'Your papers, please' must never be heard in America
Independent voices from the TWT Communities

International envoy Lakhdar Brahimi expressed little hope for a political solution for Syria anytime soon after meeting Friday with senior Russian and U.S. diplomats trying to bring an end to the civil war, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

President Obama declared Syria's main opposition group the sole "legitimate representative" of its country's people Tuesday, deeming the move "a big step" in the international diplomatic efforts to end Syrian President Bashar Assad's embattled regime.
Syria's civil war spilled over into neighboring Lebanon once again on Sunday, with gunbattles in the northern city of Tripoli between supporters and opponents of President Bashar Assad's regime that left four dead.

The Palestinians are certain to win U.N. recognition as a state on Thursday but success could exact a high price: delaying an independent state of Palestine because of Israel's vehement opposition.

A bid for U.N. recognition of a state of Palestine is a last-ditch attempt to rescue troubled Mideast peace efforts, a Palestinian spokeswoman said Wednesday, rejecting Israel's charge that it is an attempt to bypass negotiations.

Egypt's president on Sunday ordered the Islamist-dominated parliament to reconvene in defiance of a military decree dissolving the legislature last month on the basis of a ruling by the country's top court, the state news agency reported.

President Obama says legislation to keep transportation projects going and prevent interest rates from doubling on new loans to college students will help many in this country.

The way the Obama administration tells it, improving trade relations with Russia as it prepares to enter the World Trade Organization would be in America's best interest.

Russia's foreign minister said Friday that Moscow isn't discussing Syria's future without President Bashar Assad as Washington has claimed, in the latest volley in a contentious back-and-forth on how to end the bloody conflict.

Political pressure mounted on the Obama administration Wednesday to take a tougher stance on Iran after the disclosure of a Tehran-linked plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. in a Washington restaurant.
Coach John Calipari and former Memphis guard Derrick Rose agreed last year to pay $100,000 to avoid a lawsuit over the Tigers' season that ended in the 2008 Final Four with the wins later vacated by the NCAA.

President Obama has decided to sell a new arms package to Taiwan that will likely include weapons and equipment to upgrade the island's F-16 jets, according to administration and congressional officials.
The United States says it has seen no signs yet that North Korea is prepared to meet conditions for resuming multinational talks on nuclear disarmament.
The Obama administration is about to make another concession to Russia on missile defense by concluding an agreement with Turkey to base a radar there that would monitor Iranian missile launches.

The U.N. Security Council on Thursday approved a resolution to impose a no-fly zone over Libya and take "all necessary measures" to protect civilians, even as Col. Moammar Gadhafi's warplanes bombed Benghazi, the eastern city at the heart of the rebellion.
Deputy Secretary of State William Burns said that, while Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton and other senior officials had been briefed about the security situation in Libya, decisions about security were made at the assistant secretary level.
Inhofe: Benghazi cover-up bigger than Watergate, Iran-Contra →
Deputy Secretary of State William Burns said that, while Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton and other senior officials had been briefed about the security situation in Libya, decisions about security were made at the assistant secretary level.
GOP senators hit Benghazi report on Cabinet officials’ actions →