The Daily Beast – by Shane Harris

On Tuesday, Fox News will air a highly-anticipated documentary about a former Navy SEAL named Robert O’Neill, who claims to be the man who fired the shot that killed Osama bin Laden. Several of O’Neill’s former brothers-in-arms are coming forward to say his story is way, way off.

In interviews with The Daily Beast, former special operations officials, as well as other sources who are familiar with the events of the 2011 raid on bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, accused O’Neill of misstating key facts and wrongly taking sole credit for killing the world’s then-most wanted man.   Continue reading “Bin Laden ‘Shooter’ Story Is FUBAR, Special Ops Sources Say”

Politico

A former veteran U.S. diplomat and expert on Pakistan is the subject of a federal investigation and had her security clearance revoked last month, the State Department said Thursday.

The department said it is cooperating with a law enforcement probe into Robin Raphel, a one-time ambassador to Tunisia and most recently a senior adviser on civilian aid to Pakistan. Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Raphel’s employment technically ended Nov. 2, but that her clearance was pulled in October, effectively ending her employment.   Continue reading “Ex-U.S. diplomat Robin Raphel under investigation”

AOL – by Darlene Superville

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Thursday recognized the heroism of a Union Army officer who was killed during the Battle of Gettysburg, an honor that was more than 150 years in the making.

Obama said he was mindful that he may not be president today if it weren’t for the bravery of First Lt. Alonzo H. Cushing and his fellow troops as he awarded First Lt. Alonzo H. Cushing a posthumous Medal of Honor.   Continue reading “Obama awards Civil War officer who died at Gettysburg in 1863 Medal of Honor”

Students holding placards take part in a protest in support of the 43 missing students of the Ayotzinapa teachers' training college Raul Isidro Burgos, outside the Mexican Embassy in Bogota November 7, 2014 (Reuters / John Vizcaino)RT

Forty-three Mexican students who went missing six weeks ago were likely abducted by police and handed over to a local gang who murdered them and burned their bodies, Mexico’s attorney general said Friday.

Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam said three members of the Guerreros Unidos gang were apprehended last week and confessed to burning a number of bodies near Iguala in the Guerrero state in an effort to remove evidence of the killings.   Continue reading “43 Mexican students likely ‘burned to ashes by gang’: Grisly details of mass murder”

SB Nation – by Seth Rosenthal

On Wednesday, before the Cavaliers’ game in Utah, those following Cleveland noticed Dion Waiters did not join the team during the pre-game presentation, including the singing of the national anthem. When asked by the Plain Dealer’s Chris Haynes, Waiters attributed his absence to his religious beliefs:

Waiters informed Northeast Ohio Media Group that he is a Muslim and that he plans to excuse himself prior to the national anthem from here on out.

Continue reading “Dion Waiters skipped national anthem for religious reasons”

John PritchardMail.com

NEW LONDON, Conn. (AP) — A World War II pilot whose lost plane has become the target of a stepped-up U.S. recovery effort in Greenland was honored Friday by the Coast Guard Academy, which commended him for heroism shown during daring rescue missions on the frozen tundra before the one that killed him in 1942.

The pilot, Lt. John Pritchard, was inducted into the Hall of Heroes at the academy in New London, where he graduated in 1938. “John was a very friendly, caring person,” said his sister, 91-year-old Nancy Pritchard Morgan, who received an ovation from cadets in dress blue uniforms at the ceremony. “He loved his family, he loved the Coast Guard, he loved flying, he loved life. His actions on the Greenland ice cap read like his whole life.”   Continue reading “Famed rescue pilot honored by Coast Guard Academy”

Homeless in AmericaAljazeera – by Renee Lewis

For Americans experiencing homelessness, finding a safe place to store belongings can prove daunting and be a major barrier to overcoming poverty.

“Imagine if you lost your home. How on earth could you simultaneously manage your life’s possessions and handle the next chapter in your life?” said Nick Fish, city commissioner of Portland, Oregon. “The answer is you can’t. You can’t expect someone to be successful if they’re carting around their life’s possessions.”

Portland, known more for its green initiatives than its work with the poor, has recently invested millions in several plans aimed at tackling homelessness, including free storage services, he said.

Continue reading “Homeless dragged down by belongings, as cities view keepsakes ‘trash’”

KILLING PLOT: British police have foiled a plot to kill 88-year-old Queen Elizabeth, arresting four suspects after raids across England.Stuff

New Zealand MP Maggie Barry has not been put off official duties in London by an uncovered plot to kill the Queen.

The plan to stab Queen Elizabeth was foiled by British police, who arrested four Islamic terror suspects.

The suspects were allegedly planning to stab the 88-year-old monarch to death at the Royal Albert Hall, The Sun reported.   Continue reading “Queen Elizabeth murder plot foiled”

ABC News – by LOLITA C. BALDOR, AP

The top U.S. military officer has designated five U.S. bases where American troops would be housed and isolated for 21 days upon returning from Africa after serving in the Ebola response mission, U.S. officials said Friday.

Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, signed a plan that lists Fort Hood and Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; and Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, as bases where troops would be quarantined. The U.S. also will use two bases in Italy and Germany for returning troops based in that region.   Continue reading “Military Names 5 US Bases for Ebola Mission Troops”

Ferguson Mayor James Knowles Press TV

The mayor of Ferguson is expecting more protests in the city over the killing of black teenager Michael Brown by a white police officer in August, warning the authorities to be prepared for the “worst.”

James Knowles told local media that there is a possibility of a mass protest after a grand jury delivers its decision on whether to indict the officer.

The jury is expected to make a decision as early as mid-November, the St. Louis County prosecutor’s office said.

On August 9, Darren Wilson gunned down 18-year-old Brown, claiming it was an act of self defense.    Continue reading “Ferguson braces for ‘worst’ after grand jury decision”

US Army General Martin DempseyPress TV

The top US military commander says the United States is learning from Israel’s tactics on how to limit civilian casualties in a war, despite the international outcry over the regime’s brutality in Gaza.

General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday that the Pentagon has sent a team to see what lessons could be learned from the recent Israeli invasion of Gaza on how to limit civilian casualties.

Dempsey said the Pentagon had sent the team of senior officials and non-commissioned officers three months ago “to include the measures they took to prevent civilian casualties and what they did with tunneling” in US military operations.   Continue reading “Dempsey: US sent team to Israel to learn war tactics”