9/11 Comm. says CIA tape destruction impeded probe; US army unit refused combat orders fearing their anger could lead to massacre...

22 December :: The two chairmen of the investigatory commission for the 9/11 attacks, Lee Hamilton and Thomas Kean, have said their review of classified evidence suggests the CIA made a concerted effort to "impede" the inquiry by hiding evidence of abusive interrogation techniques; according to Reuters, "Among statements that the memo suggested were misleading was a June 2004 assertion by John McLaughlin, deputy director of central intelligence, that the CIA had "taken and completed all reasonable steps necessary to find the documents in its possession, custody or control" in response to the panel's requests and "has produced or made available for review" all such documents"... Democracy Now reports "After an IED attack killed five more members of Charlie 1-26, members of 2nd Platoon gathered for a meeting and determined they could no longer function professionally. Several platoon members were afraid their anger could set loose a massacre"; the action is described as "mutiny", but framed as a responsible attempt to ensure that the revenge instinct not be permitted to filter into their battlefield performance, report based on a 4-part Army Times series, aimed at showing the war from the soldiers' perspective... "Secretive" Russian oil firm Gunvor denies Pres. Putin has any stake in its ownership, saying he is "not a beneficiary", that "None of the shares of this organisation are held by President Putin or anyone allied by him", though media reports suggest he may be hiding a $40 billion fortune; reports based on research by a Russian political analyst have suggested that a "non-transparent scheme of successive ownership of offshore companies and funds", leading to accounts in Switzerland and Lichtenstein, gives 75% ownership to Putin... Havana-based blogger sneaks critical articles onto restricted web through luxury hotel internet cafes, putting herself at risk of persecution, having to spend nearly a week's wages for the 30 minutes of access to post her stories... Guardian reporting that UK "Ministers have been instructed to factor into their calculations a notional 'carbon price' when making all policy and investment decisions covering transport, construction, housing, planning and energy"; move means global warming risk will be considered in long-term economic measures for UK gov't projects, for first time...

GOP lawmaker says intel. comm. probe of CIA tapes' destruction, will continue; UK study says consumer product chemicals may be mixing dangerously...

17 December :: Michigan Republican Peter Hoekstra, ranking GOP member of the House intelligence committee, has said the committee will pursue its investigation of the CIA's destruction of tapes of alleged torture; Hoekstra told the press it was important that there be accountability in the intelligence community, adding "The CIA did not tell us about the existence of these tapes. They did not tell us that they were going to be destroyed"; he also said he expected to issue subpoenas and that only after testimony had begun would the committee explore the possibility of offering immunity... New Scientist reports "A report by the UK's Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) says chemicals from consumer products and drugs could be breaking down and recombining into a harmful brew in water supplies"... Russian pres. Vladimir Putin has said he will accept the request to serve as ally/appointee Medvedev's PM, if the now-confirmed United Russia candidate should win presidency in March vote, as observers consider likely; NY Times reports the announcement "raised the prospect that at some point in Mr. Medvedev’s term, Mr. Medvedev could step down, which would propel Mr. Putin, as prime minister, back to the presidency. A special presidential election would then be held, in which Mr. Putin could run", though PM has far less power than president in Russian system, Putin has said he does not intend to seek to change the powers of either... UK Conservative party leader David Cameron has made a bold offer to the Liberal Democratic party and the Green party, calling for a "progressive alliance" to counter Brown's Labour party and push for comprehensive "decentralization" of the British system of government and public services... British troops have officially turned over control of Basra province, in southern Iraq, to Iraqi security forces, amid mounting violence and intense fighting among sectarian militia; ABC News reports "'The British legacy in Basra is criminal gangs, a corrupt and infiltrated police force, and borders open to all,' says a senior Iraqi Army official in the province, who spoke on condition of anonymity"...