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Wednesday, January 18, 2006

In a forceful speech Monday, former Vice President Al Gore criticized the use of unwarranted domestic wiretaps by the National Security Agency.

Gore called the wiretapping program, which the White House insists is vital to the defense of America, “a threat to the very structure of our government” and urged the Attorney General to appoint a special counsel for investigation into the matter. He additionally recommended Congress to hold comprehensive hearings and for telecommunications companies who are assisting in the program to stop doing so, and suggested the administration is using the threat of terrorism as a means to amass power in the executive branch.

“Is America in more danger now than when we faced worldwide fascism on the march – when our fathers fought and won two World Wars simultaneously?” He added, “Once violated, the rule of law is in danger. Unless stopped, lawlessness grows. The greater the power of the executive grows, the more difficult it becomes for the other branches to perform their constitutional roles.”

The Republican National Committee responded to Gore’s statements, saying, “Al Gore’s incessant need to insert himself in the headline of the day is almost as glaring as his lack of understanding of the threats facing America.” They continued, “While the president works to protect Americans from terrorists, Democrats deliver no solutions of their own, only diatribes laden with inaccuracies and anger.”

On Tuesday, White House press secretary Scott McClellan also responded, saying that the Clinton administration had authorized an FBI search of double agent Aldrich Ames without a warrant. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales made similar remarks earlier. Regarding Gore, McClellan said, “I think his hypocrisy knows no bounds.”

Opponents of the wiretapping program say this is an inaccurate comparison. On Monday’s edition of Larry King Live, New York Times reporter James Risen said that “under the rules at that time the Attorney General could authorize a warrantless physical search of a house. After the Ames case,” he added, “Congress changed that and closed that loophole and so that now that kind of search couldn’t be done under the law.”

Responding to the White House and Attorney General’s comments, Gore said, “The Attorney General is making a political defense of the President without even addressing the substantive legal questions that have so troubled millions of Americans in both political parties. There are…problems with the Attorney General’s effort to focus attention on the past instead of the present Administration’s behavior. [As] others have thoroughly documented, his charges are factually wrong. Both before and after the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act was amended in 1995, the Clinton/Gore Administration complied fully and completely with the terms of the law.”

Sunday, December 23, 2018

Seventeen-year-old Chinese student Mei Chen, who vanished from her host family’s home in Scarborough, England, was found safe and well on Thursday by police. Her host family suggested she was travelling to meet an unknown person from the Internet; Wikinews has contacted authorities to establish the circumstances, but has received no answers.

North Yorkshire Police launched an urgent appeal on Tuesday for the teen’s whereabouts, and alerted all of the United Kingdom’s regular police forces as well as the British Transport Police and border authorities. She had been studying in Scarborough’s International School since arriving in the country in October.

The original police appeal has since been removed, and replaced with a boilerplate notice the content “may have been moved or deleted”, possibly “because the crime has been solved or the missing person found.” The 5-foot-1-inch (1.55m) girl was reported missing by her host family on Monday, with them suggesting they were “very concerned” for her. They also raised concerns Chen may be taken advantage of due to her young age, and reported she had discussed visiting London to meet an online friend.

“No matter where in the world it happens, a loved one becoming a missing person is devastating for all involved”, Matt Searle, Chief Executive of The Lucie Blackman Trust, told Wikinews on Thursday night. The charity provides support to those within the UK who experience loved ones abroad going missing, and more broadly supports UK victims of serious crimes overseas. Searle noted families of those missing find themselves “forever fearing the worst and imagining unthinkable outcomes”, adding “when all of this is happening on the other side of the world, continents away, families feel even more helpless. At home they could talk to police, authorities and other organisations, go to the site they were last seen and at least do something. This is often impossible in overseas cases — culture and language barriers often create huge hurdles in simply reporting a case at all.” He concluded by saying that, while charities such as his can provide some support, ultimately “it [is] hard to contemplate just how harrowing an experience a missing loved one overseas can be.”

Investigators found Chen caught a train from Scarborough on Monday morning shortly before 10:00 and alighted at York. From there, she caught another train travelling via Peterborough to London. Wikinews contacted three police forces in a bid to establish where Chen was found, and if any investigations into the circumstances of her disappearance are ongoing. British Transport Police told our correspondent the force was “alerted in the same way we would be for any missing person thought to be travelling on the rail network”.

A British Transport Police spokeswoman told Wikinews, “I believe this was a North Yorks Police investigation, so you’d need to contact them for details.” She also said the force “wouldn’t hold that sort of info” in response to our inquiries. Wikinews asked North Yorkshire Police for the same information, but has received no response; the Metropolitan Police, which cover the London area, also failed to reply.

A message to the National Crime Agency, which includes a Child Exploitation and Online Protection area, has also gone unanswered. Wikinews wished to know if the agency was aware of the case and, if so, if they were conducting any investigations.

Scarborough International School of English describes its goal as “to develop a warm, safe and caring atmosphere where every student will be happy and successful in learning English.” Its website describes “a strong sense of belonging to a family community here”. Wikinews contacted the school but they did not reply.

North Yorkshire Police have issued a terse statement confirming Chen has been found, and thanking the public for sharing their initial, removed, appeal.

Friday, February 3, 2006

Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Company is currently engaged in a war of words with John Mack, editor of the monthly newsletter Pharma Marketing News. Mack and Eli Lilly are debating the origin of the Cialis Blog, a long-running Web site containing information about the popular anti-impotence medication Cialis. The Web site features information about Cialis’ clinical trials and commentary from Lilly ICOS executives.

Mack has suggested that Eli Lilly and Company sponsors the Cialis Blog. However, Lilly ICOS has asserted that it has nothing to do with the Web site.

Mack disputed Eli Lilly’s version of events calling the Cialis Blog “too far-fetched to be believed” and an example of Lilly’s “incredible incompetence.” Another blog, Envisioning 2.0, notes that the “Cialis blog is not endorsed by the powers that be at Lilly ICOS, according to Lilly spokesperson Kindra Strupp.”

Pharmaceutical Executive first mentioned the Cialis blog in an October 2004 article about pharmaceutical blogging. The author of the story assigned responsibility for the blog to Lilly ICOS without attribution.

Other bloggers have posted comments on Envisioning 2.0 and Mack’s Pharma Marketing Blog suggesting that the Cialis Web site may be unofficial. They cite evidence from a WHOIS search indicating that Mircea Piturca of Romania apparently registered the blog.

Mack and bloggers commenting on the debate have all urged Eli Lilly to take action against the site. They all believe it is in the company’s best interest to have the site shuttered.