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In a wide-ranging interview on ABC’s This Week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discussed the accountability procedures the Obama administration is setting up to combat corruption in Afghanistan. "I have made it clear that we're not going to be providing any civilian aid to Afghanistan unless we have the certification that if it goes into the Afghan government in any form, that we're going to have ministries that we can hold accountable," said Clinton. Despite Obama’s reevaluation of the region, Clinton still says “the goal here is to defeat al Qaeda,” but “our highest obligation is to the American people.” She also defended Attorney General Eric Holder’s decision to try admitted 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in public court in New York, saying, “I’m not going to second-guess the attorney general,” and that the decision was made after an “extensive, exhaustive review” by the Justice and Defense departments. On a much lighter note, Clinton also said she is open to having coffee with Sarah Palin and would “look forward to having a chance to actually get to meet her.” Beer summit take two? We smell a photo op.
Last month, President Obama snubbed the Dalai Lama when the exiled Tibetan leader came through Washington. It was a strategic move to placate China, where Obama is now on a three-day visit to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao to address economic issues. Such actions have led some to think that Obama is brushing human-rights issues under the rug. So far on his Tour de Asia, Obama has failed to bring attention to Tibet or Xinjian, two embattled minority regions in China. (Although he did call for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, a Burmese dissident leader under house arrest.) Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has also implied that, at the moment, the economy and climate change are more pressing issues than human rights. A former Bush administration Asia adviser said, "I really hope that on this trip the president not only presses privately but makes it clear publicly his support for the Dalai Lama... It's not just about an important international spiritual leader; it's a measure of how China will treat the weak as it grows more powerful." Obama will meet with the Dalai Lama after he returns from China.
A heated debate to bring Gitmo detainees to Illinois is under way among the state's lawmakers, with supporters cheering the economic opportunity and detractors claiming the move would make the state a target. Governor Patrick J. Quinn and Senator Richard J. Durbin voiced support for Guantanamo Bay prisoners to be transferred to a maximum-security prison, which cost taxpayers $120 million and has sat unused, in a rural area outside of Chicago. The White House is interested in the move, and a spokesperson said it was "a leading option" to get the detainees out of Cuba. But Republican leaders in the state want to keep terrorist suspects at bay on foreign soil, and argue that they should not be handled in the civilian system. The president has yet to fulfill his promise to close down Guantanamo within a year of his swearing in, and laws regarding the prosecution of detainees are murky.
While the existence of God continues to be debated, two archeologists in Mexico’s Oaxaca Valley have proven the necessity of religion in the lives of humans. Joyce Marcus and Kent Flannery found that religion has existed in societies at every stage of development in every region of the world, becoming the mark of evolved human behavior. Because of this, religion proves to have been favored by natural selection and therefore, is wired into our genetic coding and neural functioning. In early hunter-gatherer societies, religion served as a type of hidden government system—binding people together by shared values and fear of divine punishment should one defy that set of morals. The archaeologists’ findings give further support to the idea of group natural selection, which was proposed by Charles Darwin but was often dismissed by some biologists, but not David Sloan Wilson and Edward O. Wilson. The pair champions the idea of group selection based on hunter-gatherer societies, in which everyone behaves alike. The archeologists' and biologists' recent studies shed light on an unlikely connection between religion and science.
President Obama and Russia's President Dimitri Medvedev met in Singapore Sunday and shared displeasure over the current path of Iran's nuclear ambitions, suggesting that increased sanctions may be the next step. “Unfortunately, so far at least, Iran appears to have been unable to say yes to what everyone acknowledges is a creative and constructive approach,” said Obama of the offer to have Iran send nuclear fuel out of the country. “We are running out of time with respect to that approach.” Medvedev added, “We are not completely happy about its pace."
Texas’ once rock-hard belief in the death penalty may be wavering. There have been 60 percent fewer executions in the past decade, and New Mexico and Illinois have abandoned the punishment. Could Texas, which will account for half of these sentences this year, follow? A string of exonerations (24 in Dallas County alone) combined with growing evidence that at least one innocent man was executed (not to mention the governor’s meddling with the commission looking into the case) have soured the Lone Star State on the death penalty. The number of death sentences handed down from Texas juries has fallen sharply in recent years. “In Texas we have seen a constant stream of individual cases that really destroy public faith and integrity in our criminal justice system,” Steve Hall, former chief of staff to the Texas attorney general told The Guardian.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin may enjoy high approval ratings and a cool-handed approach to politics, but that doesn't mean he can talk the talk of Russia's youth culture. Putin appeared on a music awards show Sunday to speak about rap, graffiti, and break dancing, surely subjects with which the Russian renaissance man is all too familiar. Putin "looked distinctly awkward" as he stood stiff and motionless among a crowd of "head-bobbing, hand-waving teenagers," the Telegraph reports. The former president spoke out against drugs and alcohol, and praised the social awareness of art forms such as rap and graffiti. Russian newspaper Kommersant labeled it a "desperate move" for Putin, whose ratings have dropped lately.
The CIA has given hundreds of millions of dollars to support Pakistan's spy network since the September 11 attacks, contributing as much as a third of the foreign agency's annual budget, the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday. Additionally, a secret State Department program pays Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency tens of millions of dollars for capturing or killing wanted militants, officials tell the newspaper. All of this money has some in the U.S. government concerned because of fears that the ISI also supports Taliban extremists. "There really are two ISIs," a former CIA operative said. "On the counterterrorism side, those guys were in lock-step with us," the former operative said. "And then there was the 'long-beard' side. Those are the ones who created the Taliban..."
Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was executed by captors in Pakistan in 2002, and now that one of the admitted 9/11 masterminds is going on trial, Pearl’s father says the idea of an open court in New York City makes him “sick to the stomach.” Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who publicly took credit for Pearl’s murder, is set to begin a public trial, which Pearl views as an opportunity for Mohammed to “boast about his cruelty.” Pearl added, “I don’t want to hear every morning in the papers what KSM did. Danny was killed once. Now he will be killed 10 times a day. Leave him alone.”
Stupak supporters need to shut up and take one for the team, says Katha Pollitt over at The Nation. The columnist takes offense to The Daily Beast's Peter Beinart, who, among others, wrote last week that abortion had to be sacrificed for the sake of the Democratic Party's future. The reason President Obama is in the White House, Pollitt claims, is not because of conservative Democrats like Stupak or religious right-wingers, but rather pro-choicers. Pollitt takes aim at pro-choice groups, too, for failing to organize in advance to make sure abortion would be covered. As for those concerned about the budget: Rather than jettison abortion, why not cut funding for prostate cancer, Viagra, or other "male-exclusive stuff"? "Time for the theocrats and male chauvinists to give something up for the greater good—to say nothing of the 20 pro-choicers, all men, who supported Stupak out of sheer careerism. After all, if it weren't for pro-choicers, there wouldn't be much of a team for them to play on."
More excerpts are leaking from Sarah Palin’s soon-to-be-released book Going Rogue and McCain manager Steve Schmidt, one of the main players in the would-be VP’s memoir, has responded, calling her accusations “fanciful” and “total fiction.” Though Palin reportedly writes that her selection as John McCain’s running mate “didn’t come as a huge shock,” she repeatedly clashed with campaign officials. Tensions arose when she expressed her belief in creationism, to which Schmidt supposedly responded, “But your dad’s a science teacher.” Palin also defends her minor shopping scandal, saying, "My family was made to look like a herd of hillbillies who had come to the big city and started living high on the hog, and that hurt me for them."
Tinseltown awarded its own a early this year, breaking tradition by bestowing the 2009 honorary Oscars off camera. Legendary actress Lauren Bacall, Godfather cinematographer Gordon Willis and celebrated indie director Robert Corman were presented with honorary Oscars Saturday night—the first of the season—at a black-tie gala at Los Angeles’ Kodak Theater. Among the 600 guests at the Governors Awards dinner were Warren Beatty, Anjelica Huston, Jack Nicholson, Tom Hanks, Annette Bening, Morgan Freeman, Quentin Tarantino, Kirk Douglas, Ron Howard and Steven Spielberg. Guests spent hours drinking Champagne and feasting on filet mignon as the honorees, chosen by the academy’s Board of Governors, were celebrated with tributes, toasts, and film clips without being typically interrupted by orchestral music. Abbreviated portions of the evening’s events will be shown during the 82nd annual Academy Awards on March 7, 2010. Upon accepting her award, 85-year-old Bacall spoke of her “great love,” Humphrey Bogart and quipped, “The thought when I get home that I'm going to have a two-legged man in my room is so exciting.”
Great minds think alike? Not quite. As the House of Representatives has debated the health-care reform bill, more than a dozen lawmakers have made statements that were eerily similar. That’s because they were written, all or in part, by lobbyists for Genentech, one of the world’s largest biotech companies. The New York Times got its hands on emails that show the lobbyists crafted one statement for Republicans and one for Democrats, and their success rate for getting those words in the Congressional Record is rather impressive. Genentech “estimates that 42 House members picked up some of its talking points—22 Republicans and 20 Democrats, an unusual bipartisan coup for lobbyists.” Wrote Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), “One of the reasons I have long supported the U.S. biotechnology industry is that it is a homegrown success story that has been an engine of job creation in this country.” So did Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO).
Though John Cusack’s disaster epic 2012 received mixed reactions from critics, it earned $160 million worldwide and $65 million in North America this weekend, surpassing Sony’s already-confident expectations. “It's going to be a very big success for our studio," said Sony’s president of distribution. And although screening in only 174 theaters in nine cities, the critically adored Precious took in $6.1 million in its second weekend of release, sliding in just under The Men Who Stare at Goats, which opened at $6.2 million in wide release. "The exit polls from last weekend indicated strong word-of-mouth," said Lionsgate’s VP about the success of the indie darling. Finally, Fantastic Mr. Fox had a $65,000 per-screen average in just four theaters—a strong sign that its bigger pre-Thanksgiving rollout will be successful.
Sending 40,000 additional troops to Afghanistan would cost $40 billion to $54 billion, helping to increase the military budget to as much as $734 billion—a jump that could prove unpopular as the budget deficit soars and the economy remains weak. Senior House members have expressed concerns about increased war costs, and President Obama might need the support of Republicans to approve the spending over the objections of fellow Democrats. “The president focused a lot on ensuring that we were asking the difficult questions about getting to an end game here,” an official told The New York Times. “He knows we cannot sustain this indefinitely.”
A personalized Mets jacket went for $14,500, Cartier earrings sold for $70,000, and a diamond bracelet cost $50,000 in Saturday's auction of Bernie Madoff's personal items. The auction was held in the hopes of raising half a million dollars for the victims of the imprisoned investment manager. The sales brought in $1 million instead. Duck decoys taken from the Madoff's Montauk, New York, vacation home went for $11,500 while being valued at less than $80—a markup that only a Madoff could love. One woman bought a pair of Ruth Madoff's Chanel boots. "I'm going to walk one day in her shoes and then judge her," she told The Wall Street Journal.
Media-shy Twilight star Kristen Stewart opened up to The New York Times this weekend, making a case for her intentional evasion of a Lohan-esque tabloid presence and her refusal to answer questions from “fiends” about her personal life. “What really kills me—it really rips me up—is when people think I’m abrasive, inconsiderate, or ungrateful because I don’t go outside in a bikini and wave to the paparazzi. Come on!” said the actress. Chris Weitz, director of New Moon, characterized her standoffishness as a strategy for self-preservation in the midst of Twilight mania, adding that costar Robert Pattinson instead “tries to implode in on himself and turn into a human mumble.” Weitz also had heavy praise for Stewart’s skill as an actress, as did Sean Penn and her Panic Room costar Jodie Foster. “It’s not easy to make falling in love with a vampire look real,” he explained.
There’s another celebrity to add to the First Wives Club. Less than a month after rumors were floating that her relationship with her partner of five years was over, Rosie O’Donnell revealed on her radio show that Kelli Carpenter moved out of their home two years ago. The big reveal came as a sidenote to a story about O’Donnell’s pet Chihuahua, which she got to cope with the split. “What happened [was] when Kelli moved out two years ago, I got the dog. Because I wanted another child or something to love. And I got the dog," she said on air.
During his whirlwind trip to Asia, President Obama told General Thein Sein, Myanmar's prime minister, to release jailed pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The two leaders appeared together at a meeting of the Association of South East Asian Nations, a summit in Singapore. Previously, the U.S. has boycotted the meeting because of Burma's presence. In front of the cameras, the two leaders did not shake hands. Direct talks would have been the first time in 43 years that a U.S. president had met a Burmese leader. According to the BBC, the fact that Obama was willing to sit at the same table as the leader of the Burmese military junta signals a new American desire for engagement with the region.
Her murder captivated the world, and Neda Agha Soltan's boyfriend is now speaking with The Guardian about his imprisonment and terrifying escape from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Iran. Caspian Malkan had plans to marry Neda and after her death, he said, the Iranian government went after her family and friends. Caspian was imprisoned for two months by Iran's secret police. He was released in September before a trial—potentially another of the many show trials that have followed the June 12 protests—and he soon fled. Caspian said of his murdered girlfriend, "I used to tell her 'You are no fan of [Mir Houssein] Mousavi.' She said 'You're right, I am not, but I like his followers. They are asking for their rights. It's not just about one man.'"
A suicide bomber attacked a police checkpoint in the Pakistani city of Peshawar on Saturday, killing 10 people. The blast comes one day after a car bomb killed 17 people in the city. Like other attacks in the region, they are a response to the increased pressure by Pakistan's military to force the Taliban out of the South Waziristan region. The Taliban has claimed responsibility for both bombings. The military says it has killed more than 500 militants in South Waziristan, however, accounts have not been confirmed by independent observers.
A tiny blond Frenchwoman has been imported by Iceland to sniff out the suspected criminal activity that might have contributed to the virtual bankrupting of the country during the financial crisis. Eva Joly is one of the very few investigators who have had any luck bringing white-collar crooks to justice—her investigation into French oil giant Elf brought her international renown in the ‘90s. Now, the little island nation has asked her to unearth any wrongdoing in one of the biggest dramas of the credit crisis. Joly’s presence was immediately felt in Reykjavik, reports the Financial Times in a profile of the corporate-crime crusader. In the ‘80s, Iceland broke from the welfare-orientation of its fellow Scandinavian countries and became a laboratory for unfettered capitalism. Joly, who was born in Norway, “seems to relish the chance to expose the flaws in a system alien to both her native and adopted countries.”
With an adventure around every corner—police road-traps, mudslides, potholes—drivers in Venezuela's capital city are using Twitter to help drive safely and stay out of the reach of the law. The world's cheapest gas and a massive proliferation of smart phones are helping make it possible in Caracas. “There’s a big supply of texts and mobile devices and a lot of demand for traffic reports since traffic’s unbearable,” one economist told Bloomberg News. “Even though the state’s on top of you and regulating everything, Venezuelans are very entrepreneurial.”
Is there a political philosophy behind the most captivating politician in America not named Barack Obama? As Sarah Palin begins a nationwide book tour, which is generating excitement and exasperation on par with her vice-presidential run last year, her ultimate goal remains a mystery. "If she grows, she'll be the Republican nominee. More than anybody else in the party, her future is in her hands," former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has said. Indeed her ability in many ways to stand at the Republican Party's center has some comparing Palin to Gingrich. Her influence was seen in New York's 23rd Congressional District two weeks ago. But, Dan Balz wrote in Sunday's Washington Post, this book tour is a test for Palin to see "whether she has the capacity to grow politically."
