WASHINGTON –  President Bashar Assad’s forces pounded rebel-held areas in central Syria on Friday, killing at least 22 people, activists said. More than 60 nations meeting in Tunisia asked the United Nations to start planning for a civilian peacekeeping mission that would deploy after the Syrian regime halts its crackdown.

As government troops relentlessly shelled rebel-held neighborhoods in the besieged city of Homs, thousands of people in dozens of towns staged anti-regime protests under the slogan: “We will revolt for your sake, Baba Amr,” referring to the Homs neighborhood that has become the center of the Syrian revolt. Activists said at least 50 people were killed nationwide.

In Tunisia, the U.S., European and Arab nations asked the U.N. to start drafting plans for a civilian peacekeeping mission that would deploy after the Damascus regime halts the brutal crackdown.

Still unwilling to commit to military intervention to end the bloodshed, the group offered nothing other than the threat of increasing isolation and sanctions to compel compliance from Assad, who has ignored similar demands.

In Washington, President Barack Obama said the U.S. and its allies would consider “every tool available” to stop the slaughter of innocent people in Syria. He did not give specifics about what that might entail.

“It is time for that regime to move on. And it is time to stop the killing of Syrian citizens by their own government,” he said.

On Thursday, former U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan was appointed the joint United Nations-Arab League envoy on the Syrian crisis.

Annan said in a statement Friday that he would try to “help bring an end to the violence and human rights abuses, and promote a peaceful solution” in Syria. He expressed hope that the Syrian government and opposition groups will cooperate with him in his efforts……Read More

Lady in White member Thaimí Vega alleged, meanwhile, that she suffered a miscarriage after police detained her to keep her from joining the other women for Sunday’s mass at El Cobre, nine miles west of Santiago de Cuba.

The incidents came on a weekend when police arrested about 30 members and supporters of the Ladies in White around the eastern region of Santiago alone, dissident Prudencio Villalón reported. Three more members were detained Monday.

Villalón, who accompanied the 14 Ladies in White to the Our Lady of Charity Basilica, said they declared a hunger strike on the steps after mass Sunday morning, saying that they had received threats from a large group of police deployed at a nearby junction.

“The police were sending (text) messages to the Ladies in El Cobre with things like ‘we’re waiting here to give you all such a beating,’” said member Belkis Cantillo, whose daughter was among the 14 women.

A priest in El Cobre telephoned Santiago Archbishop Dionisio Garcia, who also serves as head of the Conference of Cuban Bishops, and Garcia arrived around 7 p.m. with two church vans. He did not allow photos of him with the women, Villalón said.

It was the second time in as many months that officials of Cuba’s Catholic Church, sometimes accused of being too timid in their dealings with the communist government, have protected dissidents who sought the protection of temples.

Last month, the bishop of Holguin and a parish priest protected a small group of opposition activists from a government-organized mob, armed with sticks and rocks, that besieged the church in that eastern city where they had attended a Sunday mass.

Cardinal Jaime Ortega also interceded on behalf of the Havana Ladies in White in 2010, and now they march after Sunday masses at the Santa Rita church without any harassment. But the women in the Santiago area have been harshly repressed whenever they try to march after Sunday masses at El Cobre or the Santiago Cathedral.

El Nuevo Herald’s calls to García’s office in Santiago went unanswered……Learn More

BRUSSELS –  After more than 12 hours of talks, the countries that use the euro reached an agreement early Tuesday to hand Greece euro130 billion ($170 billion) in additional bailout loans to save it from a potentially disastrous default next month.

The deal is expected to bring Greece’s debt down to 120.5 percent of gross domestic product by 2020 — that’s around the maximum that the International Monetary Fund and the eurozone consider sustainable.

The euro surged as the news of a deal broke early Tuesday. The accord should take some pressure off the 17-country currency union that has been battling a serious debt crisis for two years.

Without the deal, Greece was facing a potentially calamitous default next month and possibly being forced from the eurozone. The talks stretched into the early hours of Tuesday as ministers wrangled over how to cut Greece’s debt to a level that it could eventually pay back while not raising their own commitments.

In the end, the country’s private creditors were asked to take substantially more losses on their holdings than previously anticipated, cutting Greece’s debt by an estimated euro107 billion.

“It’s no exaggeration to say that today is a historic day for the Greek economy,” said Greek Premier Lucas Papademos, who rushed to the meeting to lend weight to his country’s pleas for help.

Jean-Claude Juncker, the prime minister of Luxembourg who also chairs the meetings of eurozone finance ministers, said Greece’s private investors — mostly banks and investment funds — have been asked to take a face value loss of 53.5 percent on their bonds.

On top of that, Greece’s public creditors — central banks and the eurozone countries — also agreed to give Greece a break on its debt……Read More

The settlement, one of the largest ever in the United States according to the Justice Department, covers the gross revenue received by Google as a result of Canadian pharmacies advertising through Google’s AdWords program, and the gross revenue made by those pharmacies from their sales to U.S. consumers.

“The Department of Justice will continue to hold accountable companies who in their bid for profits violate federal law and put at risk the health and safety of American consumers,” said Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole. “This settlement ensures that Google will reform its improper advertising practices with regard to these pharmacies while paying one of the largest financial forfeiture penalties in history.”

In May, the company disclosed a $500 million charge taken against its first-quarter results to cover potential charges related to the Justice Department investigation. This morning, in its first comments on the case, Google expressed contrition about its actions, and said it has changed the way its accepts ads for pharmacies.

“We banned the advertising of prescription drugs in the U.S. by Canadian pharmacies some time ago,” a spokesman for the company said in an e-mail. “However, it’s obvious with hindsight that we shouldn’t have allowed these ads on Google in the first place.”……Learn More

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer says she meant no disrespect when she pointed a finger at President Obama during an intense discussion on an airport tarmac. But the Republican governor says the Democratic president showed disrespect for her by abruptly ending their conversation.

Obama, for his part, responded in an interview with ABC News that the encounter with Brewer “is a classic example of things getting blown out of proportion.”

“I think it’s always good publicity for a Republican if they’re in an argument with me,” Obama said in the interview. “But this was really not a big deal. She wanted to give me a letter, asking for a meeting. And I said, `We’d be happy to meet.”

The brief encounter — out of earshot of observers but captured on camera — was a highly visible demonstration of the verbal and legal skirmishing that has regularly occurred between Brewer and Obama’s administration over illegal immigration and other issues.

Airport arrivals for presidents normally involve mere pleasantries between those involved, but Brewer and Obama have a history. And part of that history is what apparently got things going, according to accounts provided by Brewer and the White House.

Brewer said that during their talk, she invited Obama to visit Arizona to hear about her administration’s achievements and to visit the U.S.-Mexico border, which has been a point of friction between the two because of illegal immigration issue.

Obama then said Brewer’s recently published book mischaracterized a 2011 White House meeting between them…..Read More

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. –  Happy Valley was perfect for Joe Paterno, a place where “JoePa” knew best, where he not only won more football games than any other major college coach, but won them the right way: with integrity and sportsmanship. A place where character came first, championships second.

Behind it all, however, was an ugly secret that ran counter to everything the revered coach stood for.

Paterno, a sainted figure at Penn State for almost half a century but scarred forever by the child sex abuse scandal that led to his stunning dismissal, died Sunday at age 85…..Learn More

National Latino Broadcasting LLC (NLB) announced today the roll-out of cutting-edge programming examining current political issues on Cristina Radio and En Vivo, its channels on SiriusXM targeting US Hispanics. NLB has made a commitment to provide extensive and insightful coverage of the 2012 elections from SiriusXM’s Washington DC-based studio, where daily original content will be created. The media entity will also broadcast from its Miami headquarters and has established correspondents in major cities across the country with strong Hispanic presence.

“NLB’s political programming offers a unique bicultural and bipartisan perspective on American politics and Latino voters, our country’s fastest growing electorate. The first of its kind approach provides listeners real insight on the issues impacting the Latino vote through the lens of some of the nation’s top Hispanic political strategists,” said Nelson Albareda, President and CEO of NLB.

Both En Vivo and Cristina Radio will air political segments and provide election coverage across their entire programming grid, as well as offer listeners specialized shows with live feeds from Washington DC…..Learn More

On the first King holiday since the now-global Occupy movement launched in New York City in September, the reignited debate over inequality drew hundreds of protestors to march in wintry temperatures in Manhattan, stopping at a Bank of America branch to shout, “The banks got bailed out, we got sold out.”

At least two protesters were loaded into a police van at the march, held “because Dr. King dedicated the last months of his life to planning a campaign for the right of all to a decent-paying job,” leaders said in a statement.

King was organizing a Poor People’s Campaign, the next phase in the civil rights movement, before he was murdered in 1968.

“I came here on the one hand to honor (King’s) birthday, but also for the things that he stood for,” said Jim Glaser, a retired teacher from suburban Nyack, New York, at the march.

“We have to have a government that’s responsive to people, … a government that people can have some influence on,” he said.

At New York’s African Burial Grounds, schoolchildren played “We Shall Overcome” on violins before protesters marched to the Federal Reserve in downtown Manhattan.

“What Occupy Wall Street is trying to do is exactly what (King) was trying to — focus on economic injustice and to inform and educate the American public,” said Norman Siegel, former director of the New York Civil Liberties Union.

“I think (King) would be very pleased because Occupy Wall Street is the children of Dr King’s dream,” Siegel said at the 18th century burial ground, part of the National Park Service.

Protesters in the Occupy movement complain that billions of dollars in bailouts were given to banks while many Americans still suffer with joblessness and housing foreclosures. They say minorities were disproportionately affected by predatory lending practices.

The movement has influenced the national political conversation, with President Barack Obama echoing some of its themes in calling for a “fair shot” and “fair share” for all.

Community and civil rights leaders urged Americans to honor King’s crusade for nonviolence and racial brotherhood by doing volunteer work……Read More

With their palms wide open, of course.

Granted ’tis the season of good will, but history suggests skepticism is warranted when dealing with the Castros. For three decades, the Castros raked in subsidies worth billions from their Soviet Union patrons. Cuba received more money from the Soviets than all of Europe received from the U.S. Marshall Plan after World War II. While taking money from the Soviets, the Castros never found anything praiseworthy about the United States or free-enterprise. To the contrary, they imposed communist economic absolutism at home and exported revolution and anti-American violence to two continents.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Cuba lost its subsidies, and the Castros were forced to make a series of economic “adjustments” that are nearly identical to the “reforms” taking place today. Why? Because in today’s world, Cuba — like every other nation — needs hard currency. The “adjustments” lasted seven years until Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez rose to power in 1998 and moved quickly to replace Cuba’s lost Soviet subsidies. When that happened, the Castros reversed their “adjustments” and confiscated whatever small sums of wealth Cubans had accumulated. The global financial crisis of 2008, however, led to a sharp drop in oil prices, which constrained Chavez’s largess. So, today, the Castros are once again in a mad-dash-for-cash. Accordingly, they dusted off their old playbook and added a few “trick” plays. They have one goal in mind: Regime survival……..Read More

Three people are confirmed dead after a cruise ship carrying more than 4,000 people ran aground off Italy.

There were scenes of panic as the Costa Concordia hit a sandbar on Friday evening near the island of Giglio and listed about 20 degrees.

Most people reached land by lifeboats but some swam to shore.

At least 50 people have not yet been accounted for, Italian officials say, but they caution that the passenger list may not be fully up to date.

Coast guard vessels are combing the waters around the ship, while divers are searching the submerged decks.

The regional prefect’s office said 4,165 out of 4,234 people on board had been accounted for, the Italian news agency Ansa reported.

Italian, German, French and British nationals were among the 3,200 passengers on board. There were also 1,000 crew.

Three people were confirmed dead, Italian coast guard officials said on Saturday morning – fewer than the six or eight deaths reported by Italian media earlier. Fourteen people were injured……Read More

IT SEEMS a strange sort of new year’s resolution. Twice in a row the Hungarian government has begun the year courting controversy with what critics see as dangerous deviations from democratic norms. In 2011 it was forced to begin its six-month presidency of the European Union defending a media law that officials in Brussels thought was a threat to press freedom. This year has begun with another ticking-off from the EU, a string of condemnatory newspaper editorials and a large public demonstration in Budapest.

Hungary and Brussels are locked in a stand-off over a new law that the European Commission believes opens the door to political control of the central bank, which is forbidden under the EU treaties. Another bone of contention is a set of fiscal laws that enshrine a flat personal income-tax rate and cap public debt, thus reducing the ability of future governments to raise revenue.

These laws were passed at the end of last month, despite requests to reconsider from, among others, the EU, the IMF, the European Central Bank and the United States. Some adjustments were made, but the most dubious points remained: the appointment of a third central-bank vice-governor, to be recommended by the prime minister, and the expansion of the Monetary Council, which sets interest rates. Another new law allows for the merger of the central bank with the state financial regulator and the demotion of the central-bank governor. Andras Simor, who holds that job, said the laws amounted to a total state takeover of his institution…..Read More

The U.S. Air Force’s top secret X-37B space plane may be spying on China, according to a report in Spaceflight magazine.

The unmanned craft was launched into Earth’s orbit 10 months ago, but the Air Force has kept quiet on its mystery mission, where it’s been, and when it will return. Faithful onlookers now believe the space plane might be snooping on China’s new space station, Tiangong-1 — after discovering how closely their orbits matched.

“Space-to-space surveillance is a whole new ball game made possible by a finessed group of sensors and sensor suites, which we think the X-37B may be using to maintain a close watch on China’s nascent space station,” Spaceflight Editor Dr. David Baker told the BBC.

Built by Boeing’s Phantom Works division, the 29-foot-long X-37B spacecraft was originally developed by NASA in 1999 before it was eventually taken over and classified by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

The robot craft’s official purpose is to test new spaceflight technologies but there has been speculation about X-37B’s potential military capabilities with Iran’s PressTV calling the vehicle a “secret space warplane” — an opinion partly echoed by Brian Weeden, a technical adviser to the Secure World Foundation and a former orbital analyst with the U.S. Air Force.

Weeden suspects that the X-37B may be testing out gear for the National Reconnaissance Office, the intelligence agency that builds and operates the U.S.’s spy satellites — which would explain the secrecy.

“As we know through experience, everything and anything about them [the NRO] is classified,” Weeden told Space.com early last year.

The space plane, also known as the Orbital Test Vehicle-2, was boosted into Earth orbit atop an Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on March 5, 2011, and amateur skywatchers have been keenly tracking it ever since….. Read More

Let’s be honest: We all know you’re not really gonna quit smoking, start exercising, and eat more vegetables as of today. As Emerson wryly remarked: “All promise outruns performance.”

The key to keeping your New Year’s resolutions is to make them more realistic. Rather than try to drastically change the way you live, why not start with the more modest goal of changing the way you speak? And what better place to start for conservatives than with America’s Founding principles?

As conservatives continue to rediscover the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, it is important to use words and embrace ideas that are consistent with our Founding principles.

If you’re fond of the term “states’ rights,” have a soft spot for nullification, are tempted by isolationism or are wary of equality, here are four simple resolutions to begin getting right with America’s principles. Once you have these down, you can start correcting your friends and move on to other core concepts.

1. Speak of Federalism, not “States’ Rights”

States don’t have rights. People do.

States have powers. Nowhere in the Constitution are states said to possess rights. Congress has certain powers, clearly enumerated in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, and the conservative-favorite Tenth Amendment makes clear that all the other powers are reserved to the states.

Not only is it incorrect to speak of states’ rights, but the expression has more baggage than Samsonite and Louis Vuitton combined. In case you didn’t know, “states’ rights” was the rallying cry of segregationists. Since no right-thinking conservative will keep company with such people, let’s just drop the term states’ rights once and for all.

If you’re concerned about federal encroachments on state sovereignty or the erosion of federalism–as you should be–then speak of federal encroachments on state sovereignty or the erosion of federalism. Or of the need to restore limited constitutional government, reinvigorate local self-government, decentralize power or check the growth of out-of-control government. With so many great formulations to choose from, why weaken the case for liberty by relying on “states’” rights?

2. Resist the Nullification Temptation

Are you unhappy with the constitutional abomination called Obamacare? Do you think that Congress has no power to compel you to purchase health insurance?

Good. Now encourage the repeal of the law or wait and see what mood Justice Anthony Kennedy will be in next June when the Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality of Obamacare.

But please don’t start talking about nullification as the magical silver bullet that other conservatives somehow overlooked in their efforts to repeal Obamacare (or any other unconstitutional law, for that matter)………Read More

The global activist hacking group Anonymous claims to have obtained thousands of credit card numbers and personal information from the high-profile clients of a leading analytical intelligence company, all in the name of charity.

Up to $1 million was reportedly stolen from Stratfor, in Austin, Texas, a leading provider of military, economic and political analysis for clients that include Apple and the U.S. Air Force.

“#AntiSec plundered 200gb of their mails and more booty,” read a tweet by @AnonymousIRC on Saturday.

Anonymous, an online community with no hierarchical organization, had been working with the hacking group Lulzsec on a series of hacking attacks it called Operation Anti-Security, or Operation AntiSec. The operation began in June 2011, with an attack on the Serious Organized Crime Agency, the U.K.’s national law enforcement agency. Since then, attacks have targeted the governments of Brazil, Tunisia and Zimbabwe, NATO, various U.S. law enforcement websites and Fox News.

Anonymous promised that the attack on Stratfor was just the beginning of an assault on a long list of targets.

“#Antisec has enough targets lined up to extend the fun fun fun of #LulzXmas throught the entire next week,” @AnonymousIRC tweeted.

In a statement released today, Anonymous said, “Tomorrow, we will be dropping another enormous dump on our next target: the entire customer database from an online military and law enforcement supply store.”…..Read More

A radical Muslim sect has claimed responsibility for two bomb attacks on churches in Nigeria during Christmas Day services in which at least 30 people have died.

The first explosion ripped through St Theresa Catholic Church in Madala on the outskirts of the capital Abuja.

Rescue workers recovered at least 25 bodies from the church, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (Nema).

The bombings were apparently the work of the sect known as Boko Haram, which is believed to be responsible for at least 491 killings this year alone.

Nema spokesman Yushau Shuaib said: “The evacuation exercise is still going on as military personnel provide security cover to rescue officers providing humanitarian services due to the tension in the area from an angry crowd.

“We are presently there, evacuating the dead and the injured but unfortunately we don’t have enough ambulances…..Read More

Associated Press= CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — President Barack Obama’s sharp criticisms of Venezuela’s human rights record and its ties to Iran are heightening tensions with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who on Monday responded by calling Obama a “clown” and telling him to mind his own business.

Obama appeared to stiffen his stance toward Chavez in his remarks, which were published Monday by the Venezuelan newspaper El Universal. Some of Obama’s Republican opponents have also been strongly critical of Chavez, and analysts expect the Venezuelan president could become a popular target of criticism as American politicians feud over foreign policy ahead of next year’s U.S. presidential election.

While Washington has long criticized Chavez, Obama’s remarks were some of his hardest to date. He pointedly raised concerns about what he described as threats to democracy in Venezuela.

“We’re concerned about the government’s actions, which have restricted the universal rights of the Venezuelan people, threatened basic democratic values and failed to contribute to the security in the region,” Obama said in written responses to questions from the newspaper.

Chavez wasted little no time in responding. He said on state television, “Mr. Obama came out, attacking us, but that’s not out of the ordinary for us.”

The Venezuelan leader added, “Obama, take care of your own business, focus on governing your country, which you’ve turned into a disaster. Leave us alone.”

Miguel Tinker Salas, a Latin American studies professor at Pomona College in Claremont, California, said he expects more of such talk in 2012.

“I see Venezuela coming into the sphere of American politics during the election year,” Tinker Salas said. “Once the candidates turn their attention to foreign policy, I could see Venezuela being manipulated into becoming an issue even when there are more pressing issues in the region such as the drug war in Mexico.”

Like Obama, Chavez is up for re-election next year as he seeks to extend his 13-year presidency in the October vote.

Without mentioning Chavez, Obama also referred to a need for fair elections in the region.

“In Venezuela, we have been deeply concerned to see action taken to restrict the freedom of the press, and to erode the separation of powers that is necessary for democracy to thrive,” Obama said. “In all countries of the region, we want to see elections that are free and fair.”…….Read More

SEOUL, South Korea –  Kim Jong Il, North Korea’s longtime leader, has died at 69 of a heart attack, state TV reported on Monday in a “special broadcast.”

State media reported that Kim suffered the heart attack while riding a train on Dec. 17, and that he had been treated for cardiac and cerebrovascular diseases for some time. It said an autopsy was done on Dec. 18 and “fully confirmed” the diagnosis.

“It is the biggest loss for the party … and it is our people and nation’s biggest sadness,” an anchorwoman clad in black Korean traditional dress said in a voice choked with tears. She said the nation must “change our sadness to strength and overcome our difficulties.”

Kim is believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008, but he had appeared relatively vigorous in photos and video from recent trips to China and Russia and in numerous trips around the country carefully documented by state media. The communist country’s “Dear Leader” — reputed to have had a taste for cigars, cognac and gourmet cuisine — was believed to have had diabetes and heart disease.

Kim ruled North Korea with an iron fist for 17 years. He succeeded his father, revered North Korean founder Kim Il Sung, after the elder Kim’s death in 1994. The nation remains one of the last remnants of the Cold War era, and is heavily isolated.

Kim maintained absolute control of his country and kept the world on edge with erratic decisions regarding the country’s nuclear weapons program.

South Korean media, including Yonhap news agency, said South Korea put its military on “high alert” and President Lee Myung-bak convened a national security council meeting after the news of Kim’s death. Officials couldn’t immediately confirm the reports.

In September 2010, Kim Jong Il unveiled his third son, the twenty-something Kim Jong Un, as his successor, putting him in high-ranking posts.

State media called Kim Jong Un the “great successor” to the nation’s principles Monday, encouraging support for the heir-apparent.

It also said saying citizens must “respectfully revere” Kim Jong Un………Read More 

Cairo (CNN) — Pro-democracy demonstrators battled Egyptian police for a third straight day Sunday, their anger stoked by images of a military police officer stomping on a woman’s exposed stomach over the weekend.

The latest round of street clashes has left at least 10 people dead and 500 wounded since Friday, said Dr. Hisham Sheeha, a spokesman for Egypt’s health ministry. An 11th person, a boy arrested Saturday, died in police custody from his wounds, the boy’s attorney, Ragia Omran, said Sunday.

Cairo’s stock exchange plunged amid the new turmoil, while Saturday’s images of the woman’s beating appeared to draw more people to the streets.

“I will go down and fight the army and retrieve the honor of this woman and those martyrs killed for the sake of Egypt’s future,” taxi driver Ahmed Fahmy told CNN.

The woman and a male companion were set upon by more than 20 police officers during Saturday’s demonstrations in Cairo. She been dressed in a traditional robe and headscarf — but as police clubbed her and dragged her down the street, those items were pulled away, exposing her midriff and blue brassiere in a country known for its Islamic conservatism.

Then one of the police officers aimed a foot at her upper abdomen and stamped squarely on it, while another officer jumped on the man as he lay on the pavement nearby.

“The army were like vultures who found a prey,” said Mohamed Zeidan, who filmed the beating from a balcony overlooking Tahrir Square. He said after he stopped filming the beating out of fear of being discovered, “The soldiers even beat an older couple who tried to help her up.”

A CNN crew that managed to escape Saturday’s chaos witnessed other beatings, with children, the elderly and people on their way to work finding themselves on the end of police truncheons.

Images of the woman’s treatment were splashed across the front pages of Egyptian newspapers on Sunday and zipped around the world on social media networks. But a spokesman for the military, which has ruled Egypt since February’s ouster of longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak, had no apologies…..Read More

Still, he can’t understand why Cuban-American politicians from South Florida want to roll back the ability of fellow Cuban-Americans to visit and send money to family there.

“Look, I’m going to be frank. The situation is really screwed there,” said the Miami chef. “The only ones who are going to be hurt are the Cuban people.”

Since taking office, President Barack Obama has allowed Cuban-Americans to visit extended family on the island as many times as they want and send unlimited remittances to relatives there. But Cuban-Americans like Damian are closely watching an amendment to the $1 trillion-plus omnibus spending package that would return U.S. regulations to the Bush-era, when Cuban-Americans could travel to Cuba only once every three years and send just $1,200 to immediate relatives on the island annually.

U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, a Cuban-American Republican from Florida, has sponsored the amendment, which passed unanimously in the House Appropriations Committee earlier this year. He argues the 30 percent cut the Cuban government takes from remittances has been propping up a dictatorship, adding billions of dollars to its coffers. He also maintains people have been abusing the spirit of the regulations by making repeated trips to sell items to Cubans that are otherwise difficult to obtain on the island.

“This is not a humanitarian issue,” Diaz-Balart has told The Associated Press. “People who go there ten or fifteen times a year. It’s become a business, and a very lucrative business for the Castro regime.”

Damian wasn’t convinced.

“The government and the officials, they always have money. They will be fine,” he said. “I think the politicians don’t understand because they don’t have relatives on the island. They’ve made their life here. Most of their family is here.”

Older Cuban-Americans who came shortly after the revolution and have few connections to the island tend to support limited travel and remittances. They are also wield significant influence in the swing state of Florida. Although increasingly in the minority, they are far more likely to vote and contribute to political campaigns than the growing number of Cubans who have come to the U.S. in the last 20 years and who generally want to help relatives on the island any way they can.

The president has threatened to veto the budget bill if it contains certain provisions, including the Cuba limits. On Wednesday, while honoring Cuban the late Cuban dissident Laura Pollan, he reiterated his commitment to unrestricted family visits and remittances. But he did not specifically mention a veto of the Cuba language…….Read More

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is rebranding itself to try to lose the negative “baggage” associated with the larger terror organization’s identity, according to a senior Arab diplomat who says the Yemeni-based group is trying to attract more foreign fighters to its cause.

AQAP is increasingly going by the name “Ansar al Sharia,” which means Army of Islamic Law, the diplomat told Fox News.

“After (Usama) bin Laden’s death and the Arab Spring, the name (al Qaeda) seems to have negative connotations and baggage,” said the diplomat, who would discuss the changes only on condition of anonymity.

The name swap was likened to a similar evolution experienced by al Qaeda in Iraq’s military and political wings. The rebranding of AQAP is seen as an effort to create “a big tent” to attract foreign jihadists and give it a greater air of legitimacy as a political movement.

Since al Qaeda leader bin Laden’s death in May at the hand of U.S. Navy SEALs, the number of foreign fighters traveling to Pakistan has dropped, but the number heading to Yemen is on an upswing.

A senior Yemeni official with access to the intelligence said the number of foreign fighters in Yemen now exceeds 1,000. If accurate, that is more than four times the number of al Qaeda members believed to be in the tribal areas of Pakistan.

Combined with the al Qaeda affiliate in Somalia, which Kenyan officials is now the base for upwards of 750 foreign fighters now in training, the horn of Africa — and by extension Yemen — are now the central threat hubs….Read More