Week Ending: Saturday 28th August 2004

Hundreds Held in New York Anti-Bush Bike Protest
Thousands of cyclists snarled traffic in New York and police said they arrested more than 250 people and confiscated their bicycles in the first significant protest against President Bush before the Republican convention. More demonstrations were expected including a march across the Brooklyn Bridge organized by Planned Parenthood group to support women's constitutional right to choose an abortion and other reproductive health issues.

Photos of arrests at anti-Bush critical mass
During a critical mass bike ride through the streets of New York City in the lead up to the Republican National Convention, police cornered bicyclists in various areas around the city, arresting a total of 264 people.

Emergency talks on Iraq hostages
French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin has summoned colleagues for an emergency meeting to discuss the kidnapping of two journalists in Iraq. Mr Raffarin cancelled a planned trip to the south of France to hold talks with the foreign, interior and communications ministers. An Iraqi group says it is holding the journalists - RFI's Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot of Le Figaro.

Britain dragged into coup plot as rumours swirl over London meeting
Thatcher's business partner turns state witness as diplomatic row builds over alleged west African putsch. One of Sir Mark Thatcher's key business partners has turned 'state witness' and is alleged to have given dramatic new evidence to South African police investigating Thatcher's role in the alleged coup to overthrow the President of Equatorial Guinea.

The Haliburton Business: The profits of war
Exclusive extract from a new book. Dan Briody reveals how the company run in the 90s by Dick Cheney secured a deal that guaranteed it millions in profit every time the US military saw action

Fighting erupts in Baghdad suburb
US troops have clashed with fighters loyal to the radical Iraqi cleric Moqtada Sadr in a suburb of Baghdad. At least seven people are reported to have been killed in the fighting, which erupted in the Sadr City district. The violence follows the end of a three week standoff between Sadr loyalists and US-led forces in the city of Najaf.

The FBI's Pre-emptive Interrogations of "Possible" Demonstrators
The FBI, no longer content with working to maintain order at political events, is now preemptively identifying and interrogating ("interviewing") possible demonstrators. It has summarized this strategy in a memo. To make matters worse, the Department of Justice blessed the FBI strategy in its own memo - suggesting that no First Amendment concerns are raised by the interrogations.

Madonna's mystics target British kids
It is famous for attracting celebrities such as Madonna and Demi Moore, but now the controversial religious movement Kabbalah, whose teachings are based on the mystical interpretation of Jewish law, is looking to attract a new kind of British devotee. The US Kabbalah Centre, the movement's most powerful body, wants to open a dedicated Kabbalah school near London. In October it will start a 10-week pilot programme involving 30 pupils at an unnamed non-Jewish school in Hertfordshire.

Bush says Kerry was 'more heroic'
US President George W Bush has said his rival in the presidential race, John Kerry, was the "more heroic" for having put himself "in harm's way" in Vietnam. President Bush passed his military service as a fighter pilot in Texas. Mr Kerry has accused President Bush of backing an ad campaign that accused him of lying about his valour in Vietnam.

Parents of British victim attack TV drama about 9/11 hijackers
The parents of a British woman killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks have branded as tasteless and insensitive a television drama made from the perspective of three of the hijackers. The Hamburg Cell, to be screened on Channel 4 this week, re-enacts the known movements of the terrorists as they plotted attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon in Washington.

Australian PM seeks fourth term
Australian Prime Minister John Howard has called a general election for 9 October. The presence of Australian troops in Iraq is expected to dominate the polls. Mr Howard is seeking a fourth term, but faces stiff competition from Labor Party leader Mark Latham, with the two parties level in opinion polls.

How Blair double-crossed me: Greg Dyke
Greg Dyke exacts his revenge today on Tony Blair, whom he says reneged on a deal not to force him out of his job as director general of the BBC. Mr Dyke lays bare the inside story of the furious confrontation between the corporation and Downing Street in a new book serialised this weekend.

Dyke accuses Blair over Iraq war
The BBC's former director general Greg Dyke has made a scathing attack on Downing Street over the Iraq war and its treatment of the BBC. Mr Dyke accuses Tony Blair of either being incompetent or lying to Parliament about the war in Iraq and weapons of mass destruction.

Howard fury over White House ban
Michael Howard last night accused George Bush of seeking to protect Tony Blair in an extraordinary row sparked by news that the Tory leader has been banned from the White House. Mr Howard hit back after it emerged that his calls for Mr Blair to stand down over the Iraq war have enraged the US President. The simmering feud was laid bare yesterday as it emerged that Karl Rove, Mr Bush's most powerful official, told the Tory leader that he "could forget about meeting the President".

Zimbabwe 'tortured coup suspects'
Two South African men released from a Zimbabwe prison after being cleared of charges of plotting a coup say they were stripped and beaten in jail. Harry Carlse and Lourens Horn were among 67 men imprisoned in March for an alleged coup plot in Equatorial Guinea. Zimbabwean authorities said in April they would probe jail torture claims.

Israel denies US spy allegation
The Israeli government has strongly denied reports that a senior US defence department official spied for Israel. A senior official in Jerusalem said the charges were rubbish, saying Israel had no need to spy on the US. The denial came after the Pentagon said an official was under investigation for allegedly passing on secret material relating to US policy towards Iran.

Row over 'political' Cash tribute
A planned tribute to late country star Johnny Cash at next week's Republican convention in New York has attracted harsh criticism from some fans. Cash, who died in September, never revealed his political leanings. A campaign hopes to attract 500 fans to protest outside the tribute at Sotheby's auction house. "A lot of his political songs really represented issues the Republicans don't really seem to care about very much,"

Bush - Nazi Link Confirmed
After 60 years of inattention and even denial by the U.S. media, newly-uncovered government documents in The National Archives and Library of Congress reveal that Prescott Bush, the grandfather of President George W. Bush, served as a business partner of and U.S. banking operative for the financial architect of the Nazi war machine from 1926 until 1942, when Congress took aggressive action against Bush and his "enemy national" partners.

Missouri tracks scofflaws via pizza-delivery databases
Ordering a pizza over the phone could land you a lot more than pepperoni and cheese. If you owe fines or fees to the courts, that phone call may have provided the link the state needed to track you down and make you pay.

Bush Versus Kerry: The Fake Debate - John Pilger
On 6 May last, the US House of Representatives passed a resolution which,in effect, authorised a "pre-emptive" attack on Iran. The vote was 376/3. Undeterred by the accelerating disaster in Iraq, Republicans and Democrats,wrote one commentator, "once again joined hands to assert the responsibilities of American power." 

Sugar warning on fizzy drinks
Cans and bottles of sugar-sweetened colas, lemonade and fruit drinks, which many people think can be drunk with impunity, are today implicated as a major cause of obesity and linked to a rise in diabetes by scientists in the United States.

Iraq rebels told to leave shrine
Iraqi Shia militants in Najaf have been instructed to lay down their arms and leave a holy shrine as part of a peace deal to end three weeks of fighting. Loudspeakers at the Imam Ali shrine broadcast the call shortly before the fighters were due to leave, escorted by thousands of worshippers.

Thatcher family had bags packed ready to flee to US
As the apparent plot to overthrow the president of Equatorial Guinea continued to unravel, the elite Scorpions police unit said it had arrested Sir Mark Thatcher after learning that he had put his house on the market, arranged to sell four of his cars, found boarding school places in the US for his two children and bought his family plane tickets to the US.

Al-Qaeda sanctions 'ineffective'
A UN committee has found that sanctions imposed against al-Qaeda and the former Taleban have had little impact on the groups' operations. The UN requires members to freeze assets of any person or group linked to al-Qaeda or the Taleban. Although assets linked to al-Qaeda have been frozen, the report said it had "been hard to tell what this means".

Equatorial Guinea seeks Thatcher extradition
The government of Equatorial Guinea has asked South Africa to extradite Mark Thatcher, son of the former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who is under house arrest for his alleged role in a coup plot against Equatorial Guinea.

Russia finds air crash explosive
Traces of explosive have been found amid the wreckage of one of two Tupolev airliners that crashed on Tuesday, say Russian officials. The FSB security service said at least one of the almost simultaneous crashes was a "terrorist act". In both cases debris was scattered over a wide area.

Despite Rulings, Protesters May Go to Central Park
An anti-war group suggested Thursday that protesters could still gather in Central Park on the eve of the Republican National Convention, despite a judge's ruling that it may not stage a rally there. The group, United for Peace and Justice, said it would stage a march past Madison Square Garden and ending at Union Square -- then let individuals decide for themselves whether to go to the park.

It's the IQ, stupid
His supposed intellectual failings are the butt of countless jokes, but so far the question of George Bush's brainpower hasn't hampered his electoral prospects. Why not? New York Times editor Howell Raines asks how important intelligence really is in an American president

Cuba cuts relations with Panama
Cuba has cut diplomatic ties with Panama after its president pardoned four exiles Havana accused of plotting to kill Cuban President Fidel Castro. The move was expected after Panama's President Mireya Moscoso pardoned the four, who were being held on charges of forgery and threatening security. News of the pardons provoked riots in Panama City.

Mining the Matrix
A computer program has marked thousands of citizens as potential terrorists. Hank Asher was sitting in his $8 million home in Boca Raton, Florida, seething over the terrorist strikes. Asher, creator of advanced data-processing software, suddenly realized he could program his company's computers to hunt Al Qaeda members hiding in the United States.

Scientology Alert In Jerusalem
Yad L'Achim, a Jerusalem-based anti-cult organization, announces that the dangerous Scientology cult is actively pursuing new members among religious and hareidi women.

'Distressed' Thatcher flies home
Baroness Thatcher has arrived back at her London home as it emerged her son Sir Mark could face extradition proceedings in South Africa. Equatorial Guinea's government has asked for Sir Mark's extradition over allegations he helped finance an alleged coup plot in its country.

Clock in New York's Times Square Counts War Cost
A giant clock ticking the cost of the war in Iraq lit up in Times Square on Wednesday, making its debut by flashing $134.5 billion. The amount on the clock will grow at a rate of $177 million a day, $7.4 million an hour and $122,820 per minute, said the advocacy group Project Billboard which put it up.

North Korea's environment crisis
The UN and officials in Pyongyang have agreed the first-ever assessment of the state of the North Korean environment. The report was written by North Korea's national co-ordinating council for the environment, together with the UN's Development and Environment Programmes.

Prostitutes with AIDS to seduce Republican visitors
People who hate Republicans plan to release swarms of mice in New York City to terrorize delegates to the National Republican Convention. "Republican-haters plan on dressing up as RNC volunteers, and giving false directions to little blue hair ladies from Kansas, sending them into the sectors of New York City that are unfit for human habitation. "They plan on throwing pies and Lord knows what else at Republican visitors to the city. Prostitutes with AIDS plan to seduce Republican visitors, and discourage the use of condoms ...."

Kuwait kidnap firm to leave Iraq
A Kuwaiti company has bowed to the demands of kidnappers in Iraq who are holding seven of its employees, saying it will halt operations there. The little-known Black Banners brigade said on Thursday that it would release the men if their Kuwaiti employers pulled out of Iraq.

Beyond the Swift Boat Controversy: Exposing Vietnam War Atrocities
In recent weeks a group called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth have launched a series of high-profile television ads calling John Kerry's record into question. The ads claim Kerry lied about his war record and that he is undeserving of the medals he won. Furthermore, they blast Kerry for his 1971 Senate testimony in which he alleged widespread atrocities being committed by US troops in Vietnam.

Chile strips Pinochet of immunity
Chile's Supreme Court has ruled that the country's former military ruler, Augusto Pinochet, should be stripped of immunity from prosecution. A court spokesman said the ruling was passed by nine judges to eight. The decision paves the way for the former president, now 88, to be tried for an alleged campaign of repression in the 1970s and 1980s.

Men Accused of Terrorist Acts Released from Jail
Their release came one day after a federal judge reversed his initial decision to keep them behind bars. As of Wednesday night, they were home with their families. Earlier that day, the two men took some time to talk to the media about their case.

Italy deplores Iraq hostage death
Italy has expressed outrage at the killing of an Italian journalist and Red Cross aid worker, Enzo Baldoni, by kidnappers in Iraq. The Italian foreign ministry said its diplomats in the Gulf had reported seeing video footage of the hostage being shot in the head. Baldoni reportedly struggled with his captors moments before being killed.

I was abused by soldiers, says Hicks
Alleged Australian terrorist David Hicks has pleaded not guilty to war crimes charges and has told his father Terry that he was beaten and abused by US forces after being seized in Afghanistan, at an emotional meeting on his first day before a US military commission.

Saudi al-Qaeda chief's wife freed
Saudi police have released Fawzia Sauni, wife of the suspected al-Qaeda chief in the kingdom, Saleh Oufi. Her brother Humaid said she had been released on Tuesday. Ms Sauni, who is said to be pregnant, was detained in July during a police raid. Saudi officials did not say if she would face charges, after questioning her for being in a "suspicious place".

Anti-Bush protests could spark confrontation
Protests - and arrests - have begun in New York, days before the start of the Republican convention, where President George W. Bush will be nominated for re-election in a city that voted overwhelmingly for his opponent four years ago.

Tampa officers receive taste of Taser's power
Authorities use a training session and a recent incident to demonstrate the stun gun's effectiveness amid questions of its safety. Tampa police chief Steve Hogue says he's read "all there is to read" about Tasers, gun lookalikes that hit aggressive suspects with jolts of electricity instead of bullets.

Glaxo settles New York drug suit
GlaxoSmithKline has agreed to publish results of clinical tests on its drugs, to settle a US lawsuit. The firm was sued by New York attorney-general Eliot Spitzer over allegations that it withheld negative information about its antidepressant pill, Paxil.
The firm had already agreed to publish data on Paxil, also known as Seroxat.

Is Pentagon flooding Kenosha site with porn?
KenoshaOnline.net was forced to disable their anonymous posting forum last Sunday following several bombs of "comments" advertising links to Web sites featuring incest, bestiality, underage sex, and just about any other dirty and/or illegal thing you could think of.

New jaw grown on patient's back
A German man has been able to eat his first proper meal in nine years after surgeons rebuilt his face using a pioneering jaw-bone graft. The 56-year-old man - who tucked into bread and sausages - had only been able to eat soft food and soup since part of his jaw-bone was removed due to cancer.

Prosecutors: British Elite Funded Coup Try
Hatched by Old Etonians and other members of the British political and financial elite, an alleged scheme to seize control of this oil-rich nation was no ordinary African coup plot, according to witnesses and prosecutors. The plan as outlined in a trial that began Monday: send in a motley crew of European, Asian and African mercenaries to oust the 25-year ruler of what is widely considered one of the world's most corrupt regimes.

MPs plan to impeach Blair over Iraq war record
MPs are planning to impeach Tony Blair for "high crimes and misdemeanours" in taking Britain to war against Iraq, reviving an ancient practice last used against Lord Palmerston more than 150 years ago. Eleven MPs led by Adam Price, Plaid Cymru MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, are to table a motion when parliament returns that will force the prime minister to appear before the Commons to defend his record in the run-up to the war.

27 killed in Kufa mosque attack
At least 27 people were today killed in a mortar attack on a southern Iraqi mosque where supporters of the radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr were gathered. The strike on the mosque in Kufa, which neighbours beseiged Najaf, came as Iraq's leading Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, travelled to Najaf to negotiate an end to almost three weeks of fighting between US forces and Mr Sadr's Mahdi army militia.

NY Court Says Anti-Bush Protesters Can't Use Park
A judge on Wednesday denied anti-Bush protesters permission to rally in Central Park on the eve of the Republican National Convention, leaving open the question of where possibly hundreds of thousands of demonstrators will go after a march through midtown Manhattan. The decision by New York Supreme Court Justice Jacqueline Silbermann is the latest in a running legal battle between the protest group and the city.

US admits 'bounty hunter' contact
The US Department of Defense has admitted having contact with a former US soldier, Jonathan Idema, charged in Afghanistan with torturing civilians. But it says it rejected Mr Idema's offer to work together in capturing terror suspects in Afghanistan.

Iraqi police seize journalists in Najaf
Iraqi policemen rounded up dozens of journalists at gunpoint in a Najaf hotel and took them to police headquarters before later releasing them. Firing their guns in the air, the dozen odd policemen, some masked, stormed into the rooms of journalists in the Najaf Sea hotel and forced them into vans and a truck. 

Soldiers arrested after Iraqi beaten and drowned
At least two British soldiers have been arrested in connection with the allegation that troops murdered an Iraqi teenager, the Guardian has learned. The arrests were made by members of the Royal Military police investigating the death of Ahmed Jabbar Kareem, 17, who was allegedly beaten before drowning in a river in Basra, southern Iraq.

Lethal Weapon star arrested in US
Lethal Weapon star Danny Glover was arrested on Wednesday outside the Sudan Embassy in Washington during a protest over Sudan's humanitarian crisis. Glover was speaking to a crowd who were calling for a peacekeeping force to stop violence in western Sudan.

Distraught father torches self in Marine van
A distraught father who had just been told his Marine son was killed in combat in Iraq set fire to a Marine Corps van and suffered severe burns. Three Marines went to a house in Hollywood to tell the father and stepmother of Lance Cpl. Alexander Arredondo that their 20-year-old son had died in Najaf. The father, Carlos Arredondo, 44, then walked into the garage, picked up a propane tank, a lighting device and a can of gasoline he used to douse the van.

Moore footage shows new CIA boss ruling himself out
Michael Moore yesterday released unseen footage of the new CIA boss explaining his own unsuitability for the role. The scene, which didn't make the cut for Fahrenheit 9/11, shows Porter Goss pointing out that his lack of language and computer skills means he "wouldn't get a job" with the CIA.

Thatcher 'planned to leave home'
Mark Thatcher was "planning to leave" South Africa before his arrest, authorities in the country say. Police say there is "credible evidence" Sir Mark, who is under house arrest, helped finance an alleged coup plot in Equatorial Guinea.

Bombers strike in south Thailand
A bomb hidden in a motorcycle has exploded in a market place in southern Thailand, killing one person and injuring at least 25, some critically. The blast in Sukhirin, in the mainly Muslim province of Narathiwat, comes a day before a scheduled visit by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Soldiers, police officers and schoolchildren were among the injured.

Howard accused of telling 'urban myths'
Michael Howard's attack on a culture of "political correctness gone mad" was dismissed as "regurgitating urban myths" today, as the Conservative leader attempted to put clear blue water between his party and the government on social issues. In a speech in Salford, breaking the traditional August political ceasefire, Mr Howard went on the offensive saying that PC nonsense was "driving people crazy".

Earth warned on 'tipping points'
The world has barely begun to recognise the danger of setting off rapid and irreversible changes in some crucial natural systems, a scientist says. Professor John Schellnhuber says the most important environmental issues for humans are among the least understood.

Futurecop: Bobbies' boots to get satellite tracking chip
Police officers are to get microchips fitted to their boots in the latest police technology drive. A Home Office report says there is a need to "track officers in hostile situations" such as crime-ridden estates. Police chiefs also want to be able to locate bobbies on the beat when they are out of radio contact and needed to deal with emergencies.

Police Bolster Presence at Penn Station
The New York City Police Department stepped up security in and around Pennsylvania Station yesterday, flooding the area with officers to prepare for the Republican National Convention next week. "We've ramped up a week in advance to thwart any terrorist plans, although we have no information to indicate that a specific plot is under way," said a police spokesman.

Satellite tracking unit keeps tabs on wandering children
A tracking device will use satellite technology to find children who wander away from their parents. Trac can locate a child within a 150-metre radius using a built-in global positioning system. A transmitter fits on to a child's belt. Their location information is then automatically sent to a GPS receiver, held by the parent, with arrows to point them towards the child.

Journalist Paints Human Experience In Najaf
Phillip Robertson, an independent journalist, and his friend cameraman Thorne Anderson, saw a much different scene than what was painted in the news reports. Now it is their turn to paint their human experience without reference to propaganda, ideology or hoary old clichés.

Double terror strike feared as Moscow jets crash
Two Russian airliners crashed to earth almost simultaneously, killing all 89 people aboard and raising concerns of a terrorist strike. One of the jets sent a distress signal that may have indicated a hijacking, officials said today. Russia's main intelligence agency, however, said it had found no evidence of terrorism in initial investigations at the crash sites.

Paul Drayson gives Labour £500,000 six weeks after he gets peerage
Paul Drayson, the biotechnology entrepreneur who gave the Labour party £100,000 while successfully bidding for a lucrative government vaccine contract, also gave it another £500,000 within six weeks of being made a life peer, the Electoral Commission revealed yesterday.

Top Shia leader returns to Iraq
The spiritual head of Iraq's Shias has returned to his home country after receiving medical treatment in the United Kingdom. He is seen by many as the man most likely to be able to resolve the crisis in the city of Najaf by peaceful means.

Mark Thatcher arrested in South Africa
South African police have arrested Sir Mark Thatcher over allegations that he was involved in a planned coup in Equatorial Guinea, according to media reports in South Africa. The son of Baroness Thatcher, the former British prime minister, was arrested at his Cape Town home, the South African Press Association said. He was expected to appear in court later today.

China on alert as typhoon nears
The Chinese mainland is bracing itself for tropical typhoon Aere, which has already battered Taiwan. The authorities have evacuated 250,000 people from the south-east coast and called 30,000 fishing boats back to land, Chinese state media reports.

Rumsfeld implicated in Abu Ghraib abuse by damning report
A high-level report has placed indirect blame for the Abu Ghraib prison scandal on the Pentagon's top civilian and military officials, saying their neglect allowed a culture and environment to develop in which such abuse could take place.

The protesters are coming...
It seemed like the perfect location for next week's Republican convention. But with widespread anti-war feeling, hordes of protesters descending on the city and alleged FBI intimidation fuelling the fear of violence, New York is preparing a noisy reception for President Bush.

Unrepentant Blair ready to face down party rebels
As the Prime Minister returns from his month-long summer break in Barbados, Italy and Greece, he is being urged by some advisers to "rebuild bridges" with the party by avoiding more controversial reforms in the run-up to the general election pencilled in for May.

US army to report on Abu Ghraib
A new US army report into the abuse of Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison is expected to incriminate at least a further two dozen military personnel. Seven soldiers have already been charged in the abuse scandal. The report comes a day after a panel faulted Pentagon figures over the abuse but mainly blamed soldiers and their commanders at the prison.

Worship of money is the root of all evil: Short Video
Market experts on Fox TV News analyse the effects of war on the stock market, the preference for certain individuals to be killed and how this would enhance share prices.

Loan targets Brazil's environment
Brazil is to get a $1.2bn (£0.67bn) loan from the World Bank over four years to help protect its environment. The bank says it is the largest single loan given to protect a country's environment, with an initial payment being made this year of $505m.

Bush's Bogus Medals
Here George W. Bush is wearing an Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (AFOUA - the ribbon on the left) and a Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon (SAEMR - the ribbon on the right). Walt Starr is makes a convincing case that Bush had no right to wear the AFOUA wing. For the past month, the Swift Boat Vets have insisted Kerry did not legitimately earn his medals. Those assertions have all been discredited. Fairness now requires similar scrutiny to Bush's medals.

Barents Sea 'faces major threats'
Overfishing, pollution by the energy industry and the legacy of the Cold War all threaten the future of the Barents Sea, the UN Environment Programme says. A Unep report says the overexploitation of fish stocks is "the most alarming problem for the region at present"

Radicals plot bad weather
A number of extremists with ties to the 1970s radical Weather Underground have recently been released from prison and are in New York preparing to wreak havoc during the Republican National Convention. "These people are trained in kidnapping techniques, bombmaking and building improvised munitions," the source said. "They're very bad people."

Iraqi ministers escape attacks
Two Iraqi interim government ministers have survived apparent assassination attempts in the capital Baghdad. Convoys carrying the environment and education ministers were attacked on their way to offices in the city. At least four bodyguards of Environment Minister Mishkat Moumin were killed in the attack on her convoy. She said she was unharmed.

Abu Ghraib reports to blame senior leaders
Senior defence officials and military leaders are at least partly responsible for the abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib and other prisons in Iraq, according to newspaper reports today that claim to have leaks from two separate investigations.

Drug-cheat fears over 'marathon mice' gene breakthrough
Researchers have unveiled genetically engineered mice that they say can run further and longer than their naturally-bred brethren, bringing the "genetic doping" of elite athletes a small step closer to reality. The creation of the so-called marathon mice, announced yesterday, follows earlier genetic engineering work that created "Schwarzenegger mice" - rodents that bulked up after being injected with muscle-building genes.

US forces 'tighten Najaf noose'
American tanks and Iraqi soldiers are moving into position closer to the Imam Ali shrine in the holy Iraqi city of Najaf, eyewitnesses say. The mosque complex is occupied by militia loyal to the rebellious Shia cleric, Moqtada Sadr. The move comes after days of heavy fighting in the streets around the Imam Ali shrine.

Human rights: the case for the defence
The Conservative Party launched a campaign yesterday to 'curb the rights culture'. But can all their charges be taken at face value? According to David Davis, who launched the Conservatives' campaign yesterday, the Human Rights Act has been responsible for an "escalating volume of 'rights' claims against the criminal justice system and other public bodies".

Guantanamo hearings set to begin
Military court proceedings for four detainees from the US-led war in Afghanistan are due to start at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The men - an Australian, two Yemenis and a Sudanese - are the first to face such trials, which have not been used for more than 50 years. The charges include war crimes and making war against the US.

Accusations of ethnic cleansing as Belfast destroys houses
Sectarian and paramilitary tensions in parts of Belfast are leading the housing authorities to resort to demolition and evacuation to tackle the problems. Later this month, two dozen Protestant families are to be moved en masse from a small north Belfast loyalist enclave whose residents have been at odds with the nearby Catholic Ardoyne for years.

Bangladesh paralysed by stoppage
A general strike called by Bangladesh's main opposition party in protest at a grenade attack on a political rally has brought much of the country to a halt. The Awami League called the two-day stoppage in response to Saturday's attack on its public meeting in the capital, Dhaka that killed at least 18. Schools and offices in Dhaka were shut and roads deserted as tens of thousands of opposition supporters marched.

14 Search Dogs From Ground Zero Have Died Since 9/11
Fourteen search and rescue dogs who dug through the rubble of the World Trade Center have since died. Eight of the dogs died from cancer. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine said they don't believe there is a connection between the deaths and the chemicals the dogs were exposed to. But the New York Daily News said some dog owners blame the mix of chemicals their dogs were exposed to during the hunt for survivors and remains after the attack on Sept. 11, 2001.

Wanted Italian leftist on the run
French police have launched a manhunt for a convicted killer who used to belong to a 1970s left-wing extremist group in Italy. Cesare Battisti, who was facing extradition to Italy from France, went missing on Saturday after failing to report to Paris police. A former member of the radical Armed Proletarians for Communism, Mr Battisti is wanted in Italy for four murders.

9/11 Report: Al-Qaeda in the U.S.
As it shut down formal operations on Saturday, the September 11 Commission released a pair of staff monograph reports that reveal tantalizing and important new nuggets about the 9/11 plot ? including the possibility that 9/11 ringleader Mohammed Atta and another hijacker visited an INS office in Miami together in May 2001 with Adnan Shukrijumah, a trained pilot who today remains one of the most wanted al-Qaeda terrorists with a $5 million U.S. bounty on his head.

CIA break-up plan draws criticism
A Republican proposal to break up the CIA as part of a general intelligence overhaul has been criticised by top Democrats and the agency's acting boss.
Senator Jay Rockefeller, the top Democrat on the intelligence committee, called the plan "a severe mistake". Acting CIA chief John McLaughlin said such a move would be "a step backward".

Bush Religion Adviser Quits Campaign Post
Deal W. Hudson, publisher of the conservative Catholic magazine Crisis and a close ally of the Bush White House, has resigned as an adviser to the Bush-Cheney reelection campaign because of allegations that he sexually harassed a Fordham University student a decade ago.

Sierra Leone 'child-smuggler' arrests
Three people have been arrested and charged with smuggling 29 children to the United States for adoption, say police in Sierra Leone. A senior policeman saidthe suspects used to work for a local aid agency running orphanages in the north. He said two suspects then set up an orphanage, and persuaded poor parents to give up their children for adoption.

Meat-eaters soak up the world's water
A change in diets may be necessary to enable developing countries to feed their people, say scientists. Governments may have to persuade people to eat less meat because of increasing demands on water supplies, according to agricultural scientists investigating how the world can best feed itself.

Bush praises Kerry's war record
US President George W Bush has praised the military record of his election rival, John Kerry, and called a halt to unofficial negative advertising. Mr Kerry's campaign team has alleged Mr Bush backed ads by Republican-leaning Vietnam veterans which questioned Mr Kerry's record for bravery in the war. The president said Senator Kerry served "admirably" and called for attacks by external campaign groups to be banned. The Democrats have described Mr Bush's remarks as "too little, too late".

Mexican 'drugs legend' arrested
A man claimed to be responsible for smuggling half the cocaine that reaches the US from Mexico has been arrested. Gilberto Higuera Guerrero had a $2m (£1.1m) price on his head. According to Mexico's Attorney General Rafael Macedo de la Concha, Mr Higuera Guerrero was "a legend" in the drugs trafficking world.

Militant cleared of Bali bombings
An Indonesian militant has been sentenced to 10 years in jail for helping to plan last year's attack on a Jakarta hotel, which killed 12 people. But Idris was cleared of taking part in the 2002 Bali bombings, despite confessing his involvement. The court decided he could not be prosecuted over Bali, due to a recent ruling preventing the retrospective use of the law used to charge him.

Taiwan braced for Typhoon Aere
The tropical typhoon Aere is set to strike the Taiwanese capital, Taipei, having already brought raging winds and heavy rain to the north of the country. At least five fishermen caught up in the storm have reportedly drowned. Typhoon Aere - whose name means "storm" in the Marshall Islands - will bring 130km/h (80mph) winds.

Tough test for new Czech leader
The new Czech government faces a tough test on Tuesday - its first vote of confidence in parliament. The government has a majority of just one seat and two deputies on sick leave might have to attend the session to ensure its survival.

Israel expands settlement growth
Israeli officials say the government has approved the building more than 300 new houses in West Bank settlements. Officials say the new building will be in the settlements of Har Gilo and Haradar close to Jerusalem. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon approved the construction of about 1,000 new homes in four settlements.

West Bank barrier to be re-routed
Israel has said it will re-route part of the West Bank barrier, bringing it closer to Israel's 1967 border with Palestinian territories. Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz said a new section of the barrier would encroach less on Palestinian land. The re-routing follows a ruling in June by the Israeli High Court that existing plans had to be amended, to reduce the disruption to Palestinian communities. In July, the World Court issued an opinion that the barrier was illegal.

Karzai, Musharraf unite on terror
Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani counterpart Pervez Musharraf have met in Islamabad to discuss terrorism and economic issues. A statement said that the leaders "reiterated their common commitment to fight terrorism".

Fed officials ease oil concerns
A recovery in the world's largest economy is likely to continue, despite oil prices surging to record levels, US Federal Reserve officials said. Speaking on US television on Monday night, Fed governor Ben Bernanke said that while higher oil costs may slow expansion, they would not derail it. Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President Robert McTeer echoed this optimism during a separate TV appearance.

High-quality photocopiers lead to boom in fake Dalís
Finnish police raid sparks Europe-wide investigation into art fraud. Finnish police said yesterday they were investigating a large-scale art fraud in which dozens of high-quality photocopies of works by artists such as Salvador Dalí were passed off as originals and sold for up to €10,000 (£6,700) each.

US tops league of e-mail spammers
The US is the biggest spammer, despite efforts to combat unwanted e-mail, according to net security experts. Almost 43% of all unwanted e-mails originated from the US in the last month, said anti-virus firm Sophos. The report suggests that anti-spam laws passed in the US nine months ago have had little impact.

Fine patients who fail to show, urge GPs
The government is facing grassroots pressure from GPs for the right to charge NHS patients who miss appointments, after evidence that non-attendance is costing the health service £162m a year.

Troops die in Nepal rebel attack
Maoist rebels in Nepal have killed at least four soldiers north-east of the capital, the army says. A spokesman said the soldiers were clearing roadblocks on a highway about 100km (60 miles) from Kathmandu when they came under fire from nearby hills.

MSPs arrested at Faslane protest
Four members of the Scottish Parliament have been arrested during an anti-nuclear protest at the Faslane naval base on the Clyde. Scottish Socialist Party MSPs Rosie Kane and Frances Curran and Green MSPs Mark Ballard and Patrick Harvie were among dozens of people taken away.

Daughter of minister beheaded
Thegruesome discovery of a decapitated body dumped in the Irish countryside has raised fears that the daughter of a leading African politician was the victim of a ritual killing. The decomposing remains of Paiche Unyolo Onyemaechi, daughter of Leonard Unyolo, Malawi’s Justice Minister, were found next to to a stream close to the sleepy village of Piltown, Co Kilkenny. But her head has still not been found and detectives are investigating the possibility that Mrs Onyemaechi, 25, was a human sacrifice in Ireland’s first ritual or “muti” killing.

Nepal confirms abductions in Iraq
A cabinet minister in Nepal has confirmed that 13 Nepalese workers have been taken hostage in Iraq. The minister of state for foreign affairs, Prakash Sharan Mahat, said that the government was trying to secure their release.

Journalist killed in Fallujah
An Iraqi freelance journalist working for Germany's ZDF television has been killed in the flashpoint city of Fallujah, the network said. Mahmud Hamid Abbas, 32, had gone to the city on Sunday to film when he was killed "in unexplained circumstances", it said. The media watchdog Reporters without Borders (RSF) said the journalist was killed as he was leaving his native Fallujah for Baghdad.

Fatal blast rocks Turkish resort
An explosion has rocked the Turkish Mediterranean resort city of Antalya, killing one teenager and injuring another, reports say. It was not immediately clear what caused the blast in Antalya's harbour area. A local police chief was quoted as saying two suspects had been detained.

Sao Paulo probes vagrant deaths
Police in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo are investigating the murder of six homeless people by unknown assailants over the last four days. A woman died in an attack in the city centre on Saturday night. Five people died after an assault on Thursday. The police suspect the attacks were carried out either by vigilantes or drug-trafficking gangs. Hundreds of people attended a Sunday service at Sao Paulo cathedral to condemn the killings.

Anger at US settlements 'shift'
Palestinian officials have reacted angrily to reports the US is willing to accept some Jewish settlement building in the West Bank and Gaza. The New York Times newspaper quoted a US official as saying there was a "covert" shift towards accepting "natural growth" within settlements. Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei said such a move would destroy hopes for peace. All settlement activity is prohibited under the US-backed roadmap peace plan.

US deal 'wrecks Middle East peace'
The US was yesterday accused by Palestinian leaders of destroying hopes for peace in the Middle East by giving its covert support to Israel's expansion of controversial settlements in the West Bank. American officials are privately admitting they have abandoned their demands that Israel freeze settlement activity, and have given Jerusalem tacit permission to build thousands of new homes on the disputed land.

Soldiers face Abu Ghraib hearings
A US soldier alleged to have been one of the ringleaders in the abuse at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib jail has appeared before a military tribunal in Germany. Spc Charles Graner is the first of four soldiers to face a preliminary hearing at a US barracks in Mannheim. He is charged with cruelty and maltreatment of prisoners as well as assault and indecent acts.

Israeli helicopters drop warning leaflets
Israeli helicopters dropped hundreds of leaflets over the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun, warning residents against helping Palestinian militants launch homemade rockets against Israel. The leaflets threatened to destroy the residents' houses and raze their cultivated land if they were proved to be involved in helping Palestinian militants.

Air pollution 'masking global warming'
The true threat from global warming may have been masked by air pollution, a leading scientist warned today. Aerosols - particles of pollution in the air - help to cool the earth but, as they diminish in coming decades, global warming may be found to accelerate, says Meinrat Andreae, of the Max Planck Institute in Mainz, Germany.

US forces bombard holy Iraqi city
US forces in the holy Iraqi city of Najaf have carried out an overnight assault on militia loyal to radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr. Warplanes and helicopters fired on the rebels, while snipers were employed on the ground. Militia leaders said the shrine compound's outer walls were damaged in the overnight attacks, but the US military denies this.

Nader refuses to quit race for White House
Ralph Nader, the independent candidate accused by Democrats of threatening to wreck their chances of beating George Bush in November's election, has said there are no circumstances in which he will drop out of the contest. Throwing down the gauntlet to Democrats who have pleaded with him to stand down, Mr Nader said to do so now would be an insult to his supporters and make people even more cynical about politics.

North Korea likens Bush to Hitler
North Korea has described US President George W Bush as an "imbecile" and a "tyrant that puts Hitler in the shade". A Foreign Ministry spokesman was responding to comments President Bush made last week in which he described the North's Kim Jong-il as a "tyrant". The spokesman also reiterated that North Korea will not attend a working meeting ahead of the next round of six-party talks on its nuclear programme.

Fellow skipper throws Kerry lifeline as mud starts to stick
The row about John Kerry's war record became more heated yesterday with the resignation of a Bush campaign adviser on veterans' affairs and the publication of a personal account of the events that led to Senator Kerry being awarded a Silver Star. Ken Cordier, a former Vietnam PoW, resigned from the Bush campaign after it emerged that he had appeared in a commercial made by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, the group that has led the attacks.

Kidnapped reporter freed in Iraq
Iraqi militants have released a French-American reporter they abducted while the whereabouts of three other Western journalists remains a mystery. Micah Garen, who was seized along with his interpreter on 13 August in Nasiriya, told an Arabic TV channel he had been taking photos at the time. "There was a misunderstanding," he said from the mainly Shia southern city.

FDA Analysis Backs Antidepressant Concern
New FDA Analysis Backs Suggestions of Link Between Antidepressants and Suicidal Tendencies. Federal health officials are preparing stronger warnings for some antidepressants used in children after new analyses back a possible link to suicide. Exactly what those warnings will say, and which drugs will be affected, hasn't been settled, according to Food and Drug Administration documents. The agency will ask its scientific advisers next month for help in deciding.

Kabul 'bounty hunters' on trial
The trial of three Americans accused of torture and hostage-taking in Afghanistan has resumed in the capital, Kabul. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation released material which could be used as evidence in the case. But one of the accused, Jonathan Idema, says he has still not been given full access to evidence he says he needs to defend himself. He says his mission was approved by the Pentagon - a charge it denies.

Blair refuses to travel to US
British Prime Minister Tony Blair is refusing to fly to the United States to receive a medal bestowed on him by the nation for his support over last year's Iraq war, a London newspaper reported. US President George W. Bush has put huge pressure on his closest ally to pick up the Congressional Medal of Honour in person.

Senator proposes breaking up CIA
A top Republican senator has proposed an overhaul of US intelligence which would create a national intelligence tsar and effectively break up the CIA. Senator Pat Roberts said he was pushing for a National Security Protection Act to build on the findings of the commission on the 11 September attacks. Democrats broadly welcomed the plan though the party's senators said they had not been consulted.

Interview with Ralph Nader
'Once you accept the anything-but-Bush position, the brain really does close down'. Ralph Nader holds a unique position in American politics. Hated by Democrats, adored by his hardcore supporters and now championed by trouble-making Republicans, the 70-year-old consumer rights candidate represents many different things to different people.

Kenya Maasai land tensions grow
Kenyan police have shot dead a 70-year-old Maasai tribesman who was trying to graze his cattle on farmland leased to British settlers 100 years ago. Four other herdsman were injured in the shooting which took place 40 km north of Nanyuki township in central Kenya. A local Maasai leader, Ben Ole Koisaba, said paramilitary police opened fire after herdsmen were forced by drought to graze their cattle on private land.

Bush's 'compassion' for Southwest Florida:
$2 million, a photo op, and the federal Gestapo. Floridians, many of them elderly, recently got a taste of George W. Bush's infamous "compassion." Four days after Hurricane Charley tore through southwestern Florida with 145 mile per hour sustained winds, Bush's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was able to come up with only $2 million in emergency assistance. And in an added touch of the Bush administration's compassion, the American flag was raised at the main Punta Gorda post office in a patriotic ceremony featuring the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.

Germany acquits 'Jackal's aide'
A German court has acquitted Johannes Weinrich, an alleged accomplice of jailed left-wing extremist Carlos the Jackal, over 1980s bombings in France. The Berlin state court cited lack of evidence in acquitting Mr Weinrich, 56, who is serving a life sentence for a 1983 attack in Berlin. Mr Weinrich is said to have once headed European operations for Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, the man known as Carlos.

Ralph Nader as David Duke? The ADL Wants You to Think So
On Thursday August 20th, the Washington Post reported that the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has branded Ralph Nader a "bigot", which is a furtive way of saying they think the independent candidate for president is a vile anti-Semite. Nader has come under attack from the ADL and their executive director Abe Foxman for suggesting that the US should proceed in a new direction regarding the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

Alarm bells ring over melting glaciers
Scientists are alarmed that glaciers from the Arctic to the Alps could be melting faster than before. At a seminar on glaciers in Oslo experts said the consequences of fast-melting glaciers could be catastrophic, with low lying areas from Bangladesh to the Netherlands getting swamped. 'It's too early to say if glacier melting is accelerating worldwide,' said Jeffrey Kargel of the US Geological Survey. 'In some areas it is, but the picture is mixed'.

Bangladesh forces on high alert
Bangladeshi security forces are on high alert with more protests planned after the attack on an opposition rally in Dhaka that killed 19 people. Many schools were closed and the opposition has called a general strike. Leader of the opposition Awami League, Sheikh Hasina, who escaped the blasts unhurt, blamed the government for the attacks - a charge it denies.

Ramsey Clark's Indictment of George W. Bush
Waging a War of Aggression against the sovereignty of Iraq and the rights of its people, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and injuries among the people of Iraq, most civilians, from military violence and thousands of U.S. G.I’s. War of aggression is defined as “the Supreme international crime” in the Nuremberg Judgment...

World commemorates end of slavery
Events across the planet are marking the abolition of the slave trade and highlighting the fact that millions still live as slaves in all but name. The United Nations is leading the celebrations in Paris while a new slavery museum is to open in the US state of Ohio. Senegal will hold a commemoration on Goree Island, once a major transit centre for the slave trade. A UN official said the full extent of slavery had still to be recognised.

Terrorizing the Conscience of Men
According to John Ashcroft, the Bush administration believes in confronting, denouncing, and condemning thoughts and words that can lead to potential “hate crimes”. Americans are warned not to criticize good buddy Israel, because such criticisms (however true they may be) are dangerous.

Indian leader facing arrest quits
The leader of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, Uma Bharati, has stepped down after facing arrest over a riot case. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to which Ms Bharati belongs, says it has accepted her resignation. She is charged with inciting violence during riots in the southern state of Karnataka 10 years ago.

Chilling Effects of Anti-Terrorism
The right to free speech faces the strongest challenges during times of crisis. Whether or not any of us agree about each particular decision made to prevent public access to sensitive information, it is the Electronic Frontier Foundation's responsibility to chart any such efforts so that we as a society are at least aware of what is no longer available to us.