House Judiciary committee sues to force 2 Bush aides to testify; human rights group warns Guantánamo trials "tainted by coercion"...

11 March :: NY Times reports "The House Judiciary Committee filed a lawsuit on Monday seeking to force the White House chief of staff and the former White House counsel to cooperate with the committee’s investigation into the firing of a group of federal prosecutors"; Bolten, Miers have been protected by Bush-appointed AG Mukasey, who refused to pursue contempt charges against the two White House officials... Watchdog Human Rights First says Guantánamo trials "tainted by coercion", alleges at least 66 inmates have credible claims of abuse, warning that the unprecedented "military commissions" system set up by the White House "makes justice for the victims of 9/11 and other acts of terror less rather than more likely to happen any time soon"; Human Rights Watch also denounced the system as violating Constitutional requirements for due process, calling on the administration to "end this failed experiment with military justice"... A record 56.7 million people visited the US from abroad last year, the first time since Sept. 2001 that the 2000 record figure of 51.2 million was eclipsed; according to Reuters, "Foreign visitors also spent a record $122.7 billion in the United States last year, a rise of more than 50 percent from a low set in 2003 in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks"...

US Senate subcommittee approves emissions cap bill; London police found guilty in shooting death of innocent man in 2005...

3 November :: Senate subcommittee approves America's Climate Security Act, legislation aimed at capping greenhouse gas emissions, now to be voted by full Environment and Public Works committee; bill touted as milestone in US climate policy; Sen. Lieberman has said it is the "Manhattan Project" for climate change that activists have long called for, bill also supported by senators from coal-rich states... London police as a group have been found guilty in the shooting death of innocent Brazilian immigrant on London Tube in 2005; no individuals have been singled out, and punishment beyond fine has been imposed... Antiwar activist faces jury trial for raising hands in "peace sign" during Congressional hearing, in which secretary of State Condoleezza Rice testified, was confronted by another activist... Mukasey nomination facing stiff opposition, even as two key Democrats express support; Pres. Bush has defended the retired judge, along with his refusal to qualify simulated drowning as a form of torture... CSM reports 13 majority-Sunni Muslim nations have declared their ambition to gain nuclear energy, just this year, likely as response to Shi'a-dominated Iran's high-profile nuclear pursuits, which some fear are weapons program in disguise... Minuteman anti-immigrant group, which includes armed militia in border states, spreading to interior states amid lack of legislation to reform immigration process; critics call group dangerous vigilante operation, while Minutemen say they are only trying to ensure that less people "break the law" by entering without papers... Reuters reporting "A federal judge on Friday approved subpoenas for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and White House national security adviser Stephen Hadley in the case of two former pro-Israel lobbyists accused of disclosing national defense information"... Habitat for Humanity project in Los Angeles aims to build environmentally-friendly homes, as demand for low-emissions, fuel-efficient housing models on rise...

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...