Washington gets explicit: its ‘war on terror’ is permanent
Senior Obama officials tell the US Senate: the ‘war’, in limitless form, will continue for ‘at least’ another decade – or two

“Astoundingly Disturbing”: Obama Administration Claims Power to Wage Endless War Across the Globe

Japan’s ‘secret’ trip to North Korea disrupts united stance against Pyongyang
Japan’s visit to North Korea comes after broad regional agreement that Pyongyang should not be offered talks unless it displays a genuine commitment to denuclearization.

‘Worse than death row’: Gitmo hunger strike reaches Day 100

100 Days of Guantanamo Hunger Strike: Special Coverage

Cannibalizing Syria: The West to blame
The latest shocking video to emerge from Syria – showing a militant commander carving out the internal organs of a dead regime soldier and proceeding to eat them in front of the camera – has prompted a telling reaction from the Western corporate-controlled news media.

Russia Sends More Advanced Missiles to Aid Assad in Syria

Russian warships enter Mediterranean to form permanent task force

Mystery Sponsor Of Weapons And Money To Syrian Mercenary “Rebels” Revealed
Previously, when looking at the real underlying national interests responsible for the deteriorating situation in Syria, which eventually may and/or will devolve into all out war with hundreds of thousands killed, we made it very clear that it was always and only about the gas, or gas pipelines to be exact, and specifically those involving the tiny but uber-wealthy state of Qatar.

The CIA, Qatar, and the Creation of Syria’s Jabhat al Nusra

UN General Assembly Vote Reflects Shift in Syrian Public Opinion

Lavrov says Russia, U.N. agree on Syria
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday he and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon are in agreement on the future of Syria.

3 Glaring Hypocrisies in Obama’s Iran Policy
In testimony to Congress on Wednesday, Obama’s State Department official Wendy Sherman reiterated the administration’s policy on Iran. Since the intelligence community has concluded for some time now that Iran has not yet decided to pursue nuclear weapons, Sherman felt compelled to recite a litany of supposed Iranian transgressions to justify America’s harsh economic sanctions and overall belligerence toward the country.

Obama Worse Than Nixon? Pentagon Papers Attorney Decries AP Phone Probe, Julian Assange Persecution

Lerner’s admission of IRS’s inappropriate behavior was pre-planned public disclosure

Report: IRS Deliberately Chose Not to Fess Up to Scandal Before Election
The IRS commissioner “has known for at least a year that this was going on,” said Myers, “and that this had happened. And did he share any of that information with the White House? But even more importantly, Congress is going to ask him, why did you mislead us for an entire year?

Republicans Expand I.R.S. Inquiry, With Eye on White House

Treasury Knew of I.R.S. Inquiry in 2012, Official Says

Flashback: Schumer, Franken urged IRS to target tea party in 2012

IRS stalled conservative groups, but gave speedy approval to Obama foundation

IRS Commissioner: Activity ‘Absolutely Not Illegal’

Rangel: ‘This Is Wrong to Abuse the Tax System’
Rep. Charlie Rangel (D., N.Y.), who was notably censured for not paying 17 years worth of taxes on rental income from a Dominican Republic villa he owned, said Friday morning, “This is wrong to abuse the tax system.”

Cemetery Reveals Baby-Making Season in Ancient Egypt
The peak period for baby-making sex in ancient Egypt was in July and August, when the weather was at its hottest.

Jimmy Carter: ‘I do not favor’ legalizing marijuana
Six months after the former president told a Georgia crowd he supported state efforts to legalize marijuana use, Carter told gathering in Atlanta on Friday he supported keeping weed illegal.

Cornel West: Obama “Is a War Criminal”

Dark, massive asteroid to fly by Earth on May 31

Michelle Obama speaks of ‘hunger’ for education
First lady Michelle Obama spoke passionately about the importance of education to the African-American community in a commencement address Friday, urging more than 600 graduates of Bowie State University to honor the school’s history and to pass their commitment to education on to future generations.

Heading for the States? Prepare for the longest US immigration queues ever
Welcome to America: now stand in line for three hours. Millions of British holidaymakers and business travellers heading for the US this summer face longer waits than ever to be processed by immigration.

DR Congo clashes kill at least 21
Violent clashes between rebels and government troops in the restive eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have left at least 21 people dead, a military official said Thursday.

IRS targeting: Obama fires commissioner over ‘inexcusable’ tax scandal
President moves to quell furore over IRS’s scrutiny of conservative groups by firing acting commissioner Steven Miller

The major sea change in media discussions of Obama and civil liberties
The controversies over the IRS and especially the AP phone records appear to have long-lasting effects

IRS Official in Charge During Tea Party Targeting Now Runs Health Care Office

Obama calls for extra funds to beef up US embassy security abroad
President tries to draw a line under recent scandals and says he is determined to improve security in wake of Benghazi attack

Bomber in Afghanistan kills 15, including six Americans

Iraq Horror: 42 Killed, 141 Wounded

Note From Boston Bombing Suspect: Attack Was Retribution for Iraq, Afghanistan Wars
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev note calls marathon bombing victims ‘collateral damage’ like the Muslims who’ve died in US-waged

Karzai says U.S. wants to keep 9 bases in Afghanistan
Afghan President Hamid Karzai said in a speech Thursday that the United States wants to retain nine bases in Afghanistan after NATO’s formal withdrawal in 2014, his first concrete statement on American plans to stay in the country beyond 2014.

Israel Hints at New Strikes, Warning Syria Not to Hit Back
In a clear warning to Syria, Israel was considering additional military strikes and that the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, would face crippling consequences if he retaliated.

Iraq Then, Syria Now?
New York Times, sarin and skepticism

U.N. urges support for Syria opposition; Russia opposed

US smuggling weapons to Syrian rebels: The real Benghazi story

Jabhat al-Nusra faces al-Qaeda sanctions at UN under Anglo-French proposal
Britain and France are leading a push to designate the leading Syrian rebel force Jabhat al-Nusra as al-Qaeda controlled in an effort to strengthen the moderate opposition.

Terrorists kill Syrian troops summary-style, video shows
A new video clip shows the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front terrorists in Syria executing a group of eleven Syrian soldiers summary-style.

Feds crack down on bitcoin exchange
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) executed a seizure warrant to shut down the world’s largest bitcoin exchange for operating an unlicensed money transmitting service, according to documents filed in a Maryland court on Tuesday.

London police launch probe against Altaf Hussain
The London Metropolitan police Wednesday launched an investigation against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain following complaints by hundreds of British and Pakistani citizens.

Guantánamo: 30 of the 100 hunger strikers now being tube-fed

In Tehran, All Eyes on North Korea

The Left vs. the Liberal Media
Media Lens debunks the BBC’s humanitarian interventionists

Organic Farmers on Alert Following Monsanto Ruling
Farmers “concerned” for ruling’s implication on upcoming suits against the biotech giant

Japanese politicians scramble to distance themselves from ‘comfort women’ comments
The influential mayor of Osaka outraged China and South Korea by saying World War II sex slaves were necessary, prompting fresh doubts about Japan’s willingness to acknowledge wartime aggression.

IRS Abuses Power in Targeting Tea Party
The extraordinary revelation this week that the Internal Revenue Service targeted Tea Party groups for more aggressive enforcement highlights exactly why caution is needed in any response to the much-vilified Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC.

Colorado Tea Party groups believed to be targeted by IRS

Claim: Obama Campaign Co-Chair Attacked Romney with Leaked IRS Docs

The IRS wants YOU — to share everything
A POLITICO review of documents from 11 tea party and conservative groups that the IRS scrutinized in 2012 shows the agency wanted to know everything — in some cases, it even seemed curious what members were thinking.

GOP Rep. ‘Not Willing’ to Take Obama Impeachment Off The Table

DOJ Snooping on Journalists
A Witch Hunt to Enforce Obama Demand for Total Secrecy

Obama, the uninterested president
Late Monday came the breathtaking news of a full-frontal assault on the First Amendment by his administration: word that the Justice Department had gone on a fishing expedition through months of phone records of Associated Press reporters.

IRS official Lerner speedily approved exemption for Obama brother’s ‘charity’
Lois Lerner, the senior IRS official at the center of the decision to target tea party groups for burdensome tax scrutiny, signed paperwork granting tax-exempt status to the Barack H. Obama Foundation, a shady charity headed by the president’s half-brother that operated illegally for years.

Boehner on IRS: ‘Who’s going to jail over this scandal?’

Eric Holder points finger at his DEPUTY who secretly obtained journalist’s phone records as Obama is forced to say he has ‘confidence’ in the Attorney General

Eric Holder defends AP seizure citing major security threat to public
The US attorney general, Eric Holder, has defended the Obama administration’s controversial seizure of phone records from the Associated Press, saying that a story run by the news organisation had posed a major security threat to the American public.

Justice Department’s pursuit of AP’s phone records is both extreme and dangerous
The claimed legal basis for these actions is unknown, but the threats they pose to a free press and the newsgathering process are clear

BP and Shell raided over allegations they colluded to fix petrol prices
Oil giants targeted by European Commission in probe into suspected market manipulation

Oxford child paedophile ring case: County Council boss Joanna Simons insists shes will not resign as seven men are found guilty of child rape, trafficking and organising prostitution
The belated conviction of seven men who groomed and sexually abused children in Oxford reveals an appalling failure of care, as council boss vows to stay on

Eurozone crisis: French economy falls back into recession

The Deepening Shame of Guantanamo

In talks with Netanyahu, Putin urges restraint on Syria
After emergency meeting at Black Sea resort, no word from either head of state about Russia’s sale of S-300 missiles to Assad

Saudis overtaking Qatar in sponsoring Syrian rebels

Syrian Rebel Defends Eating Soldier’s Heart as ‘Legitimate’
Sociopathic Commander’s Video Raises Ire Among Rights Groups

International Criminal Court examines Israeli raid on Gaza flotilla
Hague prosecutor will open preliminary examination into 2010 incident, following appeal referred through Comoros by casualties’ families

Deadly Benghazi blast caused by fisherman’s explosives
A blast that killed three people in Libya’s second city Benghazi was caused by fishing explosives that detonated accidentally, not a car bomb as originally thought, a local government official said on Tuesday.

It’s Official! Minnesota Becomes 12th State to Legalize Same Sex Marriage

Venezuela’s president sends in troops to tackle street crime
Nicolás Maduro orders 3,000 troops to patrol Caracas in an effort to lower violent crime rate

Are we really in May? Britain hit by SNOW as 65mph winds sweep across the country and a month’s worth of rain falls in just 24 hours

Cornel West: Obama ‘Is a War Criminal’
Despite invoking Dr. King, Obama ‘tied to Wall Street and drones,’ said West.

Gitmo prisoner: Obama has ‘abandoned’ detainees

Growing Anger Over American Drones in Yemen

US must take Pakistan drone concerns seriously: Sharif
Pakistan’s incoming prime minister said Monday he wanted to strengthen his country’s fractious relations with the United States but warned Washington must take seriously their concerns about drone strikes.

US envoy won’t attend arms talks led by Iran
The United States said Monday it will refuse to send its ambassador to any meeting of the U.N. forum where nuclear disarmament is negotiated when it’s chaired by Iran because countries under U.N. sanctions shouldn’t be allowed to hold such positions.

CIA agent trying to recruit Russian intelligence officer detained in Moscow – FSB
Russia’s counterintelligence agency has detained a CIA agent in Moscow trying to recruit an officer of the Russian secret service, the Federal Security Service (FSB) announced. The agent was operating under guise of career diplomat.

Arrival of U.S. aircraft carrier infuriates North Korea
North Korea has criticised the arrival of the US aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the South for a joint drill as an “extremely reckless” provocation and a rehearsal for war against the communist state.

Turkish MP: Al-Nusra Behind Car Bombings
Attack Was Near al-Nusra-Held Border Crossing

Syria says it reserves right to invade Golan Heights
Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi accuses Israel of violating ceasefire, Turkey of turning its border zone into terrorist hotbed

Syrian Rebel Bites Heart of Dead Syrian Soldier – Video

Savage Online Videos Fuel Syria’s Descent Into Madness

Under the black flag of al-Qaeda, the Syrian city ruled by gangs of extremists
The black flag of al-Qaeda flies high over Raqqa’s main square in front of the smart new governor’s palace, its former occupant last seen in their prison. Their fighters, clad also in black, patrol the streets, or set up positions behind sandbags.

Moaz al-Khatib Exposes Roles of Saudi Arabia and Qatar in the Syrian Crisis on al-Jazeera

Consequences of Western Intransigence in Nuclear Diplomacy With Iran
As long as Washington refuses to recognise Iran’s right to enrich, no substantial agreement will be possible.

Angelina Jolie says she had double mastectomy

Angelina Jolie has a double mastectomy: Film star takes agonising decision to have both breasts removed after learning she had an 87% risk of getting cancer

Answer to Garment Industry’s Deadliest Disaster: Labor Unions and Wage Hikes, Not Boycotts
US corporations and consumers must advocate for institutional reform, urges Nobel laureate

Scandal politics sweep Capitol Hill
Just days after news broke that the IRS targeted conservative nonprofits, Speaker John Boehner’s House committees will morph into mock courtrooms where the White House will be the defendant in what amounts to a number of high-stakes political trials.

IRS targeted groups that criticized the government, IG report says

White House stuck on IRS scandal response
The IRS scandal puts President Barack Obama in the worst possible position: all of the blame, none of the power to fix it.

Benghazi, IRS: Son of Watergate?
In his defense of President Obama, Press Secretary Jay Carney is beginning to sound a lot like Ronald Zeigler, Richard Nixon’s spokesman. Carney only has to use the word “inoperative,” as Ziegler did when incriminating evidence surfaced that proved his previous statements untrue.

In IRS scandal, echoes of Watergate

KMOV anchor: The IRS is targeting me
Larry Connors, a veteran local news anchor at KMOV Channel 4 in St. Louis, says that the Internal Revenue Service has been targeting him since an April 2012 interview he conducted with President Obama — a fact that he dismissed as coincidence until the recent reports about the IRS targeting conservative groups.

Carney: Just Because IRS Apologized Doesn’t Mean They Did Anything Wrong

Progressive Group: IRS Gave Us Conservative Groups’ Confidential Docs

McConnell: ‘We’ve Only Started to Scratch the Surface of This Scandal’

‘Abuse of Power’: Obama’s DOJ Blasted for Seizure of AP Phone Records
News agency calls behavior ‘unprecedented intrusion’ and demands all records be destroyed

Saudi Arrested in Detroit for Flying With Pressure Cooker

The New York Times on Venezuela and Honduras: A Case of Journalistic Misconduct

19 wounded in Mother’s Day second line shooting
New Orleans police say at least 19 people either attending or taking part in a Mother’s Day second-line parade in the 7th Ward were wounded in a shooting.

Mother’s Day Parade horror: Nineteen people – including two young children – are shot in New Orleans as three gunmen open fire in broad daylight during street festivities

Will Pakistan finally stand up against illegal US drone attacks?
The Peshawar high court has delivered a damning verdict on the strikes. Pakistan must now move towards protecting the security of its citizens

Buying Time in Syria
The Syrian Army’s Success on the ground. Covert Proxy Strategy has come to an almost Standstill

Turkey: 9 arrested in car bombings that left 46 dead
Nine Turkish citizens believed to have links to the Syrian intelligence agency have been detained in connection with twin car bombings that shattered a Turkish border town, officials said Sunday, as Syria rejected allegations it was behind one of the deadliest attacks in Turkey in years.

Turkey says world must act against Syria after bombings

Turkey says it won’t be drawn into Syria conflict

All nine detained over Turkey car bombs are Turkish: deputy PM

Deadly Bombs Spark Protests In Turkish Border City
Several hundred people, mostly leftist and nationalist demonstrators, marched through the center of the city no more than 50 km (30 miles) from the Syrian frontier, carrying banners and shouting anti-government slogans while onlookers cheered.

UK denies Pentagon claim Britain in ‘no rush’ to free Guantánamo inmate
UK Secretary of Defence tells Guardian government is actively pursuing the release of Shaker Aamer, who is on hunger strike

Consequences of western intransigence in nuclear diplomacy with Iran
As long as Washington refuses to recognise Iran’s right to enrich, no substantial agreement will be possible.

Seven killed, 68 injured in Quetta suicide bombing
QUETTA: The police chief of restive southwestern province of Balochistan narrowly escaped a suicide attack Sunday that killed at least seven people and wounded 68 others, officials said.

Afghans Say an American Tortured Civilians
The authorities in Afghanistan are seeking the arrest on murder and torture charges of a man they say is an American and part of a Special Forces unit operating in Wardak Province, three Afghan officials have confirmed.

Dirty Wars, Filthy Hands: 5 Unsavory Ways America Conducts Its Global War on Terror
America’s allies are terrorists, warlords, and corrupt officials, plied with bounty payments and quid-pro-quo assassinations.

Two more police stations bombed in Libya’s Benghazi

Some 800,000 people to need food aid in Niger: UN
Some 800,000 people will require food aid in Niger in the coming months despite a good harvest last year due to problems supplying cereals to markets, which have pushed up prices, and an influx of Malian refugees, the United Nations said.

Growing Anger Over American Drones in Yemen
“Mrs. Michele Obama: Tell us can your husband sleep after so many innocent people were killed by his drones?” read a banner held by a Yemeni activist at a recent rally to protest increasing American drone strikes in Yemen.

Rule Britannia for global crimes
The London government has at long last been forced into recognizing compensation payments for as many as 50,000 Kenyan nationals who were victims of torture and other crimes against humanity during that country’s independence struggle in the 1950s.

Ronald Reagan: Accessory to Genocide
Exclusive: More than any recent U.S. president, Ronald Reagan has been lavished with honors, including his name attached to Washington’s National Airport. But the conviction of Reagan’s old ally, ex-Guatemalan dictator Rios Montt, for genocide means “Ronnie” must face history’s judgment as an accessory to the crime, reports Robert Parry.

Mystery virus death toll hits 15 in Saudi Arabia

New coronavirus can spread between humans, says WHO official
World Health Organisation expert plays down fears of pandemic, saying prolonged contact is needed to transmit disease

IRS IG Report: Targeting Conservatives Began In 2010

IRS scrutiny went beyond Tea Party, targeting of conservative groups broader than thought

Did David Plouffe Justify IRS Targeting Conservatives?
Obama adviser says he was addressing impact of ‘dumb’ actions, but tweet is likely to fan flames.

Wider Problems Found at IRS
Probe Says Tax Agency Used Sweeping Criteria to Scrutinize Conservative Groups

Soledad O’Brien: ‘OK, white person, this is a conversation you clearly are uncomfortable with’
Soledad O’Brien, recently yanked from her morning show “Starting Point” on CNN, plans to continue her focus on racial issues and is charging that whites are afraid of dealing with the nation’s black-white division.

UN says: why not eat more insects?

So It Goes: Enron Perp Will Get Out of Jail (Almost) Free By Buying Himself Out

Alive after 17 days: Survivor emerges against all odds from Dhaka factory rubble
Rescuers free a woman as the latest death toll reaches above 1,000

State Department orders firm to remove 3D-printed guns web blueprints
Defense Distributed tweeted on Thursday that ‘Liberator’ project had ‘gone dark’ at the request of government officials

Blueprints for 3D-plastic gun downloaded 100,000 times in 2 days before the State Department orders the site to take down the weapon designs

Attack by ethnic militia kills at least 20 Nigeria police officers in central region
An ethnic militia killed at least 20 police officers who launched a raid to try and arrest them in central Nigeria, a police commissioner said Wednesday.

S.Sudan rebels seize army base, many killed
The rebels, led by David Yau Yau and known as the South Sudan Democratic Army (SSDA), say they want to end corruption and the one-party system led by the Sudan Liberation People’s Movement.

The west and its allies cynically bleed Syria to weaken Iran
If western politicians were really interested in saving lives, they would use their leverage to negotiate a settlement

What the US Media Won’t Tell You About the “Good” Syrian Rebels
US media and prominent politicians are talking about arming the opposition, but dynamics on the ground betray rampant over-simplifications

Jabhat al-Nusra Behind “Chemical Weapons” Attacks?

Russians, U.S. agree to Syria talks
…but anti-Assad opposition may refuse to participate

Former SNC chief says Islamic hardliners should be included
For Western states mulling over arming Syrian rebel forces, the possibility of advanced weapons ending up in Al Qaeda’s hands, and later being used against Western or civilian targets, has been a major sticking point.

Robert Fisk: The Syrian Government Is Winning
Fisk discusses his reaction to what he calls President Obama’s “pitiful” backing of the recent Israeli missile strikes.

The wrong ‘red line’
There have been sketchy reports that Syria did make some use of chemical weapons, as well as allegations that the reported use was “a false flag” operation, designed to call Obama’s bluff. As the New York Times notes in a front page story on May 7, Obama “finds himself in a geopolitical box, his credibility at stake with frustratingly few good option”.

Indefinite Enemies and the Inhumanity of Our ‘War on Terror’
You’re strapped to a metal table, unable to move. They stick a two-foot plastic tube up your nose, then down the back of your throat into your stomach. They squirt in the liquid protein. You gag, bleed, vomit. It’s unbearably painful.
The practice of involuntary force-feeding is condemned by most medical organizations, including the AMA. It’s banned by most governments. It’s torture.

Outcry over Guantanamo grows, as does hunger strike
Free them or put them on trial. Thus urges a petition to President Barack Obama over the prisoners held at Guantanamo, jailed and in limbo for more than a decade.

Gitmo is not an anomaly
Prisoners in the US are force-fed every day

Putin: Russia needs stronger defense against Afghan threats
President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday Russia must beef up its defenses in the south and work with Central Asian allies to protect itself and neighbors against the threat of extremist violence emerging from Afghanistan.

Everything You’ve Been Told About Radicalization Is Wrong
Despite the rhetoric, scary YouTube videos don’t turn people into terrorists

Obama Drone War ‘Kill Chain’ Imposes Heavy Burden At Home
In the secretive U.S. war of armed drones, the kill chain runs through a highly classified, windowless brick building here.

Jordan’s Parliament agrees to expel Israel’s ambassador
Parliament unanimously voted that the Jordanian government demand that Israel’s ambassador in Amman leave the Kingdom in retaliation for Israeli measures against Al-Aqsa Mosque, Petra said.

Pit bulls kill jogger — police
Woman, 63, was running in rural Los Angeles when dogs attacked and mauled her to death, witness and police say

Officials search for 4 pit bulls believed to have killed woman
The 63-year-old woman is mauled while on her morning walk in the Antelope Valley community of Littlerock. A $25,000 reward is offered for information leading to the dogs’ capture.

700 Deaths and Workers Rising: Is Rana Disaster Bangladesh’s Triangle Fire?
Survivors of the factory collapse near Dhaka block hold sit-on on major highway, demanding pay and compensation for injuries

North Korea removes missiles from launch site, U.S. official says

Kenyan Mau Mau victims in talks with UK government over legal settlement
Payments to thousands who were tortured during 1950s insurgency could open door for other victims of British colonial rule

UN investigator suggests it was Syria’s rebels who used chemical weapons
Rebel forces denied the claims by Carla Del Ponte. The UN commission she leads emphasized today that the investigators had not yet reached conclusive findings.

U.S. skeptical on reported use of chemical weapons by Syrian rebels
U.S. officials said Monday that they were taking seriously new allegations that Syrian rebels had used chemical weapons but had seen no evidence to confirm the reports.

Further Involvement in Syria Would Be an Unmitigated Disaster

Robert Fisk: The truth is that after Israel’s air strikes, we are involved
If the EU and US say nothing about these attacks, approval is granted

America and Israel: Imperial Partners in Crime

‘This is not a declaration of war’: Israel seeks to reassure Syria over airstrikes that reportedly killed at least 42
The Jewish state has sought to persuade the Syrian government that the attacks – which reportedly killed 42 – were not designed to weaken Bashar al-Assad’s position

Israeli airstrike in Syria brings Iran onstage, raising risk of proxy war
Iran dismissed Israeli claims that yesterday’s airstrike in Syria targeted Iranian weapons destined for Hezbollah, accusing Israel of looking for an excuse to hammer the ‘Axis of Resistance.’

Iranian general denies reports of weapons depot in Syria

Russia, China express alarm after Israel hits Syria

Lebanon condemns Israel’s use of airspace to strike Syria

Israel carries out second air strike in Syria

42 Syrian soldiers killed in Israeli raids

Syria to respond to Israel in due time: Iran Defense Minister

Israeli attacks are a ‘declaration of war’ says Syrian deputy foreign minister
With the second strike in three days, Israeli involvement in bloody civil war deepens

At least 25 killed, 65 injured in Pakistan election rally bomb attack
At least 25 people were killed in a bomb attack at a political rally in north western Pakistan, hospital officials said as cited by Reuters. Some 65 more were injured in the blast, with the Taliban claiming responsibility.

South Africa: Law against cannabis is ‘unsubstantiated’
The Dagga Party of South Africa said on Saturday it wants the law that prohibits the use of cannabis to be justified.

So, why are we so loyal to a president who is not loyal to us?
Kevin Johnson was pilloried for suggesting Obama has not been good for African Americans. But his question was a good one

Drone Strikes Are Winning War in Yemen — for Al-Qaeda
It was a contradiction that perfectly captured the essence of the U.S. drone war against Islamic terrorists: Just as we learned that strikes in Yemen had resumed after a three-month hiatus, a Yemeni journalist gave heart- rending congressional testimony about an attack that killed five in his village of Wessab.

General’s promotion blocked over her dismissal of sex-assault verdict
An Air Force general has run afoul of Congress for granting clemency to a convicted sex offender without any public explanation, the latest case to raise fundamental questions about how the military justice system handles sex crimes.

Tanzania church attack: Saudis held for ‘act of terror’
Eight people – four Saudi nationals and four Tanzanians – have been arrested in connection with the bombing of a new Roman Catholic church in the northern Tanzanian city of Arusha on Sunday.

Three girls who went missing TEN YEARS ago are found ALIVE in Ohio dungeon after neighbor hears cries of ‘Help, get me out’ and kicked in door. Police arrest ‘captor’ who kept them chained up

Baghdad Bombings Continue: 31 Killed

New Report Blows the Lid Off America’s Recent History of Torture
And shows that when it comes to conserving the national-security state, it matters little which party is in power.

Clashes over Bangladesh protest leave 27 dead
At least 27 people have been killed and dozens hurt after police and Islamist protesters clashed in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh factory building collapse death toll exceeds 500
Engineer becomes ninth person to be detained over country’s worst industrial accident, as number of deaths climbs to 501

Bangladesh building death toll tops 500
The arrest on Friday of Rana Plaza consultant Adbur Razzak brought to nine the number of people held over the April 24 disaster, which has put the spotlight on the many Western clothing retailers who use Bangladesh as a source of cheap goods.

In pictures: Made in Bangladesh
The garment industry dominates Bangladesh’s economy – but its workers often toil in dire conditions.

Bolivia’s Booting of USAID ‘No Surprise’
President Evo Morales expels USAID from country following years of fomenting opposition

Number of names on U.S. counter-terrorism database jumps
The number of names on a highly classified U.S. central database used to track suspected terrorists has jumped to 875,000 from 540,000 only five years ago, a U.S. official familiar with the matter said.

‘Appalling irresponsibility’: Senior scientists attack Chinese researchers for creating new strains of influenza virus in veterinary laboratory
Experts warn of danger that the new viral strains created by mixing bird-flu virus with human influenza could escape from the laboratory to cause a global pandemic killing millions of people.

Decades-old question: Is antibacterial soap safe?
The review comes amid growing pressure from lawmakers, consumer advocates, and others who are concerned about triclosan. Recent studies in animals have led scientists to worry it could increase the risk of infertility, early puberty, and other hormone-related problems in humans.

That Is What People Are Eating: Charges Dropped in First Ag-Gag Case
Utah prosecutors have abruptly dropped the case against Amy Meyer, the first person charged under the state’s – and possibly the country’s – so-called “ag gag” laws aimed at silencing critics of the often-horrific abuses at factory farms, after she filmed a slaughterhouse from the side of a road.

U.S. Poll: 29% of Registered Voters Believe Armed Revolution Might Be Necessary in Next Few Years
Twenty-nine percent of registered voters think that an armed revolution might be necessary in the next few years in order to protect liberties, according to a Public Mind poll by Fairleigh Dickinson University.

U.S. Efforts to Block Democracy in Venezuela Harm Hemispheric Relations
The U.S. government stands alone among major world governments in refusing to recognize the results of the recent Venezuelan presidential election. The petulant position of the Obama administration harms U.S. relations across the entire hemisphere and feeds a scenario of violence in that Caribbean country.

Capriles Formally Contests Elections Before Venezuela’s Supreme Court
Representatives from the electoral campaign of ex-presidential candidate Henrique Capriles formally contested last month’s elections before Venezuela’s Supreme Court today.

Stealing Syria’s Oil: The EU Al-Qaeda Oil Consortium
The decision of the European Union to lift the embargo on Syrian government’s energy exports by importing oil from the ‘armed opposition’ is another flagrant violation of international law.

Syria Agrees: Obama’s “Red Line” on Chemical Weapons Is Also Our “Red Line”
As many news outlets continue to ask wrong questions, US public shows no appetite for another war

US plane crashes in Kyrgyzstan, authorities say
Emergencies ministry says military aircraft went down 100 miles west of US base used for troops transiting into and out of Afghanistan

Force-feeding at Guantánamo Bay puts pressure on Obama to close prison
UN condemns force-feeding of inmates, while lawyer claims drone strikes being used as alternative to detaining suspects

Obama Blames U.S. For Gun Violence In Mexico
“Most of the guns used to commit violence here in Mexico come from the United States,” President Obama said during a speech at Mexico’s Anthropology Museum. “I think many of you know that in America, our Constitution guarantees our individual right to bear arms. And as president, I swore an oath to uphold that right, and I always will.”

Clarence Thomas: Obama ‘Approved By The Elites’ Because He Says What They ‘Expect From A Black Person’

When asked about how he felt about the nation’s first black President, Barack Obama, Thomas said he always knew it would have to be a person who was “approved by the elites and the media” because if it was someone who they didn’t agree with, that person would be picked apart.

The Bangladeshi Blood on America’s Hands
If a country can’t keep wages and costs down, its production will be moved to the next poor nation willing to sacrifice its citizens in the name of economic advancement. This is what organized labor calls the “race to the bottom,” and unions have campaigned futilely for decades to stop it. Only there is no bottom, really, in the global food chain because the world has a vast backlog of very poor nations desperate for jobs and anxious to please the multinational companies that buy the cheap goods and rebrand them as J.C. Penny or Benetton or best–buy stuff at Walmart.

FDA lowers age for buyers of Plan B pill to 15
In a surprise twist to the decade–plus effort to ease access to morning–after pills, the government is lowering the age limit to 15 for one brand – Plan B One–Step – and will let it be sold over the counter.

Guantánamo ‘not in the best interests of the American people’, says Obama
President says ‘I don’t want these individuals to die’ as medical team arrives in Cuba to keep striking protesters alive

Ricin found during investigation into poison letters sent to Obama
Toxin discovered in Mississippi property once used by James Everett Dutschke and on items in bin nearby, say prosecutors

Auditing Process Begins in Venezuela amid Opposition Claims of “Lies” and “Persecution”
As Venezuela’s electoral organisation begins auditing the 14 April elections, ex-opposition candidate Henrique Capriles has announced his team will not participate, Spain has offered to mediate the “conflict”, and the arrest of retired general Antonio Rivero has been met with accusations of “political persecution”.

‘Huge Win’: California Committee Votes to Halt Fracking
Food & Water Watch: “California’s economy and vital resources hang in the balance if we allow fracking to continue in California”

That Is What People Are Eating: Charges Dropped in First Ag–Gag Case
Utah prosecutors have abruptly dropped the case against Amy Meyer, the first person charged under the state’s – and possibly the country’s – so–called “ag gag” laws aimed at silencing critics of the often–horrific abuses at factory farms, after she filmed a slaughterhouse from the side of a road.

Protesting Israel’s Nuclear Hypocrisy, Egypt Walks Out of Failed Non–Proliferation Talks
Egyptian official cites ‘continued lack of seriousness’ on nuclear–free agreement

The Revolution That’s Not Being Televised
Hundreds gathered in Dallas to reject the Bush Lie Bury, and three went to jail. I flew from Dallas to Syracuse, where hundreds protested Obama’s drone–murder program, and 32 went to jail and are still there…

Europe bans neonicotinoid pesticides blamed for destroying bee population
15 of the 27 member states voted for a two–year restriction on neonicotinoids despite opposition by countries including Britain

Australia’s boom is anything but for its Aboriginal people
The story of the first Australians is still poverty and humiliation, while their land yields the world’s biggest resources boom

900 Still Missing Among Rubble as Fires Break Out in Bangladesh
Big business still on the lam as factory owners are arrested

Venezuela and Cuba Deepen “Strategic Alliance”
Venezuela and Cuba signed 51 bilateral agreements related to energy management and social programmes in areas including healthcare, education and recreation this past weekend and pledged to spend $2 billion on bilateral social development projects this year.

Venezuela’s Maduro pledges continued alliance with Cuba
Cuba and Venezuela signed cooperation accords on Saturday for 51 projects as Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, on his first trip to the island since his election, pledged to maintain the close alliance forged by his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez.

Venezuela’s Electoral Council Says Capriles Lacks Proof of Fraud
Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE) announced yesterday that they would not approve Henrique Capriles’ additional demands for the auditing of the April 14 elections, and explained that he lacks any proof of fraud.

Libya faces growing Islamist threat
Diplomats warn that militants squeezed out of Mali by western intervention are hitting targets in Tripoli

Military action over Syria’s suspected use of chemical weapons could backfire

Americans should expect acts of terror
Tom Brokaw was right: Our violent attacks abroad increase the chance of retributive attacks at home

US Navy experimenting with drones and blimps to fight Caribbean drug smugglers

I could justify fighting in Afghanistan *ndash; until the Boston bombing
The Tsarnaev brothers aren’t the first alleged terrorists to cite U.S. military intervention in other countries as a reason for targeting civilians, and they won’t be the last. Despite our best efforts and valor, I wonder, have America’s wars made the homeland less safe? Sure, we’ve killed and captured thousands of radicals who wanted to harm Americans. But in doing so, have we created more?

Boston bomb suspects’ parents retreat to village, cancel U.S. trip

Obama tells Putin of concern over Syrian chemical arms

Syrian Official: Chemical Weapons Claim a ‘Barefaced Lie’
Information minister says the US and Britain prefer to “juggle with facts” and ultimately “repeat Iraq’s scenario”

Syrian prime minister survives Damascus bombing, six die

The Shia street waiting: Syrian rebels’ attacks on Shiites drag Lebanon into conflict
In order to engage Lebanese Hezbollah, the most powerful military group of the Islamic world, in the civil war Syrian rebels attack Shia sacred places and target 30, 000 Syrian Shia Muslims who live on the border with Lebanon.

Explosion shakes central Prague, as many as 40 injured
An explosion in central Prague on Monday, probably caused by gas, injured as many as 40 people, officials said, and neighboring buildings – including the National Theatre – had to be evacuated.

37 militants killed in Afghanistan within day: gov’t

U.S. Corruption: Karzai admits to being on secret US payroll
Top Afghan officials have been on the CIA’s payroll for over a decade, receiving tens of millions of US dollars in cash. Afghan President Hamid Karzai admitted to receiving the clandestine financial support, but dismissed the sum as a “small amount.”