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News in Brief: Election Night Provides Mixed Results, and More ...
Election Night Provides Mixed Results
What You Will Not Hear About Iraq
Iraq has between 25 and 50 percent unemployment, a dysfunctional parliament, rampant disease, an epidemic of mental illness, and sprawling slums. The killing of innocent people has become part of daily life. What a havoc the United States has wreaked in Iraq.
Stem Cell Hell, Bad Eggs and DIY Abortions
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ruled that all federally funded human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research is illegal, thereby throwing the scientific community into turmoil. The judge decided that any experiments on these cells is research "in which a human embryo is to be harmed or destroyed," and is therefore disqualified for federal funding under an obscure provision known as the Dickey Amendment.
Vedanta Mine Plan on Sacred Tribal Mountain Halted by Indian Government
Vedanta's controversial bauxite mine on the Dongria Kondh’s tribal land has been stopped, after four years of protests by local peoples supported by Survival International and a wide range of affinity campaigns, including most recently by EI’s Earth Action Network.
US Submits Historic Human Rights Report to UN, but Seriously Disappoints
This week, for the first time, the United States submitted a report to the U.N. Human Rights Council, a rotating body of countries that peer-review U.N. member countries’ human rights records. This submission is historic. Where the Bush administration spent years criticizing the U.N. and human rights processes, in this report the Obama administration has stressed an end to U.S.
Rachel Maddow | New Law Protects Americans From Credit Card Predators (Video)
News in Brief: Al-Shabab Launch Attack in Somalia, and More …
Somalia: Al-Shabab Attacks, Kills at Least 32
Cutting Through the Media's Bogus Bomb-Iran Debate
Cutting Through the Media's Bogus Bomb-Iran Debate
America's march to a disastrous war in Iraq began in the media, where an unprovoked U.S. invasion of an Arab country was introduced as a legitimate policy option, then debated as a prudent and necessary one. Now, a similarly flawed media conversation on Iran is gaining momentum.
Save Affordable Housing Help Revive Americas Middle Class
Over the past decade, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac transformed themselves into some of the worst-run companies in recent history. But contrary to current talking points, the firms' failings had almost nothing to do with their programs for low-income borrowers. As policymakers debate what should be done with the mortgage giants, a battle is now beginning in which the very availability of affordable housing for the middle class may be at stake.
A History of Affordable Housing
Dave Lindorff | Fighting Words on Social Security
It’s time for us progressives to stop playing defense on Social Security.
We’ve watched the retirement system suffer years of attacks by conservatives and by class traitors in the Democratic Party. We have seen the retirement age raised since 1983 from 65 to 67, and the cost-of-living calculation altered so that our benefits have declined in value over time, while the tax rate on working people has risen.
It’s time to stop fighting rear-guard actions and to go on the offense.
Record Plunge for Home Sales Could Weigh Heavily on Economic Recovery
Home sales fell 27 percent between June and July. The news suggests that working through a glut of unsold homes and foreclosed properties may take longer than some economists predicted.
The pace of home sales in the United States took a sharp turn for the worse in July, falling a record 27 percent from June and raising new concerns about the economy's health.
Sales of previously owned homes fell to an annualized pace of 3.8 million, down from 5.3 million in June and 5.1 million a year earlier.
Cannibalism or Disinfectant? Missing the Plot in Arizona
Sunlight is a great disinfectant, but it’s cloudy and raining over the Arizona election desert. In the few hours since truthout ran my article on transparency and hacking problems with vote scanning machines in Arizona, two events occurred demonstrating a continued preference to attack accusers rather than the problem.
Having watched past Arizona vote machine election official fiascos for three years from abroad, UK Progressive recommends that since the Arizona election system seems to be so badly broken
Afghanistan: Waiting for the Fight
Panjwayi, Afghanistan - Looking out from their hilltop vantage point, a group of Canadian soldiers can see the entire farming village below, nestled into a valley in the restive Kandahar province. Somewhere in the grape fields and mud huts, they know it’s a virtual certainty that an ambush is waiting for them or another Canadian patrol that’s also in the village.
Wanted: Tough Trade Negotiator
EDITOR'S NOTE: Truthout is proud to begin bringing you a twice-weekly Paul Krugman column, thanks to Paul's service, Krugman & Co. This is new material, not available from The New York Times. Happy reading! ms/TO
The United States logged a $26.2 billion trade deficit with China in June. Still refusing to let its currency rise in value against the dollar, China announced a trade surplus of $28.7 billion a month later. This widening of trade imbalances between nations is indeed alarming, and many in the United States believe we should lecture the Chinese
Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Government Funding of Stem-Cell Research
A federal judge in Washington issued a temporary injunction Monday blocking implementation of Obama administration guidelines expanding the range of embryonic stem-cell research.
State Department Says Blackwater Broke Laws, But Company Not Barred From Receiving Government Contracts
The company formerly known as Blackwater violated U.S. export control laws nearly 300 times, ranging from attempts to do business in Sudan while that country was under U.S. sanctions to training an Afghan border patrol official who was a native of Iran, the State Department said Monday.
The alleged violations were spelled out in documents released Monday by the State Department as part of a $42 million settlement with Blackwater that will allow the company, now known as Xe Services LLC, to continue receiving U.S. government contracts.
Army Anti-Discrimination Officials Pressured Soldiers Not to File Discrimination Complaints
At least two of the soldiers who allege they were punished for not attending an evangelical Christian concert in May say that the Army's equal opportunity program is fundamentally broken and have lost faith that the separation of church and state within the military is adhered to by command. The allegations have since led to an Army investigation.
Anonymous soldiers and Pvt. Anthony Smith
Let Them Eat Cat Food
President Obama’s Deficit Commission is all smoke and mirrors. Its members are making a big show of laboring over ”painful” choices and considering all options in their quest to bring down the deficit. But inside the Beltway everyone knows what’s going to happen: The commission will reduce the deficit on the backs of the old and the poor, through cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Jim Hightower | Shut Up and Eat Your Sugar
OK, children, homework time.
Let's see if we can handle this little lesson in logic. One, America has a rather huge child obesity problem. Two, major food corporations constantly pitch ads to children for such stuff as sugar-saturated breakfast cereals and fat-laden "Happy Meals." So, how does fact No. 2 relate to fact No. 1? Yes, No. 2 is a cause of No. 1. It's really not that hard to grasp, is it?
Chile Miners Have Country Rallying Around Hope of Rescue
Up and down the capital of Santiago, drivers honked their horns as news emerged that the 33 trapped Chile miners remain alive. Helping the miners persevere mentally may now be the greatest task, as rescue efforts could stretch to Christmas.
Santiago, Chile, and Mexico City - From the president to the produce vendors, Chile is rallying as rescue workers embark on what could be a months-long attempt to save 33 miners already trapped for 17 days in a copper mine.