There was a rumor that ISIS ordered genital mutilation for all females, but ISIS says it never did this.

I doubted the rumor, as I knew that Islam does not require FGM.

Russian opposition leaders have been sentenced to prison for the minor rioting that resulted when thugs attacked their protest.

Israel now admits it shelled another school (in use as a refugee shelter) in Gaza.

As usual, Israel says it was because some Palestinians were firing from the school. I am skeptical; I don't think they could have done that without being noticed by the UN staff.

Supposing there are Hamas fighters shooting from a school, which is a war crime, that would not mean Israel is entitled to target the school with any and all weapons. Israel would have to use methods, such as direct fire, that are not likely to stray off target to hit civilians elsewhere on the grounds.

Israel justifies attacks on hospitals and schools by claiming that Hamas has facilities near them, but Israeli army headquarters is also near a hospital.

The US terrorist watch list now has over a million names, and the White House can add people to it wholesale.

The definition of "terrorism" is so broad and weak that the list could be full of people who were never even suspected of terrorism, only of "terrorism".

More information.

These different watchlists and their different uses raise different issues. The no-fly list is punishment without trial, and could only be sustained in the US by tying the Constitution into a pretzel. (Sad to say, the Supreme Court is full of judges willing to do that.)

Asking a foreign country to torture someone is a grave crime, which by the way Obama pretends the US has stopped doing.

Making a note to scrutinize a particular person more in ways that don't require probable cause may be legitimate.

Israeli soldiers shot 100 protesters in Nablus, killing several.