GOP Senators Back Permanent Extension of Patriot Act 05 Feb 2011

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Breaking News and Commentary from Citizens for Legitimate Government
05 Feb 2011
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GOP Senators Back Permanent Extension of Patriot Act 04 Feb 2011 Three Republican Senate leaders introduced a measure late Thursday that would permanently extend three key provisions of the Patriot Act, rather than let them expire not quite three years from now, as an alternative Democratic proposal would do. The Republicans -- Sens. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the minority leader; Charles Grassley of Iowa, the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, and Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, the top GOP member on the Intelligence Committee -- described the changes as vital to national security.

US lawmakers clash on Patriot Act measures 04 Feb 2011 US lawmakers clashed Friday over how long to extend key provisions of a controversial surveillance law, before they expire at month's end. At issue were three core measures in the Patriot Act adopted in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist strikes to fill what the government complained were gaps in its abilities to track and catch extremists. Top Senate Republicans called Friday for the three powers to be made permanent -- a step rejected in the original law in favor of "sunsets" to ensure regular reviews by Congress to ferret out possible abuse.

'Terror attack on Egypt-Israel gas pipeline in El-Arish' --Egyptian state television reports masked men set off detonation at pipeline in northern Sinai causing massive flames; pressure on Mubarak to leave office increases. 05 Feb 2011 A group of masked men set off a detonation at the Israel-Egypt gas pipeline in El-Arish, Egypt in the northern Sinai early on Saturday morning, Egyptian state television reported. Residents say they heard the sound of an explosion, and that massive flames shot into the air. Egyptian state television referred to the incident as a "terrorist" attack. [When I start hearing about a 'group of masked men,' I start thinking 'false flag.' --LRP]


Mubarak's Hired Thugs: Rural Poor Paid to Attack Opposition Supporters 04 Feb 2011 In exchange for the equivalent of a few euros, poor seasonal workers have taken part in street fighting in Cairo on the side of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The thugs, who fight with iron bars, knives and clubs, have been recruited by privileged members of the regime, including party officials, security forces and rich business people with lucrative state contracts.

Thousands more join anti-Mubarak rallies 04 Feb 2011 Reports say tens of thousands of people are still joining multi-million protests against President Hosni Mubarak's regime in central Cairo despite the army checkpoints all around the area. Despite all difficulties, thousands are waiting in line to join the rallies behind army checkpoints near Liberation Square in central Cairo. Millions of Egyptian protesters performed the Friday Prayers in Liberation Square.

Mubarak's 'Day of Departure' begins 04 Feb 2011 Protesters in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, are staging a "Day of Departure" for President Hosni Mubarak. The Egyptian anti-government protesters have started the eleventh consecutive day of their demonstrations across the country to force Mubarak to step down. Protesters are gathering in Cairo's Tahrir Square and millions of Egyptians are expected to take part in the rally. Protesters are chanting that Mubarak's regime is "null and void."

Anti-Mubarak demo held in New York 05 Feb 2011 Egyptian-Americans have held a demonstration in Times Square to coincide with the massive demonstrations that were held in Egypt calling for Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to step down. Hundreds of people gathered behind police barricades in Times Square on Friday afternoon chanting "Mubarak must go." One demonstrator held up a sign saying, "Long live the Egyptian intifada."

More Attacks and Detentions for Journalists in Cairo --Reporter, hit by sniper fire, dies of wounds 05 Feb 2011 Reporters in Cairo faced a second day of violent intimidation and government detention on Friday even as dozens of foreign journalists and rights advocates were still being detained. The Committee to Protect Journalists documented eight new detentions and nearly a dozen new attacks, and also reported on Friday the first case of a reporter killed while covering the unrest in Egypt. The reporter, Ahmad Mohamed Mahmoud, worked for a state-owned newspaper, Al-Ta'awun, and was hit by sniper fire on Jan. 28 while filming near Tahrir Square in Cairo, according to the group. He died from his wounds on Friday.

Journalists report second day of detentions, harassment in Cairo 03 Feb 2011 Journalists attempting to cover unprecedented unrest in Egypt reported being targeted, beaten, arrested and harassed by security forces and police for a second day Thursday. Al Jazeera released a statement demanding that three of its journalists, detained by Egyptian security forces, be released. A fourth has been reported missing, the network said. The Washington Post reported, citing multiple witnesses, that its Cairo bureau chief and photographer were among two journalists arrested Thursday morning by the Egyptian Interior Ministry... The New York Times reported Thursday that two of its reporters had been released after being detained overnight in Cairo.

Fox News Team Severely Beaten, Hospitalized In Cairo 03 Feb 2011 FOX 'News' Channel's veteran foreign correspondent Greg Palkot and his cameraman Olaf Wiig have suffered severe injuries in Cairo while covering the unrest in the Egypt capital. Palkot was badly beaten and Wiig has a possible broken jaw after being attacked by pro-Hosni Mubarak supporters yesterday. Both were hospitalized overnight.

Captured on camera, the sickening moment a police van ploughed through the crowd in Cairo 04 Feb 2011 This is the sickening moment a police van ploughed through a crowd of innocent bystanders in a Cairo street. Several people are run down by the van while countless others are narrowly avoided as the vehicle drove through the crowd while barely even slowing down. Miraculously it appears that no-one was seriously injured as the video shows the man struck most violently walking away from the scene as the van drives into the distance.

Hackers Shut Down Egyptian Government Web Sites 03 Feb 2011 The online group Anonymous said Wednesday that it had paralyzed the Egyptian government’s Web sites in support of the antigovernment protests. Anonymous, a loosely defined group of hackers from all over the world, gathered about 500 supporters in online forums and used software tools to bring down the sites of the Ministry of Information and President Hosni Mubarak’s National Democratic Party, said Gregg Housh, a member of the group who disavows any illegal activity himself. The sites were unavailable Wednesday afternoon.

NYT: Obama cutting deal to have CIA torture point-man Suleiman replace Mubarak --White House, Egypt Discuss Plan for Mubarak's Exit 04 Feb 2011 The Obama administration is discussing with Egyptian officials a proposal for President Hosni Mubarak to resign immediately, turning over power to a transitional government headed by Vice President Omar Suleiman with the support of the Egyptian military, administration officials and Arab diplomats said Thursday. ...Officials from both governments are continuing talks about a plan in which Mr. Suleiman, backed by Lt. Gen. Sami Enan, chief of the Egyptian armed forces, and Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawi, the defense minister, would immediately begin a process of constitutional reform. [This will not fly. See: New Egyptian VP Ran Mubarak's Security Team, Oversaw Torture --Omar Suleiman Offered to Chop Off Man's Arm for CIA, Says Author 01 Feb 2011.]

Obama's crocodile tears over Egypt's violence By Bill Van Auken 04 Feb 2011 If Obama is crying crocodile tears now over the violence that has left hundreds dead and thousands wounded in the streets of Cairo, Alexandria, Suez and across Egypt, it is only because this violence has stopped working, and the Egyptian people continue to resist and struggle. He wasn’t crying when he delivered his speech in Cairo in June 2009, which included not a word of criticism of the Mubarak regime. Instead, he praised the Egyptian dictator as a "stalwart ally" and a "force for stability and good in the region."

Over 20,000 protest in Yemen --Demonstration dubbed 'Day of Rage' 03 Feb 2011 Tens of thousands of Yemeni opposition protesters have staged a mass rally, calling for the ouster of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Over 20,000 anti-government protesters gathered outside Sana'a University in the capital on Thursday, demanding the immediate removal of the president, who has been ruling the country for the past three decades.

Afghan prisoner dies in Guantanamo --He is seventh captive to die in the prison since it opened in 2002 04 Feb 2011 An Afghan detainee held without charges at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp for nearly eight years has died after exercising, the US military says. Awal Gul, 48, reportedly collapsed and died after working out on an exercise machine. Detainees had brought him to a guard station for emergency help, but authorities were unable to revive him, AFP reported.

US copter crashes in Afghanistan 05 Feb 2011 A helicopter belonging to the U-S-led foreign forces has crashed in Afghanistan's eastern district of Lateh Band, near the capital Kabul. No reports have been given on the possible number of casualties yet, a Press TV correspondent on Saturday.

Two US-led soldiers killed in Afghan war 05 Feb 2011 At least two US-led soldiers have been killed in the latest spate of attacks against foreign troops in southern Afghanistan, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said. According to a statement released by the NATO-led alliance on Saturday, the soldiers lost their lives in separate bombings in volatile southern Afghanistan, bringing the death toll among foreign troops in the war-ravaged country since the beginning of this year to 36.

20,000 military members, vets faced foreclosure in 2010 03 Feb 2011 More than 20,000 veterans, active-duty troops and reservists who took out special government-backed mortgages lost their homes last year -- the highest number since 2003. The rate of foreclosure filings in 2010 among 163 Zip codes located near military bases rose 32% over 2008, according to RealtyTrac, a foreclosure research firm. This compares with a 2010 increase in foreclosures filings nationally of 23% over 2008.

Judge says jail for Bush whistle-blower protector 03 Feb 2011 The former head of a whistle-blower protection office under President [sic] George W. Bush must spend at least a month in jail, according to a ruling by a federal judge that could threaten to derail the ex-official's plea deal. Scott Bloch, who headed the Office of Special Counsel, pleaded to a misdemeanor charge of criminal contempt of Congress in April 2010. That plea, U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah Robinson said in an opinion late Wednesday, requires a sentence of "imprisonment in a common jail for not less than one month."

Hackers Repeatedly Penetrated NASDAQ Computers 05 Feb 2011 Hackers have repeatedly penetrated the computer network of the company that runs the Nasdaq Stock Market during the past year, and federal investigators are trying to identify the perpetrators and their purpose, according to people familiar with the matter. The exchange's trading platform--the part of the system that executes trades--wasn't compromised, these people said. However, it couldn't be determined which other parts of Nasdaq's computer network were accessed.

US security officials say Wall Street under threat [What a shame!] 03 Feb 2011 Counter-terrorism agencies in the US have warned some Wall Street institutions that they might be in danger from an 'al-Qaeda' threat. The FBI has said information gleaned from an al-Qaeda-linked [Langley-produced] magazine has suggested that the financial markets in New York could be a target. Financial firms have been told to improve security to ensure they do not become victims of al-Qaeda followers, who are told in the magazine article to target banks and global corporations.

Son of Jeffrey Skilling found dead --'There were bottles of prescription medications found next to the body, but no suicide note.' 03 Feb 2011 The 20-year-old son of former Enron President Jeffrey Skilling has been found dead of unknown causes at his apartment in Southern California, police said on Thursday. John Tyler Skilling, a student at Chapman College, was found dead on Tuesday night by paramedics who broke into his apartment after friends became concerned, Santa Ana Police Corporal Anthony Bertagna said.

Banks in Georgia, Illinois Shuttered as U.S. Failures Mount 04 Feb 2011 Regulators shut two banks in Georgia and another in Illinois as U.S. lenders buckle under souring real estate loans, pushing this year's failure count to 14. Georgia banking regulators closed American Trust Bank and North Georgia Bank today, according to statements by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which was named receiver in each of the three transactions. The closures, including a lender in Chicago, cost the FDIC’s deposit-insurance fund $118.4 million.

Shell makes nearly £1.6m profits every hour --Full-year profits hit $18.6bn --Drivers are the losers, road lobby says --Chief exec says: don't complain to us 03 Feb 2011 Shell stoked up the heated debate about the high cost of fuel on the forecourt today after reporting it made profits of nearly £1.6m an hour over the last three months. A leading member of the road lobby said motorists would be "sick to the stomach" and declared that Shell - and a tax-taking Treasury - were "laughing all the way to the bank". Full year profits reached $18.6bn – almost double the figure for 2009 – and chief executive, Peter Voser, boasted "there is more to come from Shell." [Yeah, well, maybe there will be 'more to come' from the people.]

Shell Halts Plans to Drill in Heart of Polar Bear's Alaska Habitat --Interior Needs to Make Short-term Reprieve Permanent, Safeguard Arctic (Center for Biological Diversity) 03 Feb 2011 Polar bears and other imperiled Arctic species got a reprieve today with Royal Dutch Shell's announcement that it will not go forward with plans this summer to drill in critical habitat for the polar bear in Alaska. Shell's drilling plans off the coast of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge have long been opposed by conservationists and native communities along the Alaska coast... Shell also has plans to drill in the adjacent Chukchi Sea next year. The Chukchi is also critical habitat for polar bears, as well as home to the Pacific walrus.

An appeal to Kentucky business on behalf of polar bears By Andrew Fore 02 Feb 2011 I first traveled to the Arctic to document polar bears for my photography business in November 2008... If the Arctic environment as we know it disappears, it will drastically affect more than just polar bears and the Arctic people; it will have negative worldwide effects (changes in weather patterns, wind patterns, disasters and more). We are already experiencing this. We are running out of time.

Catastrophic drought in the Amazon --Region set to outstrip US as CO2 emitter 04 Feb 2011 A widespread drought in the Amazon rainforest last year caused the "lungs of the world" to produce more carbon dioxide than they absorbed, potentially leading to a dangerous acceleration of global warming. Scientists have calculated that the 2010 drought was more intense than the "one-in-100-year" drought of 2005. They are predicting it will result in some eight billion tonnes of carbon dioxide being expelled from the Amazon rainforest, which is more than the total annual carbon emissions of the United States.

One of the most powerful storms ever hits Australia 02 Feb 2011 Cyclone Yasi, one of the most powerful storms ever measured in the world, has hit the state of Queensland on the north-east coast of Australia. Cyclone Yasi battered hundreds of kilometres of shoreline on Thursday morning, with winds of up to 300 kilometres per hour near its eye.

Falling ice at Super Bowl stadium injures workers --Dallas stunned by 5 inches of snow; hundreds of flights canceled ahead of game 04 Feb 2011 Hard ice and heavy snow slid off Cowboys Stadium's domed roof Friday, injuring six workers hired to prepare the venue for the Super Bowl, authorities said. The accident followed a storm that dumped 5 inches of snow on Dallas roads and runways, complicating Super Bowl travel plans.

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Previous lead stories: Secret police blamed as peace protesters are gunned down in the siege of Cairo --More than 1,500 injured in overnight clashes between democracy protesters and Mubarak supporters --Rocks and concrete blocks hurled at pro-democracy demonstration 03 Feb 2011 At least three anti-government protesters in Egypt were shot dead after gunfire rained down on Cairo's Tahrir Square in violent overnight clashes. Protest organiser Mustafa el-Naggar said he saw the bodies of three dead protesters being carried towards an ambulance. More than 1,500 people were injured in the latest violence, which came before dawn, as protesters remained in the street through the night following a day of clashes between 'supporters' of President Hosni Mubarak and dissidents.

Mubarak Supporters Storm Cairo Hotels, Searching for Journalists --Egyptians Detain Reporters as Clashes Turn Violent 03 Feb 2011 Egyptian security forces detained journalists as fighting broke out again today in Cairo's Tahrir Square, where the army set up a barrier after more than 800 people were injured in yesterday’s clashes. Supporters of President Hosni Mubarak stormed hotels in the capital searching for journalists, Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya television channels reported today. Many members of the foreign press have been staying in hotels near Tahrir Square, a focal point for nine consecutive days of protests aimed at forcing Mubarak to resign.

Cable casts doubt on US account of 9/11 02 Feb 2011 A U.S. State Department cable recently released by WikiLeaks supports the idea of Washington systematically covering up the 9/11 by disclosing that the U.S. government had secretly interrogated three Qatari suspects in relation with the attack. The year-old cable described three Qatari men who were under investigation for activities in the months prior to the attacks. According to the cable, which is viewable at WikiLeaks.ch, the men entered the U.S. on Aug. 15, 2001, and visited "the World Trade Center, the Statue of Liberty, the White House, and various areas in Virginia" before flying on to Los Angeles.

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CLG Editor-in-Chief: Lori Price. Copyright © 2011, Citizens For Legitimate Government ® All rights reserved.
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