Hard News
30 killed in Lebanon Sunni-Alawite clashes:
Firefights
in northern Lebanon between Sunni Muslims and Alawites -- the Shiite
offshoot sect to which Syrian President Bashar al-Assad belongs -- have
killed 30 people, a security source said on Saturday.
Syria: 22 killed in Qusair fighting, dozens wounded: Activists say:
The
UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 22 people,
including 18 rebels, were killed in the fighting in Qusair, and dozens
were wounded.
In Lebanon, Salafists are on the move:
Credible
reports from Tripoli repeatedly chronicle the increased military role
of Salafists in the city, directly reflecting the heightened clashes
mirroring the fighting between pro- and anti-Syrian government forces
in Syria.
Hezbollah, Syrian government forces advance in border town:
"I've
never seen a day like this since the battle started," said Malek
Ammar, an activist speaking from the town by Skype. "The shelling is so
violent and heavy. It's like they're trying to destroy the city house
by house."
If Syria falls, so will Palestine, Hezbollah's Nasrallah warns in speech:
Hezbollah
Chief Hassan Nasrallah opened a front against al-Qaida and its
affiliated groups, especially in Syria, stressing on Saturday that his
organization was prepared to send tens of thousands of combatants to
defend Syria.
Syrian rebel groups plan to attack Hizbollah in Lebanon:
Syrian
rebels are planning to attack Hizbollah in its Lebanese strongholds,
in response to the Shiite militant group's growing combat role on the
side of President Bashar Al Assad in the Syria conflict.
Two rockets hit Hezbollah district of Beirut:
Two
rockets hit a district controlled by the Hezbollah organisation,
officials and residents were quoted as saying by news agencies.
Syria - TV crew Russian state TV with Syrian troops in Qusayr -
Video
Syria army says rebels trapped:
Syrian
troops have captured much of the rebel stronghold of Al-Qusayr, in
central Homs province, squeezing opposition fighters into the north of
the strategic town, a military officer told AFP
Pleas for Weapons: Europe Reluctant to Arm Syrian Rebels:
The
FSA could lose its fight against the regime of Bashar Assad within a
few months, warned Idriss in his highly emotional speech
McCain: Without US action, Assad could remain in power:
McCain
advocated a series of alternatives to the diplomatic track in Geneva,
including arming Syrian opposition rebels, imposing a no-fly zone over
Syria similar to the one imposed by NATO over Libya
Israel, in reassessment, thinks Syria's Bashar Assad will last awhile:
Israel
has reversed its assessment about the staying power of Syrian
President Bashar Assad and now thinks he'll remain in control of at
least part of his country for some time to come - a conclusion that
makes it likely, a growing number of officials think, that an
escalation of violence between the two countries may be inevitable.
Between 180-200 French militants have fought in Syria: Le Monde:
Between
180 and 200 French citizens have travelled to Syria in the past year
to join a two-year-old rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad, le
Monde reported on Saturday, citing figures from France's internal DCRI
and external DGSE security services.
Syria confirms role in Geneva peace conference:
Walid
Muallem told reporters in Baghdad that the conference was "a good
opportunity for a political solution to the crisis in Syria".
Ahmadinejad Asks for Stop of Gunfights to Restore Peace in Syria:
Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday called for the cessation of
hostilities and start of national understanding as prerequisite for
free election and peace in Syria.
Iraqi forces strike Sunni militants near Syria:
Iraqi
forces mounted a massive operation on Saturday to better secure the
country's western desert amid concerns it is being used by Sunnis
heading to fight in neighboring Syria. Some 20,000 troops attacked
suspected hideouts of fighters linked to Sunni militant groups,
including Al-Qaeda, and looked to secure a key road leading to Syria,
top officers said.
Six Iranian tourists killed in Iraq:
Six
Iranian religious tourists were killed when a booby-trapped car was
detonated in Salah Al-Deen province, north of Baghdad, on Saturday, a
police source said.
Bomb in Yemeni military vehicle kills two and injures six:
A
remotely-detonated bomb planted in a military vehicle killed a soldier
and a civilian and injured six other soldiers in the Hadramaut region
of eastern Yemen on Saturday evening, a local security official said.
BBC poll: Israel among world's least popular nations:
The
world's opinion of Israel has not improved in the last year: According
to BBC World Service's annual poll, Israel is one of the least popular
countries in the world; the only states less popular are North Korea,
Pakistan and Iran.
Raid on Bahrain cleric's home draws thousands to sit-in:
The
sit-in was called by al-Wefaq, Bahrain's largest opposition political
society, after a late night raid on the home of Sheikh Isa Qassim.
Twelve Taliban Including Five Civilians Killed in Afghanistan:
An
explosion at a masjid in the Andar district of Ghazni province killed
nine, which includes four Taliban on Friday. local officials said.
10 people killed as Armed 'Maoist' rebels attack convoy in India:
Suspected Maoist rebels attack convoy in eastern region killing 10 Congress party members and kidnapping two others.
Four Indian troops killed in militant ambush in Kashmir:
Four Indian soldiers have been killed in an ambush by militants in the Indian-administered Kashmir region, officials say.
Pakistan: 3 killed in Peshawar suicide attack:
A
leader of Afghan religious outfit Jamatul Dawa Alquran and Sunnah
survived a suicide attack which left three dead, including the bomber,
police said on Friday.
At least five killed as Guinea protests escalate:
At
least five people were killed on Saturday when security forces in
Guinea opened fire on protesters in opposition strongholds in the
capital, medical sources and witnesses said.
Two child limit imposed on Myanmar's Muslim, Rohingya:
New measure, which applies to Muslim Rohingya families in western Rakhine state, does not affect Buddhists in the area.
Niger attacks launched from southern Libya:
Islamist
militants who carried out simultaneous suicide attacks on an army base
and a French uranium mine in northern Niger two days ago came from
southern Libya, Niger's president said on Saturday.
US Sponsors Rape in Congo : Video -
A recent UN investigation brining to light crimes against humanity committed by a US-trained Congolese battalion.
New Zealand to pay colonial compensation:
Kiwis wrap up three-decade long process to pay hundreds of millions to indigenous peoples for colonial injustice.
French soldier stabbed in neck outside Paris:
Soldier loses considerable amount of blood after being stabbed, but his condition is reportedly not life threatening.
UK: Attacks on Muslims increase tenfold in the wake of Woolwich machete attack which killed soldier:
Islamophobic
hate crimes are running at more than 10 times their usual rate, with
more than 140 reported to a government-backed hotline in the 48 hours
since the Woolwich killing. They include nine attacks on mosques,
assaults, racial abuse and anti-Muslim graffiti.
Woolwich murder probe: suspect Michael Adebolajo held in Kenya in 2010:
He
was believed to have been preparing to train and fight with Somali
militant group al-Shabab, Boniface Mwaniki, head of Kenya's
anti-terrorism unit, told the Associated Press.
Woolwich terror attack:
Suspect Michael Adebowale saw friend 'literally sliced to pieces' in 2008
Sweden Riots: Unrest Spreads Beyond Stockholm:
Rioting
in Sweden spread to towns outside Stockholm as youths took to the
streets for a sixth successive night. A car and school were set on fire
and a police station attacked in the central town of Orebro, about 100
miles (160km) from the Swedish capital on Friday night and early
Saturday morning.
IMF chief Christine Lagarde escapes formal investigation:
French
magistrates decided on Friday not to place IMF chief Christine Lagarde
under formal investigation over her role in a 285 million euros
arbitration payment made to a supporter of former president Nicolas
Sarkozy.
Ecuador president sworn in for new term:
The
US- and Belgian-educated economist - an outspoken populist in the
mould of his late mentor Hugo Chavez of Venezuela - has brought
stability to a country that went through eight presidents, three of
whom were ousted, in the decade before he was first elected in 2006.
Guatemala extradites ex-leader Alfonso Portillo to US:
Mr
Portillo is accused of having used US banks to launder more than $70m
(£46m) in public funds during his presidency, between 2000 and 2004.
He told local radio he was being unjustly "kidnapped" before boarding a plane to New York.
In Bolivia, Morales faces a challenge from below:
The
general strike and mass protests are part of an attempt by workers
organized through the Bolivian Workers' Central (Central Obrera
Boliviana) to secure higher pensions so poor Bolivians can retire in
dignity.
Mass Rally for Bradley @ Ft. Meade, June 1:
Join
us at Fort Meade on the eve of Bradley's court martial. However, if
you can't make the trip, dozens of solidarity actions are scheduled
worldwide-many local events are being sponsored by Veterans for Peace
chapters. Complete list of solidarity events.
Shining sunlight on a secretive lobby group:
Every citizen needs to know more about ALEC and its stealth efforts to undermine our modern-day democracy.
Fewer Americans Identify as Economic Conservatives in 2013:
Thirty percent say they are liberal on social issues, a new high
I-5 Bridge Collapse Shows Bridge Repair Needs Across U.S:
The
bridge collapse on Interstate 5 north of Seattle this week highlighted
the nation's aging infrastructure and the lack of significant
improvements in the six years since 13 people died when a Minnesota
span fell.
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"Let us be peace and joy"
Tom Feeley
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