Culture

Selling Weapons to the World

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Newsdesk.org staff report
A new report claims that America’s commitment to peace and security is belied by its status as one of the world’s leading arms dealers. “U.S. Weapons at War,” a study released this month by the New York City-based World Policy Institute, an affiliate of the New School University, finds that American weapons were sold to 18 nations currently involved in “active conflicts” — from U.S.-backed operations against Islamists in the Philippines and narco-militarists in Colombia, to regional power struggles in Angola, Nepal, Algeria, Indonesia, India and Pakistan. This comes in the same breath as a report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, which finds that in 2004 the nations of the world gave $1.035 trillion to the global arms industry — up 25 percent from 2003. The “primary driver” was the U.S., according to the BBC, which spent $235 billion on the war on terror from 2002-2004. The United States is also one of the leading sellers of weapons.

Culture

Update — United Nations Reform

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By Martin Leatherman & Newsdesk.org staff
The United Nations faces louder calls for reform as the Iraqi oil for food scandal unfolds, and is under new pressure after the failure of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty summit and the nomination of John Bolton as America’s U.N. ambassador. The $64 billion “oil for food” program was created by the U.N. after the first Gulf War to supply war-torn Iraq with food and medicine in exchange for oil. But revelations of illegal profiteering from the program have implicated a wide range of politicians and business leaders from around the world. The first casualty is at the U.N. itself. Joseph Stephanides, head of the U.N. Security Council affairs division, was dismissed for “serious misconduct” in urging that a British company win an Iraqi inspection contract, according to Agence France Presse.

Featured

News You Might Have Missed

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Important but underreported news from around the world — and your own backyard
 – – – – – – – – – –
QUOTED: “An entire generation of children was basically poisoned.” — Dr. Lynn Mielke says the use of mercury in vaccines is behind a huge spike in the number of autistic children (story #9, below).  – – – – – – – – – –
TOP STORIES
[o1] “Iraq’s tests of coyote poison surface”
[o2] “Anti-war sailor lifts foes of Iraq policy”
[o3] “‘Pirate’ radio station is A Clear Channel stunt”
WORLD
[o4] “On Turkish TV, women face life and death”
[o5] “Excuses, denials, hostility”
[o6] “Somali battle rages over choice of capital”
[o7] “E.U. hopes grim photos on packets will deter smokers”

NATION
[o8] “Surprise: AGs in 34 states back reporters’ rights in Plame case”
[o9] “A child’s return from autism”
[10] “Lesbian wins co-parenting rights to partner’s newborn daughter”
MILITARY BASE POLLUTION
[11] “Williams cleanup hits a wall”
[12] “Shut bases could get nuclear waste”
UZBEKISTAN
[13] “Uzbek activists held in new sweep”
[14] “Uzbek hostage describes brutality of rebellion, aftermath”
[15] “Independent media face reprisals after Andijan unrest”
ENVIRONMENT
[16] “Leaked G8 draft angers green groups”
[17] “S.F. rolls out green carpet for World Environment Day”
[18] “The fuel that’s locked in ice”
VIEWPOINT
[19] “A conflict of vision?”  – – – – – – – – – –
TOP STORIES
Top
[o1]
“Iraq’s tests of coyote poison surface”
The Oregonian, May 28, 2005
A congressman said that a highly toxic pest-control poison should be banned for its “staggering” potential as a terrorist weapon. [o2]
“Anti-war sailor lifts foes of Iraq policy”
San Francisco Chronicle, May 28, 2005
As activists celebrate the lenient sentence of a conscientious objector, the military worries others will follow suit.

Culture

Drugs, Guns & Politics

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By Martin Leatherman & Newsdesk.org staff
Terrorism, political instability and the drug trade have been forged into a single problem, as narcotics take a leading economic role in nations already suffering from violence and poverty. According to the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board, Iraq is becoming a major transit country for drugs originating in Afghanistan and entering Jordan en route to Asia and Europe. The president of the U.N. board, Hamid Ghodse, said the situation in Iraq resembles other post-conflict nations, where the aftermath of war or other disasters leaves border security weakened. Similar cases include Colombia, Bolivia and Afghanistan. According to Agence France Presse, the political obstacles to Afghanistan’s war on drugs are huge.

Featured

News You Might Have Missed

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Important but underreported news from around the world — and your own backyard
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QUOTED: “What outrages me [is] the cavalier nature of the U.S. military toward the killing of journalists in Iraq. I think it’s just a scandal.” –Comments by Linda Foley, president of The Newspaper Guild, were attacked by conservative news outlets. (Story #9, below.)
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TOP STORIES
[o1] “Stations of the cross”
[o2] “The rising economic cost of the Iraq war”
[o3] “Penchant for ‘cool’ led to big story”
PROTEST POLITICS
[o4] “South Africa housing protests turn violent”
[o5] “Hong Kong holds first gay rally”
[o6] “Greenpeace activists attack ‘Chelsea tractors'”
[o7] “Strike paralyses Bangladesh”
[o8] “FM’s take on mega cities draws protests”

NATION
[o9] “Guild chief under fire for comments”
[10] “Complaints bring changes to government’s sex advice”
[11] “Is ‘CraigsNews’ coming soon?” [12] “Jones introduces bill allowing parents to censor school material”
WORLD
[13] “China goes undercover to sway opinion on Internet”
[14] “Oil’s dirty future”
[15] “World Bank in aboriginal rethink”
[16] “Fears over health after nuclear tests”
MERCURY
[17] “Pa.

Democracy

A Back-Door Draft?

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By Martin Leatherman, Newsdesk.org
On May 12 the Pentagon won the latest in a series of legal battles over its “stop-loss” policy, which keeps soldiers on active duty after their contracts have expired. Critics call the policy a “back door draft,” since volunteers must serve against their will. The U.S. 9th district Court of Appeals ruled (PDF) that Emiliano Santiago, a National Guard Reserve sergeant, had to follow orders to remain with his unit after completing his eight year contract. The court said that since Santiago’s unit was mobilized before his contract expired, it was legal to keep him. An executive order activated stop-loss in November 2002, according to PBS.org.

Culture

The Labor Movement

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By Martin Leatherman, Newsdesk.org
Even as income and union membership declines for America’s working class, problems of forced labor and low working standards worldwide are driving new activist movements. Many concerns are focused on the AFL-CIO, the leading federation of traditional U.S. industrial unions. John Sweeney, president of the group, is under pressure from dissidents to make huge changes in priorities, including a new emphasis on organizing over lobbying. Andrew Stern, president of the growing Service Employees International Union, is even calling for Sweeny’s removal. At its peak in the 1960s, about 30 percent of workers in the United States were unionized.

Culture

‘Nuclear Earth Penetrators’

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By Martin Leatherman, Newsdesk.org
The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty meeting at the U.N. this month has spurred contentious debate about America’s pursuit of new, smaller nuclear weapons. The treaty was signed in 1968, and went into effect in 1970. President George H.W. Bush enacted a moratorium on nuclear testing in 1992, but the current Bush presidency’s 2002 Nuclear Posture Review paved the way for today’s efforts to fund new testing. The president’s 2006 budget asks for $8.5 million — split between the departments of Energy and Defense — for research into a nuclear bunker buster. Supporters say Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrators would be useful in the war on terror against hardened targets such as bunkers or underground chemical weapons arsenals.

Featured

News You Might Have Missed

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Important but underreported news from around the world — and your own backyard
 – – – – – – – – – –
QUOTED: “This is as bad as Chernobyl because over time people are getting sicker and sicker. The impact is cumulative — the cancer comes out with time.” –Belgian agricultural engineer Nathalie Weemaels, on oil exploration in the Ecuadorian Amazon. (Story #14, below)
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TOP STORIES
[o1] “The return of the fallen”
[o2] “Media falls prey to assassins”
[o3] “Ad execs want to track every move”
WORLD
[o4] “Chinese protesting more as social problems grow”
[o5] “War’s lingering cloud”
[o6] “Khmer Rouge court gets go-ahead”
[o7] “Saudi Arabia detains 40 Christians – newspapers”
[o8] “No vote for U.S. in chemicals treaty”
NUTRITION & POLITICS
[o9] “USDA’s subsidies ignore its own dietary advice”
[10] “Most nutrition products break federal regulations”
INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION
[11] “Niger residents fear they’re being exposed to radioactive poisoning”
[12] “Red Valley residents say oil company is polluting land, people, animals”
[13] “Belarus cursed by Chernobyl”
[14] “Amazon pollution: victims of ‘Toxico'”
PHARMACEUTICAL MARKETING
[15] “Hard sell: how marketing drives the pharmaceutical industry”
[16] “As seen on TV: Patients getting advertised drugs”
TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY
[17] “‘Rocky’ to introduce mile-high citizen journalism”
[18] “Manufacturers rally against bullet ID bill”
VIEWPOINT
[19] “My election 2004 bad dream”
[20] “Then they came for the children”

 – – – – – – – – – –
TOP STORIES
Top
[o1]
“The return of the fallen”
National Security Archive, April 25, 2005
The Pentagon has released hundreds of photos of flag-draped caskets bearing fallen U.S. soldiers. [o2]
“Media falls prey to assassins”
Dallas Morning News, April 27, 2005
Dozens of Mexican editors and reporters have been assassinated by militias that face no punishment from the government.

Science

The Glaciers Melt

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Martin Leatherman, Newsdesk.org
The melting of the world’s glaciers is bringing new attention to the threat of global climate change. One recent study published in the journal Science found that 87 percent of the 244 marine glaciers on the Antarctic Peninsula have retreated over the last 50 years. As atmospheric temperatures rose along the peninsula, glaciers moved south toward mainland Antarctica. Now, scientists may have the valuable ocean temperature data — or “smoking gun” — they say will help them predict climate change. According to the Associated Press, the study showed that the Earth is absorbing more energy than it is releasing.