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Destroying the Right to Be Left Alone

Christopher Calabrese and Matthew Harwood TomDispatch
Tomgram: As Christopher Calabrese and Matthew Harwood indicate today, however, gigantic as the NSA’s intrusions on privacy might be, they are only part of an uncomfortably large story in which many U.S. agencies and outfits feel free to take possession of our lives in ever more technologically advanced and intrusive ways.

Germany Votes, Wins and Losses

Victor Grossman Portside
Yes, Angela Merkel wins. Her 42 percent vote, impressive as it was with many parties contesting, left her with the biggest bloc of 311 seats in the 630-seat Bundestag, but five seats short of a needed majority. So instead of the previous more-or-less like-minded partner, further to the right on most issues, she must try to forge an alliance with her main election opponents, the Social Democrats.

Record Protests Sweep Bangladesh

Sarah Lazare Common Dreams
Over 50,000 demand 'dignity' in garment industry where majority-female workforce faces dangerous conditions and some of lowest wages in world

The Institute of Medicine Report on Cancer Care: Is The System "In Crisis"?

Orac Respectful Insolence
The evidence base for a lot of the health IT recommendations being able to do what they are claimed to be able to do is currently thin to nonexistent, but there has been a major initiative over the last 14 years to improve the adherence to evidence-based guidelines in treating cancer patients. Although this has largely been fairly successful, there are areas where current oncology practices fall short, particularly in the elderly.

Troy Davis Supporters Push to End Death Penalty

Amy Goodman Democracy Now!
Troy Davis was convicted and executed for the killing of the off duty police officer, Mark MacPhail. The prosecution's case rested entirely on witness testimony but seven of the nine non-police witnesses have said they were coerced by police and since recanted their testimony. Nine witnesses also implicated another man in the murder, one of the remaining witnesses who has not recanted, Sylvester "Red" Coles as the shooter.