USA - In your standard dictatorship, activists are brought out back and shot. In the United States' crypto-dictatorship, activists are bullied by the state until they go bankrupt, are buried under a mountain of legal woes, are publicly discredited or humiliated, or as in the case of activist and Reddit co-founder Aaron Swartz, made to crack under the constant pressure, and commit suicide. While superficially the United States may seem more progressive, a dead activist bullied to death for his political views, is a dead activist - whether it was a bullet in the back of the head by SS officers, or a mountain of litigation dumped upon someone by the US Department of Justice.

CHICAGO, USA - A thorny question is emerging in the health care world as hospitals increasingly crack down on employees who won't get flu shots. Patients can refuse, so why not doctors and nurses? Affected workers, hospital authorities and published reports say that in the past two months, at least 15 nurses and other hospital staffers in four states have been fired for refusing, and several have resigned. Dr. Carolyn Bridges of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there's a need for stronger data on whether it helps.

UK - David Cameron's long-awaited speech on the UK and Europe will take place on Friday (18th). He is expected to announce plans for a future referendum on Britain's relationship with the EU. The prime minister told BBC Radio 4's Today that he wants a "fresh settlement" with Europe and would then seek "consent" from Britons.

FRANCE/MALI - France has rushed to help Mali block a push south by Islamist rebels from its desert north but a UN-backed intervention plan to dislodge al Qaeda and its allies faces a tough enemy and terrain and could still take months - if it succeeds at all. The original timetable for the AFISMA intervention force of 3,300 West African troops with western logistical, financial and intelligence backing did not foresee deployment before September, to allow time for full preparation. But this has now been accelerated by the rushed French response to a plea for help by Mali's government, after mobile columns of Islamist fighters last week threatened the central garrison towns of Mopti and Sevare, with its key airport.

USA - The United States said Sunday it played a limited support role in France's botched bid to rescue a kidnapped secret agent in Somalia. "United States forces provided limited technical support to the French forces in that operation, but took no direct part in the assault on the compound where it was believed the French citizen was being held hostage," President Barack Obama said in a letter to Congress.

UK - David Cameron today defended being the 'first out of the blocks' to offer help to France in fighting Al Qaeda-linked militants in Mali amid claims it puts Britain at risk of a terror strike. The Prime Minister insisted it was in Britain's interests to provide two RAF C-17 Globemaster cargo planes to the French forces. He has been warned that the decision to transport foreign troops and equipment to the war zone could provoke reprisals on UK streets. Mr Cameron insisted that British combat troops would not join the military mission to the West African nation.

UK - A series of military options are being considered by UK defense chiefs as tension mounts between Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands, a report by the Sunday Telegraph claims. Extra troops, warships and Typhoon combat aircraft could be dispatched to the islands if needed, ahead of the March 11 referendum on the island’s future, the newspaper claims, citing sources in Britain’s military. The Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood, north-west London is also reportedly considering a ‘show of force’, including conducting naval exercises in the South Atlantic. These could include the deployment of the Royal Navy’s Response Task Force Group, a flotilla of destroyers, a frigate, a submarine and Royal Marine commandos.

IRAN - Iran claims its capability to defend itself is growing and the Islamic republic is “prepared for any threat”. The statement follows tests of “modern warfare” capabilities and exercises to hone battle tactics in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The naval force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is in charge of maintaining security in the Persian Gulf area, held exercises near the port city of Bandar Abbas, which holds a strategic position on the Strait of Hormuz. The main aim was to boost its forces combat readiness, familiarize them with the latest drills, and increase their response time.

USA/CHINA - The United States is concerned about China's expanding ability to disrupt the most sensitive US military and intelligence satellites, as Beijing pursues its expanded ambitions in space, according to multiple sources in the US government and outside space experts. A classified US intelligence assessment completed late last year analyzed China's increasing activities in space and mapped out the growing vulnerability of US satellites that provide secure military communications, warn about enemy missile launches and provide precise targeting coordinates, said the sources, who were not authorized to speak publicly.

USA - New York Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a public health emergency Saturday, as the flu epidemic rocked the nation and hospitals and urgent care centers saw huge crowds. The declaration allows pharmacists to administer flu shots to anyone between the ages of 6 months and 18 years. Dr Mary O'Brien of Columbia University added that the governor’s declaration will also raise awareness, and some more people will get the flu shot. “It’s a very safe shot. It’s an inactive shot,” she said. “It’s not a live vaccine, so it has very few side effects.”

UK - David Cameron has attacked the “interference” and “bossiness” of Brussels bureaucrats but said the “beating heart of Britain” knows we need to remain in the European Union. Hinting strongly that he will offer a referendum on the UK’s relationship with Europe the Prime Minister said the British people must be involved in a “proper debate” about the EU. Mr Cameron is preparing to make a speech next week setting out Britain’s relationship with the EU and is expected to promise a future referendum. He is expected to set out plans to repatriate some powers from Brussels to Britain – and then give the public a vote on whether they back the new relationship. This is likely to happen in 2017 or 2018.

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL - The head of manuscripts at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Najeh Bkeirat, has accused Israel of trying to "Judaize" the Temple Mount by building a new Holy Temple. Speaking on January 4 to the Palestine journal, which is affiliated with the Hamas terrorist group, Bkeirat claimed that "the construction of the false Temple is closer than ever before." Bkeirat claimed in the interview that an analysis of Jerusalem's development plans finds there is an intention to Judaize the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and within this framework build the Temple on its ruins and to then reduce the number of Arab residents in the city.

NORTH KOREA - North Korea vowed on Monday to strengthen its defences amid concerns the country may conduct a nuclear test as a follow-up to last month's long-range rocket launch. Citing US hostility, Pyongyang's foreign ministry said in a memorandum that North Korea will "continue to strengthen its deterrence against all forms of war". The memorandum carried by state media did not say what action North Korea would take to defend itself. However, North Korea has claimed the right to build atomic weapons to protect itself from the United States, which stations more than 28,000 troops in South Korea. It came as reports said North Korea has informed China that it is planning to conduct the nuclear test this week.

USA - So much for the $1 trillion platinum coin idea. The US Treasury Department said on Saturday it will not produce platinum coins as a way of generating $1 trillion in revenue and avoiding a battle in Congress over raising the US debt ceiling.

USA - Astronomers have discovered the largest known structure in the universe, a clump of active galactic cores that stretches 4 billion light-years from end to end. This particular group is so large that it challenges modern cosmological theory, researchers said. "While it is difficult to fathom the scale of this LQG [Large Quasar Group], we can say quite definitely it is the largest structure ever seen in the entire universe," lead author Roger Clowes, of the University of Central Lancashire in England, said in a statement. "This is hugely exciting, not least because it runs counter to our current understanding of the scale of the universe."