Hard News
Pakistan: Nine People Killed Near Peshawar:
Five Pakistani Army soldiers reportedly have been killed during an attack on their military convoy on the outskirts of Peshawar, the capital of the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Four of the attackers also were killed, but the militants managed to escape with their bodies.
US-Taliban Afghanistan peace talks in Qatar cancelled:
Asked when the talks would now take place, a source in Doha told Reuters: "There is nothing scheduled that I am aware of." Asked if that meant they would not happen on Thursday, the source added: "Yes, that's correct."
Fact or fiction?
Taliban offer to return US soldier in exchange for Guantánamo prisoners: Report:
The Taliban are ready to free a US soldier held captive since 2009 in exchange for five of their senior operatives imprisoned at Guantánamo Bay as a conciliatory gesture, a senior spokesman for the group said Thursday.
US scraps military equipment worth more than 7-billion-dollar before leaving Afghanistan:
The US military has destroyed more than 77,000 metric tons of military equipment - including mine-resistant troop transport vehicles - as it prepares to withdraw from Afghanistan in late 2014, the Washington Post reported today.
Two killed as Iraqis vote in delayed polls:
Iraqis in two Sunni-majority provinces voted under heavy security in delayed provincial polls on Thursday which were marred by mortar attacks on polling stations that left two policemen dead.
In northern Iraqi city, al-Qaeda gathers strength:
Mosul and its surroundings are at the center of the country's deadliest outbreak of violence in five years
Syria's Islamists seize control as moderates dither:
The moderates, often underfunded, fragmented and chaotic, appear no match for Islamist units, which include fighters from organisations designated "terrorist" by the United States.
Syrian Rebels: We've Received Heavy Weapons from Saudis:
Rebel sources tell British newspaper that Saudi Arabia has supplied them with "Konkurs" anti-tank missiles.
Analyst: Al Qaeda affiliate in Syria now best-equipped of the group: -
Al Qaeda's affiliate inside Syria is now the best-equipped arm of the terror group in existence today, according to informal assessments by U.S. and Middle East intelligence agencies
Rand Paul One of Four Senators To Introduce Bill To Block Military Funds to Syria:
Sens. Tom Udall (D-N.M), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) have introduced legislation that would block military funds from going to Syria. Text of the bill , courtesy of Sen. Udall's office:
Al-Nusra kills Several Free Syrian Army Rebels:
The terrorist group has now pointed its gun towards its partners, after it has gained a stronger position in the war-torn country with the help of its foreign supporters.
Syrian opposition execute three civilians near Aleppo - Warning -
A video has emerged of a group of opposition fighters in Syria beheading a man and shooting two women near the city of Aleppo. It's thought they were executed for committing "heresy".
What motivates Syria's foreign jihadi? - video -
Channel 4 News looks at the role that foreign fighters are playing on the rebel side in the Syrian conflict.
Syrian troops backed by Hezbollah fight rebels in Damascus suburb housing major Shiite shrine:
Protection of the Sayida Zeinab shrine has become a rallying cry for Shiite fighters backing President Bashar Assad, raising the stakes in a conflict that is increasingly being fought along sectarian lines.
'Syria will get back all its territory,' deputy foreign minister says:
Faisal Mekdad decries 'hypocritical' Obama decision 'to arm terrorist groups'; blames US for instigating civil war
'Ireland leads opposition to blacklisting Hezbollah':
Government officials in Jerusalem accused Ireland on Wednesday of leading opposition inside the EU to placing Hezbollah, or at least its "military wing," on the European Union's terrorist black list.
Mubarak to Obama: I don't take orders from you:
"Obama called me two or three times. Frankly, I did not want to answer his calls," Mubarak said. "Finally I answered. He asked me, 'What is your situation now?' And before I answered he quickly said, 'I think you need to give power to a group of politicians, including Mohamed Baradei.'"
Remember Libya?:
The government, such as it is, retains only the most tenuous control over Libya's major cities. The situation outside the major cities is even worse:
Face-Tracking Minority Report Style | Big Brother Watch: Video report:
Abby Martin takes a look at law enforcement's use of facial recognition technology at mere traffic stops and while taking photo IDs, and how the practice represents another step closer toward a total surveillance state.
Firefox Web browser to move ahead plan to block tracking:
The maker of the popular Firefox browser is moving ahead with plans to block the most common forms of Internet tracking, allowing hundreds of millions of users to eventually limit who watches their movements across the Web, company officials said Wednesday.
TWA Flight 800 crash not due to gas tank explosion, former investigators say:
The producers of an upcoming documentary on TWA Flight 800-claim to have proof that a missile caused the Paris-bound flight to crash. And six former investigators who took part in the film say there was a cover-up and want the case reopened.
6 Investigators Claim TWA 800 Crash Not An Accident: Video -
In a new documentary on the 17-year-old crash, six investigators say there was a cover up.
Crowd of 30,000 overruns police cordon ahead of Brazil football match (VIDEO):
Violent clashes have erupted in the northern city of Fortaleza in the hours leading to a Confederations Cup match with Mexico. Dozens were hurt as riot police unleashed tear gas and barrage of rubber bullets at a crowd of some 30,000 Brazilian protesters.
I was Brazil woman pepper-sprayed in face, says protest campaigner:
23-year-old says she faced 'psychological torture' from military police after being arrested
Report finds one in three women abused:
World Health Organisation says phenomenon cuts across entire world, with 30 percent facing abuse from their partners.
Atheist seeking US citizenship told to join church or be denied:
A 65-year-old British atheist who has lived in the US for 30 years has been denied US citizenship, unless she joins a church by Friday.
Obama offends Catholics in the UK, says religious schools are divisive:
The Catholic media is up in arms over comments President Obama made during a speech while in Northern Ireland for the G8 summit. Obama made what is described as "an alarming call for an end to Catholic education,"
Regulator tells Barclays, Lloyds and RBS to plug £27bn hole in finances:
The City's financial watchdog said four of Britain's largest banks and building societies needed to raise the new capital to strengthen their balance sheets. The banks have been ordered to find the cash without cutting lending.
London shares dive 3% as US stimulus slowdown prompts global sell-off:
London's FTSE 100 Index dived 3 per cent today to wipe almost £50 billion off the value of the top tier after the US Federal Reserve confirmed plans to scale back its economy-boosting drive.
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"Let us be peace and joy"
Tom Feeley
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