| Hard News
Analysts: US, Pakistan collaborating again on drone strikes:
"The signs are that the U.S. has revisited intelligence cooperation with Pakistan, and the two sides have returned to the early stages, when drone attacks were initiated under a covert joint mandate," said Simbal Khan, the director of research at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, a research center funded by Pakistan's Foreign Ministry.
5 policemen killed in western Iraq:
Officials say five Iraqi policemen have been killed in an insurgent attack on their checkpoint in the western half of the country.
http://arabnews.com/middleeast/article564396.ece
Corruption in Iraq: 'Your son is being tortured.
He will die if you don't pay': Ghaith Abdul-Ahad reports from Baghdad where families of innocent detainees face extortion from corrupt officials
http://bit.ly/zZR85e
Report: Commander in Syrian army killed:
Syria's official news agency SANA said an "armed terrorist group" had shot dead Brigadier-General Mohammed Abdul-Hamid al-Awad and wounded his driver in the countryside near Damascus.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4176532,00.html
Syria rejects Arab troop proposal:
Syria has rejected any plans to send Arab troops into the country, saying it will "confront" and "stand firm" against military intervention after the leader of Qatar said in a television interview that Arab countries should step in with force.
http://bit.ly/yUNBOI
Qatar Emir Call For Troops In Syria Is Two Month Old:
Why and on who's request did CBS hold back this interview for two month?
http://bit.ly/zcpTwi
Russia digs in heels on Syria resolution:
Russia signalled on Tuesday it would not make major concessions over its draft Security Council resolution to end bloodshed in Syria, sticking by its key ally in the Middle East.
http://bit.ly/w1y34s
Russia considers military strike on Iran inadmissable:
Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Gennady Gatilov said "Any military strike on Iran is unacceptable, they will help to ensure that the situation will become even more critical,"
http://en.trend.az/regions/iran/1980993.html
Russia retains right to provide Iran with S-300 defensive system:
'The air defense system does not fall under UN Security Council sanctions, as was official confirmed at the time by the US State Department, so, roughly speaking, we introduced the sanctions against these defensive weapons systems and so we can cancel them."
http://themoscownews.com/international/20120117/189375225.html
Why Russia is planning Iran war games:
Russia has reportedly ordered the military to plan war games to deal with potential spillover from a US-Iran conflict.
http://bit.ly/wyJPNm
Despite sanctions on Iran, India will continue buying oil:
New Delhi has sent a multi-ministerial delegation to Tehran to find out the best ways of paying the West Asian nation for the crude imports, a sign that the US sanctions has had little or no impact on India's intent to buy oil from Iran.
http://bit.ly/yLWbpK
China Gets Cheaper Iran Oil as U.S. Pays Tab for Hormuz Patrols: China stands to be the biggest beneficiary of U.S. and European plans for sanctions on Iran's oil sales in an effort to pressure the regime to abandon its nuclear program.
http://buswk.co/wDXItZ
IAEA delegation expected in Iran in Jan.:
"Iran's agreement to this visit indicates Tehran's interaction with the IAEA to remove ambiguities and to hold a meeting based on the obligations of both sides and within the framework of technical and expert issues,"
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/221593.html
Saudi Arabia and Iran spar over oil embargo:
Saudi Arabia will make up for any shortfall in world oil supply caused by sanctions against Iran, the country's oil minister has said, despite warnings from Iran that such a move would provoke unspecified "consequences".
http://bit.ly/w4qjyW
'Nuclear Iran could deter IDF from wars in Gaza, Lebanon':
Maj.-Gen. Eshel says Hamas, Hezbollah will be more aggressive and daring with a nuclear-armed Iran standing behind them, Israel may find itself more restrained.
http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/Article.aspx?id=253998
IDF preparing for major Gaza attack within months:
The IDF General Staff has ordered the Southern Command to prepare for a possible large Gaza operation that could occur within the next few months, The Jerusalem Post has learned.
http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=253916
Commander to soldiers: Never fire at Jews: Briefing Golani troops after outpost evacuation company commander says 'no matter what happens, no one shoots at Jews'
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4176051,00.html
Hacker brings down Israeli websites:
Sites of El Al and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange affected in latest incident in a series of attacks over past two weeks.
http://bit.ly/AtU6aI
Israeli hackers bring down Saudi, UAE stock exchange websites:
In fresh round of cyber warfare, Israel hackers, who go by the name IDF-TEAM, retaliate against Saudi attack on Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, El Al websites.
http://bit.ly/xN5lLr
Litani Project Launched: "New Victory against Israel":
Lebanese Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Najib Miqati launched on Tuesday the 300-million dollar Litani River project to irrigate land in southern Lebanon. Berri said at the launch at the Grand Serail: "Today we are witnessing one of the chapters of Lebanon's victory against Israel."
http://bit.ly/ypsWDY
Egypt's next parliament to be led by Islamist: Liberals and Islamists in Egypt announced a temporary agreement Monday on a power-sharing plan that would install a Muslim Brotherhood leader as speaker of the country's newly elected parliament.
http://wapo.st/wOsuTk
Rick Perry: Turkey is being ruled by what many perceive to be Islamic terrorists:
Vying for the support of South Carolina's Republicans at the latest Republican debate, the Texan governor calls for zeroing out the foreign aid the U.S. provides the NATO member.
http://bit.ly/yJh0eT
Perry Comment Roils Turkish Foreign Ministry:
We Joined NATO 'When The Governor Was 2 Years Old'
http://bit.ly/xJR6on
Romney admits he pays lower tax rate than most Americans:
Presidential "front-runner" Mitt Romney acknowledged Tuesday that he pays an income tax rate close to 15 percent, the same rate that billionaire investor Warren Buffett has decried as lower than that paid by most middle-class Americans.
http://bit.ly/xDFc4K
Romney's Top $ Contributors:
This table lists the top donors to Romney in the 2012 election cycle.
http://bit.ly/qrnOqY
Ron Paul Makes Fox Moderator Look Stupid on Military Spending : Video -
Ron Paul educates Fox News moderator on the difference between defense spending and the military industrial complex.
http://bit.ly/xbImtk
CNN Poll: Obama tied with Romney & Paul in November showdowns : A CNN/ORC International Poll released Monday also indicates that Rep. Ron Paul of Texas is also even with Obama in another possible showdown this November
http://bit.ly/yufjas
Extradition of alleged bin Laden aide blocked: European human rights court says there is a "real risk" that evidence against Abu Qatada had been "obtained by torture".
http://bit.ly/xJ6tZW
Torture charges dropped against UK intelligence officers:
Pressure from the intelligence establishment in the UK and the United States is now mounting on the British government to pass further legislation to suppress intelligence information in court and prevent officers from ever being brought before them in future.
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/jan2012/tort-j17.shtml
Greece Is Insolvent, Will Default on Debt: Fitch:
Greece is insolvent and probably won't be able to honor a bond payment in March as the country negotiates with creditors to cut its debt burden, Fitch Ratings Managing Director Edward Parker said.
http://bloom.bg/xBBrC2
S&P Strips France of its Sterling AAA Credit Rating; Austria, Italy Also : Germany kept its AAA rating, which is the highest bestowed by S&P, but a stalling economy could negatively impact Germany in the future, economists warned.
http://bit.ly/AcmoER
S&P Expects More Euro-Zone Downgrades In Coming Weeks: Standard & Poor's said more European local and regional governments, government-related entities and financial companies could face ratings actions over the next four weeks following downgrades of France and eight other euro-zone countries on Friday.
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120117-709743.html
IMF executive warns of eurozone 'spiral':
A senior International Monetary Fund executive warned on Monday that Europe required bold action to avert a "downward spiral" that could drag the world economy into "catastrophe".
http://yhoo.it/A1NHbB
UK 'planning for eurozone collapse':
Treasury minister Lord Sassoon said the planning was aimed at dealing with "all potential outcomes of the eurozone crisis".
http://bit.ly/z1sZx0
Cooking the books?
Wells Fargo profit rises 20%, credit provisions fall:
Wells Fargo & Co. grew fourth-quarter earnings by 20% as the banking giant posted more loan growth and again reduced the amount of money it sets aside to cover potential loan losses
http://bit.ly/wO167p
"Recovery" at risk as Americans raid savings:
In an ominous sign for America's economic growth prospects, workers are paring back contributions to college funds and growing numbers are borrowing from their retirement accounts.
http://reut.rs/zNHVyT
Our cars are getting older, too: Average age now 10.8 years:
The average age of the cars and trucks on U.S. roads hit a record 10.8 years as of July 1, 2011, as worries about job security the economy kept many people from making big-ticket purchases.
http://usat.ly/y36P4t
America Occupies the Capital: At 9 am on the opening day of Congress, Occupy Congress will convene for a day of action against a corrupt political institution
http://www.nationofchange.org/america-occupies-capital-1326819181
Stranger than fiction: Cupcakes confiscated by TSA:
A Massachusetts woman's cupcake sparked a potential security threat when she tried to board a plane.
http://www.kplctv.com/story/16396693/cupcakes-confiscated-by-tsa
"Let us be peace and joy"
Tom Feeley | 
