45 killed in fresh violence in Iraq:
A total of 45 people were killed and 54 others wounded in violent attacks across Iraq on Saturday, including shelling and clashes in the volatile province of Anbar, security and medical sources said.
20 gunmen of ISIS killed in Anbar:
Anbar Operations Command reported killing 20 gunmen from what is called the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
Syrian peace talks: government and rebels finally meet:
The first direct negotiations between the Syrian government and rebels seeking to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad started and ended after barely half and hour at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva.
The United States needs to tell Turkey to change course: Analysis -
Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is destroying his country's parlous democracy. That is a profound problem for Turks and Turkey's Western allies
Kidnapped Iranian diplomat found beheaded in Yemen - local official:
An Iranian embassy official who was kidnapped in Sanaa in July was found beheaded in central Yemen on Saturday, an official of the local administration said.
Beheaded body in Yemen not Iranian diplomat: Iranian official:
An Iranian Foreign Ministry official denied reports that the decapitated body discovered in Yemen belongs to an Iranian diplomat who was kidnapped last July, Press TV reported on Saturday.
At least 29 people killed as Egypt marks revolution:
The worst violence was directed at supporters of deposed President Mohamed Morsi, who staged dozens of rallies across the country. Witnesses reported deadly clashes in Minya, Giza, Alexandria and several other governorates, and the health ministry said that 29 people were dead and more than 170 wounded by 8:30pm
Cairo bombings: militant group claims responsibility as new blast hits city:
The group, based primarily in the restive Sinai Peninsula, claimed it would carry out more attacks in the future. "We tell our dear nation that these attacks were only the first drops of rain, so wait for what is coming up."
Egyptian uprising three years on: more violence, fewer liberal voices: Analysis:
As clashes continue, leftists who were expected to profit from Mubarak's overthrow are squeezed out of political discourse
Libya: Egyptian embassy staff 'seized':
At least four Egyptian embassy personnel have been kidnapped in the Libyan capital Tripoli, the Libyan foreign ministry says.
Egyptian diplomats evacuated from Libya: -
Eleven Egyptian diplomats stationed in Libya were back in their home country after their embassy in Tripoli was evacuated following the kidnapping of five envoys, al-Ahram reported on Saturday.
Hillary Clinton's Responsibility for Libya's Misery:
Libya is a mess, we are told, worse than when Gaddafi was around. Who was instrumental in attacking Libya in an outright aggression? Hillary Clinton. One headline at the time read "Clinton credited with key role in success of NATO airstrikes, Libyan rebels".
French kill 11 "Islamists" in Mali push:
FRENCH forces have killed at least 11 suspected Islamist fighters and seized large amounts of weapons and ammunition during an operation in Mali's northern region of Timbuktu.
'Sporadic fighting' in S Sudan after truce:
Fighting has been reported between government and rebel forces in South Sudan after a ceasefire came into effect, the United Nations said.
Fresh clashes kill 12 in China's Xinjiang region:
Six die in explosions and another six shot dead by police in Xinjiang, home to ethnic minority Uighurs
6 policemen killed in terrorist attacks in Pakistan's Karachi:
At least six policemen were killed and another was injured Saturday night in two different terrorist attacks in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi, local media reported.
Afghan president says U.S. should start talks with Taliban or leave:
President Hamid Karzai appeared to stiffen his resolve on Saturday not to sign a security pact with Washington, saying the United States should leave Afghanistan unless it could restart peace talks with the Taliban.
Congress cuts U.S. military and development aid for Afghanistan:
With no perceptible opposition from the Obama administration, Congress has quietly downscaled Washington's ambitions for the final year of the Afghan war, substantially curtailing development aid and military assistance plans ahead of the U.S. troop pullout.
Russian-Chinese Naval Training Exercise Begins in Mediterranean:
The exercise, which began with a gathering of the ships and accompanying speedboats, is being performed to reinforce co-maneuvering, air defense collaboration as well as naval helicopter landings on the different countries' ships, the ministry's press service said.
Ukraine's president offers opposition leaders top govt posts:
The Saturday meeting between Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovich and the opposition yielded unexpected results. Top government posts were offered to protest leaders and a review of the constitution was promised, in order to give parliament more power.
Violent video: Ukraine rioters brutally beat police, storm local admin building :
Protesters have stormed local administrative buildings in Vinnitsa, central Ukraine.
Ukraine's Fascist Neo-Nazi Color Revolution Backed by U.S.:
(The guy seen with John McCain is a pure bred Operation Gladio supporter. Thailand, Ukraine, Turkey, Egypt... it's Gladio B and this guy is a perfect example of the kinds of democracies our country backs across the world. )
Russia's Duma calls on West to not interfere in Ukraine's internal affairs:
With an overwhelming majority vote of 388 out of 450, the Russian State Duma passed a resolution slamming foreign politicians and forces interfering in what is now an escalating political crisis in Ukraine between protestors and law enforcement.
Violence breaks out at far-right Vienna ball:
Violence has broken out in Austria's capital outside a ball organised by a right-wing political party, leading to several arrests and injuries.
Militants tell Russians to rebel against Kremlin or face attacks:
"Gone are the days when it was possible to destroy Muslims gratuitously," it said. "Today, one mujahid could destroy dozens or even hundreds of people in your cities. And do not think that these are isolated cases and that you will not feel the losses. The number of such bombings will only grow, and they will overtake many of you."
Man shot in the back of the head by FBI during 8-hour interrogation:
He was ultimately shot 6 times in the chest and once in the back of the head, which his father describes as an "execution" performed to "silence" his son. Months later, the Feds still have not offered any cogent explanations of the the incident or why their agents altered their story multiple times.
Dallas police shoot unarmed man with hands in the air, witness says:
Another Dallas police officer is under investigation for shooting an unarmed man as he surrendered with both hands in the air.
Republican Party Calls For End To NSA Domestic Phone Records Program:
The resolution calls on on Republican members of Congress to enact amendments to the Section 215 law that currently allows the spy agency to collect records of almost every domestic telephone call.
Blimplike surveillance craft set to deploy over Maryland heighten privacy concerns:
Defense contractor Raytheon touted an exercise in which it outfitted the aerostats planned for deployment in suburban Baltimore with one of the company's most powerful high-altitude surveillance systems, capable of spotting individual people and vehicles from a distance of many miles.
Exclusive: UK: Peers call for proper scrutiny of American military bases in UK used for drone strikes and mass spying:
Scrutiny of American military bases in Britain could be increased dramatically for the first time in more than 60 years under cross-party proposals provoked by evidence that the installations are being used for drone strikes and mass spying activities.
Ireland: Protesters call for release of 'Guantanamo Granny':
PROTESTERS outside Limerick Prison called for the release of 79-year-old anti-war activist Margaretta D'Arcy who was jailed for three months in relation to protests over the US military use of Shannon Airport.
In a world gone crazy:
HSBC imposes restrictions on large cash withdrawals:
HSBC customers requiring large cash withdrawals may be asked what they want the money for: "When we presented them with the withdrawal slip, they declined to give us the money because we could not provide them with a satisfactory explanation for what the money was for. They wanted a letter from the person involved."
Contagion Spreads in Emerging Markets as Crises Grow:
The worst selloff in emerging-market currencies in five years is beginning to reveal the extent of the fallout from the Federal Reserve's tapering of monetary stimulus, compounded by political and financial instability.
JPMorgan gives CEO Jamie Dimon a raise despite shelling out $20 bln in fines:
Despite the fact that JPMorgan was hit with $20 billion worth of fines during 2013, Dimon will receive $1.5 million for the year. The company will also pay him an additional $18.5 million in restricted stock,
Banks are out to steal your money:
With the average household carrying $15,000 of debt on their credit cards and plunging retail store traffic (see below) it is becoming clear there is no economic recovery and whatever remains is being generated by expanded credit.
Compound found in marijuana shown to 'turn off' cancer: -
Researchers at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco found that a marijuana compound known as cannabidiol can stop metastasis in many types of aggressive cancers.
