Truthout roundup 4/27

Pentagon yields to pressure from New York Times investigation, temporarily halts feeding information to media pundits; brutal convergence of events led to current global food crisis; congress to investigate claim that Karl Rove worked to remove Chicago US attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald; Afghan president calls on British and American troops to stop undermining his government's authority; Iran says confrontation between US and Iranian forces on Friday did not occur; family and friends of Sean Bell denounce verdict and vow to continue protesting assault; Michelle Singletary on why mortgage sharks need to face criminal prosecution; and more ... Browse our continually updating front page at http://www.truthout.org t r u t h o u t 04.27

Pentagon Temporarily Halts Feeding Pundits"
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/042708A.shtml Jeff Schogol for Stars and Stripes reports, "The Defense Department has temporarily stopped feeding information to retired military officers pending a review of the issue, said Robert Hastings, principal deputy assistant secretary of Defense for public affairs. The New York Times first reported on Sunday that the Defense Department was giving information to retired officers serving as pundits for various media organizations in order to garner favorable media coverage.

"The New Economics of Hunger"
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/042708B.shtml Anthony Faiola reports for The Washington Post, "The food price shock now roiling world markets is destabilizing governments, igniting street riots and threatening to send a new wave of hunger rippling through the world's poorest nations.

"In the Rezko Trial, A New Name Surfaces: Karl Rove"
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/042708C.shtml Michael Isikoff for Newsweek reports on the curveball that prosecutors threw last week in the trial of Chicago developer and political fixer Antoin "Tony" Rezko: "Former Illinois state official Ali Ata is expected to testify about a conversation he had with Rezko in which the developer alleged Rove was 'working with' a top Illinois Republican to remove the Chicago US attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald.

"Leave Taliban Alone, Afghan President Tells West" http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/042708D.shtml Jason Burke reports for The Guardian UK: "Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, has called on British and American troops to stop arresting Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan, saying that their operations undermined his government's authority and were counter-productive.

"Iran Reportedly Says No Confrontation with US in Gulf" http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/042708E.shtml Reuters: "Iran on Friday denied there had been any confrontation between its forces and a US ship in the Gulf, Iranian media reported, after a US official said a ship contracted by the US Military Sealift Command fired on an Iranian vessel.

"Bell Family, Friends Say, "It's Far From Over"
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/042708F.shtml John Eligon reports for The New York Times: "Nicole Paultre Bell, the woman who was to marry Sean Bell the day he was killed in a hail of 50 police bullets, vowed on Saturday to continue demanding accountability for his death, delivering her remarks in a tone that was a departure from her more familiar gentle demeanor.

"Michelle Singletary Prosecute the Mortgage Sharks http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/042708G.shtml Michelle Singletary writes for the Washington Post, "Based on my investigation of one mortgage operation, which has continued to arrange loans despite state sanctions, what's needed is more criminal prosecution, not another commission with little power. After all, we're talking about loan officers responsible for explaining mortgage products, some of which have complicated terms and high fees, the types of products that have led this nation into its current economic mudslide.