I.N.N. World Report - real news the networks won't tell you

Putin Pays People to Attend Mass Rally

Tens of thousands of Russians Thursday heard Prime Minister Vladimir Putin evoke their historic 1812 victory over Napoleon. The rally was intended to show Putin had real support and to counter opposition protests ahead of presidential elections next week. However, many who packed the stadium said they’d been paid or coerced by their bosses to attend. Read More

Judge Rules Small Towns in NY Can Ban Fracking

New York Supreme Court Justice Phillip Rumsey ruled Tuesday towns in the state have the authority to ban fracking, the environmentally corrosive method of natural gas drilling. The ruling upheld the town of Dryden's recent ban, saying it falls within the authority of local governments. Anschutz Exploration, which owns leases on 22,000 acres and has invested $5.1 million in drilling operations, argued against the ban. Read More

Underwater Florida Homeowners Plead for help

1,200 underwater mortgagees at a Miami conference center Wednesday pleaded for loan modifications under a variety of federal programs from scores of loan processing agents seated at long rows of tables. Nearly one million U.S. homeowners-- far short of the original target of four million—have won permanent reductions in their mortgage payments since the Obama administration launched a foreclosure prevention program in 2009. Read More

Oscar Grant's Cousin Shot in the Back

The attorney for a man shot and wounded by an Oakland police officer last weekend said Wednesday the victim was a cousin of Oscar Grant, whose shooting death by a Bay Area transit officer sparked mass demonstrations in 2010. The police officer shot Tony Jones in the back as he fled from a police car. Grant was shot in the back by a transit officer while lying face down. Read More

Factory Farms Breeding Superbugs

The American Society of Microbiology says factory farms are breeding... superbugs through their use of antibiotics. Genome researchers concluded that a “particularly nasty” strain of Staphylococcus aureus, CC398, began as a fairly harmless human bacterium but evolved after colonizing the systems of pigs, chickens and other livestock. Read More

Afghan War Leaves Half a Million Homeless

Amnesty International said Thursday half a million Afghans have been left homeless and struggling to survive after 11 years of war. Around 400 people join makeshift shelters every day. Amnesty researcher Horia Mosadiq cited government and international neglect, adding: “This is a largely hidden but horrific humanitarian and human rights crisis.” Read More

Israeli foreign minister Lieberman tells Russia Israeli decision to attack Iran “not their business”

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Wednesday Israel will not bow to U.S. and Russian pressure in deciding whether to attack Iran, saying it "is not their business." Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said: "Any possible military scenario against Iran will be catastrophic for the region and for the whole system of international relations." U.S. military chief General Martin Dempsey says an Israeli attack would "not be prudent." Read More

Two US troops killed by Afghan soldier in Koran burning protests

Two U.S. troops have been shot to death and four more wounded by an Afghan solider who turned his gun on his allies in anger over the burning of Korans at Bagram air base. U.S. and NATO commanders are concerned what may happen after prayers on Friday, the holy day in the Muslim week, when protests are typically much larger. Read More

Israel approves 695 homes in West Bank

Israel Wednesday approved the construction of 695 new housing units in the West Bank. The Israeli group Peace Now said 93 already exist in an outpost set up without government authorization and were retroactively “legalized” by Israeli authorities. UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Robert Serry, said: “Today's announcement by Israel.. is deplorable and moves us further away from the goal of a two-state solution.” Read More