UN votes to continue Afghan aid mission
The UN security council has voted unanimously to extend a mission in Afghanistan for a year to lead international civilian efforts to provide aid, promote reconstruction, combat corruption and help improve civilian-military co-operation.
Solitary confinement in US prisons making thousands psychotic
The United States today is housing tens of thousands of inmates in long-term solitary confinement, a form of numbing mental torture that drives about one-third of them psychotic, induces irrational anger in 90 percent, and ups the likelihood they will commit violent crimes upon release.
Hero pilot tells Congress how airline cut pay, axed pension
The veteran pilot who saved everyone on board when he glided his crippled plane to a splash landing in the Hudson River last year told Congress, March 24, severe pay cuts are forcing experienced pilots and crew out of the cockpits and into other careers.
Obama admin. moves to curb mountaintop mining impacts
With massive water pollution from coal mining practices much in the news in recent months, the Obama administration this week ordered the US Army Corps of Engineers to scrutinize coal mining practices such as mountaintop mining.
Veils of secrecy lifting in Washington
NEW YORK, Mar 23 (IPS) - As President Barack Obama’s Justice Department issued sweeping new guidelines to reverse the secrecy policies of former president George W. Bush, a federal judge ordered the Central Intelligence Agency to produce unedited summaries of some 3,000 documents related to its admitted destruction of 92 videotapes of prisoners being subjected to extremely harsh interrogation techniques.
Inside & outside NE health summit: Hundreds demand fundamental reform
BURLINGTON, Vt. — Two different groups of people gathered here March 17 to talk about solving the health care crisis. Inside the Davis Center at the University of Vermont were some 400 people invited to the White House Northeast Regional Forum on Health Reform, hosted by Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts and Republican Gov. Jim Douglas of Vermont.
Preserving health after organ transplants
Since the end of the 2008 season, Halas Hall has seen its share of new team members roaming the hallways from offensive lineman Frank Omi and free safety Josh Bullocks to returning player, Kevin Jones. I am looking forward to when we’ll all be back on the field to begin our training for the upcoming football season and hopefully Super Bowl XLIV.
Tucker Carlson's jerk store
In the Seinfeld episode 'The Comeback,' George Costanza is embarrassed by his inability to think of a response to a co-worker who made fun of his overconsumption of shrimp cocktail by saying, 'Hey George, the ocean called. They're running out of shrimp.' George later thinks up what he believes is the ideal comeback, 'Well, the Jerk Store called, and they're running out of you,' and becomes obsessed with gaining an opportunity to use the line, eventually flying to Ohio in order to do so.
An American outrage: Bernie, AIG, and us
There have now been more than 4,000 deaths and 30,000 casualties of American military in the war in Iraq. More than 100,000 Iraqis and others, most of them civilian, have also been killed in what is now known to be an unnecessary war. But, we as a nation are not outraged.
Latino Fest in the Fray of Pop Culture's Lucha Libre
SAN DIEGO, California, Mar 22 (IPS) - The San Diego Latino Film Festival is perhaps the biggest little film festival most people outside of Southern California have never heard of.
