarantees will apply only to
those who are capable of defending them on their own"]
Netherlands
Hospital Euthanizes Babies netscape.cnn.com
12/2/4 ["In August, the main Dutch doctors' association KNMG
urged the Health Ministry to create an independent board to
review euthanasia cases for terminally ill people ``with no free
will,'' including children, the severely mentally retarded and
people left in an irreversible coma after an accident.
... In the United States, the state of Oregon is alone in
allowing physician-assisted suicide, but this is under constant
legal challenge. However, experts acknowledge that doctors
euthanize routinely in the United States and elsewhere, but that
the practice is hidden."]
Air
National Guard in Arizona, Texas to test Predator drones
azcentral.com
12/2/4 ["each will receive a squadron of Predator unmanned
aerial vehicles"]
If
You Read the Gospels, the Religious Right is Most Often Wrong
commondreams.org 12/2/4 [Editor: Even the secularized press can
see hypocrisy in the Laodicean church.]
U.S.
to increase troop numbers in Iraq reuters.co.uk
12/1/4 [""]
View
homosexual film, or school faces lawsuit wnd.com 12/1/4 ["ACLU tells
district: Force students to watch 'tolerance training' video"]
UN
considers "preventive" war reuters.co.uk 12/1/4 ["report on global
threats that insists the U.N. Security Council approve any "preventive" war,
which was not the case when the United States invaded Iraq. ...the
report also widens the definition of threats that could be a cause for
military action by endorsing the concept of protecting civilians from
atrocities by their government."]
'Philadelphia
11' fighting back worldnetdaily.com 12/1/4 ["on October 10, the group was
"preaching God's Word" to the crowd of people attending the outdoor
Philadelphia OutFest event and displaying banners with biblical messages."]
U.S.
Military in Iraq Suffers Deadliest Month bloomberg.com 12/1/4 ["At
least 135 combat deaths were reported in Iraq"]
CFI:
Christians Should Give Nothing to Target this Christmas crosswalk.com
12/1/4 ["...United Way has been crossed off his gift list. That is because
the well-known charity refuses to share its money with the Boy Scouts of
America while it openly supports numerous pro-homosexual groups with its
money."]
UN
can survive Iraq khaleejtimes.com 12/1/4 ["The
refusal last year of a majority of the Security Council to follow the tune
that the US wished the council to play can also be seen as the saving of the
council’s authority and respectability. How would the world look at the
council today if it had endorsed an armed action to eradicate weapons of mass
destruction — that did not exist and whose evidence was often concocted, even
forged?"]
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