Hard News
53 killed as Taliban attack Afghan courthouse:
Officials say the fighting broke out Wednesday after suicide bombers disguised as Afghan soldiers stormed a courthouse in Farah province in a failed bid to free more than a dozen Taliban.
Three Pakistani security officers killed in attack:
Suspected militants threw a grenade at a vehicle carrying paramilitary security officers in southern Pakistan on Wednesday, killing three and wounding three others.
The Bill for the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars and Occupation: $4 to $6 Trillion:
A recent report from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government's Linda Blimes put the combined cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan at somewhere between $4 and $6 billion dollars.
Syrian, Iraqi jihadi groups said to be cooperating:
Iraqi intelligence officials say the burgeoning cooperation is pumping new life into the Sunni insurgency in their country
Syrian army on standby to defend Damascus against rebel attacks: report:
"We have repeatedly warned the terrorist groups against inching toward Damascus because that would mean their deaths along with their leaders,"
Syrian helicopter fires rockets 'inside Lebanon':
No casualties or damage were reported after the incident on the outskirts of Arsal, which is close to Syria.
Syrian "rebels" said close to chemical weapons cache:
Syrian opposition forces on Monday night reportedly captured the northern city of Al-Safira, which is close to many ammunition factories and what is believed to be the regime's largest cache of chemical weapons.
Syrian Christians Attacked in their Ancient Homeland :
With the Western-backed plan to overthrow the current Syrian government and the regional and global support being given to the Syrian opposition, including foreign hardline Jihadists who adopt Saudi Arabia's ultra-conservative Takfiri version of Sunni Islam, this reality is changing.
Syria in Danger of Replicating Christian Exodus in Iraq:
The World Evangelical Alliance's human rights ambassador has warned that Christians are being "chased from their homes" in Syria.
Syria 'rebel" fighters not ready to give up power after war:
Rebels on the ground say they, not expatriates or educated opposition outsiders, deserve leadership roles in a civilian government for post-conflict Syria.
U.S., Jordan boost training of Syria opposition fighters: report:
The report on Wednesday, citing U.S. and Jordanian officials, stated that training - which reportedly began last year - could also be used to establish a buffer zone along Syria's southern border.
Jordan intends to declare north of country 'disaster area':
The prime minister voiced concerns over a wide-scale flow of Syrian refugees into Jordan as a result of possible flare-up of major armed confrontations in Syria.
Gaza fighters launch retaliatory strikes over prisoner's death:
Gaza fighters fired retaliatory strikes on Tuesday, hours after the death in custody of a Palestinian who was denied appropriate cancer treatment, witnesses and the Israeli military said.
Israel launches airstrike on Gaza Strip:
None reported wounded after Hamas and Israeli military confirm strike in northen Gaza, the first attack since November
Saudi-funded UN cash to support Gaza families:
"A generous donation of $15.6 million from the Saudi Fund for Development will enable UNRWA to provide urgently needed cash subsidies directly to the affected refugee families," the statement said.
Palestinian prisoners in Israel launch hunger strike over dead inmate:
More than 4,500 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails launched a hunger strike over the death of a Palestinian inmate. Palestinian officials and Palestinian human rights organizations accused the Israel Prison Service of withholding medical treatment.
Hamas leaders call for prisoners intifada at Gaza rallies: -
Hamas leaders called for a third intifada to support prisoners at mass rallies across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, after the death of cancer-sufferer Maysara Abu Hamdiyeh in Israeli custody.
Israel's New Generation of Racists: Video report:
Incidents of discrimination have doubled each year since 2008 and increasingly perpetrated by youth
Kerry says US will defend S. Korea :
"We've heard an extraordinary amount of unacceptable rhetoric from the North Korean government in the past few days... the US will protect ourselves and our treaty partner ally, the Republic of Korea" He said.
US deploys second missile destroyer as tensions with North Korea grow:
THE US Pentagon said on Tuesday that a second U.S. guided-missile destroyer had taken position in the western Pacific on a missile defense mission, as tensions rise over North Korea's threats of war against the United States and its ally, South Korea.
Twitter diplomacy or veiled threat? U.S. embassy sends North Korea this tweet:
Embassy officials in Seoul tweeted this ominous photograph of two recently deployed stealth F-22 Raptors on patrol over South Korea. "U.S. has sent F-22 stealth fighter jets to the ROK to join drills underscoring our commitment to defend Korea," embassy officials tweeted in English and Korean.
North Korea suspends entry by South Koreans to Kaesong industrial zone:
A South Korean official said that hundreds of South Koreans currently in the Kaesong industrial zone would be allowed to leave, but incoming workers would not be granted entry. North Korea had earlier delayed access to the park.
U.S. wants to support fight against al Qaeda in Mali: senator: -
The United States will seek ways it can help French and African forces in Mali combat al Qaeda-linked rebels, U.S. Senator John McCain said on Tuesday during a visit to the West African country.
Julian Assange may be safe from extradition to US, says Justice Stefan Lindskog:
In a rare public lecture delivered in Adelaide, Justice Stefan Lindskog defended the leaking of classified information, saying the case against the WikiLeaks founder was "a mess'', and raised many questions over the legality of the US ever being able to extradite Assange via Sweden.
Chance of Julian Assange going to US:
A TOP Swedish judge has conceded it was possible that his government may send Wikileaks founder Julian Assange to the US if it successfully extradited him over a sex crime investigation.
Julian Assange to run for Australian Senate Video -
Wikileaks founder and gadfly Julian Assange will contest the upcoming federal election in Australia this September by running for a Victorian Senate seat in the Australian parliament
Records Sought on Alleged Death Squad Leader:
New York Times reporter Julia Preston sued the Department of Justice for records on retired Salvadoran Gen. Carlos Eugenio Vides Casanova, who led the National Guard and Defense Ministry while death squads murdered tens of thousands of people. "Upon retiring in 1989, General Vides immigrated to the United States as a legal permanent resident."
Brazil gang rape: Why did an American's attack get more attention than a local's?:
When a 21-year-old American woman was gang raped in Rio de Janeiro over the weekend, it was headline news. So why did a 21-year-old Brazilian woman's attack, allegedly by the same men, barely even get a glance from the police?
Hanford Nuclear Waste Tanks Could Explode, Agency Warns: -
Underground tanks that hold a stew of toxic, radioactive waste at the nation's most contaminated nuclear site pose a possible risk of explosion, a nuclear safety board said in advance of confirmation hearings for the next leader of the Energy Department.
Egypt to introduce property taxes:
The International Monetary Fund has linked a multi-billion dollar loan, to an increase in taxes. As a result, president Mohamed Morsi's administration is introducing property taxes.
Cyprus bailout inside info? 132 companies pull out over $900mn in deposits:
One hundred and thirty-two companies reportedly had inside knowledge of Cyprus' impending levy tax as they withdrew deposits worth US$916 million in the run-up to the bailout deal.
Capital flight abounds in Eurozone - UBS:
According to Research Analyst Gareth Berry at UBS, "We expect that the theme of capital flight out of the Eurozone will continue to run for some time in the wake of the Cyprus bailout."
Cyprus rescue plan will require great efforts, IMF says:
They will mean a doubling of taxes on interest income to 30% and a rise in corporation tax from 10% to 12.5%.
Ottawa weighing plans for bank failures:
Ottawa is contemplating the possibility of a Canadian bank failure - and the same sort of pitiless prescription that was just imposed in Cyprus.
Reagan and Obama budget directors urge to cut Pentagon spending:
A topic of debate in Washington has brought two members of opposing parties together to actually agree on something: the United States spends too much money on defense.
U.S. sees highest poverty spike since the 1960s:
Leaving 50 million Americans poor as government cuts billions in spending
Special Report: How the Fed fueled an explosion in subprime auto loans:
Thanks largely to the U.S. Federal Reserve, Jeffrey Nelson was able to put up a shotgun as down payment on a car.
U.S. Private Sector Job Growth Falls Well Short Of Estimates In March:
Private sector employment in the U.S. rose by much less than expected in the month of March, according to a report released by payroll processor Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP) on Wednesday, with the data raising concerns about Friday's jobs report from the Labor Department.
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"Let us be peace and joy"
Tom Feeley
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