Pakistan Snapshot: US Rejects 40% of Funding Claims from Pakistani Military (Entous)

Adam Entous reports for The Wall Street Journal about a latest sign of the tensions between Washington and Islamabad. Beyond the headline claims are even more interesting questions. For example, who in the US Administration, probably the Pentagon, fed Entous the story with the leaked documents and the interviews?

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Obama Protects US Secrets: The Prosecution of Thomas Drake (Mayer)

“The Bush people have been let off. The telecom companies got immunity [over illegal surveillance]. The only people Obama has prosecuted are the whistle-blowers.”

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Syria, Palestine, Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: The Arab Spring Intersects with Nakba Day

2120 GMT: James Miller posted a video earlier depicting Baath Party members running out of a building as protesters attacked it. He has been contacted by the author of the video. The video was taken on Friday, May 13th, in Jisr Alshugour, in Idleb province, northern Syria. The building is the official headquarters of the Bath Party in the region (see video at 1730 GMT).

2000 GMT: Egypt's former First Lady Suzanne Mubarak has told prosecutors that she will turn over $3 million to the country, claiming this is all she has.

The wife of deposed President Hosni Mubarak was questioned last week over corruption charges before being hospitalised with a heart condition.

1945 GMT: Claimed footage of a Syrian armoured vehicle outside the Omari Mosque in the southern town of Daraa:

1930 GMT: Syrian soldiers repeatedly punch and kick two men:

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The Latest from Iran (16 May): Ahmadinejad the Prizefighter

1900 GMT: Claim of Day. Fars says General Yahya Rahim Safavi, former head of the Revolutionary Guards, has been sent by the Supreme Leader to meet senior clerics in Qom.

1845 GMT: Corruption Watch. MP Fazel Mousavi claims the Parliament has proven 50 cases of Government "takhalof" (wrongdoing).

And more rumblings in the Iranian media about the President's inner circle, with claimed details of the diversion of $400 million in a building project on Kish Island.

Last week, conservative newspapers and websites claimed that friends and associates of Presidential Chief of Staff Esfandiar Rahim-Mashai were linked to the project.

1830 GMT: Fashion Watch. The hard-line Mashregh News is outraged that the daughter of an employee of the Iranian Interests Section in Washington has been in a video without hijab.

Sabra Jafarzadeh is the fourth woman in this footage, appearing with and without a headscarf, explaining what it is like to take off the covering for the first time:

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Iran Transcript: President Ahmadinejad's TV Interview

A transcript of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's live interview on Sunday night on the State broadcaster IRIB Channel 2:

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What do you think about the execution of the laws in the past five months?

My assessment is very positive. The people of Iran have accomplished something here. Everyone thought that that the economic situation would not improve. But we have accomplished this and we have proud results to show. I will describe some of them to you.

One of the main things was to cut down the costs. One of the major issues was the cost of bread. I can tell you that we have cut down the costs to about 30 percent. In a short time, we have managed to do this. I won't say that the quality of bread everywhere is better than before, but it will be.

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Israel-Palestine-Syria Video: Hundreds March into Golan Heights on Nakba Day

Israeli forces in the occupied Golan Heights try to prevent hundreds of marchers crossing the border fence from the Syrian-controllled side on Sunday.

Hundreds of residents watch and cheer the marchers, who were protesting on Nakba Day, marking the 1948 expulsion of Palestinians from their lands. Some chant “Filastin Arabiyeh wal Jawlan Suriyeh” (“Palestine is Arab and the Golan is Syrian”).

At the 9-minute mark, a large group of marchers who have just crossed the border fence can seen taking cover while gunfire is heard. The gunfire continues as Israeli soldiers approach the group. More marchers arrive, as the Israelis bring in reinforcements.

(hat tip to jawlany.com and Electronic Intifada)

A 2nd video of the crossing:

Libya Video: Tripoli Residents Speak "This is About the Freedom to Build a New Country"

Interviews with residents of the Libyan capital Tripoli, talking of their experiences since the uprising began on 17 February:

Iran Snap Analysis: Interpreting Tonight's Ahmadinejad Speech

Our running analysis of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech this evening....

We're still working through a detailed evaluation but our initial impression is of Ahmadinejad the Prizefighter, tactically retreating on one front while jabbing on another.

The President effectively admitted defeat in his attempt to take control of the Ministry of Intelligence --- the move that started this political crisis last month --- and he tried to cover his public position by pledging loyalty to the Supreme Leader.

But note that Ahmadinejad did not back away from the tension he has caused with his attempt to merge Ministries.

Indeed, note a possible new battlefront. Amidst the general, often vague rhetoric, this blunt assertion stands out --- on the oversight of the Ministry of Oil, Ahmadinejad declares, "Currently, I'm the supervisor." Is he really looking, after the argument over the Ministry of Intelligence, to expand his authority in another vital area, one which could prompt another conflict with the Supreme Leader?

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Syria, Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Advancing?

1945 GMT: Claimed demonstration in Homs in Syria tonight:

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The Latest from Iran (15 May): A Display of Protest Today?

2105 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Narges Mohammadi, the wife of Taghi Rahmani, said that the journalist and consultant to Mehdi Karroubi, has been freed on $150,000 bail.

1930 GMT: The Ahmadinejad Interview. We have now moved our LiveBlog of tonight's speech by the President, combining it with a snap analysis of the political significance, to a separate entry.

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