Seems like this took a long time to get going, but:

Court hears Balkans genocide case
The first trial of a state charged with genocide has opened in The Hague, where Bosnia-Hercegovina will accuse Serbia and Montenegro of war crimes.
Bosnia says Belgrade was responsible for crimes of genocide on its territory during the early 1990s Bosnian war. Belgrade denies its intention was to wipe out Muslims in eastern Bosnia. The EU is also exerting pressure on Serbia, as foreign ministers threaten to freeze association talks unless it co-operates over war crimes suspects.

We saw it happening during the presidential campaign, now the federal government is seeing it.

From my AOL news. The link won’t work unless you are on AOL.

http://articles.news.aol.com/news/artic … 1&cid=2194

IRS Finds Churches, Charities Overstepping Into Politics
By MARY DALRYMPLE, AP

WASHINGTON (Feb. 25) - IRS exams found nearly three out of four churches, charities and other civic groups suspected of having violated restraints on political activity in the 2004 election actually did so, the agency said Friday.

Most of the examinations that have concluded found only a single, isolated incidence of prohibited campaign activity.

In three cases, however, the IRS uncovered violations egregious enough to recommend revoking the groups’ tax-exempt status.

The vast majority of charities and churches followed the law, but the examinations found a “disturbing” amount of political intervention in the 2004 elections, IRS Commissioner Mark Everson said.

“It’s disturbing not because it’s pervasive, but because it has the potential to really grow and have a very bad impact on the integrity of charities and churches ,” Everson said in an interview.

The tax agency looked only at charities, churches and other tax-exempt organizations referred to the IRS for potentially violating laws that bar them from participating in or intervening in elections, including advocating for or against any candidate.

Those referred to the IRS represent a tiny fraction of more than 1 million tax-exempt organizations organized under section 501(c)(3) of the tax law.

The IRS examined 110 organizations referred to the tax agency for potentially violations, and 28 cases remain open.

Among the 82 closed cases, the IRS found prohibited politicking and sent a written warning to 55 organizations and assessed a penalty tax against one group. Those organizations included 37 churches and 19 other organizations.

In the three additional cases in which the IRS recommended revoking tax-exempt status, none of the organizations were churches . The agency did not identify the three.

The IRS found tax violations unrelated to politics in five cases. Examinations of the 18 remaining groups did not turn up any wrongdoing.

In some cases, the IRS found flagrant violations of the law. In others, charities did not understand their obligations. Many activities fall into an ambiguous area that requires closer scrutiny of context and timing.

“There are very few places where you can draw bright lines,” Everson said. “People have to think about this.”

Among the prohibited activities, the examiners found that charities and churches had distributed printed material supporting a preferred candidate and assembled improper voter guides or candidate ratings.

Religious leaders had used the pulpit to endorse or oppose a particular candidate, and some groups had shown preferential treatment to candidates by letting them speak at functions.

Other charities and churches had made improper cash contributions to a candidate’s political campaign.

The IRS said the cases covered “the full spectrum” of political viewpoints.

The tax agency set up a task force in 2004 to review allegations of improper political activity. The special procedures, revealed shortly before the election, drew criticism from some tax-exempt groups.

An audit by Treasury Department inspectors found nothing inappropriate in the examinations, but it faulted the IRS for creating the appearance of political motivations by waiting too long to announce the project and contact organizations.

The IRS said it plans to continue using the task force, and its speedier procedures, for this year’s election and in the future. It also released detailed guidance to charities and churches about the prohibitions against political activities.

Take this one, science

‘Jurassic beaver’ turns theory on its tail

Thursday, February 23, 2006; Posted: 2:09 p.m. EST (19:09 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AP) — For years the mammals living in the era of dinosaurs have been thought of as tiny shrew-like creatures scurrying through the underbrush. Now the discovery of a furry aquatic creature with seal-like teeth and a flat tail like a beaver has demolished that image.

Some 164 million years ago the newly discovered mammal was swimming in lakes in what is now northern China, eating fish and living with dinosaurs.

“Its lifestyle was probably very similar to the modern day platypus,” Zhe-Xi Luo, curator of vertebrate paleontology at Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, said in a statement. “It probably lived along river or lake banks. It doggy-paddled around, ate aquatic animals and insects, and burrowed tunnels for its nest.”

DUBAI (Reuters) - An explosion rocked Saudi Arabia’s huge Abqaiq oil facility in the east of the kingdom on Friday and an official said Saudi forces had thwarted suicide bomb attacks against the world’s biggest oil exporter.

Oil jumped more than $2 (1.14 pounds) a barrel. Al Qaeda leaders have previously called for attacks on oil fields in Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally.

A security source said suicide bombers had tried to storm the facility in the mainly Shi’ite province, known locally as Baqiq, and site of one of Saudi Arabia’s main oilfields.

Posted by .

If possible, please click these sites daily.

Well all but one are democrats. I think this is going to be interesting to follow. Perhaps there is some light at the end of the tunnel. Swiftboaters get out of the way.

Now running for office: an army of Iraq veterans:
All but one of these 11 House hopefuls are in the Democratic Party.
By Linda Feldmann | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

WASHINGTON – They call themselves the Band of Brothers, about 50 men - and a few women - all Democrats, all opposed to the Bush administration’s handling of Iraq, and all military veterans.
One more thing: They’re all running for Congress this year.

Not since 1946 have so many vets from one party come together in a political campaign, they claim. Their wildest dream is to give the Democratic Party the extra edge it needs - by boosting its weak image on defense and patriotism - to end Republican control of the House.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0222/p01s03-uspo.html

Blast destroys Shiite shrine
EXPLOSION, CAR BOMBING FURTHER INCREASE FEARS OF SECTARIAN VIOLENCE

SAMARRA, Iraq (AP) - The U.S. military said a large explosion destroyed the golden dome of one of Iraq’s most famous Shiite religious shrines early today, sending protesters pouring into the streets.

Police believed there were victims buried under the debris but had no immediate casualty figures.

The blast occurred about 6:55 a.m. at Al-Askariyah Shrine, which contains the tombs of two revered Shiite imams, police Capt. Laith Mohammed said. It was the third major attack on a Shiite target in as many days after two deadly explosions in Shiite parts of Baghdad, raising fears of an escalation in sectarian violence.

Now this is interesting. The state of California can’t find medical professionals to administer lethal drugs as mandated by the recent court order.

California Postpones Execution Indefinitely

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — State officials on Tuesday postponed indefinitely the execution of a condemned killer, saying they could not comply with a judge’s order that a medical professional
administer the lethal injection.

Prison authorities called off the execution after failing to find a doctor, nurse, or other person licensed to inject medications to give a fatal dose of barbiturate, said Vernell Crittendon, a spokesman for San Quentin State Prison.

“We are unable to have a licensed medical professional come forward to inject the medication intravenously, causing the life to
end,” he said.

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/printfull … ryid=52328

Amid Condi Rice’s call for the Saudis to alienate Iran, and Israel’s seeming acceptance to support the new Hamas government, we have Iran saying that it will definitely support Palestine financially, Egypt who rejects the West’s opinions about the Hamas government, and Russia trying to pick up the scraps.

Meanwhile, fighting continues in parts of Africa, the caricature issue is still not settled, and Arabs are screaming racism as the US port issue seems to be making a ton of news.

Iran comes to Hamas’s aid, as Egypt refuses to back Washington

By Glenn Kessler in Cairo
February 23, 2006

TEHRAN: Iran has pledged to provide financial assistance to the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority following threats by Western nations to halt aid to a Hamas-controlled government.

“We will definitely provide financial aid to this government so that they can stand up against the oppression of America,” Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, was yesterday quoted as saying by the semi-official ISNA students’ news agency. He was speaking after a meeting with the Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal, who is touring regional countries in search of financial support.

Earlier, Egypt rejected US efforts to win its support for a clampdown on aid to the Palestinian Authority when Hamas - officially invited to form a government - takes power. It said the radical Islamic group should be given time to accept Israel.

Bush’s party doesn’t seem to stand by him lately.

I’m not concerned about an Arab company having this contract. I mentioned to my husband last night that I thought it should be a US company because a foreign company (any foreign company) may not have our best interests at heart (we have kinda pissed a lot of people off lately). But my husband pointed out that it isn’t a given that a US company would have our best interests at heart. Money is money no matter from where you hail.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1643569

GOP Governors, Lawmakers Oppose Port Deal
By WILL LESTER

WASHINGTON Feb 21, 2006 (AP)— Two Republican governors are threatening legal action to block an Arab company from taking over operations in major U.S. ports and some GOP lawmakers say the deal should be closely examined.

In the uneasy climate after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Bush administration decision to allow the transaction is threatening to develop a major political headache for the White House.

New York Gov. George Pataki and Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich on Monday voiced doubts about the acquisition of a British company that has been running six U.S. ports by Dubai Ports World, a state-owned business in the United Arab Emirates.

The British company, Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., runs major commercial operations at ports in Baltimore, Miami, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York and Philadelphia.

Both governors indicated they may try to cancel lease arrangements at ports in their states because of the DP World takeover.

Somali warlords battle Islamists

Clashes are going on for a fourth day in the heaviest fighting seen in the Somali capital for several years. Supporters of some of the city’s militia leaders have clashed with an armed Islamist group which is trying to establish law and order.

Nigerian militants step up attacks and threaten president
By Charles Pym in Lagos
(Filed: 21/02/2006)

Militia fighters carried out a series of fresh attacks on Nigeria’s oil installations yesterday, blowing up Shell Oil pipelines and a houseboat used by soldiers.

[. . .]

The latest round of attacks was triggered by army air raids on ethnic Ijaw villages last week, in which militants claim that more than 20 people were killed.

I found this in my AOL news today. It was reported in the New York Times. Bush is relying on a fiction writer to determine his views on global warming. Do you suppose he learned about dinosaurs from reading Jurassic Park

http://www.nytimes.com/glogin?URI=http: … a4Q3E8rQ2F

February 19, 2006
Bush’s Chat With Novelist Alarms Environmentalists
By MICHAEL JANOFSKY

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 — One of the perquisites of being president is the ability to have the author of a book you enjoyed pop into the White House for a chat.

Over the years, a number of writers have visited President Bush, including Natan Sharansky, Bernard Lewis and John Lewis Gaddis. And while the meetings are usually private, they rarely ruffle feathers.

Now, one has.

In his new book about Mr. Bush, “Rebel in Chief: Inside the Bold and Controversial Presidency of George W. Bush,” Fred Barnes recalls a visit to the White House last year by Michael Crichton, whose 2004 best-selling novel, “State of Fear,” suggests that global warming is an unproven theory and an overstated threat.

Mr. Barnes, who describes Mr. Bush as “a dissenter on the theory of global warming,” writes that the president “avidly read” the novel and met the author after Karl Rove, his chief political adviser, arranged it. He says Mr. Bush and his guest “talked for an hour and were in near-total agreement.”

“The visit was not made public for fear of outraging environmentalists all the more,” he adds.

And so it has, fueling a common perception among environmental groups that Mr. Crichton’s dismissal of global warming, coupled with his popularity as a novelist and screenwriter, has undermined efforts to pass legislation intended to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, a gas that leading scientists say causes climate change.

Mr. Crichton, whose views in “State of Fear” helped him win the American Association of Petroleum Geologists’ annual journalism award this month, has been a leading doubter of global warming and last September appeared before a Senate committee to argue that the supporting science was mixed, at best.

“This shows the president is more interested in science fiction than science,” Frank O’Donnell, president of Clean Air Watch, said after learning of the White House meeting. Mr. O’Donnell’s group monitors environmental policy.

“This administration has put no limit on global warming pollution and has consistently rebuffed any suggestion to do so,” he said.

Not so, according to the White House, which said Mr. Barnes’s book left a false impression of Mr. Bush’s views on global warming.

Michele St. Martin, a spokeswoman for the Council on Environmental Quality, a White House advisory agency, pointed to several speeches in which Mr. Bush had acknowledged the impact of global warming and the need to confront it, even if he questioned the degree to which humans contribute to it.
[/i]

http://www.ntvmsnbc.com/news/360498.asp

The Beiern prime minister in Germany wants this movie out of the movie theatres in Germany claiming that it is racist and anti-Western. Funny, I wonder where the free speech mantra comes in now.