Headlines Wednesday 30th December 2009

Transportation Security Administration looks to increase number of full-body scanners at U.S. airports in wake of attempted Northwest Airlines flight bombing.

Was Big Government Obama's Answer?
Obama's decisions in his first year show what role he sees for government in addressing nation's problems

Obama: 'Systemic Failure' Leading Up to Jet Attack
President says information on terror suspect not properly shared, should have landed him on no-fly list

Iran Eyeing Secret Nuke Deal?
Tehran close to clinching deal to import 1,350 tons of purified uranium ore from Kazakhstan, intel report says

Shooting Standoff at California Casino
Ex-employee reportedly opens fire, barricades himself inside Barona Resort and Casino gaming office

Burning car filmed as mum begs
ONLOOKERS ignored mum's pleas in order to film a burning car in which her daughters lay dying.

Man threatens to kill over $3 pizza topping
A MAN assaults a pizza delivery driver and threatens to kill over a $3 extra topping charge.

Python attacks in backyard spectacle
A FAMILY watched in horror as a python living in their backyard ate a young wallaby.

Teen fights for life after mosh pit madness
THE mum of a teen almost killed at a concert has warned parents of how a fun night can end in tragedy.


Windows got less annoying. Smartphones became smarter. The Internet became more entertaining. All in all, it was a good year for technology and the folks who use it.

Twins swindled millions from friends
IDENTICAL twins swindled more than $2.2 million from friends in a share scam, prosecutors say.

Defence salutes rare for women
JUST 30 of the 537 most senior officers in the Australian Defence Force are women and the navy has the worst record of promoting women, we can reveal.

Christmas family feud ends in dad's death
A FATHER-of-six died and his brother is fighting for his life after they were deliberately run down.

'Hand of God' Seen in Miracle Birth
Mom and son show no signs of life after Cesarean section on Christmas Eve, but then recover with no problems
=== Journalists Corner ===

As the year wraps up, we wanted to share a story of hope.

Jackie Tatje is an inspiring young woman. She first learned about Burma a few years ago while working with refugees from Burma in her hometown of Jacksonville, Florida. After hearing the refugees' stories of determination and persistence, she was inspired to volunteer with U.S. Campaign for Burma.

Working with USCB this October, Jackie and four recently arrived Karen and Karenni refugees piled into a minivan and drove 3 hours to the U2 concert in Tampa Bay. They spent all day in the baking sun collecting signatures calling for the Burmese generals to be held accountable for crimes against humanity.

Jackie and her friends were rewarded that night when U2 invited them on stage for "Walk On," a tribute Bono wrote for Aung San Suu Kyi, "What an incredible moment it was to stand on that stage and look out over a crowd of 72,000 people who were all showing their support for something so near to my heart. I just stood there and cried."

We want to thank Jackie for her work. However, she is not alone. Many USCB members have stories similar to Jackie's. Burmese and American communities working together for real change in Burma forms the core of our membership. We want to thank each of you for your assistance throughout the year.

With your support, we collected 10,000 signatures at over a dozen U2 concerts. With your calls, we received record support from Congress and President Obama. And with your donations, we have continued to work every day for a free Burma.

As the year ends, we ask that you make a small holiday donation. Your donations fund the bulk of our work-we could not continue without your support. Together, we are working so that attacks in Burma end and Burmese refugees no longer need to seek safe haven elsewhere.
===

Bringing you the hard news - First!
Only one team delivers real reporting, real insight, and the real story!
===

Christmas Terror Plot
He's on the terror watch list - But, how did the suspect get past U.S. officials?
===
Guest: Karl Rove
The GOP continues the health care clash on Capitol Hill! So, does Rove think they have what it takes to stop the bill from becoming law?
===
All American New Year!
Celebrate our nation with some of the hottest musical guests; live from Times Square!
=== Comments ===
After the Airline Bomb Scare, Is It Time to Start Ethnic Profiling at Airports?
This is a RUSH transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor," December 28, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

Watch "The O'Reilly Factor" weeknights at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET!

ERIC BOLLING, FOX NEWS GUEST HOST: In the "unresolved problem" segment tonight, is political correctness to blame for allowing that would-be bomber from Nigeria on the Northwest Airlines plane? Think about it. The guy was on a watch list. He paid cash for his ticket. He had no luggage. Meantime, elderly grandmothers are getting stripped searched before they can board. Is it time to start profiling passengers?

Joining us now is Ann Coulter, author of the book "Guilty: Liberal Victims and their assault in America" now in paperback. And from L.A., Matthew Littman, a former senior advisor for the Obama campaign.

Ann, I'm going to start with you. Boy, you know, so what if we profile? They're trying to kill us. Jihadists are doing whatever they can, pulling things out of the book trying to kill us. And it's like we're fighting with one or two hands behind our back. Profiling, good or bad?
===
GAIA TAKES A HOLIDAY
Tim Blair
November:

Increase in Climate-linked Disasters Intensifies Demands on the Humanitarian Community

December:

Natural catastrophes took many fewer lives and caused much less damage on average in 2009 than in the previous decade.

===
ROMAN UMPIRE
Tim Blair
James Morrow judges Judith White’s twisted “artistic freedom” defence of rapist Roman Polanski.
===
ANNE KNOWS ALL
Tim Blair
The Sydney Morning Herald‘s Anne Davies – Washington correspondent and Sambo smearer – explains the US President’s declining popularity:

Obama ends his first year in office with the worst ratings of any modern president at the end of his first year - 49 per cent approve and 46 per cent disapprove of his job performance.

His problems have provided new momentum to the Republican Party and the conservative movement, whose protests have swelled to a political outpouring of discontent over causes as diverse as bank bail-outs, taxes, government spending, health-care reforms, immigration and discomfort with having an African-American president.

Got a source on that, Anne? Is it “Charley James” again?

UPDATE. The year in Obamic burger trends. Previous cigarette, whisky and handgun trends reflect superior leadership.
===
LET’S TRY ART
Tim Blair
The US ABC network reports:

Two of the four leaders allegedly behind the al Qaeda plot to blow up a Northwest Airlines passenger jet over Detroit were released by the U.S. from the Guantanamo prison in November, 2007, according to American officials and Department of Defense documents …

American officials agreed to send the two terrorists from Guantanamo to Saudi Arabia where they entered into an “art therapy rehabilitation program” and were set free, according to U.S. and Saudi officials.

So much for the brutal tactic of watercolouring.