News – Top Stories Progress

Iraq

Two deaths of Iraqi prisoners at the hands of a US solder and a CIA contractor are revealed and 23 other deaths are under scrutiny. The true scope of this blow against the war of ideas is likely to be long debated, but, as Rummy has so succinctly summarized, it isn’t helping. Meanwhile hundreds of Iraqis are outside of Abu Ghrib prison demanding the release of jailed relatives. With abuse of prisoners being revealed as widespread, I can see why they want to have their family members back.

Explainer muses how the wily private contractors can be reprimanded where international law fails.

Read the Taguba report before Rummy does. He’s only read the executive summary.. or part of it anyway. The above link has a link at the bottom to the whole report online.

Rummy says “any American” felt apologetic about the abuse of Iraq prisoners. But he hasn’t offered a personal apology. Yet. And Bush, unable to be bothered about other things, will be giving interviews on Arab television(To US sponsored al-Hurra and to Dubai based al-Arabiya) as the administration scrambles to staunch the bleeding. Qatar based al-Jazeera won’t get to interview Bush.

Lawyers for four Iraqi families are charging British soldiers unlawfully killed their relatives. Their Ministry of Defense denies responsibility, of course, but the familes are demanding a judicial review to establish if the killings were a violation of the victims’ right to life under the European law.

Plans to reduce the 138k force in Iraq have been scrapped through the end of 2005 at least.

Musing how to stay in Iraq without saying the course. It is time to get real. We need a good solution, not a solution that sounds good in PR circles.

Israel/Palestine

Sharon is heading back to the US to have talks after his big rejection of his withdrawal plan. Meanwhile militants ambush and kill five settlers and three Israeli raids kill a security man and wound fifteen others.

Meanwhile the White House continues to make sure US diplomats are never bored by stymieing teir efforts to calm matters surrounding the plan. Interesting time to be a US diplomat, eh?

Iran

Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, head of the Guardian Council, wishes to ban the film “The Lizard”. It makes fun of the state’s ruling Clergy. Unfortunately, after a few quick searches, I was unable to find a site on it. If anyone can get some info on the movie, I’d be interested in seeing what has them so hot and bothered.

Greece

Three bombs exploding outside of an Athens police station raise concerns for security of the Olympics, only 100 days from their start. Police indicate initial evidence points toward small local anarchist and leftist groups that regularly stage minor bomb attacks around Athens.

US

Michael Moore’s latest documentary, linking Bush to powerful Saudi families, may never be released. Disney is moving to stop it’s Miramax Films unit from distributing “Fahrenheit 911“. However, it will still play at the Cannes Film Festival in France later this month.

Bush hammers Kerry in Ohio and promises the state better days. Bush characterizes Kerry as a flip-flopping elitist who could not be trusted and asserts he wants to raise taxes on everyday Americans. On the other hand, Kerry smacks Bush over No Child Left Behind and calls Bush “all rhetoric” on the issue.

Adding to the names on his economic team, Kerry seems to be drafting Steve Jobs(Of Apple Computers and Pixar fame) as well. An interesting choice. Wise? I couldn’t say, but interesting nonetheless.

In other Kerry news, his two new ads are online. Heart and Lifetime will tell you a bunch of stuff about Kerry. Will you care? That’s up to you.

The Senate defies Bush, again voting to block overtime rules changes that some argue could cost millions overtime pay.

Tech to screen rail passengers is being tested in Maryland.

General

Soon your credit card could display your bill on a tiny screen. Personally, I don’t know that this would be wise.

How clueless weekend gardeners mistreat their plants. It’s like a bad haircut for bushes.

Today’s Papers has the RAND Corporation reporting that Americans receive the right medical treatment only half of the time, Shiite leaders telling Sadr to get out of Najaf and Kerbala, ten Afghan solders and police killed in ambush by suspected Taliban and more in the one page news.

Amusements

German burglar robs sandwich shop, nibbles a bit of a meatball sandwich, leaves behind enough DNA to be caught

Prince sayshe’s not making a comeback because he’s been popular the whole time

FCC swamped with indecency complaints about Oprah.

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this guy practicing capoeira in a park

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: The climactic moment of a song. Difficulty: No song-lyric captions

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Unlikely “Harry Potter” sequels</A