US Government Begins Partial Shutdown After Deadline Passes

For the first time in 17 years, the US government has partially shut down after a midnight deadline passed without an agreement on measures to continue funding basic services.

Despite a last-gasp appeal by President Barack Obama,Federal agencies were ordered to begin closing at midnight on Tuesday [0400 GMT], meaning that over 800,000 US government workers have been forced to stay at home with no guarantee of back pay once the deadlock is over.

According to reports, the Republican-led House of Representatives attempted to draw up a replacement that blocks parts of President Barack Obama's health care reforms on Monday.

The House has passed two spending bills in recent days, both of which have been torpedoed by the Democratic-led Senate. the Democratic-led Senate voted 54-46 against a bill from House Republicans that would have funded the government only if President Obama's healthcare law - dubbed Obamacare - was delayed for a year.

The House asked for a conference on the budget with the Senate. However, the Senate's Democratic majority leader, Harry Reid, said it would reject the proposal, and called on the House to pass a budget law not linked to healthcare.

"The idea of putting the American people's hard-earned progress at risk is the height of irresponsibility, and it doesn't have to happen", President Obama had said on national television that Monday.

The national parks and Washington's Smithsonian museums will close; pension and veterans' benefit cheques will be delayed, and visa and passport applications will go unprocessed with the shutdown in place.

It could affect government services including food assistance for children and pregnant women and federal home loan programmes.

"The Americans don't want a shutdown and neither do I", Republican speaker of the House, John Boehner, responded a few hours later on the House floor, adding that the new health care law was having "a devastating impact... something has to be done".

Snowden: Ecuador Laments over US "Blackmail"

Ecuador has said that they're turning down the trade benefits the United States gives them as part of the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication trade pact with the United States, claiming it had become an instrument of "blackmail" against them while considering whistleblower Edward Snowden's asylum request.

Despite, voicing support for the former National Security Agency contractor, authorities in Ecuador have said that they won't bow to U.S. pressure even though they are yet to grant Edward Snowden's request for asylum.

The pact, which covers key Ecuadorean exports such as fresh-cut roses, fruits, vegetables and tuna, is set to expire on July 31 unless the US Congress renews it.

In a news conference on Thursday, President Rafael Correa said, "In the face of threats, insolence and arrogance of certain U.S. sectors, which have pressured to remove the preferential tariffs because of the Snowden case, Ecuador tells the world we unilaterally and irrevocably renounce the preferential tariffs."

"You request asylum when you are on a country's territory. Snowden is not on Ecuadorean territory, so technically we cannot even process the asylum request," he said.

"Would he be allowed to arrive on Ecuadorean territory? This is something that, in principle, we haven't considered," he added.

"It is outrageous to try to delegitimize a state for receiving a petition of asylum.We would probably examine it, but for now he is in Russia."

"Ecuador does not accept pressure or threats from anyone, and does not trade on principles or make them contingent on commercial interests, even if those interests are important", Ecuador's Communications Minister Fernando Alvarado announced earlier, adding  that the country "unilaterally and irrevocably renounces preferential customs tariff rights".

Snowden, who is seeking aslyum after he leaked classified information on a widespread secret surveillance programme, faces espionage charges in the United States, and has been slammed as a traitor by critics while being hailed as a hero by his supporters.

The Obama administration has revoked Snowden's passport, after he leaked documents pointing to a widespread US surveillance programme in early June.

Currently, he is believed to be hiding at the Moscow airport, where he arrived from Hong Kong on Sunday.

Retired US General Under Investigation for Stuxnet Leak

Reports from NBC news channel on Thursday has indicated that a high ranking military officer in the US has been placed under investigation for allegedly leaking top secret information about a cyber attack on Iran's nuclear programme.

The covert computer virus called Stuxnet, was used in 2010 to temporarily disable 1,000 centrifuges used for enriching uranium by Iran's nuclear facilities.

According to the report from NBC, Stuxnet is capable of both surveillance and harming computers, and was initally spread using infected removable drives.

Retired General James Cartwright, a former second-highest-ranking officer, was  in a New York Times article published last year as one of the men instrumental in the development of Stuxnet.

The article exposed that the Obama administration used it as a key weapon in fighting against the development of Iran's nuclear programme.

"My attitude has been zero tolerance for these kinds of leaks. These are criminal acts when they release information like this", President Barack Obama said, responding to the article.

While there was ongoing speculation about Cartwright's motive behind the leak,

"Sometimes to attack a programme, sometimes to defend it, sometimes we don't ever know", Director of the Federation of American Scientists Steve Aftergood told NBC while trying to explain that there are many reasons why people leak classified information.

Cartwright was the number two person in the joint chiefs of staff from 2007 to 2011. As at the time of this report, neither he nor his lawyer has responded to requests for comment.

Obama Justifies Use of Drone Strikes

Before an audience at the National Defence University on Thursday, US President Barack Obama defended the controversial use of drones by the country as an important weapon in the war against terrorism.

In a speech where he was expected to address the audience on a secretive program run by the government, he explained that he is haunted by those civilians who were caught in the attacks and tried to assure listeners that there must be “near certainty” that no more civilians will be killed in such strikes in a near future.

“We are at war with an organization that right now would kill as many Americans as they could if we did not stop them first,” he said. “So, this is just a war – a war waged proportionally, in last resort , and in self-defense.”

He added, “So America is at crossroads. We must define the nature and the scope of the struggle, or else it will define us.”

The speech also addressed the issue of the military prison at Guantanamo Bay which the Obama Administration had promised Americans it would shut down in its 2008 campaign promise

“When I ran for president the first time, John McCain supported closing Gitmo. No person has ever escaped from one of our super-max or military prisons in the United States,” Obama said.

“Our courts have convicted hundreds of people for terrorism-related offences, including some who are more dangerous than most Gitmo detainees….there is no justification beyond politics for Congress to prevent us from closing a facility that should never have been opened,” the president added.

While been interrupted by a woman protesting the use of drones and the current situation with the hunger strike at the prison, he pressed further, saying that he would lift a moratorium on prisoner transfers to Yemen and ensure the complete shutdown of the prison, urging Congress not to interrupt his efforts to ensure that the prisoners are transferred to American secured maximum prisons.

Although, a good number of lawmakers are of the opinion that the US authorities support for drone strikes be limited, the President has promised to share with the general public concerning matters about the drone strikes.

His speech came just a day after a letter was released by the attorney-general on behalf of the Obama Administration, revealing for the first time that four American citizens had been killed in covert drone strikes oversea.

It coincides with the signing of new “presidential policy guidance” on when drone strikes can be used, according to the White House.

Attorney-General Admits Deaths of Four Americans in Drone Attacks

The Obama Administration has formally admitted killing four of its citizens in authorized drone attacks in Yemen and Pakistan since 2009, according to a letter from US attorney-general Eric Holder.

The letter, which was addressed to congressional leaders on Wednesday, named three US citizens – Samir Khan, Abdulrahman al-Awlaki, and his father, Anwar al-Awlaki, the intended target of a drone strike in September 2011.

However, the fourth citizen, Jude Kenan Mohammed, was regarded as a victim of America’s efforts to combat terrorism through drone strikes.

The letter reads, “Since 2009, the United States, in the conduct of US counterterrorism operations against al-Qaeda and its associated forces outside of areas of active hostilities, has specifically targeted and killed one US citizen, Anwar al-Awlaki.”

“The decision to target Anwar al-Awlaki was lawful, it was considered and it was just,” he wrote.

“The United States is further aware of three other US citizens who have been killed in such US counterterrorism operations over that same time period,” Holder added, after which he named three citizens.

Holder refused to explain why Jude Mohammed and 16-year-old Abdulrahman al-Awlaki were killed. “These individuals were not specifically targeted by the United States,” he said.

“The administration is determined to continue these extensive outreach efforts to communicate with the American people. To this end, the president has directed me to disclose certain information that until now has been properly classified. You and other members of your committee have on numerous occasions expressed a particular interest in the administration’s use of lethal force against US citizens.”

“In light of this face, I am writing to disclose to you certain information about the number of US citizens who have been killed by US counterterrorism operations outside of areas of active hostilities.”

The letter came just a day before US President Barack Obama was scheduled to deliver a speech on the use of drones, and was addressed to Senator Patrick Leahy and the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Apparently, it was released with the purpose of defending the Obama Administration over allegations that it wasn’t holding up to its promise of utmost transparency as Obama’s campaign plans has stated.

Only a few months earlier, Senator Rand Paul led a marathon filibuster in an effort to criticize the drone program of the CIA, demanding the administration stand before lawmakers and justify the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in the execution of suspected enemies of the state while turning a blind eye to the innocent civilians killed in the process.

Erdogan Meets with Obama in Washington

At a scheduled meeting with US President Barack Obama at the White House in Washington on Thrusday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is looking to find ways to end the two-year civil war ongoing in Syria.

During their joint news conference held in the Rose Garden of the White House, Obama said that his government will continue to increase the pressure on the Syrian regime. He explained that Assad will be out of office “sooner rather than later”, adding that he would do everything in his power to assist the Syrian opposition, while helping Turkey with the huge number of refugees coming in from Syria.

Turkish Minister for EU Affairs Egemen Bagis believes that, in as much as stopping Assad from violating human rights is a priority, the partnership between the US and Turkey can only make it happen if the UN Security Council officials are convinced that measures have to be taken.

In his own words, Bagis said, “I think President Obama and Prime Minister Erdogan will be able to discuss new challenges and opportunities to convince the international community in terms of taking the necessary measures to stop the bloody Assad regime.”

The visit comes just days after a series of car bombs killed dozens in Turkey, with no one claiming responsibility for the attack. However, with Turkish officials pointing accusing fingers at Syrian intelligence, Obama’s government remains skeptical about taking certain actions against Syria that would benefit Turkey.

Only recently, the administration negotiated a deal to repair ties between Turkey and Israel, whose feud began when an Israeli raid on an aid flotilla bound for Gaza led to the deaths of eight Turks and a Turkish-American.

Three Missing US Women Found Alive After a Decade

The Door That Was Knocked Down to Facilitate Their Escape

Ohio police has found three women who went missing in separate incidents for a decade alive in a house in Cleveland.

According to reports, Amanda Berry disappeared in 2003 at the age of 16, Gina DeJesus disappeared the following year at the age of 14, and Michelle Knight was the first to go missing a year before Amanda at the age of 20.

There was also report of a child, about six years of age, found with the women, but its identity and connection with the people of the house have been kept confidential.

Amanda Berry

According to Cleveland Police, Charles Ramsey, a neighbour, was startled by screams coming from the house close by. He was rushed to the building where he found a girl struggling to get outside.

Ramsey suggested the woman open the door and exit, but she told him it was locked.

“We had to kick open the bottom. Luckily on that door it was aluminum, it was cheap. She climbed out with her daughter,” he said.  After which Amanda, the woman, used his cell phone to call the authorities.

In the recorded phone call, Amanda tells the 911 emergency operator, “Help me! I’m Amanda Berry. I’ve been kidnapped and I’ve been missing for 10 years and I’m here. I’m free now.” She gave the operator the name of her alleged kidnapper, adding that he was “out of the house.”

The police said that the women have been identified, and taken to the hospital, where the doctors have given them each a clean bill of health.

In a meeting with reporters, Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said, “I am thankful that Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight have been found alive. We have many unanswered questions regarding this case, and the investigation will be ongoing.”

He added, “Again, I am thankful that these three young ladies are found, and alive.”

The families of the women have had a mixture of shock and delight at the news of their rescue.

Sylvia Colon, a relative of Gina DeJesus, said the family had never given up hope, holding vigils every year and keeping memorials outside the house.

“It’s been a whirlwind kind of day. It’s surreal. We were living every day in the hope she would come home – and she did”, she told BBC.

Gina DeJesus

Gina DeJesus disappeared on April 2, 2004, while walking home from school. According to the federal authorities, she was last sighted at a payphone booth in the afternoon that day.

Amanda Berry, who worked at a fast food restaurant just a few blocks from her home, went missing on April 21, 2003, after leaving work in the evening. Her mother, Louwana, died three years after Amanda’s disappearance.

Michelle Knight went missing on August 23, 2002. She was last seen at a cousin’s house, according to the reports from Cleveland Plain Dealer.

The Police have arrested three brothers in connection to the disappearances after the three victims were 

found in a house, just a few kilometers from where they disappeared.

One of the brothers, Ariel Castro, 52, was a bus driver for Cleveland public schools, which the Cleveland school district has confirmed, with no specifics.

His Uncle, Caesar Castro, who has known Ariel to be “a good guy”, was shocked to know that his nephew held captive three women in a house which is on the same street where his grocery store stands.

It was ironical that Ariel’s son, Anthony, had written an article about the increasing concern for safety in the neighbourhood, while reflecting the disappearance of Gina DeJesus for his local newspaper in 2004.