Stay true to the dreams of thy youth

• US budget deal clears way for Gulf of Mexico oil drilling - FT.com

  "An agreement to allow offshore oil drilling along the maritime border in the Gulf of Mexico is part of the bipartisan budget deal being considered by the US Congress, boosting the drive for energy reform in Mexico as it reaches a decisive moment. "

  tags: unitedstates energy exploration upstream gulfofmexico drilling

• Singapore cracks down on social unrest after Little India riot - FT.com

  "Singapore’s government has said it will “take no chances” on a repeat of last week’s riots, the worst social unrest since 1969, describing as a “first step” an alcohol ban this weekend in the enclave where the trouble erupted. "

  tags: singapore protest revolution business authoritarianism

• UN inspectors indicate chemical weapons were used in Syria - FT.com

  "Chemical weapons were probably used in five of seven attacks UN inspectors investigated in Syria, according to the team’s final report. There are suggestions that the nerve agent sarin was used in four of the incidents, including the “large scale” attack on the Damascus suburb of Ghouta in August that triggered global outrage and prompted the inquiry."

  tags: syria chemicals shady revolution murder asad

• Brussels and Moscow claim progress on Ukraine accords - FT.com

  "Ukraine’s besieged government appeared to engage in another round of playing Russia and the EU against each other as officials in both Moscow and Brussels said they expect to sign accords with Kiev soon. "

  tags: ukraine russia balanceofpower putin yanukovich obama ashton

• The Appalling Stance of Rand Paul - NYTimes.com

  "We have gone from a war on poverty in this country to a war on the poor, in which poor people are routinely demonized and scapegoated and attacked, and conservatives have led the charge. "

  tags: poverty unitedstates politics employment unemployment randpaul

• Assassination campaign blights eastern Libya - FT.com

  "A relentless campaign of assassinations against long-serving or former members of Libya’s security forces in the country’s east appears to be expanding, raising fears over the oil-rich north African nation’s already-precarious security situation. "

  tags: assassination libya northafrica africa middleeast revolution

• Boehner: Tea party groups have ‘lost all credibility’

  "In a remarkable moment of political clarity, House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) escalated his feud with outside conservative advocacy groups that have repeatedly undermined his leadership team's agenda for three years. "Frankly, I just think they've lost all credibility," Boehner told reporters Thursday at his weekly press briefing."

  tags: boehner ohiio house republicans teabaggers teaparty politics

• Senate’s Iran Sanctions Deal Falls Apart - The Daily Beast

  "The collapse of the Senate’s efforts to reach a sanctions compromise between Senators Mark Kirk (R-Il.) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) is a victory for President Obama and President Rouhani of Iran. Earlier this week, Iran’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif, told Time magazine that any new sanctions from Congress would collapse the nuclear talks between his country and the United States, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom.  "

  tags: iran senate obama balanceofpower unitedstates

• BBC News - Mortar bombs land in Saudi desert

  "Saudi Arabia and Iraq are investigating an incident in which six mortar bombs landed in a remote area of Saudi Arabia near the border with Iraq and Kuwait. "

  tags: ksa saudi iraq gcc gulf middleeast

• Arab ministers applaud for Israel's president in secret meeting | Al Akhbar English

  "Israel's president Shimon Peres secretly addressed 29 foreign ministers from Arab and Muslim countries during a Gulf security summit in Abu Dhabi two weeks ago, drawing a round of applause from the audience, an Israeli daily revealed Monday. "

  tags: israel abudhabi gulf gcc dubai middleeast

• Exclusive: Dubai's Nakheel plans road link to The World islands - Construction - ArabianBusiness.com

  "Dubai’s Nakheel is in advanced talks to build a road link to The World manmade development in a bid to boost land prices and encourage sales of the remaining islands, a source told Arabian Business. "

  tags: nakheel dubai realestate property middleeast uae gcc

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.