BENGHAZI/BANI WALID, Libya (Reuters) – Fugitive ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s loyalists said on Monday they had captured 17 mercenaries — some British and French — in what would amount to a sharp setback for the country’s new rulers and their international backers. An anti-Gaddafi fighter tears a picture of Gaddafi in a school as he searches for Gaddafi loyalists in a village near Sirte, one of Muammar Gaddafi’s last remaining strongholds, September 18, 2011. (REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic) The claim by Gaddafi spokesman Moussa Ibrahim could not be verified but comes at a time when the new authorities are facing stark reversals on the battlefield and in the political arena. One month…
Continue reading …Fox Kills Alec Baldwin’s Phone Hacking Emmy Joke; Baldwin Pulls Out Of Ceremony
September 19, 2011 No Comment
Rupert Murdoch’s Fox network cut a joke by Alec Baldwin about the company’s phone hacking scandal out of a skit for Sunday’s Emmy Awards, causing Baldwin to pull out of the ceremony. Deadline was the first to report the news, and Baldwin confirmed it on Twitter. “Fox did kill my NewsCorp hacking joke,” Baldwin wrote. “Which sucks bc I think it would have made them look better. A little.” Baldwin had made a reference to the omission in an earlier tweet, writing, “I did a short Emmy pretape a few days ago. Now they tell me NewsCorp may cut the funniest line. #NewsCorphumorlessaswellascorrupt.” Deadline says that the joke came during the planned opening sketch for the Emmys, in which Baldwin was to play a fictional head of a television network. News Corp. told the site that it cut the joke because it didn’t want to make light of the phone hacking scandal which has engulfed Murdoch’s company. It’s not the first time that a Murdoch property has been accused of going soft on the scandal. The Wall Street Journal was heavily criticized for an editorial strongly defending News Corp. RELATED VIDEO:
Continue reading …Bill Clinton: Dick Cheney ‘Sowing Discord’ With Suggestion That Hillary Run Against Obama In 2012
September 19, 2011 No Comment
On Sunday, former President Bill Clinton laughed off former Vice President Dick Cheney’s suggestion that Hillary Clinton should challenge President Barack Obama in 2012. “Well, you know, I’m very proud of her, so I’m always gratified whenever anyone says anything nice about her. And I very much agree that she’s done a good job,” Clinton told Bob Schieffer on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “But I also have a high regard for Vice President Cheney’s political skills, and I think one of those great skills is sowing discord among the opposition. So I think he’s right that she’s done a heck of a job. But she is a member of this administration, and committed to doing it. And I think he, by saying something nice about her in the way that he did, knew that it might cause a little trouble,” Clinton continued. “I don’t want to help him succeed in his political strategy. But I admire that he’s still out there hitting the ball.” During recent interviews promoting his new book “In My Time,” Cheney has suggested that Hillary Clinton should run for president in 2012 against Obama. “Hillary Clinton is a pretty formidable individual,” Cheney told ABC’s Jonathan Karl earlier this month. “I think she’s probably the most competent person they’ve got in their cabinet. And, frankly, I thought she was gonna win the nomination last time around.” “Maybe if the Obama record is bad enough — and these days it’s not very good, given the shape of the economy — maybe there will be enough foment in the Democratic Party so that there will be a primary on their side,” he continued. A Democratic primary “might even help the Republicans a little bit,” Cheney told Karl. Cheney also appeared on “Face The Nation” after Bill Clinton on Sunday and insisted that he wasn’t playing politics. “I just thought, Bob, that Democrats ought to have as much fun on their side as we are on our side,” Cheney said.
Continue reading …NBC Relays ‘Palestinian Deam’ of State to Be ‘Free,’ Ignores Calls for Removing Jews from Palestine
September 19, 2011 No CommentAndrea Mitchell on Friday and Martin Fletcher filed reports on the NBC Nightly News filling in viewers on the Palestinian Authority upcoming plan to go to the United Nations and seek recognition of statehood or at least U.N. membership as the U.N. convenes this week. Both reports ignored last week's prediction by the Palestinian Authority's envoy to the U.N. that Jews would be removed from a Palestinian state. While Mitchell conveyed Palestinian complaints that ” they've had negotiations before, decades of them, and they have nothing to show for it,” and Fletcher similarly relayed that “Their leaders say they have no alternative but to try something new – the 20 years of peace talks have gotten them nowhere,” neither report informed viewers that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has been the major obstacle in the resumption of negotiations as he has refused to engage in talks unless the Israeli government halts constructions within the borders of already existing Jewish settlements. Although Fletcher's report did at least include a clip of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu calling for talks with the Palestinian Authority, the NBC corresondent still seemed to suggest both sides were resisting talks as he recounted that “American negotiators are still trying very hard to get Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiating table.” And, in spite of the authoritarian nature of the Fatah-run West Bank and the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, Fletcher began his report by relaying the spin that a Palestinian state would be a place for Palestinians to be free: MARTIN FLETCHER: Palestinians call this their moment of truth. Bethlehem today kicked off a week of West Bank rallies in support of their bid to join the United Nations as a full member state, the Palestinian dream. Flag makers are working around the clock. Fawad Anid wants the Palestinian flag to hang from every car and house. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #1: I'm so happy and excited at the same time because I want to have a Palestinian country to live in and to be free. Notably, in recent months, polls have shown that many Arabs living in East Jerusalem would be willing to leave their homes to remain within the borders of Israel if East Jerusalem were to be handed over to the control of a Palestinian state. Below are complete transcripts of the reports from the Friday, September 16, and Sunday, September 18, NBC Nightly News: #From Friday, September 16: KATE SNOW: Now to a threat that could put the United States in a difficult position on the world stage when the U.N. meets here in New York next week. The biggest issue on the table, Palestinian statehood. Today Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas threatened to bring the issue to the Security Council for a vote, which sets the stage for a potential showdown the U.S. and Israel are eager to avoid. Our chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell is at the State Department tonight. Andrea, what is the U.S. trying to do to stop this proposal? ANDREA MITCHELL: Well, Kate, the U.S. is working frantically in the next couple of days to try to persuade the Palestinians not to go to the Security Council. They're telling President Abbas that the way to statehood is through negotiations, through overcoming all of the remaining obstacles with Israel – like what will the borders of a new state be and who will control what parts of Jerusalem – but not by just declaring a state. That said, the Palestinians say that they've had negotiations before, decades of them, and they have nothing to show for it. The U.S. is promising this time to get those talks restarted and to fast track them. If it does go to the Security Council, the U.S. says it will veto it, but it doesn't want to be put in that isolated position, siding with Israel against the rest of the world. The fallback position for the Palestinians would be to go to the General Assembly, the much larger group. That said, it would be largely symbolic, and the U.S. doesn't want that to happen either. So this is, as you say, shaping up as quite a showdown next week. #From Sunday, September 18: LESTER HOLT: There will be high drama here in New York this week as world leaders converge for a meeting of the U.N. General Assembly. Tonight, U.S. and European diplomats are scrambling to avoid a showdown after the Palestinians announced plans to ask for statehood and U.N. membership. More now from NBC's Martin Fletcher. M ARTIN FLETCHER: Palestinians call this their moment of truth. Bethlehem today kicked off a week of West Bank rallies in support of their bid to join the United Nations as a full member state, the Palestinian dream. Flag makers are working around the clock. Fawad Anid wants the Palestinian flag to hang from every car and house. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #1: I'm so happy and excited at the same time because I want to have a Palestinian country to live in and to be free. FLETCHER: But many Israelis think no good can come of this. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #1: They don't want peace. UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #2: I think it will be war. FLETCHER: Israel and America warned Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas not to call for a Palestinian state in the Security Council. BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: I call on President Abbas to resume peace negotiations, direct negotiations, right now without any preconditions. FLETCHER: Inspired by people's revolts in Arab neighbors – Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, Yemen – Palestinians also want change. Their leaders say they have no alternative but to try something new – the 20 years of peace talks have gotten them nowhere. MOHAMED SHTAYEH, SENIOR PALESTINIAN OFFICIAL: We will take all measures to assembly, channel it in a way that does not lead into bloodshed. FLETCHER: This puts Palestinians into a direct confrontation with the United States. Washington has said it wants more peace talks and will veto a call for a Palestinian state. JOHN BOEHNER, HOUSE SPEAKER: Our commitment to Israel should be no less strong today, and, if anything, it should be stronger than ever. FLETCHER: American negotiators are still trying very hard to get Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiating table. President Obama is aware that any American veto will certainly satisfy Israel but would also pit America against most of the rest of the world. Martin Fletcher, NBC News, Tel Aviv.
Continue reading …Angry actor Alec Baldwin backed out of an appearance on the Emmy Awards show last night after Fox axed a joke of his about the phone hacking scandal at newspapers owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., Fox’s parent company. Baldwin demanded his entire videotaped appearance at the beginning of the…
Continue reading …Details are emerging in President Obama’s new debt-reduction plan to be unveiled this morning—and it’s not a pretty sight for the rich. The president will likely outline a plan to cut the federal debt by $3 trillion over the next decade, with half of that coming from an increase…
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Dominic Grieve and CPS would assess whether Official Secrets Act case would be in public interest before it went ahead The attorney general’s office has said he would rule on whether a prosecution of the Guardian under the Official Secrets Act was in the public interest before a case could proceed. A spokesman said on Monday that Dominic Grieve would liaise with the Crown Prosecution Service to assess whether there is sufficient evidence that the act had been breached and whether such a step would be in the public interest. “It is a matter for the police to decide how best to carry out any investigation,” he said. “If the police provide evidence that would support a charge under section 5 of the Official Secrets Act the attorney general’s consent would be required. “If that stage is reached, the attorney general, with the DPP, will consider whether there is sufficient evidence and whether the public interest is in favour of bringing a prosecution.” Scotland Yard’s decision to use the act as part of its bid to force Guardian journalists including Nick Davies and Amelia Hill, who revealed that Milly Dowler had her phone targeted by the News of the World, to reveal their sources has been condemned by rival newspapers and senior politicians. Alan Rusbridger, the Guardian’s editor-in-chief, has said the paper will resist the attempt by the Metropolitan police to reveal its sources “to the utmost”. Scotland Yard applied for a production order last week against the Guardian “in order to seek evidence of offences connected to potential breaches relating to misconduct in public office and the Official Secrets Act”. A senior investigating officer applied for the production order under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, citing potential breaches of the Official Secrets Act, the force said. Actor Hugh Grant, who has become one of the most high-profile figures to campaign against phone hacking and media intrusion of privacy, on Sunday condemned police efforts to force journalists to disclose confidential sources, saying Scotland Yard’s decision was “worrying and deeply mysterious” . Liberal Democrat MP Don Foster, the party’s culture spokesman, also on Sunday said Grieve should use his discretion to rule that invoking the Official Secrets Act was not in the public interest . “I understand the attorney general has the opportunity to use this power,” Foster told the Guardian. “He should use it and say this is not in the public interest.” •
Continue reading …Yemeni forces kill at least 23 protesters after fresh anti-regime protests
September 19, 2011 No Comment
Sniper and artillery fire from pro-Saleh soldiers lifts number of protesters who have died in past two days to 50 At least 23 people have been killed by Yemeni pro-regime forces – including snipers – in a second day of clashes shaking the country’s capital, Sana’a, medical and security officials said. Almost 50 people have died in the two days of fighting. It is the most serious outbreak of violence in months, as frustration again builds over the president’s refusal to step down after 33 years in power. Thousands of protesters armed with sticks reportedly overran a camp belonging to the presidential guards in Sana’a. Others were said to be headed toward the headquarters of the elite force led by President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s son Ahmed in the south of the city. About 20 of those killed on Monday were on the central Hayel Street in the capital. They included a child and at least three soldiers who had defected to join the protesters. Mortar shells thought to have been fired by pro-regime forces killed at least two other people in Sana’a, said officials speaking on condition of anonymity. On Sunday, at least 26 people were killed when pro-regime snipers opened fire on tens of thousands of people who demonstrated in Sana’a to demand that Saleh step down. Apart from those killed, scores of protesters suffered gunshot wounds and were taken to hospitals, according to Mohammed al-Maqtari, a doctor at a field hospital set up by the protesters. The wounded included soldiers from Yemen’s 1st armoured division, which, along with its commander, joined the protesters more than six months ago. Witnesses said the soldiers were involved in skirmishes with the presidential guards. In the southern city of Taiz, at least one protester was killed and 15 others were wounded on Monday in clashes between anti-regime demonstrators and security forces, according to witnesses. And in the southern port city of Aden, three protesters were wounded in clashes with government forces, witnesses there said. Yemen’s protest movement has stepped up demonstrations in the past week. The rebels have been angered after Saleh deputised the vice-president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, last week to negotiate further on a Gulf-mediated, US-backed deal under which the president would step down in return for immunity from prosecution. Saleh has already backed away three times from signing the deal. Many believe the move is the latest of many delaying tactics. Saleh has resisted calls to resign. The US once saw Saleh as a key ally in the battle against a Yemen-based al-Qaida branch, which has taken over southern parts of the country under cover of the political turmoil. The US withdrew its support of Saleh as the protests gained strength. Yemen Arab and Middle East unrest Protest Middle East al-Qaida guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …A tenth of teachers who began teaching in 2007 or 2008 only lasted one year before they quit, according to a new study by the National Center for Education Statistics. Teachers who worked under the supervision of a mentor or who made salaries of more than $40,000 were less likely to drop out over the
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Click here to view this media It’s ironic that the CEO who is expected to defend his company against anti-trust allegations this week is the only person on the Sunday shows being honest about how to get Americans working again. AMANPOUR: But you say significant stimulus. Obviously, this is a political environment where the only real conversation is about cutting. Do you see any expectation or possibility of a climate for more stimulus? SCHMIDT: Well, that’s a political question, but the current strategy is ludicrous. You have a situation where the private sector sees essentially no growth in demand. The classic solution is to have the government step in and, with short-term initiatives, help stimulate that demand. If they do it right, they’ll invest in income and growth-producing things like highways and bridges and schools, new opportunities for the private sector to go then build businesses. Today not only is there no demand coming out of the government, but because of the housing crisis, nobody sees any improvement in their own liquidity, so nobody’s buying anything. AMANPOUR: So this is a pretty dark picture that you’re painting. Add to that no confidence from the consumers and businesses sitting on something like $2 trillion worth of profits which they’re not going to spend, apparently. Is the president — does he have a material problem with the business community right now? SCHMIDT: The real problem is not the business community. The real problem is the Democrats and the Republicans fight for one point or another in a political sphere while the rest of us are waiting for the government to do something concrete and predictable. What business needs is predictable, long-term plans. We need to know, where is government spending going to be; what are the government programs going to be, and off we go. Business can create enormous numbers of new jobs in America. All we need to see is more demand. What’s happening right now is businesses are very well-run; they have a lot of cash; they’re waiting for more demand. At the moment, business efficiency allows them to grow at 1 percent or 2 percent, which is what we’re seeing today. They don’t have to hire more people. And until we solve that problem, people are going to sit idle, and it’s real tragedy. Wait, what’s that? Businesses are not holding jobs hostage because they’re waiting for more tax cuts? It’s because there’s not enough demand for products and services to justify hiring new workers? Why, that’s dirty liberal talk! You know, Republicans are absolutely right that uncertainty is keeping corporations from hiring. But they have it 100 percent back asswards as to why. It’s not because they fear taxation. Hell, most corporations effectively pay no taxes at all . It’s because THERE’S NO DEMAND FROM CONSUMERS . These perennially wrong supply-siders are missing that this uncertainty is stemming from the demand side: People don’t know if they’ll be employed next year. People are living with upside down mortgages. Their real wages have remained stagnant, unlike these CEOs and hedge fund managers. In short, consumers are nervous and unwilling to spend money they think they might need for the rainy days ahead. And the Republicans in Congress, with their obstructions and filibusters and holding the country and economy hostage for partisan gain, THEY’RE the ones creating the uncertainty. But we’re not going to see that truth on the Sunday shows.
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