UPI:Pakistani Army Takes Back Biggest City in Swat Valley.

Pakistani officials said on Saturday that they had retaken the biggest city in Swat Valley, Mingora, from the Taliban; after fierce fighting during a month-long offensive. Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis for the 2.5 Millions displaced civilian refugees from the Swat Valley continues.

Click on title to read the UPI story.

Reuters:Gates Says US Will Not Accept a Nuclear North Korea.

US Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, warns that the United States would not accept North Korea, and that the growing threat could trigger a nuclear arms race in Asia.

Click on the title to read the Reuters' story.

Putin as a Pundit:: "Why is it hard to fire people?"

Russia's strong man & Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has many talents: He is a black belt in Judo, an ex-KGB colonel, a painter & a skilled fisherman. He can now add another feather to his cap: He has just tried his hand at writing. For the first time in his career, the politician wrote a column for the new glossy & trendy Russian magazine; the Russian Pioneer.

To read article click on this post title.

NPR: Exclusive Interview With General Petraeus.

General Petraeus commands US forces in Iraq & Afghanistan. He talks with NPR about the challenges ahead.....

Click on title to go to the link.

CNN:Obama announced Cyber Czar Position.

President Obama announced on Friday the creation of a "Cyber Czar " position. This person will coordinate efforts to protect government & private computers systems from hackers, criminal gangs, terrorists & spies. Some groups are already raising concerns that it could be yet another way to control activities on the web.

To read the CNN report click on the title.

Delinquent Mortgages and Foreclosures Hit Record High.

The number of borrowers, either in foreclosure or delinquent on their mortgages, has reached the alarming record level of 12 %, according to data just released today.

To read story click on the title.

Roxana Saberi Talks About Her Imprisonment in Iran.

Journalist Roxana Saberi was just released from Iranian prison. This is her first, in depth, exclusive interview on NPR about her ordeal.

Click on the title to link on the story.

Torture Photos Show Rape and Sexual Abuse in Iraq Jails.

The torture photographs that Obama does not want released, apparently contain graphic images of rapes & detainees' sexual abuses. The story first appears in the British press and was picked up by Reuters.

Click on the title to read the story.

AP: Car Bombing Kills Scores of People in Pakistan.

A car bomb was detonated near a police and intelligence agency (ISI) offices. It killed about 30 people and wounded a least 300. Pakistani officials said the attack is a retaliation from the Taliban for the Pakistani army's offensive in the Swat Valley....

To read the AP article, please click on the title.

Judge Sotomayor Nomination: A Very Smart Political Move.

By clicking on the title you will go to today's official press release from the White House.

President Obama made a very smart choice today in his nomination for the Supreme Court.For three reasons.

First, the gender issue:The nomination of a woman was expected by most reporters, the Supreme Court will have two women again. It is still a tilted gender representation, but anything help.

Second, the fact that the Judge is a Latina is a fantastic political move:It will help greatly Obama & the Democrats in extending an even greater support within Hispanics. Latino are, by far, the fastest growing demographic group in America. This additional support from Latinos could literally give the Democrats a permanent majority.

Third, and this probably the strongest argument: Judge Sotomayor remarkable life story offers a great narrative. It is a life story very similar to the one of president Obama himself. She was raised in the South Bronx by her widow Puerto-Rican mother. She succeeded against all odds due to her hard work and great intellectual abilities.

Just like Obama, she is the living proof that ,in America, anything is still possible. In this period of crisis it is a good message to send.

Did Digg Just Committed Social Network Suicide?

People who owns social networking sites are delusional if they don't realize that the most valuable assets are the users. The users are the one bringing a vast amount of content free of charge, and doing so increase the traffic on the sites making it a good prospect for advertisers.

Digg could claim to be the best social networking site for news & politics, up until to day that is. It had 3 features that made the discussions from all across the political spectrum and from all over the world more lively and urgent than anywhere else on the web.

One key feature remains: The front page one. It allows content to go "viral". The two other ones, scrapped by Digg today, were the "shout it " feature and the "Blog it " feature. The 1st one had the great advantage to let you share immediately a story link with your mutual friends, the 2ND one was useful for bloggers to post a link on their own blog.

Active Digg users will have to use other social networking sites (namely Facebook & Twitter) or email to connect with their friends on Digg. It will have the effect to give a serious blow to a burgeoning community.

This absurd business decision only make sense if Digg is in negotiations with either Facebook or Twitter, and one of the condition of the sale deal is for Digg to kill some of its unique features.

What social networking sites should keep in mind in that their only valuable assets are users,nothing more and nothing else.

I would not be surprised if Digg put back the features very soon once traffic on the site go down to a trickle.

CNN: Iranians Regain Access to Facebook and Twitter.

The social networking sites were back for Iranians on Tuesday, a day after the Iranian government banned access to them...

To read story click on the title.

AP:California Supreme Court upholds gay marriage ban.

California Supreme Court upholds proposition 8. However, the marriages that already took place will remain legal....

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NPR:Obama Nominates Sotomayor For Supreme Court.

President Obama nominated the New York federal appeals court judge as the first Hispanic to serve on the Supreme Court. The president made the announcement Tuesday morning....

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Suu Kyi's Trial May Further Isolate Burma.

BANGKOK, May 25 -- The decision by Burma's government to put Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader and Nobel Peace laureate, on trial has chilled relations with some of the ruling military junta's traditional allies and made it less like likely that international sanctions against the nation will be lifted.....

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No way to "win" in Afghanistan

Gareth Porter, investigative historian and journalist, speaks to Paul Jay about the war in Afghanistan and Obama's recent appointment of Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal to replace General McKiernan as the US commander in Afghanistan. Porter says the McChrystal appointment won’t fulfill Obama’s supposed intention of investing in a civilian surge that

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CNN:Thousands Flee Life Made 'Worse than Hell' in Pakistan.

Young and old, poor and prosperous, sick and healthy; residents of Pakistan's Swat Valley continue to flee the violence that has erupted there as the military clashes with the Taliban....

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Shhhhhh…It’s Still a (State) Secret

In the same week as President Obama was arguing for more transparency in government and railing against the idea of protecting information “merely because it reveals the violation of a law or embarrasses the government” – he was invoking it yet again.

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NPR:Money To Run, But No Skills To Hide.

"Executive fugitives" are leaders of industry and finance toppled by the economic crisis and, often, their own greed. Facing financial ruin and even worse; prison, they decide to make a run for it. But these days, officials say, life on the run isn't that easy, even with a suitcase full of cash.

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On Torture, War, & Detention, Obama no different than Bush

Obama at this point, by covering up for official torture, and by signing on to and expanding the war in Afghanistan, and agreeing to indefinite detention of terrorist suspects, is dooming his presidency. Obama is further staining the reputation of the US, & furthering the decline of this country that was set in motion by his predecessors.

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Meet the Puppet Master: Zbigniew Brzezinski

Obama puppetmaster, Zbigniew Brzezinski, interspersed with quotes taken directly from Brzezinski's books.

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Military Draft:The Way Out Of War Mongering Policies.

Last week the Senate voted to approve the astronomical war supplemental(for Iraq & Afghanistan) bill at a cost of $91.3 Billion. 86 Senators voted for it, only 3 opposed the bill. If we had a draft, and their sons & daughters could be send to war, I think the war mongering fervor of US politicians would considerably cool off......

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Biden's Lebanon Trip Sparks Charge of Interference

Vice President Joe Biden reinforces U.S. support for Lebanon's government ahead of key parliamentary elections. Hezbollah has accused Washington of trying to influence the June 7 election and says visits by White House officials raised "strong suspicion and amounted to a clear and detailed interference in Lebanon's affairs."

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Iraq:As US prepares to withdraw,Sunnis Prepare For Battle.

"There will be a war in Baghdad, it will burn" warns a Sunni resistance leader.Sunnis are bitter about the lack of progress and concessions from the Shiite controlled government since laying down their arms. Is Iraq on the brink of an all out civil war?

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Facebook User:"Telling Dick Cheney To Shut The Hell up."

This Facebook user ( Telling Dick Cheney to shut the hell up) joined the social network 3 days ago. In 3 days, 82,074 users have become his/her fans. From the 2 posts the user got 1,510 comments on one & 885 on the other one. This incredible amount of activity proves how much Dick Cheney is still the left favorite punching bag.....

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History, culture and exile: Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan

The number of Sikhs & Hindus in Afghanistan is unknown; estimates range from 2-3000. There were high hopes when the Taliban regime was toppled, and there was a window of opportunity for a better Afghanistan to be built. That window has proved to be a false dawn, and Afghanistan has fallen back into armed warlordism and tribal conflict.

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Military Draft:The Way Out Of War Mongering Policies.

Photographs by Gilbert Mercier
All Rights Reserved.

America has been at war for the past 8 years. We have currently 2 wars ( 3 if you count Pakistan) going on, yet most Americans have not been asked for any personal sacrifice to this war effort.

Americans seem to be a lot more interested in mindless distractions such as American Idols or sports as opposed to what truly matter: Why are we fighting so many conflicts with such a heavy toll in human life and at an unbearable cost for a nation in financial crisis?

George W. Bush called himself a "war president " as many times as possible to justify countless quasi dictatorial actions to govern in secrecy, spy on the American people & "legally " torture prisoners detained in US custody. Yet, the very same George W. Bush, and his VP Dick Cheney, when given the opportunity to do their duty & serve their country in Vietnam acted like the cowards they truly are. Bush's father used his political influence to make sure that George junior would not be deployed in Vietnam. Dick Cheney was a 5 times draft dodger.

It seems pretty obvious that the Vietnam war would have dragged on for a lot longer without the draft. It certainly motivated the anti-war movement in America at the time.

Very few countries still have a military draft; among them Russia & Israel. France had a draft up until the 90's. I served in the French military, and my experience made me realized that the military was even worse than what I thought before being drafted. The experience turned me into a peace activist for life. Most armies operate the very same way: At first the hierarchy brakes your will power to make sure you will never put orders into question no matter how absurd and/or criminal they might be.

Obama is yet another "war president " assuming the role of Commander in Chief with absolutely no personal military experience. In football, Obama would be the very definition of an armchair quarterback. Yet, it does not seem to bother anyone in America. Americans are under the false and very dangerous impression that wars should be handled by professionals military men. This is the best way to have endless conflicts for one simple reason: Military men only understand military solutions and certainly not political ones.

It seems paradoxical, but I think that the only way to break with the vicious logic of permanent warfare is to institute a mandatory draft. Unlike the one during the Vietnam-era it should be across board ( for men & women) with no exception. We could have 2 options: A two years tour of duty if serving in the military or three years if serving in civilian capacities.

Last week the Senate voted for an astronomical supplemental bill ( money we currently don't have) to fund the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan. The amount was $ 91.3 Billion, only 3 Senators opposed the bill ( Coburn, Feingold, Sanders), 86 Senators approved the bill with enthusiasm. What I can guarantee, if we had a draft and their sons & daughters could be send to war, is that it's likely that the bill would not have passed.

Cato Inst:Bush Paved The Way For Obama's Imperial Presidency

Gene Healy is a VP at the Cato Institute & the author of "The cult of the presidency:America's dangerous devotion to executive power". He writes:"On the campaign trail, in 2008, Obama promised that he'd take a different approach to presidential power. Last week, he faced his first serious test of whether he meant what he said. He failed......

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The Cheney Fallacy & Obama's New " War On Terror".

Cheney says that Obama's reversal of Bush-era terrorism policies endangers American security.However, there is a big problem with Cheney's criticisms: His premise is largely wrong.Obama has copied most of the Bush program even extending some of it.....

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The CIA and Its History of Bamboozling The Congress

here is a long and substantiated record of CIA deceit and dissembling to the congressional intelligence committees. The CIA lied to Senator Dick Clark, who was a critic of the Agency’s illegal collaborations with South Africa against Angola and Mozambique. Cheney and Rumsfeld worked with the CIA to create phony intel to send covert arms to Angola.

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Anarchy is Coming to America

With massive government debasing of the fiat U.S. Dollar, with mounting decades of hypermilitarism, with the destabilising effects of ever more central planning, could the statist American Empire collapse within the next four years? And if it does, how will citizens cope?

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Lebanon-Biden:"US To Base Aid on Election Outcome."

Joe Biden is in Beirut ahead of a key election that could see Hezbollah seize a majority in parliament. Biden said that the US would assess future aid to Lebanon based on the new government policies.This statement seems to be a blatant effort to influence the outcome of the elections....

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Wealth:Only Mexico & Russia More Unequal Than America.

The wealthy are also feeling the pinch of the global recession. The extremes of wealth in the US & Britain had reached level not seen since the 1920's.The gains from recent economic growth flowed disproportionately to the wealthy.The top 10% earners received the vast majority of the growth of 1996-2005.It is not sustainable in the long run....

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AP-Obama Keeps Mum About Conversation With George W. Bush.

Obama said in an interview with C-Span, to be aired today, that he spoke with George W. Bush since he became president. He didn't want to elaborate on the details. Is he seeking advises from Bush?

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Afghanistan:US Commander Pakistan Warning.

Admiral Mullen warns that the troop surge is likely to push some Taliban out of Afghanistan in to Pakistan, and further destabilized the situation there....

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Pakistan Claims More Gains Against The Taliban.

A top Pakistani general said Friday that the military has succeeded in clearing two militant strongholds in upper parts of the contested Swat Valley......

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AP-To Cover Both Wars, Senate Passes $91.3 Billion Bill.

Senate approves Obama war funding request.....

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Obama, Cheney Face Off On Torture

In dramatic, back-to-back speeches, the president repudiated the Bush administration for choosing "expedience" over the rule of law. The former VP, meanwhile, warned that Obama's efforts to find "middle ground" would leave the country exposed to attack.....

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NOLA Post Katrina in Photos: Slowly Coming Back to Life.

Today, Mayor Nagin stated that life in New-Orleans was back to normal. Well, the Big Easy still has some way to go even for a partial recovery. This is a visual testimony of the recovery process with the men & women trying to make it happen....

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NOLA Post Katrina in Photos: Slowly Coming Back to Life.

All Photographs by Gilbert Mercier.
All Rights Reserved.

ALCU- O’Reilly: The New Face of Stop-and-Frisk in New York.

Bill O'Reilly thinks it is absolutely fine to stop and frisk anyone in New-York, even when it is based on racial profiling.....

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CIA Backtracks On Reasons For Withholding Torture Tape Docs

Two weeks ago, the CIA said that it would not turn over documents to the ACLU related to the destruction of 92 interrogation videotapes because it would compromise the integrity of a special prosecutor’s criminal investigation into the matter. But on Monday, in a sudden reversal, the CIA withdrew that argument after a judge required an affidavit.

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NPR-Israel:West Bank Settlers Vow To Continue Building.

In an effort to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts, the Obama administration is calling for a halt to expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank. But settlers insist that diplomatic efforts won't deter them. And Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new government is not inclined to impose a moratorium....

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Scahill: KBR Got Bonuses for Work that Killed Soldiers

The Department of Defense paid former Halliburton subsidiary KBR more than $80 million in bonuses for contracts to install electrical wiring in Iraq. The award payments were for the very work that resulted in the electrocution deaths of US soldiers, according to Department of Defense documents revealed today in a Senate hearing.

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Climate Change: LA Fires Aftermath in Photographs-10/2007.

The entire South West of the United States is suffering alarming droughts since the last 6 years. Huge fires, especially in California, are occurring every years. A few weeks ago, it was in Santa Barbara. In October 2007, 3 fires burnt enormous stretch of forest & land in the north of Los Angeles , and in Malibu. The photos were taken in Malibu...

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Climate Change: LA Fires Aftermath in Photos 10/2007.

All Photographs by Gilbert Mercier
All Rights Reserved for All Media

The photographs were taken in October 2007, mainly in the Malibu area of Los Angeles. The people in the photographs were trying to gather memorabilia, including some half burned bible pages, from a little wooden church that was completely destroyed by the fire.

The complete South West of the United States is currently affected by a severe drought, most experts attribute it to climate change & global warming. In Los Angeles proper the situation is so critical that the department of water & power, in order to conserve water usage, has decided to impose a water usage restriction for outside watering with sprinkler system to two days a week.