Israel is assassinating Iranian nuclear scientists as part of a covert war against the Islamic Republic's illicit weapons program, the Daily Telegraph on Tuesday quoted Western intelligence analysts as saying. The British daily said Israel's Mossad espionage agency was rumored to be behind the death of Ardeshire Hassanpour, a top nuclear scientist at Iran's Isfahan uranium plant, who died in mysterious circumstances from reported "gas poisoning" in 2007.
Other recent deaths of important figures in the procurement and enrichment process in Iran and Europe have been the result of Israeli "hits", intended to deprive Tehran of key technical skills at the head of the program, according to the analysts.
Is Israel assassinating Iran nuclear scientists?
UBS admits helping tax evaders
"UBS admitted to conspiring to defraud the United States by impeding the IRS," the Justice Department announced late Wednesday.
The statement says that UBS, "in an unprecedented move" based on an order by Swiss authorities, has agreed "to immediately provide the U.S. government with the identities of, and account information for, certain U.S. customers of UBS's cross-border business."
TVNL Comment: This story broke in June of 2008, when a 'disgruntled employee' blew the whistle on UBS. At that time Sen. Leahy 'demanded' that the bank be closed down until the 'cleaned up their act.' Yeah, right.
Bush FDA decision put patients in danger
The Food and Drug Administration put patients' lives at risk by halting enforcement of 30-year-old requirements that medical device makers meet federal laboratory standards prior to testing their products on humans, a watchdog group charges in a new report.
The rules at issue cover studies on an array of devices, including life-saving products such as defibrillators, pacemakers, coronary stents and heart valves.
Documents: DHS passed protest info to Md. police
he U.S. Department of Homeland Security tracked an anti-war group's plans for peaceful protests and passed the information on to the Maryland State Police, according to documents released to The Washington Post and reported in Tuesday's editions.
The documents are the first indication that the state police had federal partners during their widely condemned spying on activist groups, which went on in 2005 and 2006. The revelation has alarmed Maryland's U.S. senators, who are asking DHS for more details about how it obtained the information it shared.
State police have apologized for spying on peaceful activists and for classifying 53 people as terrorists in an internal database. Police have said the names were not put on federal anti-terrorism lists.
British Scientists Condemn Using Children in GM Food Trials as Unacceptable
Children have been used as 'lab rats' in GM rice trials that were carried out in breach of ethics rules drawn up in response to the medical crimes of Nazi Germany, it is claimed.
Critics are furious that the GM rice was not put through animal feeding trials to ensure it was safe before being given to children.
The decision to use the children has been condemned as 'completely unacceptable' by a group of 22 scientists - all GM critics - from Britain and around the world.
They claim it is indicative of moves by the biotech lobby, led by the USA and biotech firms, to force GM food into the mouths of the world without proper assessment.
Calling the police to account
From today, it is illegal to photograph the police, despite the fact that they use increasingly aggressive techniques to record us.
On the day that it becomes illegal to take pictures of police engaged in counter-terrorist operations – in practice a ban on taking pictures of the police – it is worth noting events in Brighton recently where police set up outside a cafe and photographed people attending a meeting about the environment.
The local MP, David Lepper, agrees that the police operation was designed to scare activists rather than prevent crime, and has written to the divisional commander for Brighton and Hove demanding to know why officers were photographing people engaged in a political activity. The police have refused to comment other than to produce the usual assertion that this was a normal police operation.
Coming to NBC: "To Catch a Cheney"
Here's my idea: A series of NBC News prime-time specials featuring spectacular ambushes of big-time criminals lured into what they expect to be pleasurable surroundings. But, with hidden cameras whirring, the startled villain is dramatically confronted with the evidence of his massive crimes as millions of viewers look on in scorn and righteous amusement.
North Dakota Moves to Outlaw Abortion
Led by American Life League Associate group North Dakota Life League, the personhood movement celebrated the passage of The Personhood of Children Act (House Resolution 1572), introduced by State Rep. Dan Ruby, in a 51-41 vote.
"We are very excited about the personhood movement in North Dakota, which has the chance to become the first state to protect the rights of all its citizens from their biological beginning," said Jim Sedlak, vice president of American Life League.
Fifteen other states are currently pursuing personhood legislation.
TVNL Comment: This simply a way to outlaw abortion.
ATF Announces $25,000 Reward in Explosives Theft Investigation
John A. Torres, special agent in charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Orange County Sheriff's Department, today announced a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the theft of explosives.
Between September 2008 and Oct. 9, 2008, large quantities of explosives were stolen from a locked container on a remote hillside in Blackstar Canyon located adjacent to the Cleveland National Forest. The items taken consisted of the following:
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