Hard News
Bush- Blair Legacy Continues:
Wave of bombings in Iraqi capital kill at least 66:
A
wave of car bombings tore through mostly Shiite Muslim neighborhoods
of the Baghdad area starting Monday afternoon, leaving at least 66 dead
in the latest outburst of an unusually intense wave of bloodshed
roiling Iraq.
Syrian troops advance in al-Qussair city, killing 50:
The
troops regained the al-Hamidieh town in northern al-Qussair on Sunday,
while clashes were still going on in the southern part of al-Qussair,
where violent and decisive battles have been raging on for over a week
already.
79 Hizbullah fighters killed in Qusayr within a week: Pro-rebel activists say: :
At
least 79 members of the Lebanese militant group Hizbullah have been
killed fighting alongside the Syrian army in the town of Qusayr since
last week, a "watchdog" said on Monday.
Pro-Assad forces control 80% of Syria's Qusayr: source:
In
addition, "the main road between Baalbek and Homs has been secured,"
he said, referring to a vital artery through which the powerful Shiite
movement sends men and equipment to Syria.
Syrian troops gain ground, TV reporter killed:
Syrian
troops gained ground Monday in a nine-day offensive against a key
rebel-held town, and a Syrian TV correspondent covering the fighting
there was killed by gunfire, state media and a pro-opposition group
reported.
Playing the WMD card:
French Foreign Minister: There are 'mounting suspicions' of chemical weapons use in Syria:
French
Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius on Monday said there were "mounting
suspicions" that chemical weapons were being used in Syria. Speaking to
journalists after talks with his EU counterparts, Fabius said that
"very detailed verification" was necessary however.
Syria opposition in disarray as regime says ready to talk:
Riven
by internal divisions, Syria's opposition is battling with itself over
whether to participate in a US-Russian peace summit, in stark contrast
to President Bashar al-Assad's regime, which has already indicated it
will take part.
Peace efforts take a hit as liberals face opposition:
To
the dismay of Western and Arab nations envoys monitoring opposition
talks in Istanbul, the 60-member Syrian National Coalition thwarted a
deal to admit a liberal bloc headed by opposition campaigner Michel
Kilo.
US senator McCain enters Syria to meet "rebels": -
In
2011, Mr. McCain traveled to Libya to meet with rebel forces there
while they were fighting Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, and made similar
calls for the United States to provide military aid to the rebels.
Syria Refuses to Dance to US Tune, War Goes On - Ambassador:
The
Syrian conflict that has torn the country apart for more than two
years now continues because Damascus refuses to succumb to US threats,
Syrian ambassador to Russia Riyad Haddad said on Monday.
EU ends Syria arms embargo talks without deal:
European
Union nations have failed to reach an agreement on whether to arm
Syria's rebels when an embargo expires at the end of this week,
Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger said.
William Hague set for climb down over arms embargo to Syrian rebels:
Foreign secretary's campaign with France to partially supply rebels is met by continued resistance at home and across EU
Turkey, US and Qatar's call for Syria receive response at UN:
Turkey,
US and Qatar's call for an urgent meeting at the UN Human Rights
Council after the situation in Syria, especially in the Qusayr region,
worsened received a positive response. The President of the Council
Remiguisz Henczel said that the urgent meeting demanded by Turkey, the
US and Qatar would take place on Wednesday.
Syria rockets hit east Lebanon, 1 killed:
A 14-year-old girl was killed in a Syrian rocket attack that hit the Bekaa valley city of Hermel Monday evening
Israel searches for evidence of rocket reportedly fired from Lebanon:
Lebanese
and Israeli media, citing security sources in both countries, reported
that residents in the Marjayoun area of Lebanon, about six miles from
the Israeli border, heard either the launch or the sound of a missile
streaking through the air.
Lebanese sources deny rocket fire on Metula:
A
high-ranking Lebanese military official denied the attack on Monday,
telling 'Voice of Lebanon' radio that "no rocket was fired on Israel."
Agreements between Syria, Russia being implemented - Syrian Ambassador:
The
envoy was commenting on reports that Russia allegedly halted the
shipment of S-300 missile systems to Syria at Israel's request.
Israel hones military edge for wider war:
Short
on land, the Israelis have long relied on their hi-tech warplanes,
helicopters and drones to keep any war mainly on enemy turf. But while
the air force could best any Middle East adversary one-on-one, it might
struggle to keep up far-flung sorties - especially if more-distant
Iran were involved.
Iran fields 'massive' number of missile launchers:
Some
of Iran's surface-to-surface missiles are estimated to have ranges of
over 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles), capable of hitting its arch-foe
Israel and the U.S. bases in the region. Vahidi did not specify who was
the "enemy" and said Iran would never start a war.
US try's to bribe Palestinians:
Palestinian plan looks to inject $4b:
He
added the preliminary results of their analysis were "stunning" and
showed the plan would "dramatically" bring life to the economy. "These
experts believe we will increase the Palestinian GDP by as much as 50
per cent over three years. "The most optimistic estimates foresee
enough new jobs to cut unemployment by two-thirds to eight per cent"
Palestinians rule out concessions for economic gain:
The
Palestinian presidency said on Monday that it would not make
"political concessions in exchange for economic benefits" announced the
day before by US Secretary of State John Kerry.
Abbas tells Israel: Palestinians won't accept deal based on temporary borders:
Abbas
said Sunday that he would refuse any solution calling for "temporary
borders," adding that he was committed to the creation of a Palestinian
state within the 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its borders. Abbas
acknowledged Kerry's efforts for peace and thanked him, but emphasized:
"Please forget temporary borders."
Lawmakers to debate proposal giving Jews 'unique' right to self-determination in Israel:
An
Israeli lawmaker on Monday submitted a highly controversial proposal
that would make Judaism superior to democracy in the State of Israel
Australian lawmaker calls Israel lobby 'cancerous':
"Your perceived right to bully as you do in Mideast doesn't extend to the Australian political arena," says Labor councilor.
15 "Taliban" killed in clash in western Afghan town:
"A
group of Taliban insurgents were preparing to storm the headquarters
of Purchaman district this morning but the police force acting upon
intelligence report launched pre-emptive attack killing 15 "rebels" on
the spot," spokesman for provincial administration Abdul Rahman
Zhawandon told newsmen.
Nato occupation force soldier killed in Afghan attack:
The US-led military coalition says the service member died on Sunday as a result of Afghanistan resistance fire.
Karzai's brother to run in Afghan elections: Video -
Afghan
President Hamid Karzai's brother Qayum Karzai plans to run as an
independent candidate in next year's presidential elections. Sarah
Sheffer reports
Pakistan; DSP among five killed in IED attack:
Deputy
superintendent of police in Shangla district was killed on Monday
along with four others in an improvised explosive device (IED) attack.
Taliban issue threat to kill Musharraf:
"Soon
we will punish this Satan (devil) to death for his wicked deed".
Musharraf went to the top of the Taliban hit list after ordering the
army in 2007 to storm the Red Mosque in Islamabad. The operation left
more than 100 people dead and opened the floodgates to militant attacks
in Pakistan.
Indian troops hunt for Maoist rebels who killed 24:
Thousands
of troops searched through the densely forested stronghold of Maoist
rebels in eastern India on Monday for those who ambushed a convoy of
ruling party officials and supporters, killing 24, police said.
Communist rebels ambush Philippine police, kill 7:
Communist
guerrillas set off a roadside bomb and opened fire on a truck carrying
police in the northern Philippines on Monday, killing seven and
wounding seven officers.
Guinea clashes killed 12, government says:
A
government spokesman says that at least 12 people were killed in
clashes between opposition marchers and security forces in Guinea's
capital.
6 killed by Somali militants in attack on Kenyan police posts near Somalia border:
The
al-Qaida-linked Somali militant group al-Shabab claimed responsibility
in Twitter updates, saying it killed eight people in the cross-border
attack and wounded more than a dozen.
African Union accuses ICC of 'hunting' Africans;
The
African Union (AU) has accused the International Criminal Court (ICC)
of "hunting" Africans because of their race. It was opposed to the ICC
trying Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta on charges of crimes against
humanity, said Ethiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.
Barbaric forced feeding continues at US gulag
35 Guantanamo hunger strikers are force-fed; 6 in hospital:
The
number of prisoners participating in the hunger strike could be larger
than the reported 103. Prison spokesmen say they are not allowed to
include any of the 15 former CIA captives in their account of the
hunger strikers, even if any are shackled into restraint chairs for
twice-daily tube feedings.
Obama Just Made Himself a Prisoner of His Own Gitmo Policy:
Obama
turned more than a few heads by declaring his "strong preference" for
"the detention and prosecution of terrorists" over sending an armed
robot to end their lives. It's hard to know what to make of that. The
simplest interpretation is that it's a lie.
UN Reiterates Call for Guantanamo Closure;
The
United Nations reiterated today its criticism of the U.S. government
for continuing to operate the Guantanamo prison. "The serious human
rights violations committed in the context of this confrontation and
counterinsurgency operations do not eliminate terrorism, but feed it,"
the international organization said.
U.N. rights chief says anti-terror measures can backfire:
United
Nations human rights chief Navi Pillay told governments on Monday that
trying to fight terrorism by limiting personal freedoms and
mistreating suspects could only worsen the problem.
Woolwich murder: Police make 10th arrest:
A
10th person has been arrested in connection with the murder of soldier
Lee Rigby in Woolwich. Meanwhile shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper
said ministers must put "more effort" into fighting the "murderous
narrative" of hate preachers.
British Officials Knew Suspect in Soldier's Death Had Ties to Al Qaeda:
Britain's
security agencies appeared headed for a period of deeply uncomfortable
scrutiny after the government said Sunday that it had been aware for
more than two years that one of the two men suspected of hacking an
off-duty British soldier to death on a London street had ties to Al
Qaeda.
Stop Extrajudicial Murder:
Obama drone oversight proposal prompts concern over 'kill courts':
Proposals
to vet future US drone strikes risk creating "kill courts" according
to human rights campaigners who say Barack Obama's promise of new legal
oversight does not go far enough to end what they regard as
extrajudicial executions.
Egyptian jihadist leader: Bin Laden blew himself up to avoid capture:
As
the SEALs killed two of his guards and shot him in his thigh, he
triggered his explosive belt, says personal guard of Bin Laden
US spy device 'tested on NZ public':
A
high-tech United States surveillance tool which sweeps up all
communications without a warrant was sent to New Zealand for testing on
the public, according to an espionage expert.
Colombia and Farc rebels reach agreement on land reform:
The
deal calls for the economic and social development of rural areas and
providing land to poor farmers. Land reform is one of the most
contentious issues in the talks on ending five decades of conflict.
U.S. trails developed world in vacation time for workers, study finds:
In
Australia, businesses must provide employees with 35 paid days off.
France and Italy each require businesses to provide employees with 31
paid days off
Poor hit hardest by Washington budget cuts;
Forced
federal spending cuts intended to be equal and across-the-board have
lately fallen harder on the nation's poor, sick and elderly. At the
other end, the top brass of federal employees are on track to receive
bonuses. And workers who impact the food and airline businesses, like
meat inspectors and air traffic controllers, have managed to get a
break from Congress.
Poor lose housing help due to federal budget cuts:
Thousands
of the poorest residents of Massachusetts are losing housing
assistance because of automatic federal budget cuts that took effect in
March.
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"Let us be peace and joy"
Tom Feeley
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