National Security Agency (NSA) Director U.S. Army General Keith Alexander takes his seat to testify before a U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing on recently disclosed NSA surveillance programs, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, June 18, 2013. Picture taken with a fish-eye lens.  REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst    (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY)

NSA head, lawmakers defend spying programs

WASHINGTON - The head of the National Security Agency on Tuesday said U.S. surveillance programs had helped disrupt more than 50 possible attacks since September 11, 2001, as sympathetic members of Congress also defended the use of the top-secret spying operations.  Full Article 

Four from U.S. forces killed in attack in Afghanistan 6:55pm EDT

WASHINGTON - Four from U.S. forces were killed in an attack on Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, a U.S. official said on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity, just as the United States prepares for talks this week with the Taliban.

NATO soldiers board a Chinook helicopter after a security handover ceremony at a military academy outside Kabul June 18, 2013. REUTERS/Omar Sobhani

U.S. to meet Taliban to seek Afghan peace

WASHINGTON/KABUL - The United States will meet the Taliban this week for talks aimed at achieving peace in Afghanistan, where the United States and the insurgents have fought a bloody and costly war for the past 12 years, U.S. officials said on Tuesday.  Full Article 

Russia's President Valdimir Putin (L) looks at Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron and U.S. President Barack Obama during a family photo at the G8 Summit, at Lough Erne, near Enniskillen, in Northern Ireland June 18, 2013.  REUTERS/Yves Herman

Putin torpedoes G8 efforts to push out Assad

ENNISKILLEN, Northern Ireland - Russian President Vladimir Putin derailed Western efforts to remove Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad from power at the G8 summit on Tuesday and said the Kremlin might sell more arms to Syria.  Full Article | Video 

Erdem Gunduz (C) stands in a silent protest at Taksim Square in Istanbul, early June 18, 2013. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

One man stands, dozens detained in Turkey

ANKARA/ISTANBUL - A lone, silent vigil by a man in Istanbul inspired copycat protests as police detained dozens of people across Turkey in an operation linked to three weeks of often violent demonstrations against Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan.  Full Article | Video 

Demonstrators march during one of the many protests around Brazil's major cities in Belem, Para State, June 17, 2013.  REUTERS/Paulo Santos

Brazil protests put leaders on alert

RIO DE JANEIRO - When more than 200,000 protesters took to Brazil's streets on Monday night, one message stood out: They are no longer willing to accept the rosy outlook that politicians in Latin America's biggest country have been painting for years.  Full Article 

Children play near a damaged house in Qusair June 8, 2013. In the past week Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces and Hezbollah captured the town of Qusair, which controls vital supply routes across Syria and with Lebanon, a sign of reversing momentum after the rebels seized swathes of the country in the second half of last year. REUTERS/Rami Bleibel

Hezbollah plays pivotal, opaque role in Syria

BEIRUT - Hezbollah's victory across the Syrian frontier highlights its pivotal role in Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's fight against rebels and yet, as in most of its military operations, it has given few details of its role - or where its next battle may be.  Full Analysis 

Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (L) watches as Sergio Massa swears in as new Cabinet chief at the Casa Rosada Presidential Palace in Buenos Aires, July 24, 2008. REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci

Popular Argentine mayor challenges ruling party

BUENOS AIRES - The savvy young mayor of Tigre, Argentina, has fostered a real estate boom, tightened security and brought celebrities to town, boosting his image to the point where pollsters say he poses a challenge to the ruling government.  Full Article 

Iran's newly-elected President meets with outgoing Ahmadinejad

June 18 - Iranian President-elect Hassan Rohani met with outgoing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for talks on the upcoming transition of power. Rough cut (no reporter narration).

Jack Shafer

Snowden versus the dragons

One measure of our culture's disdain for whistle-blowers like Edward Snowden can be culled from the pages of a thesaurus.  Commentary 

Lynn Parramore

What does Apple really owe taxpayers? A lot.

Even as Apple sizzles in the Senate hot seat for alleged tax evasion and finds itself the object of a Justice Department investigation into price-fixing e-books, the company still enjoys a vast reservoir of good faith with the American people.  Commentary 

Steven Brill

Vetting the Syrian rebels, stock gyrations, and A-Rod's return

If we can't vet American citizens like Edward Snowden for security, how will we be able to prevent arms going to the Syrian rebels from falling into the wrong hands?   Commentary 

Bruce J. Schulman

Weiner: As American a political redemption

Anthony Weiner, now running for mayor of New York, is the latest in a long line of disgraced officials seeking not only absolution, but political resurrection from voters.  Commentary 

Hugo Dixon

Turkey’s economy is vulnerable

Tayyip Erdogan’s harsh actions against protesters could backfire economically. Turkey depends on foreign investors to fund its big current account deficit. If they turn tail, interest rates will rise, hurting the economy and undermining one of Erdogan’s sources of popularity.  Commentary 

Chrystia Freeland

Economic worries and the global elite

Here’s one sign the global elite is starting to get worried that capitalism isn’t working for the Western middle class. At the TED Global gathering in Scotland’s elegant capital city this week, much of the spotlight was on what’s going wrong with the 21st-century economy.  Commentary