| Hard News
Fierce clashes kill 47 in Syria's Idlib: NGO:
Fierce clashes have killed at least 21 rebel fighters and 26 regime troops in less than two days in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib, a watchdog said on Thursday.
Syria threatens to retaliate for Israeli attack:
Ambassador to Lebanon says Damascus 'has the option and the capacity to surprise in retaliation;' Hezbollah condemns strike as 'barbaric aggression.'
Syria complains to UN over Israel 'attack':
Russia has called the attack unacceptable, while a Syrian official and Iranian deputy minister have suggested there could be retaliation.
Attack by Israeli air force on facilities in Syria is unacceptable - Russian Foreign Ministry:
If this information proves true, then we deal with unsanctioned strikes on targets in the territory of a sovereign state, which is a blatant violation of the UN Charter and is unacceptable no matter what reasons are behind the attack," the Russian Foreign Ministry said
'Israeli airstrike intended to stop Syrian scientific military research':
It only shows that Israel has a great interest in the instability in Syria and that it is being helped by groups of armed rebels in Syria."
U.N.: Israeli practices could be subject to prosecution for war crimes.:
Hanan Ashrawi, a top PLO official told Reuters: "This is incredible. We are extremely heartened by this principled and candid assessment of Israeli violations...This report clearly states the Israel is not just violating the 4th Geneva Convention, but places Israel in liability to the Rome Statute under the jurisdiction of the ICC.
Senior Pakistani cleric among 13 killed in Karachi:
He was a leading figure of the strict Sunni Muslim institution, the Jamia Banuri Uloom Islamia. Police suspect it was a sectarian attack. An IED explosion and targeted killings account for 10 other deaths overnight.
3 killed as Bangladesh Islamic party activists clash with police:
The Jamaat-e-Islami party called for Thursday's nationwide shutdown to demand that the government halt a trial of its leaders on charge of crimes against humanity involving Bangladesh's 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.
Mali 'bloody atrocities': Video shows army's war crimes: Video -
Exclusive footage of what's believed to be the atrocities committed by the Malian army in a town liberated from the Islamist rebels with the help of French forces. Information on civilian casualties in Mali has been notably scarce.
UN plans new peacekeeping force for Mali:
The force would probably be composed of 3,000 to 5,000 peacekeepers, the diplomat said. A U.N. peacekeeping force would be a positive development, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Thursday on France-Inter radio.
France's Says Mali Should Accept Some Touareg Autonomy:
"Mali must enter a period of national conciliation open to all political forces that reject terrorism and outright separatism," Le Drian said on France Inter radio. Touaregs must play "a full role on the recomposition of Mali" while at the same time "Touareg specificity must be recognized," he said.
Malian president offers Tuareg rebels talks:
Under pressure from Paris, Mali's interim President Dioncounda Traore said he was ready to open talks with the Tuareg rebel MNLA provided it honoured a pledge to drop its claims of independence for northern Mali.
Two years on, Benghazi threatens "another revolution" in Libya:
Two years after Libya's second city kindled the uprising that ousted Muammar Gaddafi, it epitomises a popular revolution gone awry - rival militias and Islamist gunmen more powerful than the police, moving residents to ask: where is the state?
Egypt politicians renounce violence at crisis talks:
Egypt's feuding politicians renounced violence on Thursday after being summoned by the country's most influential Muslim scholar to talks to end the deadliest unrest since President Mohamed Mursi took power.
Seven killed in Yemen: :
Two militants and five soldiers were killed on Thursday during a Yemeni army raid on a mountainous area where insurgents linked to al Qaeda have been holed up since they were driven out of two southern towns last year, military sources said.
French, British, US warplanes and troops occupy Yemeni capital:
As the UN Security Council continues its Yemen visit after holding a closed meeting with Yemeni and GCC - Gulf Cooperation Council - officials in Sana'a, the capital, residents woke up under foreign military occupation.
Hamas denies news about its acceptance of two-state solution:
The Hamas Movement categorically denied some news reports claiming that head of its political bureau Khaled Mashaal had asked the Jordanian monarch to tell the US administration that Hamas accepts the two-state solution with Israel. "We, in Hamas, affirm that such allegations are untrue," its information office stated.
Iran informs UN nuclear agency of plan to use more modern centrifuges at Natanz enrichment plant - diplomat:
The letter said that Iran would use the new centrifuges - a model called IR2m - at a unit in the Natanz plant where Iran is enriching uranium to a fissile concentration of up to five percent, according to an IAEA communication to member states seen by Reuters.
Iran crude oil exports rise to highest since EU sanctions:
Strong Chinese demand and tanker fleet expansion helped the OPEC member dodge sanctions.
14th Annual Gandhi Lecture on Nonviolence with Chris Hedges:
Days of Destruction: Video -
Guantanamo Secret Censor Frustrates Judge In 9/11 Case: -
A judge expressed frustration on Monday that an unknown U.S. government entity censored his courtroom audiovisual feed, cutting public access to pretrial hearings for five accused Sept. 11 plotters.
Four killed in clash with Colombia's Farc ahead of talks:
Colombia's Farc rebels have stepped up their attacks, as the latest round of peace talks with the government gets under way in Cuba.
Chevron Paying At Least $326,000 Bribe to Ecuadorian Judge For False Testimony:
In press statements, Chevron has admitted it will pay at least $326,000 to a former disgraced Ecuador judge for false testimony designed to help the oil giant evade a $19 billion judgment against the company for the world's worst oil contamination.
Immigration reform bill could pass in six months, Obama says:
President Obama said that the bipartisan group of senators working on immigration legislation was following a "reasonable timeline" and suggested he would push to get a bill passed in the first half of the year.
Girl who performed at Obama inauguration shot dead in Chicago:
Fifteen-year-old was talking with friends when gunman opened fire on group
Inside the FBI's 'Terror factory': Video -
The FBI has been heavily criticized for preying on individuals who are on the fringes of society and Trevor Aaronson, author of "The Terror Factory," analyzes the FBI's devious tactics in his new book.
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"Let us be peace and joy"
Tom Feeley
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