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Sworn FBI testimony in the trial of the men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Democrat Governor Gretchen Whitmer has revealed that the FBI played such an integral role in hatching the alleged plot that they even trained the men to kidnap the Governor. An undercover FBI informant trained men to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer, according to the sworn testimony of FBI agent Henrick Impola, which came as part of the ongoing trial of three men who are accused, along with eleven others, of plotting to kidnap the Michigan Governor. The alleged plot to kidnap Whitmer was “busted” less than a...

HARRISBURG, Pa., July 25, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Department of Health will provide free potassium iodide tablets Thursday, Aug. 8, to Pennsylvanians who live, work or attend school within a 10-mile radius of one of the state's five nuclear power plants. Potassium iodide, or KI, can help protect the thyroid gland against harmful radioactive iodine when taken as directed during radiological emergencies. Individuals should only take KI when told to do so by state health officials or the governor. Each adult will receive four 65-milligram tablets. Children will be given smaller doses based on their age. Individuals can pick up...

NEW YORK (AP) — A U.N. whistleblower who won his case but received only 2 percent of the $2.2 million he sought in damages and costs is asking the U.S. government to withhold 15 percent of its payments to the United Nations. James Wasserstrom alleged corruption involving senior officials in the U.N. peacekeeping operation in Kosovo in 2007. He is now an anti-corruption adviser at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. Wasserstrom told a news conference Monday that he was sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and key lawmakers asking that they implement a federal law requiring...

WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal agencies in Washington ordered 350,000 potassium iodide pills this week from a North Carolina company to protect people from cancer caused by radioactive iodine, which can be released in nuclear explosions. The agencies are stockpiling the pills "in case of a nuclear event," said Gordon Johndroe, spokesman for the Office of Homeland Security. "It's been an ongoing effort," Johndroe said, adding that it is not a direct result of the arrest of Jose Padilla, a suspected al-Qaida member who may have been planning a "dirty bomb" attack on Washington. The government orders Monday and Tuesday represent...

Supplies of potassium iodide, a preventive against radiation poisoning of the thyroid gland, are running low at some manufacturers, as Americans seek protection amid fears that radiation from Japan could head to the U.S., according to the companies. One leading supplier, Anbex Inc., quickly sold out of its supply of more than 10,000 14-tablet packages on Saturday, said Alan Morris, president of the Williamsburg, Va., company. He said the closely held firm was getting about three orders a minute for $10 packages of its Iosat pills, up from as few as three a week normally. "Those who don't get it...

Even the nuclear crisis enveloping Japan isn’t enough to wake up an indifferent Obama Administration. The massive earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan on Friday also created a crisis at the country’s nuclear power plants. Damage at the sites was extensive, and repair work was impeded by at least one massive explosion. Radioactive gas leaks have been reported, with radiation 1,000 times higher than normal levels. In response, the Japanese government has imposed a massive, military-led evacuation, clearing people away from at least two of the plants. Despite the tragedy unfolding in Japan, the United States remains unprepared. The country...

Many West Coast residents came up empty handed in their search of potassium iodide this week as fears over radiation spreading from Japan took hold. The rush on the supplement came even as emergency management officials said there is no need to take the pills believed to prevent the thyroid from absorbing radiation. "I didn't see too many people concerned about it. But when it was sold out, it made me think that I should be concerned," said Hameed Hemmat, who lives in the San Francisco Bay area. Hemmat, who struggled to find potassium iodide online when he couldn't find...

Radiation Fears Lead to Potassium Iodide Hysteria Potassium Iodide Runs Low as Americans Seek It Out ..... The earthquake and tsunami in Japan has caused a slight meltdown in on of Japan's nuclear power plants and maybe some other potential meltdowns. Radiation levels in the area have increased, mostly affecting workers or those right near the plant. Radiation level increases in other parts of Japan are minimal most are blowing off to sea, which has sparked public hysteria on the West Coast of the United States. The public is terrified because they believe that the radiation levels will come to...

Just got back from the health food store. I went to get some Xylitol. Xylitol is a natural sugar that helps with sinus infections, that sort of thing. Phone was ringing off the hook. Gal behind the counter was automatically answering "Sorry, we're sold out"... Anybody guess what people were wanting?

KAMAKURA, JAPAN To get some perspective on the earthquake that struck the country to which I moved last year, I hiked a mile and a half Wednesday morning from our house to the Great Buddha of Kamakura, the most famous attraction of this town on the southwest outskirts of Tokyo. Serenity washes over me every time I gaze at the 44-foot, 13th-century bronze statue. I'm not spiritual, much less a Buddhist. But I went to confirm, with my own eyes, that the Buddha looks the same as usual - that he wasn't, say, glowing because of deadly rays emitting from...

Latest news from Japan: From the BBC- 1456: Tepco says it may start pouring water from a helicopter over Fukushima Daiichi's reactor four in the next few days, to cool the spent-fuel pool. 1439: A 30km (18 mile) no-fly zone is in place around Fukushima, says the IAEA. 1436: The IAEA says Monday's blast at Fukushima may have affected the integrity of the containment vessel - there are fears of more serious radioactive leaks if happen. 1435: Following earlier reports, it appears there has been more than one strong aftershock in Japan - AP reports two tremors measuring over 6.0...

The radiation from Japan’s nuclear power plant crisis has spurred a dramatic increase in sales of Potassium Iodide in the United States, reports The Huffington Post. Potassium Iodide, also called KI, is a salt of non-radioactive iodine. In cases of radiological or nuclear events, people at high risk of radiation exposure may take potassium iodide to prevent radiation damage to the thyroid gland with can develop into cancer. It works by flooding the thyroid gland with non-radioactive iodine, preventing absorption of radioactive iodine. It does not cure the thyroid gland after radiation exposure or provide any measure of radiation protection...

Nuke Pills Top $200 Per Pack On Auction Sites; Prices up 1900% in Just a Few Days Author: Mac Slavo March 16th, 2011 As the effects of the nuclear disaster in Japan remain unclear, panicked US residents are doing whatever they can to get their hands on Potassium Iodide pills. Distributors of the FDA recommended pills have run out of stock, with one manufacturer reporting that they sold some 250,000 individual packets in a single weekend. As we reported in What Your Grocery Store Will Look Like In An Emergency, at the onset of a far-from-equilibrium event, the essentials go...

Why do we have a Surgeon General? The position (which once used to involve running the Public Health Service) no longer carries any meaningful administrative responsibilities; it’s almost purely symbolic. The Surgeon General educates the public about various health-related issues. In practice, this generally means that Surgeons General act as secular preachers, wagging a finger at the American people for various vices like smoking and drinking. It is hard to see any real case for such a position in the federal government (a few years ago I argued in NR (subscription required) that the position should be eliminated or transformed...

While Bob Herbert's editorial in the New York Times warning about the country's lack of preparation for a nuclear accident is right, it only tells half the story. What he does not mention is that the federal government has been aggressively ignoring what needs to be done. Today, the government still does not have an adequate stockpile of radiation-protective, potassium iodide (KI) tablets, despite the passage of law requiring it, a National Academy of Sciences report recommending a sufficient national stockpile to protect everyone at risk, the requests of individual members of Congress including half the Florida delegation, and the...

U.S. Department of State Washington, D.C. FACT SHEET -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer: Although the information in this circular is provided for general information, the Department of State is not the lead government agency on radiological or nuclear incidents and cannot make any warranty regarding the information. At present, there is no one government agency that has taken the lead responding to nuclear or radiological incidents. For additional information please consult http://www.usuhs.mil/cbw/fed_links.htm. As always, we will share with American citizens any information we receive regarding threats to their safety. This fact sheet provides guidance on what to do in the event of three...

KI will be made available to residents within the 10-mile radius of Indian Point on three days in June Westchester County will begin distributing potassium iodide, known as KI, on Saturday, June 8 in the first of three days set aside to distribute the pills for use in a radiological emergency. Residents who live within a 10-mile radius of the Indian Point nuclear power plant can receive one free pill per person at any one of the dates and locations listed below. This free, public distribution is part of a comprehensive KI policy, which includes the distribution and stockpiling of...