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Will a $30 Million Lawsuit Over FBI Killing of Witness Todashev Shed Light on Boston Bombing?
by Joanne Potter
Will a $30 million lawsuit being filed over the FBI killing of a Boston Bombing witness shed any more light on shooting riddled with questions, secrecy and official reversals? Joanne Potter looks at the case of Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s dead friend, Ibragim Todashev.
WHO
How the FBI Created a Terrorist
The FBI has “disrupted” multiple “terrorism plots” in the United States. But the FBI also seems to be the driving force behind many of the foiled plots. They identify a potential target—often a mentally-ill or economically desperate individual—and then meet them, cajole them, inspire them, arm them and then swoop in for the kill. Of the 508 cases brought against terrorists since 9/11, 243 of ‘em involved FBI informants and 158 were sting operations. Were these terrorist plots or convenient photo ops?
ACLU Files New Lawsuit over Obama Administration Drone ‘Kill List’
Today the ACLU is filing a lawsuit seeking greater transparency from “the most transparent administration in history” regarding the secret “kill list” at the center of Obama’s drone war. They want details about the legal rationale for adding individuals to the deadly “To-Do” list and official analyses of the hard-to-quantify civilian deaths.
Petraeus Plea Deal Called a ‘Profound Double Standard’
Stephen J. Kim wants the same deal given to Gen. David Petraeus. Kim, a former State Department contractor jailed for leaking classified information to the media, wrote a “sharply worded letter” to the Department of Justice calling for his immediate release. Petraeus, the former CIA chief, skated past the slammer after leaking classified info to his mistress … while other leakers languish in the hoosegow.
Chinese Company Pledged $2 Million to Clinton Foundation in 2013
Emailgate may or may not peter out. But the issue of the big bucks that flowed for years into the Clinton Foundation isn’t going away any time soon. That’s because news organizations have finally turned their attention to a “recent uptick” in donations—spanning Hillary’s tenure at State and preparations for her expected presidential run. With $42 million given by foreign governments and at least $170 million from foreign entities and individuals, we’re not talking about charitable chumps just giving chump change.
WHAT
How Northern Nigeria’s Violent History Explains Boko Haram
Boko Haram’s “pledge of allegiance” to the Islamic State got a lot of media play last week. But is it one more step in the rise of a global, organized caliphate at war with “The West”? Or is it something else? John Hare, a former district officer for the British and Nigerian governments, explains the deep roots and tribal antecedents in Nigeria’s northeasternmost state, Borno—from which Boko Haram emerged. Borno was the home of the Muslim Kanuri who’ve long been at war with other tribes. This may just be a continuation of that past.
WHY
2014 Was the Biggest Year For Solar Power Ever
Here comes the sun! Last week the National Bank of Abu Dhabi predicted that solar will eventually displace oil as a more cost-effective source of power. To wit, new data from GTM Research shows that solar shined brighter than ever in 2014 with the number of new photovoltaic installations jumping by 30% over the previous year. Even better, the solar market has gone from $3 billion in 2009 to $13.4 billion in just five years. Prices are dropping. Oil and gas are losing market share. And that’s alright!
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