In the Loop News Roundup - September 1-6, 2009
Sunday, September 07, 2008 (00:29:21)

Posted by horatio

Well, it's been a busy week here in NYC with classes starting for many students, myself included, but I managed to sit down today and do my usual news in review, which I think I may finally make into a more formal thing. For now, I'm using the name 'In the Loop News Roundup', mostly because I like the ring of it, but also gets at what I have been doing informally for years now, which is trying to source as wide a range of news as possible to stay in the "loop" on local and world news.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul visits Armenia: A step forward or a slap in the face? Depends on your political leanings, and if you consider the Armenian genocide intentional or a legacy of Ottoman WWI politics. Either way, it was a historic visit, the first for a Turkish leader since Armenian independence.

Eight Arrested and Charged with Terrorism in Twin City RNC Protests: Eight members of the Republican National Convention Welcoming Committee (RNCWC) were charged with “conspiracy to riot in furtherance of terrorism,” under a Minnesota version of the national USA PATRIOT Act. The eight youth activists could face nearly eight years in jail if convicted, even though they were arrested prior to the protests and on absurd charges involving weapons and other claims that have since proved false. Democracy Now! has some great coverage of this as well right here.

Ron Paul Supporters Get Secret Service Special Service At RNC: Seems like everybody was having a good time at the RNC this past week, including some Ron Paul delegates who were shadowed, searched and harassed throughout the convention.

Palestinian Fulbright Scholar Denied Exit from Gaza: Zohair M. Abu Shaban, who had planned to start work on an MA in engineering in Connecticut htis fall, was denied entry from the Israeli occupation forces, even after US ambassadors had negotiated approval for visa travel.

CIA Torture Center In Poland More Than Just Rumors:News is finally starting to leak out confirming what many have already speculated on, namely that the CIA has been using black-op torture facilities outside of US jurisdiction. While details are still sketch, there apears to now be a full-blown inestigation into the details of this latest US torture revelation.

Open Letter From Alaskan Woman Sparks Renewed Palin Revelations: An open letter recently published by a Wasilla, Alaska resident named Anne Kilkenny has been making waves around the nation after its publication earlier this week. In the letter Kilkenny explodes the myth of Palin as a do-gooder anti-establishment maverick and shows her true colors, or what the letter describes as a high school nickname of "Sarah Barracuda," apparently due to her ruthless and vindictive approach to politics and top-down authoritarian leadership style. A must read letter!!

Feds Decide Socialism May Not Be So Bad After All: While everybody is following the Fannie Mae & Freddie Mack story fairly closely, what isn't really being talked about is the clear and obvious socialist context such a move clearly represents. What could be more socialist than, as D.H. Williams describes it, Washington elite taking "control of $12 trillion in mortgaged real estate assets, nearly 1 in every 2 homes." The political implications of this are seriously in need of more scrutiny, but that seems to be sorely absent in the press right now.

Freelance Reuters Photographer Still Being Held Illegally By US In Iraq: Ali Omar Abrahem Al-Mashadani, who is a TV cameraman and journalist, is still being incarcerated illegally in a Baghdad prison after his arrest on August 8 by US military. No reason was given for his arrest and he has not been allowed to speak with family or legal council. Reporters Without Borders is also following this case, and have demanded his immedate release.

Well, that's about it for this week. Stay tuned for more exciting coverage right here.