Ideology and alliances of convenience

May 22, 2014 - Daily News Briefing

Russia’s state-controlled media often warns of the rise of “fascists” and “neo-Nazis” in the West.

Subscribe Now to read this post!

To read this post and thousands more articles, subscribe today!

A former Justice Department official who helped craft the Obama administration’s legal rationale for using drones to kill suspected American terrorists abroad won preliminary Senate approval Wednesday to become a federal appeals court judge. The largely party-line 52-to-43 vote cleared the way for a final confirmation vote Thursday for David Barron, a Harvard Law School professor. Obama nominated him last September to join the First US Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Boston.

The price of oil climbed to a one-month high Wednesday after a report showed a large drop in US crude supplies, helped by a decline in imports.Benchmark US crude for July delivery gained $1.74 to close at $104.07 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Oil has now gained 4 percent for the month of May.

Passengers love the idea, but airlines hate it. The government wants to require that travelers be told upfront about basic services that aren’t included in the price of a ticket and how much extra they’ll cost. The Transportation Department proposed Wednesday that passengers be provided detailed information on fees for a first checked bag, a second checked bag, advance seat assignments and carry-on bags.

Pakistani warplanes and helicopters pounded militant hideouts near the Afghan border on Wednesday, killing 60 fighters, while a shootout between security forces and militants left four soldiers dead, the army said. The airstrikes mainly targeted Mir Ali, a town in the lawless tribal region of North Waziristan, the army said in a statement. Hours later, “an encounter between security forces and terrorists took place” in Mir Ali, leaving 11 insurgents and four soldiers dead, the military said.

House Democrats will participate in the special, Republican-led select committee investigating the deadly 2012 attack in Benghazi, Libya, despite serious concerns within the party that the inquiry is an election-year ploy to energize core GOP voters. Minority leader Nancy Pelosi announced on Wednesday that she will appoint the full complement of five Democrats on the 12-member panel, tapping lawmakers who have been deeply involved in previous congressional investigations.

Recovering from the historic floods in the past week will cost Bosnia and Serbia billions that neither country has, officials said Wednesday. Although there’s no official total for flood damages, the Raiffeisen Investment Group said in a note to investors that preliminary estimates are nearly €1.3 billion ($1.8 billion) for Bosnia alone. In neighboring Serbia, Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic has said damages could range up to €1.5 billion ($2 billion).

Seeking to head off a growing furor over veterans’ health care, President Obama declared Wednesday that allegations of misconduct at VA hospitals are “dishonorable” and will be not be tolerated by his administration.

Compiled from wire service reports

“The object of the Monitor is to injure no man, but to bless all mankind.” – Mary Baker Eddy

The Daily News Briefing is published Monday through Friday by The Christian Science Publishing Society in Boston, Massachusetts.

Compiled from wire service reports

“The object of the Monitor is to injure no man, but to bless all mankind.” – Mary Baker Eddy

The Daily News Briefing is published Monday through Friday by The Christian Science Publishing Society in Boston, Massachusetts.

Subscribe Now to read this post!

Are you sure?

Forgot to add folder?

Tags Error