Hard News
Iraq bombs kill 23, including minority protesters:
A suicide bomber blew himself up among a group of demonstrators complaining about lack of security in an ethnically disputed northern Iraqi city on Tuesday, in the deadliest in a spate of attacks that killed at least 23 people, authorities said.
Syria: 7 killed in an explosion in Damascus:
Syrian opposition sources reported that seven people were killed in an explosion in the al-Midan neighborhood south of Damascus. According to sources, the explosion, believed to have been the result of rockets fired, caused extensive damage in the area
Nusra claims Damascus suicide attacks:
A Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda Tuesday claimed responsibility for what the group said were suicide attacks on security compounds in Damascus that killed at least five people.
Syrian FSA General: I Want Sharia in Future Syria,
Int'l Community Has One Month to Give Us Advanced Weapons- Video
What a joke! Saudi says "cannot be silent" at Iran, Hezbollah role in Syria:
Saudi Arabia regards the involvement of Iran and Hezbollah in Syria's civil war as dangerous and believes the rebels must be offered military aid to defend themselves, the kingdom's foreign minister said on Tuesday.
U.S.-Russia Syria talks end without agreement:
U.N.-brokered talks on Tuesday aimed at setting up a conference to end the war in Syria ended with U.S. and Russian officials failing to agree on many questions, including the dates and participants, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said.
Syria rebel chief says Assad departure must precede talks:
Salim Idriss says opposition would not participate in negotiations until rebels controlled Aleppo, Damascus and Deraa
Syria says will not hand over power in Geneva talks:"
"We will go to Geneva in order to set up a real partnership and a broad national unity government," the Syrian Foreign Minister told a press conference in Damascus.
Brahimi sees Syria talks delay, appeals to big powers:
"I very, very much hope that the governments in the region and the big powers - in particular the United States and Russia - that they will act to contain this situation that is getting out of hand, not only in Syria but also in the region."
U.S. Catholic Bishops: Don't Arm Syrian Fighters:
"Instead of arming both sides, the international community should be emphasizing the need for a negotiated solution to the conflict," wrote Bishop Richard Pates of Des Moines, Iowa and Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Arizona.
11 killed in attack on Afghan palace:
It was one of the most brazen assaults on the city since President Hamid Karzai narrowly escaped assassination in April 2008 when the Taliban attacked an annual military parade.
8 civilians killed in Kandahar roadside bomb blast:
A Town-ace type vehicle struck a roadside mine in southern province of Kandahar, where the official said Tuesday eight onboard-members of a family were killed and three others wounded.
US 'outraged' over how the Taliban office opened: envoy:
President Hamid Karzai reacted furiously to the office being styled as a Taliban government-in-exile under the rebels' white flag and using the name of the "Islamic Emirate Of Afghanistan" from their hardline 1996-2001 regime.
Six Libyan soldiers killed in ambush:
"An attack at dawn Tuesday against a checkpoint of the army in the town of Khuchum al-Kheil, south of Sirte, killed six soldiers who were on guard duty," local military officer Khaled al-Akari was quoted as saying by Lana news agency.
Libya a key terrorism transit hub, warns African Union:
"We have information according to which some terrorists active in Mali consider Libya as a refuge and a place to reorganise," Madeira told journalists, describing that as something "extremely dangerous."
Russia: Snowden didn't cross border, US accusations groundless:
Washington's allegations over US fugitive Edward Snowden are 'unacceptable' as he never crossed the Russian border, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said. As a consequence, any attempt to accuse or threaten Moscow by the US is unfounded.
Putin says no to US request to extradite Snowden:
Commenting on a U.S. request to extradite him, Putin said that Russia doesn't have an extradition agreement with the U.S. and thus wouldn't meet the U.S. request.
China's state newspaper praises Edward Snowden for 'tearing off Washington's sanctimonious mask':
State-run People's Daily says whistleblower has exposed US hypocrisy after Washington blamed Beijing for his escape
Believe it or not, China likely allowed Snowden's exit as a favor to the U.S.:
In the absence of a clear solution that would balance competing interests from Beijing, Hong Kong and Washington, the Snowden problem was simply jettisoned.
Greenwald: Snowden's Files Are Out There if 'Anything Happens' to Him:
Snowden has shared encoded copies of all the documents he took so that they won't disappear if he does, Glenn Greenwald tells Eli Lake.
Edward Snowden Says He Sought Booz Allen Hamilton Job To Gather NSA Surveillance Evidence :
"My position with Booz Allen Hamilton granted me access to lists of machines all over the world the NSA hacked," he said. "That is why I accepted that position about three months ago.
U.S. officials don't know how much secret material Snowden took:"
The agencies fear that Snowden may have taken many more documents than officials initially estimated and that his alliance with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange increases the likelihood that they will be made public
Kerry: NSA leaker Snowden 'betrayed his country': Video -
He said he didn't think the United States' reputation as a democracy with a free press would be damaged for charging Snowden under the Espionage Act, the sixth time someone has been so charged for leaking material to journalists since President Obama took office.
Facebook's Former Security Chief Now Works for the NSA:
About a year after Facebook reportedly joined PRISM, Max Kelly, the social network's chief security officer left for a job at the National Security Agency, either a curious career move or one that makes complete sense
Fact or fiction?
New Study Shows Public Support Use of Drones:
A new report shows that the majority of the U.S. population supports the use of unmanned aircraft (or drones) for homeland security, fighting crime, search and rescue, and commercial applications.
IRS Chief: Tea Party Wasn't The Only Group Inappropriately Targeted:
Groups selected for closer examination contained the terms "Israel," "Progressive" and "Occupy"
Inside Anglo Irish Bank: The secret recordings: Exclusive:
Tapes reveal the lies and deception that led to the bank bailout. TAPE RECORDINGS from inside doomed Anglo Irish Bank reveal for the first time how the bank's top executives lied to the Government about the true extent of losses at the institution.
Get them to write a big check:'
Irish banker pulls bailout figure from 'arse' in leaked tapes
World Bank: Money Laundering Criminals | Interview with Whistleblower Karen Hudes :
Abby Martin talks to Karen Hudes, former senior executive at the World Bank, about her experience blowing the whistle on the high level corruption within the international financial system and how her story was censored.
Italy rescue warning:
Italy will "inevitably request" the European Union for a "bailout" package "over the next six months", if the country's borrowing costs hit unsustainable levels and a broader domestic economic recovery fails to materialise, a confidential client note issued by Mediobanca has warned.
Bank of England Governor condemns banks for lobbying:
Bank of England Governor Mervyn King, making probably his final public comments before retiring, accused British banks of lobbying senior politicians to undermine a new system of financial regulation.
Study: 30-Somethings Worse Off Than Their Parents:
The Urban Institute says the net worth of today's 30-somethings when adjusted for inflation is about 21-percent below the net worth of people their age three decades ago.
80% of Pre-Packaged Foods in America Are Banned in Other Countries:
In a new book Rich Food, Poor Food, authors Mira and Jason Calton provide a list of what they term "Banned Bad Boys" - ingredients commonly used in up to 80% of all American convenience food that have been banned by other countries, with information about which countries banned each substance and why.
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"Let us be peace and joy"
Tom Feeley
"Let us be peace and joy"
Tom Feeley
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