Author: Admin

CBS News

WASHINGTON — From furniture and food to fine art, members of the Obama administration received thousands of dollars in gifts from foreign leaders, but first lady Michelle Obama appears to have received the most expensive gift last year.

The State Department reported Tuesday that the queen of Brunei gave Mrs. Obama jewelry worth $71,468 in 2013. The flower-shaped white gold earrings, ring and necklace were studded with yellow sapphires and diamonds, according to the department’s annual accounting of gifts published in the Federal Register. That’s almost seven times more valuable than the most expensive gift received by President Barack Obama, a glass amber-colored sculpture of a falcon on a branch worth $10,400 from Qatar’s ambassador to the U.S.   Continue reading “Brunei queen’s jewelry tops Obama family’s diplomatic gifts”

Yahoo News

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s long-range bombers will conduct regular patrol missions from the Arctic Ocean to the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, the military said Wednesday, a show of muscle reflecting tensions with the West over Ukraine.

A statement from Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu came as NATO’s chief commander accused Moscow of sending new troops and tanks into Ukraine — a claim quickly rejected by Russia.   Continue reading “Russian bomber patrols to reach Gulf of Mexico”

Wall Street Journal – by Rebecca Davis O’Brien

A former New York Police Department officer whose trial in an alleged kidnapping and cannibalism plot drew an international media frenzy walked free Wednesday after being sentenced on a minor charge.

Gilberto Valle, who was dubbed the “Cannibal Cop” by tabloids, was sentenced to 12 months already served in prison and a year of supervised release for illegally using a police database.   Continue reading “Former Police Officer Accused of Cannibal Plot Goes Free”

Reuters

Israeli authorities gave initial approval on Wednesday for the construction of 200 new homes in an urban settlement in Jerusalem, a move that could aggravate tensions with Palestinians that Washington is trying to lower.

Violence has flared in the past few weeks over Jerusalem’s most sacred and politically sensitive site, holy to both Jews and Muslims. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was due in Jordan on Wednesday for talks with King Abdullah and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on efforts to calm the situation.   Continue reading “Israeli gives initial approval for 200 new homes in East Jerusalem”

Twin Cities – by Dee J. Hall, Wisconsin State Journal

Wisconsin could have one of the nation’s most sweeping drug-testing requirements for those receiving public benefits if the proposal by Gov. Scott Walker to test those who apply for unemployment checks and food stamps becomes law.

But with scant details, it’s unclear whether any expansion beyond the current testing of drug felons would be allowed under federal law governing the state’s FoodShare program. It’s also unclear how Wisconsin could craft any broad-based testing program for public benefits recipients that would be found constitutional.   Continue reading “Wisconsin’s Scott Walker wants jobless, food stamp recipients to face drug tests”

Fox News

President Barack Obama announced Wednesday that the U.S. has set a new goal to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by between 26 percent and 28 percent over the next 11 years as part of a climate change agreement with China.

The new target is a drastic increase from earlier in Obama’s presidency, when he pledged to cut emissions by 17 percent by 2020. By contrast, Obama’s counterpart, Xi Jinping, did not pledge any reductions by a specific date, but rather set a target for China’s emissions to peak by 2030, or earlier if possible. Xi also pledged to increase the share of energy that China will derive from sources other than fossil fuels. China’s emissions have grown in recent years due to the building of new coal plants.    Continue reading “Obama vows US will cut emissions by at least 26 percent over next 11 years”

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The Daily Caller – by Jamie Weinstein

Like the Nixon administration before it, President Barack Obama’s White House apparently keeps — or at least at one time kept — an enemies list.

In a profile in the New Republic of Valerie Jarrett, who is considered Obama’s most influential White House adviser, Noam Scheiber writes of the existence of an enemies list — or as he termed it, “a shit list.”   Continue reading “Liberal Mag: Valerie Jarrett Keeps An Enemies List”

Reuters – by JATINDRA DASH

Ten women died and 14 were in a serious condition after botched operations at a government mass sterilization “camp” in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, officials said on Tuesday.

The women fell ill on Monday, two days after surgery at a so-called family planning camp at a village. Such camps are held regularly in Chhattisgarh and other Indian states as part of a long-running effort to control India’s booming population.   Continue reading “Ten women die after botched surgery at sterilization ‘camp’ in India”

CTV News – by Peter Enav

JERUSALEM — Israeli troops shot and killed a Palestinian demonstrator in clashes in the West Bank on Tuesday as Israel tightened security following a pair of Palestinian attacks that took two Israeli lives the day before.

Tuesday’s clashes erupted near the city of Hebron where about 150 Palestinian demonstrators were throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails at Israeli soldiers, the army said.   Continue reading “Clashes erupt in West Bank; Palestinian protester killed”

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Philly.com

Reuters

An armed man was taken into custody after holding at least two people hostage for several hours in an office building in Norman, Oklahoma, on Monday, police said, adding there were no reported injuries.

“Suspect in custody,” police in Norman, about 20 miles south of Oklahoma City, said in a statement. Police said they had been in talks with the suspect, trying to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the standoff.   Continue reading “Gunman in custody after taking hostages in Oklahoma”