- The mayor of Kandahar was killed by a suicide bomber today. The Taliban have claimed responsibility. Even has the Taliban claim a string of assassinations, U.S. counter-terrorism officials say Pakistani based al-Qaeda could collapse soon.
- North Korea is demanding a peace treaty with the United States before entering into six-party talks about the recluse countries nuclear program. The Korean War effectively ceased following an armistice agreement in 1953, but the two countries remain in a technical state of war.
- The UK has dismissed the remaining representatives to the Qaddafi government from the country and has recognized the rebel forces as the legitimate government of Libya. For the latest coverage on the rebel advance, check this out(NYT).
- Aid airlift to Somalia have been delayed by UN bureaucracy, according to al-Jazeera. In a strange turn, al-Shabab has banned samosas (during a famine no less) because their three corners could remind people of the Holy Trinity.
- Young Israelis have taken to the streets and set up tent cities to protest high housing prices in Tel Aviv.
Domestic
- The CBO scored Boehner's plan and found it would only cut $850 billion, but The White House defended the plan, even has it threatened to veto it. Boehner's staff, disappointed by the CBO score, took to their chainsaws to find more cuts. Meanwhile, Reid, Boehner, and McConnell are all inching closer to a deal. There is still some doubt that Boehner could find the votes in the House, especially among the tea party faithful who don't think blowing off the debt ceiling will be a big deal, despite the over 70 million checks that could not go to regular Americans and the warning from new IMF head, Christine LaGarde that default would be, "a very, very, very serious event...for the global economy." This editor wonders how Republicans, and the tea party especially, can be so virulently against any tax increase because they feel it will stifle the economy, and yet seem quite content to let the U.S. default on its loans, which would do far more to wreck the economy.
- House Democrats are seeking an end to the stale-mate that has defunded parts of the FAA.
- Secretary Clinton is urging Congress to rethink legislation that is working its way through the House that would add "onerous" restrictions on foreign aid.
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