03/26/13

* Supreme Court weighs in on gay marriage The court could uphold the 2008 ban, narrowly overturn it, or invalidate all state same-sex marriage bans in the US.

* Al Qaeda brigade captures Syrian-Israeli-Jordanian border junction The highly strategic intersection of the Syrian, Israeli and Jordan borders, just east of the Golan, was captured by the Al Musanna Brigade of al Qaeda's Syrian arm.

* Israeli military states it was returning fire from Syria The Israel Army has resumed fire into neighboring Syria.

* Mortars strike Damascus Mortar rounds struck several areas of Damascus on Tuesday, killing up to four people, a government official said.

* Opposition takes Syria seat at Arab League summit Syria's opposition National Coalition has taken the country's official seat at the Arab League summit in Qatar.

* Passover on the battlefields of the US Civil War It was April 24, 1864, at the height of the American Civil War, and in between his duties as an infantryman, young Isaac J. Levy sat down in camp.

* North Korea orders artillery to be combat ready, targeting U.S. bases North Korea said on Tuesday its strategic rocket and long-range artillery units have been ordered to be combat ready, targeting U.S. military bases on Guam, Hawaii and mainland.

* Obama hosts Passover Seder, enthuses about Israel visit US President Barack Obama hosted a Passover Seder Monday, in what has become an annual White House tradition.

* Euro chief spooks markets with Cyprus comments Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem on Monday (25 March) spooked markets when he said that Cyprus' bailout is a template for future eurozone bank re-structurings - comments he later modified.

* Jordan shuts Syria border crossing, UN pulls staff Jordan closed its main border crossing with Syria on Monday after two days of fighting there between Syrian troops and rebel fighters.