Daily News Summary 12/16

Here are some of today's top stories and happenings at IAVA

Headlines

Caroline Kennedy Is Seeking Seat [1] Held by Clinton.
Next Education Secretary [2] to Bridge Teachers Unions, Civil Rights Groups.
Iran's Khatami Mulls Run for Presidency. [3]

Iraq

Petraeus: Military studying burn pit fumes. [4]
U.S. costs of Iraq, Afghan wars [5] top $900 billion: report.
US hands over last female detainees in Iraq. [6]

Afghanistan

No relief in sight [7] for war-wracked Afghanistan.
Britain Adds 300 Soldiers to Support Afghan Force [8]

Other Military News

New York City Seen As Potential Model For Sheltering Homeless Vets [9]
Justices Restore Suit Brought by Ex-Detainees Citing Torture [10].
Ala. bill would allow overseas voting online. [11]
BAH rates to rise [12] by an average of 6.9%.

World

Kidnapping Negotiator Is Now a Victim in Mexico [13]
Former Opposition Leader Chosen as Thailand's PM [14]
Venezuela and Iran urge Opec to double cut [15]
Pakistan peace process 'paused' [16]

Opinion/op-ed

Obama's Afghan headache. [17]
How Blackwater Serves America. [18]

DC
SENATE

PRESS RELEASES of INTEREST:

Durbin Questions DOD on Care for Service Members with Traumatic Brain Injury durbin.senate.gov <http://durbin.senate.gov/showRelease.cfm?releaseId=305843>

FUTURE COMMITTEE HEARINGS & MARKUPS of INTEREST

January 14, 2009 SVAC has scheduled a confirmation hearing on the nomination of Eric Shinseki to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 10:00 A.M.; Russell 418 (TBD)

Links:
[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/16/us/politics/16caroline.html?_r=1&hp
[2] http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/16/AR2008121600106.html?hpid=topnews
[3] http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/15/AR2008121502724.html?hpid=artslot
[4] http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/12/military_burnpits_petraeus_121208w/
[5] http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE4BE6LN20081216
[6] http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gWM_aGEM9XIaUSQz8_swIUFgx_LQD953P99O0
[7] http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gUH_RX5md-5Ml2LE4gnz3ocwgUVA
[8] http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/16/world/europe/16britain.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
[9] http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/16/nyregion/16vets.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq= "V.A."&st=nyt
[10] http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/16/washington/16scotus.html
[11] http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/12/ap_ala_military_internet_ballot_121508w/
[12] http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/12/12152008tns_bahrates/
[13] http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/16/world/americas/16mexico.html?ref=todayspaper
[14] http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/15/AR2008121500098.html?hpid=sec-world
[15] http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/21ad3282-cb63-11dd-ba02-000077b07658.html?nclick_check=1
[16] http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7784983.stm
[17] http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/12/16/afghanistan_kidnapping/
[18] http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122939188592109341.html?mod=googlenews_wsj