Defense bill authorizes indefinite detainment of citizens:

On Dec. 15, the Senate passed a bill “that authorizes indefinite
detentions of American terrorism suspects,” according to the Huffington
Post. The bill, known as the National Defense Authorization Act, passed
86 to 13. Opponents of the bill argue that it defies the Bill of
Rights.  President Barack Obama signed the bill into law at the end of
the year. The move has garnered criticism from civil rights groups and
fellow politicians. Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul said that
 signing the bill was “a slip into tyranny.” According to ABC News,
Obama defended signing the bill as necessary for determining such
important things as the defense budget.

Video released of Marines desecrating Afghan bodies:

On Jan. 12, a video featuring four U.S. Marines urinating on dead
Taliban soldiers was released on the Internet. The video prompted
outrage not only from the Taliban and Afghan President Hamid Karzai, but
 also from leaders in the United States, including Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton. A Navy and Marine investigation identified the four
Marines in the video, but the names are yet to be made public. Gen.
Thomas Waldhauser has taken over the investigation and will determine
whether or not those involved will be charged. Contrary to what many
feared, the release of the video has not prevented talks between the
United States and the Taliban. Talks began last week in Qatar, according
 to the New York Times.

The Costa Concordia capsizes off the coast of Giglio:

On Jan. 13, a cruise liner called the Costa Concordia ran aground off
the Mediterranean island of Giglio. Of the roughly 4,200 passengers and
crew on board, most were evacuated to the island as the ship capsized on
 a rock shelf. As of Jan. 28, 17 are confirmed dead, and 15 remain
missing.              There is controversy concerning responsibility for
 the tragedy. Captain Francesco Schettino could face charges of
manslaughter, shipwreck and abandoning ship, but he blames Costa
executives for forcing him to take the ship dangerously close to the
island in order to provide a spectacle for the passengers. Fearing that
increasingly bad weather and rough waters will drive the ship off the
rock shelf on which it rests, rescue workers are hurriedly searching the
 wreckage for those still missing and trying to harvest the ship’s fuel.

Violence escalates in Syria:

Violence that began last March when the Syrian government attacked
demonstrators has escalated in recent weeks. The Arab League suspended
its observation program on Jan. 28 in light of this escalation, fearing
for the safety of the observers on the ground who were sent there to
determine the situation about a month ago. The U.N. Security Council and
 the Arab League are cooperating to pressure Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad out of power. Their attempts have been hamstrung so far,
however, by Russia’s defense of al-Assad’s government.  According to the
 United Nations, the death toll since March is more than 5,000. Syrian
resistance groups report that it is over 7,000.