Hard News
Bush- Blair Legacy Continues As 48 killed in attacks across Iraq: A suicide bomber blew himself up among a crowd of Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad and another detonated his explosives inside a cafe north of the capital, the deadliest of several attacks across Iraq today which killed at least 48 people. Syria clash kills 28 as Assad says open to 2014 run: At least 28 people were reported killed in a Syrian firefight Saturday, the day after President Bashar al-Assad said he would seek re-election next year if "the Syrian people want." 19 killed in rebel infighting for Syrian border towns: Al-Qaida militants battled fighters linked to the Western-backed opposition along with Kurdish gunmen in Syrian towns along the Turkish border Friday in clashes that killed at least 19 people, activists said. Assad says Turkey will pay for backing Syrian rebels: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has told Turkey it will pay a heavy price for backing rebels fighting to oust him, accusing it of harbouring "terrorists" along its border who, he said, would soon turn on their hosts. Obama Botched an Earlier Syria Peace Deal: Op-Ed: One year and 80,000 lives ago, the U.N. envoy had carved a path for a government "transition." But the White House and Hillary Clinton rejected it. US Warned Israel It Was Going To Attack Syria: Israel's leaders were told explicitly that the US would be taking punitive military action against the Assad regime within 24-48 hours. The calls were made in accordance with the US promise to give Israel a warning ahead of such an attack, so that it could take steps to defend itself against any potential Syrian retaliation that might target the Jewish state. Netanyahu says he would consider meeting with Rouhani: 10 days after he instructed Israel's UN delegation to leave the General Assembly hall rather than hear Rouhani speak, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would "consider" meeting the Iranian president, in comments published early Friday. Report: Israel irked at Obama's UNGA address: New York Times quotes US source saying US president' decision not to declare publicly that Iran must destroy nuclear program 'riled Israelis' Khamenei Slams US and Israel: Iran's supreme leader calls Americans arrogant and untrustworthy, says US government 'seized by Zionist network' Iran gets senior seat on UN nuclear disarmament committee: Israeli officials, Jewish groups assail decision;: - Hours after Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu railed against Iran's nuclear program from the UN General Assembly's stage on Tuesday, member states elected Iran to be the rapporteur for the Disarmament and International Security Committee. UNESCO votes in favor of 6 resolutions condemning Israel: The UN body's Arab and Islamic bloc led the drive for the adoption of the resolutions, backed by Russia and France. The UK and Italy abstained while the US was the only country to vote against. Libya Gunmen 'Kill 15 Soldiers' Near Tripoli: Gunmen have attacked a military post southeast of Tripoli, killing 15 soldiers, according to Libya's official news agency. Libya apologizes for attack on Russian embassy, promises to secure foreign missions: The Libyan government has apologized for the mob attack on the Russian Embassy in Tripoli that prompted Russia to evacuate all of its diplomats and their families from the North African nation. Five killed as Egypt erupts anew: Five people were killed in clashes on Friday as supporters of deposed President Muhammad Mursi took to the streets of Cairo and other cities to demand the end of army-backed rule. Fears of violence loom as rivals eye Egypt's Tahrir on armed forces day: Nationwide celebrations and protests are scheduled to take place in Egypt Sunday to mark the 40th anniversary of the 6 October 1973 war against Israel with rival camps eyeing the iconic Tahrir Square as their destination. Somalia's al Shabaab say British, Turkish forces attacked its base: Somali al Shabaab militants said on Saturday British and Turkish special forces had raided a coastal town overnight, killing a rebel fighter, but that a British officer had also been killed and others wounded. NATO Kills Five Afghan Civilians Incl Three Children : Five civilians, three of whom were children, were killed in an overnight airstrike in eastern Afghanistan, local police said on Saturday. NATO has said it does not know anything about the victims. Gunman Kills NATO Service Member: A gunman, possibly a private security guard, shot dead a member of the U.S.-led international coalition in southern Afghanistan on Saturday before himself being killed, NATO said. We will unite all Afghans, says Taliban chief: God willing, when Nato leaves it will be as it was before... the Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan." US-Japan talks escalate war preparations against China: The lengthy joint statement announced major deployments of hi-tech US weaponry to Japan and a green light for Japanese remilitarisation, within the framework of "a more robust alliance". Secret DEA Division Covers Up Surveillance Used To Investigate Americans: Video report - A Reuters report shows that the DEA is prompting criminal investigations of Americans nationwide by supplying information from intelligence intercepts, wiretaps, informants and telephone records to law enforcement officials, then covering it up.... Glenn Greenwald: The NSA debate is as much about journalism as surveillance: Op-Ed: A 14-minute interview on BBC highlights the debate over the proper relationship between journalists and government Why the NSA's attacks on the internet must be made public: By reporting on the agency's actions, the vulnerabilities in our computer systems can be fixed. It's the only way to force change NSA and GCHQ target Tor network that protects anonymity of web users:Top-secret documents say: The National Security Agency has made repeated attempts to develop attacks against people using Tor, a popular tool designed to protect online anonymity, despite the fact the software is primarily funded and promoted by the US government itself. Judge orders release of schizophrenic Guantanamo detainee: A federal judge has ordered the US to release a Guantanamo Bay prisoner suffering from mental illness who has spent much of his 11 years at the prison in a psychiatric ward. Justice Delayed, Justice Denied: Man who spent 4 decades in prison dies week after release: A 71-year-old man who spent more than four decades in solitary confinement in Louisiana died Friday, less than a week after a judge freed him and granted him a new trial. Washington Police: Man who set himself ablaze on Mall dies: A man who set himself on fire on the National Mall in the U.S. capital has died of his injuries Capitol Hill tragedy shows worrying trend in crumbling US society: In the aftermath of the Capitol Hill shooting of a depressed woman, the US must look at how it treats its populace - especially African Americans. Society is crumbling and conducive to insanity, Caleb Maupin from the International Action Center told RT. The Story Behind That Incredibly Riveting Video of the D.C. Car Chase: The guy who captured the dramatic scene wasn't just some dude-he's a cameraman for a network called Alhurra, funded by U.S. taxpayers and broadcast in the Middle East. By Ben Jacobs New American Police State : Op-Ed: The concepts of war and policing have blurred, both in the media and inside police departments. President Obama Meets With Head of Goldman Sachs to Talk About "Payday Loan of Sorts": Sources inside Goldman Sachs have leaked an email indicating that President Obama has had secret meetings with Goldman and Co, "in order to arrange a new debt ceiling, or more accordingly a new line of credit." US Banks Stuffing ATMs With 20-30% More Cash In Case Of Panicked Withdrawals: The FT reports that "two of the country's 10 biggest banks said they were putting into place a "playbook" used in August 2011 when the government last came close to breaching the debt ceiling. House unanimously approves back pay for 800,000 furloughed federal workers: The House on Saturday unanimously approved legislation to provide retroactive pay for furloughed federal workers after the government shutdown ends. The vote was 407-0. Lockheed Martin to furlough 3,000 due to shutdown: Lockheed Martin, headquartered in Bethesda, has identified approximately 3,000 employees who will be furloughed on Monday because of the government shutdown, the global security and aerospace company said Friday. Factory in Bangladesh accused of shocking abuse of pregnant workers in new labour report: Pregnant workers illegally fired, denied maternity leave pay at Bangladesh factory that sews for The Gap and Old Navy, says report.
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"Let us be peace and joy"
Tom Feeley
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