From the Trenches World Report

Kentucky.com -by Greg Kocher

The alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria thrusts the international spotlight onto the same deadly “nerve agents” stored at Blue Grass Army Depot in Madison County.

Sarin, one of the world’s most dangerous chemical warfare agents, has been identified by the United States as the substance loaded onto rockets on Aug. 21 and shot into the suburbs of Damascus. The Obama administration estimates that more than 1,400 people died.   Continue reading “Chemicals allegedly used in Syria are the type stored by the U.S. in Kentucky”

RT News

Syrian hospitals as well as medical personnel are being deliberately targeted both by the government forces and the rebels during the ongoing violence in the country, UN investigators say. Under international law, such acts are considered war crimes.

“The deliberate targeting of hospitals, medical personnel and transports, the denial of access to medical care, and ill-treatment of the sick and wounded, has been one of the most alarming features of the Syrian conflict,” the UN Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic said in a report on its findings published on Friday.    Continue reading “‘War crimes against healthcare’: Syrian govt, rebels deliberately target hospitals – UN report”

Fox News

BOSTON –  The in-laws of slain Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev testified Thursday before a federal grand jury investigating the deadly April 15 attack.

Judith and Warren Russell, parents of Katherine Russell, declined to comment to The Associated Press as they entered the grand jury room in U.S. District Court in Boston.   Continue reading “In-laws of dead Boston Marathon bombing suspect testify before federal grand jury”

NOLA – by Benjamin Alexander-Bloch

The St. Bernard Parish water system has tested positive for a rare brain-eating amoeba, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed, about a week after St. Bernard Parish government officials assured the public that the parish was taking every precaution possible to flush out its water system.

The CDC has confirmed the presence of the Naegleria fowleri amoeba in four locations of parish’s water system in Violet and Arabi, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals said Thursday (Sept. 12).   Continue reading “St. Bernard water system tests positive for rare brain-eating amoeba, CDC confirms”

Bloomberg – by Jesse Drucker

Google Inc. (GOOG) avoided about $2 billion in worldwide income taxes in 2011 by shifting $9.8 billion in revenues into a Bermuda shell company, almost double the total from three years before, filings show.

By legally funneling profits from overseas subsidiaries into Bermuda, which doesn’t have a corporate income tax, Google cut its overall tax rate almost in half. The amount moved to Bermuda is equivalent to about 80 percent of Google’s total pretax profit in 2011.   Continue reading “Google Revenues Sheltered in No-Tax Bermuda Soar to $10 Billion”

Epoch Times – by Joshua Philipp

Chinese gangs are supplying Mexican drug cartels with chemicals to create meth, fueling an epidemic of drug use in the United States and drug wars in Mexico.

Methamphetamine, which goes by several other names including meth, crystal, and ice, gives its users a several-minute rush if injected, and a feeling of euphoria if snorted or swallowed. It is also extremely addictive, and causes severe paranoia and violent behavior.  Continue reading “Chinese Gangs Fuel Meth Scourge in US, Mexico”

Politico – by JOE POMPEO and DYLAN BYERS

Richard Stengel, the top editor of Time magazine for the past seven years, is planning to step down as managing editor for a new job at the U.S. Department of State, sources familiar with the situation tell POLITICO and Capital New York.

If confirmed, Stengel will serve as Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, the role responsible for leading “America’s public diplomacy outreach, which includes communications with international audiences, cultural programming, academic grants, educational exchanges, international visitor programs, and U.S. Government efforts to confront ideological support for terrorism,” according to the State Department’s website.   Continue reading “Richard Stengel leaving Time for State Department”

The Economic Collapse – by Michael Snyder

The more things change, the more things stay the same.  The Great Depression actually started in 1929, but as you will see below, as late as 1933 the Associated Press was still pumping out lots of news stories with optimistic economic headlines and many Americans still did not believe that we were actually in a depression.  And of course we are experiencing a very similar thing today.  The United States is in the worst financial shape that it has ever been in, our economic infrastructure is being systematically gutted, and poverty is absolutely exploding.  Continue reading “They Denied That We Were In A Depression In 1933 And They Are Doing It Again In 2013”

Mail.com

CAIRO (AP) — Al-Qaida’s leader on Friday marked the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks by calling on Muslims to strike inside the United States, with big attacks or small, using any opportunity they can to “bleed” America financially.

In an audio message released two days after the 12th anniversary of the attacks, Ayman al-Zawahri said America is not a “mythic power” and that the mujahedeen — Islamic holy warriors — can defeat it with attacks “on its own soil.”   Continue reading “Al-Qaida leader calls for attacks inside US”

LA Times – by David G. Savage

WASHINGTON — Journalists and bloggers who report news to the public will be protected from being forced to testify about their work under a media shield bill passed by a Senate committee Thursday.

RT News

The California Senate approved raising the state’s minimum wage on Thursday to $10 an hour by 2016, one of the highest rates in the nation.

The state Senate passed AB10 by a party-line vote, 26-11, approving a gradual minimum wage jump from $8 to $10 over two years.    Continue reading “California set for historic minimum wage raise while DC rejects ‘living wage bill’”

RT News

The NSA used ‘man in the middle’ hack attacks to impersonate Google and fool web users, leaks have revealed. The technique circumvents encryption by redirecting users to a copycat site which relays all the data entered to NSA data banks.

Brazilian television network Globo News released a report based on classified data divulged by former CIA worker Edward Snowden on Sunday. The report itself blew the whistle on US government spying on Brazilian oil giant Petrobras, but hidden in amongst the data was information the NSA had impersonated Google to get its hands on user data.    Continue reading “NSA masqueraded as Google to spy on web users – report”

AmmoLand – by Max McGuire

New Jersey –-(Ammoland.com)- As a prospective military strike against the Syrian regime dominates the headlines, we are reminded by administration officials that any military action will not include boots on the ground and will not be focused on regime change.

In a turn of events mimicking an episode from the Twilight Zone, once-hawkish Republicans are advocating non-intervention and their peacenik colleagues across the aisle are actually supporting a military strike in the Middle East.   Continue reading “Arming Terrorists and Disarming Americans”

RT News

The Russian Navy intends to build its presence in the Mediterranean Sea – particularly in the area close to Syrian shores – to up to 10 battleships, announced Admiral of the Fleet Viktor Chirkov.

“The task is crystal clear: to avoid a slightest threat to the security of the state. This is a general practice of all fleets around the world, to be there when a tension level increases. They are all going to act on operational command plan of the offshore maritime zone,” Chirkov told journalists on Friday. “Russia will be building up its Mediterranean fleet until it is deemed sufficient to perform the task set.”    Continue reading “Russia to expand Mediterranean fleet to 10 warships – Navy chief”

Knuckledraggin – by Wirecutter

Lew Rockwell – Paul Craig Roberts

Putin’s article in the September 11 New York Times has the stuck pigs squealing. The squealing stuck pigs are just who you thought they would be–all those whose agendas and profits would be furthered by an attack on Syria by the Obama Stasi regime.

Included among the squealing stuck pigs are Human Rights Watch bloggers who seem to be financed out of the CIA’s back pocket.   Continue reading “Putin Steps Into World Leadership Role”

Bi-Partisan Policy Center – by Abby Brandon

Washington, D.C. – A new report released by the Bipartisan Policy Center’s (BPC) Homeland Security Project today found that the most imminent threat to the United States is from individuals who are radicalized over the Internet, often inspired by al-Qaeda’s jihadist message. While these lone wolves might not be able to kill in mass numbers, the Boston Marathon bombings and the Fort Hood slayings show that alienated persons influenced partially by online messaging can cause great damage.

The report, Jihadist Terrorism: A Threat Assessment, provides a comprehensive review of al-Qaeda and its affiliates and provides legislative and executive recommendations on how best to counter the threat and protect the homeland. The report was authored by several members of BPC’s Homeland Security Project, which is led by former 9/11 Commission Co-chairs former Governor Tom Kean and former Representative Lee Hamilton.   Continue reading “New Assessment Finds the Threat at Home Has Shifted from Radicalized Groups to Radicalized Individuals”