See this at: news.bbc.co.uk| Added on 11/25/09

Freedom of access to the internet means much offensive material resides there, but ordinary users are seldom exposed to it in daily online activity. Occasionally, however, the world's most popular search engine, Google, highlights such material,... See more

Freedom of access to the internet means much offensive material resides there, but ordinary users are seldom exposed to it in daily online activity. Occasionally, however, the world's most popular search engine, Google, highlights such material, which is what has happened with a mock-up photo of Michelle Obama. The cause is Google's system of algorithmic analysis, which, without human intervention, ranks sites according to things like the number of links pointing there and the amount of activity at the site. The shocking doctored image of Mrs Obama must have immediately created a flurry of interest - mainly negative - and that sent the image shooting up Google's rankings. See less

See this at: guardian.co.uk| Added on 11/24/09

Tony Blair's government knew that prominent members of the Bush administration wanted to topple Saddam Hussein years before the invasion but initially distanced itself from the prospect knowing it would be unlawful, it was disclosed at the Iraq... See more

Tony Blair's government knew that prominent members of the Bush administration wanted to topple Saddam Hussein years before the invasion but initially distanced itself from the prospect knowing it would be unlawful, it was disclosed at the Iraq inquiry today. British intelligence also dismissed claims by elements in the US administration that the Iraqi leader was linked to Osama bin Laden, it heard. Evidence given at the opening day of the inquiry, chaired by the former top civil servant Sir John Chilcot, painted a picture of a Whitehall slowly realising the significance of George Bush's election in November 2000 on US policy towards Iraq. Even before the Bush administration came to power an article written by his then national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, warned that "nothing will change" in Iraq until Saddam was gone, Sir Peter Ricketts, a former chairman of the joint intelligence committee (JIC) and now the Foreign Office's top official, told the inquiry. "We were aware of... See less

See this at: nytimes.com| Added on 10/20/09

TWO deafening explosions shook the walls of the compound where the Taliban held us hostage. My guards and I dived to the floor as chunks of dirt hurtled through the window.

TWO deafening explosions shook the walls of the compound where the Taliban held us hostage. My guards and I dived to the floor as chunks of dirt hurtled through the window. See less

See this at: news.bbc.co.uk| Added on 10/20/09

Centenarians with the bodies of 50-year-olds will one day be a realistic possibility, say scientists. Half of babies now born in the UK will reach 100, thanks to higher living standards, but our bodies are wearing out at the same rate. To achieve "50... See more

Centenarians with the bodies of 50-year-olds will one day be a realistic possibility, say scientists. Half of babies now born in the UK will reach 100, thanks to higher living standards, but our bodies are wearing out at the same rate. To achieve "50 active years after 50", experts at Leeds University are spending £50m over five years looking at innovative solutions. They plan to provide pensioners with own-grown tissues and durable implants. New hips, knees and heart valves are the starting points, but eventually they envisage most of the body parts that flounder with age could be upgraded. New lease of life The university's Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering has already made a hip transplant that should last for life, rather than the 20 years maximum expected from current artificial hips. The combination of a durable cobalt-chrome metal alloy socket and a ceramic ball or "head" means the joint should easily withstand the 100 million steps that a 50-year-old can be... See less

See this at: telegraph.co.uk| Added on 10/12/09

Prof Van Wolde, 54, who will present a thesis on the subject at Radboud University in The Netherlands where she studies, said she had re-analysed the original Hebrew text and placed it in the context of the Bible as a whole, and in the context of... See more

Prof Van Wolde, 54, who will present a thesis on the subject at Radboud University in The Netherlands where she studies, said she had re-analysed the original Hebrew text and placed it in the context of the Bible as a whole, and in the context of other creation stories from ancient Mesopotamia. She said she eventually concluded the Hebrew verb "bara", which is used in the first sentence of the book of Genesis, does not mean "to create" but to "spatially separate". The first sentence should now read "in the beginning God separated the Heaven and the Earth" According to Judeo-Christian tradition, God created the Earth out of nothing. Prof Van Wolde, who once worked with the Italian academic and novelist Umberto Eco, said her new analysis showed that the beginning of the Bible was not the beginning of time, but the beginning of a narration. She said: "It meant to say that God did create humans and animals, but not the Earth itself." She writes in her thesis that the new translation fits... See less

See this at: news.bbc.co.uk| Added on 10/11/09

Thousands of people have marched through Washington to demand greater civil rights for gay men and lesbians. The protest took place a day after President Barack Obama said he would repeal a ban on gay people serving openly in the military. The... See more

Thousands of people have marched through Washington to demand greater civil rights for gay men and lesbians. The protest took place a day after President Barack Obama said he would repeal a ban on gay people serving openly in the military. The marchers in Washington also called for the speedy removal of legal restrictions on same-sex partnerships. Mr Obama has been accused by some in the gay community of being slow to act on gay rights. On Sunday, the protesters in Washington carried signs urging President Obama to make good on his promise to end the controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy in the military. The policy allows gay people to serve in the military if they do not reveal their sexual orientation. See less

See this at: news.bbc.co.uk| Added on 10/09/09

The award is certainly unexpected and might be regarded as more of an encouragement for intentions than a reward for achievements. After all, the president has been in office for a little over eight months and he might hope to serve eight years. His... See more

The award is certainly unexpected and might be regarded as more of an encouragement for intentions than a reward for achievements. After all, the president has been in office for a little over eight months and he might hope to serve eight years. His ambition for a world free of nuclear weapons is one that is easier to declare than to achieve and a climate control agreement has yet to be reached. Indeed, the citation indicates that it is President Obama's world view that attracted the Nobel committee - that diplomacy should be founded "on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population". See less

See this at: nytimes.com| Added on 10/04/09

Over the next few weeks, Barack Obama must make the most difficult decision of his presidency to date: whether or not to send up to 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan, as his commanding general there, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, has reportedly... See more

Over the next few weeks, Barack Obama must make the most difficult decision of his presidency to date: whether or not to send up to 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan, as his commanding general there, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, has reportedly proposed. See less

See this at: online.wsj.com| Added on 09/13/09

Richard Fuld Jr., the former chief of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., is having a hard time putting the past behind him. Lehman's collapse one year ago this weekend turned a Wall Street crisis into a full-blown global panic, capping its leader's... See more

Richard Fuld Jr., the former chief of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., is having a hard time putting the past behind him. Lehman's collapse one year ago this weekend turned a Wall Street crisis into a full-blown global panic, capping its leader's transformation from Wall Street prince to pariah. Mr. Fuld, who remained defiantly optimistic about his 158-year-old investment bank's prospects even in its final days, has been haunted since by its demise, say friends and associates. Facing hate mail, regulatory probes and dozens of civil suits over his role in the firm's fall, Mr. Fuld has publicly said he did all he could to save Lehman and has faulted the government for letting his firm fail while rescuing others. Privately, however, he apologized for his role in Lehman's collapse in an emotional and previously unreported address in April. See less

See this at: news.bbc.co.uk| Added on 09/06/09

"Let the facts speak for themselves," was the unusual statement of intent from Xinjiang regional government official Li Wanhui after Sunday's violence in Urumqi that officials say left 156 people dead. It was unusual because China is a country where... See more

"Let the facts speak for themselves," was the unusual statement of intent from Xinjiang regional government official Li Wanhui after Sunday's violence in Urumqi that officials say left 156 people dead. It was unusual because China is a country where the authorities like to exert tight control over what its people read, watch or listen to. Yet here was a local official suggesting they would help journalists to cover one of the most serious incidents of ethnic unrest in the country's history. Last year, when there were riots in Tibet, the whole region was sealed off. Foreign journalists were prevented from going there. For two days the Chinese released no pictures of what had gone on there. See less

See this at: mwcnews.net| Added on 08/27/09

Should libertarians hope that Barack Obama succeeds or fails in his presidency? The question comes to mind because conservatives got embroiled in the issue when their leading radio star, Rush Limbaugh, said he hoped Obama would fail. Some... See more

Should libertarians hope that Barack Obama succeeds or fails in his presidency? The question comes to mind because conservatives got embroiled in the issue when their leading radio star, Rush Limbaugh, said he hoped Obama would fail. Some commentators thought that was a horrible thing to say. Radio stars need regular public controversy to keep their listeners tuned in, so there’s no point in analyzing what the Republican partisan Limbaugh might have meant. But the question may lead us to other insights. Everything hinges on the underlying question: succeed or fail at what? The goal determines the answer. If we assume Obama wants to use the power of government — the power of the gun, really — to redesign society, then any advocate of liberty hopes he fails. The core liberal idea (in the original sense of “liberal”) is that society runs itself without a central plan. Government is already too involved in configuring the political economy. A more intensive effort in that direction would... See less

See this at: mwcnews.net| Added on 08/27/09

MWC News is an alternative news counterpoint to the Drudge Report, culling news, politics and alternative news from around the globe., America in Dire Need of a Messianic Sacrificial Lamb

MWC News is an alternative news counterpoint to the Drudge Report, culling news, politics and alternative news from around the globe., America in Dire Need of a Messianic Sacrificial Lamb See less

See this at: nytimes.com| Added on 08/24/09

WASHINGTON - The Justice Department's ethics office has recommended reversing the Bush administration and reopening nearly a dozen prisoner-abuse cases, potentially exposing Central Intelligence Agency employees and contractors to prosecution for... See more

WASHINGTON - The Justice Department's ethics office has recommended reversing the Bush administration and reopening nearly a dozen prisoner-abuse cases, potentially exposing Central Intelligence Agency employees and contractors to prosecution for brutal treatment of terrorism suspects, according to a person officially briefed on the matter. See less

See this at: cnn.com| Added on 08/22/09

Making good on a threat of election day violence, the Taliban sliced off the index fingers of at least two people in Kandahar province, according to a vote monitoring group.

Making good on a threat of election day violence, the Taliban sliced off the index fingers of at least two people in Kandahar province, according to a vote monitoring group. See less

See this at: news.bbc.co.uk| Added on 08/02/09

Gorillas have been found, for the first time, to be a source of HIV. Previous research had shown the HIV-1 strain, the main source of human infections, with 33m cases worldwide, originated from a virus in chimpanzees. But researchers have now... See more

Gorillas have been found, for the first time, to be a source of HIV. Previous research had shown the HIV-1 strain, the main source of human infections, with 33m cases worldwide, originated from a virus in chimpanzees. But researchers have now discovered an HIV infection in a Cameroonian woman which is clearly linked to a gorilla strain, Nature Medicine reports. A researcher told the BBC that though it is a new type of HIV, current drugs may still help combat its effects. HIV originated from a similar virus in chimpanzees called Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV). See less

See this at: nytimes.com| Added on 07/31/09

The House on Friday voted, 316 to 109, to provide emergency funds for the car-rebate program after the original funding was quickly snapped up.

The House on Friday voted, 316 to 109, to provide emergency funds for the car-rebate program after the original funding was quickly snapped up. See less

See this at: mwcnews.net| Added on 07/31/09

Honoring President Obama’s request that the controversy involving a black Harvard University professor and a white Cambridge police officer become “a teachable moment,” here’s my contribution to an old lesson that we white people tend to be slow to... See more

Honoring President Obama’s request that the controversy involving a black Harvard University professor and a white Cambridge police officer become “a teachable moment,” here’s my contribution to an old lesson that we white people tend to be slow to learn. In lectures about the United States’ system of white supremacy and the privileges that white people have in that system, I have sometimes told a story about being stopped by police in Austin, TX. I was driving home in a dilapidated old Volkswagen Beetle on a busy street, late at night after a long day at work. I was dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, feeling rather cranky and looking rather raggedy. Eager to get home, I saw the yellow light and gunned it. Next I saw the flashing red lights of a police car. I turned off onto a dark side street and dug in my wallet for my license. Just as the officer got to my car, I was opening the glove compartment to get the vehicle registration when out popped a small knife I keep for emergencies. I... See less

See this at: mwcnews.net| Added on 07/31/09

Musharraf was elected to a new term as president in October 2007 while still head of the army, but the result was not validated by the supreme court. The president's lawyers had said he would stand down as army chief once re-elected, but Musharraf... See more

Musharraf was elected to a new term as president in October 2007 while still head of the army, but the result was not validated by the supreme court. The president's lawyers had said he would stand down as army chief once re-elected, but Musharraf declared a state of emergency the following month when it appeared the supreme court might challenge his eligibility for office. The constitution was subsequently suspended and Chaudhry fired as chief justice. The emergency, which was accompanied by mass detentions and harsh media restrictions, enraged an already emboldened opposition and was lifted after six weeks. See less

See this at: news.yahoo.com| Added on 07/29/09

A Texas mother accused of decapitating her 3-week-old son screams

A Texas mother accused of decapitating her 3-week-old son screams See less

See this at: topics.nytimes.com| Added on 07/28/09

Neda Agha-Soltan was a 26-year-old Iranian woman who was shot to death on a Tehran street in the unrest that followed the country's disputed election in June 2009. Although Ms. Agha-Soltan, whom her relatives described as unpolitical, was killed on a... See more

Neda Agha-Soltan was a 26-year-old Iranian woman who was shot to death on a Tehran street in the unrest that followed the country's disputed election in June 2009. Although Ms. Agha-Soltan, whom her relatives described as unpolitical, was killed on a quiet street and was not participating in any political rally when she was shot, she became an instant symbol of the anti-government movement when a video of her death was shared on social networking sites. Only scraps of information are known about Ms. Agha-Soltan. Her friends and relatives were mostly afraid to speak, and the government broke up public attempts to mourn her. She studied philosophy and took underground singing lessons - women are barred from singing publicly in Iran. Her name means voice in Persian, and many are now calling her the voice of Iran. Her fiancé, Caspian Makan, contributed to a Persian Wikipedia entry. He said she never supported any particular presidential candidate. "She wanted freedom, freedom for... See less

See this at: nytimes.com| Added on 07/24/09

Illegal sales of body parts. Furtive negotiations in diners, parking lots, and boiler rooms. Nervous jokes about “patting down” a man who turned out to indeed be an informant. And, again and again, piles of cash being passed along — once in a box of... See more

Illegal sales of body parts. Furtive negotiations in diners, parking lots, and boiler rooms. Nervous jokes about “patting down” a man who turned out to indeed be an informant. And, again and again, piles of cash being passed along — once in a box of Apple Jacks cereal stuffed with $97,000. See less

See this at: nytimes.com| Added on 07/24/09

Illegal sales of body parts. Furtive negotiations in diners, parking lots, and boiler rooms. Nervous jokes about “patting down” a man who turned out to indeed be an informant. And, again and again, piles of cash being passed along — once in a box of... See more

Illegal sales of body parts. Furtive negotiations in diners, parking lots, and boiler rooms. Nervous jokes about “patting down” a man who turned out to indeed be an informant. And, again and again, piles of cash being passed along — once in a box of Apple Jacks cereal stuffed with $97,000. See less

See this at: cnn.com| Added on 07/22/09

A Ukrainian general has been arrested in connection with the murder of a journalist nearly nine years ago, the country's president said Wednesday.

A Ukrainian general has been arrested in connection with the murder of a journalist nearly nine years ago, the country's president said Wednesday. See less

See this at: nytimes.com| Added on 07/20/09

In 2003, researchers at a federal agency proposed a long-term study of 10,000 drivers to assess the safety risk posed by cellphone use behind the wheel.

In 2003, researchers at a federal agency proposed a long-term study of 10,000 drivers to assess the safety risk posed by cellphone use behind the wheel. See less

See this at: nytimes.com| Added on 07/20/09

In 2003, researchers at a federal agency proposed a long-term study of 10,000 drivers to assess the safety risk posed by cellphone use behind the wheel.

In 2003, researchers at a federal agency proposed a long-term study of 10,000 drivers to assess the safety risk posed by cellphone use behind the wheel. See less

See this at: google.com| Added on 07/15/09

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See this at: news.bbc.co.uk| Added on 07/15/09

A prominent Russian human rights activist, Natalia Estemirova, has been found dead in the North Caucasus. She was bundled into a van and abducted as she left her home in Chechnya on Wednesday morning, a colleague said. Her body was found in... See more

A prominent Russian human rights activist, Natalia Estemirova, has been found dead in the North Caucasus. She was bundled into a van and abducted as she left her home in Chechnya on Wednesday morning, a colleague said. Her body was found in Ingushetia. The Russian President Dmitry Medvedev expressed "outrage" at the murder, and ordered a top-level investigation. Ms Estemirova had been investigating human rights abuses in Chechnya for the independent Memorial group. Memorial is one of Russia's best known rights groups, working to document Soviet-era abuses and those taking place more recently, especially in Chechnya. In recent months, she had been gathering evidence of a campaign of house-burnings by government-backed militias. See less

See this at: cnn.com| Added on 07/10/09

Seven Baha'i prisoners face a death-penalty trial Saturday in Iran amid calls for their release from a U.S. panel on religious freedom.

Seven Baha'i prisoners face a death-penalty trial Saturday in Iran amid calls for their release from a U.S. panel on religious freedom. See less

See this at: cnn.com| Added on 07/08/09

Pope Benedict XVI, on the eve of a global economic summit, lashed out at modern capitalism for being shortsighted and short on ethics.

Pope Benedict XVI, on the eve of a global economic summit, lashed out at modern capitalism for being shortsighted and short on ethics. See less