*Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
Defying the Obama administration, the House Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to remove from the USA Patriot Act a tool for tracking non-U.S. citizens in anti-terrorism investigations. ... The legislation would allow the Patriot Act's never-used "lone wolf" section to expire at the end of the year. The provision permits the government to spy on non-Americans even when they're not linked to a recognized terrorist group. ... The House bill's also would:_Require the government, in requesting a roving wiretap, to demonstrate to a judge that the target is a single person. This would avoid a fishing expedition that could ensnare innocent people, supporters say._Require the government to produce more evidence to a court than currently needed, in order to obtain records from businesses, libraries and booksellers. An even higher standard would be needed for obtaining library and bookstore records._Set a December 2013 expiration for the roving wiretap and records seizure sections. Congress would have to revisit the legislation to keep those sections in force.
...
The legislation would allow the Patriot Act's never-used "lone wolf" section to expire at the end of the year. The provision permits the government to spy on non-Americans even when they're not linked to a recognized terrorist group.
The House bill's also would:
_Require the government, in requesting a roving wiretap, to demonstrate to a judge that the target is a single person. This would avoid a fishing expedition that could ensnare innocent people, supporters say.
_Require the government to produce more evidence to a court than currently needed, in order to obtain records from businesses, libraries and booksellers. An even higher standard would be needed for obtaining library and bookstore records.
_Set a December 2013 expiration for the roving wiretap and records seizure sections. Congress would have to revisit the legislation to keep those sections in force.
Hasan, a devout American-born Muslim, was shot several times in the aftermath of the rampage by a civilian police officer who was today being hailed as a hero. Mr Cone said Sgt Kimberly Munley and her partner responded to reported gunfire within three minutes. She then disabled the suspect despite being shot herself in the process. "It was an amazing and an aggressive performance by this police officer," the military spokesman said.Shortly before her arrival, Hasan - armed with two non-military issue pistols, including a semi-automatic - entered a section used to prepare soldiers for deployment overseas and started firing. Within minutes, 12 soldiers and a civilian at the base were dead or dying in the worst mass shooting yet at a military base in the US.
Hasan, a devout American-born Muslim, was shot several times in the aftermath of the rampage by a civilian police officer who was today being hailed as a hero.
Mr Cone said Sgt Kimberly Munley and her partner responded to reported gunfire within three minutes.
She then disabled the suspect despite being shot herself in the process.
"It was an amazing and an aggressive performance by this police officer," the military spokesman said.
Shortly before her arrival, Hasan - armed with two non-military issue pistols, including a semi-automatic - entered a section used to prepare soldiers for deployment overseas and started firing.
Within minutes, 12 soldiers and a civilian at the base were dead or dying in the worst mass shooting yet at a military base in the US.
Ultimately, what happened at Fort Hood had little to do with the 2007 debacle at Virginia Tech.
It has been reported, Hasan took his medical degree at USUHS, adjacent to the Naval Medical campus that is networked to Walter Reed facilities off- and on-site, all of which would be beneficiaries of Jackson Foundation funding and project management into mental health research. in particular.
To really know what happened to Hassan, we will have to know why he was being deployed to Iraq later this month, and whether he was to work with those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, as reported, or whether he was called upon instead to combine his considerable psychiatric expertise, eight years at Walter Reed, with his knowledge of Arabic to serve in an intelligence capacity.
Who are the other perps? Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
"Interesting" indeed is the "lone gunman" supposition intended to discredit further inquiry into "hate crime" complaints and criminal conspiracy of the first instance. It is so diabolical, it will work. Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
Defending Britain's mission in Afghanistan against waning public support, Brown admitted the government in Kabul had become a "by-word for corruption" -- and also pressed for more Afghan troops to bare the brunt of frontline action.He said he had spoken to the president, whose re-election was confirmed this week, several times in recent days and urged him to make progress on five key issues, from security to governance and economic development."If the government fails to meet these five tests, it will not only have failed its own people, it will have forfeited its right to international support," Brown said in a speech in London.
Defending Britain's mission in Afghanistan against waning public support, Brown admitted the government in Kabul had become a "by-word for corruption" -- and also pressed for more Afghan troops to bare the brunt of frontline action.
He said he had spoken to the president, whose re-election was confirmed this week, several times in recent days and urged him to make progress on five key issues, from security to governance and economic development.
"If the government fails to meet these five tests, it will not only have failed its own people, it will have forfeited its right to international support," Brown said in a speech in London.
Puppet, dance! *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
this "talking tough" is just domestic hot air. It doesn't just diminish the politicain who talks like this, eg JellyDave talking about hte EU this week, but it diminishes the UK by starkly underlining their utter powerlessness whilst they choose client status. keep to the Fen Causeway
The UN's nuclear watchdog has asked Iran to explain evidence suggesting that Iranian scientists have experimented with an advanced nuclear warhead design, the Guardian has learned.The very existence of the technology, known as a "two-point implosion" device, is officially secret in both the US and Britain, but according to previously unpublished documentation in a dossier compiled by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iranian scientists may have tested high-explosive components of the design. The development was today described by nuclear experts as "breathtaking" and has added urgency to the effort to find a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear crisis.The sophisticated technology, once mastered, allows for the production of smaller and simpler warheads than older models. It reduces the diameter of a warhead and makes it easier to put a nuclear warhead on a missile.
The UN's nuclear watchdog has asked Iran to explain evidence suggesting that Iranian scientists have experimented with an advanced nuclear warhead design, the Guardian has learned.
The very existence of the technology, known as a "two-point implosion" device, is officially secret in both the US and Britain, but according to previously unpublished documentation in a dossier compiled by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iranian scientists may have tested high-explosive components of the design. The development was today described by nuclear experts as "breathtaking" and has added urgency to the effort to find a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear crisis.
The sophisticated technology, once mastered, allows for the production of smaller and simpler warheads than older models. It reduces the diameter of a warhead and makes it easier to put a nuclear warhead on a missile.
Two-Point Detonation Linear Implosion The two ends of a cylinder, or an ovoid, could be driven toward each other to create a high-density sphere. This two-point detonation greatly reduced the diameter and the weight of the primary. A linear implosion allows for a low density, elongated non-spherical (football shaped) mass to be compressed into a supercritical configuration without using symmetric implosion designs. This assembly is accomplished by embedding an elliptical shaped mass in a cylinder of explosive. The explosive is detonated on both ends, and an inert wave shaping device is required in front of the detonation points. Extensive experimentation was needed to create a workable form, but this design enables the use of Plutonium as well as Uranium.
The two ends of a cylinder, or an ovoid, could be driven toward each other to create a high-density sphere. This two-point detonation greatly reduced the diameter and the weight of the primary.
A linear implosion allows for a low density, elongated non-spherical (football shaped) mass to be compressed into a supercritical configuration without using symmetric implosion designs. This assembly is accomplished by embedding an elliptical shaped mass in a cylinder of explosive. The explosive is detonated on both ends, and an inert wave shaping device is required in front of the detonation points. Extensive experimentation was needed to create a workable form, but this design enables the use of Plutonium as well as Uranium.
Reports say Saudi jets have pounded Shiite rebels camps in northern Yemen in retaliation for a rebel incursion across the border. Saudi ground troops are said to be gathering near the Yemeni border.
Jorge Reina, a negotiator for Zelaya, said the pact fell apart because congress failed to vote on whether to reinstate the deposed president before the deadline for forming the unity government.The pact did not require Zelaya's return to the presidency. It left the decision up to congress. Zelaya interpreted that to mean that congress had to vote on the issue by Thursday.Supporters of Micheletti disputed that, saying the pact required that members of the unity cabinet be in place by Thursday but that there was no deadline for congress to meet.
Jorge Reina, a negotiator for Zelaya, said the pact fell apart because congress failed to vote on whether to reinstate the deposed president before the deadline for forming the unity government.
The pact did not require Zelaya's return to the presidency. It left the decision up to congress. Zelaya interpreted that to mean that congress had to vote on the issue by Thursday.
Supporters of Micheletti disputed that, saying the pact required that members of the unity cabinet be in place by Thursday but that there was no deadline for congress to meet.
With U.S. fingerprints on the latest developments, Washington finds itself in a difficult situation. The United States--like most countries in the hemisphere--previously said it would not recognize the results of the November 29 election if carried out by the de facto government. However, U.S. officials indicated that they would recognize the elections with signature of the pact, even though it does not make Zelaya's reinstatement mandatory. "They are now, in fact, part of the problem. I think they may have put themselves in a bigger pickle than if they hadn't" played such a major diplomatic role, AS/COA's Christopher Sabatini told the Christian Science Monitor. In an interview with the Associated Press, a State Department spokeperson said the accord "is not dead, but maybe sleeping for the time being." He added that "[b]oth sides need to return to the table and negotiate the formation of a government of national unity." COA's Eric Farnsworth remarked that, should Washington fail to create a path to legitimacy for the elections, "[t]hen Honduras degenerates into perpetual political crisis, and that's the last thing Honduras needs."
In an interview with the Associated Press, a State Department spokeperson said the accord "is not dead, but maybe sleeping for the time being." He added that "[b]oth sides need to return to the table and negotiate the formation of a government of national unity." COA's Eric Farnsworth remarked that, should Washington fail to create a path to legitimacy for the elections, "[t]hen Honduras degenerates into perpetual political crisis, and that's the last thing Honduras needs."
There are 50 murders a day in South Africa, the host country of the 2010 football World Cup. And Brazil, host of both the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics, also suffers from extreme violence. With a view to the high-profile events, the two countries are now attempting to crack down on rampant crime -- and are using ruthless tactics to do so.
AFP - South Africa has cancelled a deal to buy eight Airbus A400M military transport planes due to hefty cost overruns and delivery delays, the government spokesman said Thursday."The cost escalation would have placed an unaffordable burden on the taxpayer at a time when the national fiscus (Treasury) is under pressure due to the economic downturn," government spokesman Themba Maseko said in a statement.
AFP - South Africa has cancelled a deal to buy eight Airbus A400M military transport planes due to hefty cost overruns and delivery delays, the government spokesman said Thursday.
"The cost escalation would have placed an unaffordable burden on the taxpayer at a time when the national fiscus (Treasury) is under pressure due to the economic downturn," government spokesman Themba Maseko said in a statement.
summit of southern African leaders ended late Thursday with Tsvangirai agreeing to end his three-week boycott of the government that he formed in February with veteran President Robert Mugabe. The summit gave the rival leaders 30 days to negotiate an end to their disputes, including a feud over key government appointments and the arrest and harassment of Tsvangirai loyalists. South Africa was tasked with evaluating Zimbabwe's progress and reporting back to the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the 15-nation bloc that acts as guarantor to the power-sharing deal.
The summit gave the rival leaders 30 days to negotiate an end to their disputes, including a feud over key government appointments and the arrest and harassment of Tsvangirai loyalists.
South Africa was tasked with evaluating Zimbabwe's progress and reporting back to the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the 15-nation bloc that acts as guarantor to the power-sharing deal.
KILLEEN, Tex. -- The police officer who brought down a gunman after he went on a shooting rampage at the Fort Hood Army base here was on the way to have her car repaired when she responded to a police radio report of gunfire at a center where soldiers are processed before being sent overseas, the authorities said Friday. As she pulled up to the center, the officer, Sgt. Kimberly Denise Munley, spotted the gunman, later identified as Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, brandishing a pistol and chasing a wounded soldier outside the building, said Chuck Medley, the director of emergency services at the base. Sergeant Munley -- a woman with a fierce love of hunting, surfing and other outdoor sports -- bolted from her car, yanked her pistol out and shot at Major Hasan. He turned on her and began to fire. She ran toward him, continuing to fire, and both she and Major Hasan went down with several bullet wounds, Mr. Medley said. Whether Sergeant Munley was solely responsible for taking down Major Hasan or whether he was also hit by gunfire from her partner is unclear, but she was the first to fire at him, the authorities said. Sergeant Munley, 34, is an expert in firearms and a member of the SWAT team for the civilian police department on the base, officials said. Mr. Medley said she had received specific training in a tactic called active shooter protocol, which was intended for this kind of situation.
As she pulled up to the center, the officer, Sgt. Kimberly Denise Munley, spotted the gunman, later identified as Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, brandishing a pistol and chasing a wounded soldier outside the building, said Chuck Medley, the director of emergency services at the base.
Sergeant Munley -- a woman with a fierce love of hunting, surfing and other outdoor sports -- bolted from her car, yanked her pistol out and shot at Major Hasan. He turned on her and began to fire. She ran toward him, continuing to fire, and both she and Major Hasan went down with several bullet wounds, Mr. Medley said.
Whether Sergeant Munley was solely responsible for taking down Major Hasan or whether he was also hit by gunfire from her partner is unclear, but she was the first to fire at him, the authorities said.
Sergeant Munley, 34, is an expert in firearms and a member of the SWAT team for the civilian police department on the base, officials said. Mr. Medley said she had received specific training in a tactic called active shooter protocol, which was intended for this kind of situation.
