Not For Profit - For Global Justice - Since 2001

Syrian Rebels: Turkey Tipped al Qaida Group to U.S.-trained Fighters By James Rosen, Duygu Gevenc and Zakaria Zakaria The kidnapping of a group of U.S.-trained "moderate Syrians" moments after they entered Syria last month was orchestrated by Turkish intelligence.   Continue ======= Israel’s Choice of Envoy Sends a Message to the UN By Jonathan Cook Danny Danon’s appointment is a “cruel joke” on the international community.   Continue ======= AIPAC And The Treaty; An Illustration Of The Demise of Democracy By Joe Clifford The US Congress sold their collective soul to a special interest group, while forsaking the American people. Continue ======= Refugee Crisis Tests EU’s Foundations By Finian Cunningham Germany – the biggest destination for refugees – is showing its exasperation with other states, which is in turn eroding the very foundations of the 28-member bloc. Continue ======= The Honduran Coup’s Ugly Aftermath By Jonathan Marshall Hillary Clinton helped a right-wing coup in Honduras remove an elected left-of-center president, setting back the cause of democracy and enabling corrupt and drug-tainted forces to tighten their grip on the poverty-stricken country.   Continue ======= Let It Shine By Kathy Kelly Americans must break free of the apathy-inducing turpor of politics, entertainment spectacles and manufactured news.  Continue ======= The Raping of America: Mile Markers on the Road to Fascism By John W. Whitehead Americans must break free of the apathy-inducing turpor of politics, entertainment spectacles and manufactured news.  Continue ======= Please Don't Go  By Stephanie Rainey - Video and Lyrics I'll hold your hand till it goes cold. I'll hold my tears until you go. With all the life that leaves your bones, it soaks the purpose from my own. Continue ======= Turkish army says 34 PKK militants killed in Northern Iraq air strikes: The Turkish military said on Tuesday 34 militants from the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were killed in its latest air strikes on the group's camps in northern Iraq's Qandil mountain region. More than 20 ISIS elements killed and injured in Fallujah: The Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) Jihad Brigades forces reported destroying ISIS headquarters and three headquarters of terrorists in a rocket attack in Alsejar area north of Fallujah Turkish Foreign Minister: US, Turkey to launch ’comprehensive’ anti-ISIL operation: Detailed talks between Washington and Ankara on the plans were completed on Sunday and regional allies including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan as well as Britain and France may also take part, Çavusoglu said in an interview. "The technical talks [were] concluded yesterday" he said Turkey introduces visa requirements for Libyans; Turkey had been one of the few countries which Libyans could without a visa and became a major holiday destination for Libyans seeking to escape the chaos and violence gripping the oil producer four years after the ousting of Muammar Gaddafi. Dozens killed in Syria government air strikes: At least 30 civilians have been killed by Syrian government air strikes targeting Idlib province and Damascus suburbs, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Syria and a monitoring group said. Islamic State releases images said to show destruction of Palmyra temple: Social media images claim to show militants blowing up 2,000-year-old temple of Baal Shamin in ancient Syrian city 14 killed as Yemen's government declares Taiz 'a disaster area': "The situation is awful and the fighting is happening on many fronts. All the hospitals have closed except for one, so there's a shortage of medical care," Taiz resident Abdul Aziz Mohammed told Reuters news agency. In Yemen, Anti-Houthi Operations Confront Forceful Opposition: The Saudi-led offensive against rebels in Yemen has lost its initial momentum. After breaking out of Aden and advancing into the lightly defended areas of Lahj and Ibb provinces, anti-Houthi advances have now reached areas where forces loyal to former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, which include the Houthis, are more concentrated. Saudis turn a blind eye as Qaeda gains ground in Yemen: Al-Qaeda has gained more ground amidst the chaos in Yemen -- this time in second city Aden -- but for now Saudi Arabia is turning a blind eye to its longtime enemy, experts say. 3 Saudi soldiers killed in action against Yemen rebels: Three Saudi soldiers were killed and three others wounded along the Yemeni border in the past 24 hours of fighting and by rocket fire and artillery shelling from Yemen's Shiite rebels, the Saudi military said. 3 Killed in Clashes between Rival Armed Groups in Refugee Camp in Lebanon: Three people were killed in clashes overnight and into Tuesday morning between rival armed groups in Ain al-Hilweh, the Lebanon's largest Palestinian refugee camp, near the Southern city of Sidon, medical sources said. Central African Republic Militia Kills 42 People: Gunmen forced the vehicle to stop by shooting at its tires when it entered a village in the Bambari region, about 365 kilometers (227 miles) northeast of Bangui, the capital, Bernard Bapou, regional secretary for the Red Cross, said by phone on Tuesday, citing the only passenger who survived. Child bomber kills up to six in northeast Nigeria: Witnesses reported seeing a “young girl” trying to get into the station in the Yobe state capital Damaturu around 7:00 am and refusing to be searched by security guards at the gate before blowing herself up. Libya: Air raids in Sirte. ISIS kills four: Terror reigns in Sirte. Military fighter aircraft bombed ISIS positions Tuesday morning with an imprecise number of victims. Libya wants international air strikes against ISIS: "People are dying, are crucified, are disinterred from their graves, are burned alive. Libyans don't understand why the international community doesn't wake up to these dangers." 14 Taliban Insurgents Killed in Clashes in Afghanistan : At least 14 members of the insurgent Taliban movement were killed in clashes with security forces in various parts of Afghanistan, authorities reported today. NATO fighting to prevent Taliban taking opium-growing Helmand town: U.S. forces are back helping Afghan troops repel Taliban insurgents from the strategic opium-growing town of Musa Qala in Helmand province, where in 2007 British and U.S. soldiers waged one of the emblematic battles of the war. U.S. Army Reopens Criminal Inquiry Into Afghan Civilians’ Murders: The United States military has reopened a criminal investigation into a series of at least 17 murders of civilians in 2012 and 2013 for which Afghan officials blamed an Army Special Forces team S Korea stops cross-border broadcast in deal with North: Deal comes after Pyongyang expressed regret over recent wounding of South Korean soldiers. U.S. to deploy F-22 fighter jets to Europe: The United States will deploy F-22 fighter jets to Europe very soon as part of a broader effort to support eastern European members of the NATO alliance unnerved by Russia's intervention in Ukraine, Air Force Secretary Deborah James said on Monday. Map shows how enormous US military spending really is: Not only does the US defense budget equal about half the world's total military spending, but a huge chunk of the rest of the total is spent by close American allies After Libya beatings, migrant teen dies on eve of Italy arrival: A 15-year-old Somalian who survived beatings and forced labour in Libya died on the final stretch of his journey to Europe, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said Tuesday. Wave of desperate refugee board trains toward EU: Hungary builds razor wire fence to keep them out Record number of refugees enter Hungary from Serbia: More than 2,000 refugees crossed frontier on Monday, just days before Hungary completes a border fence. 'The wave has reached us:' EU gropes for answers to refugee surge: A surge in refugee, many of them from Syria, hit Hungary's southern border on Tuesday, passing through gaps in an unfinished barrier to a Europe groping for answers to its worst refugee crisis since World War Two Suspected arson attack on German refugee shelter: The hall in the eastern town of Nauen, located 15km west of the capital Berlin, had been redesigned to house about 130 asylum seekers, who were awaiting transfer to permanent housing locations. El Salvador Declares Gangs Terrorist Organizations: El Salvador’s two most powerful gangs, Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha, are now considered terrorist organizations by the Salvadoran government, after a Supreme Court ruling Monday found the gangs’ actions “indiscriminately” affect the “fundamental rights of the population.” California Democrats Say Decree Against Venezuela Violates Law: The Central Committee of California Democratic Party (CADEM) passed a resolution urging President Barack Obama to repeal the decree that imposed sanctions on Venezuela and branded the country an "extraordinary threat” to the United States. Only three of 116 Guantánamo detainees were captured by US forces:Bulk of remaining detainees – who US politicians refer to as ‘worst of the worst’ – were rounded up by Pakistani and Afghan spies, warlords and security services. China's Central Bank Injects $23.4 Billion as Yuan Intervention Drains Funds: China’s central bank injected the most funds via open-market operations in six months and cut lenders’ reserve ratios, adding cash as it buys yuan to prop up the exchange rate and tries to arrest a stock-market slide. US stocks surge after China cuts rates to help economy: The move erased some of the stock market's heavy losses from a day earlier when concerns over a slowdown in China's economy rattled global markets and knocked down the Dow Jones industrial average more than 588 points. Chinese Central Banker Blames Fed For Market Rout: While the western mainstream media meme is that "this is all China's fault" - despite the fact that the real break happened after the FOMC Minutes last week - Xinhua reports that China central bank blames wide-spread expectations of a Fed rate hike in September for the global market rout... demanding The Fed "remain patient." US oil finishes below $40 for first time since 2009: US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for October delivery dropped $2.21 to $38.24 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, its first below-$40 close since February 2009. Jeb Bush: Asians abusing US birthright citizenship: - Republican White House hopeful Jeb Bush on Monday accused Asians of abusing rules allowing infants born in the United States to be American citizens, amid a campaign row over immigration. August 24, 2015      Western Complicity in Yemen Genocide Met With Media Silence By Finian Cunningham What is happening in Yemen is truly a heinous crime against humanity committed by Western governments.   Continue ======= The Russian Army is Beginning to Engage in Syria By Thierry Meyssan A profound and significant change has just occurred in the Levant – the Russian army has begun to engage against terrorism in Syria.   Continue ======= Playing the Long Game on Iran By David Bromwich The Neoconservatives, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Republicans Game the System.   Continue ======= The Iran Agreement and Israel’s Claim to Speak for the Jews By Lawrence Davidson Jews are quite diverse in their views and a growing number of them are not supporters of Israel or its practices.   Continue ======= Breaking the Fear Factor  By Peter Koenig We are living in a (western) world dominated by neoliberal dictators, criminals and crooks.   Continue ======= Stock Selloff: Panic Time or a Blip on the Radar? By Mike Whitney You can see the game that’s being played here. Mom and Pop investors are getting fleeced again.   Continue ======= “Don’t Owe. Won’t Pay.” Everything You’ve Been Told About Debt Is Wrong By Charles Eisenstein With the nation’s household debt burden at $11.85 trillion, even the most modest challenges to its legitimacy have revolutionary implications.   Continue ======= Islamic State attacks kill 51 Syrian soldiers in north: monitor: The Observatory said fighting around the air base had killed at least 62 Islamic State militants, including group leaders. 30 killed in strike on IS oil refinery: At least 30 jihadists and civilian oil workers were killed when the US-led coalition against the Islamic State militant group carried out an airstrike against a Syrian oil refinery US, Turkey to launch 'comprehensive' anti-ISIS operation: Detailed talks between Washington and Ankara on the plans were completed on Sunday, and regional allies including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan, as well as Britain and France may also take part, Cavusoglu said in an interview. ISIS blows up ancient temple at Palmyra: The destruction of the Baal Shamin temple, considered ancient Palmyra's second-most significant temple, raised concerns for the rest of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed ruins. U.S. confirms Islamic State use of chemical weapons: U.S. military officials in Iraq have issued preliminary confirmation that Islamic State militants used mustard gas in a mortar attack on Kurdish forces in August, a Defense Department official said. 31 killed in clashes with Islamic State in Anbar: At least 18 members of Iraq's security forces were killed and 30 wounded in clashes Sunday with Islamic State militants northwest of Ramadi, capital of Iraq's Anbar province. Iraqi forces and allied Shia militiamen likewise killed at least 13 Islamic State militants during the battle northwest of Ramadi, according to reports. Rebel rockets kill 14 civilians in Yemen city: medics: The bodies of those killed, including seven women and four children, were taken overnight to the morgue at a public hospital in Taez, said the medical officials. Religious eugenics: How Saudi Arabia is sponsoring a frightening new movement in the ME : Op-Ed: Yemen is a nation in permanent mourning, as every day its people are relentlessly slain - casualties of a violent and murderous colonial war - the latest victims of Riyadh's expansionist military campaign in the Middle East. Protester killed during demonstrations in Beirut: Ambulances ferried out casualties after security forces fired tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon at demonstrators protesting against what they call Lebanon's "political dysfunction". Israel getting majority of its oil from Iraqi Kurds since May: Report: Iraq's federal government is likely to be upset about the high volume of Kurdish crude oil sales to Israel Video: Israelis celebrate child slaughter outside hunger striker’s hospital: This video shows Israeli police and right-wing extremists violently attacking and assaulting Palestinians who had gathered outside the hospital where a Palestinian hunger striker is gravely ill. The Unconverted: How Israel excludes those 'not Jewish enough': Meet the 'second-class' Jews whose plight is sparking an uprising against Israel's supreme religious authority. Almost 80,000 sign UK petition for Netanyahu arrest: Almost 80,000 people had by Monday signed a petition urging the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes when he visits London next month. US Court Orders Palestine to Pay $10M to Israel Bomb Victims: U.S. District Judge George Daniels in Manhattan ordered the payment even after the U.S. government intervened earlier this month telling the court to “carefully consider” the PA's financial condition, saying too high a bond could compromise its ability to function. Islamic State executes four people in central Libyan city: residents: Islamic State has executed four people in the central Libyan city of Sirte, including at least one member of a rival group whose body was put on display, according to residents and a video published on social media on Monday. Libyan rebels take control of Surman: Rebel forces loyal to Libyan General Khalifa Haftar on Sunday took control of the town of Sorman, 80 kilometres from the capital Tripoli, and took up positions in the city centre, security sources have reported. Bomb kills 3 Egyptian policemen, wounds 33: officials: A bomb struck a bus carrying Egyptian policemen Monday, killing three and wounding 33, officials said, in the latest attack against security forces who are being targeted by jihadists. Tunisian border guard killed in terror attack: A Tunisian border guard was killed in a shoot-out with terrorists on the border with Algeria, officials said on Monday, in an attack claimed by the North African country’s main extremist group. South Africa's rand tumbles to all-time low: The currency of the continent's most developed economy tumbled to 14.0682 against the greenback before midday, an 8.5 percent drop, before it pulled back to 13.33 by mid-afternoon. Pakistan: Army Officer, Six Militants Killed in Shawal: Two soldiers including a Lieutenant Colonel of Pakistan Army were martyred in exchange of fire with the militants in Shawal Valley of North Waziristan Agency on Monday. Airstrike kills Jundullah chief in Kunduz, Afghanistan: Abu Huzaifa, the chief of proscribed Jundullah, has been killed in an airstrike in Afghanistan's Kunduz province. Quoting the National Directorate of Security (NDS), the Afghan media reported Jundullah chief Abu Huzaifa along with his three commanders was killed in an airstrike launched in coordination with the intelligence department. Seven police killed in Nepal protests against charter: Seven police officers were killed in western Nepal Monday in clashes with demonstrators protesting against a proposed new constitution, police said. The government said it was sending in the army after the clashes in Kailali district in the remote far west of the country, where authorities said there were reports three demonstrators may also have died. Soldiers killed in clashes near Azerbaijan's breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region: Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said five Armenian soldiers were killed and eight wounded late on Saturday. It said the Armenians were the first to open fire and three Azeri soldiers were wounded. Massive Shelling From Ukrainian Forces: Donetsk News Agency reported that the Kirovsky district had been attacked around 11 p.m. local time. There were direct hits in the settlement of Staromikhaylovka in the Kirovsky district that caused damages to four houses and an outbuilding. Russia's Lavrov says US signals it wants to mend ties: Lavrov said last week that Russian President Vladimir Putin would "consider constructively" any request for a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama when he travels to New York next month for the U.N. General Assembly. Russia, China against imposing will over sovereign states & attempts to rewrite history: “Today we see barefaced craving to falsify the history of war (WWII) and equalize victims and slaughterers. This urge does not only revolt feelings of our people, but also undermines the basis of the modern world order perpetuated in the United Nations’ Statute,” Lavrov wrote. Russian ruble collapses to 7-month low on weak oil prices: The ruble was trading at 71.04 to the dollar at the close of trading in Moscow, its lowest level since Jan. 30, when Russian markets were hit by a combination of low energy prices and Western sanctions. After the market closed, the ruble recovered slightly in futures trading in an indication that it may recover some of its losses. German government condemns neo-Nazi riots outside refugee shelter: Dozens of police injured by a neo-Nazi mob hurling bottles and fireworks at officers trying to ensure asylum seekers could move in US: Police secretly track cellphones to solve routine crimes: In the process, they quietly transformed a form of surveillance billed as a tool to hunt terrorists and kidnappers into a staple of everyday policing. China stocks suffer biggest one-day loss in eight years: China market plummets more than eight percent as investors disillusioned with measures taken dump shares. Gerald Celente-Gold Is The Safe Haven for Coming Collapse: Video - What you are looking at are crises coming from many different levels. We are talking about economy, geo politics and civil wars to regional wars and social unrest.” Over Forty Percent of US Children are Living in Poverty: The Federal Government issues an artificially low annual official poverty level that radically understates the real level of US poverty. For 2015 the official level of poverty for a family of four, for example, is roughly an income $24,000 a year or less. This is for a family with 2 adults and 2 children Nearly 14 million Americans live in neighborhoods of extreme poverty: A report released earlier this month found that the number of Americans living in neighborhoods of extreme poverty, where more than 40 percent of the population is at or below the federal poverty line, has nearly doubled since 2000, rising from 7.2 million to 13.8 million. Republican Candidates Outsource Their Foreign Policy: There's a good reason so many GOP candidates seem to be uncannily in sync when it comes to foreign policy: Most of them have tapped the same group of experts for guidance, a shadow foreign policy campaign infrastructure just waiting for a nominee to emerge. Some Clinton emails classified from Day 1: report: Reuters' review of Clinton's public State emails would undermine her presidential campaign's claims that she never sent or received messages that had already gotten classified status. Bergdahl lawyer slams candidate Trump over 'traitor' comments: The lawyer for U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, the former Taliban prisoner in Afghanistan charged with desertion, on Thursday chastised U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for calling his client a "traitor." Cartoonist fired by LA Times after LAPD arrest says evidence 'spliced and edited': As Ted Rall’s book on Edward Snowden hits shelves this week, parallels are visible between his own story – involving a police encounter over jaywalking – and that of his subject, the NSA whistleblower January 24,2015 US Shows its Real Face in Choosing Turkey over the Kurds By Joris Leverink The U.S. is showing that defeating the jihadists might in fact not be its number one priority.   Continue ======= Division 30, Trained and Funded by the United States By Jenan Moussa Duplicitous, schizoid, two-faced, are some of the phrases to describe Washington’s mindset.  Continue ======= Kissinger: ‘Breaking Russia has Become Objective for US’  By RT Kissinger called for the West to stop backing Kiev at all costs, even as the victims of the conflict pile up.   Continue ======= Washington’s Extraordinary ‘Welcome’ for China’s President Xi By Finian Cunningham Duplicitous, schizoid, two-faced, are some of the phrases to describe Washington’s mindset.  Continue ======= "Sharyl Attkisson and Her Dead Horse" By Deacon Solomon Why has American journalism become a collection of lying, limp-wristed, pretty-faced cowards and timeservers and schlubs?  Continue ======= “A Democratic Explosion Unprecedented in British History" By George Galloway and Seumas Milne George Galloway & Seamus Milne discuss the MSM smear campaign against Corbyn.   Continue ======= Misinformation Hides Real Dimension of Greek “Bailout” By Roberto Savio All but seven percent of the 86 billion euros will go to pay debt with the other European governments, the country’s citizens will see none of it.   Continue ======= Central Banks Have Become A Corrupting Force By Paul Craig Roberts and Dave Kranzler Is the stock market decline of August 20-21 welcome or unwelcome?   Continue ======= Iraq: ISIS kills 23 Iraqi soldiers, allied fighters in Anbar: officials: Iraqi military and police officials say 17 soldiers and six allied Sunni fighters have been killed in an attack by ISIS militants in the turbulent Anbar province west of Baghdad.They said Sunday's attack took place in the rural district of Jaramshah north of Anbar's provincial capital, Ramadi. 50 Iraqi troops killed by ISIS in volatile Anbar: Sabah al-Karhout, speaking to AP on Saturday, didn’t divulge many details, saying only that the attack, which claimed up to 50 lives, took place on Friday just west of the provincial capital of Ramadi. White House in Chilcot 'cover-up': America bans crucial files that could reveal secret of why Blair invaded Iraq. Syrian airstrikes kill 50 rebels in Latakia countryside: The Syrian airstrikes killed over 50 rebels Sunday during raging battles in the countryside of the coastal city of Latakia, state news agency SANA and a monitor group reported. The airstrikes against the rebel positions north of Latakia were the latest in a series of raging battles in several towns there. 9 Syrian officers killed in clashes with IS : The officers were killed during clashes on Saturday when the IS militants blew up a suicide car bomb near the Koerse airbase. The airbase has for long been besieged by the IS militants, who also repeatedly attempted to storm this crucial facility, but so far failed. Syria: Four Hezbollah fighters killed in Zabadani in fiercest clashes yet: Four Hezbollah were killed in ferocious clashes in the besieged Syrian city of Zabadani, as the Lebanese group and its Syrian army allies slowly advance toward the city's center, a security source tells The Daily Star Islamic State Destroys Ancient Temple in Palmyra, Syria: Palmyra is 240 kilometers (150 miles) northeast of Damascus, and contains the ruins of a 2,000-year-old city that was one of the most important cultural centers of the ancient world. US Kills 4 People in Yemen: The four were travelling in a car on the tarmac of Mukalla's Al-Rayane airport that was struck by a missile fired by an "American drone", according to the unnamed official, killing them instantly. The night strike follows a similar attack on Friday which killed three Al-Qaeda suspects Shelling from Yemen kills Saudi border guard: Shelling from the Yemeni side of the border killed a Saudi border guard in the kingdom’s Al-Harth region, an official with the Ministry of Interior said, adding that forces retaliated. Saudi general killed in cross-border fire from Yemen: Major General Abdulrahman bin Saad Al Shahrani, commander of the 18th Brigade, was visiting troops deployed “on the front lines along the southern region when the post came under random enemy fire,” the military said in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency. Yemen forces capture two Saudi military bases: The Yemeni army, backed by popular committees, has taken control of at least two Saudi army bases in the border province of Jizan. Local media reports said on Sunday that the Yemeni forces also seized three Saudi tanks and destroyed several other armored vehicles in retaliatory attacks in the same troubled region. UAE troops free British hostage from al-Qaeda in Yemen: Oil engineer Douglas Semple rescued by UAE forces from an undisclosed location and flown to Abu Dhabi. Beirut protests turn violent for second day as PM threatens to quit: Protests against the Lebanese government turned violent for a second day on Sunday, and Prime Minister Tammam Salam threatened to resign as public discontent brought thousands into the streets. Too soon for 'illogical' U.S. to return to Tehran: Iran: Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, asked if Tehran would now countenance a restoration of the US diplomatic mission, said the United States' "illogical attitude" towards Iran meant the time was not ripe for a similar move with Washington. Abbas to resign, briefly, from PLO post, but tighten grip: The upcoming shakeup is seen as one of Abbas' recent efforts to sideline critics and potential rivals. New head of Nigerian army escapes 'Boko Haram attack': Chief of Army Staff Tuku Buratai unharmed during ambush on his convoy en route to northeastern village to visit troops. Car bomb outside hospital in Afghan capital kills three: A car bomb exploded outside a hospital in Kabul on Saturday, killing three people and injuring 27, a health official said, as a wave of attacks hit the capital after the news broke of the death of Taliban leader Mullah Omar. Rebels kill four Pakistani troops in cross-border attack: Militants launched a cross-border attack on a Pakistani checkpoint in a restive tribal region on Sunday, killing at least four soldiers and wounding four others, the military said. Paris train attack suspect 'dumbfounded' by allegations: Lawyer for Moroccan Ayob el-Khazzani says he denies accusations of terrorism and any shots being fired on Thalys train. Train gunman wanted to rob people, looked malnourished: lawyer: The gunman who was disarmed by passengers on a train in France two days ago looked weak and malnourished and said he had only meant to rob people, a lawyer who interviewed him after the attack said Sunday. 'Stop F**king Crying!' SWAT Raids Wrong Home, Holds Naked Mom at Gunpoint in Front of Children Biden consults with Warren as he mulls 2016 presidential bid: Vice President Joe Biden left the seclusion of the Delaware home where he's been weighing a presidential run to meet Saturday with Elizabeth Warren — another influential Democrat who has faced calls to enter the 2016 race. Trump Keeps Lying About His Crowd Counts – And The Media Is Letting Him: Is anyone going to mention these numbers are totally bogus? Hillary Clinton could face jail time as email scandal sparks legal challenges: The Obama administration will soon find itself in court having to explain to federal judges why it never told anyone former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton used a secret email address, potentially spoiling dozens of open records requests, experts said Wednesday. August 22, 2014 Why Are We Ignoring the War on Yemen? By Sonali Kolhatkar While ordinary civilians are suffering horrific violence and starvation, there is deafening silence from the U.S. and others who claim to be defenders of human rights. Continue ======= U.S. Provides Cover for Use of Banned Weapons in Yemen By Thalif Deen The United States is providing a thinly-veiled cover virtually legitimising the use of cluster bombs – banned by an international convention – by Saudi Arabia and its allies. Continue ======= 4 Million Muslims Killed In Western Wars: Should We Call It Genocide? By Kit O'Connell Since the vast majority of those killed were of Arab descent, and mostly Muslim, when would it be fair to accuse the United States and its allies of genocide? Continue ======= Why Al Jazeera will not say Mediterranean 'migrants' By Barry Malone The umbrella term migrant is no longer fit for purpose. It has evolved from its dictionary definitions into a tool that dehumanises and distances, a blunt pejorative. Continue ======= Everything Western Media Report About Russia Is a Big Fat Lie By Stephen Lendman Washington wants pro-Western stooge governance replacing Russia’s sovereign independence, its a pure evil Hitlerian agenda wrapped in the American flag. Continue ======= Former Nuclear Safeguards Official Says AP's Iran Deal Document Looks Fake By Jessica Schulberg The leaked document may have surfaced in a way similar to the "Niger Letter," forged documents leaked prior to the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq. Continue ======= The Age of Imperial Wars By James Petras Can we really have peace with Iran if we cannot control our own government as it dances to the Israelis tune?  Continue ======= The Guardian Gets it Wrong on Latin America Again  By teleSur The Guardian is distorting the truth. Continue ======= Cornel West: The Fire of a New Generation By George Yancy and Cornel West Black prophetic fire is the hypersensitivity to the suffering of others that generates a righteous indignation that results in the willingness to live and die for freedom. Continue ======= Over 50 people killed in Syrian missile strikes at rebel areas near Damascus: They said more bodies were believed to be under the rubble of buildings occupied by dozens of families in the city of Douma, about 15 km (10 miles) northeast of Damascus, with dozens of victims taken to field hospitals, many seriously wounded. Russia Denies Sending Interceptors to Syria: Russia has not sent Mikoyan MiG-31 supersonic interceptors to Syria and does not intend to operate the aircraft in the war-torn country, CEO of Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG Sergei Korotkov stated refuting recent rumors. Iraq official says ISIS has killed up to 50 Iraqi troops in Anbar: Islamic State militants killed up to 50 soldiers in two separate ambushes in Iraq's turbulent Anbar province west of the capital, Baghdad, a top provincial official said Saturday. 25 IS militants killed in air strikes in Iraq's Anbar: A total of 25 Islamic State (IS) militants were killed on Saturday in air strikes by Iraqi aircraft in Iraq's western province of Anbar, a provincial security source said. 41 PKK fighters killed in military operations: A total of 41 militants of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) were killed in military operations in northern Iraq and southeastern Turkey in the past two days, said a Turkish military statement on Saturday. Turkish soldier killed, ruling party HQ attacked in new PKK violence: A soldier was killed in southeastern Turkey and a regional headquarters of the country's ruling party hit by a bomb attack, in new violence blamed on Kurdish militants, the army and sources said Saturday. Yemen: Doctors Without Borders say 65 civilians killed in a single day: The deaths occurred when Saudi-led Arab coalition air strikes hit civilian homes, MSF said in a statement released on Friday. 43 civilians killed in Yemen bombing: Stephen O’Brien, United Nations humanitarian chief, said to the Security Council that “the scale of human suffering is nearly incomprehensible”. Yemen officials say al-Qaida seizes key areas of Aden: Fighters took Tawahi district, home to a presidential palace and Aden's main port, and were patrolling the streets, some carrying black banners, the officials said. The militants also took parts of Crater, Aden's commercial center, and parts of Dar Saad town, just north of Aden, including an army base that they turned into a training camp. Israeli War Jet Shot Down Over Syria - Media: The Syrian air defense shot down an Israeli warplane violating the Arab country's air space, an Iranian news agency reported. The Israeli fighter jet was targeted over the city of Al-Quneitra on Friday, Iran’s Fars news agency reported on Saturday. Ehud Barak: Israel was about to attack Iran : Barak said that the attack plans against Iran were drawn up and approved by him and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sometime between 2009 and 2010. Leaked audio: Israeli leaders drew up plans to attack Iranian military: Israeli leaders planned to attack military targets in Iran in recent years, but they were held back due to the opinions of other government leaders and military leaders, according to an audio recording leaked to an Israeli television broadcaster. Obama vows to up Israel defense aid if nuke deal approved: According to the New York Times, Obama “pledged to increase missile defense funding for Israel, accelerate co-development of missile defense systems, and boost tunnel detection and mapping technologies.” Obama to Congress: U.S. will enforce Iran deal: "Should Iran seek to dash toward a nuclear weapon, all of the options available to the United States -- including the military option -- will remain available through the life of the deal and beyond," Obama said in a letter. Iran shoots down surveillance drone on western border - state news: "After spotting the drone, our air defence system missiles shot it down," Farzad Fereidooni, commander of an anti-aircraft system in Kermanshah province was quoted as saying by IRNA. Mahmoud Abbas resigns as executive chairman of PLO - reports: President Mahmoud Abbas has reportedly quit his post as the head of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which he held from 2004, alongside several other top lieutenants. Abbas will continue in his role as PA leader. At least 18 killed in Somalia bombings?: At least 18 people were killed in Somalia on Saturday in two bomb attacks carried out by suspected Shabab militants in the south of the country and the capital Mogadishu, officials said. Afghanistan: Kabul car bomb that killed at least 12 targeted foreigners - Video North, South Korea top brass hold talks on border crisis: Senior officials from North and South Korea have started talks on the border crisis. The meeting started an hour after Pyongyang’s ultimatum demanding Seoul stop ‘broadcasting propaganda’ passed its deadline. Everything Western Media Report About Russia Is a Big Fat Lie: Washington wants pro-Western stooge governance replacing Russia’s sovereign independence, its vast land mass balkanized for easier control, its resources looted, its people exploited like serfs - a pure evil Hitlerian agenda wrapped in the American flag. Watch: Chaos at Macedonia border as refugees tear through police lines: Security forces threw stun grenades and lashed out with batons in an increasingly futile bid to stem their flow through the Balkans to western Europe. Protesters in Germany attack refugee buses shouting 'foreigners out': Up to 1,000 protesters have clashed with police in eastern Germany in riots reportedly sparked by the arrival of 250 migrants. Police said protesters shouting "foreigners out" and carrying banners against the "asylum flood" threw bottles and stones at busloads of asylum seekers arriving in Heidenau, near Dresden. Czech Gov’t Says Ready to Use Army to Protect Borders From Refugees: The Czech government is set, in the event of an emergency situation, to send 2,600 servicemen to strengthen border patrols intended to counter a large-scale influx of refugees, Czech Defense Minister Martin Stropnicky said Bid to rescue 3,000 refugees stranded off Libya coast: Italian and Norwegian ships coordinating the rescue of refugees in 18 crowded vessels in the Mediterranean. France train attack: officials praise ‘bravery’ of passengers – video : Speaking from Arras in northern France, Cazeneuve says the passengers, believed to be US marines, helped prevent a much worse attack. The shooting happened at around 6pm as the Thalys train was travelling from Amsterdam to Paris Watch: France train shooting: Video shows mayhem inside train carriage during 'terrorist' take down French high-speed train attacker ‘connected with radical Islamists, visited Syria’ - minister: A gunman, who injured two people on a high-speed train in France on Friday, was likely listed in the EU as a suspected Islamist militant, French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve said, adding that doubts about the man’s identity still remain. Peruvians Protest US Military Presence: Ahead of the arrival of more than 3,000 U.S. military personnel in Peru, Peruvians marched in the capital city Lima to protest U.S. military intervention in the South American country, Prensa Latina reported Thursday. Autopsy shows St. Louis teenager killed by police was shot in the back: The finding may escalate tensions that flared immediately after the shooting Wednesday, as protesters and family members of the slain teen questioned police accounts that Ball-Bey pointed a gun at them as he fled from a home where police were serving a search warrant. Philadelphia Cop Caught On Hidden Camera Extorting A Driver! “Buy These Or I Take Your Car” No Verdict At End Of Trial For Cop Who Fatally Shot Unarmed Black Man : The jury in the manslaughter trial for the Charlotte, North Carolina police officer who shot and killed an unarmed black man who was seeking help after he crashed his car in 2013 was unable to reach a verdict on Friday. Watch: Cop Threatens To “Drag” Teens Out Of Car For Smiling And Not Taking Him Seriously Enough - Video - Immigration Could Get Push From Pope Francis: Pope Francis has been vocal about the treatment of immigrants since he became the head of the Roman Catholic Church in March 2013. Last year, he called the surge of Central American children crossing the border into the United States a “humanitarian emergency.” Pope Francis noted the “tragic rise” of immigrants fleeing poverty. US court orders release of imprisoned migrant children: The ruling on Friday by US District Judge Dolly Gee in Los Angeles gave the administration of President Barack Obama until October 23 to comply with her order to release hundreds of unauthorised immigrant children, and in some cases their mothers, "without unnecessary delay". 30K Show up for Donald Trump's Campaign Rally in Alabama: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump had 30,000 people attend his rally in Mobile, Alabama, on Friday, police said, narrowly edging out Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders for the largest crowd of the 2016 campaign season so far.