Afghan intelligence and U.S. officials have confirmed that senior al-Qaeda member Abu Bara al-Kuwaiti was killed near the Pakistani border during U.S. air strikes on Sunday. Abu Bara was said to be at the home of al-Qaeda commander Abdul Samad Khanjari when he was killed. Afghanistan’s intelligence service, the National Directorate of Security, raided and seized weapons, documents, and a laptop. The NDS also reported that Abu Bara had close relations with the family of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al Zawahiri. [IBT Times]
The Obama administration is considering revisiting President Bush’s treaty ban on “cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment” as not applying to C.I.A. and military prisons oversea, an action that caused widespread criticism during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The administration must decide on the policy by next month when it meets in Geneva before the Committee Against Torture, a United Nations panel that will monitor the treaty. Obama previously admitted that he banned some of the tactics used by the CIA after Sept. 11. [New York Times]
As the Umbrella Protests continue in Hong Kong, a man was arrested for allegedly inciting a riot through an online post. This has been the first time a protestor was arrested for speaking out online. “I stress, inciting others to commit criminal acts on the Internet is illegal,” police spokesman Hui Chun-tak said. “Police will investigate, gather evidence and take arrest action.” Over 40 other protesters were arrested this week. Officials are set to meet on Tuesday to work out demands for an electoral reform. [IBT Times]
Despite turmoil in Ferguson, people are still buying homes in the town at a steady rate. An analysis by MORE Realtors revealed that sales are down 32 percent since the killing of unarmed teen Michael Brown, but 20 contracts are currently pending. Prices of homes have risen slightly from $60,184 to $61,554. Homeowners don’t seem to be worried over the trouble in Ferguson, believing that it will pass once the courts reach a decision on the fate of Darren Wilson, the officer who shot Brown. [St. Louis Dispatch]
PHOTO CREDIT: Handout
