Winning Hearts & Minds

Saudi prince sues Forbes after it says he’s only worth $20 billion

"Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal has sued Forbes magazine for libel in a British court, alleging its valuation of his wealth at $20 billion was short of the mark by $9.6 billion. The prince, a grandson of Saudi Arabia’s founder and nephew of King Abdullah, had attacked the US magazine’s ranking of world billionaires as flawed and biased against Middle Eastern businesses. Through his Kingdom Holding Company, Prince Alwaleed owns large stakes in Citigroup, News Corp and Apple Inc, among other companies. He is also owner or part-owner of luxury hotels including the Plaza in New York, the Savoy in London and the George V in Paris." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSaudi prince sues Forbes after it says he’s only worth $20 billion

Saudi prince sues Forbes after it says he’s only worth $20 billion

"Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal has sued Forbes magazine for libel in a British court, alleging its valuation of his wealth at $20 billion was short of the mark by $9.6 billion. The prince, a grandson of Saudi Arabia’s founder and nephew of King Abdullah, had attacked the US magazine’s ranking of world billionaires as flawed and biased against Middle Eastern businesses. Through his Kingdom Holding Company, Prince Alwaleed owns large stakes in Citigroup, News Corp and Apple Inc, among other companies. He is also owner or part-owner of luxury hotels including the Plaza in New York, the Savoy in London and the George V in Paris." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSaudi prince sues Forbes after it says he’s only worth $20 billion

Wave of dozens of player arrests continues to plague NFL

"Joe Lefeged is the 31st NFL player to be arrested since the Super Bowl, according to an extensive database of player arrests compiled by U-T San Diego. Two players, former Chicago Bears tight end Evan Rodriguez and former Detroit Lions wide receiver Titus Young, were arrested multiple times in that span. Twenty-eight of those players were on an NFL roster at the time of arrest, with three others, including Young, free agents. Since the last game of the 2012 season, these players have been charged with a variety of offenses, including public intoxication, assault, marijuana possession, illegal gun possession and drunken driving." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWave of dozens of player arrests continues to plague NFL

Protesters in Egypt attack ruling party Muslim Brotherhood’s headquarters after deadly clashes

"The headquarters of Egypt’s ruling Muslim Brotherhood was overrun by youths who ransacked the building after those inside were evacuated on Monday following a night of violence that killed eight people. By far the bloodiest incident of Sunday’s mammoth and mostly peaceful protests against the Brotherhood and President Mohamed Mursi, it began after dark and continued for hours, with guards inside firing on youths hurling fire bombs and rocks. Medical sources said more than 100 people were wounded. A security source put the total number of dead across the country since Sunday at 17, with 781 injured." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingProtesters in Egypt attack ruling party Muslim Brotherhood’s headquarters after deadly clashes

Kerry renews $1.3 billion aid package for Egypt

"Secretary of State John Kerry last month approved $1.3 billion in annual US military aid to Egypt, despite concerns over democratic progress by the country’s new government. On May 10, Kerry quietly approved the transfer of the annual aid, notifying the US Congress of his decision. Morsi’s opponents accuse him of governing in the interests of the Muslim Brotherhood, the party on whose ticket he ran in the presidential election. Psaki defended Kerry’s approval of aid for the fiscal year 2013 saying it was in US national security interests and helped such things as 'maintaining access to the Suez Canal and the interdiction of weapons smuggling.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingKerry renews $1.3 billion aid package for Egypt

Kerry downplays new reports of NSA spying on allies

"Nearly all national governments, not just the United States, use 'lots of activities' to safeguard their interests and security, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday, responding for the first time to allegations that Washington spied on the European Union and other allies. The EU has strongly demanded that the United States explain a report in a German magazine that Washington is spying on the group, saying that, if true, the alleged surveillance was 'shocking'. The Guardian newspaper said that the United States had also targeted non-European allies including Japan, South Korea and India." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingKerry downplays new reports of NSA spying on allies

84-year old Florida homeowner under investigation after shooting at burglar

“An 84-year-old Florida man returned home with his wife Sunday afternoon only to find a burglar’s car parked in his driveway and the man stuffing the resident’s belongings into his car. After several warnings, the elderly man shot at the robber, but … Continue reading →

Continue Reading84-year old Florida homeowner under investigation after shooting at burglar

The ghosts of America’s Cold War surveillance network pictured crumbling in Berlin

"These images of an abandoned NSA listening post on the outskirts of West Berlin have a special poignancy today, as it was leaks alleged that the U.S. bugs Germany, its prima facie ally, on the same scale as Communist China. The towers, antennae and geodesic domes of Teufelsberg Hill have long since stopped eavesdropping on the airwaves, but the U.S. still taps half a billion German phone calls, emails and text messages in a typical month, it was claimed. German Chancellor Angela Merkel defended governments' monitoring of Internet communications, however, and said that the U.S. cyber-snooping had helped prevent attacks on German soil." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe ghosts of America’s Cold War surveillance network pictured crumbling in Berlin

Secret flower planter threatened with arrest if he doesn’t stop planting flowers

"Along the north side of their Dupont Circle station, hundreds of mysterious morning glories and other flowers have been coming up in planter boxes along the Metro's north escalators. Metro found out who the secret flower planter was when they received a polite letter on June 3 written by the flower planter himself, Henry Docter. Henry sent a letter asking permission to continue caring for hundreds of flowers he had planted a week earlier at the Metro transit system. Immediately, the Metro responded to Docter on June 11 with a 'cease and desist' letter threatening 'arrest, fines and imprisonment' if Docter tried to weed, water, or tend to the flowers." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSecret flower planter threatened with arrest if he doesn’t stop planting flowers

‘Hell to pay:’ Residents angry as RCMP seize guns from High River homes

"RCMP revealed Thursday that officers have seized a 'substantial amount' of firearms from homes in evacuated High River. 'We just want to make sure that all of those things are in a spot that we control, simply because of what they are,' said Sgt. Brian Topham. 'People have a significant amount of money invested in firearms ... so we put them in a place that we control and that they’re safe.' About 30 RCMP officers set up a blockade, preventing 50 residents from walking into the town. Dozens more police cars, lights on, could be seen lining streets in the town on standby. Officers laid down a spike belt to stop anyone from attempting to drive past the blockade." Continue reading →

Continue Reading‘Hell to pay:’ Residents angry as RCMP seize guns from High River homes