| Hard News
16 killed in two attacks in southern Afghanistan: A suicide bomber on a motorcycle killed 10 civilians and two policemen in the first attack at a bazaar, while an intelligence official was among the dead in a second blast caused by a mine, which was claimed by the Taliban.
NATO Occupation Forces Kill 5 Civilians:
A senior Afghan official said Wednesday that NATO forces killed five civilians, including one woman and two children, during a night raid earlier this week in northeastern Afghanistan.
http://mnstr.me/zeX1OP
NATO occupation force member killed in S. Afghanistan blast: A total of 16 occupation force soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan so far this month.
http://en.trend.az/regions/world/afghanistan/1981763.html
Pakistan seizes fuel destined for NATO: Pakistani security forces have seized at least 12 trucks in southwestern Balochistan province, carrying fuel for US-led NATO forces in Afghanistan, Press TV reports.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/221910.html
Pakistan to re-open NATO route, Taliban talks falter: Pakistan expects to re-open supply routes to NATO forces in Afghanistan, halted after a NATO cross-border air attack killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November, but will impose tariffs, a senior security official told Reuters on Thursday.
http://bit.ly/xLhfNS
Pakistan prime minister Gilani refuses to give in to court order: Pakistan's prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani, has appeared before judges in a battle of wills between the government and the judiciary, and refused to accept court orders targeting the president.
http://bit.ly/xOPw1b
10 facts about the new developments in Pakistan: Here's your cheat-sheet to the big Pakistan story:
http://bit.ly/xGvkbn
The fix is in:
Arab League meeting to condemn Syria brutality: "Everyone is saying it will be bad," said one Arab League source who spoke to The Independent last night. "There was a meeting today with delegates from across the region. Nobody thinks it will be good for Syria."
http://ind.pn/zXu5zb
Grim video casts shadow on methods of Free Syrian Army: A video has sparked a flurry of reactions among Syrian bloggers: it shows the brutal interrogation of an officer captured by the Free Syrian Army (FSA)
http://f24.my/yA3Tvm
Russia says will stand firm with China on Syria: Russia will offer Washington no explanation for arms deliveries to Syria and together with China will prevent the U.N. Security Council from approving any military intervention in the conflict-torn nation, its foreign minister said on Wednesday.
http://reut.rs/wSN6gD
Syria loses $2 bn over oil sanctions: minister:
Syria has lost more than $2 billion in revenues since September 1 as a result of European and US bans on importing its oil, Oil Minister Sufian Allaw said on Thursday.
http://bit.ly/zf6B9X
Exclusive: New U.S. Commando Team Operating Near Iran: The primary, day-to-day mission of the team, known as Joint Special Operations Task Force-Gulf Coordinating Council, is to mentor military units belonging to the U.S.' oil-rich Arab allies, who collectively are known as the Gulf Coordinating Council.
http://bit.ly/zJL1SI
Israel's useful idiot :
Talks with Iran a 'foolish waste of time': US lawmaker Ileana Ros-Lehtinen : The hawkish chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs committee warned the Obama administration on Wednesday against embarking on talks with Iran about its nuclear program -- an endeavor she said would be a "foolish waste of time."
http://bit.ly/A0U2Xq
Chavez: U.S Threats to Sanction Latin America Are "Absurd": Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has criticised the U.S. State Department's "absurd" decision to threaten Latin American countries with sanctions should they engage in trade with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/6757
NATO rapped over 'war crimes' in Libya: Following interviews with eyewitnesses and victims of the Libyan war and after examining areas bombarded by NATO fighter jets, the report states that the Western military alliance targeted a number of civilian areas instead of military sites, particularly in the city of Sirte, during its war in the North African country.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/221883.html
In Libya, a Fundamentalist War against Moderate Islam Takes Shape: Libyans are discovering that their hard fought battle to win freedoms is at risk. Puritanical Muslims known as Salafis are applying a rigid form of Islam in more and more communities.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2104578,00.html
'The lessons of Libya: Chaos is no surprise': Throughout history, military attacks on sovereign nations have always meant death, destruction and chaos which don't end once invasion is complete. Look at Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, Vietnam, Northern Ireland - even World War II and the Cold War.
http://rt.com/news/libya-chaos-us-oil-989/
Russian Says Western Support for Arab Revolts Could Cause a 'Big War': Russia's foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, warned Wednesday that outside encouragement of antigovernment uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa could lead to "a very big war that will cause suffering not only to countries in the region, but also to states far beyond its boundaries."
http://nyti.ms/xJtTTy
Saudi Arabia, China Ink Nuke Cooperation Deal: - The world's biggest oil exporter, Saudi Arabia has signed an agreement with China for cooperation in the development and use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes, which will help to meet the Kingdom's increasing demand for energy and cut its growing dependence on depleting oil resources.
http://www.rttnews.com/Content/GeneralNews.aspx?Id=1798307&SM=1
Iraq Political Leaders Seeking Maliki's Ouster: Iraq's political crisis escalated Wednesday as two groups within the government's ruling coalition met to discuss the possibility of ousting Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, amid a surge in violence.
http://on.wsj.com/xnpsYI
Prosecutor says Iraq war vet killed transients for "thrill": An Iraq war veteran charged in the stabbing murders of four Orange County, California homeless men made an initial court appearance on Wednesday as a prosecutor accused him of killing for a "thrill."
http://cour.at/Ave2xz
Rick Santorum wins Iowa as Rick Perry 'drops out of race': The Republican presidential nomination race take a series of twists and turns on Thursday, as Rick Santorum, rather than Mitt Romney was declared the winner of the Iowa caucus, and Rick Perry prepared to drop out altogether.
http://tgr.ph/xrM66T
How Rick Santorum Ripped Off American Veterans: A controversial land deal by the presidential candidate robbed a vets' home of tens of millions of dollars.
http://bit.ly/zjFeSD
Mitt Romney's Personal Fortune Raising Questions : Under duress two days before the pivotal South Carolina primary, Republican front-runner Mitt Romney acknowledged he has invested part of his millions in the Cayman Islands, although his aides say he never used the location as a tax haven.
http://huff.to/zgKjv9
Newt Gingrich Promises Palin a Presidential Appointment and Commits a Felony: Newt for that clear violation of 18 U.S.C. § 599 you've earned yourself two years in jail (unless the violation was unintentional, in which case it's only a single year in jail).
http://bit.ly/zqOEwh
Internet Blackout Causes 18 Senators to Flee from PIPA: Though the entertainment lobby has poured millions upon millions into Senators and Representatives in order to get anti-piracy, internet censorship bills SOPA and PIPA passed, yesterday's massive online protest against the two bills by major sites like Google, Reddit and Wikipedia, actually produced real results. As calls flooded into congress, lawmakers were forced to change their position on the bills.
http://onforb.es/wF4kFq
Two SOPA Co-Sponsors Drop Support for Bill: Two SOPA Co-Sponsors Drop Support for BillBenjamin QuayleRepresentative Benjamin Quayle of Arizona has had his name withdrawn from SOPA's list of co-sponsors. Representative Lee Terry of Nebraska plans to remove his name as well, according to the Omaha World-Herald.
http://bit.ly/xSO1QP
Obama Said to Consider Nominating Summers as World Bank Chief: A Summers nomination may draw criticism from some Democrats who disagree with his past stances on deregulating the financial industry, he has support inside the administration from top officials, including Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and current NEC Director Gene Sperling, said one of the people.
http://bloom.bg/zWaKbO
Greek rescue blocked by hedge fund greed: Financiers who bought 'distressed' Greek debt insist on making vast profits from the crisis
http://ind.pn/zdqiJo
"Let us be peace and joy"
Tom Feeley | 
