Planet Watch
Obama places Chrysler under heavy manners
President Obama’s Automotive Task Force has slashed Chrysler’s advertising budget as a condition of the company’s bankruptcy restructuring.
Author: CounterVortex
Planet Watch
Dems, Reps divided on climate pseudo-solutions
With a climate bill now being crafted on Capitol Hill, Democrats are supporting a measure that would instate a carbon-trading system—while Republicans favor subsidies for nuclear power.
South Asia
Sri Lanka: dark side to “victory”
As celebrations break out in Colombo over the Sri Lankan armed forces’ taking of the last strip of coastline controlled by the Tamil Tigers, reports warn of a grave humanitarian crisis.
Africa
Darfur rebel leader appears before The Hague
Darfur rebel leader Bahar Idriss Abu Garda appeared before the International Criminal Court at The Hague to face war crimes charges over an attack that killed 12 African Union peacekeepers.
Watching the Shadows
Lawyers who authored torture memos should be disbarred: coalition
A coalition of progressive organizations filed complaints in five states seeking disbarment of ex-officials associated with the legal rationales behind the Bush administration’s use of torture.
Watching the Shadows
Supreme Court remands Ashcroft immunity case
The Supreme Court ruled that a complaint filed against former Attorney General John Ashcroft, FBI director Robert Mueller and other officials failed to demonstrate an intentional pattern of discrimination.
Afghanistan
Rumsfeld’s “renegade unit” blamed for Afghan civilian deaths
A single US Marine Special Forces group created by Donald Rumsfeld three years ago was behind at least three of Afghanistan’s worst civilian casualty incidents, The Independent reports.
The Andes
Venezuela: Chávez takes hardline pasta policy
Venezuela’s government sent troops to “temporarily” seize a pasta factory owned by US food giant Cargill, having found it guilty of violating price controls.
Afghanistan
US bombs Pakistan —again
Apparent US missile strikes killed four militants in a Pakistani tribal area near the Afghan border. Islamabad has repeatedly protested the drone attacks as an affront to Pakistan’s sovereignty.
Watching the Shadows
Obama administration reviving military commission system —with changes
President Obam announced that he is reinstating the controversial military commission system to try some Guantánamo Bay detainees—with changes to increase defendants’ rights.
Afghanistan
Human Rights Watch urges US to respect laws of war in Afghanistan
Human Rights Watch called on the US government to make “fundamental changes to reduce civilian casualties” in Afghanistan after attacks last week reportedly left more than 140 dead.
Iraq
Fourth Circuit: insurer not liable for military contractor’s Iraq abuses
The US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled that the insurance company for defense contractor CACI International has no duty to defend or indemnify CACI against claims of torture.