Starving Syrians Flee Damascus

Thousands of Syrian civilians are now allowed to go back to their homes from the besieged Damascus suburb, Moadamiya. The besiege of some parts in Syria have been due to the civil that the country is going through at the current time. Supplies in Moadamiya had been running low and the residents pleaded from starvation. An apparent relaxation in the military forces on the blockade brought the freedom of thousands of people. The besiege was also on the surrounding suburbs of Yarmouk and Eastern Ghouta and has been an ongoing conflict for several months. The situation became desperate enough tthat the Muslim clerics allowed people to eat cats, dogs, and donkeys in order to survive. (These animals are usually seen as unfit for human consumption in the Islamic beleif)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24730536

US Spying on German Phones?

The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, called president Obama in regards that the US may have spied on her mobile phone. A German spokesperson said that it was completely unacceptable. The call to US officials also extended to any US surveillance in Germany. The White House said that the US did not snoop on her communications, nor will it in the future. The US has had other allies show this same aggression on spying. Most of this was traced to leaker Edward Snowden. Snowden was a computer specialist for the CIA and a contractor for the NSA and disclosed many files. His current whereabouts are in Russia, exiled from the US. Either way, many countries now days are looking into Washington and searching if there would be anything that would suggest a serious breach of trust.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24647268

Egyptian Inquiry into US Death

A U.S. citizen was found dead in an Egyptian police jail. The current investigation right now suggests suicide, since there is no other apparent evidence to contradict. The man, retired 66 year old U.S. military officer James Henry, was found hanging from a bathroom door by his belt and shoe laces. Henry was arrested when he was on his way to the Gaza Strip in August, but was detained for violation a curfew in North Sinai. He was arrested while carrying a map of Egypt and an advanced electronic device. The U.S. embassy official in Cairo said that he was given all of the appropriate consular services. According the local reports, authorities had told him that he was going to be detained another 30 days the day before his death. Thi is the second foreign citizen to die in police custody, before a French national.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-24521870

Egypt Soldiers Killed in Ismailiya and Sinai Attacks

At least nine soldiers and police officers have been killed in two separate attacks last Monday. In southern Sinai, a car bomb killed three police officers and injured 40 more. Hours later, gun man in just outside of the Suez Canal shot and killed six other officers in a car. Along with this attack, a government run satellite station was hit by rockets, causing damage to a satellite dish. No one has claimed responsibility for these attacks. On Sunday, dozens more were killed from an Islamist based clash. Thousands of Mohammad Morsi followers also began to revolt against the security forces in Cairo. But the police have cracked down on 38 members of the Muslim Brotherhood, who were found carrying masks, petrol filled bombs, and firecrackers. The brotherhood fired not only on police, but surrounding citizens and property. The continuing attacks in Sinai show that there is probably a fully fledged insurgency building in this area. Experts believe that this area attracts militants, along with an easy passage for weapon shipments from Libya.

US Government Begins to Shutdown Closer to Budget Deadline

Our federal government is starting to shutdown after two failed attempts on a new budget for the upcoming year. This means that around two million people will lose their jobs from the government; starting with 19 museums/galleries/ national zoos, 700,000 people will be asked to go on a temporary leave without pay. It is predicted to spread to the public school systems, state departments will have a limited time until they shutdown, and the department of health and human services will be cut in half. This is the first shutdown in 17 years, also bringing the dollar to fall in currency again today. Obama tweeted last night blaming the Republicans that they caused the shutdown over the Obamacare. The senate is also to meet again tonight at 9:30 GMT. This shows that government today is more focused on a rivalry between two factions than the interests of the American people.