Kabul holds many glimpses of its Soviet past hidden in plain sight around its jumbled hillsides — sobering artifacts that now confront the United States and its allies as they begin pondering what their own legacy might be.

Here is the original post:
Kabul’s Soviet Ruins Offer a Reminder of Imperial Ambitions

To include United Nations monitors.

Originally posted here:
Arab League Mulling Syria Return

Nearly 20 years ago, former Virginia governor L. Douglas Wilder announced that he wanted to create a museum that would tell the story of slavery in the United States. He had the vision, the clout, the charm to make it seem attainable, and he had already made history: the grandson of slaves, he was the nation’s first elected African American governor . Read full article > >

Original post:
Two decades later, donors wondering what happened to plans for slavery museum

A snubbed handshake sparks angry reactions as a simmering race row between Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra overshadows Man United’s win over Liverpool.

Go here to read the rest:
Suarez is a ‘disgrace’ – Ferguson

The decision by a federal appeals court panel that Proposition 8 violated people’s rights all but ensured that the case would proceed to the United States Supreme Court.

The rest is here:
California Ban on Gay Marriage Is Struck Down

The United States Constitution was once a model for charters around the world, but its influence is waning, according to a new study.

See the article here:
Sidebar: ‘We the People’ Loses Appeal With People Around the World

A United Nations Security Council effort to end the violence in Syria ended in acrimony hours after the Syrian military attacked the ravaged city of Homs.

Originally posted here:
Russia and China Block U.N. Action on Syrian Crisis

For the past three decades, Egypt has received an average of $2 billion a year from the United States, making it the biggest recipient of American foreign aid besides Israel. But with the country now at a critical stage in its transition toward democracy, that aid is in peril — as U.S. lawmakers threaten to block assistance in response to Egypt’s crackdown on pro-democracy groups, several of them well-connected nongovernmental organizations based in Washington. Read full article > >

See more here:
Egypt’s aid from U.S. in peril amid crackdown on pro-democracy groups

Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand talks to Football Focus’s Dan Walker about the John Terry controversy, England and his club’s push for the title.

More here:
VIDEO: The Big Interview – Rio Ferdinand

Just after the first anniversary of the onset of the Arab Spring, the Obama administration announced in December an enormous arms sale to Saudi Arabia , with a price tag greater than the annual gross domestic product of more than half the countries in the world. The administration hailed the sale as a “ historic achievement ” that “reinforces the strong and enduring relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia.” The close juxtaposition of the anniversary and the apparent repair of the temporary rough patch in U.S.-Saudi relations highlights crucial overlooked realities about the Arab Spring and the U.S. response. Read full article > >

See more here:
Washington’s bow to Mideast monarchs

Just after the first anniversary of the onset of the Arab Spring, the Obama administration announced in December an enormous arms sale to Saudi Arabia , with a price tag greater than the annual gross domestic product of more than half the countries in the world. The administration hailed the sale as a “ historic achievement ” that “reinforces the strong and enduring relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia.” The close juxtaposition of the anniversary and the apparent repair of the temporary rough patch in U.S.-Saudi relations highlights crucial overlooked realities about the Arab Spring and the U.S. response. Read full article > >

Read the original post:
Washington’s bow to Mideast monarchs

Russia said it still had a “number of concerns” over a tentative plan by the United Nations Security Council aimed at stemming the bloodshed in Syria.

The rest is here:
Russia Rejects Draft U.N. Resolution on Syria

The United States economy gained momentum in January, adding 243,000 jobs, the second straight month of better-than- expected gains.

Visit link:
U.S. Economy Added 243,000 Jobs in January; Unemployment Rate Is 8.3%

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the United States in particular would face severe damage to its interests if any strike were carried out against Iran’s nuclear sites.

View original post here:
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Threatens Retaliation Against Attack

With the government’s monthly unemployment report expected Friday, economists predicted it will show that the United States added about 150,000 jobs last month, sustaining the modest momentum in the economy. Read full article > >

See original here:
Modest gains forecast for Jan. jobs report