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Sponsored: Afghan girls get acid in their faces, hit with poison gas
2 Jul 2009 at 8:37pm
Sponsored: Afghan girls get acid in their faces, hit with poison gas

Democracy Now!

Noam Chomsky on ?Crisis and Hope: Theirs and Ours?
by mail@democracynow.org (Democracy Now!)
3 Jul 2009 at 8:30am
Noam Chomsky, the MIT professor, author and dissident intellectual, just turned eighty years old this past December. He has written over 100 books, but despite being called "the most important intellectual alive" by the New York Times, he is rarely heard in the corporate media. We spend the hour with Noam Chomsky. He spoke recently here in New York at an event sponsored by the Brecht Forum. More than 2,000 people packed into Riverside Church in Harlem to hear his address, titled ?Crisis and Hope: Theirs and Ours.? In his talk, Chomsky discussed the global economic crisis, the environment, wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, resistance to American empire and much more. [includes rush transcript]
John Pilger Calls UK National Health Service a Treasure, Blasts US Lawmakers ...
by mail@democracynow.org (Democracy Now!)
2 Jul 2009 at 8:55am
We play an excerpt of an extended interview with Australian investigative journalist, John Pilger. Speaking about the US healthcare system, Pilger says, "What is it about US legislators that they appear to be so in bed with such powerful interests, such as the insurance companies, that they can't represent their own people's needs, their own people's basic human rights." [includes rush transcript]
Up in Smoke: How the Tobacco Industry Shaped the New Smoking Bill
by mail@democracynow.org (Democracy Now!)
2 Jul 2009 at 8:46am
President Obama signed into law a bill last week that gives the US government broad regulatory power over cigarettes and other tobacco products. Obama said the law would curb the ability of tobacco companies to market their products to children. But several public health professionals have come out strongly against the new legislation. They argue that it was largely shaped by Philip Morris, now called Altria Group, the largest cigarette company in the country. We speak with Dr. Joel Nitzkin, chair of the Tobacco Control Task Force of the American Association of Public Health Physicians. [includes rush transcript]
"Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford's Forgotten Jungle City"
by mail@democracynow.org (Democracy Now!)
2 Jul 2009 at 8:31am
We speak with NYU professor Greg Grandin about his new book, Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford's Forgotten Jungle City. The book tells the story of Henry Ford, the richest man in the world in the 1920s, and his attempt to build a rubber plantation and a miniature Midwest factory town deep in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon. [includes rush transcript]
Zelaya Vows to Return to Honduras Despite Threats of Arrest by Coup Leaders
by mail@democracynow.org (Democracy Now!)
2 Jul 2009 at 8:21am
The ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya has vowed to return to Honduras within the next few days in an attempt to reclaim power. Zelaya was forced out of office in a military coup d'etat on Sunday. He will reportedly return to Honduras accompanied by the OAS Secretary General, the presidents of Argentina and Ecuador, and the head of the UN General Assembly. But Roberto Micheletti, who was appointed interim leader by the Honduran congress, has given warning that Zelaya will be arrested should he return, regardless of who is traveling with him. We speak with Latin American historian Greg Grandin. [includes rush transcript]
Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire Speaks from Israeli Jail Cell After Arre...
by mail@democracynow.org (Democracy Now!)
2 Jul 2009 at 8:11am
Irish Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire speaks to us from her jail cell in Israel. She was taken into custody along with twenty others, including former US Congress member Cynthia McKinney, when the Israeli military boarded their ship in international waters as it tried to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. [includes rush transcript]
Headlines for July 2, 2009
by mail@democracynow.org (Democracy Now!)
2 Jul 2009 at 8:00am
US Forces Launch Major Afghan Offensive, Mullen: No Limit on US Troop Increase in Afghanistan, Senate Dems Revise Healthcare Proposal, Obama Holds Health Forum with Pre-Screened Audience, Lieberman Opposes Public Health Proposal, US Suspends Military Cooperation with Honduras, Iraqi Soldier Killed in Baghdad Bombing, Amnesty: Israel Committed "Wanton Destruction" of Gaza, Poll: Pakistanis Oppose US Attacks, Afghan Occupation, Morales: Bolivia Trade Suspension Shows Obama "Lied to Latin America", California Fiscal Crisis Intensifies, Staffer: SEC Officials Ignored Madoff Warnings, Obama Admin Accused of Relying on Torture-Induced Statements, Military Panel Urges Discharge for Gay Servicemember, Striking Workers Win Reinstatement, Back Pay, Hussein Stoked WMD Talk Out of Fear of Iran, Militants Capture US Soldier in Afghanistan
How Can We Have Sovereignty When We Don't Have Electricity or Water to Bathe?...
by mail@democracynow.org (Democracy Now!)
1 Jul 2009 at 8:45am
In Iraq, a deadly car bomb in the northern city of Kirkuk has killed up to forty people and injured another 100. Tuesday's bombing came hours after US troops withdrew from major Iraqi towns and cities, marring celebrations on a day that is now officially declared as "National Sovereignty Day," a public holiday. We go to Iraq to speak with Sahar Issa, an Iraqi reporter working with the Baghdad Bureau of McClatchy Newspapers. We also speak with investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill about his article, "Iraq's 'National Sovereignty Day' is US-Style Hallmark Hype." [includes rush transcript]

NYT > Politics

Another Example of the G.O.P. Split
by By SAM TANENHAUS
4 Jul 2009 at 7:16pm
Gov. Sarah Palin?s rise to the national ticket was itself the result of tension in the Republican Party.


Political Memo: If White House Is Her Goal, Palin?s Route Is Risky
by By ADAM NAGOURNEY
4 Jul 2009 at 7:18pm
Sarah Palin may be looking to the next few years to do what Nixon did to prepare for his successful run for the White House in 1968.


On the Hill: Boehner Reaches Into Bag of Tricks to Disrupt Democrats
by By CARL HULSE
4 Jul 2009 at 6:53pm
As the House Republican leader in a town again dominated by Democrats, the Ohioan is back to his old tricks.


Tax Bill Appeals Take Rising Toll on Governments
by By JACK HEALY
4 Jul 2009 at 7:19pm
Homeowners in the U.S. are challenging their property tax bills in droves as the value of their homes drop, threatening local governments with another big drain on their budgets.


Al Franken and the Odd Politics of Minnesota
by By DAVID CARR
4 Jul 2009 at 10:27am
Al Franken?s hard-won victory raises the question: What is up with Minnesota politics, anyway?


Youthful Ideals Shaped Obama Goal of Nuclear Disarmament
by By WILLIAM J. BROAD and DAVID E. SANGER
4 Jul 2009 at 4:35pm
President Obama is pushing for new global rules, treaties and alliances to establish a nuclear-free world, a vision he developed as a college student.


Reporter?s Notebook: In Iraq, Biden Paints a Holiday Ceremony With Colorful Talk
by By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
4 Jul 2009 at 7:12pm
Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. presided over a naturalization ceremony that included 12 soldiers from Iraq, and his blunt remarks.


Palin?s Move Shocks G.O.P. and Leaves Future Unclear
by By ADAM NAGOURNEY and JIM RUTENBERG
4 Jul 2009 at 10:28am
Gov. Sarah Palin?s move shocked Republicans and fueled renewed speculation about her presidential ambitions and criticism of her political competence.

NYT > Opinion

Op-Ed Columnist: Behind the Facade
by By BOB HERBERT
4 Jul 2009 at 1:04am
In many ways society has descended into a Michael Jackson-esque fantasyland, trying to leave the limits and obligations of the real world behind.


Op-Ed Columnist: Sarah?s Straight Talk
by By GAIL COLLINS
4 Jul 2009 at 1:04am
The timing of Sarah Palin?s resignation was extremely peculiar. You?d have thought she didn?t want us to notice.


Op-Ed Contributor: We the Bachelors
by By JOHN G. McCURDY
4 Jul 2009 at 1:05am
During the revolution, our unmarried founders fought for independence and for their equality.


Editorial: Mr. Obama and Mr. Medvedev
4 Jul 2009 at 5:43am
President Obama must find a balance that allows him to enlist Russia?s support on international issues without endorsing its anti-democratic behavior.


Editorial: Let Them Run
4 Jul 2009 at 1:03am
For the voters? sake, the Obama administration should not be trying to stop candidates from challenging Kirsten Gillibrand in the Democratic primary of the New York Senate race.


Editorial: 10 Years, 430 Dams
4 Jul 2009 at 1:03am
Following the success of a decade-old campaign to improve water quality and fish species, the West Coast?s four big dams on the Lower Snake River should be removed.


Editorial: A Fresh Fourth
4 Jul 2009 at 1:04am
Since there is no proper ceremony for observing the Fourth of July, it?s left to each of us to decide how to reflect on the meaning of freedom.


Happy Days: Once Upon a Time in the Bronx
by By RICHARD CONNIFF
1 Jul 2009 at 10:53pm
One family's true tales from a house on Webster Avenue bring pride, pleasure and a visit from Legs Diamond.

NYT > U.S.

Pain Spreads as Credit Vise Grows Tighter
by By LOUIS UCHITELLE
19 Sep 2008 at 8:43am
Lenders have become even less willing to part with their money, further crimping budgets and family spending.


For Rivals, Finance Crisis Is Posing on-the-Fly Tests
by By JACKIE CALMES and JEFF ZELENY
19 Sep 2008 at 7:44am
The presidential race has turned into an audition for who could best handle a national economic emergency.


Drug Label, Maimed Patient and Test for Court
by By ADAM LIPTAK
19 Sep 2008 at 8:39am
At issue is whether plaintiffs have the right to sue when the products that hurt them had met federal standards.


After Impasse, New California Budget Agreement
by By JENNIFER STEINHAUER
19 Sep 2008 at 4:20am
California legislative leaders and the governor have come to an agreement on the state budget, which is now roughly three months late.


California Bans Texting by Operators of Trains
by By JESSE McKINLEY and MATTHEW L. WALD
19 Sep 2008 at 3:01am
After investigators said an engineer in last week?s collision had been texting on the job, regulators temporarily banned the use of all cellular devices by anyone at the controls of a moving train.


Political Memo: Given G.O.P. Predicament, Rangel Opts to Ride Out the Storm
by By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN
19 Sep 2008 at 4:09am
Democrats believe that a long list of Republican lawmakers with legal troubles makes it impossible for Republicans to gain much ground on the issues of ethics and good government.


Panel Proposes Broad Changes in Federal Financial Aid for College
by By TAMAR LEWIN
19 Sep 2008 at 3:09am
The recommendations included a simpler application, Pell grant maximums linked to the consumer price index and federally financed college savings accounts for children in low-income families.


Chicago Unveils Multifaceted Plan to Curb Emissions of Heat-Trapping Gases
by By DIRK JOHNSON
19 Sep 2008 at 3:18am
The blueprint would change the city?s building codes to promote energy efficiency, and it calls for installing huge solar panels at municipal properties and building alternative fueling stations.

NYT > World

Youthful Ideals Shaped Obama Goal of Nuclear Disarmament
by By WILLIAM J. BROAD and DAVID E. SANGER
4 Jul 2009 at 7:28pm
President Obama is pushing for new global rules, treaties and alliances to establish a nuclear-free world, a vision he developed as a college student.
Weary of War, Young Afghans Pay for an Exit
by By ADAM B. ELLICK
4 Jul 2009 at 7:07pm
Young Afghans are abandoning their country, frustrated by endless war, a lack of prospects and the slow pace of change.
Honduras Withdraws From Group of Nations
by By MARC LACEY
4 Jul 2009 at 2:47pm
Honduras withdrew from the Organization of American States before that organization could oust it over a military coup.
U.S. Condemns North Korean Missile Tests
by By CHOE SANG-HUN
4 Jul 2009 at 5:37pm
South Korea and Japan also condemned the barrage of short-range missiles fired by the North, while Russia and China called for calm.
Russia to Open Airspace to U.S. for Afghan War
by By PETER BAKER
4 Jul 2009 at 11:12am
The move is one of the most concrete achievements in the effort to rebuild strained U.S.-Russian relations.
Facing a Crisis, Aborigines Stage Interventions of Their Own
by By NORIMITSU ONISHI
4 Jul 2009 at 7:05pm
Increasingly, indigenous communities in the Australian outback are restricting alcohol to reverse the effects of a drinking culture that has led to widespread alcoholism, violence and child abuse.
Iraqi Seizes the Chance to Make War Profitable
by By MARC SANTORA
4 Jul 2009 at 7:02pm
A once-struggling Iraqi has become rich by working with Americans first as an interpreter and then on construction projects.
Attack in Pakistani Garrison City Raises Anxiety About Safety of Nuclear Labs...
by By SALMAN MASOOD
4 Jul 2009 at 2:47pm
A suicide attack in Rawalpindi on Thursday was the first singling out workers of Pakistan?s prized nuclear labs, military analysts and newspapers said.

NYT > Business

Tax Bill Appeals Take Rising Toll on Governments
by By JACK HEALY
4 Jul 2009 at 3:14pm
Homeowners in the U.S. are challenging their property tax bills in droves as the value of their homes drop, threatening local governments with another big drain on their budgets.


Spinning the Web: P.R. in Silicon Valley
by By CLAIRE CAIN MILLER
4 Jul 2009 at 5:50pm
P.R. gurus are courting influential voices on services like Twitter to endorse new companies, Web sites or gadgets, perhaps forever altering their roles.


Were They Just Paper Airplanes?
by By JONATHAN D. GLATER
4 Jul 2009 at 1:20pm
Students took out loans to attend a flight school that later collapsed. Then they pooled resources and hired a lawyer.


The Count: Hope and Peril After an Escape From the Cubicle
by By PHYLLIS KORKKI
4 Jul 2009 at 6:26pm
A yearning for independence simmers in the heart of many a 9-to-5er, but being your own boss comes with a major amount of risk.


Ping: We Rent Movies, So Why Not Textbooks?
by By MIGUEL HELFT
4 Jul 2009 at 2:54pm
Chegg.com, which rents textbooks to college students, says it had 2008 revenue of more than $10 million.


That Long, Long Road From Idea to Success
by By VINDU GOEL
4 Jul 2009 at 6:01pm
Four years after it was founded, GreenPrint Technologies has struggled to sell corporations on its software that saves printing expenses.


Economic View: Mortgages Made Simpler
by By RICHARD THALER
4 Jul 2009 at 2:36pm
Obama administration proposals would require financial institutions to offer ?plain vanilla? mortgages that even the most unsophisticated borrowers can understand.


Fundamentally: A U-Turn on Market Risk
by By PAUL J. LIM
4 Jul 2009 at 1:28pm
After spending most of 2008 and the first quarter of this year fleeing from volatile areas of the market, investors are now racing toward them.

TheStar.com - From the Editorial page

For public debate on auto insurance
4 Jul 2009 at 4:30am
Auto insurers in Ontario are going through a rough patch. They paid out $390 million more last year in claims and expenses than they took in on premiums. So drivers who paid on average $1,344 per vehicle last year could face stiff premium hikes this year and next unless costs are brought down.
Post-strike windfall?
4 Jul 2009 at 4:30am
Evidently following the example set by strike-bound Windsor, Mayor David Miller has declared that Toronto, too, might compensate residents for services lost due to a walkout. "We can't look at that in detail until the strike is over and we assess everything," Miller told reporters yesterday. "But the basic answer is, yes, that will be considered."
A call for reform of credit card fees
3 Jul 2009 at 4:30am
A Senate committee has made some sensible recommendations about credit cards.
Council's weak excuses
3 Jul 2009 at 4:30am
Armed with excuses ranging from the puzzling to the absurd, most Toronto city councillors are still stubbornly clinging to their much-criticized 2.42 per cent pay hike. The hypocrisy of taking that increase ? even as the city froze the salaries of its non-union staff and demanded restraint from unionized workers ? has fuelled tensions in a bitter strike that is now dragging into its 12th day. For the sake of progress in the labour dispute, these excuses need to end.
Time to reform municipal voting
2 Jul 2009 at 4:30am
If fair elections are the hallmark of democracy, municipal races in Ontario scarcely count.

Japan's visiting royals
2 Jul 2009 at 4:30am
Despite some "severely cold weather," Crown Prince Akihito of Japan seemed to enjoy his first trip to Canada as a young man of 19 more than a half-century ago.

Whither Canada, 142 years on?
1 Jul 2009 at 4:30am
Canada today is vastly different from the country that came into being in 1867. We are ten times the size in population, with six more provinces, not to mention three territories. We have evolved into a multicultural mosaic, whereas in 1867 Canada was overwhelmingly made up of people from the British Isles and France. And we are a decidedly urban society now, as opposed to largely rural back then.
Let's try Internet voting
1 Jul 2009 at 4:30am
We can file taxes, do our banking and get a plane ticket through the Internet. Is it now time to add voting to that list?

News Top Stories

Canadian soldier begins final journey home
4 Jul 2009 at 1:32pm
One of the troops injured in the blast that killed a Canadian comrade watched from a wheelchair today as hundreds of his fellow soldiers gathered to say goodbye to Cpl. Nick Bulger.
Green bins: A wasted effort?
4 Jul 2009 at 4:30am
The City of Toronto boasts that its green bin program diverts a third of our garbage and turns it into "black gold" compost. But a Star investigation shows that the program ? although nobly conceived ? is a sham.
The last day of rehab
4 Jul 2009 at 4:30am
We follow five women who completed an intensive drug-addiction program. Their odds of success are not great.
Palin's resignation shakes up U.S. politics
4 Jul 2009 at 4:30am
Sarah Palin's stunning announcement yesterday that she's stepping down as Alaska governor, presumably to focus on a rumoured presidential run in 2012, is sure to renew heated national debate about her capabilities, feminism and the future of conservatism in the United States.
Street festivals shut down major roadways
4 Jul 2009 at 4:30am
A couple of street festivals are expected to shut down major roadways this weekend.

Upside Down World

Honduras: Regime Faces International Isolation
1 Jul 2009 at 3:41am
In the midst of the international isolation faced by the new government named by the Honduran Congress to replace President...
Showdown in Honduras: The Rise, Repression and Uncertain Future of the Coup
29 Jun 2009 at 11:30am
Worldwide condemnation has followed the coup that unseated President Manuel Zelaya of Honduras on Sunday, June 28. Nation-wide mobilizations and...
Honduras: Old Coup Strategy, Different Stage
29 Jun 2009 at 4:54am
The Presidential residence is surrounded; the president is kidnapped and flown out of the country. Thousands take to the streets,...
Honduras: President Overthrown in Military Coup
28 Jun 2009 at 9:56am
A group of at least 100 soldiers surrounded the residence of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya early Sunday morning, hauled him out of...
Military Coup Underway in Honduras
28 Jun 2009 at 9:40am
Troops have arrested President Manuel Zelaya this morning, the day that Hondurans were to vote in a referendum to change the constitution...

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