Liveblog: Algeria raid

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:57:00 +0000

1:55: CNN reports that explosives-laden vests were put on some of the hostages, according to U.S. officials.

The White House did not specify the number of current hostages that are Americans, though a total of five foreign hostages have reportedly been freed.

CNN also confirms that a U.S. drone has been sent to the plant to monitor the situation and send back intelligence.

1:37 p.m.: ANI, the Mauritanian news agency that has been in contact with the militants, there are seven hostages remaining, two of whom are American. There are no confirmed American casualties.

1:35 p.m.: Also via Al-Jazeera, French President Francois Hollande said the hostage crisis vindicates France's recent military operation in Mali.

The Qatar-based news agency added that Japan's Vice Foreign Minister Minoru Kiuchi, who "is now in Algeria, urged the Algerian government to put an "immediate end" to the military operation."

Ryan: The lyin’ king

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 21:25:00 +0000

Mitt Romney pollster Neil Newhouse recently said that the Romney campaign is “not going to let our campaign be dictated by fact checkers.” If the past few weeks are any indication, Paul Ryan is sticking pretty close to that strategy. Here are his most recent lies, going back to his universally fact-checked Republican National Convention speech. Come back: We’ll update throughout the rest of the campaign.

10. "I voted for the Budget Control Act. But the Obama Administration proposed $478 billion in defense cuts. We don’t agree with that, our budget rejected that, and then on top of that is another $500 billion in defense cuts in the sequester." Truth: Ryan has been doing back flips to explain why he has been criticizing the Democrats for the $600 million "sequestration" cuts that will automatically go into effect if there's no budget compromise by December. Ryan, in fact, voted for those cuts. The sequestration cuts, along with $487 million in other defense cuts, were both a part of the Budget Control Act. (September 9, 2012)

Salon.com > Jillian Rayfield and Salon Staff

Liveblog: Algeria raid

Ryan: The lyin’ king