BACK PAGE NEWS (open to all to post articles)

[Toby]

Vladimir Putin to be embarrassed in Russian elections, exit polls show

Vladimir Putin’s ruling United Russia party appears to have lost the trust of millions of Russians after early results showed it had won less than fifty per cent of the vote in a parliamentary election on Sunday.

Vladimir Putin to be embarrassed in Russian elections, exit polls show - Telegraph

Darn it they dint want Communism? Lets see how this plays out, maybe Putin will win in the end and the Gulags can reopen once again.

[Toby]

U.S. official says no sign Iran shot down drone

(Reuters) - Iranian media reported on Sunday that their country's military had shot down a U.S. reconnaissance drone in eastern Iran, but a U.S. official said there was no indication the aircraft had been shot down.

U.S. official says no sign Iran shot down drone | Reuters

[Toby]

Russian voters deal Putin and party an election blow

Russian voters deal Putin and party an election blow | Reuters

[Toby]

Syrian secret police defect, Arab deadline looms

(Reuters) - At least a dozen Syrian secret police have defected from an intelligence compound, activists said Sunday, in what appeared to be the first major desertion from a service that has acted as a pillar of President Bashar al-Assad's rule

Syrian secret police defect, Arab deadline looms | Reuters

Time to get out of dodge!!!

[Toby]

Hamas quietly scales back its presence in Syria

(Reuters) - Dozens of Hamas operatives have quietly returned to Gaza from Damascus as the Islamist group scales back its presence in Syria and gauges the uncertain future of President Bashar al-Assad, diplomats said on Sunday.

Hamas quietly scales back its presence in Syria | Reuters

[Toby]

Italian government approves austerity measures

The measures include immediate cuts to the costs of maintaining Italy's bulky political class as well as significant measures to fight tax evasion, Monti told a news conference following a three-hour Cabinet meeting.

As part of the political cost cuts, Monti said he would forego his salaries as premier and finance minister - a move he said was a personal decision and not meant as an example for other ministers in the government, which was formed 2 1/2 weeks ago after Premier Silvio Berlusconi's resignation under market and political pressure.

The package also includes measures to spur growth and competition, while aiming to stamp out rampant nepotism. But it also raises the retirment age and the number of years of service to qualify for a full pension, steps strongly opposed by unions, and imposes new taxes on Italians' private wealth, including their homes, boats and luxury cars, measures that conservatives have protested.

News from The Associated Press

[Toby]

Protesters arrested after building erected in DC

WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. Park Police are arresting Occupy D.C. protesters who are refusing to dismantle an unfinished wooden structure erected in a D.C. park overnight.

Protesters began constructing the wooden building Saturday, but on Sunday police told them they'd need a permit for such a structure and gave them an hour to disassemble it.

When the protesters failed to comply, officers on horseback moved in. Officers removed several protesters from the structure and arrested them, then started breaking down the structure.

News from The Associated Press

[Toby]

IL County’s Immigration Law Protest Turns Criminal Aliens Loose

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has shared exclusively with The Daily Caller descriptions of three violent illegal immigrants recently released from custody in Cook County, Ill., instead of being forwarded to immigration jails and processed for deportation.

Releases like these became commonplace following the Board of Commissioners’ approval of a controversial ordinance that effectively — and immediately — ended the Chicago-area county’s participation in ICE “detainer” orders.

Read more: Federal Immigration Law | Criminal Aliens | Deportations | The Daily Caller

Among them:

“A 32-year-old Mexican national charged with a felony and traffic offenses after running a red light and then punching the police officer who arrested him, sending the officer to the hospital. On Sept. 7, 2011, he was released from Cook County despite an immigration detainer.

“A 28-year-old Mexican national arrested in September and charged with criminal trespass to vehicles (misdemeanor), aggravated battery of a peace officer (felony), and battery-cause bodily harm (misdemeanor). She was released from Cook County two days after her arrest despite an immigration detainer.

“A 33-year-old Mexican national arrested in September and charged with felony possession of cocaine. He was previously deported by the Border Patrol on Feb. 27, 2009 under an expedited removal order; that removal order would have been reinstated by ICE. He was released from Cook County on the day after his arrest despite an immigration detainer. Re-entry after deportation is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison.”

[Toby]

Facing their last moments with a smile: The Chinese women about to be executed for drug smuggling
Read more: Chinese execution pictures: Women about to be executed for drug smuggling | Mail Online

[Toby]

Couple battered to death with baseball bat over $40 drug debt
Suspect took 'trophy' photographs of bodies
Stuffed female corpse in trunk of car and ran errands

Read more: Couple battered to death with baseball bat over $40 drug debt | Mail Online