Gen. Sanchez says Iraq war planning "catastrophically flawed"; Gen. Clark says Pentagon planned to attack "7 countries in 5 years"...

13 October :: Fmr commander of US forces in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, yesterday declared the war plan "catastrophically flawed", said the soldiers on the ground and Iraqi civilians are "living a nightmare with no end in sight", and added that "The administration, Congress and the entire interagency, especially the State Department, must shoulder the responsibility for this catastrophic failure, and the American people must hold them accountable"; criticism is significant because Sanchez is attacking the very plan he was ordered to execute while in command as the insurgency burst forth and Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal surfaced... A passage in Gen. Wesley Clark's new book says that Pentagon insiders informed him in Sept. 2001 that Defense Dept. was planning to impose "regime change" in "seven countries in five years" across the Middle East, that Iraq was only one part of the long-term strategy; Clark was Supreme Allied Commander for NATO forces in 1990s Balkan war... GAO has reported FCC has violated rules governing its regulatory enforcement powers, leaked information to corporate interests prior to publishing it, possibly harming investigatory procedure; FCC ordered to follow rules, hold violators accountable... New York Post devotes front page above-fold to covering its own story from yesterday about naked man on Manhattan streets, ignores war, famine, climate change, Russia security talks, Pakistan vote, contractors thrown out of Afghanistan; owner Murdoch still negotiating takeover of Wall Street Journal, which he promises will not be subjected to tabloid-quality distortions...

UN Security Council unanimously 'deplores' Burma crackdown; Gore wins Nobel Peace Prize; Afghanistan closes 2 security firms, probing 10 more...

12 October :: UN Security Council passes unanimous non-binding declaration that it "strongly deplores" the violence used by Burma's military gov't against peaceful demonstrators; statement also calls for release of "all political prisoner and remaining detainees", as well as urging direct talks with opposition, pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, significant action to move Burma toward a lasting democratic process; statement is first ever Council action on Burma's military junta... Fmr US VP Al Gore and the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to raise global awareness of the climate change crisis; since spring 2007, Gore has won an Academy Award, an Emmy and now the Nobel, he said in response "We face a true planetary emergency. The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity", two advisers told the press the award does not make it more likely he will run for US presidency... CNN reported yesterday "Afghan authorities this week shut down two private security companies and said more than 10 others —some suspected of murder and robbery— would soon be closed, Afghan and Western officials said Thursday"; move comes amid growing concerns over role of private security firms in Iraq violence, UN urging US to investigate alleged crimes... Crude oil hits record high trading price of $84/barrell, just after noon New York time; cost for alternative fuels expected to drive adoption of new fuel sources, transport costs straining overall economic output... Russian Soyuz rocket launched from Kazakhstan carrying American, Russian, Malaysian to Int'l Space Station; Peggy Whitson to be first woman to command Space Station, Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor 9th Muslim in space, 1st Malaysian...

China facing Three Gorges fallout; Turkey says US Armenian genocide resolution strains ties; UN calls for Iraq contractors to face justice...

11 October :: China plans to relocate some 4 million additional people to curb ecological fallout from massive reservoir, "irrational development", ecological collapse around Three Gorges Dam; move comes after top officials, engineers at site warned gov't the project could lead to "environmental catastrophe"; ENN reports "Environmentalists have long criticized the project, saying silt trapped behind the dam is causing erosion and warning that the dam's reservoir will turn into a cesspool of raw sewage and industrial chemicals backing onto Chongqing"... Turkey's gov't has condemned a resolution passed by the US House recognizing the WWI massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as genocide; PM Tayyip Erdogan, head of the conservative ruling party, has been preparing to push for permission from Parliament for a military incursion into Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq, says US resolution will damage strategic relationship "make relations with a friend and ally, and a strategic partnership nurtured over generations, more difficult"... Reuters reports "The United Nations wants probes to determine whether private security contractors in Iraq have committed war crimes and for governments to ensure that the rule of law is applied, U.N. officials said on Thursday"; statement comes after a shooting incident in which a Dubai-based security firm allegedly "shot randomly" at security checkpoint, killing two female civilians, amid mounting pressure to rein in security firms after Blackwater guards allegedly killed 17 Iraqi civilians in mid September shooting... Monks detained by Burmese junta reportedly told "you are no longer monks", as guards abused, threatened them, forced them to stand in cages for days with no toilet or wash area...

House panel rejects immunity for telecoms in domestic spying; China's richest person is 26-year-old heiress, worth $16 billion...

10 October :: US House panel rejects White-House-proposed corporate immunity amendment to eavesdropping legislation; amendment would have retroactively shielded telecoms from penalties for illegally cooperating in the secret NSA domestic spying operation from 2001 through this summer; Pres. Bush warned blocking the retroactive amendment would "take us backward", while Democratic leaders said they were driven to protect "our precious rights and liberties" against impunity in violating Constitutional protections... 9 Republican contenders of US presidency answered questions in debate, giving positions on possible war with Iran, economic relations, ideological differences with "Communist China"; 8 of the 9 candidates said they believed a Dubai company should be allowed to buy a 20% stake in NASDAQ; each of the polling 'frontrunners' said they would consult Congress before any military action against Iran... Richest person in China is 26-year-old heiress to developer's fortune, her fortune now worth $16 billion, after company's Hong Kong IPO; in 2005, "rags-to-riches" father gave her his stake in the company he founded; Yang Huiyan is one of 40 dollar-billionaires in China, compared with just 15 one year ago; rapidly widening gap between super-rich and abject poor said to be of concern to authorities in Beijing, who consider it a threat to "social stability"... Federal judge blocks administration crackdown on undocumented workers; ACLU, AFL-CIO brought suit alleging the "no-match" program that cross-referenced documents with a gov't database was rife with errors, violated civil liberties of legal workers; Judge Charles Breyer wrote in his opinion "The balance of hardships tips sharply in plaintiffs' favor and plaintiffs have raised serious questions", while a spokeswoman for the AFL-CIO said the program was "targeting workers rights generally"... Global carbon footprint passes 25 billion tons, as news of record ice-melt in Arctic, "autumnless autumn" in parts of US, suggest climate irregularities accelerating...

Northwest passage open across Arctic Ocean for the first time; Calderón says border fence will harm both Mexico, US; Olmert vows to work for peace...

9 October :: The fabled 'Northwest Passage' through northern Canada was ice-free this summer for the first time in recorded history, and is being explored by a Canadian Coast Guard ice-breaker, whose journey will be far easier than any before through the glacial route; climate models had not foreseen such intense Arctic-wide ice-melt until one or two decades further into the future; Canada, Denmark, the US and Russia, may now compete for the right to use or control parts of what may become a seasonal shipping route as the planet keeps warming... Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) proposes national cap on greenhouse gas emissions, auction system that would force polluters to pay, saying "No business will be allowed to emit any greenhouse gases for free"; plan would bring US emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, to 80% below that by 2050... Mexico pres. Felipe Calderón has criticized US pres. Bush for building security barrier between two countries, saying nations should "build bridges, not fences", says he believes economic expansion in Mexico is best way to solve problem of mass economically-driven migration to the north... Israel PM Ehud Olmert has told MPs he will devote the coming year to security a lasting peace with Palestinians; while conservative ministers berated him, Olmert said he believed the Abbas gov't was devoted to peace and its commitment to that end should not be squandered; senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat welcomed the remarks saying it showed Olmert understood that "time is of the essence"... CA group reported to be collecting signatures to put former VP Al Gore's name on ballot for 5 February primary elections; 2000 Democrat candidate for presidency has repeatedly said running is not in his plans, but has never fully ruled out running... Burmese junta names retired general as liaison to Nobel-laureate opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, under house arrest; move is direct response to suggestion by UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari, opposition worries it is "cosmetic" step meant to deflect attention from violent crackdown; Singapore arrested 6 demonstrators who criticized Burma's military gov't, as it does not allow gathering of more than 5 people in public without permission...

Costa Rica referendum appears to narrowly approve CAFTA; Serbian police arrest 56 neo-Nazis when they attack anti-fascist march...

8 October :: 65% of electorate reported to have participated in Costa Rica free trade referendum; preliminary data suggested likely rejection of proposed CAFTA trade deal with US; with 89% of precincts reporting, a narrow majority of 52% appeared to have passed the trade agreement with the US, Costa Rica's pres. declaring the deal had passed, while Eugenio Trejas, leader of the opposition to the deal said his group would demand a ballot-by-ballot manual recount of all votes cast... Police detain 56 neo-Nazis in Novi Sad, Serbia, when they attacked a protest against fascism; UPI reports "At least four people were injured, including a Belgrade B92 television cameraman and the head of Novi Sad’s Helsinki Human Rights committee, when about 80 neo-Nazis hurled stones and bottles on several hundred citizens protesting against the rise of fascism in Serbia"... New Mexico authorizes construction of world's first commercial spaceport; structure will house 7 spacecraft, be hub to Virgin Galactic, which hopes to launch its first commercial flight in 2009... Vandals broke into Musée d'Orsay, in Paris, tore hole Claude Monet's 1874 painting “The Argenteuil Bridge"; French minister of culture Christine Albanel said the act was "an attack against our memory and our heritage"; the vandalism is the latest in a series of attacks against and thefts of cultural objects in France this year... CNN reports WWII veterans dying at rate of 1,000 per day; Arlington National Cemetery has plans to expand its terrain in order to keep operating until 2060...

'Brain-eating' amoeba found in Tucson water, chlorination should help; Musharraf regime wins 5 more years, Court may invalidate vote...

7 August :: Brain-eating amoeba found throughout Tucson, AZ, water supply, authorities say no need to worry, as chlorination kills parasite; at least 6 young men and boys have been killed by the Naegleria fowleri amoeba this year in warm lakes, according to NIH researcher for recreational water-born diseases; scientists say rising temperatures may mean more cases in coming years... Musharraf wins Pakistan vote in 'landslide' denounced by opposition as "sham" election; more than 150 ministers quit seats in protest before vote, Supreme Court to decide whether Musharraf military leadership invalidates presidential vote... LA Times reports "The State Department, which is facing growing criticism of its policy on private security contractors, overlooked repeated warnings from U.S. diplomats in the field that guards were endangering Iraqi civilians and undermining U.S. efforts to win support from the population, according to current and former U.S. officials"... Iraqi officials have revised to 17 the number of deaths from the September shooting involving Blackwater; originally, it was suspected 11 were killed; the Iraqi gov't also says those alleged to be involved were not fired upon... Reports suggest US troops in Iraq have been persecuted, threatened for resisting participating in Christian religious prayer, or for forming atheist and agnostic support group; Military Religious Freedom Foundation, along with one soldier, filed suit on 17 September against Defense Dept., alleging violation of soldier's civil rights, including being forced to submit to a "religious test" to qualify to serve... Individual internet user Jammie Thomas ordered to pay $220,000 in fines for allegedly making 24 songs available for sharing online; lawyer says record companies never proved who uploaded music into folder assigned to Thomas on Kazaa music service; Thomas earns only $36,000 per year, may have 1/4 of her wages taken for the rest of her life to pay record companies...

Scientists craft synthetic chromosome, to announce first "artificial life"; first lady poised to succeed husband as president, of Argentina...

6 October :: Guardian reports "Craig Venter, the controversial DNA researcher involved in the race to decipher the human genetic code, has built a synthetic chromosome out of laboratory chemicals and is poised to announce the creation of the first new artificial life form on Earth"; if achieved, breakthrough will spur heated ethical debates on genome generation, manipulation, could lead to new energy sources; new chromosome based on Mycoplasma genitalium, a bacterium, which could be controlled in uses for cleaning up excess atmospheric carbon dioxide... New age of dynasties: a 2nd Clinton in 8 years (immediately after a 2nd Bush in 8 years)? Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, wife of Argentine pres. Kirchner may succeed him? India's Congress party names another Gandhi to poss. pre-PM post, could be 4th consecutive generation to hold office; Japan names PM whose father was also PM previously; Philippine pres. daughter of fmr. Philippine leader; even Burmese opposition leader Suu Kyi is daughter of former leader; Putin, Chávez, Musharraf, just want to rule indefinitely as themselves... Democrats in US Congress vow to override Bush veto of expansion to Children's Health Insurance; Bush reiterates position that bipartisan legislation is not fully funded, while House majority leader Hoyer says new tobacco taxes will cover costs... Unsold US homes on offer reach record 10 months' worth of sales; prices are dropping in key markets, as dollar reported to have lost 40% of its value in 6 years... Geneva-based International Organization for Migrants (UN assoc.) reports 480,000 Iraqis have "registered" officially as internally displaced refugees since start of 2007, 2.2 million since war began; further 2.2 million estimated to have fled abroad means 4.4 million Iraqis (approx. 16.9% of pop.) have been made refugees in 4.5 years of conflict... Fujimori to stand trial on murder, corruption charges in Perú, after Chile's Supreme Court ordered his extradition...

Congress demands documents on torture policy; UN envoy warns Burma reform needed; Musharraf offers Bhutto power-sharing deal...

5 October :: House and Senate judiciary committees have ordered Justice Dept. to turn over legal opinions on harsh interrogation techniques, alleging the Department's lawyers, who had in 2004 found torture "abhorrent" had in 2005 "reversed themselves and reinstated a secret regime, in essence reinterpreting the law in secret"; White House spokesman says "The policy of the United States is not to torture", adding "The president has not authorized it, he will not authorize it”, while suggesting that policy was "within the corners of the law"... UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari has warned the Burmese military gov't it cannot return to past practices, must release jailed dissenters, cease using violence to crush democracy movement... Pakistan pres. Musharraf gives fmr. PM Bhutto immunity for corruption charges in hopes of forming power-sharing gov't after elections, Bhutto seeks more protections before signing on to new deal, Supreme Court still to rule if Musharraf permitted to continue serving dual role as pres., head of military... Canadian dollar passes US dollar in currency markets, rising today to $1.02, its highest mark since 1976 against the US currency; new job data cited as cause for day's jump, US dollar has been steadily falling against major currencies in recent months, stands now at $1.41/1€, $2.04/£1... Global carbon footprint is 24.627 billion tons, as of mid-day GMT... New 'green' roofing material reflects heat back into atmosphere, reduces weight stress, reduces overall demand on heating, cooling; ENN reports "The product, many say, represents a major shift in the roofing industry because existing roofing materials of the last 100 years resemble heavy metal armor. The ArmorLite roof is lightweight and strong, like a Kevlar bulletproof vest that replaced heavy armor vests"... Climate campaigners including fmr US vice president Al Gore nominated for Nobel Peace Prize; if group wins award, it would signal shift away from traditional role for prize, rewarding statesman, political leaders who enhance conditions for political settlements...

Two Koreas seek formal peace; Blackwater involved in 195 shootings since 2005; Bush vetoes children's health insurance expansion...

4 October :: North and South Korean leaders to call summit to establish formal lasting peace to 1950-53 conflict; analysts say "hermit" regime in North still appears unwilling to make necessary concessions to bring about re-unification, end to dictatorship; North signed new pact to dismantle nuclear facilities one day before... Burmese military junta reported to be planning to jail for two to five years "those who clapped" during pro-democracy rallies in the capital; dissenters are being rounded up, even as military occupation of Rangoon is slowly "relaxed"... Blackwater security firm involved in at least 195 shootings since 2005, according to Congressional report, which also criticized the State Dept. for poor to non-existent oversight of contractor's activities... Of 3,200 South African gold miners trapped 1.4 miles underground, 1,950 were rescued during an all-night mission, using a small lift for safety reasons; rescue ongoing, with general manager classifying morale among those remaining below ground "fairly brittle"; workers blame "negligence" and 24-hour operation of mine... NPR reports "President Bush on Wednesday vetoed a bipartisan bill that would have dramatically expanded children's health insurance, after saying the legislation was too costly and had strayed from its original intent", some Republicans complain Bush's 4th veto in 7 years could be used against the party in 2008 elections... Editor & Publisher and Boston Globe report family of Ciara Durkin "says she had told them to push for an investigation if anything ever happened to her"; Durkin, an Irish-born US soldier was killed by a single gunshot-wound to the head while serving with finance unit in Afghanistan, family says military "dragging its feet" on releasing information from investigation, observers suspect Durkin may have been killed for uncovering financial wrongdoing or possibly because she was a lesbian... Canadian dollar pulls even with US dollar, trading at 1 to 1, amid worries of spreading fallout from US sub-prime mortgage crisis...

Sarkozy campaign against 'sans papiers' includes police storming homes, woman killed, child in coma, public mounts 'resistance'...

3 October :: Guardian newspaper reports Sarkozy campaign against immigrants has led to police "storming" private residences, people falling from balconies —at least one woman killed, one youth in coma—, new underground network of conscientious citizens hiding children to prevent parents' deportation, estimated 20,000 have joined 'new resistance' to prevent rounding up of neighbors... Intense ice-melt across Canadian Arctic has split Ayles Ice Island —iceberg the size of Manhattan— in half, with one section traveling up to 98km in one week; record ice-melt has startled climatologists, Coast Guard... Chinese scientists and officials have warned Three Gorges dam project will cause "environmental catastrophe unless accumulating threats are quickly defused, senior officials and experts have warned"; according to the Environmental News Network, even top officials at the dam itself, who have formerly defended its safety, now say local ecosystems are facing calamitous stresses and action needs to be taken...

HRW says killing of peacekeepers in Darfur is war crime; Democrats plan to stall funding for Bush war budget...

2 October :: HRW says killing of 10 African Union peacekeepers, civilian police in Darfur is war crime, calls on Khartoum, gov't forces in region to aid investigation, punish those responsible... WSJ reports "Frustrated by the stalemate over Iraq, House Democrats spelled out a strategy that would stall action on President Bush's 2008 war budget and rely on incremental funding to sustain troop operations in until next spring"... Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Seymour Hersh has reported "intensification" of White House planning for war with Iran; according to Hersh "What had been presented primarily as a counter-proliferation mission has been reconceived as counterterrorism", with focus now shifted toward attacks on Revolutionary Guard facilities, supplies and infrastructure... Cuban doctors have reportedly provided eye surgery to the man responsible for killing Ernesto "Che" Guevara, through a program by which Cuban physicians provide eye treatment across Latin America... 'The Caucus', a NY Times blog reports "Senator Barack Obama today will propose setting a goal of eliminating all nuclear weapons in the world, saying the United States should transform its nuclear posture and dramatically reduce nuclear stockpiles to reduce the threat of nuclear terrorism"... US pending home sales index fell to record low in August, amid spreading mortgage crisis, index now 21.5% lower than just 12 months ago, 16% lower than two months ago...

Bush says US "will do its part" to curb climate change; Pfizer faces $8.5 billion suit for Nigeria drug test...

1 October :: US pres. George W. Bush has promised in a speech at his climate change conference in Washington, DC, the US "will do its part" to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce risk of dangers caused by human-induced climate change; critics continue to say his approach is designed to postpone any comprehensive global regime limiting carbon emissions... Fmr US House Speaker Gingrich says he will not run for president because campaign finance laws would bar him from having any contact with a political organization he founded, says "The McCain-Feingold Act criminalizes politics"; on prospective rivals, ABC quotes him as saying of Hillary Clinton, "I believe she is very professional. I think the Clinton machine is the most powerful political machine in modern America. I think her husband is the smartest politician in our generation"... Pfizer facing $8.5 billion lawsuit by Nigerian gov't, Nigerian state of Kano, which allege the company tested a drug on meningitis patients without their permission, leading to at least 11 deaths, during 1996 outbreak... Putin may seek premiership after term limits end his tenure as president of the Russian Federation; he has said he would accept the post of PM on two conditions: that his party win the parliamentary elections, and that his successor as president be a "respectable, capable, effective and modern person whom I could work with as a team"... Yuliya Tymoshenko, fmr ally and PM to Ukrainian pres. Viktor Yuschenko, leads opponents 32.59% to 31.62%, appears poised to form coalition to take control of parliament, despite rival pro-Russia party spending $400 million to return Yanukovich to premiership; some observers predict "rift" between fmr Orange Revolution allies so deep Pres. Yuschenko could offer arch-foe Yanukovich coalition and premiership by year's end...

Bush gives $25 million fuel aid to North Korea; Gambari to meet Suu Kyi, seek compromise in Burma; Karzai wants talks with Taliban...

30 September :: US pres. George W. Bush has approved $25 million in fuel aid for North Korea, as part of a February deal to shut down nuclear facilities, dismantle weapons and allow IAEA inspections; the Yongbyon reactor was shut down in July... Six-party talks to negotiate North Korean denuclearization have been suspended for two days, to allow six nations' negotiators to contemplate discussions to date... Tutu, Mandela's 'The Elders' initiative gathers established elder humanitarians to "speak freely, be fiercely independent and respond fast and flexibly in conflict situations", will make first formal visit to Sudan, in effort to end Darfur killing; group has said chair is left open for detained Burmese opposition leader Suu Kyi... Burmese junta has reportedly allowed UN negotiator Ibrahim Gambari to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi, opposition leader under indefinite house arrest; security forces have reportedly detained more religious and lay 'activists'; EU foreign minister Solana has said the Union is examining all possible measures that could be taken if military does not cease attacking demonstrators; military reported to be assaulting anyone with camera in streets of Rangoon... Sufi muslims celebrate 800 years since birth of mystic poet Rumi, Turkey will hold great 'dance of the whirling dervishes' to observe history of the pacifist Sufi order; the poet was "born in 1207 in Balkh in Central Asia, now part of Afghanistan", reports BBC; in Afghanistan, the Taliban attempted to eliminate Sufism by banning music, imposing fundamentalist dogma... As Afghan conflict now longer than WWI, Pres. Hamid Karzai has said he wants negotiations with the Taliban, would "go to them", may offer them position in gov't... Intense flooding over western and central Africa has hit 20 nations; Togo has made an urgent appeal for food and medical aid; the EU has promised some 2 million € to help Togo, Burkina Faso and Ghana collectively... Hundreds have gathered to protest state violence in Islamabad, used to suppress bloody riots spurred by ruling allowing Musharraf to run for president while holding control of military... UK PM Brown rumored to be considering an early election to capitalize on high poll numbers just weeks after taking power from Blair; Conservative party calls national conference to prepare for possible vote... Ecuador voting today to choose delegates to new Constituent Assembly, aimed at replacing Congress, traditional power structures...

Burma crackdown reportedly leaves hundreds dead, satellite images may show proof; Bush pushes 'voluntary' emissions caps...

29 September :: 2 thousand gathered in Rangoon to call for end to military rule, bystanders applauding protesting students; US bars 3 dozen members of military gov't, their families from travel to US, in response to mounting violence in Burma; pressure mounting as demonstrations thin, calls for general to cede power spread; CNN reports "British Prime Minister Gordon Brown says he believes the death toll in the Myanmar crackdown to be 'far greater' than has so far been reported, The Associated Press has said"; one eyewitness has told of 35 bodies in one location lined up with mourners praying, while opposition groups have said at least 200 have been killed... Satellite cameras have shown proof Burmese junta burned villages earlier this year, with "square-shaped burn scars the size of houses"; now activist groups are calling on satellite imaging companies to release satellite images that may show proof of junta's violence against demonstrators... US pres. Bush lays out plan to create climate change regime of voluntary emissions limits; critics say Washington climate conference has been a "charade"; fmr. US pres. Clinton says there is immense public support for "aggressive" action to curb carbon emissions, combat global warming... Bush has told House Speaker Pelosi he will veto Congress' expansion of funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP); the pres. called the plan "irresonsible" in his radio address and called for a different approach that would cover only the poorest families...

Falling water tables put Chinese economy at risk; int'l day of protest supports Burma monks; CA electoral reform fails, still 'winner takes all'...

28 September :: Shijiazhuang, a city of 2 million on the North China Plain has seen 11% growth, construction boom, even as irreplaceable aquifers are drying up, water tables fast dropping; as IHT reports, "China is scouring the world for oil, natural gas and minerals to keep its economic machine humming. But trade deals cannot solve water problems. Water usage in China has quintupled since 1949, and leaders will increasingly face tough political choices as cities, industry and farming compete for a finite and unbalanced water supply"... CA ballot initiative designed to split Electoral College vote by Congressional districts folds, as backers resign from signature drive; CA gov. has twice rejected initiatives to sign on to National Popular Vote accord with other states, while GOP-backed initiative would have undermined Dems' dominance in most elector-rich state... Blackwater security firm said to be involved in twice as many violent incidents as other private contractors operating in Iraq; according to IHT, the firm "has gained a reputation among Iraqis and even among American military personnel serving in Iraq as a company that flaunts an aggressive, quick-draw image that leads its security personnel to take excessively violent actions to protect the people they are paid to guard"; Congress, the Pentagon and the Iraqi gov't are investigating... Burmese military junta reportedly cuts off internet across nation; demonstrators in Makati, Philippines shave heads, protest outside Burmese embassy; Indonesian Parliament ministers stand in moment of silence for demonstrators killed by Burmese regime; junta has closed monasteries, detained more Buddhist monks, declaring "no go" zones around targeted monasteries and shrines; Guardian reports "Yesterday, a Japanese photographer, Kenji Nagai, 50, was among those killed in fierce clashes", Burmese civilians continue gathering, cursing at and insulting military and police... Mychal Bell, the only youth convicted in Jena case free on bond after court vacated conviction; prosecutor may face investigation for abuse of office... LA Times reports "lesser-known Republican presidential candidates condemned their top rivals Thursday for skipping a debate on minority issues and said their absence hurt the party's image and amplified racial divisions", GOP contender Mike Huckabee said "I'm embarrassed for our party, and I'm embarrassed for those who did not come, because there's long been a divide in this country, and it doesn't get better when we don't show up", while Sen. Brownback (R-KS) called it "a disgrace for our country"...

Burmese junta threatens "extreme action", fires on demonstrators, as protests grow; Georgia accuses Russia of interference in Abkhazia...

27 September :: Reports emerge from Rangoon military junta has raided monasteries in effort to end pro-democracy rallies; UN Security Council has urged regime to meet with special envoy, China says it views Burma crisis as "internal affair"; reports suggest 70 monks were abducted from one monastery alone by security forces; junta has warned demonstrators to cease protests or face "extreme action"; today, on 10th day of demonstrations, reports from Rangoon suggest thousands of "very angry" ordinary citizens "spontaneously" began gathering to demand end to violence against monks; security forces have again opened fire on protesters in Rangoon... China, Russia have blocked UN Seceurity Concuil actions to condemn violence against civilians; Russia reportedly suggested it would use the logic of western powers to bring France before the Security Council next time there are riots or police violence there... Georgian pres. accuses Russian military of direct involvement in Abkhazia independence movement, says Russian officer was among militants killed in firefight in Abkhazia; Georgian gov't spokesman broadcast on BBC saying "Is there not enough territory in Russia, are there not enough forests in Russia for Russian officers to die in Russian territory and Russian forests?"... US defense sec. Gates says he is not pleased with regulation of private security firms in Iraq, has ordered a comprehensive investigation of their activities in Iraq... Bush to host 2-day meeting with world's most prolific carbon emitters (China, India, western Europe) to discuss possible terms for future greenhouse-gas controls; opponents warn they believe Bush may be seeking to stall global emissions regime or ensure that major powers support only voluntary limits; China, Russia have called for all future global regimes to be constructed through the UN... According to the NY Times, in an apparent move to stop pro-choice group communicating with its membership, "Last week, Verizon rejected a request from the abortion rights group Naral Pro-Choice America for a five-digit 'short code.' Such codes allow people interested in hearing from businesses, politicians and advocacy groups to sign up to receive text messages"; Verizon has since apologized, calling the refusal "incorrect", and granted the request...

Police fire on demonstrating monks in Rangoon; global carbon footprint 23.881 billion tons...

26 September :: Riot police in Burma (Myanmar under its military dictatorship) have fired on 10,000 Buddhist monks and pro-democracy activists protesting against totalitarian rule; US has announced new sanctions against regime, Bush denouncing "19-year reign of fear"; on Monday, 100,000 marched to support the "saffron rebellion"... Global carbon footprint at 23.881 billion tons, as of 12:00 noon GMT... Iran pres. tells UN General Assembly his gov't will ignore "arrogant" mandates from the Security Council, but will comply with IAEA supervision of its nuclear research; he accused "certain big powers" of using the Security Council "to turn a simple legal issue into a very loud, controversial, political issue"... Germany's foreign minister accuses French, American firms of doing extensive business with Iran; upcoming report will reportedly demonstrate major US firms doing business in Iran, despite sanctions imposed since 1979, via front companies in Dubai...

Ban calls for global action to slow climate change; Antarctic melt moves inland; Ahmadinejad in NY...

25 September :: UN Sec. Gen. Ban Ki-moon has called for concerted action to slow global warming, saying "I am convinced that climate change, and what we do about it, will define us, our era, and ultimately the global legacy we leave for future generations"... Discovery reports "Antarctica's once fringe-thawing is moving well inland, say scientists who have studied water-sensitive microwave satellite data spanning the years 1987 to 2006"; in 2005, considered a major event in terms of hot weather, with melt found more than 500 miles inland and at 5,500 feet elevation in the Transantarctic Mountains... Iran pres. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addresses Columbia University, after univ. pres. introduces him as a "cruel and petty dictator" who is "astonishingly uneducated", captures US media attention, makes plea for his nation's right to nuclear power; protesters outside called him the "new Hitler"... UK health secretary has announced plans to "remorselessly" fight to eliminate hospital 'superbugs'; Johnson says he plans to see "zero" incidence of MRSA in UK hospitals... Social networking site helps Kentucky youth bring pres. candidate Edwards to town of 229, Columbus, KY, once considered by Thomas Jefferson for national capital after burning of Washington; Shawn Edwards, 24, is also running a campaign to try to unseat Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell...

100,000 march for democracy in Burma; Ahmadinejad says no nukes, no war with US; Gore, Schwarzenegger push emissions protocol...

24 September :: Estimated 100,000 march in Rangoon (Yangon) to support Buddhist monks calling for end to military rule in Burma; some fear junta will impose another harsh crack-down... Iran pres. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said his nation does not need nuclear weapons and is not headed for war with US; news comes amid heightened tensions between Western powers and Teheran, over nuclear allegations, apparent French threat, upcoming UN General Assembly... Reuters reports "U.S. troop movements are being monitored by Iran using satellites and other technology and would be in range of Iranian missiles if an attack was launched, a top Iranian military official said"; Yahya Rahim Safavi, an advisor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also said he does not expect a US strike, as Iraq is taxing its military resources... US has said it considers Syria a "natural invitee" to Mideast peace conference it will host in November, but urges all participants to renounce violence, commit to peaceful, negotiated solution that recognizes Israel... CA gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and fmr. US vice pres. Al Gore to join world leaders at climate policy summit, aimed at establishing new solutions for global emissions reductions... Pudding Media, a new VoIP venture, is planning to monitor users phone calls in order to harvest keywords and target advertising to their computer screens as they talk; some say business method is one step too far in handing private information to online service providers... The NY Times has apologized for running a political ad criticizing the Petraeus report at a discounted rate; Moveon.org, who purchased the ad has already said it will wire the difference between the "standby rate" —for "political and advocacy groups willing to be flexible about the day their ads run"— and the full rate, according to Reuters...