My Top News

These are always news stories but I'll be mixing in other things, first with a great overview with some amazing insight into the world of Scientology. It discusses some of the former members, some very high ranking (previously) and the reprocussions of those that do decide to leave the church. A definite must read.

The son of one of Hamas’s founding members was a spy in the service of Israel for more than a decade, helping to prevent dozens of Islamist suicide bombers from finding their targets, it emerged yesterday. - Times Online

U.S. Marines at the tip of a NATO assault battled with Taliban militants on Saturday in the town of Marjah, the last big militant bastion in Afghanistan's violent Helmand Province. - Reuters

An attempted terrorist attack on a Christmas Day flight began with a pop and a puff of smoke - sending passengers scrambling to subdue a Nigerian man who claimed to be acting on orders from al-Qaida to blow up the airliner, officials and travelers said. - AP