Kudos to TruthOut for pairing these two gems from the UK Guardian and the NY Times:

There was an old joke back in the '70s: Getting Nixon for burglary was like getting Hitler for tax evasion. Now it seems life imitates black humor. From the BBC, June 7:

Mixed day in court for Pinochet
Augusto Pinochet may be charged with tax evasion but not over human rights abuses committed when he was Chile's military ruler, a court has ruled.

The 9-11 Commission, its formal mission completed, is staying on as a private body, the 9-11 Public Discourse Project. In its first efforts, this private body is finding fault with the FBI for perceived inefficiencies in its intelligence capabilities, and the agency, in turn, assures that it is making amends. All freedom-lovers should shudder.

From the June 3 Stars & Stripes:

Advocates See Veterans of War on Terror Joining the Ranks of the Homeless
By Leo Shane III
Stars and Stripes

Friday 03 June 2005

Washington - Advocates for the homeless already are seeing veterans from the war on terror living on the street, and say the government must do more to ease their transition from military to civilian life.

A leading senator, Joseph Biden of Delaware, suggested the time has come to consider a gradual closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison camp. "This has become the greatest propaganda tool that exists for recruiting of terrorists around the world. And it is unnecessary to be in that position." The senator argued there should at least be an independent commission established to address the value of keeping Guantanamo. "The end result is, I think we should end up shutting it down, moving those prisoners. Those that we have reason to keep, keep. And those we don't, let go."

Israeli police faced off against Palestinians throwing rocks at Jews outside Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque June 6 during Israel's annual celebration of its 1967 capture of East Jerusalem. Police hurled several stun grenades as they moved into the area known to Jews as Temple Mount and to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary). Two Jews were slightly injured and one Palestinian was arrested.

Four years after scores of rescue workers were injured in the smoldering wreckage of the World Trade Center, the federal government plans to rescind $125 million that was allocated to help them, and many of those who requested compensation are finding their claims being disputed at 10 times the rate that typical workers face.

Afghan forces reportedly captured two key Taliban leaders as they were driving in Farah province June 4. The two, Mullah Abdul Rahim - a deputy for a key Taliban commander said to be close to the militia’s fugitive leader, Mullah Omar - and regional Taliban commander Haji Sultan, were immediately handed over to US authorities. Other Taliban fighters were reported killed or captured in fighting in Zabul province that day. (Pakistan Daily Times, June 6) But violence appears undiminished.