The House and Senate Intelligence Committees have given a green light to arm Syrian rebels, as their concerns were alleviated. But a top US general warned that high costs of military options could reach billions. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff and the highest-ranking American military advisor, wrote that a no-fly zone over Syria would cost the US between $500 million... 

Caracas brought talks with the US to an abrupt end over statements made by Samantha Power, the nominee for UN ambassador. Venezuela blasted Washington for backing Power’s “meddling agenda” after she criticized human rights in the country. The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry released a statement on Friday announcing an end to rapprochement negotiations between Washington and Caracas in Guatemala. “The... 

Muslim women are not allowed to wear the face veil in France. At least five people have been injured in France after clashes broke out between police forces and hundreds of Muslim protesters in a town west of the capital, Paris. Clashes broke out in the town of Trappes late Friday, resulting in the arrest of at least six people. The nearly 300 demonstrators were protesting the arrest of a man whose... 

Sir Bob Russell, Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament Another member of the British parliament has nearly been sacked for comments his party describes as ‘a denigration’ of the Holocaust, local media reported. Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament Sir Bob Russell questioned Zionist regime’s treatment of Palestinians in an address to the House of Commons on Monday. “On the assumption that... 

The splash page for the social networking website Facebook. Venezuela’s prisons minister has called on Venezuelans to cancel their accounts on the social networking website Facebook in a move to refrain from being targeted by US spying. Maria Iris Varela said in a message posted on Twitter, “Fellow Venezuelans: cancel your Facebook accounts, since you unwittingly have worked as CIA informants!... 

Native Britons are less likely to have higher levels of education and employment than immigrants, new figures have revealed. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 21 percent of foreign nationals were employed in banking, finance and insurance, compared with 17 percent of British nationals. Moreover, nearly 40 percent of foreign nationals gained qualifications at degree standard or... 

A branch of Russia’s Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by a group of Muslims for the right of schoolgirls to wear traditional religious attire, specifically the hijab, in classrooms. The appeal was made by a group of citizens of Muslim faith from southern Russia’s Stavropol Region. They complained that a decree by the local administration ordering all schoolchildren to appear in classes only... 

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says if the Labor Party is reelected, he will hold a referendum on the recognition of the country’s Aborigines in the constitution. On Wednesday, during the 50th anniversary of the indigenous land rights movement, Rudd said the recognition of the Aboriginal people as Australia’s first inhabitants was a key priority. “I therefore, as prime minister, want... 

Syrian refugees, driven out of their country by the war, are trying to cross the Turkish-Greek border to seek asylum in the European Union. It is obvious that Greece cannot accept all those in need, therefore, the Greek authorities take a tough stance with respect to illegal immigrants. However, people still flee, drowning in the Aegean Sea and in the Maritsa River at the border with Turkey. A Syrian... 

Republicans and Democrats are outraged that Russia has not immediately turned Edward Snowden over to the United States to face charges of espionage and treason. Arizona Senator John McCain and New York Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer on Sunday accused Russian President Putin of using the NSA whistleblower as an excuse to attack the United States. McCain went so far as to insinuate that Putin is trying... 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) attends a meeting with UK Prime Minister David Cameron Germany Federal Prosecutor’s Office says it is preparing to bring charges against US and British intelligence agencies over large-scale spying operations on EU offices, a new report says. The British daily The Independent reported on Sunday that Germany’s Office of the Federal Prosecutor is preparing... 

President Vladimir Putin says NSA leaker Edward Snowden may stay in Russia, if he wants to, but only if he stops activities aimed against the United States. “There is one condition if he wants to remain here: he must stop his work aimed at damaging our American partners. As odd as it may sound from me,” Putin told a media conference in Moscow. In Putin’s opinion, Snowden considers himself “a... 

The European Parliament has asked for “full clarification” about the latest disclosure that the U.S. has spied on European Union offices both in the U.S. and in Europe, warning EU-U.S. relations would be severely affected. “I am deeply worried and shocked about the allegations of U.S. authorities spying on EU offices,” said the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz in a statement... 

In another hit piece done by the UK media outlet Reuters, called “In Crisis-Hit Athens, plans for a mosque reveal deep divisions” A Pakistani taxi driver is interviewed, speaking of tolerance and blaming Greeks for being racist and against the construction of a mosque. The Pakistani, named Muhammed Zafeer says: “Greece has to decide if it will be democratic or if it will go back to the Middle... 

Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa came up with scalding online remarks over criticism his country faced from the US press for potentially granting asylum to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. “They’ve managed to focus attention on Snowden and on the ‘wicked’ countries that ‘support’ him, making us forget the terrible things against the US people and the whole world that he denounced,”...