Britain has denied the story in the Daily Mail that British officials knew about the use of false British passports (and reportedly stolen identities) for the hit on Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai (here).
Continue reading “Britain Denies Report That It Knew of Use of False British Passports in Dubai Assassination”
Category: International
The Obama Administration continued the tradition of the “Friday night dump” by just releasing the Justice Department report on former Justice officials John Yoo, Jay Bybee and Steven Bradbury. The report is linked below. The Justice Department confirmed that the investigation originally found professional misconduct by Yoo and Bybee, but an unnamed high-ranking official at the Office of Professional Responsibility overruled the finding to avoid any professional action against them. I discussed the story on this segment of Countdown.
Continue reading “Justice Department Declines Punishment for Bush Officials for “Poor Judgment””
The Daily Mail has run with an explosive story after public protestations from British officials over the use of false British passports (and reportedly stolen identities) for the hit on Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai (here). The question now is whether Parliament has the courage to order an investigation in whether the British government not only acquiesced to the operation but then actively misled the public by pretending to be outraged.
Occasionally, the Olympic performances will result not in preservation of a moment of perfection but a wipeout. On this occasion, it was not a downhill skier but an NBC reporter who asked Gold Medalist Sven Kramer who he was, what country he was from, and what he just won. He responded with “Are you stupid?”
Interpol has posted wanted pictures of the eleven suspects in the assassination of Hamas member Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in the Dubai hotel on January 19, 2010. In what could be a serious problem for Israel, both Britain and France are demanding answers on the use of fake passports and stolen identities in the plot while Dubai continues its criminal investigation. This is occurring at the same time that Israel is resisting an international investigation into possible war crimes in its campaign in Gaza, here.
Juventus‘ goalie, Gigi Buffon, is facing punishment for saying “Dio” or “God” after a critical play went poorly. You cannot use the Lord’s name in vain in Italy where officials have used replay tapes to determine if he said “Dio” or, as he now claims, “Zio” or “uncle.”
Continue reading “Dios Mío: Leading Soccer Player To Be Punished for Blasphemy”
Malaysia has continued its application of Sharia law with the caning of three Muslim women for having illicit sex. This follows the earlier sentence of a woman to caning for drinking a beer in public under Islamic law, here.
Continue reading “Malaysia Canes Three Women For Illicit Sex Under Sharia Sentences”
While Obama has been criticized for saying that Tibet is part of China (here), he showed a refreshing degree of independence from China by meeting with the Dalai Lama. In the past, China has been able to pressure leaders (including past presidents) to avoid such meetings). Recently, South Africa even barred the Dalai Lama from an international peace conference, here.
Continue reading “Hello Dalai: Obama Meets With Tibetian Leader Over Chinese Objections”
The Observer has published an article detailing a confidential Vatican document from the 1960s that instructed Catholic bishops around the world to cover up cases of sexual abuse or face discipline — including expulsion from the church. The document in Latin bears the seal of Pope John XXIII. It reads like a Vatican-version of Omertà.
Continue reading “Omertà: Vatican Ordered Secrecy in Abuse Cases”
London police are investigating an unnamed Saudi prince in the murder of one of his servants. A 32-year-old Saudi national was found dead from strangulation and severe head injuries at the posh five-star Landmark Hotel in Marylebone, Central London.
Continue reading “London Police Investigate Saudi Prince in Murder of Servant”
I just saw this video on Reddit of a guy who sees an Olympic torch and sees not a symbol of international cooperation and competition but a lighter for his cigarette. Next time he should do what other people do and use an AK-47, here.
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Television presenter Ray Gosling has been arrested on suspicion of murder after the BBC ran a segment where the 70-year-old confessed to smothering his lover who was suffering from AIDS. He starts the segment by saying that he wanted to reveal his secret: “I killed someone.”
Somebody drug test this man. U.S. snowboarder Graham Watanabe was asked what it was like to compete in his second Winter Olympics. He responded it was like “Pegasus mating with a unicorn and the creature that they birth I somehow tame it and ride it to the sky and clouds and sunshine and rainbows.”
U.S. figure skater Johnny Weir is the subject of an international outcry over his insistence on wearing real animal fur in his figure skating outfit — despite his prior promise to yield to demands that he use faux fur.
Continue reading “Ready to Weir: Fur Flies At Olympics Over Outfit of U.S. Figure Skater”
Former Vice President Dick Cheney came out this weekend in an interview with ABC’s Jonathan Karl to proclaim “I was a big supporter of waterboarding.” It is an astonishing public admission since waterboarding is not just illegal but a war crime. It is akin to the Vice President saying that he supported bank robbery or murder-for-hire as a public policy.
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