Obama administration makes 'no progress' on drone program transparency

A new report concludes the White House needs to do more to increase transparency and accountability of targeted killing operations in the waning months of the Obama administration.

Supreme Court weighs larger patent-suit awards

The Supreme Court considered whether to make it easier to win larger financial damages in patent-infringement cases, an issue that has split the Obama administration from a number of leading technology companies.

Sweden court asked to overturn Assange arrest warrant after UN finding

Lawyers for Julian Assange on Monday requested that a Swedish Court overturn an arrest warrant the court had issued against Assange. The request follows a report released by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention of the United Nations (UN) that found Assange's three-and-a-half years in the Ecuadorian embassy amount to "arbitrary detention." A spokesperson for Assange said that if investigations into the UN's report "find that the standard[s] for arbitrary detention met, we would expect his release and compensation."

Why aren't people declaring the GOP race over — And Trump the winner?

In any normal year, a Republican who wins big in New Hampshire and South Carolina would practically be seen as the presumptive nominee. So why isn't that happening this year? Trump should be a shoo-in. But this is no ordinary year, and Trump is no ordinary candidate. So why aren't more people talking about the race being over? Here are four thoughts on that and the Trump juggernaut more broadly: (1.) Donald Trump is the clear front-runner but not the inevitable nominee — yet. (2.) The GOP establishment doesn't seem to have a game plan to take on Trump. (3.) Now that Bush is out, which candidate will fight Trump? (4.) Trump's argument: as those candidates drop out, he'll inherit some of their support as well. And he suggests that the GOP establishment should quit carping about him.

Brazil's Congress approves watered-down bill to raise taxes

Brazil’s Congress approved a watered-down bill to increase taxes on capital gains, giving the government less help than it had wanted in its struggle to shore up fiscal accounts. Senators voted 56 to 11 in favor of the bill Tuesday night, sending it on to President Dilma Rousseff. She can sign it into law or veto it. The lower house approved the legislation earlier this month by 205 to 176. The proposal raises taxes on capital gains from the sale of real estate and corporate assets, changing the rate as of 2017 from a flat 15 percent to a progressive scale with a top rate of 22.5 percent.

Obama in Guantanamo closure push

The White House has presented to Congress a plan to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, one of the president's long-standing goals. He wants to transfer the remaining 91 detainees to their home countries or to US military or civilian prisons. But Congress is deeply opposed to terror suspects being held on US soil and is expected to block the move. The prison costs $445m to run annually and closing it was a 2009 promise from Obama. The president said on Tuesday it undermined national security.

Europe's media see Johnson as boost for Brexit

Many European commentators have reacted to London Mayor Boris Johnson's decision to back Britain leaving the European Union, seeing his intervention as a problem for Prime Minister David Cameron. tTe referendum has implications far beyond British politics. Britain remaining in the EU "matters a great deal", and a win for Brexit would "encourage all sorts of populists".

Mars recalls chocolate in 55 countries

Chocolate maker Mars has ordered a recall of chocolate products in 55 countries. In the UK the products affected include funsize Mars and Milky Way bars and boxes of Celebrations. In the Netherlands Mars and Snickers bars were also affected. It comes after a customer in Germany found bits of plastic in a Snickers bar in January. The plastic was traced back to the Mars factory in the southern town of Veghel in the Netherlands. The recall only involved products manufactured at the Dutch plant.

Mormon polygamy sect leaders arrested over fraud allegations

Eleven members of a polygamist Mormon sect have been arrested in the US on suspicion of food stamp fraud and money laundering. The suspects, including several senior members of the sect, were detained in the states of Utah and South Dakota. Prosecutors allege that they diverted funds from Utah's food aid program.

Europe rights court condemns Italy for role in rendition case

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Tuesday condemned Italy for their role in the 2003 kidnapping situation in connection with the US extraordinary rendition program. The court stated that Italy failed to perform their duty to protect someone in custody from torture or inhumane punishment, which was said to occur after Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, and Egyptian Musclim cleric, was kidnapped. The court also determined that Italy knew Nasr was subjected to extraordinary rendition. An order was given for Italy to pay over 100,000 euros combined to Nasr and his wife.

Bolivian voters reject fourth term for Morales

Bolivians have narrowly rejected changing the constitution so President Evo Morales can run for a fourth term. About 51.5% voted against the move with almost all the votes counted, the electoral authority said. Morales, Bolivia's first head of state of indigenous origin, has said he will respect the referendum result.

Bill Gates calls for terror data debate

The row between Apple and the FBI over access to a dead murderer's phone should start a debate about government requests for data, says Bill Gates. Apple has resisted the demand saying the FBI order was "dangerous" and "unprecedented". Gates said complying would not put a backdoor in all iPhones. "This is a specific case where the government is asking for access to information," he said in the interview. "They are not asking for some general thing, they are asking for a particular case." Gates said the case was similar to the requests regularly made to phone companies and banks for information. (Click here)

What's next for self-driving cars?

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx says standards must be developed, such as determining whether licensed drivers will be required. But he says potential safety benefits will be a big advantage.

Argentina may sell up to $15 billion in debt to pay holdouts

Argentina may seek to sell as much as $15 billion in bonds to settle debt with creditors, Finance Minister Alfonso Prat-Gay said on Monday. The country will issue international bonds to pay holdouts who reach an agreement with the nation by Feb. 29 soon after congress repeals laws that bar it from paying creditors, he said. The announcement follows a milestone decision by US District Judge Thomas Griesa, who agreed Friday to lift injunctions barring Argentina from servicing debt or raising capital in international debt markets if conditions are met. The government expects to save $5 billion due to the terms of the deal it proposed to its creditors and an additional $3 billion from paying bondholders in cash rather than through a bond exchange, Prat-Gay added.

Cheap gas means more driving and getting stuck in traffic

New federal numbers show that amid falling gas prices, Americans drove a record 3.15 trillion vehicle miles last year. This also means more pollution and traffic gridlock.

Petrobras Said to Buy Cheniere's first US shale gas export

Petroleo Brasileiro SA, Brazil’s state-owned energy company, is scheduled to receive the first cargo of shale gas to be shipped from the US The shipment of liquefied natural gas was agreed to Monday. Cheniere Energy Inc. began loading the first tanker at its Sabine Pass terminal in Louisiana, US Coast Guard spokesman Dustin Williams said. The biggest buyer of LNG outside of the winter is Brazil first and Argentina second in the Atlantic Basin. They buy LNG for gas-powered, air-conditioned power.

Merger of Time Inc. and Yahoo could repeat a disaster

News that Time Inc. is weighing a bid for the core of Yahoo evokes memories of the disastrous combination of AOL and Time Warner.

• Daily Press Review

Turkey sacks Ankara police chief after suicide bombings
Al Jazeera, Doha, Qatar

MPs approve Osborne's budget rules
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England

Israeli-Palestinian violence: What you need to know
CNN International, London, England

Heidi Klum is 'mom and a dad at the same time' since her split from Seal in 2012
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England

Denmark's Princess Marie denies boob job after Her & Nu magazine claimed she had one
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England

Tense times in Jerusalem
EuroNews, International news, Ecully Cedex, France

Israel seals off East Jerusalem after 'Day of Rage' attacks
France 24, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France

?? Sanat to present a rich program in its new season
Hurriyet Daily News, (Liberal, English-language), Istanbul, Turkey

'Blood moon' prompts Mormon announcement: This is NOT the end of the world
Independent The, London, England

Pompeii's pilferers punished with a curse from the gods
Telegraph The, Conservative daily, London, England

The Apprentice 2015: episode 1, live
Telegraph The, Celebrity news, London, England

Hung ouster in motion, Chu calls for party unity
China Post, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan

Up to 10 Million People Made Sick by Their Phones
Chosun Ilbo, Conservative daily, Seoul, South Korea

Pope Francis makes historic first US visit
Hindustan Times, New Delhi, India

Minister vows to return donations from firms involved in bid-rigging
Japan Times, Independent centrist, Tokyo, Japan

Financial services startup Square files for $275M IPO
New Zealand Herald, Conservative daily, Auckland, New Zealand

Ukraine President cancels trip over protests in eastern Ukraine
Straits Times, Pro-government, Singapore

Beat the post holiday blues
Sydney Morning Herald, Centrist daily, Sydney, Australia

Nike says expects revenue of $50 bn by 2020
The Economic Times, Business, Mumbai, India

It's official ó the 1% finally own 50% of everything
Canadian Broadcasting Centre, Toronto, Ontario

New York teen dies after beating at church during 'counselling'
Globe and Mail The, Centrist daily, Toronto, Canada

Liberty Reserve Brought Down By 'Joe Bogus': How The Feds Arrested Arthur Budovsky
International Business Times, Business news organization, New York, U.S

Wall St declines as Wal-Mart's weak forecast drags on retailers
Reuters, Business News, New York, U.S

Malaysia's embattled PM facing stern test as parliament returns
Reuters, World News, New York, U.S

Blue Jays cut lead to 2-1 against Rangers in Game 5
Toronto Star, Toronto, Ontario

US troops to help fight Boko Haram
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England

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