A Genuine Tragedy Unfolds
Bahrain and Saudi Arabia's Rulers Goose-Step to the Brink of the Abyss

By PETER LEE

While we are diverted by the opera-bouffe spectacle of the civil war in Libya’s desert, a genuine tragedy—and potential geopolitical trainwreck—is unfolding in Bahrain. Continue

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How The Senate Was Bait And Switched Into War

By Conn Carroll

Did the president go to war without any approval from the Senate, as Sen. Paul says? Or did the Senate approve the president’s use of military force, as Secretary Clinton claims? Continue

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I Want My Al Jazeera

By Naomi Wolf

Unless Americans see the images and narratives that shape how others see us, the US will not be able to overcome its reputation as the world's half-blind bully. Continue

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Why Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Will Be Tried In Guantánamo

By Karen Greenberg

US Congress's blocking of a civilian trial for the alleged 9/11 planner means just one thing: politics has trumped justice. Continue

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Budget Deal Would Give Pentagon Extra Funds
In Exchange For Social Program Cuts

By Ryan Grim

The confines of the budget negotiations established by the two parties results in a system where every extra dollar going to military spending ends up being offset by a dollar reduction in spending on domestic social programs. Continue

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Do You Think the Poor are Lazy?

By Anat Shenker-Osorio

Even if you said 'No,' the way we talk about wealth assigns moral superiority to the rich. Terms like 'the wealth gap' obscure basic truths about inequality, casting it as a natural economic function. Inequality is really a barrier made to keep others out. We can dismantle it, starting with our words. Continue

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Most Say it is Time for Someone New as President

By Zobgy

38% say Obama deserves to be re-elected and 55% say it is time for someone new. Continue

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Lifting the Veil
Obama and the Failure of Capitalist Democracy
Video

This film explores the historical role of the Democratic Party as the “graveyard of social movements”, the massive influence of corporate finance in elections, the absurd disparities of wealth in the United States. Continue

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Bishop: 8 more civilians killed in Libya; hundreds of thousands flee: Eight civilians, “mostly women and children,” were killed by “bombs released by the international forces” on April 1, according to Bishop Giovanni Martinelli.
Libya: At least 5 killed in Misrata shelling: At least five people were killed when forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi shelled a residential area in the besieged city of Misrata late on Monday, a doctor said.
Demonizing Gadhafi'? International Criminal Court: Gadhafi planned civilian killings: The international court's prosecutor said there is evidence that Gadhafi's government planned to put down anti-government protests by killing civilians before the uprising in Libya broke out.
Gaddafi forces take Brega: Rebel forces retreat over 20km east towards Ajdabiya, as Gaddafi troops mount fresh offensive to take key oil town.
Libya says ready for reforms but Gaddafi must stay: "What kind of political system is implemented in the country? This is negotiable, we can talk about it," government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim told journalists. "We can have anything, elections, referendums."
Libya "Rebels" Prepare to Export Oil: The European Union’s embargo on Libyan oil and gas exports only targets the Qaddafi regime, Michael Mann, spokesman for European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, told reporters in Brussels today
Italy recognises Libya's "rebel" National Council: Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said the recognition would be "formal... as France and Qatar have already done".
UK will supply equipment to Libyan "rebels", says Hague: Mr Hague said the Foreign Office had spent Sunday trying to contact "rebel" leaders in Benghazi, but failed to do so because of problems with telephone lines.
Nine people killed in Iraq attacks: Nine people were killed in two separate attacks in Iraq on Tuesday, according to police sources.
Iraqi Christians demand an autonomous region: Iraqi MPs representing their Christians constituency see their demand as reasonable after the continuous marginalization of their community who were caught between Shiite-Sunni cross-fire ever since the U.S. 2003 toppling of Saddam Hussein.
NATO occupation forces kill six civilians in north - Afghan official : NATO troops killed six civilians during a night raid on a house in northern Afghanistan's Sar-e Pul province late, the provincial governor told Reuters.
How much did YOU pay for war this year? : Ever wonder how much you paid to fund the war? Use the Afghanistan War Tax Calculator to find out. We'll give you an I.O.U. for what you paid that you can forward to your Member of Congress. Ask for your money back!
Yemen: Three killed in Sanaa clashes: New fighting has flared in Yemen between tribesmen loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh and soldiers backing anti-government protesters.
Yemen opposition appeals for international help: Opposition parties in Yemen have urged the international community, regional powers and human rights groups to help stop the bloodshed in their country.
Two Syrian police killed by gunmen - state TV: - Two Syrian policemen were shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the province of rural Damascus around the Syrian capital, state television said on Tuesday.
Syrian protest town 'holds general strike': – The southern Syrian town of Daraa, the centre of pro-democracy protests, was hit by a general strike on Tuesday and braced for fresh rallies after midday prayers, a rights activist said.
Amid ongoing protests, Syria opposition says Assad wants talks: Anti-government activists say they are ready to take up the offer for talks, provided 'it is serious, and not to buy time.'
Bahrain firms fire hundreds of strikers in crackdown: Bahraini firms have fired hundreds of mostly Shi'ite workers who went on strike to support pro-democracy protesters, part of a government crackdown, an opposition group said on Tuesday.
Fighting dies down amid rumours of Gbagbo surrender: A dpa correspondent in Abidjan said was there was sporadic artillery fire coming from near the presidential palace in the morning, but that had stopped by early afternoon.
Two Gazans hit by Israeli fire: It was not immediately clear how badly they were injured as the ambulance service was being prevented from reaching them, medics said.
'US firmly opposed to PA seeking statehood in UN': The US is firmly opposed to Palestinians pursuing a unilateral declaration of statehood through the UN, the top White House Middle East adviser said Monday.
Yada yada yada: U.S. 'deeply concerned' about illegal Israel "settlement" expansion: The prospect of increased settlement building in the West Bank prompted the U.S. State Department to issue a statement Monday saying that “the United States is deeply concerned by continuing Israeli actions with respect to settlement construction."
'Israel breaks demolition record': The United Nations has warned that the demolition of the Palestinian residences by Israelis has been breaking the record for the past three months.
ElBaradei Threatens Israel over Gaza: Egyptian opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei would go to war against Israel if Israel goes after terrorists in Gaza, according to an interview ElBaradei gave to the Egyptian news site Al-Watan. “If Israel attacked Gaza we would declare war against the Zionist regime,” he said.
Goldstone get reversal payoff: Goldstone accepts Israeli invitation, will retract report : Israel's Interior Minister says South African jurist Richard Goldstone has accepted an invitation to visit Israel and promised to work to nullify his United Nations report accusing Israel of deliberately targeting civilians during its offensive in the Gaza Strip two years ago.
Ashrawi: We will prosecute crimes against Palestinians: "We deplore this retreat and view it as a grave matter. We are used to retreats from the side of politicians, media personalities and others due to pressure. Israel's pressure on a human rights defender, however, is unacceptable."
Gaza: the Stain Remains on Israel's War Record: Human Rights Watch : In seven cases, for example, Israeli troops killed a total of 11 Palestinian civilians who had been waving white flags to signal their civilian status. In six other cases, Israeli drone operators fired on and killed a total of 29 Palestinian civilians,
A Morning at an Israeli Checkpoint: We are Jewish, and began to weep. How was it possible that our own people, who have gone through such suffering, can inflict this ordeal, intended to humiliate and intimidate another people?
7.5 million times legal limit of iodine found in seawater: The operator of a damaged Japanese nuclear power station said Tuesday it detected 7.5 million times the legal limit of radioactive iodine in seawater collected near a cracked concrete pit at the plant.
FBI questioning US Libyans: report: The FBI is questioning Libyans living in the United States in a bid to identify spies or agents, and obtain information useful for the allied campaign, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.
Ecuador demands U.S. envoy leave over Wikileaks: Ecuador said on Tuesday it had declared the U.S. ambassador to the country "persona non grata," demanding the envoy leave over U.S. diplomatic cables released by Wikileaks reporting alleged police corruption.
Assange: "WikiLeaks is the intelligence agency of the people": The WikiLeaks chief discusses radical journalism and WikiLeaks's main threat in an exclusive New Statesman essay.
The real story behind job creation: The average rate of job growth over the last three months has been just 160,000. At that pace, we won't get back to normal rates of unemployment until after 2022.
Geithner Says Failure to Raise Debt Limit Risks Causing `Severe Hardship': “You will shake the basic foundations of the entire global financial system,” Geithner told a Senate subcommittee today. “I’m totally confident that Congress will act to avoid that.” It would be “inconceivable” that lawmakers will not act in time, he said.
GOP plans $1 trillion Medicaid cut: House Republicans are planning to cut roughly $1 trillion over 10 years from Medicaid, the government health insurance program for the poor and disabled
Mortgage mess: Who really owns your mortgage?: Do you know who really owns your mortgage? That question has become a nightmare for many homeowners since the invention of mortgage-backed securities. Yes, those were the exotic investments that sparked the financial collapse in this country. And the're still causing problems.