Bassil to discuss refugee crisis in Athens

BEIRUT: Foreign Affairs Minister Gebran Bassil left for Athens Tuesday to discuss Lebanon’s policy towards Syrian refugees in a summit headed by European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

Ashton presided over the third Arab-European conference, alongside Secretary General of the Arab League Nabil El-Araby, and the Greek Foreign Minister.

Bassil is planning to discuss Lebanon’s new policy towards Syrian refugees, stressing the need for channeling aid through the government and not supplying it directly to refugees. The minister will also discuss the new decision to revoke the refugee status from individuals repeatedly visiting Syria, and will clarify the decision barring the entry of Syrians who originate from secure regions in the country.

The concern over supplying aid to refugees through the government only has pushed the administration to request a special session to convene in the Arab league over the issue, where Bassil will call on countries to abide to commitments made to the government.

After Athens, Bassil will head to London where he will represent Lebanon in a four-day summit on sexual violence in conflict zones. The event will gather decision makers from 140 states to look into implementation measures for the international declaration to end sexual violence in war zones. The 140 signatories to the declaration aim to launch an international protocol prohibiting this form of sexual assault.

Sama threatens broadcasters of World Cup

BEIRUT: Cable television provider Sama threatened Thursday any cable provider or TV channel that attempts to broadcast World Cup 2014 without its consent, while Lebanese wait for any news about Tele Liban’s deal.

The cable provider, who had bought the exclusive right to broadcast the World Cup from beIN sports, threatened to prosecute whoever shows the matches without its permission.

“Re-broadcasting the World Cup 2014 matches without a license [from Sama] is a violation of the company’s rights,” said a statement released by the company today.

“It will lead broadcasting networks and cable network owners to be legally prosecuted over civil and criminal charges,” it continued.

Qatar’s state-owned BeIN, the new name for Al-Jazeera’s sports channel, has the distribution rights to the 2014 World Cup. Currently, Sama is the only one with the rights to air the World Cup in Lebanon and plans on charging $110 for the full package.

Youth and Sports Minister Abdul-Muttaleb al-Hinawi announced last month that Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani had promised Lebanon that Tele Liban, Lebanon’s state-sponsored TV channel, would be able to broadcast the World Cup 2014 scheduled to start Thursday.

However, Tele Liban’s Director Talal Makdessi expressed his pessimism about the chances of airing the World Cup earlier today.

“The Lebanese state got a promise from [Qatar’s emir] to be given permission to broadcast World Cup games ... and the case is now in the hand of the youth and sports minister,” Tele Liban Director Talal Makdessi told the Voice of Lebanon radio station. “There is no final contract up to the moment, there is a promise that could get implemented and may not, and I think it is not going to be implemented."

Makdessi accused the Lebanese state of reluctance in following up on the issue and urged it “to fulfill its duties in this regard.”

In a statement later during the day, Tele Liban’s board of directors issued a statement saying it is “still waiting for the Qatari Emir’s gift to broadcast the World Cup games.”

The statement said that the channel did not discuss any financial charge with Al-Jazeera Sports in exchange for broadcasting the games.

If Tele Liban gains the rights to broadcast the World Cup, they plan to air it free of charge.

Michigan awards $2M for 3 brownfield projects

DETROIT -- The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has awarded more than $2 million to clean up brownfield sites in Detroit, Kalamazoo and Muskegon Heights.

The agency announced Monday that $1 million is going to the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. for the Orleans Landing Redevelopment Project, a roughly $55 million mixed-used development including 250 residential units near Milliken State Park and Harbor along the Detroit River.

"The grant will pay for environmental investigations, demolition and removal of contaminated soils and abandoned underground storage tanks, ensuring the safe reuse of the properties," the DEQ said in a statement about the project, which includes redevelopment of 25 industrial properties.

Another $945,000 was awarded to the Kalamazoo Brownfield Redevelopment Authority to pay for environmental response activities at properties along Portage Creek near Upjohn Park. The work will support the new Health Focused Campus.

The cooperative development between Bronson Properties Corp., Kalamazoo Valley Community College, and Kalamazoo Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is expected to bring about $42 million in new investment to the area.

Muskegon Heights has been awarded $100,000. A property will be redeveloped by Versatile Fabrication, a stainless steel manufacturer and includes $2 million in investment. The grant will pay for environmental investigations, removal of contaminated soil and liability protection.

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Online:

http://1.usa.gov/1pBDIRa

Georgia-Pacific completes purchase of chip mill

BERNICE, La. -- Georgia-Pacific says it has completed the acquisition of a chip mill in Bernice from Hunt Forest Products, Inc., headquartered in Ruston, for an undisclosed price.

The Bernice chip mill produces "clean chips" from logs that have been debarked before the chipping process, and are used to make paper products.

Georgia-Pacific currently operates three facilities in Louisiana, in addition to a wood and supply office at Port Hudson.

The company employs approximately 1,350 people directly in the state, with total compensation and benefits for Louisiana employees totaling approximately $110 million.

US businesses ramped up job searches in April

By CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER The Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- U.S. companies advertised more jobs in April than in any month in six and a half years, a possible harbinger of strong hiring in the months ahead.

Employers posted nearly 4.5 million jobs, up strongly from 4.2 million in March, the Labor Department said Tuesday. It's the largest number of job listings since September 2007.

Companies have been slow to fill openings since the recession ended, so the increase in postings won't automatically lead to more jobs. The report showed that the number of jobs filled in April, 4.7 million, was largely unchanged from March. In the past year, job postings have jumped 16.5 percent, while hiring has risen just 6 percent.

But more job openings typically points to an improving job market. A separate monthly employment report on Friday showed the economy generated 217,000 jobs in May, while the unemployment rate remained at a five-year low of 6.3 percent.

"Today's report appears to confirm that the U.S. labor market has indeed shifted to a period of stronger growth," Jeremy Schwartz, an analyst at Credit Suisse, said in a note to clients.

Almost all the gain occurred in the private sector, while government job openings rose slightly. The biggest increases were in retail, restaurants and hotels, which include mostly lower-paying jobs. Still, the professional and business services category, which includes higher-paying jobs such as accountants and engineers, also posted a big jump.

There are now an average 2.2 unemployed people for each available job. That's down from a peak of 6.7 in July 2009 just after the recession ended and close to the 2 to 1 ratio that is typical of a healthy economy.

Tuesday's report, known as the Job Openings and Labor Turnover survey, offers a more complete picture of the job market. It reports figures for overall hiring, as well as the number of quits and layoffs. The monthly jobs figures are a net total of job gains or losses.

The additional data illustrates turnover in the job market. Stronger job markets usually include a greater amount of churn, with more people quitting and greater overall hiring.

In April, the number of people who quit or were laid off barely rose. More quitting can be a sign of confidence in the economy, since most workers quit only when they have another job or are confident they can get one. Quitting also opens up more jobs for the unemployed to seek.

Tuesday's figures show that employers and workers are still relatively cautious. The number of people quitting has been rising slowly but is still below pre-recession levels.

Janet Yellen, chair of the Federal Reserve, has said the central bank monitors the job openings, quits and hiring figures as key indicators of the job market's health. The figures help the Fed decide how to manage short-term interest rates and other efforts to foster financial stability.

Liberal policy group can't sue over jobs agency

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio's high court denied legal standing Tuesday to opponents of the private job-creation agency created by Gov. John Kasich, ending a legal fight that has dogged JobsOhio since its inception in 2011.

In a 5-2 decision, the Ohio Supreme Court said ProgressOhio, two Democratic state lawmakers and their allies failed to prove they had a stake in the case, siding with lower courts.

"If and when an injured party seeks to challenge JobsOhio, we may entertain such a case," Justice Judith French wrote for the majority. "But those parties are not before us today."

The ruling is a significant victory for the Republican governor, JobsOhio and the holders of the $1.5 billion in bonds that the agency put on the market in January 2013. JobsOhio moved forward with selling bonds backed by future state liquor profits despite the pending court case.

The lawsuit alleged that JobsOhio's funding structure violates a prohibition in Ohio's Constitution against turning taxpayer dollars over to a private entity. That question remains unresolved, unless another lawsuit is brought against the nonprofit job-creation board that Kasich envisioned would move "at the speed of business."

The state argued that the parties, ProgressOhio and Democrats Mike Skindell and Dennis Murray, couldn't show harm, so they didn't have standing to sue. Opponents argued the law created an impossibly small window in which they had to both experience harm and meet the deadline for filing their legal challenge.

"To succeed in bringing a public-right case, a litigant must allege 'rare and extraordinary' issues that threaten serious public injury," the court said. "Not all allegedly illegal or unconstitutional government actions rise to this level of importance."

Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor, Justice Judith Lanzinger and Beth Whitmore, sitting for Justice Terrence O'Donnell, concurred with the ruling, with Justice Judith Kennedy concurring in judgment only. Justices Paul Pfeifer and William O'Neill dissented.

Pfeifer said the decision marked the third time the Republican-dominated court had failed to determine the constitutionality of legislation creating JobsOhio — saying first "not here," then "not now."

"Today, this court ends all doubt about when it will determine the constitutionality of the JobsOhio legislation, essentially responding, 'Not ever,'" he wrote.

ProgressOhio Executive Director Brian Rothenberg said the ruling raises questions about who has the right to protect Ohio's Constitution.

"The reality is we may have a situation where the legislature passed something unconstitutional and no court will ever rule on it," he said. "I can't imagine that leveraging of public dollars, and shutting off into a private entity and blocking public review of how that money is spent, isn't significant public policy."

Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols said the decision allows Ohio's job-creation efforts to move forward.

"Let's be clear. These groups sought to preserve the failed government-centric status quo approach to economic development that contributed to the loss of 400,000 Ohio jobs over a four year period," he said in an email. "Ohioans deserve better."

John Minor, president and chief investment officer of JobsOhio, has said proceeds of the sale of bonds allowed the agency to hire more staff and expand its public outreach efforts to bring jobs to the state.

The fight over the issue had drawn attention across the political spectrum.

The libertarian 1851 Center for Constitutional Law sided with ProgressOhio, a sometime political adversary, in its legal effort. The law center's Maurice Thompson argued that laws denying taxpayers the standing to sue government are dangerous and increasingly common. The conservative Ohio Roundtable had also closely watched the case, viewing it as precedent-setting for other groups seeking to challenge the constitutionality of government actions.

During oral arguments in November, JobsOhio opponents said the state's Constitution would be left defenseless if their politically diverse coalition wasn't granted standing in the case. They said the law set up almost insurmountable legal hurdles, including a 90-day window to sue that closed before the office could impact any potential plaintiff.

State attorney Stephen Carney argued that plenty of parties — such as public employees, liquor dealers and bondholders — had a legitimate right to sue JobsOhio but chose not to. He said those with standing must have an individual stake in the case, not be pursuing generalized "public interest."

Walmart.com names new US chief

NEW YORK -- Walmart.com U.S. CEO and President Joel Anderson is leaving at the end of the month to take a job as president of discount-store chain Five Below Inc.

Anderson, who was in his role for three years, will be succeeded by Fernando Madeira, who will be taking on a bigger role, according to a memo sent to Wal-Mart Stores Inc. employees.

Madeira, who is currently president and CEO of Latin America at Walmart.com, will be assuming a newly created role leading Walmart.com in the U.S., Latin America and any other growth areas.

Walmart.com says Anderson's last day at the world's largest retailer is June 20.

Walmart.com's online sales were up more than 30 percent to $10 billion for the year ended Feb. 1.

Nebraska gets needed rain but hail damages crops

LINCOLN, Neb. -- The amount of moisture in Nebraska soil improved with last week's heavy rains, but the storms also caused damage with large hail.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says much of central and eastern Nebraska received between 2 inches and 3 inches of rain last week. So 76 percent of the topsoil and 61 percent of the subsoil now has adequate or surplus moisture.

But the USDA says some farmers may have to replant crops after the storm damage.

About 70 percent of the corn crop was rated in good or excellent condition. And 69 percent of the soybean crop was also in good or excellent shape.

Pastures showed some improvement with the rain, but still only 39 percent of them were rated good or excellent.

Tripoli fisherman nets an enormous shark

TRIPOLI, Lebanon: A local fisherman made quite the catch Tuesday, snaring himself an 800kg shark in the sea off the Mina coast of Tripoli.

The fisherman who made the haul was Yahia Saidawi, better known by his nickname “Gergi.” After catching the massive shark, he brought it back to his own fishery in the Mina region.

There have been a series of shark hunts in Lebanon over the last month, with one fisherman, Mahmoud Wehbi, netting 12 sharks in just over two weeks. The hunts that have occurred near the Rmeileh coast, south of Beirut, have raised environmental and health concerns among activists.

Cannabis apricots caught in Zahle prison

BEIRUT: The Directorate General of the ISF’s Information Branch seized Tuesday a container of apricots stuffed with cannabis in Zahle prison.

According to a statement released by the information branch, meticulous inspection procedures allowed prison personnel to detect the drugs hidden amidst 3 kg of apricots.

The controlled substances were stuffed in to the fruits disguised as seeds, and were brought into the prision by a 26 year old Lebanese man, along with other items.

The would-be smuggler has been arrested on the back of a warrant issued by judicial authorities and the Narcotics Control Bureau in the Bekaa valley.

Watch Live: President Obama Answers Your Questions on Tumblr

As part of his year of action to expand opportunity for all Americans, President Obama is taking steps to make student loan debt more affordable and manageable to repay. And today, for the first time ever, President Obama is taking to Tumblr to answer questions that you -- Americans around the country -- asked him about all things education.

You can watch the President answer those questions today at 4 p.m. ET at WhiteHouse.Tumblr.com.

read more

Central Bank protects economy's stability: Salameh

BEIRUT: Governor Riad Salameh said Tuesday the Central Bank will protect the economy’s stability and overcome the recent crisis, calling for the quick revival of political institutions.

“In these circumstances, I would like to confirm that the Central Bank will protect monetary and credit stability in Lebanon,” Salameh announced during at the 11th Banking and Economic Conference 2014 - intitled “Banque du Liban after Half a Century,” and organized by First Protocol.

The Central Bank’s policies and the conservative banking model increased trust and stimulated economic growth by reducing interest rates, Salameh said.

Salameh mentioned the Syrian refugee crisis in his comments, arguing that “it demonstrated the solidity of the national economy.”

“[It proved] that Lebanon has succeeded in confronting the difficult political and security circumstances, and was able to stand the burden of over 1 million Syrians,” he continued.

Concerning the recent developments over the salary scale, Salameh said the “realistic solution is to pay it over five years so that salaries are increased on a yearly basis.”

“The presidential void is an unnatural thing that will hopefully not last long, because it creates pressure on ... the Cabinet and the Parliament’s performance,” he said.

He called on all political actors to take responsibility for reviving institutions, and thus helping Lebanon’s economy.

Hacker sends Zahle’s population a bizarre message

BEIRUT: Zahle’s municipality website was hacked Tuesday, with the hacker, who claimed to be a Saudi national, leaving a bizarrely worded message to the local population.

The hacker posted a photo of an Islamic preacher with the following message: “Welcome my brothers and my brothers Yes I would like to say to you that your religion is the religion of Mistake infidelity and treachery!”

He went on to add that “The religion of Islam is the religion of truth and peace And these are advice to you.”

While the message does not mention Christianity or any other religion directly, Zahle is a predominately Greek Catholic city located in the central Bekaa region.

Writing in Comic Sans font, the self-declared ‘HaCkBoy501’ invited “non-Muslims of all sects” to visit a site called ‘The key to Islam.’ The hacker also linked to his Twitter page, with the profile saying he is a normal 21-year-old named Hamad, who is interested in gaming. The profile's location is listed as KSA.

Chammas volunteers to correct official exams

BEIRUT: The Beirut Traders Association and the Association of Teachers of English in Lebanon volunteered to correct and proctor official exams on Tuesday, after parliament’s session failed to meet the UCC’s requests in resolving the salary scale issue.

Head of the Beirut Traders Association Nicolas Chammas volunteered Tuesday to aid in the correction of official exams, after the UCC’s boycott called on teachers to abstain from correcting and proctoring students’ tests.

According to a statement released by the Beirut Traders Association, Chammas offered his personal services in order to ensure the smooth flow of the academic year. Chammas also signaled that the entire board of directors was also willing to contribute to the initiative.

Chammas holds a BA from the American University of Beirut as well as advanced degrees from both MIT and Harvard, qualifying him to contribute to correction processes alongside specialists in the field.

The union head called on all qualified personnel to join in breaking the stalemate, and condemned what he referred to as the “UCC’s educational black mail.”

According to the statement, Chammas’s offer was inspired by his own work toward economic and social stability, which he believes is centered on future generations.

On behalf of the Association of Teachers of English in Lebanon, the organizations head Dr. Rene Karam expressed the willingness of all members to contribute to exam correction and monitoring, in a press conference given at Furn al-Shubbak Tuesday.

Karam called on teachers to reconsider the mode and content of the UCC’s requests, pointing out the committee’s clear failure in achieving results over the past 2 years.

“The current strategy used by the UCC will lead to an increase in taxes and prices, and will consequently result in more inflation,” said Karam, pointing out that the solution requires a reconsideration of financial and economic policy.

He also proposed policies that would call for free education in Lebanon, as well as merging both public and private educational sectors into one common structure.

Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest accepting entries

DETROIT -- The 2014 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest is accepting entries and the annual effort has added the Detroit Lions as a presenting sponsor.

Comerica Bank provides the $50,000 prize along with in-kind support. The winner gets legal, marketing, advertising, accounting and other help. Organizers say they're seeking savvy entrepreneurs and business-minded individuals to submit ideas.

This year, the Detroit Lions are providing financial other support to Hatch Detroit participants who have followed through on a business plan laid out during the contest but need further assistance.

Comerica Bank is in its third year as flagship sponsor. The deadline for submissions is July 16. Details are posted online.

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Online:

http://bit.ly/1oIJGQT

United changing how travelers earn mileage rewards

DALLAS -- Travelers who fly the most and pay the most will soon earn more miles on United Airlines' frequent-flier program.

The change will help elite members of United's loyalty program — those who fly at least 25,000 miles a year on the airline. It will be far less-rewarding for people who currently rack up miles by taking occasional long flights at bargain fares.

Starting next March 1, elite-level members of MileagePlus will earn between 7 and 11 miles for every dollar they spend on tickets, not counting taxes. Regular members — people who fly less than 25,000 miles and spend less than $2,500 a year on United — will get 5 miles per dollar toward free travel.

United joins Delta, Southwest and JetBlue in basing awards on money spent, not miles flown.

Since 1981, when American Airlines started the first big loyalty program in the airline industry, fliers were rewarded for the number of miles they flew regardless of how much they paid for their ticket.

In the last few years, however, Virgin America, JetBlue, Southwest and Delta have retooled their programs to favor passengers who spend the most. It's part of a larger strategy to appeal to high-spending passengers, especially business travelers who buy expensive, fully refundable tickets, sometimes in the first- or business-class cabin.

"These changes are designed to more directly recognize the value of our members when they fly United," Thomas O'Toole, president of the airline's MileagePlus program, said in a statement.

While basic MileagePlus members will earn 5 miles per dollar, awards for top fliers will depend on their status level. For each dollar, they will earn:

— 7 miles for "silver" passengers (25,000 miles and $2,500 in spending the previous year).

— 8 miles for "gold" status (50,000 miles and $5,000).

— 9 miles for "platinum" (75,000 and $7,500).

— 11 miles for "1K" passengers (100,000 and $10,000).

United did not reveal any change in levels for redeeming miles. A spokesman said they would not change.

Economy-class round trips usually cost 25,000 to 50,000 miles for U.S. flights; 60,000 to 130,000 miles between the U.S. and Europe; and up to 170,000 miles to fly from the U.S. to the Middle East, India, Pakistan, Australia or New Zealand and back. More miles are needed for first- or business-class.

United said that passengers will earn miles for every dollar they spend on base fares and the airline's own surcharges, such as for fuel. Money spent on bag fees and other amenities and taxes will not count.

The changes will apply to most tickets for United and United Express flights and tickets that United sells on partner airlines. There will be a maximum of 75,000 miles earned per ticket.

United said that it would give members new ways to redeem miles. Beginning next year, they will be able to cash in miles to cover economy-class seats with more legroom and bag-checking fees.

My College Story Can Be Yours

Ed. note: The full version of this op-ed is posted at Education Week. Read the full version here.

As first lady, I've spent a lot of time talking with young people all across the country about education. I've heard about their hopes of going to college, getting good jobs, and one day starting families of their own. And I've also heard about the challenges they're facing—the rising costs of tuition, their overstretched school counselors, and the insecurities and fears that come along with being first-generation college students.

My message to these young people is that while all of us adults—teachers, administrators, and policymakers—have to do a better job of giving them the best schools and opportunities for their future, at the end of the day, they also need to step up and take responsibility for their education themselves.

That means going to class every day, setting their goals high, and working like crazy to achieve them. That's been the story of my life and my husband's life, so when I talk to these young people, my hope is that they see that our story can be their story, too—as long as they're willing to dedicate themselves to their education.

Early last month, I officially gave this effort a name and an aspiration—my Reach Higher initiative. And that's really the goal: to inspire young people to reach higher to complete their education beyond high school so that they can own their futures. We're focusing on things like financial aid, college counseling, academic and summer planning, and college visits. Our objective is to ensure that every student in this country understands how to pursue and complete their education, whether it's at a traditional four-year college or a community college, or via a professional certificate or degree.

Read the First Lady's full op-ed here.

Sayyed calls on Lebanon to be a federal state

BEIRUT: Former General Security head Jamil al-Sayyed is calling on Lebanon to become a federal state.

“The current crises taking place in Lebanon – the last of which is failure to elect a new president after failing to form a government for nearly a year without foreign intervention, and after the sectarian power struggle and power-sharing struggle around various areas in the state – prove that the Constitution of Taif, which was implemented during the Syrian presence [in Lebanon ] between 1990- 2005, is non-applicable unless there is a guardianship or external or regional consensus,” Sayyed said in a statement.

"Whether we like it or not ... we must recognize that state institutions and [political] officials did exit during the Syrian presence,” he added.

However, after the end of the Syrian tutelage in 2005, Lebanon “practically turned into a federal, sectarian state built on corruption and division on the one hand, while claiming purity and unity on the other.”

Sayyed accused political leaders of using a policy to divide Lebanese in order to have control over them.

“Since it is impossible to unite the Lebanese over a revolution or a coup against this rotten political system ... maybe it is time to stop this farce ... and call for the amendment of the Constitution to turn Lebanon formally to a federal state,” he suggested.

Sayyed believes a federal state is likely to “create a positive and healthy competition within each sect.”

Syrians, Lebanese kidnapped in east Lebanon

HERMEL, Lebanon: An armed group of Syrians Tuesday kidnapped a group of Lebanese and Syrians from east Lebanon, security sources said.

The sources said preliminary information indicated that eleven people in total were abducted, nine Syrians and two Lebanese. However, Ras Baalbek Mayor Hisham Arjaa said that the number of the abducted Syrians was five at maximum.

They were all snatched from the outskirts of Ras Baalbek village, where they were working in a quarry. The abducted Lebanese nationals were identified as Mikhael Mourad from Ras Baablek and a Arsal resident from the Hujeiri family.

The kidnappers are a group of Syrian gunmen who have taken shelter in the heights of the Ras Baalbek outskirts, the sources said.

Some media reports said that they were Turks among the abducted and that the kidnappers are affiliated with the Al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front.

The Lebanese Army has launched a manhunt for the kidnappers.

US stock futures head lower on Wall Street

NEW YORK -- U.S. futures are drifting lower after yet another record day of trading in the stock markets. Shares of RadioShack are plunging as the retailer's losses begin to mount.

KEEPING SCORE: Less than an hour before the start of regular trading, Dow Jones industrial average futures are down 21 points to 16,915.

Standard & Poor's 500 index futures are down four points to 1,946 while Nasdaq 100 futures have given up seven points to 3,786.

The S&P 500, the most widely used benchmark for mutual funds, crept to another record high on Monday.

BUY BACK: MetLife Inc. said Tuesday that it plans to buy its own shares for the first time in about six years, with the goal of spending up to $1 billion on its own stock. The New York insurer made the announcement ahead of its annual meeting with shareholders. The news sent MetLife's stock up $1.06, or 2 percent, to $55.72 in premarket trading.

FOREVER YOUNG: Botox maker Allergan is rejecting a buyout offer from Valeant Pharmaceuticals and Bill Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management, saying the $53 billion bid undervalues the company and creates too much risk.

ON SALE: Shares in RadioShack slumped 15 percent after the retailer posted a deeper loss than analysts had expected. Sales also slumped. RadioShack's stock lost 23 cents to hit $1.31 before the opening bell.

EUROPE: The region's major stock indexes are mostly steady. Germany's DAX is up 0.2 percent while France's CAC-40 is up 0.1 percent. In the U.K., the FTSE 100 index has given up 0.3 percent.

BONDS AND COMMODITIES: In the market for U.S. government bonds, the yield on the 10-year Treasury inched up to 2.63 percent from 2.61 percent late Monday. Yields rise when bond prices fall. The price of oil rose 32 cents to $104.73 a barrel.

FAA OKs commercial drone flights over land

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday it has granted the first permission for commercial drone flights over land, the latest effort by the agency to show it is loosening restrictions on commercial uses of the unmanned aircraft.

The BP energy corporation and drone maker AeroVironment of Monrovia, California, have been given permission to use a Puma drone to survey pipelines, roads and equipment at Prudhoe Bay in Alaska, the agency said. The first flight took place on Sunday.

Made by AeroVironment, the Puma is a small, hand-launched craft about 4 1/2 feet long and with a 9-foot wingspan. It was initially designed for military use.

Last summer, the FAA had approved the Puma and the ScanEagle made by Boeing subsidiary Insitu Inc. of Bingen, Washington, for flights over the Arctic Ocean to scout icebergs, count whales and monitor drilling platforms.

"These surveys on Alaska's North Slope are another important step toward broader commercial use of unmanned aircraft," said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. "The technology is quickly changing, and the opportunities are growing."

Last week, the FAA said it was considering giving permission to seven filmmaking companies to use drones for aerial photography, a potentially significant step that could lead to greater relaxation of the agency's ban on commercial use of drones. So far, the only exceptions to that ban have been limited flights that have been approved over the Arctic Ocean and now Alaska.

Congress directed the FAA to provide commercial drones access to U.S. skies by September 2015, but the agency's efforts to write safety rules for such flights by drones weighing 55 pounds or less have been slow, and it is not expected to meet the deadline. FAA officials are on their third attempt to draft regulations acceptable to the Transportation Department and the White House.

FAA Administrator Michael Huerta has said drafting such rules is complex because they must ensure that the large volume and diversity of manned aircraft in U.S. skies are protected. Even a small drone that collides with plane traveling at high speeds or gets chewed up by helicopter rotors could cause a crash.

But as the cost of small drones has come down and their sophistication and usefulness has increased, entrepreneurs and businesses from real estate agents to wedding video makers aren't waiting for government permission. Drone industry officials have warned that the longer the FAA takes to write regulations, the more rogue commercial operators will multiply.

Miss. brewery must sell new wine out of state

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- A Mississippi brewery is partnering with Louisiana businesses to sell its new beer, which has an alcohol-by-volume level too high to be sold in the Magnolia State.

After months of sitting in a large whiskey barrel, the new brew, Barley Legal, registered with an alcohol-by-volume (ABV) level of 11.4 percent, making it illegal to sell in Mississippi.

"Mississippi's cap is 10.2 percent ABV," Emily Curry, Southern Prohibition sales and marketing director, told the Hattiesburg American (http://hatne.ws/1pZqNuR ).

State law allows beer with 8 percent alcohol by weight, or 10 percent by volume, to be sold in Mississippi. The law was changed in 2012.

"We are somewhat stifled in our creativity because we can't brew just anything in Mississippi," Curry said.

Southern Prohibition's head brewer Ben Green the company has a business plan in place with its partners in Louisiana.

"We are already in the New Orleans market, so it was a no-brainer to send it to them," he said. "They are lucky to get it all. We've packaged it in bombers — 22-ounce bottles."

Curry said the Keg and Barrel is putting together a bus trip to New Orleans for the first official pouring of Barley Legal.

"We're going to release it on June 21 and to celebrate it we are doing a beer brunch at the Irish House with a brunch special pairing with our beers," she said. "Then, (we'll go over) to the Avenue Pub where you can pick up samples of Barely Legal.

"It will also be available at specialty bottle shops like Stein's Deli on Magazine Street," he said.

Green said the Southern Prohibition staff is almost as excited about Barley Legal's packaging as the beer itself.

"We're really excited to be able to sell the beer and the way that it turned out, and very excited about the presentation and the vessel," he said. "It's got a hand-rolled label, and we waxed the top of them. It's really a beautiful packaging and one of those beers that is going to age really well being as big and flavorful as it is."

Module X Solutions expands in Shreveport

SHREVEPORT, La. -- A manufacturing facility is expanding and creating more than 350 new jobs in Shreveport.

Gov. Bobby Jindal and Module X Solutions CEO Steve Schoonover announced the expansion Monday.

Jindal says the company will make a $7.4 million capital investment.

Module X Solutions LLC will join existing tenant MB Industries LLC at the Shreveport-owned industrial property, with Module X Solutions chiefly making modular buildings for the telecommunications sector while supporting MB Industries' production of protective building systems for the industrial, government, commercial and residential markets.

The average salary for the 357 new jobs will be more than $49,800 per year.

MB Industries also will retain 109 existing employees as part of the project, and renovation work at the Shreveport site will create an additional 50 construction jobs.

"The Northwest Region offers a quality business environment, and we are thrilled that hundreds of families in the Shreveport-Bossier City area will benefit from the quality jobs created by this expansion for years to come," Jindal said in a statement.

The company will begin filling the new jobs immediately and complete renovation work by the end of 2015.

"We are excited about serving a wide array of customers with top-quality, high-value modular buildings and complexes manufactured to exacting standards," Schoonover said.

"We are excited about creating hundreds of new manufacturing jobs, and are truly appreciative of the support and commitments we have received from the Louisiana Economic Development team, the North Louisiana Economic Partnership, and Mayor (Cedric) Glover and the Shreveport city administration."

LED's Business and Expansion Group began project discussions with Module X Solutions in November. To secure the expansion, the state offered the company a competitive incentive package that includes a $1.8 million performance-based grant and a $1.8 million Economic Development Award Program grant, with both incentives dedicated to funding improvements of publicly owned infrastructure at the manufacturing site.

Module X Solutions will hire 274 new employees by the end of 2015 and complete hiring for all 357 new positions in 2019.

Memorial held for slain Sidon judges

BEIRUT: A memorial ceremony was held Tuesday in a Sidon courtroom to mark the 15th anniversary of the assassination of four judges in the southern city, as there remains still little known about the crime.

The ceremony was held at the Criminal Court in south Lebanon’s Justice Palace in the presence of several judiciary officials.

Head of the Lebanese Higher Judicial Council Jean Fahed, who attended the ceremony, said investigations into the case were ongoing. However, he wondered “when the truth would be revealed and the criminals punished?”

“If the judiciary is not tough enough in uncovering the identity of those who assassinated its protectors, who will then protect the country and defend the unjust?” he asked.

Despite promises made by judicial figures to find those responsible for the assassination, the judiciary has failed to make progress in the case.

The head of the Criminal Court in south Lebanon, Judge Roula Jadayel, said that the four would continue to be remembered.

She said that “the sacrifices of the four judges would only result in further sacrifices by other judges and hard work aimed at achieving truth and justice.”

On June 8, 1999, judges Hassan Uthman, Walid Harmoush, Assem Bu Daher and Imad Shehab were attending the trial of two Iraqis and a Palestinian in the South Lebanon Criminal Court at the old Justice Palace in Sidon when two individuals opened fire through the rear window of the court room, killing the judges and wounding five others.

Teachers refuse to budge

BEIRUT: Teachers are holding an open-ended strike inside Lebanon’s Education Ministry in UNESCO after Parliament failed to reach an agreement over funding a wage scale increase. The failure to fund the wage scale has now left an aura of uncertainty surrounding student’s final exams that are scheduled for this Thursday.

“This is an open protest,” said Hassan Ismail, president of the Federal International Education Syndicate. “The decision-makers will study our options in light of what the government or parliament decides.”

After 18 years without a wage scale increase, teachers are demanding a 121 percent increase. Politicians say that meeting the teacher’s demands will hamper the Lebanese economy. Leaders of the Union Coordination Committee, a collection of public sector workers and public and private school teachers, counter by accusing the political class of misusing Lebanon’s finances.

The UCC has held massive protests in recent months where thousands of people took to the streets. Tuesday’s protest was smaller with only a few hundred in attendance, mostly teachers with a few students also present.

“I want to support teachers because this is their right,” said Ahmad Ibrahim, 18. “When our country calls us, we have a duty to serve every citizen and the country.”

He added that the protesters were prepared to sleep at the ministry if necessary.

Ibrahim has finished his school year but said his brother was preparing to sit for exams Thursday.

“He’s worried about whether or not the exams are happening,” he said. “All students are worried.”

Inside the ministry, UCC leader Hanna Gharib defiantly addressed a cheering crowd, "We are the ones who announce exam dates. [Exam] Certificates in exchange for the salary scale."

On the lawn outside the ministry building, security forces relaxed under trees in the shade and some teachers mulled around engaging in conversation.

One of those was Abdelkarim Sherry, 65, who retired a year ago but turned out to support the teachers. He said that the protests that have picked up over the last three years had not yet pushed the political class into action. “From the Mikati government to today, the state and the education minister don’t want to give us our rights.”

Berri condemns constant state paralysis

BEIRUT: Speaker Nabih Berri Tuesday condemned excuses by lawmakers to disrupt legislative sessions under the pretext of a presidential void as well as some MPs flip-flopping on the public sector wage hike bill.

Berri took advantage of the lack of quorum during the legislative session, which was scheduled to resume discussion on the new salary scale, to address lawmakers and clarify his stance on the boycott of Parliament.

“I know that quorum is not secured now, but I want to say that what happened today does not serve electing a new president for the Lebanese Republic,” Berri said, after lawmakers from the Lebanese Forces, the Kataeb Party, and the Future bloc among others failed to show up.

“Disrupting an institution leads to the disruption of others and is in violation of the Constitution, which speaks of cooperation between the government’s branches,” he said. “If a government resigns, everything stops, and if there is a delay in election a new president, everything stops in this country. I think we should not allow the presidential election, which is the election of the highest head of state, to be hostage to personal interests.”

Berri said there were various motives behind disrupting both the legislative and the executive branches, accusing some lawmakers of trying to avoid talks on a new electoral law and “holding the parliamentary election altogether.”

As per a presidential decree signed by former President Michel Sleiman before the end of his term on May 25, Parliament is to open a round of legislative starting June 2 to Oct. 20 to study state budgets as well as outstanding draft laws including a new election law.

Christian lawmakers and ministers refuse to attend Parliament or participate in Cabinet sessions except to discuss urgent issues. However, the Cabinet is working on a mechanism to govern its work amid a presidential void.

“The first and second and third goal today is to elect a new president. But that cannot be over the bodies of other institutions,” Berri said. “No one can teach me lesson about how Parliament should work.”

The speaker spoke extensively about the salary scale saga, which has been a contentious point for three years with lawmakers failing to agree on means sufficient to cover the wage hike expected to cost some $1.6 billion annually.

“During discussion, some lawmakers agreed to increase taxes on bank profits, but in this arena, it is hard to take the money out of the mouth of [money] wales,” he said, using unions’ term for rich people.

He also criticized some lawmakers who seek an agreement on the bill outside Parliament, saying the Finance Committee and later the subcommittee worked “day and night to amend the bill” before it was referred to the full assembly.

While vowing not to approve any bill that would hurt the ailing economy, Berri said MPs were able to cover the draft law’s expenditures.

“I vow to you today and the Lebanese people that I will not approve a salary scale that fails to include sufficient revenues,” he said. “Parliament has already agreed on revenues of $1.2 billion and we sought to increase the VAT on some goods including alcohol as well as fining illegal seaside properties.”

“To please some of [lawmakers], we agreed to scrap fines on illegal seaside properties and other proposals ... and proposed an increase on fees on more than 500 kilowatts of electricity.”

Berri said lawmakers agreed to most of the items on the agenda.

He said Parliament agreed to decrease the wage hike by 10 percent to fully cover its cost, “but old habits die hard.”

“And now they’re saying that we need to [stop legislation] for the sake of the presidency. We are all keen on the presidency.”

Before postponing the session to June 19 to finish discussion on the wage hike, Berri said: “But I say to the education minister that you cannot hold the official school exams in this climate and be careful so that we do not ruin the country and reach a point of no return.”

School custodians consider co-op to keep jobs

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Custodians with Ann Arbor schools are considering forming a worker-owned cooperative as part of an effort to keep their jobs if their work is outsourced by the district.

The custodians' union AFSCME Local 1128 voted Saturday to pursue forming the cooperative. The Ann Arbor News reports (http://bit.ly/1ijLSZs ) the district could contract with the co-op for custodial work without paying into the state retirement system for school employees.

The 114 union members recently learned that Ann Arbor Public Schools district officials were seeking to privatize custodial services. The district says the move would save about $1.8 million — the same figure officials used in 2010 during a previous discussion about privatization.

School board President Deb Mexicotte says the board hasn't yet received a proposal from the union.

Jounieh rejects ‘floating island’

BEIRUT: The world’s “first floating island,” currently under construction and destined for Jounieh Bay, has been rejected by municipality officials as incompatible with the seaside resort town.

“There is no place for the island in Jounieh,” Mayor Antoine Frem told The Daily Star, adding that the municipality did not have the capacity to accommodate the island’s guests.

Frem told the Daily Star that the Municipal Council had decided not to grant permission for the project, which was to launch in Jounieh in summer 2015

“A project of this caliber needs to be constructed in an area that does not have a dense population” Frem said, stressing that the project would require infrastructure and a large number of parking spaces.

The mayor also raised environmental concerns, pointing out that mechanisms for waste and sewage management had yet to be resolved.

The Daou family has been working on the world’s “first floating island” for 15 years. The family formed Beirut International Marine Industry and Commerce in 2003, and the company says the island will be ready in 2015.

Founder and Chairman Abdullah Daou told The Daily Star that the company received legal permission for the project from the municipality when Juan Hbeich was mayor of Jounieh, a year before Frem was elected.

After being elected in 2010, Frem revoked the prior administration’s approval and the file returned the Higher Commission for Urban Planning.

According to Daou, the chief of the commission, Elias Tawil, said that approval was revoked due to a decree issued by then-Prime Minister Saad Hariri ordering the cancellation of all construction permits issued before he took office.

“The Jounieh floating island company is not a part of any political conflict in Lebanon, and especially in Jounieh,” Daou said, urging Frem to have a serious look into the issue.

Daou hailed the impact of the floating island work on Lebanese economic and cultural values, extending an invitation to Frem to be a guest of the project. According to the company, Daou has spent 15 years developing the technology and holds patents in the innovative field.

Based on the Dhow-4 technology, the large structure with a main deck 1 to 2 meters above sea level will contain a sea resort, hotel, gym, nightclub, restaurant, sporting activities and much more, according to the company. The Jounieh Floating Island Resort is to be a five-star hotel with a surface area of 3,400 square meters, including 64 rooms, 80 cabins and a rooftop restaurant.

Strike delays Beirut flights, employees apologize

BEIRUT: Air traffic controllers apologized to travelers Tuesday after disrupting flights in Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport due to strike action by staff members.

“We apologize to travelers who were affected by our strike,” the secretary of the Air Traffic Controllers Committee, Rani Hamade, said during a news conference from the airport.

Hamade said the air traffic controllers were holding on to the Union Coordination Committee’s demand for a salary increase. He called on lawmakers to endorse the controversial salary scale as soon as possible “to avoid further escalatory measures.”

Inbound and outbound flights from Rafik Hariri International Airport were suspended from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. by staff members in support of the demands of the public sector employees, delaying over a dozen arriving and departing flights. A total of 18 flights were affected as a result.

Despite the air controllers’ action and a similar strike and protest by the UCC, Parliament failed again to approve the wage scale over lack of quorum.

Head of Lebanese Pilots Association Fadi Khalil, who joined the staff members’ protest, called on the state to endorse the rights of air traffic controllers, who are state employees, “so that they do not have to work two jobs to secure the livelihood of their families.”

“The air traffic controllers in Beirut’s airport are some of the best and most productive employees in the world. ... The state should give them their rights to preserve their productivity level,” he said.

The Union Coordination Committee, representing public sector employees and teachers, has maintained protests and strikes for two years, crippling work at government offices and public schools.

The government has been stalling the referral of the new salary scale that was approved last year, arguing that it needs more time to secure financing for the pay raise.

Maine candle company exec faces harassment suits

PORTLAND, Maine -- Three women who once worked at a Maine scented candle manufacturer say in federal lawsuits that the company's founder and president subjected them to "relentless sexual harassment."

The lawsuits were filed last week in U.S. District Court in Portland by the former vice president of sales, former retail sales manager, and former debt collector at Wells-based Village Candle.

The suits allege that Village Candle President Paul Aldrich asked the women sexually inappropriate questions and subjected them to unwanted touching and sexual advances. All three suits say Aldrich had a "well-established, pervasive pattern of grossly inappropriate sexual harassment of female employees."

Aldrich's attorney, Stephen Langsdorf, tells the Portland Press Herald (http://bit.ly/1s2hSLf ) that his client "absolutely denies that there was any sexual harassment involving any of the claimants in this case."

B/E Aerospace plans to separate into 2 businesses

WELLINGTON, Fla. -- B/E Aerospace, which makes products for commercial aircraft and business jets, is planning to separate into two independent, publicly traded companies.

One of the businesses will concentrate on aircraft cabin interior equipment. This includes design, development, manufacturing, certification and direct sales worldwide. The business is currently known as Manufacturing Co.

The other business, which is being called Services Co., will focus on distribution, logistics and technical services for the aerospace and energy services markets. It will distribute aerospace fasteners, consumables and logistics services to the airline and aerospace industries.

B/E Aerospace Inc. said Tuesday that its board and management continue to review and aggressively pursue strategic options to help increase shareholder value. Last month it said that among the alternatives it was considering was a potential sale of the company or a merger with another company.

Wellington, Florida-based B/E Aerospace plans to give further details about the two businesses' boards and management teams at a later date. The separation of the businesses is expected to occur in 2015's first quarter.

B/E Aerospace also said that it is lifting its full-year earnings forecast to $4.35 per share. Its prior guidance was for earnings of about $4.30 per share. Analysts surveyed by FactSet predict $4.40 per share.

Its shares rose 92 cents to $99.80 in premarket trading Tuesday about three hours ahead of the market open. Its shares have risen more than 13 percent do far this year.

IPO could value Euronext exchange at $2.4 billion

PARIS -- IntercontinentalExchange Group, Inc. says its stock exchange operator Euronext could be valued at up to 1.75 billion euros ($2.4 billion) in its planned initial public offering.

Euronext is becoming independent again after parent company ICE last month announced plans to float it. A pan-European company, Euronext operates exchanges in Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels and Lisbon.

Euronext said in a statement Tuesday that the price range for the IPO is between 19 and 25 euros ($25.9 to $34) a share, which would value it at between 1.33 billion and 1.75 billion euros ($1.81 billion and $2.4 billion).

Euronext merged with the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, in 2006, and the joint company was bought by Atlanta-based ICE last year in a deal worth about $8 billion.

Hillary Clinton: I Helped Restore U.S. Leadership In The World

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hide captionFormer Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton addresses the American Jewish Committee Global Forum in Washington in May 2014.

Cliff Owen/AP

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton addresses the American Jewish Committee Global Forum in Washington in May 2014.

Cliff Owen/AP

To hear Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state and once and maybe future Democratic presidential candidate tell it, her new book "Hard Choices" isn't the kickoff to a 2016 campaign.

She still hasn't made up her mind about another run for the presidency, she told Renee Montagne, co-host of NPR's Morning Edition. It's more a review of the decisions she made as the nation's top diplomat.

That the book looks backwards is proof, she said, that it's not a campaign document because, echoing a often used line of her husband, former President Bill Clinton, "I'm experienced enough to know that political campaigns are about the future, not the past."

But she acknowledged that the book tour gives her a chance "to work really hard to get out around the country to talk about what's on people's minds." In short, it sounds like she's embarking on another listening tour of the kind she used to launch her career in electoral politics in 1999 before she ran for a U.S. Senate seat from New York.

In any event, a review of her years traveling the globe as secretary of state during President Obama's first term gives her the chance to define her accomplishments even as her Republican critics ask, "What achievements?"

Here are some interview highlights:

Her accomplishments: To hear Clinton tell it, she helped rebuild the U.S. image in the world after the George W. Bush administration badly mangled it.

"The most important thing I did was to help restore America's leadership in the world. And I think that was a very important accomplishment. We were flat on our back when I walked in there the first time.

"We were viewed as being untrustworthy, as violating our moral rules and values, as being economically hobbled. And we had to get out there and once again, promote American values and pursue our interests and protect national security. Because of the eight years that preceded us. It was the economic collapse, it was two wars, it was the war on terror that led to some very unfortunate, un-American actions being taken. That was my biggest challenge. It was why the president asked me to be secretary of state."

Little daylight between her and Obama: "On practically everything, the president and I agreed. Syria was an exception. As I say in the book, there are reasons why I thought it was wise to support the moderates as they were trying to demonstrate for greater freedom against [Syrian President Bashar] Assad. But it's the president's call. I'm an absolute believer that the buck does stop, as Harry Truman said, on the president's desk."

She sought a tougher Bergdahl deal: "During the time that I was there, we were trying to put together a much bigger deal, a deal that would get the Afghan government talking face to face with the Taliban, to try to resolve some of the points of controversy that exists between them. Whether the Taliban would forswear violence. Whether they would be integrated into Afghan society. Whether they would renounce their relationship with al Qaeda, which is what got them into this mess in the first place...It was a tougher deal and it was a very difficult preliminary discussion. All through the calculations we were making, we had to get Bergdahl back. That was an absolute condition for us. Of course, they're not just going to sit there and say, 'Okay, we'll do all this.' They wanted their five prisoners back from Guantanamo. And we had a lot of conditions we wanted met before we could even approach that. Timing and what were called confidence building measures... I left and I'm not going to second guess the decision that was made. As I understand, it was a decision backed by the State Department, the Defense Department and the intelligence community."

The lessons of Benghazi: "We have to keep learning. What can we do to protect Americans, particularly from my perspective, our diplomats and development experts? They don't go armed into these places that are dangerous. They don't have a military contingent to back them up. They are there representing the United States. And some would say, 'We shouldn't be in dangerous places.' Well, there are so many dangerous places in the world right now that that would eliminate a lot of the important work that America needs to be doing. And it's just not in our DNA. We're not the kind of place that retreats in the face of danger. We need to be prudent and take necessary precautions. But we need to be present."

The reset with Russia worked — until Vladimir Putin ruined it: Clinton claimed three successes from the reset of relations with Russia that occurred during the presidency of Dmitri Medvedev — an arms reduction treaty, Russian help to slow Iranian progress toward nuclear weapons and Russian agreement to let Americans transport war materiel needed by U.S. troops in Afghanistan to cross Russian territory.

But once Putin reemerged from behind the curtain, she suggested, the reset essentially ended.

"Once Putin decided to take back the presidency and that Medvedev was out, because he was who we dealt with during that period, things began to change. We always have to stand our ground and stand up for our values. I took Putin on very early when I criticized the parliamentary elections that were held in 2011 as being irregular. Apparently thousands of Russians thought that because they poured into the streets. And then Putin accused me of inciting riots in Russia, which was so unfair to the Russians who just wanted to stand up for their own rights and their hope for a democracy.

"And as I watched him, I sent two memos to the president, saying that, 'Look, we have to deal with him differently.' Because he was always the power behind the throne, so to speak. But Medvedev was interested in a different relationship and was more forthcoming."

Clinton Sought 'Tougher Deal,' But Won't 'Second Guess' Bergdahl Swap

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hide captionFormer Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaking in Washington on May 14.

Cliff Owen/AP

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaking in Washington on May 14.

Cliff Owen/AP

Below are excerpts from Hillary Rodham Clinton's interview Monday with NPR's Renee Montagne. Clinton's new book, "Hard Choices," will be published on Tuesday.

Portions of this interview will air on Morning Edition.

Hard Choices

by Hillary Rodham Clinton

Hardcover, 635 pages | purchase

• Nonfiction


• History & Society


• Biography & Memoir

More on this book:

• NPR reviews, interviews and more

On running for president in 2016:

HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON: "...I have made some hard choices, and I face some hard choices. And, as I say in the book, I have not made a decision yet...

RENEE MONTAGNE: This is, may I say, a classic campaign book...

It's All Politics

Hard Sell For 'Hard Choices' Says Hillary's Running In 2016

Hillary Clinton's 'Living History'

HRC: Oh, I have to disagree. (laughter) I think it's a very, um, clear and fair depiction of some of the major issues that I was involved in. Not just the headlines — what we can read about whether it's Iran, or Syria, or Libya — but the trend lines, what's happening in the world, and what I think about that. So, it's not meant to be anything other than a narrative of the experiences I had, how that both influenced and even shaped my view of America's role, and I hope it is accessible to Americans and really anybody, who wants to make that journey with me. It doesn't point in any direction about what I will or won't do...

On whether the exchange of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl for five senior Taliban fighters could have been done in a less controversial way, and an earlier attempt she made to make a Bergdahl deal:

HRC: ...we don't leave anybody behind. That is an operating principle. And once President Obama announced that we were going to be ending our combat mission and transitioning to a training and support presence, the clock was ticking on whether we would get Bergdahl back. You're right that during the time I was there, we were trying to put together a much bigger deal, a deal that would get the Afghan government talking face-to-face with the Taliban, to try to resolve some of the points of controversy that exists between them....

...What I wanted was to broker a deal that would get them at the negotiating table with their Afghan governmental counterparts. It was a tougher deal, and it was a very difficult preliminary discussion about what it would take to bring that about.

All through the calculations we were going about making, was 'we had to get Bergdahl back.' I mean, that was something that was a, an, absolute condition for us. Of course, they're not just going to sit there and say, 'Oh, OK, we'll do all of this.' They wanted their five prisoners back from Guantanamo, and we had a lot of conditions that we wanted met before we could ever approach that....

...I'm not going to second guess the decision that was made, and as I understand it, it was a decision backed by the State Department, the Defense Department, and the intelligence community.

On Pakistan:

HRC: Pakistan has to make some hard choices.... When I say Pakistan, let me qualify it by saying, the political, business, and military elite of Pakistan have never decided to rid their country of the extremists, the jihadists, the Pakistani Taliban and other related groups...

...the bottom line is, 'Will you control your territory or not? Are you a sovereign government that will hold accountable people who bomb markets, and attack airports, and engage in terrible behavior including the killing of thousands of civilians and military personnel in Pakistan?' It is still to this day, unclear to me, that the Pakistani elite has decided that that's what they must do.

They have used terrorists for their purposes against India, they have tried to make deals with the Pakistani Taliban that were quickly unraveled, because those were not enforceable deals, they have been uncertain about how they want to deal with Afghanistan — their boundary, as you know has never been fully settled — so they have all of these competing priorities. I don't think there's a higher priority than providing security and safety to people who live within your borders, and they have allowed this metastasizing cancer of extremism to take root in their country. And there are many reasons for it, cultural, religious, political, strategic, economic, there are all kinds of reasons. But the bottom line for me is, unless the Pakistanis truly confront the threat of terrorism, they cannot control their own country and they continue to pose a threat, because of their failure to do so, to Afghanistan. And it is a very dangerous situation that we have to be carefully monitoring, but we cannot do it for them.

On Benghazi:

HRC: These are terrible situations...We have to keep learning. What can we do to protect Americans? And from my perspective, particularly our diplomats and our development experts. They don't go armed into these places that are dangerous. They don't have a military contingent to back them up. They are there representing the United States. And some have said, 'Well, we shouldn't be in dangerous places.' Well, there are so many dangerous places in the world right now that that would eliminate a lot of the important work that America needs to be doing. And it's just not in our DNA. We're not in the kind of place that retreats in the face of danger. We need to be prudent and reasonable and take necessary precautions, but we need to be present....