Stuff – Reuters

A Gaza ceasefire crumbled only hours after it began on Friday, with at least 40 Palestinians killed by Israeli shelling and Israel accusing militants of violating the US- and UN-brokered truce by firing rockets and mortars.

The 72-hour break announced by US Secretary of State John Kerry and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was the most ambitious attempt so far to end more than three weeks of fighting, and followed mounting international alarm over a rising Palestinian civilian death toll.   Continue reading “Gaza ceasefire over within hours”

Palestinians gather near the minaret of a mosque that police said was destroyed by an Israeli Air strike in Gaza City July 30, 2014. (Reuters / Finbarr O'Reilly)RT

Israel and Hamas have agreed to unconditionally begin a 72-hour ceasefire in the embattled Gaza Strip on Friday, the United States and United Nations said Thursday.

The ceasefire will begin at 8 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) on Friday, Aug. 1, US Secretary of State John Kerry and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said in a joint statement. During the three-day cessation, forces on the ground will remain in place.   Continue reading “Israel, Hamas agree to unconditional 72-hour ceasefire”

Reuters

An oil tanker has started loading a cargo of condensate, or ultra-light oil, the first such export from the United States since the easing of a 40-year-old ban on U.S. crudeexports, two sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

Westport Petroleum Inc, the Franklin, Tennessee-based shipping arm of Japanese trader Mitsui & Co, chartered the BW Zambesi, an LR1 tanker, also known as a Panamax class vessel, in mid-July for the voyage.   Continue reading “Ship loads first U.S. oil condensate export cargo in 40 years – sources”

The Hill – by Christina Marcos

The House voted Wednesday to rebuke President Obama by passing a resolution authorizing a GOP lawsuit against his use of executive power.

The 225-201 vote fell along party lines, with five Republicans voting against the measure. No Democrats supported it.

The lawsuit is a direct response to GOP frustration with Obama’s wide-ranging use of executive power.   Continue reading “House votes to sue Obama”

NBC Philadelphia – by Vince Lattanzio and Dan Stamm

Federal agents arrested six Philadelphia Police narcotics officers as part of an ongoing corruption probe and accused the group of swiping more than half a million dollars’ worth of money, drugs and other items over a period of years.

“Unfortunately a very small percentage minority of police officers continue to toss their oath aside and act like the very criminals they sworn to bring to justice,” said U.S Attorney Zane David Memeger.   Continue reading “6 Philadelphia Narcotics Officers Stole Half a Million Dollars From Suspects: Feds”

Vos iz Neias

Washington – The United States has agreed to re-supply Israel with ammunition, after Israeli military officials made its request today to the U.S. Defense Dept.

The U.S. will give access to the Billion Dollar stockpile of American weapons stored in Israel, CNN reported.   Continue reading “Washington – Defense Officials Say U.S. Re-Supplying Israel With Ammunition”

Senate Border Bill Moves ForwardInfowars

A measure in the Senate purportedly designed to deal with an influx of around 120,000 illegal immigrants has cleared a key procedural hurdle.

Formal debate on the legislation will begin following a 63 to 33 vote. The bill will provide $2.7 billion in emergency funding for the federal government to deal with the influx of illegal immigrants.   Continue reading “Senate Border Bill Moves Forward”

Fox News

An Ohio sheriff on Tuesday sent an ‘Open Letter’ to Mexico’s president requesting $900,000 for “dealing with your criminals.”

The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones sent the letter to Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto requesting repayment for the 3,000 Mexican nationals arrested in his county over the past ten years. It was rough math, but he wants to charge Mexico for their jail time, which he figured was about five days, on average.   Continue reading “Ohio sheriff sends Mexico $900,000 bill for jailing illegals”

AP photoFlorida Watchdog – by Marianela Toledo

MIAMI — Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina says $2 billion in federal aid and other U.S. investment in Central America could help end the flood of migrants across the U.S. southern border.

But it’s a fool’s game, says the leader of a charity serving immigrants from Honduras.

“I think giving money to these governments is a serious mistake,” said Francisco Portillo, president of the Honduran Francisco Morazan Integrated Organization in Miami.   Continue reading “Guatemala’s president: $2 billion ought to help border crisis”

Israel's Gaza Massacre: "Operation Energy"Daily Sabah – by Hatice Karahan

The attacks launched by Israel on Gaza on July 8, 2014 caused hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries in a period of three weeks.

While the so-called “Operation Protective Edge” conceals itself behind the fake “self-defense” argument, what lies at the root of the on-going massacre is totally different: Energy. Continue reading “Israel’s Gaza Massacre: “Operation Energy””

NogalesteenUSA Today -by Bob Ortega

Nearly two years after her teenage son was shot to death in Nogales, Mexico, by one or more Border Patrol agents, Araceli Rodriguez is headed to court to find out who killed him.

Attorneys for Rodriguez, including the American Civil Liberties Union, filed suit in federal district court in Tucson Tuesday, seeking civil damages against the agents involved in what their suit terms the “senseless and unjustified” death of 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez, on Oct. 10, 2012.   Continue reading “Mother of dead Mexican teen sues Border Patrol”

Inmate_pot1WFMY 2 News

GOODRICH, TX (KHOU) – A deer hunter stumbled upon thousands of pot plants in what could end up being one of the biggest marijuana busts in Texas history.

The hunter was at his deer lease in Goodrich off Old Highway 35 Saturday when he saw the suspicious plants and alerted authorities.

Polk County deputies say they’ve already recovered 44,000 plants and they haven’t even started clearing out 16 additional fields spotted by air.   Continue reading “Inmates Help Load Up 44,000 Pot Plants In TX”

Fuel Fix – by Rhiannon Meyers

Iraq’s lawyers Monday warned a Houston maritime company against unloading a controversial load of Kurdish crude oil from a tanker anchored off the coast of Galveston, arguing the cargo is stolen property.

The letter requested that Houston-based SPT inform the Iraqi government if asked to transport any of the crude and return any cargo offloaded from the tanker. The lightering company said it has never been contacted about offloading the crude and has no plans to do so.   Continue reading “Iraq warns against unloading tanker of Kurdish crude anchored off Galveston”

Fox News – by Lucia I. Suarez

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jesus Jimenez fought two separate battles over the last seven years. He served one year in the Middle East as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and, while he was stationed overseas, he also fought Miami-Dade County in Florida to keep his home.

Jimenez, 37, did not win the war back home.   Continue reading “Soldier’s Home In Miami-Dade Illegally Demolished While He Was On Active Duty, Judge Rules”

The Hill – by Julian Hattem

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) will introduce legislation on Tuesday to put sweeping new limits on U.S. surveillance and peel back the curtain on controversial spying programs.

The aggressive bill seeks to address concerns that tech companies and civil liberties proponents had about the House’s attempt to rein in National Security Agency (NSA) by restricting agents to narrow, targeted searches of records about people’s phone calls as well as making the spying regime more transparent.   Continue reading “Leahy unveils ‘historic’ NSA reform bill”

Screen Shot 2014-07-28 at 12.59.05 PMLiberty Blitzkrieg – by Michael Krieger

Almost exactly one year ago today, I published a post which went on to become extremely popular titled: Why You Should Never, Ever Drive Through Tenaha, Texas. If you failed to read it the first time around, I suggest you take look as it provides a good outline of just what is at stake when it comes to this destructive and abusive practice increasingly utilized by police departments across these United States with zero repercussions for the offending officers. In last years article I noted that:   Continue reading “Asset Forfeiture – How Cops Continue to Steal Americans’ Hard Earned Cash with Zero Repercussions”

The York Daily Record – by Josh Boak

WASHINGTON — More than 35 percent of Americans have debts and unpaid bills that have been reported to collection agencies, according to a study released Tuesday by the Urban Institute.

These consumers fall behind on credit cards or hospital bills. Their mortgages, auto loans or student debt pile up, unpaid. Even past-due gym membership fees or cellphone contracts can end up with a collection agency, potentially hurting credit scores and job prospects, said Caroline Ratcliffe, a senior fellow at the Washington-based think tank.   Continue reading “Study: 35 percent in US facing debt collectors”

PHOTO: Smoke rises from Gazas power plant after it was hit by Israeli strikes in the Nusayrat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, July 29, 2014.ABC News

Israel slammed Gaza with a barrage of airstrikes overnight in what was the heaviest bombardment in the three-week conflict. At least 60 died in the strikes in Gaza overnight.

Symbols of Hamas control came under fire, including TV headquarters, government offices and the home of a top leader. Israel said it targeted more than 70 sites and hit 10 “terror operatives.”   Continue reading “Israeli Airstrikes Slam Gaza”