Headlines
IRAQ
At least 1,000 British troops 'desert' since Iraq war, BBC
The children of Guantanamo Bay, Independent - "New revelation that more than 60 of the detainees of the US camp were under 18 at the time of their capture, some as young as 14"
The massacre and the Marines, Independent
"US troops could face death penalty for what is seen as potentially the worst war crime since Iraqi invasion."
EDITORIAL: The Price of Iraq, NYT
"It was somewhat reassuring that Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair have stopped trying to pretend that everything has gone just fine in Iraq, since most of the rest of the world already knows otherwise. But it was very disturbing to hear them follow their expressions of regret with the same old "stay the course" fantasy. It's time for Mr. Bush either to chart a course that can actually be followed, or admit that there is none."
Galloway says murder of Blair would be 'justified', Independent
"In an interview with GQ magazine, the reporter asked him: "Would the assassination of, say, Tony Blair by a suicide bomber - if there were no other casualties - be justified as revenge for the war on Iraq?" [..] Mr Galloway replied: "Yes, it would be morally justified. I am not calling for it - but if it happened it would be of a wholly different moral order to the events of 7/7. It would be entirely logical and explicable. And morally equivalent to ordering the deaths of thousands of innocent people in Iraq - as Blair did."
IRAN
GOP Heavy Hitters Pressuring White House to Talk With Iran, Laura Rozen/LAT
"Some of the E.U. members were nervous that things were really going downhill very fast and headed to military confrontation," said one nongovernmental energy consultant knowledgeable about the internal debate. "When [the Russia proposal] failed, all bets were off. And that prompted thinking that there has got to be another way."
Russian envoy to visit Iran for nuclear talks, AFP
Iran Chief Eclipses Clerics as He Consolidates Power, NYT
US POLITICS
[U.S. Treasury Sec'y] John Snow ‘ready to stand down by summer’, Financial Times (sub req)
[Bush] Justice Dept. Seeks to Block Suits on Spying, NYT
"The Bush administration has asked federal judges in New York and Michigan to dismiss two lawsuits filed over the National Security Agency's domestic eavesdropping program, saying litigating them would jeopardize state secrets."
Sen. Chuck Schumer blocks vote on the nomination of Susan Schwab for U.S. Trade Chief, Financial Times
EUROPE
Putin attempts to ease EU concerns over energy, Financial Times
MIDDLE EAST
Jimmy Carter: Israel's New Plan, a Land Grab, Palestine Chronicle
"A mutual Israeli-Palestinian agreement would undoubtedly result in full recognition of Israel by all Arab nations, with normal diplomatic and economic relations, and permanent peace and justice for the Palestinians. It would also remove one of the major causes of international terrorism and greatly ease tensions that could precipitate a regional or even global conflict."
Israeli jets bomb Lebanon border area, Scotsman
NET NEUTRALITY
Why the Democratic Ethic of the World Wide Web May Be About to End, Adam Cohen/NYT
"Customers who are used to the robust, democratic Web may not pay for one that is restricted to wealthy corporate content providers."
Rosslyn Chapel Comes Alive in Scotsman video series, Scotsman
Nearly one million at pope's mass ahead of Auschwitz visit, AFP
'Dead' Everest man [Lincoln Hall] safe at camp, BBC
Hunt for survivors after Indonesia quake kills more than 4,600, AFP
Special Note:
CNN should be ashamed of putting this piece of shit
up on their site.