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Washington Drives The World To War

By Paul Craig Roberts

Money is more important to European politicians than humanity’s survival. Continue

The Obama Game
Is Putin Being Lured Into a Trap?

By Mike Whitney

Washington couldn’t beat Putin in a fair fight, so now they’ve taken off the gloves. Continue

Former Kremlin Advisor Gives Russia's View of the Crisis in Ukraine

By ABC

Obviously if there is bloodshed in the east, I think that president Putin will be forced to take some sort of measures. I think that what people don't understand in the West is that there are strong feelings running in Russia. Continue

Obama Urges Ukraine's Military To Not Get Involved

By Moon Of Alabama

He said the above two month ago while U.S. financed brutes from Maidan occupied government buildings. Continue

Hurtling into Darkness
America's Great Leap Towards Global Tyranny.

By John Chuckman

When you have lied to and manipulated a people for a very long time, how can a growing contempt for them be avoided? Continue

The End of the Great American Fantasy

By Paul Rosenberg

What America does overseas is always good and right. We do not speak against it. Continue

Washington Fights Fire With Fire in Lawless Libya

By Nick Turse

Is the U.S. secretly training Libyan militiamen in the Canary Islands? Continue

UK Moves to Block US Senate Report to Protect Blair, Straw and Dearlove

By Craig Murry

The unabashed collusion of two torturing security states and blocking criminal prosecution of the guilty is a sign of how low public ethics have sunk. Continue

9/11 Truther Mike Ruppert Kills Himself

By Travis Gettys

The 63-year-old Ruppert had previously worked as a Los Angeles police officer, and he gained notoriety in 1995 for an encounter with then-CIA Director John Deutch during a town hall meeting. Continue

Why Corporate Criminals Don't Pay

By Matt Taibbi

This is a case that has everything. everything except an arrest. Continue

Happy Tax Day
The Facts About Taxes

Video - Stefan Molyneux

Stop believing these people - Everything coming out of your television set is Bull*hit. Continue

'Homeless Jesus' Sculpture Sparks Controversy

By TONY BURBECK

Cindy Castano Swannack called police the first time she drove by it. Continue

The Real You
Are You A Poor Little Me?

Video - Alan Watts

When you're ready to wake up, you're going to wake up, and if you're not ready you're going to stay pretending that you're just a 'poor little me.' Continue

Nigeria: Boko Haram: 16 killed, 136 Girls abducted: Gunmen attack Chibok, Burnt down Girls School, LG Secretariat, houses in Borno

War criminal: Tony Blair praises Egypt coup as military leader aims for presidency: Tony Blair has thrown his weight firmly behind Egypt's new military leadership and urged the international community to do the same, after meetings with the country's interim rulers.

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood faces election ban: Court orders authorities to reject group's candidates seeking to take part in presidential and legislative polls.

Jordanian envoy kidnapped in lawless Libya: The Jordanian ambassador to Libya has been kidnapped in the capital Tripoli, in an attack that left his driver wounded, officials say.

11 killed in separate violent attacks across Iraq: Eleven people were killed and 31 others wounded in separate violent attacks across Iraq on Tuesday, while the Iraqi Justice Ministry closed Abu Ghraib prison in the west of the capital Baghdad over security concerns.

Syria: Mortar fire on Damascus schools kills child: Mortar rounds fired on schools in the Syrian capital on Tuesday killed a child and wounded more than 40 people, among them more children, state media said.

Rebel videos show first U.S.-made rockets in Syria: Online videos show Syrian rebels using what appear to be U.S. anti-tank rockets, weapons experts say, the first significant American-built armaments in the country's civil war.

Canada plans to invade Syria: Revealed: The pro-Israeli government of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is making diplomatic and military preparations for military intervention in Syria, leaked documents show.

Qaeda gunmen kill Yemen vice-governor: Suspected Al Qaeda gunmen on Tuesday shot dead a vice-governor and an intelligence officer in the Yemeni province of Baida, a stronghold of the global jihadist network, officials said.

Saudi replaces veteran intel chief Prince Bandar: In a royal decree, the powerful official was replaced "at his own request" by his deputy, Yousef al-Idrissi, said Al-Ekhbariya, a government-run satellite channel.

Iran complains to UN over US ban on envoy Aboutalebi: Iran's deputy envoy at the UN in New York, Hossein Dehghani, wrote that the US had violated its legal obligations and set a dangerous precedent.

7 Taliban killed, 6 others held in operations: The Interior Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that the operations were conducted by the Afghan National Police (ANP), in collaboration with the Afghan National Army (ANA) and National Directorate of Security (NDS) operatives.

US kills 3 people in Khost: President Hamid Karzai strongly denounced the US troops’ airstrike that killed three of a family in eastern Khost province, said a press statement issued by the president’s media office here on Tuesday.

Afghan minister kidnapped in Kabul: Gunmen run Ahmad Shah Wahid's car off the road before dragging him into vehicle and driving off

Military storm airfield, town in eastern Ukraine, wounded reported: Protesters say: Ukrainian troops are storming an airfield in the eastern city of Kramatorsk, said anti-Maidan activists as cited by RIA Novosti. At the same time, the eastern city of Slavyansk is being raided by Ukrainian troops, the head of the Donbass people’s militia, Sergey Tsyplakov, told RIA Novosti.

U.S. military on high alert as Ukraine troops trade gunfire with pro-Russian militants: A journalist with Associated Press reported intense gunfire at an airport in eastern Ukraine after the government sent in army troops to retake control from militiamen loyal to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Those who don’t lay arms, will be destroyed - Ukrainian military op commander: “They must be warned that if they do not lay down their arms, they will be destroyed,” General Vasily Krutov, first deputy head of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) told reporters, as cited by AFP.

Russia says Ukraine close to civil war as Kiev begins offensive: Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev gave a gloomy assessment. "Blood has once again been spilt in Ukraine. The country is on the brink of civil war," he said on his Facebook page.

Putin speaks out after Ukraine military operation: Russia President Vladimir Putin said the country expects a clear condemnation by the United Nations and international community of "Kiev's anti-constitutional actions in Eastern Ukraine," according to a statement from the Kremlin.

White House Confirms CIA Director's Trip to Kiev: Ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych (yah-noo-KOH'-vich) is accusing the CIA of being behind the new government's decision to turn to force. But the CIA denies that Brennan encouraged Ukrainian authorities to conduct tactical operations.

CIA caught red handed in Ukraine: Op-ed: The White House found itself having to backtrack on the CIA's denial that Director Brennan was not in Kiev over the weekend and his visit had no connection with the military crackdown ordered against East Ukraine during that time. It was a special moment.

Obama and Putin discuss Ukraine crisis: In the Kremlin version of the call, Putin urged Obama to bring as much American pressure to bear as possible to head off the use of force and bloodshed in Ukraine. The account underscored the starkly differing ways that U.S. and Russian officials characterize the crisis in Ukraine, a gulf that so far is undermining a search for a solution.

NATO chief accuses Russia of deep involvement in east Ukraine: Asked if he had seen evidence of Russian involvement in events in eastern Ukraine, Rasmussen told reporters: "We never ... comment on intelligence, but I think from what is visible, it is very clear that Russia's hand is deeply engaged in this."

US gives Ukraine $1B loan guarantee: Under the arrangement, the U.S. will pay $1 billion in Ukrainian debt if that nation defaults.

More Than 10,000 Protest In Moscow To Denounce Russian State Media Coverage Of Ukraine Crisis: More than 10,000 people have turned out in Moscow for an anti-Kremlin rally to denounce Russian state television's news coverage, particularly of the crisis in neighboring Ukraine.

Russia warns of zero growth as economic alarm rises: Russia's economy may not grow this year, the finance minister said Tuesday, warning that Ukraine standoff could see Moscow face its toughest times since the start of the global financial crisis.

Russia plans to get a foothold in the Moon - Dmitriy Rogozin: Russia plans to organize a permanent base on the moon rather than leave it after several successful missions, the Russian deputy defense minister in charge of defense and space industries said.

Refugee facing deportation from Sweden saved by fellow passengers refusing to let plane leave: A man facing deportation from Sweden has been granted a temporary reprieve after fellow passengers aboard his flight to Iran prevented it from taking off by refusing to fasten their seat belts.

Guantánamo hearings halted amid accusations of FBI spying on legal team: Allegations surfaced Monday that the FBI turned a member of a 9/11 defendant’s defence team into a secret informant.

FBI Abruptly Walks Out On Senate Briefing: Senator Grassley asked the FBI for copies of its training manual on the program, which it refused to give him. When questioned about this just 10 minutes into the hearing, the FBI abruptly got up and left:

FBI to have 52 million photos in its face recognition database by next year: New documents released by the FBI show that the Bureau is well on its way toward its goal of a fully operational face recognition database by this summer.

Who’s watching me? Police took photos of my license plates: The police know exactly where my car has been — and when — during the past few months. They could have the same information — or more — about you.

This ain’t your grandpa’s Police Department : . The video opens with a man’s voice, intoning, “The rules of engagement of SWAT are simple: Defeat the enemy … any way you can,” and is accompanied with heavy metal music and shots of Hobbs SWAT team members going through exercises with guns blazing.

Native Americans say US violated human rights: The Onondaga Indian Nation says it plans to file a petition at the Organization of American States on Tuesday, seeking human rights violations against the United States government.

Oligarchy, not democracy: Americans have ‘near-zero’ input on policy – report: The first-ever scientific study that analyzes whether the US is a democracy, rather than an oligarchy, found the majority of the American public has a “minuscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy” compared to the wealthy.

Google Buys Drone Company Titan Aerospace: Titan's drones could potentially be in the air for five years at a time, relying on solar power to stay aloft, according to a report from last year.

Here's What Denver Looks Like Since Legalizing Marijuana : Guess what's happened to Denver crime rates in 2014?

9/11 truther Mike Ruppert kills himself after finishing his radio show: The 63-year-old Ruppert had previously worked as a Los Angeles police officer, and he gained notoriety in 1995 for an encounter with then-CIA Director John Deutch during a town hall meeting.

Food prices rising due to California drought: Beef prices are at their highest level in two decades. The cost of ground beef has hit $3.55 a pound, according to February government readings.

Rising prices aid $15B food fraud problem: From meatballs made with horse to fake extra virgin olive oil and salmonella in peanuts, food fraud has been grabbing national headlines. And, according to experts, the problem is only increasing with rising food costs and more widespread importation of food.

Oklahoma Gov. Signs Ban On Minimum Wage Increase: Mary Fallin (R) signed a bill Monday prohibiting cities across the state from establishing mandatory minimum wage and employee benefits, including vacation or sick leave days.

Next to Coachella’s Party Goers Is Crushing Poverty: “I was like, really? This is California. This is the United States? This is the same state as Beverly Hills and Palm Springs,” said Eduardo Guevara, who works with Promotores Comunitarios Del Desierto, a group working on the environmental conditions in the Coachella Valley.

April 14, 2014

Washington Is Humanity’s Worst Enemy

By Paul Craig Roberts

Washington is putting the entire world at risk. Continue

The Next 24 Hours Are Crucial For Ukraine

By The Saker

There are a lot of reports of large columns of military units moving towards the East.  They even include artillery  and heavy multiple rocket launchers. Continue

Ukrainian Opposition Responsible for Lethal Shootings: Report

By Johannes Stern

Evidence is mounting that the Western-backed opposition was responsible for the lethal shootings in Independence Square on February 20. Continue

Russia, Venezuela and the Asian/Pacific Pivot

Audio

Cindy Sheehan Interviews John Pilger Continue

The Iranian Nuclear Weapons Program That Wasn’t

By Gareth Porter

The deceptive rhetoric about the Iranian nuclear programme began with the Bill Clinton administration. Continue

Torture is Mainstream Now

By David Swanson

Fifteen years ago, it was possible to pretend the U.S. government opposed torture.  Then it became widely known that the government tortured. Continue

Say NO! To All the Big Lies

By Jack D. Douglas

“NO! I wont’ believe anything these terrible criminals say and I absolutely will not help them in any way.” Continue

US Is an Oligarchy Not a Democracy, says Scientific Study

By Eric Zuesse

Who governs? Who really rules?" Continue

The Global Banking Game Is Rigged, and the FDIC Is Suing

By Ellen Brown

“Our system is completely rotten. All of the largest banks are involved—eagerly engaged in this fraud for years, covering it up.” Continue

Nigeria: 88 killed over 200 injured in Abuja bombing: A total of 88 people were killed on Monday when a car laden with improvised explosive devices (IEDS) went off at the Nyanya Motor Park at about 6.55am with about 200 others sustaining injuries.

Egypt: Sissi in final step to run for president: Egypt's former military chief on Monday took the final formal step to run in next month's presidential election, submitting to the election commission eight times the number of signatures required, his campaign said in a statement.

14 Taliban killed in Afghanistan: In Khost province, a blast occurred in a crowded marketplace killing one civilian and injuring nine others, said Khost's security chief, Fazlullah Azat on Monday, holding theTaliban responsible for the attack.

Afghan border forces kill two Pakistani shepherds: Afghan security forces deployed at the border opened unprovoked gunfire without any warning killing the two shepherds on the spot.

5 soldiers killed in Iraq: A Commander within the Iraqi Army and four soldiers were killed when an Improvised Explosive Device exploded in Jurf al-Sakhar area of northern Babel.

Two Al-Manar journalists killed in Syria: Two Al-Manar journalists were killed Monday after the television crew came under attack in the Syrian town of Maaloula, a security source told The Daily Star.

Syrian forces liberate 3 villages near Lebanese border: Syrian government troops seized at least three border communities, including an ancient Christian hamlet, north of Damascus on Monday, state media and activists said, in a dramatic one-day sweep that suggests rebel strongholds along the Lebanese frontier are near total collapse.

Torture 'routinely' used in Syria: U.N. rights chief: The UN report documented cases of people who died in detention "in circumstances which suggest that torture was the cause." Investigators also found that several armed groups, including the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the al-Nusra Front, had used torture against men, women and children.

Gunmen kill Saudi guard near Yemeni border, wound another: Unidentified gunmen in Yemen shot dead a Saudi Arabian border guard and wounded another in the early hours of Monday morning, Saudi news websites reported, in what would be the second such incident in five days.

Death From Above: How American Drone Strikes Are Devastating Yemen: On the ground in a country where unmanned missile attacks are a terrifyingly regular occurrence

Ambassador: Congress pushing sanctions against PA: US Congress members are calling for action to be taken against the Palestinian Authority in response to the applications to join 15 international treaties, Palestine's envoy in Washington said Sunday.

Attack on NATO trucks in Pakistan kills driver: officials: Gunmen in restive northwest Pakistan on Monday attacked container trucks carrying supplies to NATO troops in Afghanistan, killing a driver, officials said.

Complaints of serious fraud in Afghan election exceed total in 2009: Afghanistan’s Independent Election Complaints Commission said on Sunday more incidents of serious fraud were reported in an April presidential election than in the previous one in 2009, when more than a million suspect votes were thrown out.

4 killed in unrest in eastern Ukraine: At least four people were killed in a spate of violence between Ukrainian security forces and pro-Russia activists in eastern Ukraine during the weekend, local media reported Monday.

Pro-Russian protesters storm new police station in east Ukraine: An AFP correspondent in the Donetsk region town of nearly 300,000 people said the local police force, which put up almost no resistance to the attack, later swore allegiance to a pro-Russian commander who took charge.

Ukraine's deadline passes for pro-Russian rebels to surrender: Acting president calls for UN peacekeepers for eastern Ukraine while protesters ask Vladimir Putin for help

Ukraine's east braces for military operation: Deadline for separatists to disarm and evacuate state buildings passes, as threat of "anti-terrorist" operation looms.

Civilians told to stay inside in flashpoint Ukraine city: Ukraine's Interior Minister on Sunday told residents in the eastern city of Slaviansk to stay indoors, in anticipation of clashes between pro-Russian militants who have seized official buildings and Ukrainian security forces.

Pentagon: Russian fighter jet repeatedly flew over US destroyer in Black Sea: "This provocative and unprofessional Russian action is inconsistent with their national protocols and previous agreements on the professional interaction between our militaries," said Colonel Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman.

The US Is Considering Arming Ukrainian Forces: Republican Senator John McCain has suggested providing weapons to the Ukraine government, which says the occupations that began on Sunday are part of a Russian-led plan to dismember the country.

EU threatens Russia with more sanctions over Ukraine: British Foreign Secretary William Hague, arriving for the meeting in Luxembourg, said there could were was no doubt that Moscow was behind the destabilisation of eastern Ukraine.

Kiev must stop war on Ukrainians – Churkin: The international community must demand that those who are in power in Kiev stop war on their own citizens in south-eastern Ukraine, Russia’s UN envoy Vitaly Churkin told the UN Security Council

Russia's rep,Vitaly Churkin at the UNSC : Video and transcript - Please, Ms. Power, ask VP Biden to call Mr. Turchinov right now because in several hours events could take an irreversible turn.

Ukraine's ousted president puts blame on CIA: Ukraine's ousted president has accused the CIA of being behind the new Ukrainian government's decision to deploy armed forces to quash an increasingly brazen pro-Russian insurgency.

Man Kills 3 at Jewish Centers in Kansas City Suburb: The suspect, 73, is a former Ku Klux Klan leader with a history of anti-Semitism and racism, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights organization that tracks hate groups.

There Are 10 Times More Mentally Ill Americans Behind Bars Than Being Treated In State Hospitals: “We are doing an abysmal job of treating people with serious mental illnesses in this country. It is both inhumane and shocking the way we have dumped them into the state prisons and the local jails.”

Paying for America's War Machine Is a Terrible Waste of Tax Money: It’s time to redirect our resources to meet human needs. It’s time to bring the war dollars home.

Don't Pay Your Taxes: The vast majority of income taxes collected by the federal government isn't going to the poor at all—unless prison now counts as public housing—but to a military that enjoys a budget just about equal to what the rest of the world spends on guns and bombs combined.

April 13, 2014

Building a Russian Wall
The US/NATO Enlargement Project

By Renee Parsons

There had been a concerted effort at the US State Department to establish what has become a Russian Wall - meant to cut the country off from land and sea access. Continue

Patriotism is the First Platform of Fools

By Eric Margolis

President Putin is being demonized into America’s leading hate figure. Few in the media dare say that Putin is reacting in Russia’s interests to NATO’s foolish push right up to his borders. Continue

MI6, The CIA And Turkey's Rogue Game In Syria

By Patrick Cockburn

New claims say Ankara worked with the US and Britain to smuggle Gaddafi's guns to rebel groups. Continue

Hijacking God?
Tony Blair, George W. Bush and David Cameron

By Felicity Arbuthnot

“Beware false prophets”, there are some very powerful ones around and these are dangerous times. Continue

Senate Torture Report Leaked
CIA And White House Under Pressure

By Spencer Ackerman

Senate committee found CIA interrogations and detentions to be 'brutal'. Continue

CIA’s Use of Torture Went Beyond Legal Authority, Senate Report Rays

By Ali Watkins, Jonathan S. Landay and Marisa Taylor

The CIA’s claim “is BS,” said a former U.S. official. Continue

South Africa: Twenty Years of Apartheid by Another Name

By John Pilger

The violent inequality that now stalks South Africa is no dream. It was Mandela, after all, who said, “If the ANC does not deliver the goods, the people must do what they have done to the apartheid regime.” Continue

South Africa’s Murder Trial Distraction

By Danny Schechter

Long-time activists and ANC members are incensed by the lack of transparency and the arrogance of a political elite that seems more focused on enriching itself than serving the public. Continue

Venezuela Shows That Protest Can Be A Defence Of Privilege

By Seumas Milne

Street action is now regularly used with western backing to target elected governments in the interests of elites. Continue

2014 Crash Will Be Worse Than 1987's: Marc Faber

By Alex Rosenberg

"I think it's very likely that we're seeing, in the next 12 months, an '87-type of crash," - "And I suspect it will be even worse." Continue

Obama’s Presidency And The Reversal Of The New Deal.

By Richard Wolff and Ed Rampell

We believe the capitalist organization of production has now finished its period of usefulness in human history. It is now no longer able to deliver the goods. Continue

This Is Bigger Than Cliven Bundy
 
 Video
 
 "Them son of a bitches will fire the next shot heard round the world and we, will fire the rest" Fellow rancher speaks in support of Cliven Bundy. Continue 

Nigerian Militants Kill 217 People in Borno, Senator Says: Five villages were targeted in early morning raids by militants, Borno Central Senator Ahmed Zanna said by phone today.

5 people killed in security raid in Egypt's Sinai: Five extremists were killed and four others were arrested on Sunday in a security raid on their hideouts in major cities in Egypt's North Sinai province, a security source told Xinhua.

Egyptian police 'using rape as a weapon' against dissident groups: Two male political dissidents claim they were raped in Egyptian police custody in separate assaults that campaigners suspect are indicative of a wider strategy as the brutal crackdown on opposition continues.

Libya jailbreak bid leaves 2 prisoners dead: Libya’s justice minister says that an attempted jailbreak at a prison outside Tripoli left two prisoners dead.

Libyan PM to step down after attack on his family: Mr al-Thinni was only confirmed as PM last week after Ali Zeidan was sacked for failing to improve security.

Gaddafi sons' war crimes trial begins in Libya amid security fears: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and brother Saadi face accusations of masterminding campaign of murder and torture during civil war

Algerian army kills 2 people in ambush: - The Algerian army forces killed two militants on Sunday in the province of Tizi Ouzou, 120 km east of Algiers, APS news agency reported.

Syria Forces Kill 120 Foreign Militants in Aleppo Op: During the Saturday operation, Syrian military troops took control over the entire al-Zahraa district and destroyed a column of vehicles carrying weapons for the armed insurgents stationed at the Ma’arat al-Artiq in Northern Aleppo from Idlib, Al-Alam reported.

Syrian poison gas attack 'kills two and wounds up to 100': The Syrian government and rebel forces have blamed each other for a poison gas attack which is believed to have killed two people and injured scores of others. Footage on YouTube shows doctors and nurses trying to revive young men and several young children amid the crying of children.

Reports of poison gas attack in Syria so far 'unsubstantiated', Powers says: Barack Obama's ambassador to the United Nations said on Sunday that reports of a poison gas attack in Syria, in a rural village north of Damascus, were so far "unsubstantiated", and added that the US was trying to establish what happened before it considered a response.

Barack Obama pulls a George W. Bush: Lies, misinformation and chemical weapons: Remember the almost-war in Syria last year? An amazing new report -- which our media won't touch -- is a must read

NGO: ‘fiercest’ fighting in Syria’s Aleppo since mid-2012: Syrian troops battled rebels around a military intelligence base in Aleppo in what a monitoring group said Saturday was the fiercest fighting in the northern metropolis since mid-2012.

Syria rebels advance in Aleppo city: Syrian rebels have advanced in Aleppo, killing scores of troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, Al Jazeera's reporter in the northern city said.

Killing of priest was 'rebel punishment': A Christian cleric who refused to leave his flock may have been shot for helping others to leave, writes Hala Jaber in besieged Homs

28 killed in violence across Iraq: Sunday: A car bomb went off in the restive northern Iraqi city of Mosul on Sunday, killing nine people, while 10 others were killed in clashes there, security officials said.

30 killed in violent attacks across Iraq: Saturday: Four Iraqi soldiers and their taxi driver were killed when they were attacked by gunmen in western Tikrit, some 170 km north of Baghdad, a local police source said. In Samarra, 120 km north of Baghdad, four members of the Iraqi Federal Police were killed when gunmen attacked their checkpoint, the source said.

Iraq insurgents use water as weapon after seizing dam: Insurgents in Iraq have added water to their arsenal of weapons after seizing control of a dam in the west of the country that enables them to flood certain areas and prevent security forces from advancing against them.

Yemen: Militant attacks kills 4 soldiers: At least four members of Yemeni security forces have been killed in three separate militant attacks in the country, Yemen’s Interior Ministry says.

Chutzpah: New Israeli legal campaign accuses Abbas of 'terrorism': Right-wing Israeli political parties have begun a campaign to sue president Abbas for "war crimes" at the International Criminal Court in response to the Palestinian Authority's recent decision to join international conventions and treaties.

Former American officials accuse Israel of breaching international law: For the first time, six former senior American officials issued a statement candidly accusing Israel of breaching international law and undermining peace talks.

Iran anger over US visa refusal for UN envoy Hamid Aboutalebi: Iran has insisted it will not replace its new envoy to the UN in New York and accused the US of acting illegally by refusing a visa to the diplomat.

Report: Marine Corps to create Middle East crisis response unit in 2015: The Marine Corps will create a new land-based unit in the Middle East during fiscal 2015, designed to respond to crises in the region, including emergencies at embassies, the Marine Corps Times reported Thursday.

Maoist rebels kill 13 in blasts in Indian state: Suspected Maoist rebels set off two bombs in the eastern Indian state of Chhattisgarh on Saturday, killing 13 people, most of them paramilitary soldiers and officials charged with holding elections in the region.

7 militants killed, 18 others detained in Afghan military operations: Defense ministry spokesman, Gen. Zahir Azimi said at least 7 anti-government armed militants were killed during operations by Afghan national army soldiers in the past 24 hours.

The British army doesn’t want you to know what it did in Afghanistan : The military fought publication of “An Intimate War: An Oral History of the Helmand Conflict” on the grounds that it includes classified materials, such as cables previously published by WikiLeaks.

Afghanistan's Abdullah leads in vote count: "With 500,000 votes from 26 provinces Dr Abdullah is leading with 41.9 percent; Dr Ashraf Ghani has 37.6 percent and is in second; and Zalmai Rassoul has 9.8 percent in third position."

Gunmen kidnap 100 Pakistani villagers in northwest, gov't says: Three local government officials told Reuters that the gunmen had initially taken around 100 villagers from a gathering in the remote region on the border of Orakzai and Khyber tribal areas, both of which border Afghanistan, but had later released around 40 of them.

Dead on both sides in Ukraine 'anti-terrorist' operation: Ukrainian security forces launched an operation on Sunday to clear pro-Russian separatists from state buildings in the eastern city of Slaviansk, with dead reported on both sides as Kiev combats what it calls an act of aggression by Moscow.

Ukraine sets deadline for pro-Russian separatists to surrender: Ukraine has set an 0600 GMT Monday deadline for pro-Russian separatists to give up their weapons and leave buildings they have occupied in the east of the country, a presidential decree said.

Russia says Kiev's planned operation against rebels is "criminal": Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that the West should bring its allies in Ukraine's government under control. "It is now the West's responsibility to prevent civil war in Ukraine," it said in a statement posted on Facebook.

Ukraine's Slavyansk under siege as Kiev orders crackdown on protests: Casualties were reported on both sides as gunfire broke out in Slavyansk in eastern Ukraine, where anti-government protesters seized several buildings. The city is under siege as Kiev announced an “anti-terrorist operation” against the protesters.

Ukraine: pro-Russian militants seize second building in Slavyansk: The militants seized hundreds of police handguns and gave them to pro-Russian protesters outside

Gunfire erupts in eastern Ukraine town: Security forces exchange gunfire with armed men in Kramatorsk

Ukraine prepares armed response as city seized by pro-Russia forces: Armed separatists took control of a city in eastern Ukraine on Saturday and Kiev prepared troops to tackle what it called an "act of aggression by Russia", pushing the conflict between the neighbours into a dangerous new phase.

Russia sets 4 conditions in return for aid to Ukraine: Ukraine should recognize Crimea’s independence, reform the country’s constitution, regulate the crisis in its eastern regions and guarantee the rights of Russian speakers if it wants to get financial help from Moscow, Russia’s finance minister has said.

US Navy: Without New Leads, Malaysia Airlines Jet 'Pinger' Search to End in a 'Few More Days': Search teams looking for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 will abandon use of the U.S. Navy’s underwater black box locator in the next few days unless credible new signals are picked up from possible emergency beacons, a U.S. Navy captain said today.

MH370 co-pilot tried to make a call from his mobile phone after the aircraft 'vanished' : U.S. deny reports the plane landed at their remote military base

When will we put a stop to Shaker Aamer's horrific Guantánamo ordeal?; Aamer is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after years of torture at Guantánamo Bay. We must secure his release back to the UK

Senate Intelligence Committee investigating leak to McClatchy, Feinstein says: The Senate Intelligence Committee has opened an investigation into how McClatchy obtained the classified conclusions of a report into the CIA’s use of waterboarding and other harsh interrogation tactics, the panel’s chairwoman said Friday..

Journalists who broke NSA story in Guardian dedicate award to Snowden: Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras had earlier cleared immigration at John F Kennedy airport in New York without a hitch as they arrived to share a George Polk Award for national security reporting with Ewen MacAskill of the Guardian and Barton Gellman of the Washington Post.

UK urged to admit that CIA used island as secret 'black site' prison: Human rights group representing Gaddafi opponent rendered to Libya via Diego Garcia says Britain must 'come clean' over role

Britain's first female genital mutilation trial provokes national controversy: Female genital mutilation is the cutting or removal of women’s genitals for cultural, non-medical reasons. In the most extreme cases, a girl’s entire labia and clitoris are sliced off.

Global warming is man-made with 99.9% certainty, study says : "This study will be a blow to any remaining climate-change deniers," Lovejoy said in a statement.

Violence as thousands march in Rome against austerity : At least 80 people – both police and protesters – have been injured as street battles broke out in Rome, with rocks being flung and police deploying pepper spray. Thousands took to the street to march against austerity measures.

China’s GMO Ban Costs US Corn Traders $ 427 Million in Sales: China’s ban on US corn containing traces of unapproved genetically modified maize caused a significant drop in US exports that has cost US traders $427 million in sales. Last year Mexico banned GMO corn. Last week, Russia banned the import of GMO food into the country.

Violence breaks out in Caracas as protesters clash with police - video: Anti-government protesters clash with police on Saturday in Caracas, Venezuela, just two days after talks aimed at ending the deadly protests

Human Rights Watch Keeps the Distortions Coming about Venezuela: Joe Emersberger calls out Human Rights Watch on their latest attempt to “mislead” people about the content of Venezuelan media.

Salvadoran General Accused in Killings Should Be Deported, Miami Judge Says: An immigration judge has found that a former defense minister in El Salvador, a close ally of the United States during a civil war there in the 1980s, should be deported because of his involvement in a number of human rights violations, including the assassination of an archbishop and the massacre of more than 1,000 peasants.

Sheriffs warn of violence from Mexican cartels deep into interior of U.S.: Outmanned and outgunned, local law enforcement officers are alarmed by the drug and human trafficking, prostitution, kidnapping and money laundering that Mexican drug cartels are conducting in the U.S. far from the border.

Mexico drug-cartel figure has been cooperating with U.S.: In what appeared to be a new blow to Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, the imprisoned son of the cartel’s co-leader offered a secret guilty plea to narcotics trafficking charges last year and has been cooperating ever since with U.S. agents, prosecutors said Thursday.

US Panel Votes to Reduce Drug-Dealing Sentences: The commission says it estimates that the changes approved Thursday would affect roughly 70 percent of federal drug trafficking defendants and would reduce by 11 months the average length of sentence for drug offenders.

Armed Right-Wing Militia Members Descend On Nevada To Help Rancher Defy Court Order: Rancher Cliven Bundy demanded of sheriff Doug Gillespie that all narional park service employees working on the cattle roundup operation be disarmed before 10:45 a.m. He gave Gillespie one hour to comply, and added for the firearms to be brought to him.

Victory! Nevada's last rancher gets his 'stolen' cattle back: ‘This is what I prayed for,’ said Margaret Houston, one of Bundy's sisters. ‘We are so proud of the American people for being here with us and standing with us.’

Nevada Cattle Rancher Wins 'Range War' With Feds: A Nevada cattle rancher appears to have won his week-long battle with the federal government over a controversial cattle roundup that had led to the arrest of several protesters.

Armed siege on Bundy ranch really about fracking leases : This document from the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology(1) shows significant exploratory drilling being conducted in precisely the same area where the Bundy family has been running cattle since the 1870's.

Illinois man with infectious TB must stay home alone: judge: An Illinois judge on Friday ordered a disobedient patient with infectious tuberculosis to wear an ankle bracelet and stay home alone or be taken into custody.

Allegations Of Impropriety Inside Dallas IRS Office: Employees at the Dallas IRS Taxpayer Assistance Office were seen wearing pro-Obama campaign paraphernalia: stickers, buttons, and T-shirts, even putting campaign screen-savers on work computers.

The 6 most surprising ways the US government is spending your taxes: You paid $81.50 toward America's nuclear weapons last year.

US stocks drop; Nasdaq's first close under 4,000 since February: U.S. stocks declined sharply for a second session Friday, with the Nasdaq Composite tallying its third weekly drop, after JPMorgan Chase posted disappointing earnings and Gap reported a decline in sales.

Police block Birmingham pastor from feeding the homeless : Video -

Earthquakes linked to fracking: - State regulators for the first time have linked earthquake activity in eastern Ohio to hydraulic fracturing, confirming the suspicions of activists pushing unsuccessfully for a drilling ban

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April 11, 2014

Criminal Court a U.S.-Israeli “Red Line” for Palestinians

By Thalif Deen

Mahmoud Abbas held back one of his key bargaining chips that Israel and the United States fear most. Continue

Former Australian FM Denounces Jewish Lobby's 'Extraordinary Influence'

By Haaretz

Bob Carr claims office of former Australian PM Julia Gillard was effectively held hostage by Jewish lobby. Continue

NATO’s ‘Fogh’ Of War

By Finian Cunningham

Rasmussen is nothing but a paid puppet doing Washington’s bidding. Continue

Civil War Looms as Pro-US Regime Threatens Ukraine Protesters

By Alex Lantier

The Kiev regime is preparing an armed clash with protest groups and militias that have emerged across eastern Ukraine. Continue

Why US Fracking Companies Are Licking Their Lips Over Ukraine

By Naomi Klein

The natural gas industry is supreme at exploiting crisis for private gain – what I call the shock doctrine. Continue

Human Extinction In Our Lifetime?

By Professor Guy McPherson

Global warming is real - and possibly even worse than we've been told. Could it lead to the destruction of human civilization within just a few decades?

We Need an Apartheid-style Boycott to Save the Planet

By Desmond Tutu

Twenty-five years ago people could be excused for not knowing much, or doing much, about climate change. Today we have no excuse. Continue

"Off With His Head:"
Court Upholds Obama's Power To Kill :

Video

Michael Ratner: There have been no criminal prosecutions for illegal actions committed by the U.S. in the name of national security since 9/11. Continue

Neoliberalism and the Machinery of Disposability

By Henry A Giroux

Americans now live in a society in which almost everyone is spied on, considered a potential terrorist, and subject to a mode of state and corporate lawlessness in which the arrogance of power knows no limits. Continue

Zombie Democracy in the U.S.

By Ajamu Baraka

I have always found discussions on democracy in the U.S. curious and at times hilarious. Continue

Poor To Pay For War
House Passes Ryan's Republican Budget With Deep Spending Cuts


By David Lawder

The plan would eliminate deficits within 10 years, due largely to deep cuts to social safety net programs. It also seeks to boost defense spending over the next decade.

Nobody Cares What You Think Unless You're Rich

By Kevin Drum

The collective opinion of average citizens doesn't matter a whit. Continue

Social Security, Treasury Target Taxpayers For Their Parents’ Decades-old Debts

By Marc Fisher

After 37 years of silence, four years after Sadie Grice died, the government is coming after her daughter. Continue

All Work and No Pay

By Bill Moyers

'How is it that a major industry has basically convinced America, convinced Congress, that they practically shouldn't have to pay their workers at all? It's purely money and power. And their control over our legislators." Continue

Shoe Thrown at Hillary Clinton During Speech

Video

A woman has been arrested by police in Las Vegas after she threw a shoe at former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Thursday during a speaking event. Continue

86 killed in fighting between rival rebel factions in Syria: Syria’s Al Qaeda affiliate and its allies have repulsed an assault by militant rivals on a town on the Iraqi border in fighting that killed 86 people, a monitoring group said on Friday.

Assad's staying power on show: Both Syrian and non-Syrian insurgents are on the run.

At least 57 killed in clashes in Iraq: At least 50 members of the Iraqi armed forces and seven fighters have been killed in clashes in the city of Ramadi, Al Jazeera’s reporter says, while two deadly car bombs have hit the capital Baghdad.

Iraqi deputy PM escapes assassination attempt: Saleh al-Mutlak, one of top Sunni officials, comes under attack as gunmen dressed as soldiers open fire on his convoy.

Iraq’s Sunnis Declare New Alliance to Challenge Shiite Rule: In a major gathering in Erbil this week, Iraqi Sunnis declared a new alliance whose aim is to block a third term for Iraq’s Shiite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, after the upcoming April 30 legislative elections.

Saudi guards killed near Yemen border: Two Saudi soldiers have been killed in a clash with unidentified gunmen who fired on them from across the border with Yemen, the interior ministry said yesterday.

Turkey condemns 'Armenian genocide' resolution in U.S. Senate: Turkey condemned on Friday a U.S. Senate committee resolution branding the massacre of Armenians by Ottoman forces during World War One as genocide and warned Congress against taking steps that would harm Turkish-American ties.

Israeli Occupation Forces Shoot Palestinian Photographer In West Bank: Video - “Mohammad had his camera and his press vest on to show that he was a photographer and not a protester,”

Israel blames Kerry as "peace" talks hopes fade: The likelihood that derailed Israeli-Palestinian peace talks will get back on track before expiring at the end of April is virtually zero

Israel to impose sanctions against Palestinian Authority: They say taxes collected on behalf of the PA will be frozen, with limited access to bank deposits in Israel.

US calls Israel's move to withhold PA funds 'unfortunate': Palestinians call decision 'piracy' after Israel moves to implement economic sanctions against Palestinians for unilateral bid to join international organization, which it claims violates peace talks' conditions.

UN accepts Palestinian treaty applications: Palestine to join 13 international conventions in move expected to further upset talks with Israel.

BBC ignores Kerry’s “poof speech”: BBC Online focused on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s order to his ministers to cease high level meetings with their Palestinian counterparts as a result of Abbas’s 1 April actions.

Aussie media focus on Carr’s assertion that Israel lobby had ‘direct line’ into Prime Minister’s office: Bob Carr, memoir says that Jewish donors so preyed on the mind of a liberal prime minister that she wouldn’t let him utter a word of criticisms against Israeli settlements.

Kuwait orders media blackout on 'coup' video: Media ban enforced on videotape allegedly showing former senior officials scheming to topple government of Gulf nation.

37 killed in fresh CAR clashes: At least 37 people died on Wednesday during fighting between the anti-Balaka militia and ex- Seleka rebels in Central African Republic’s central town of Dekoa, a source from Central African Republic Red Cross said on Thursday.

Militias in Central African Republic block Muslims exit to Cameroon - U.N.: Some refugees have suffered serious machete and gunshot wounds and many are severely malnourished after walking for months, having to detour and enter Cameroon via remote entry points, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said.

Four killed in Egypt clashes: Two members of the Muslim Brotherhood were killed in an exchange of gunfire with Egyptian security forces in the Nile Delta on Friday, the interior ministry said, and the group said another of its supporters was shot dead in Alexandria.

From Cairo to Suez, Egypt workers defy government with labor strikes: Thousands of Egyptian workers have staged strikes for higher wages and better working conditions in recent weeks, raising the possibility of a confrontation between impoverished laborers and a new president set to be elected this spring.

13 Killed in Two Separate Attacks in Pakistan: It is feared that the attacks might be the result of the ongoing infighting between two factions of the banned militant organisation Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) that started last Monday

India: Women who have sex outside marriage should be hanged: SP leader: "Any woman if, whether married or unmarried, goes along with a man, with or without her consent, should be hanged. Both should be hanged. It shouldn't be allowed even if a woman goes by consent."

Kiev backpedals on referendums after deadline to stop protest expires: Just after a deadline set by Kiev for protesters in eastern Ukraine to vacate seized buildings expired, Parliament-appointed PM Arseny Yatsenyuk pledged to push through a law allowing regional referendums in the country.

Ukraine leader Yatsenyuk offers powers to troubled east: Ukraine's interim prime minister has offered to devolve more powers to eastern regions, where pro-Russian separatists are defying the government. He is holding talks with regional leaders in Donetsk, where activists demanding self-rule are holding a big government building.

In pictures: Russian military build-up near Ukraine: Nato's decision to release over 20 satellite images and associated maps of the Russian military build-up on Ukraine's eastern frontier is a signal of the concern among the alliance's commanders that a Russian military option against Ukraine is very much on the table.

Russia Claims NATO Satellite Photos Were Taken Last August: An official in the Russian military general staff said on Thursday that NATO satellite photographs purporting to show Russian forces concentrated near the Ukrainian border were taken in August 2013, state-run news agency RIA reported.

Russia's Lavrov says NATO forces in Eastern Europe would violate agreements: - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday said the deployment of NATO forces in eastern European countries close to Russia would violate of agreements between Moscow and the alliance, the Interfax news agency reported.

German government planning major military build-up: The German government is using the mounting conflict between NATO and Russia to massively rearm the military. This is underscored by an article in the latest edition of the weekly news magazine Der Spiegel.

U.S. Education NGO American Councils Ordered to Cease Operations In Russia: The Justice Ministry has ordered the Russian branch of American Councils, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization that administers student exchanges and other educational programs, to cease its operations indefinitely, in what appears to be part of an ongoing crackdown on NGOs funded by the U.S. and other foreign governments.

How Washington and its Allies Use Social Media to Topple Governments & Manipulate Public Opinion : Video -

EU taking Putin’s letter on gas transit ‘seriously’ – Merkel: The EU is taking seriously President Vladimir Putin’s letter to 18 European countries, in which he warned that Ukraine’s debt crisis could affect gas transit from Russia, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.

Full Text: Message from the President of Russia to the leaders of several European countries: Ukraine’s economy in the past several months has been plummeting. Its industrial and construction sectors have also been declining sharply. Its budget deficit is mounting.

US threatens tougher sanctions against Russia: Other world powers reluctant to levy economic penalties against Moscow for actions in Ukraine

Ukraine Media War: Fake content triggers big news: Video - What appears to be an exaggeration of basic facts has led to some dubious reporting.

Russia TV stations air 'impostor' protester in two guises: A man who says he was injured in ongoing protests in Ukraine seems to have appeared on two Russian TV channels claiming to be two different people - a pro-Russia activist in one report and an anti-Russia protester in another.

Russia to Attend G20 Summit, Australian Official Says: Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey said Russia would take part in the G20 Summit in Brisbane later this year, laying to rest questions Russia might be barred from attending over Moscow's annexation of Crimea.

MH370: Australia 'very confident' pings are from black box, says prime minister: Australia is confident that search teams have located the missing Malaysian plane’s black box to "within some kilometres", the prime minister, Tony Abbott, said on Friday.

Australian PM's confidence over black box signals from MH370 rejected by search chief: "There has been no major breakthrough in the search."

France bans work e-mail after 6 p.m.: France already has a 35-hour work week, and a new rule is designed to make sure that it doesn't start shading toward 40 hours because of work-related e-mail.

Venezuela's Maduro hold talks with opposition, broadcast live on TV: Some opposition groups, including the party of jailed protest leader Leopoldo Lopez, boycotted the talks while dozens of demonstrators remain in jail.

Reporters who broke Snowden story return to U.S. for first time: Greenwald and Poitras flew into New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport on the same flight to receive a George Polk journalism award for their reports on how the U.S. government has secretly gathered information on millions of Americans, among other revelations.

Journalist says Ed Snowden claims CIA spies on charity organisations: Snowden appeared via video link before the European Council this week and said the American National Security Agency - the NSA - spied on major human rights organisations.

Inside the FBI’s secret relationship with the military’s special operations: The FBI’s presence on the far edge of military operations was not universally embraced, according to current and former officials familiar with the bureau’s role. As agents found themselves in firefights, some in the bureau expressed uneasiness about a domestic law enforcement agency stationing its personnel on battlefields.

LA County Sheriff’s Dept. fatally shoots aspiring TV producer helping hostages: The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has admitted its deputies fatally shot an innocent man escaping a hostage situation in West Hollywood.

Nevada cattle wars: Nevada senator sides with rancher against feds: Sandoval said he was most offended that armed federal officials have tried to corral people protesting the roundup into a fenced-in "First Amendment area" south of the resort city of Mesquite.

Militiamen make their presence felt in protest of BLM’s livestock grab: Gruff and largely unshaven, dressed in camouflage fatigues and cut-off shirts, the men kept their intentions quiet

Police raid innocent family because of indoor garden, spied on their purchases and dug through trash : Video - Men with assault rifles raided a family who had been growing tomatoes and melons under grow-lights. The government agents thought that was enough probable cause to believe they were growing forbidden plants inside their home.

Corruption Case Targets Mysterious Calif. Lawmaker; A federal indictment filed last week charges Yee, 65, with conspiring to commit honest services fraud, wire fraud and illegal arms trafficking. If convicted on all counts, he faces a sentence of 125 years in federal prison and $1.75 million in potential fines.

Ryan Plan Gets 69 Percent of Its Budget Cuts From Programs for People With Low or Moderate Incomes: House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s new budget cuts $3.3 trillion over ten years (2015-2024) from programs that serve people of limited means. That’s 69 percent of its $4.8 trillion in total non-defense budget cuts.

JPMorgan's First-Quarter Profit Falls 20 Percent: JPMorgan Chase, the nation's biggest bank by assets, said Friday its first-quarter earnings fell 20 percent, driven by a decline in investment banking and mortgage lending.

Harvard study: Your share of the federal debt is $106,000: American workers would have to cough up a one-time “debt reduction fee” of $106,000 to pay off the nation's debt that has grown 58 percent under President Obama, according to Harvard University's Institute of Politics annual report on the USA.

What Happened to the American Dream?: Video - Sen. Bernie Sanders discusses oligarchy in a Senate floor speech.

This Tower Pulls Drinking Water Out of Thin Air: Designer Arturo Vittori says his invention can provide remote villages with more than 25 gallons of clean drinking water per day

VW reveals new 300mpg coupe: Volkswagen is set to steal this week’s Qatar motor show with its latest ‘one-litre car’, the XL1 — a diesel hybrid concept that can deliver well in excess of 300mpg.

How 3D Printing Will Change the Way We Make Practically Everything - Video

Pope Francis asks for forgiveness from those sexually abused by priests: The pope said he felt "called to take it upon myself" and "ask forgiveness" for the evil that some priests had committed against children.

‘Jesus’ wife’ papyrus not a modern forgery, scientific tests say: Translated to English, the document is adorned with the words “Jesus said to them, ‘My wife...’” and “she will be able to be my disciple” — two fragments of phrases that not only suggest that the founder of Christianity may have been married, but that role of women in the church may have been significantly different over a thousand years ago.