IMF warns recession will be 'unusually long-lasting' by Heather Stewart More than half of the world's countries have been plunged into recession by the credit crunch, a higher proportion than at any time since 1960, according to the International Monetary Fund, which warns today that the downturn is likely to be "unusually severe and long-lasting", and will starve developing countries of resources.
Israel rejects U.S. plan for Palestinian state by Dion Nissenbaum JERUSALEM -- In a direct challenge to President Barack Obama's commitment to rejuvenate moribund Mideast peace talks, Israel on Thursday dismissed American-led efforts to establish a Palestinian state and laid out new conditions for renewed negotiations.
Iraq study: Executions are leading cause of death by Associated Press BAGHDAD (AP) — Execution-style killings, not headline-grabbing bombings, have been the leading cause of death among civilians in the Iraq war, a study released Wednesday shows. The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, point to the brutal sectarian nature of the conflict, where death squads once roamed the streets hunting down members of the rival Muslim sect.
A Step Toward Ending Israel's Impunity by George Bisharat The appointment of Richard Goldstone to head a United Nations fact-finding mission to the Gaza Strip represents an important first step toward ending Israel's impunity from international law. Mr. Goldstone - a former supreme court justice in South Africa and chief prosecutor in the international tribunals for Rwanda and Yugoslavia - and three other esteemed experts will investigate both Israel and Hamas for possible offenses before, during, and after Israel's invasion of Gaza.
It's Official: Obama Will Not Prosecute CIA Torturers by Jeremy Scahill Obama strikes a deal with CIA torturers not to prosecute them. This is a victory for Bush’s lawyers who justified torture.The White House has announced that CIA operatives, including contractors, who followed Bush guidelines for torturing prisoners will not be prosecuted for these actions, regardless of the Obama administration’s position on the legality of the techniques they used. “[I]t is our intention to assure those who carried out their duties relying in good faith upon legal advice from the Department of Justice that they will not be subject to prosecution,” President Obama said in a statement released today. This seems to be part of a deal struck with the CIA over the release of several torture memos today and it is a victory for Bush administration lawyers who sought to provide legal cover for US government torture.
Gorging the Beast by Gail Collins An Ode to Taxes: Oh, little tax return form/No longer are you sad and lorn./Fly away with your friends in a crowd/And try to make your filers proud./Maybe you’ll fix a road or a park/Just please don’t turn into another earmark. “April 15th has long been and always will be a day American workers and their families despise,” said the House minority leader, John Boehner, on Wednesday as he hailed the arrival of anti-tax tea party protests around the country. Actually, given the fact that a vast majority of households get refunds, the day might be a pleasant reminder that the check for $2,429, on average, is in the mail.
FBI Recruiting Muslim Spies, Group Says by Associated Press AP) A Michigan Muslim organization said Thursday it has asked U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate complaints alleging the FBI is asking followers of the faith to spy on Islamic leaders and congregations.The Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan sent a letter last week to Holder after mosques and other groups reported members of the community have been approached to monitor people coming to mosques and donations they make.
