Reports: Retired general target of leaks probe

WASHINGTON (AP) ? A former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is under investigation for allegedly leaking classified information about a covert cyberattack on Iran's nuclear facilities, according to media reports.

Retired Marine Gen. James "Hoss" Cartwright has been told he is a target of the probe, NBC News and The Washington Post reported Thursday. A "target" is someone a prosecutor or grand jury has substantial evidence linking to a crime and who is likely to be charged.

The Justice Department referred questions to the U.S. attorney's office in Baltimore, where a spokeswoman, Marcia Murphy, declined to comment.

The investigation of the leak about the Iran cyberattack is one of a number of national security leak investigations that have been started by the Obama administration, including ones involving The Associated Press and Fox News.

In June 2012, the New York Times reported that Cartwright was a crucial player in the cyber operation called Olympic Games, started under President George W. Bush.

Bush reportedly advised President Barack Obama to preserve Olympic Games.

According to the Times, Obama ordered the cyberattacks sped up, and in 2010 an attack using a computer virus called Stuxnet temporarily disabled 1,000 centrifuges that the Iranians were using to enrich uranium.

Congressional leaders demanded a criminal probe into who leaked the information, and Obama said he had zero tolerance for such leaks. Republicans said senior administration officials had leaked the details to bolster the president's national security credentials during the 2012 campaign.

The Times said Cartwright was one of the crucial players who had to break the news to Obama and Vice President Joe Biden that Stuxnet at one point had escaped onto the Internet.

An element of the program accidentally became public in the summer of 2010 because of a programming error that allowed it to escape Iran's Natanz plant and sent it out on the Internet, the Times reported. After the worm escaped onto the Internet, top administration officials met to consider whether the program had been fatally compromised.

Obama asked if the program should continue, and after hearing the advice of top advisers, decided to proceed.

Cartwright, a four-star general, was cleared in February 2011 of misconduct involving a young aide. An anonymous accuser had claimed Cartwright acted inappropriately during a 2009 overseas trip on which the aide traveled as a military assistant. Several sources confirmed that the former aide was a young woman.

The Pentagon inspector general quickly cleared Cartwright of the most serious allegations, which involved claims that he may have had an improper physical relationship with the woman. The report did find that Cartwright mishandled an incident in which the aide, drunk and visibly upset, visited his Tbilisi, Georgia, hotel room alone and either passed out or fell asleep on a bench at the foot of his bed. Cartwright denied any impropriety and was later cleared of all wrongdoing.

Cartwright, once considered the leading candidate to become Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, resigned from the military in August 2011.

NBC said Cartwright did not respond to request for comment and that his attorney, former Obama White House counsel Greg Craig, said he had no comment.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/reports-retired-general-target-leaks-probe-020959907.html

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President's son says Uganda not a monarchy after succession row

KAMPALA (Reuters) - The son of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has said he would not inherit power like a monarch, after a general accused Uganda's veteran leader of grooming his son to take over.

But son Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who commands an elite military unit, did not rule out standing for election for the post in the future in comments published by his spokesman on Facebook.

Speculation has been growing that Museveni, in office since 1986 and one of Africa's longest serving leaders, is lining up his son to take power at the end of his term in 2016, although some say that, aged 68, the president could continue for years.

The issue, often a subject of private discussion, erupted into a public debate last month when a newspaper published a confidential letter by General David Sejusa referring to a plot to kill those opposing a plan to hand power from father to son.

Now in London, Sejusa accused Museveni of creating a "political monarchy" in a BBC interview.

"He says that he has not declared that he wants to stand for presidency," spokesman to Kainerugaba, Edison Kwesiga, wrote on Facebook. "He says that Uganda is not a monarchy where leadership is passed on from father to son."

"However, he is a Ugandan who qualifies to stand for any elective position of his choice. This would require him to retire from the army, offer himself to the electorate who would either vote him in or choose not to," the spokesman added.

Museveni won international accolades during his early years in office for stabilizing the nation and introducing a raft of economic measures that delivered strong growth.

Critics say he has turned into the kind of African strongman many hoped he had replaced and was cracking down on dissent.

In what critics said was part of another move to silence them, opposition leader Kizza Besigye, repeatedly detained in recent years, was briefly arrested on Thursday over accusations he had held an unsanctioned a rally, a charge an aide denied.

(Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Edmund Blair and Alison Williams)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/presidents-son-says-uganda-not-monarchy-succession-row-190942113.html

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Zimmerman jurors begin life in sequestration

SANFORD, Fla. (AP) ? The six jurors and four alternates who will hear opening statements Monday in George Zimmerman's murder trial are beginning their time together in a sequestered bubble: They won't return to their homes for weeks, contact with family and friends will be limited, and Internet and phone usage is restricted.

Court officials are keeping mum about the details of the jury sequestration, which begins this week. But if past cases are any example, the Zimmerman jurors won't be able to tweet or blog. They'll read only newspapers that have been censored of anything dealing with the case. They will do almost everything together as a group. In their hotel rooms, TV news channels will be inaccessible and landline telephones likely will be removed. Deputies will keep the jurors' cellphones and give them back once a day so they can call loved ones and friends.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys say the sequestration is necessary to eliminate jurors' exposure to outside influences as they consider whether the neighborhood watch volunteer committed murder last year when he fatally shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. After spending almost two weeks picking a jury, the attorneys will make opening statements Monday.

"Your contact with the outside world will be severely limited," prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda warned potential jurors last week.

Potential jurors looked surprised and glum as the details sank in. One potential juror, a woman who wasn't picked, asked whether court sessions would be held seven days a week during the trial since jurors weren't going to go home. Circuit Judge Debra Nelson said, "No."

"So everyone else will get to go home on weekends but us?" the potential juror asked.

The judge answered "yes" and tried to reassure potential jurors that they wouldn't be cooped up in hotel rooms when not at the Seminole County Courthouse in Sanford. Nelson explained that their meals, transportation and personal needs would be taken care of.

"There will be planned activities for you," the judge said.

The Seminole County's Clerk of Courts has budgeted $150 per person per day to cover room, board and entertainment for the length of the trial, said Maryanne Morse, the clerk. Given that it could last from two weeks to a month, the total cost of sequestration could range from $21,000 to $45,000. That doesn't include the cost of keeping deputies assigned to the group for security.

Court spokeswoman Michelle Kennedy wouldn't comment on the details or logistics of sequestration, or even how jurors will be spend the Fourth of July.

"Their comfort is going to be our top priority," Kennedy said.

A 2007 survey for the National Center for State Courts said that about a quarter of state trials have sequestered juries. But NCSC analyst Gregory Hurley said that number is unreliable since "sequester" wasn't clearly defined, and there was some confusion about its definition. Some respondents defined the term "sequestered" to include deliberations in which the jury was kept together during routine breaks but not overnight.

The six jurors and four alternates in Zimmerman's trial were whittled down from a pool of 40 candidates who had made it into a second round of interviews after questions about their views on firearms, self-defense and crime. The jurors are all women, and the alternates are two men and two women. Their identities are not being released to protect their privacy.

Zimmerman, 29, says he acted in self-defense in shooting Martin in the central Florida community of Sanford, where Zimmerman lived.

Martin's shooting death on Feb. 26, 2012 ? and the initial decision not to charge him ? led to public outrage and demonstrations around the nation, with some accusing Sanford police of failing to thoroughly investigate the shooting.

Prosecutors have said Zimmerman, while a neighborhood watch volunteer for his community, profiled the black teenager as Martin walked back from a convenience store to the home of his father's fiancee. Zimmerman identifies himself as Hispanic.

In 2011, just about 20 miles from the court in Seminole County, the Orange County Courthouse in downtown Orlando sequestered jurors in another high-profile case: the Casey Anthony murder trial. Jurors were sequestered for six weeks in 2011 as they listened to testimony about the young mother charged with killing her 2-year-old daughter. Anthony was acquitted of murder.

The Anthony jury was almost twice the size of the Zimmerman jury. The trial went on twice as long as the Zimmerman trial is expected to last. In Florida, 12 jurors are required only for criminal trials involving capital cases, when the death penalty is on the table if there's a conviction.

In picking a hotel for the Anthony jurors, court officials in Orange County wanted laundry facilities, a gym so jurors could exercise, and a private dining area where they could eat most meals out of the public's view, said courts spokeswoman Karen Levey. When jurors went to local restaurants for lunch or dinner, it was only at places with private dining areas. Televisions were turned off, and newspapers were removed.

Jurors were allowed to watch movie DVDs in their hotel rooms, but the movies had to be approved by prosecutors and defense attorneys. The crime thriller "Primal Fear" didn't make the cut. Neither did Ice Cube's "Are We There Yet?" The cable provider to the hotel reconfigured the televisions in the jurors' hotel rooms to eliminate news programs. But as attention to the trial grew, promotions about trial coverage started popping up on channels that previously had been deemed safe and those also were removed from jurors' selection, Levey said.

By the end of the trial, only one channel remained: the Home Shopping Network.

___

Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/zimmerman-jurors-begin-life-sequestration-134044980.html

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Bulger asks for gag order to be lifted amid trial

BOSTON (AP) ? James "Whitey" Bulger wants to tell his side of the story ? outside the courtroom.

Defense attorneys in Bulger's high-profile racketeering trial filed a motion Saturday saying a gag order is infringing on their client's Constitutional rights of free speech effective assistance of counsel.

The defense asks federal Judge Denise J. Casper to lift the gag order, citing "personal attacks" against their client in the media and "an enormous degree of media attention and public discourse."

"The defendant has no voice in this discourse. He is a prisoner of the federal government," Bulger's attorneys wrote.

"The defendant is a mere bystander in the heated public conversation surrounding his life and trial."

The 83-year-old Bulger is accused of playing a role in 19 murders during the 1970s and '80s while allegedly running the Winter Hill Gang. He has pleaded not guilty.

In a response filed Sunday, prosecutors called Bulger's request strange and note he is free to tell his story by testifying.

Bulger can "exercise his actual voice from the witness stand if he so chooses ? subject of course to cross-examination," prosecutors wrote.

The response notes that Bulger spent considerable time before the trial trying to bar some reporters from the courtroom but now complains he has no voice in the media.

Bulger's attorneys said the gag order should be lifted so their client can more easily respond to negative coverage.

"Prominent local newspapers have launched personal attacks against him on a regular basis," they wrote.

Meanwhile, press conferences involving prosecution witnesses have become a common occurrence, according to Bulger's attorneys, including one featuring a retired Massachusetts State Police colonel, Thomas Foley.

"Colonel Foley was one of the lead investigators pursuing Mr. Bulger and is for all practical purposes a member of the prosecution team," they wrote.

The government's response said lifting the gag order would foster a "carnival atmosphere" during trial. It also noted that the website for Bulger's lead attorney, J.W. Carney Jr., calls him an expert in using enhanced media attention for his client's benefit.

"The jurors in this case have been repeatedly warned by the Court to avoid media accounts of the pending trial," prosecutors wrote. "Yet Bulger's motion essentially seeks to influence the jury by creating positive press coverage ? something the jurors are duty bound to ignore!"

It was not clear when Casper would rule on the request.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bulger-asks-gag-order-lifted-amid-trial-220027289.html

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It's scrap, not trash, and it's also one of America's top exports

International scrap dealers educate our reporter on the language of our leftovers.

By Peter Ford,?Staff Writer / June 19, 2013

One thing you learn quickly if you hang around scrap merchants is not to refer to the materials in which they trade as "trash" or "garbage" or "junk."

Skip to next paragraph Peter Ford

Beijing Bureau Chief

Peter Ford is The Christian Science Monitor?s Beijing Bureau Chief. He covers news and features throughout China and also makes reporting trips to Japan and the Korean peninsula.

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At a recent convention here of the Bureau of International Recycling (essentially the global forum for scrap dealers) I drew some very sharp looks and a reprimand or two before I got the message.

Of course, the traders are right. If scrap was indeed trash it would not be worth anything. And scrap is certainly worth something. In fact, according to a recent Bank of America-Merrill Lynch report, the global waste and recycling business is worth $1 trillion a year. And it could be worth double that by 2020.

"Where there's muck, there's brass," runs an old Yorkshire adage.

People in the know at the conference told me that a lot of the participants were millionaires at least. But they work in the shadows of the world economy, attracting little attention.

Did you know, for example, that trash ? I mean scrap ? was America's top export to China in 2011? (Though maybe not for long, because of new Chinese regulations.)

There is one synonym for "scrap" that its devotees more or less allow ? "waste." But, as I was reminded by Surendra Borad, an Indian businessman whose company, Gemini, handles more scrap plastic than any other firm, "waste is not waste until it is wasted."

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/KDKM3rHWzRo/It-s-scrap-not-trash-and-it-s-also-one-of-America-s-top-exports

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Cat Health Problems Pet Owners Often Overlook (PHOTOS)

From Vetstreet's Dr. Marty Becker:

Cats have a reputation as low-maintenance pets, perfect for people who don?t have the time to care for an animal. That?s not true, of course, but it can be difficult to convince some people otherwise. "Cats take care of themselves," is something I hear a lot, and it makes me wince every time.

What?s largely happening is not that our cats are fending for themselves ? as so many people assume ? but rather that because they?re so good at hiding signs of illness, we don?t realize how sick they are until they?re very sick indeed. And sometimes when I do see cats as a practicing veterinarian, I see not only what people brought them in for ? an abscess, perhaps, or a limp or a chronic cough ? but life-threatening issues the cats' owners hadn't even noticed.

These are serious problems that seem painted in the boldest hues to my eye, yet appear to be invisible to many cat owners. And it happens all the time.

Are You Missing the Big Picture?
Sometimes, even when I point out these problems, cat owners don?t think they?re as important as I do. They may accept my diagnosis, for example, but not follow up or follow through on treatment plans. It really saddens me to think of the misery these cats are in. Don't be guilty of neglecting your cat's health; check out these five feline health problems people don?t worry about as much as they should ? and talk to your veterinarian about any that sound familiar.

(Story continues below slideshow)

• Feline Obesity

  Many of us are living in glass houses when it comes to weight (both ours and our pets'), which may be one of the reasons your veterinarian is reluctant to bring it up. And many veterinarians are doubly sensitive when it comes to discussing an overweight pet with an overweight owner, not wanting to hurt any feelings. But you need to take a good look at your cat, and you need to know what you are allowing when you let him get and stay overweight. Let me be blunt: Fat kills. And even when it doesn?t contribute to the development of a disease or condition that leads to euthanasia, it makes your cat?s life miserable.

• Hyperthyroidism

  You might think it?s wonderful how much energy your senior cat has, but if hyperthyroidism is at the bottom of all this activity, it?s really not a good thing at all. And while obesity is a problem, as I?ve noted, an increase in energy ? coupled with extreme weight loss ? is often due to <a href="http://www.vetstreet.com/dr-marty-becker/my-older-cat-is-losing-weight-should-i-just-feed-her-more" target="_blank">hyperthyroidism</a>, the overproduction of thyroid hormone by the thyroid gland. Hyperthyroidism is easily treated or managed, which makes ignoring the symptoms even more tragic for your cat.

• Urinary Tract Disease

  Litterbox problems are one of the most common reasons why cats are given up for adoption. Many people don?t realize that these problems may stem from health issues, such as infections or stones in the urinary tract, rather than bad behavior. If you think your cat is missing the box ?for no reason? or ?out of spite? or even ?because he?s stupid,? you need to reassess ? and talk with your veterinarian. Don?t give up your cat, and don?t resolve to ?live with? the mess. Find out if an illness is causing the problem, and then take care of the problem. You and your cat will both be happier.

• Dental Disease

  Letting a cat live with dental disease is nothing less than a form of animal cruelty, in my opinion. That?s because of the constant pain your cat is in: Think about what you go through when you break a single tooth, then imagine having a mouthful of rotted teeth and infected gums. Imagine the pain of trying to eat! A comprehensive dental examination is an essential part of <a href="http://www.vetstreet.com/dr-marty-becker/what-is-stomatitis" target="_blank">diagnosing feline dental problems</a>, which may not be as obvious as those in dogs, in part because cats are so good at hiding signs of pain. Once you know what the problems are, work out a plan for treatment ? which may include extractions ? to end your cat's suffering.

• Achy-Breaky Joints

  Arthritis may be incurable, but pain from those aching joints can be treated. We understand this when it comes to our own discomfort and pain. When we hurt, we see a doctor and ask for solutions and treatments. Your cat can't tell you where it hurts or ask you to make an appointment with the vet, but I guarantee you she's suffering all the same. The aches and pains of old age can be managed, but only if you talk to your veterinarian.

"Chronic" Doesn?t Mean "Untreatable"
Ongoing problems with your cat?s health sometimes start slowly and get worse over time. In other words, these issues can creep up on us, so we may not pay much attention to them, or we might overlook them entirely. That?s why I want you to step back right now and look at your cat. Be brutally honest: Are you ignoring chronic health issues that are making your cat miserable? Are you sure you aren?t?

If your cat hasn?t seen a veterinarian in a while, it?s time to schedule that comprehensive exam. And take heart: For every one of these often chronic conditions there are things that can be done to stop, treat or even reverse the damage. All you need to do is recognize the problem and work with your veterinarian for your cat?s better health.

Also on Vetstreet:
5 Health Problems Dog Owners Ignore
How Old Is My Pet in People Years?
Looking for a Cuddly Cat? Here Is a Breed You'll Like
Why Does My Cat? Meow at Me?
5 Reasons Cats Are Given Up for Adoption ? and How to Avoid These Problems

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/22/cat-health-problems_n_3478807.html

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Lenny Dykstra released from prison

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Former All-Star outfielder Lenny Dykstra has been released from a California prison after serving time for bankruptcy fraud.

Dykstra, 50, who had a 12-year career with the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies, was freed, according to federal Bureau of Prisons records, but no other details were available. A message left for his attorney Christopher Dybwad was not immediately returned Friday.

Dykstra was sentenced in December to 6 ? months in prison for hiding baseball gloves and other heirlooms from his playing days that were supposed to be part of his bankruptcy filing. He already had served seven months in custody awaiting sentencing.

The prison term ran concurrently with a three-year sentence for pleading no contest to grand theft auto and providing a false financial statement.

Dykstra, who bought a mansion once owned by hockey star Wayne Gretzky, filed for bankruptcy four years ago, claiming he owed more than $31 million and had only $50,000 in assets.

After the filing, Dykstra hid, sold or destroyed at least $200,000 worth of items without the permission of a bankruptcy trustee, prosecutors said.

He pleaded guilty last summer to one count each of bankruptcy fraud, concealment of assets and money laundering.

Dykstra is now on three years' probation and must complete 500 hours of community service, participate in a substance abuse treatment program and pay $200,000 in restitution.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/lenny-dykstra-released-prison-182754350.html

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