Truthout - All Articles

Report Says Pentagon Pressured, Intimidated Auditors

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:16:47 -0400

Auditors at an oversight agency of the Pentagon were pressured by supervisors to skew their reports on a major defense contractor's work, hiding wrongdoing and charges of overbilling, according to an 80-page report from the Government Accountability Office.

The Defense Contract Audit Agency, which is charged with overseeing contractors for the Defense Department, made an upfront agreement with "a major aerospace company" to limit the scope of work and basis for an audit, the report said.

US Removes Oil Giant From Burma Sanctions

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:14:34 -0400

The US oil giant Chevron will continue to do business in Burma after a provision to stop it operating there was removed from the latest round of US sanctions on the country.

The new sanctions plan, approved yesterday by Congress and expected to receive quick approval from the White House, prevents the sale of Burmese gems and timber in the US via third parties - bringing the US into line with EU and Canadian policy. Profits from those products have enriched Burma's oppressive military regime.

Reclaiming Corn and Culture

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:09:34 -0400

Summer 2008 Issue

For 14 years, NAFTA has displaced farmers and spurred migration. The answer from Mexico's grassroots: co-ops and fair trade.

Bill Moyers Journal | Congressional Torture Hearings

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:53:53 -0400

Airtime: Friday, July 25, 2008, at 9:00 PM (EDT) on PBS (check local listings here).

Better Ballots

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:21:13 -0400

The notorious butterfly ballot that Palm Beach County, Florida, election officials used in the 2000 election is probably the most infamous of all election design snafus. It was one of many political, legal, and election administration missteps that plunged a presidential election into turmoil and set off a series of events that led to, among other things, a vast overhaul of the country's election administration, including the greatest change in voting technology in United States history.

Antiretroviral Drugs Extending Life, Not Improving It

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:16:35 -0400

Nairobi - HIV-positive people are living longer on antiretroviral (ARV) medication, but many of them remain poor and hungry, highlighting the need to create incomes for them, says a new report.

"The long-term sustainability of people on ART [antiretroviral therapy] and the [treatment] programmes are threatened by the continuing lack of food and economic independence," said a press release on the report, produced for CAFOD, a development NGO based in the United Kingdom.

Close Wage Gap That Hurts Women

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:13:59 -0400

As we celebrate the 160th anniversary of the 1848 Women's Rights Convention, we must remember that we are still struggling to achieve equality. Among the most distressing disparities between men and women is the significant pay gap for the same work.

Witnesses: Bush Labor Department Cheats Workers

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:10:52 -0400

Washington - Enforcement of wage-and-hour laws, to ensure workers get at least the minimum wage and the overtime pay they deserve, has dropped drastically under the GOP Bush government, impartial investigators and a low-income workers' advocate told Congress. As a result, low-wage workers are routinely cheated.

Ex-EPA Official Says White House Pulled Rank

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:07:36 -0400

Administration ordered California emissions plan quashed, former deputy testifies.

A former Environmental Protection Agency official Tuesday contradicted EPA administrator Stephen L. Johnson's congressional testimony on one of the administration's key global warming decisions, saying the White House ordered Johnson to block California's bid to regulate vehicles' tailpipe emissions.

US Military Recruits Children

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:27:42 -0400

In May of 2002, the United States Army invaded E3, the annual video game convention held in Los Angeles. At the city's Convention Center, young game enthusiasts mixed with camouflaged soldiers, Humvees and a small tank parked near the entrance. Thundering helicopter sound effects drew the curious to the Army's interactive display, where a giant video screen flashed the words "Empower yourself. Defend America ... You will be a soldier."(1)