WikiLeaks suspect wins battle over US documents !!

Breaking: WikiLeaks suspect wins battle over US documents 26 Jun 2012 A US military judge ordered prosecutors Monday to share more documents with WikiLeaks suspect Bradley Manning after defense lawyers accused them of hiding information that could help their client's case. For months, Manning's defense team has demanded access to reports by government agencies, including the CIA, that assessed the effect of the leak of classified documents to the WikiLeaks website. Judge Denise Lind ruled that government prosecutors must provide "damage assessment" reports from the CIA, the State Department, the FBI, the Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive (Oncix) and other documents that were relevant for the defense.

Iraqi Police Given Orders to Shut Down 44 Local and Foreign Media Agencies 23 Jun 2012 An official document has been obtained by the JFO, revealing that security forces in Iraq have received orders from the authorities to shut down the offices of 44 media agencies. Included are prominent local TV channels and radio stations such as Sharqiya and Baghdadia satellite television stations and foreign-owned media such as BBC, Radio Sawa and Voice of America. On June 20, followers of cleric Muqtada al Sadr held a demonstration in Baghdad's Firdos Square, in which they protested restrictions on Iraqi media, as well as calling for a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to be held at the Iraqi parliament. [Saddam Hussein: *Clearly* the better deal.]

Two bombings kill 12 in Iraq 25 Jun 2012 Two separate bombings in Iraq have killed twelve people and injured 39, reports say. A car bomb blew up in Hilla, 95 kilometers (60 miles) south of Baghdad, killing eight people and injuring 32 at about 7:45 pm (1645 GMT) on Monday. Also, a roadside bomb in Baquba, 60 kilometers (37.5 miles) north of Baghdad, killed four people and injured seven, security and medical sources told AFP. However, Reuters quoted Iraqi health officials as saying that nine young soccer players and fans were killed when a bomb exploded near a football pitch in Hilla.

New Egyptian President Worked for NASA By Lori Price, http://www.legitgov.org/ 26 Jun 2012 Egypt's president-elect, Mohammed Mursi, received his Ph.D. in engineering from the University of Southern California in 1982. He was an Assistant Professor at California State University, Northridge, from 1982 to 1985. An expert on precision metal surfaces, he worked at NASA on the development of space shuttle engines in the early 1980s.

Paraguay's ousted president forms shadow government 25 Jun 2012 Paraguay's ousted president Fernando Lugo says he is planning to form a shadow cabinet, aiming to return to power and to attack the legitimacy of the government that replaced him. "I call on people from the countryside, the youth and all citizens to resist until we are back in the office we unfairly had to leave," Lugo told reporters on Monday. He further added that he intends to take his case on the international stage at this week's regional summit of MERCOSUR in Argentina. "I want to resist until we regain power because here there was a parliamentary coup," he said. Lugo, took power on pledges to champion the poor in 2008, accused his rivals of planning to "rob the people of their supreme decision" when they elected him to put an end to six decades of ruling by the right-wing Colorado Party.

Paraguay's ousted president, Fernando Lugo, denounces 'parliamentary coup' 24 Jun 2012 The ousted president of Paraguay, Fernando Lugo, has denounced his removal from office as a "parliamentary coup" that was not based on proper evidence. Lugo, who was impeached on Friday by a Congress which accused him of failing to maintain social harmony, said his opponents had sidelined him because of his efforts to help the poor. Asked whether he had any hope of retaking office, Lugo exhorted his followers to remain peaceful but suggested that popular national and international clamour could lead Paraguayan politicians to reverse his impeachment.

FBI probe targets Islamic extremists in US Army 26 Jun 2012 The FBI is investigating more than 100 suspected Islamic extremists in the US military, following the 2009 "lone wolf" attack by an alleged Al-Qaeda [al-CIAduh] sympathizer that killed 13 people at a Texas army base, a news report said. About a dozen of the cases are considered "serious" threats involving suspects believed to be actively planning attacks or in contact with dangerous extremists, National Public Radio reported. The potential internal threats come from active duty military as well as reserves and civilians with access to military installations, the radio broadcaster reported.

Drones vulnerable to terrorist hijacking, researchers say 25 Jun 2012 A small surveillance drone flies over an Austin stadium, diligently following a series of GPS waypoints that have been programmed into its flight computer. Then, as if some phantom has given the drone a self-destruct order, it hurtles toward the ground... Professor Todd Humphreys and his team at the University of Texas at Austin's Radionavigation Laboratory have just completed a successful experiment: illuminating a gaping hole in the government's plan to open US airspace to thousands of drones. They could be turned into weapons. "Spoofing a GPS receiver on a UAV is just another way of hijacking a plane," Humphreys told Fox News. In other words, with the right equipment, anyone can take control of a GPS-guided drone and make it do anything they want it to.

MI5 fighting 'astonishing' level of cyber-attacks [Gee, what a shame!] 25 Jun 2012 MI5 is working to counter "astonishing" levels of cyber-attacks on UK industry, the organisation's chief has said. In his first public speech for two years, Jonathan Evans warned internet "vulnerabilities" were being exploited by criminals as well as states. The attacks were a threat to the integrity of information, he added. Mr Evans also warned the London 2012 Olympics was an "attractive target" for terrorist groups, but said security preparations were well under way.

Fast-track justice planned for Olympics: report 26 Jun 2012 London courts will work extended sessions during this summer's Olympics to deal instantly with anyone committing offences linked to the Games, The Times reported Tuesday. Courts will sit from 8:00 am (0700 GMT) and will not wrap up until 7:30 pm to ensure they deal with defendants within 24 hours of arrest, the public prosecutor told the newspaper. "Many people who come to the Olympics won't live here, so it is important that if offences are committed, we act quickly," said Alison Saunders, Chief Crown Prosecutor for London.

Supreme Court doubles down on 'Citizens United' 25 Jun 2012 The Supreme Court's 5-4 decision Monday to strike down a Montana law that limits corporate spending on elections made clear that the outrage generated by the 2010 "Citizens United" decision has done nothing to change the minds of the justices. Today's decision boils down to a declaration that the "Citizens United" decision, which allowed for unlimited spending by corporations and special interest groups to influence elections, also applies to state and local elections. Montana - backed by Sen. John McCain (R) and 22 states - had argued that its 1912 law limiting corporate influence in elections needed to remain in place, in part because of the state's history of election interference by its mining industry "copper kings." [Start reading. Arming the Left: Is the time now? By Charles Southwell 21 Oct 2003.]

Supreme Court strengthens Citizens United decision with Montana ruling 25 Jun 2012 The Supreme Court on Monday reaffirmed the right of corporations to make independent political expenditures, summarily overturning a 100-year-old Montana state law that barred corporations from such political activity. The justices ruled in an unsigned opinion that Montana's law was in conflict with the court's 2010 Citizens United decision, which shifted the campaign finance landscape, opening the door to the massive political expenditures that have been shaping this year's presidential race. The decision was 5-4, split along ideological lines. Despite the Citizens United decision, the Montana Supreme Court had refused to strike down the state's ban on election spending by corporations.

Blocking Parts of Arizona Law, Justices Allow Its Centerpiece 26 Jun 2012 The Supreme Court on Monday delivered a split decision on Arizona's tough 2010 immigration law, upholding its most hotly debated provision but blocking others on the grounds that they interfered with the federal government's role in setting immigration policy. The court unanimously sustained the law's centerpiece, the one critics have called its "show me your papers" provision, though they left the door open to further challenges. The provision requires state law enforcement officials to determine the immigration status of anyone they stop or arrest if they have reason to suspect that the individual might be in the country illegally.

Supreme Court upholds most controversial part of Arizona immigration law 25 Jun 2012 The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the most controversial element of Arizona's immigration law, allowing the state to require police officers to enforce immigration laws. Three other provisions of the law have been struck down. Arizona's law S.B. 1070, passed in 2010, makes it a crime to be in the state as an undocumented immigrant and compels local law officials to enforce the law.

Supreme Court to rule Thursday on 'health care' 25 Jun 2012 The U.S. Supreme Court will rule Thursday on the constitutionality of the sweeping health care law insurance cartel giveaway championed by President Barack Obama. The stakes cannot be overstated -- what the justices decide will have an immediate and long-term impact on all Americans, both in how they get medicine and health care, and also in vast, yet unknown areas of "commerce." The challenge focused primarily on the law's requirement [drafted and championed by the GOP until Obama decided to embrace the Republican idea] that most Americans buy health insurance or pay a fine.

Supreme Court rules mandatory juvenile life without parole cruel and unusual 25 Jun 2012 The Supreme Court on Monday limited the use of life terms in prison for murderers under 18, ruling that judges must consider the defendant's youth and the nature of the crime before putting him behind bars with no hope for parole. In a 5-4 decision, the high court struck down as cruel and unusual punishment the laws in about 28 states that mandated a life term for murderers, including those under age 18. The court's opinion does not say whether its ruling applies only to future sentences, or whether it could give a new hearing to the more than 2,000 prisoners who are serving life terms for earlier murders.

Last-of-his-tortoise-species, Lonesome George, a Galapagos icon, dies at 100 24 Jun 2012 Ecuadorean officials say that the famed Galapagos giant tortoise Lonesome George has died. The Galapagos National Park says in a statement that the tortoise estimated to be about 100 years old died Sunday. Lonesome George was first seen by a Hungarian scientist on the Galapagos island of Pinta in 1972, reports BBC.

Japan sat on U.S. radiation maps showing immediate fallout from nuclear crisis 19 Jun 2012 The government failed to make use of detailed U.S. maps showing how radiation spread shortly after the Fukushima nuclear crisis began [March 2011], sources familiar with the matter revealed Monday. The sources said the maps were neither publicized nor used to evacuate residents living near the poorly protected Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant. From March 17 to 19, U.S. military aircraft collected radiation data in an area with a 45-km radius from the plant for the U.S. Department of Energy. The data showed that more than 125 microsieverts of radiation per hour was leaking as far as about 25 km northwest of the plant, meaning residents in the area were being exposed to their annual permissible dose within just eight hours.

Key Blair aide: Rupert Murdoch pressed UK leader on Iraq war, warned over delaying conflict 15 Jun 2012 Tony Blair's ex-communications director claimed Friday that media tycoon Rupert Murdoch's warned the British leader over the dangers of delaying the 2003 U.S.-led invasion as he made efforts to press the U.K. to support the conflict. In the latest volume of his diaries, excerpts of which were published by The Guardian newspaper, Alastair Campbell said Blair found Murdoch's protests clumsy and that they both suspected he had been urged to intervene by the White House. In an entry on March 11, 2003 - eight days before the invasion of Iraq began - Campbell wrote that Murdoch had telephoned Blair and urged him to speed up Britain's decision on joining a conflict being promoted by President [sic] George W. Bush and his Republican administration.

15,000 American forces stationed in Kuwait: Senate account 20 Jun 2012 A US Senate report indicates that the United States has now nearly 15,000 troops in three bases across Kuwait - triple the average number of American forces in the Middle East country before the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee released the report on Tuesday, considering how to promote the US interests in the Persian Gulf region after the American forces left Iraq last year. According to the report, having the military bases throughout the region is a "lily pad" model to allow for a rapid escalation of military forces.

Turkish party: CIA, Mossad responsible for Syria massacres 20 Jun 2012 A Turkish political party says the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Israel's spy agency Mossad are responsible for massacres in Syria, Press TV reports. A Turkish paper quoted the Deputy Chief of Turkey's Felicity Party, Temel Karamollaoglu as saying, "Not only the Syrian crisis will not be solved, but also it will lead to civil war." On the one hand, Western countries claim that they do not support armed conflicts in Syria, but on the other, the US is obviously making attempts to arm the Syrian rebels, who are fighting the Middle Eastern country's government, he said. "Due to having common interests in Syria, the US, Israel, and the EU make no attempt to stop bloodshed in the country."

Russia denies war games report 19 Jun 2012 The Russian Defense Ministry Tuesday denied Iranian reports of planned war games with Iran, China and Syria off the Syrian coast. The semi-official Iranian Fars news agency, citing what it called "informed sources," said some 90,000 troops from the four countries were expected to participate in land, air and sea maneuvers off the Syrian coast, including air defense and missile units. A Russian Defense Ministry spokesman call the report a "further attempt to escalate the situation in Syria," RIA Novosti reported. Syria also denied any upcoming military exercises were planned.

Syria: Russia to send marines to naval base 18 Jun 2012 Russia confirmed that it was preparing to send an elite unit of marines to its naval base in Syria on Monday, sharply raising the stakes in its confrontation with the West over the future of the Assad government. The planned deployment was designed to send a powerful signal that Russia would not tolerate foreign military intervention in Syria, according to a Western defence source. It was apparently ordered after the Kremlin came to conclusion that Western powers were preparing to circumvent the United Nations Security Council - where Russia holds a veto - by unilaterally authorising Nato military action in Syria.

Britain stops Russian ship carrying attack helicopters for Syria 19 Jun 2012 A Russian ship believed to be carrying helicopters and missiles for Syria has been effectively stopped in its tracks off the coast of Scotland after its insurance was cancelled at the behest of the British government. The British marine insurer Standard Club said it had withdrawn cover from all the ships owned by Femco, a Russian cargo line, including the MV Alaed. "We were made aware of the allegations that the Alaed was carrying munitions destined for Syria," the company said in a statement. [Why aren't US ships ever stopped in *their* tracks?]

IDF tanks move closer to Egypt border --Military issues unusual order, deploys Armored force closer to border 18 Jun 2012 The IDF has deployed Armored forces near the Israel-Egypt border, moving tanks closer to the fence, Ynet has learned. The unusual move followed Monday's 'terror attack' on defense contractor crews building the new security fence. Ynet was able to document the presence of Israeli tanks in close proximity to the border - maneuvers which are barred by Jerusalem's peace treaty with Cairo.

Men in Afghan police uniform shoot dead Nato soldier 18 Jun 2012 A Nato soldier in eastern Afghanistan has been shot dead by three men in Afghan police uniform, officials say. The men fled the area after Sunday's attack, Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) says. It says the incident is under investigation. There have been a growing number of cases where Afghan soldiers have killed Nato colleagues.

Outrage Over Perceived Light Sentence for Colonel 18 Jun 2012 Servicemembers and legal experts around the world reacted with outrage and scorn to what many regarded as an exceptionally light sentence for an Army colonel convicted of fraud, adultery, bigamy and conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman. Col. James H. Johnson III, the former commander of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, was sentenced to a reprimand and a $300,000 fine by a jury of fellow colonels in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on Thursday. He pleaded guilty to 13 charges and was convicted of two others, all relating to an illicit affair he had with an Iraqi woman and his efforts to steer government funds to the woman's father during a 2005 deployment.

Heads up! Falcon Virgo Is a Go: NORAD Conducting Exercises Over D.C. Tonight and Tomorrow 18 Jun 2012 The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has announced that it will be conducting some aerial exercises--code-name Falcon Virgo--over Washington, D.C., tonight and tomorrow night between 11:30 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. According to a press release, Civil Air Patrol aircraft, Air Force F-16s, and a U.S. Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter will participate in the exercises, which are meant to "hone NORAD's intercept and identification operations as well as operationally test the NCR Visual Warning System."

Talk of drones patrolling US skies spawns anxiety 19 Jun 2012 The prospect of thousands of drones patrolling U.S. skies by the end of this decade is spawning anxiety across the political spectrum that Americans' privacy may be at risk. The concern has spilled over into Congress, where there are bipartisan efforts by lawmakers to address the civil liberties issues raised by drones. The drone market is expected to almost double over the next 10 years, from current worldwide expenditures of nearly $6 billion annually.

NSA: It Would Violate Your Privacy to Say if We Spied on You 18 Jun 2012 The surveillance experts at the National Security Agency won't tell two powerful United States Senators how many Americans have had their communications picked up by the agency as part of its sweeping new counterterrorism powers. The reason: it would violate your privacy to say so. That claim comes in a short letter sent Monday to civil libertarian Senators Ron Wyden and Mark Udall. The two members of the Senate's intelligence oversight committee asked the NSA a simple question last month: under the broad powers granted in 2008's expansion of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, how many persons inside the United States have been spied upon by the NSA? In a letter acquired by Danger Room, I. Charles McCullough [the Inspector General of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the nominal head of the 16 U.S. spy agencies] told the senators that the NSA inspector general "and NSA leadership agreed that an IG review of the sort suggested would itself violate the privacy of U.S. persons," McCullough wrote.

Google reports 'alarming' rise in censorship by governments [LOL, they should know! Try getting the CLG Newsletter w. a Gmail account, and see what I mean.] 17 Jun 2012 There has been an alarming rise in the number of times governments attempted to censor the internet in last six months, according to a report from Google. Since the search engine last published its bi-annual transparency report, it said it had seen a troubling increase in requests to remove political content. Many of these requests came from western democracies not typically associated with censorship. UK police asked the company to remove five YouTube accounts for allegedly promoting terrorism. Google agreed.

Julian Assange seeking asylum in Ecuadorian embassy in London --WikiLeaks founder walked into embassy and asked for asylum under United Nations human rights declaration 19 Jun 2012 The WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has sought political asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, sparking a new crisis in the tortured history of his extradition to Sweden. Assange walked into the embassy in Knightsbridge and asked for asylum under the UN human rights declaration. He said: "I can confirm I arrived at the Ecuadorian Embassy and sought diplomatic sanctuary and political asylum. This application has been passed to the ministry of foreign affairs in the capital Quito."

Six nabbed for cyber attacks on Quebec websites 19 Jun 2012 Six people have been arrested in connection with attacks that paralyzed Quebec websites. The arrests were made in an operation that involved five police forces - the RCMP, the Sûreté du Québec, and three municipal forces. Members of the group are expected to face a variety of charges, including mischief, conspiracy, and unlawful use of a computer. Three of them are minors. The arrests took place in Rimouski, Sherbrooke, Forestville, Montreal and Longueuil, Que.

Mont. GOP displays bullet-riddled 'Obama outhouse' 17 Jun 2012 A bullet-riddled outhouse labeled "Obama Presidential Library" containing a fake birth certificate for Barack Hussein Obama and graffiti that read "For a Good Time," and a reference to first lady Michelle Obama was on display at the Montana Republican Convention in Missoula. The Missoulian reports the display on Saturday also contained "For a Good Time" references to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and U.S. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, her name circled in red. The display, painted to look as if it had numerous bullet holes, was parked outside Missoula's Hilton Garden Inn that drew some 500 convention goers. The convention also included a raffle for a 12-gauge shotgun, shovel and duct tape, a reference to "Shoot, Shovel and Shut Up," involving the illegal killing of wolves or federally protected species such as grizzly bears. [I want a raffle for same - to be used on the killers of wolves and grizzly bears. --LRP]

Fed members gave their own banks $4 trillion during bailout 15 Jun 2012 A report released by the US Government Accountability Office explains how the Federal Reserve divvied up more than $4 trillion in low-interest loans after the fiscal crisis of 2008. When the Federal Reserve looked toward bailing out some of the biggest banks in the country, more than one dozen of the financial institutions that benefited from the Fed's 'Hail Mary' were members of the central bank's own board, reports the GAO. At least 18 current and former directors of the Fed's regional branches saw to it that their own banks were awarded loans with often next-to-no interest by the country's central bank during the height of the financial crisis.

US Senate blocks bid to restore $4.5 billion for food aid 20 Jun 2012 The US Senate has overwhelmingly rejected a bid to preserve some $4.5 billion in food stamps funding, as part of the massive farm bill. The request to keep that spending in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps, had been offered by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y). But her plea went down 33 to 66. Sixty votes were needed to pass. Gillibrand had warned that reduction in the SNAP would result in half-a-million US households losing an average $90 in monthly food benefits.

Greek conservatives hope to seal coalition deal 20 Jun 2012 Greek conservatives hope to form a coalition government on Wednesday which must persuade mistrustful foreign lenders to allow more leeway in pushing through a deeply unpopular austerity program. Exasperated with Greece's repeated failure to honor its promises on budget cuts and reform, euro zone officials have nevertheless begun to accept the program may be impossible to implement without changes, as the country is already off track and its economy is sliding deeper into recession. One senior euro zone official said trying to enforce the original terms of the 130 billion euro bailout package from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund would mean "signing off on an illusion".

Russia Bans 11 U.S. Officials Over Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib 17 Jun 2012 Russia barred 11 serving and former U.S. administration officials for human rights abuses at facilities including Guantanamo Bay and the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The ban on entry to Russia was enacted last year in retaliation for a U.S. visa ban for 11 Russian officials accused of playing a role in the death of anti-corruption lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, President Vladimir Putin's top foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, said in an e-mailed statement. "These people are linked to high-profile human rights abuses, including torture and abuse of detainees in special prisons set up by the Pentagon and the Central Intelligence Agency in Guantanamo, Bagram in Afghanistan and Abu Ghraib in Iraq," Ushakov said.

U.S. court rules for Rumsfeld in Iraq torture suit 15 Jun 2012 A federal appeals court ruled on Friday that a former U.S. government contractor who claimed he was tortured while detained by the U.S. military in Iraq cannot sue former Defense Secretary [war criminal] Donald Rumsfeld for money damages. In line with rulings by other appeals courts that decided similar cases, the three-judge panel said Congress has not authorized prisoners to sue U.S. military and government officials for their treatment while in detention. It ruled that a district court judge had been wrong in allowing the lawsuit to go forward and in rejecting Rumsfeld's motion to dismiss it.

US declassifying attacks in Yemen, Somalia 15 Jun 2012 The White House is partially lifting the lid of secrecy on its counterterrorism campaign against al-Qaida [al-CIAduh] in Yemen and Somalia by formally acknowledging for the first time that it is conducting lethal attacks in those countries, officials said Friday. The White House's semiannual report to Congress on the state of U.S. combat operations abroad, delivered Friday, mentions what has been widely reported for years but never formally acknowledged by the administration: The U.S. military has been taking "direct action" against members of al-Qaida and affiliates civilians in Yemen and Somalia. The report does not elaborate, but "direct action" is a military term of art that refers to a range of lethal attacks, which in the case of Yemen and Somalia include attacks by armed drones.

Attack on U.S. outpost in Afghanistan worse than originally reported 16 Jun 2012 A June 1 attack on a U.S. outpost near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border was much worse than originally disclosed by the military as insurgents pounded the base with a truck bomb, killing two Americans and seriously wounding about three dozen troops, officials acknowledged Saturday. The blast flattened the dining hall and post exchange at Forward Operating Base Salerno in Khost province, a frequent target of insurgents in the past. Five Afghan civilians were killed and more than 100 other U.S. troops were treated for minor injuries. U.S. officials estimated that the truck was carrying 1,500 pounds of explosives.

Iran arrests elements behind assassination of nuclear scientists: Intelligence ministry 14 Jun 2012 Iran's intelligence ministry has announced the capture of main elements behind the assassination of the country's nuclear scientists. "The key perpetrators of the assassinations of Majid Shahriari, Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan (two of the slain nuclear scientists) and Reza Qashqaei (the driver) were identified and, in a series of rapid and authoritative operations, were arrested and transferred to detention facilities," the ministry announced in a Thursday statement.

German court lifts ban on Press TV 15 Jun 2012 A court in Germany has removed the ban which Munich's Media Regulatory Office BLM had imposed on Press TV after the 24-hour news channel filed a lawsuit against the organization. Under pressure from the government, BLM took Press TV off the SES Astra satellite platform in early April. The media regulator claimed Press TV had no license to broadcast. However, the channel's legal team submitted documents to the court that proved Press TV could broadcast under German law.

KBR, Guard soldiers due back in court in sodium dichromate case 17 Jun 2012 After increasingly testy filings in U.S. District Court in Portland, lawyers for a set of Oregon National Guard soldiers and for defense contractor KBR Inc. return to court this week for two days of hearings... The most explosive motion to be argued this week is the soldiers' charge that KBR deliberately concealed proof that it knew as early as 2002 that sodium dichromate was present at Qarmat Ali. Their lawyers have asked the court to compel KBR to produce that proof and seek sanctions against the company and award legal expenses to them.

'Military Council in Egypt to Continue Dominance Despite Elections' 18 Jun 2012 An Egyptian political activist Vail Guneym on Sunday said that the High Military Council would continue dominance over Egypt despite the elections. Evaluating the presidential runoff between the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, Mohammad Mursi, and former prime minister under former Mubarak regime, Ahmed Shafiq, activist Guneym argued that "looking at the picture, the Military Council would protect its powers and will not return to its ordinary duties after the elections". The Egyptian military has been given the authority to arrest civilians.

Brotherhood's Mursi Claims Victory in Egypt Presidential Elections 18 Jun 2012 Muslim Brotherhood's Mohammad Mursi declared his victory in the second round of Egypt's first-ever democratic presidential elections as 97 percent of the ballot boxes have opened. Unofficial results showed that he outpaced his rival Ahmad Shafiq to become the first democratically elected president of the country. Mursi got 52.3 percent of the votes counted thus far against 47.6 percent for Shafiq, last premier of ousted leader Hosni Mubarak.

Egypt's MB rejects parliament closure, calls for referendum 16 Jun 2012 Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood (MB) has rejected the military dissolution of the country’s parliament and called for a referendum.

Ex-Israeli soldier wants to join Palestinian resistance 17 Jun 2012 A former Israeli soldier has announced he wants to renounce his Israeli citizenship and move to a Palestinian refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. Andre Pshenichnikov, a 23-year-old Jewish immigrant from Tajikistan, has said that he plans to live in the Deheishe Refugee Camp near Bethlehem, where he used to work as a waiter and a construction worker. He began questioning Israel's policies toward Palestine while he was still serving in the military.

Greece Races as Cash Dwindles With Europe Seeking Austerity 18 Jun 2012 Greece's two traditional political rivals are in a race to forge an unprecedented coalition as the state's cash dwindles, bank deposits flee and Europe demands renewed austerity pledges before releasing more emergency aid. Greece will run out of money in mid-July, the Syriza party, which placed second in yesterday's election, said on June 13 after being briefed by Acting Finance Minister Giorgios Zanias. Caretaker Labor and Social Security Minister Antonis Roupakiotis refused to offer assurances pensions will be paid in August, Athens News Agency reported the same day.

Hollande Bolstered as Socialists Win French Parliament Control 17 Jun 2012 French President Francois Hollande's Socialist Party and its allies won an absolute majority in the National Assembly, exit polls showed, paving the way for them to pass legislation without the aid of other members of parliament. The Socialist bloc won 314 out of the 577 seats, pollster CSA said, with 289 needed for a majority. Former President Nicolas Sarkozy's Union for a Popular Movement party and its allies have 228 seats, CSA said, and the anti-euro National Front won two seats.

NY Rally for Alleged Stratfor Hacker Jeremy Hammond Posted by http://www.legitgov.org/ 17 Jun 2012 Jeremy Hammond is a political activist accused of criminal computer hacking. The alleged hacks targeted Stratfor, a company that high-profile national security agents employ to transmit data in the interest of suppressing dissent and perpetuating world capitalism, and the Arizona State Law Enforcement agency, a notorious anti-immigrant institution...

Sweden Will Imprison Assange When Extradited 15 Jun 2012 Julian Assange will be imprisoned after he is handed over to Swedish authorities when he is extradited and will have a court hearing four days after extradition from the United Kingdom to decide if he will stay in custody, the Swedish government announced Friday. Earlier this week, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom decided not to reopen Assange's appeal and upheld the decision that the WikiLeaks founder should be extradited to face sex crime proceedings in Sweden. The UK Supreme Court has ordered that Assange won't be handed over to the Swedes until June 28.

Alleged hacker Ryan Cleary to be tried in UK not US 15 Jun 2012 An Essex teenager suspected of masterminding an international computer hacking ring is not expected to be extradited to the United States despite facing charges in California. Ryan Cleary, 19, who has Asperger's syndrome, is alleged to have been in involved in attacks on the computer systems of the CIA, the US Senate, and other websites. He was charged last year with a string of cyber attacks on UK–based websites and his solicitor disclosed yesterday (FRI) that he is now subject to an indictment with the same charges in the US. However, Karen Todner added: "We understand that the US Prosecutor has stated that should Mr Cleary be dealt with by the UK courts in respect of these charges then the US will not seek Mr Cleary's extradition."

UK to order reactor for nuclear-armed submarine 17 Jun 2012 Britain will order the first reactor for a new generation of nuclear-armed submarines next week as part of a 1 billion pound ($1.6 billion) contract with Rolls-Royce, a defense ministry source said on Sunday, in a move that could strain the coalition government. The deal will include an 11-year refit of Britain's sole submarine propulsion reactor factory at Derby in central England, said Defence Secretary Philip Hammond, who will formally announce the plans to parliament on Monday.