SPB News for Wednesday.

Russian President Medvedev Calls Obama To Say Happy Birthday

Ahmadinejad's Opposition Calls For Inauguration Protests In Iran

Virginia, New York U.S. Attorneys Vie For 9/11 Case

Antigua Renames Highest Peak 'Mount Obama'

Anti-EFCA Group Targets Evan Bayh -- With Assist From Karl Rove

Obama Taps Another Republican For Executive Branch

Goldman CEO to staff: Tone down spending
NY Post reports employees told to 'avoid displays of conspicuous consumption.'

Government: Ex-Broadcom exec knew statements weren't confidential
Law.com [subj. req]
Federal prosecutors in a criminal stock options backdating case in Los Angeles argued in a recent brief before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit that William Ruehle, former chief financial officer of Broadcom Corp., knew that statements he made to his attorneys at Irell & Manella in 2006 were not confidential, and therefore were not protected under the attorney-client privilege.

Blackwater Founder Implicated in Murder — A former Blackwater employee and an ex-US Marine who has worked as a security operative for the company have made a series of explosive allegations in sworn statements filed on August 3 in federal court in Virginia.

'CIA and Mossad paying $1,000 to Christian converts in northern Iraq' Iran's Fars news agency claimed Tuesday that the CIA and Mossad were actively promoting Christianity in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq. According to the report, the Americans and Israelis were offering $1,000 to any youngster willing to convert to Christianity. The news agency further claimed that several Christian organizations had translated the Bible into Kurdish and were distributing them to young Kurds.

U.N. envoy concerned at Afghanistan jail conditions The U.N. special envoy expressed concern on Sunday over the conditions in detention centres in Afghanistan, saying they must be brought up to international standards to prevent further radicalisation of detainees. Kai Eide, U.N. secretary-general Ban Ki-moon's special envoy to Afghanistan, said he had visited one facility in the capital Kabul and planned to visit several more, including the prison at Bagram, the main U.S. military base. Bagram prison has become a symbol of detainee abuses for Afghans after the deaths of two detainees in 2002.

Military Lawyer Claims U.S. Paid Gitmo Prosecution Witnesses --Defense Attorneys Say Afghan Eyewitnesses Received Cash or Gifts From the U.S. Government In a startling accusation, defense lawyers in the case of an adolescent arrested and brought to Guantanamo Bay six years ago claim the Justice Department may bring a criminal case against the young man based on testimony from witnesses paid by the U.S. government for their cooperation. Mohammed Jawad was as young as 12 when he was arrested by Afghan police in 2002 and accused of throwing a grenade at U.S. soldiers. Although he confessed to the crime after Afghan officials threatened to kill him and his family, his statements were later ruled inadmissible by two U.S. judges because they were coerced.

Calif. to shrink prison populations
Unmanageable conditions, severe overcrowding leave lawmakers with few options.