Democracy Now!

Thousands of people have taken themselves to the streets of the Tunisian capital of Tunis today in order to demand the resignation President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Nationwide protests have erupted over the past month against unemployment, police brutality and government repression under Ben Ali’s twenty three years rule.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange remains in a London jail after Swedish officials challenged a British court decision to release him on bail.
Julian Assange has been detained since last week, when he was arrested in London, United Kingdom, on an international warrant to face supposed sexual crime allegations in Sweden.

The United States is facing a diplomatic crisis as the whistleblowing website WikiLeaks has begun releasing today over 250,000 secret diplomatic cables. The cables have already proved embarrassing to numerous world leaders. The cables show the Saudi king Abdullah has repeatedly urged the United States of America to attack Iran.

Thousands of delegates, scientists and activists are gathering today in Cancun, Mexico, for the start of a two-week United Nations Climate Change Conference. A new scientific report being issued on the occasion reveals that up to a billion people from different nations could lose their homes in the next 90 years due to climate change.

In Haiti, Sunday’s presidential election was marred by widespread reports of voting fraud and chaos. Twelve of Haiti’s 19 presidential candidates have called for peaceful protests against what they described as *”massive fraud.”* The candidates accused Haitian President Rene Preval of trying to steal the election and install his chosen candidate, Jude Celestin.

The Afghan government and the Taliban have reportedly begun secret, high-level talks over ending the Afghan war. According to the Washington Post, Taliban representatives have recently met with officials from the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai. At least one session was reportedly held in Dubai, even if there are differing versions of it.

Antiwar activists targeted in last month’s FBI raids in Minneapolis and Chicago have announced they won’t testify before a grand jury. On Tuesday, demonstrators gathered outside a federal building in Chicago where the grand jury is convening. Stephanie Weiner, whose home was targeted in the raid, said the activists would defy their subpoenas to appear.

The Obama administration has reportedly finalized a $60 billion deal to sell advanced military aircraft to Saudi Arabia. It would be the largest-ever single arms deal in US history. State Department spokesperson P.J. Crowley declined to confirm the plans until the White House submits the deal for congressional approval.

President Barack Obama is preparing to officially declare the end of US combat operations in Iraq seven-and-a-half years after the US invasion. Barack Obama will make the announcement in a nationally televised speech tonight from the Oval Office. He gave a preview of his speech in his weekly radio address over the weekend.

Federal authorities have launched an investigation into a fire set at the site of a future Islamic center and mosque in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, thirty-five miles outside of Nashville. The apparent arson destroyed an earth mover and damaged three other vehicles. The equipment was reportedly doused with gasoline and set on fire on Friday night or early Saturday morning.