http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/news-news/ en-us Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:59:20 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416630/posts "Two of the four leaders allegedly behind the al Qaeda plot to blow up a Northwest Airlines passenger jet over Detroit were released by the U.S. from the Guantanamo prison in November, 2007, according to American officials and Department of Defense documents. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the Northwest bombing in a Monday statement that vowed more attacks on Americans." "American officials agreed to send the two terrorists from Guantanamo to Saudi Arabia where they entered into an “art therapy rehabilitation program” and were set free, according to U.S. and Saudi officials." "One program gives the former detainees paints and... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416630/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:59:20 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416629/posts NEW YORK – MSNBC spent considerable time Monday reporting on the aftermath of an attempted Christmas Day attack on a Detroit-bound airliner, but its executives didn't want to talk about why the story received little attention as it was breaking on Fri. Competitors CNN and Fox News Channel gave much more extensive attention to the story on Christmas night as MSNBC stuck with taped programs on a murder mystery and environmental issues, along with an "undercover" report on the teenage sex trade. MSNBC has been criticized in the past for failing to respond quickly to breaking news during off-hours, a... AP & Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416629/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:56:45 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416626/posts link only bloomberg source newsweek http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416626/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:50:35 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416625/posts Flight 253 passenger: Sharp-dressed man aided terror suspect Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab onto plane without passport (MLive.com exclusive) A Michigan man who was aboard Northwest Airlines Flight 253 says he witnessed Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab trying to board the plane in Amsterdam without a passport. Kurt Haskell of Newport, Mich., who posted an earlier comment about his experience, talked exclusively with MLive.com and confirmed he was on the flight by sending a picture of his boarding pass. He and his wife, Lori, were returning from a safari in Uganda when they boarded the NWA flight on Friday. Haskell said he... MLIVE http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416625/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:50:34 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416623/posts Japan Factory Output Jumps, Momentum In Doubt Stanley White Mon Dec 28, 2009 2:46am ESTTOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's industrial output rose for the ninth consecutive month in November, driven by strong exports and domestic subsidies, but swelling inventories and falling wages threaten to end the longest climb in more than 12 years. Demand from the United States and Asia contributed much to last month's 2.6 percent rise, government data showed on Monday, supporting the Bank of Japan's view that the world's second-largest economy will continue its moderate recovery next year. Economists say overseas demand should prevent a return to recession... Reuters http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416623/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:49:32 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416614/posts Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- President Barack Obama promised Americans in a speech to Congress that his version of a government-run health care bill would not contain abortion funding. Now his top spokesman confirms that Obama favors the Senate bill that funds abortions over the House bill that bans abortion funding.In a September nationally-televised speech to Congress, Obama sought to clear up projections from pro-life advocates that his health care plan would fund abortions."One more misunderstanding I want to clear up -- under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions," Obama claimed.Since his speech, the House... Life News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416614/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:28:40 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416609/posts Earth's north magnetic pole is racing toward Russia at almost 40 miles (64 kilometers) a year due to magnetic changes in the planet's core, new research says. The core is too deep for scientists to directly detect its magnetic field. But researchers can infer the field's movements by tracking how Earth's magnetic field has been changing at the surface and in space. Now, newly analyzed data suggest that there's a region of rapidly changing magnetism on the core's surface, possibly being created by a mysterious "plume" of magnetism arising from deeper in the core. And it's this region that... National Geographic http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416609/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:21:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416605/posts SAN JUAN — A 16-year-old Mexican girl was forced into household labor, deprived of food and shelter and raped six times by the man who smuggled her into this country, according to authorities. Benito Vargas, 17, is accused of raping the Jalisco native on several occasions while his mother ignored the girl’s cries for help, San Juan Police Chief Juan Gonzalez said. The girl, who was smuggled into the United States on claims she would have a better life here, was also beaten on several occasions, was rarely fed and was forced to sleep on a couch outside while she... The Monitor http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416605/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:14:26 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416603/posts With the latest incident of an attempted terrorist attack on Christmas Day, coming so soon after the Fort Hood massacre, Americans should be asking if we are indeed under an Islamist “Tet Offensive.” Family Security Matters http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416603/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:12:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416600/posts Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Most of the focus on the Senate last week revolved around the pro-abortion government-run health care bill the chamber passed on Christmas Eve. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans and Democrats squabbled over a pro-abortion nominee President Barack Obama as put forward for a crucial legal position. Dawn Johnsen, a law professor at Indiana University who is a former legal counsel for the pro-abortion group NARAL, is Obama's selection to head the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel.Her nomination has been delayed by Republicans who oppose her because she is strongly pro-abortion -- going as far as saying... Life News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416600/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:07:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416597/posts Today, Andrew Breitbart announced that January 6 is the date he will launch BigJournalism.com. He stated this when guest-hosting for Dennis Miller on his radio show this morning. Earlier, Mr. Breitbart had announced a January debut, but not until today has he stated the exact date, at least not to my knowledge. Earlier this year, he launched BigHollywood and BigGovernment.com, and has stated he has quietly bought up other domains such as BigEU, BigJerusalem, BigSoros, BigEducation, BigTolerance, and BigEnvironment. My own research reveals that he has purchased other domains that have not been announced or mentioned elsewhere. Some of these... LoudCitizen.org http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416597/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:02:22 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416596/posts A singed pair of underwear with a packet of powder sewn into the crotch, seen in government photos obtained exclusively by ABC News, is all that remains of al Qaeda's attempt to down an American passenger plane over Detroit. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416596/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:01:47 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416593/posts Brussels - Fifty-two years of European Union history are set to come to an end on Friday as Sweden hands over the bloc's last full national presidency to its new full-time chairman and to Spain. Since it was founded in 1957, the EU has been steered by a different member state every six months. But on December 1 the bloc's Lisbon Treaty came into force, creating the position of full-time president of the council of EU member states. From January 1, Belgium's former premier, Herman Van Rompuy, is set to chair summits and steer the EU's agenda, while Spain, the... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416593/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:58:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416592/posts Matt Lauer gets to ask the question that he rightly says is on everyone’s mind: how could Janet Napolitano say that “the system worked” when the only things between the passengers of NW 253 and disaster were the passengers themselves and a faulty detonator? Napolitano says she was taken out of context, and by the way, Bush Bush Bush Bush Bush (via Charlie Foxtrot): Hot Air http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416592/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:55:40 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416589/posts Hundreds of millions of pounds of charity donations to hospitals are to be “nationalised” under an NHS accounting change, which critics say will make it easier to slash health budgets. Ministers are imposing new rules on NHS charities requiring all donations — including those to specialist children and cancer units, local fundraising campaigns, teaching hospitals and local community trusts — to be listed on a hospital’s balance sheet. Money raised by fun runners for NHS charities could be "nationalised" The Charities Commission says that this is “wholly inappropriate” because combining the trust and charity accounts will jeopardise the charity’s autonomy... The Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416589/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:43:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416581/posts Via Gabriel Malor, not the first case of compassionate release from Gitmo to have gone drastically wrong but certainly the one that’ll have the most political fallout. This reads like the plot of one of those over-the-top David Zucker attack ads against the left — except it wasn’t the left that presided over this one. The next interview with Dick or Liz Cheney should be pretty interesting, huh? Hot Air http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416581/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:27:36 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416568/posts Krugman: 'Reasonably High Chance' the Economy Will Contract December 27, 2009 Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman said he thinks there’s a “reasonably high chance” the economy will contract in the second half of next year. On the "This Week" Roundtable, Krugman said he agreed with the assessment of fellow Nobel-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz that there is a significant chance the economy will shrink in 2010. ABCNews http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416568/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:03:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416566/posts Ambulance Rushes To Obama Compound In Hawaii First Family Spends Christmas Vacation In President's Birthplace HONOLULU (CBS) ― President Barack Obama abruptly ended a round of golf Monday and sped toward his family's vacation home for what was described as a "personal matter." An administration official said that the incident related to a child of an Obama family friend who was injured on vacation. White House aides said the speedy departure and return to the president's home was not a matter of national security or because of a threat to Obama's safety. Obama was playing golf when reporters who travel... CBS News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416566/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:55:20 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416565/posts www.michaelsavage.wnd.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416565/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:55:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416560/posts Efforts could shake up 2010 electionsIt could be the birth of a party.Fueled by anger at politicians and distrust of the government, the rapidly growing tea party movement could upend the political establishment in the 2010 elections – ultimately becoming a permanent, game-changing force in American politics.Or, it could fizzle.Even supporters aren't sure. Joyce Kaufman, a talk show host on WFTL-AM 850, believes the answer will come in the November elections. "If nothing happens in 2010, it falls apart."But she doesn't see that happening."It's going to be a huge dynamic. I don't think it's going to be easily defused. I... Sun Sentinel http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416560/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:46:44 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416558/posts Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano came in for some well-deserved criticism for declaring over the weekend that “the system worked” with respect to Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s effort to blow up the plane he was flying from Amsterdam to Detroit. By Monday, she was backpedalling, acknowledging that “our system did not work in this instance.” In truth, for a lot of Americans, Ms. Napolitano has not had much credibility since she tried to ban “terrorism” from the official lexicon of her department. But arguably the most serious indication that she is wholly ill-equipped to carry out her present responsibilities can be... Canada Free Press http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416558/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:41:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416557/posts China's banks are gearing up to extend their flow of credit into next year to keep the economy humming, analysts say, a trend that could add to the financial challenges already facing the industry in the aftermath of a historic lending spree in 2009. China's government hasn't announced a target for lending next year. But analysts who cover the industry expect new loans in 2010 to total seven trillion yuan to eight trillion yuan, or $1.03 trillion to $1.17 trillion. That is somewhat lower than the volume this year, when the state-owned banks responded to official economic-stimulus efforts with one... The Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416557/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:37:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416551/posts Mall Melee Involving 100 Rowdy Teens What's the matter with kids today? Updated 11:09 AM EST, Mon, Dec 28, 2009 More than 100 rambunctious teens turned the Westfield Trumbull into a giant mosh pit Saturday night, according to police. Two teens were ultimately arrested for returning to the after being thrown out by mall security for allegedly bothering customers. The fight erupted at a bus stop outside the shopping center, said police, and ultimately grew to include more than 100 young people. Trumbull police say they had to call in Bridgeport and state police officers for backup and were forced... .nbcconnecticut.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416551/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:33:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416550/posts Over ONE MILLION copies sold! On the NYTimes Bestseller List for 19 weeks, 12 weeks at #1!Buy it… read it… live it!“Conservatism is the antidote to tyranny precisely because its principles are the founding principles.” --Mark Levin in Liberty and TyrannyWelcome to “The Levin Lounge”… Step in and have a virtual FRink.Taking the country by storm, one radio station at a time – and kicking the BUTTS of the competition! Welcome all, to the most FUN LIVE THREAD on FreeRepublic.com! You can call Mark’s show: 1-877-381-3811 The Mark Levin Show http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416550/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:32:24 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416549/posts Welcome to my analysis of Climategate, the climate science scandal that has already eclipsed Watergate in terms of its global political ramifications. Climategate began on November 19, 2009, when it is believed that a whistle-blower either leaked or unintentionally released thousands of emails and documents central to a Freedom of Information request placed with the Climatic Research Unit of the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom. This institution had played a central role in the “climate change” debate: its scientists, together with their international colleagues, quite literally put the “warming” into Global Warming: they were responsible for analysing... Assassination Science http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416549/posts#comment Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:28:50 GMT