Nafeez Ahmed writes.

We're not back in the 1930s, but structurally - systemically - we're in a far worse condition. The problem is that the three main parties on offer today lack a fully-formed understanding of the real structural issues behind the concurrent crisis of world capitalism. They fail to realise that they're in a catch-22. The symptom-led solution to the massive deficit is inevitably massive cuts in spending. The problem is that those cuts, structurally necessary within the given system to stabilise our credit rating and currency value so that the government can keep borrowing, will inevitably contract the real economy massively to such an extent that it will create a serious socio-political crisis in this country in the next 5-10 years. We've heard as much from the Bank of England.

From David Kenner's Foreign Policy blog.

In a move that is sure to set conspiracy theorists aflutter, former Vice President Dick Cheney popped up yesterday in Saudi Arabia, where he met with King Abdullah. Accompanying him was former State Department diplomat and its top interpreter, Gamal Helal, who recently left the government to form a consulting firm, Helal Associates.

BBC report.

The protest became violent, with petrol bombs thrown at police, who responded with pepper spray and tear gas.

Protesters are angered by spending cuts and tax rises planned in return for a 110bn euro (£95bn) bail-out for Greece.

Vancouver Sun interview with Niall Ferguson.

The situation of the United Kingdom in fiscal terms is in fact worse than the situation of Greece. That may come as a surprise to you, but if you look at the most recent paper on the subject published by the Bank for International Settlements, it is very clear. The trajectory of U.K. public debt over the next 30 years, absent a major change of policy, will take it to a mind-blowing 500% of GDP, which is about 100 percentage points worse than Greece. If Britain had done what many right-thinking people thought it should do and joined the euro, the situation of Britain would be worse than that of Greece today. The only reason that Britain isn't an honourary member of the PIIGS club, along with Portugal, Ireland, Italy and Spain, is that it stayed outside the eurozone and therefore reserves the right to debase the currency as an exit strategy. I don't know about you, but I don't find that very cheery as a prospect

From Mondoweiss. The original graphic is here.

The infographic accompanying yesterday's New York Times article on the U.S.'s attempt to head off a Middle Eastern nuclear arms race is -- as one might have expected -- missing a little bit of ink. Guess where?

Guardian report.

Global stock markets have fallen sharply on fears that the proposed €110bn (£95bn) rescue package hammered out over the weekend for Greece will not be enough to solve its financial crisis, as well as concern that the problems could spread to other European countries.

Spanish prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero was forced to deny market rumours his country would ask for €280bn from the European Union, something he described as "complete madness".

Craig Murray writes.

I have now obtained under the Freedom of Information Act a heavily censored copy of one of my telegrams from Tashkent protesting at the use by the UK government of intelligence obtained under torture.

Every British person should read this telegram and hang their head in the deepest of shame. This is the pitch blackness of New Labour's embrace of authoritarianism. Read it, and remember I was both smeared and sacked for this attempt to apply simply the most basic of humane standards.

BBC report.

A Pakistan-born US citizen has been charged with terrorism over the failed car-bomb attack in New York's Times Square on Saturday.

Faisal Shahzad, 30, was also charged with attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, according to documents filed at Manhattan federal court.

BBC report.

The UKIP candidate for Norwich North has called for the blowing up of Iran before it acquires nuclear weapons and has described Afghans as "backward". Responding to a survey about troops on the website theyworkforyou.com, Glenn Tingle used swear words to describe tribes in Afghanistan.

He said: "We should blow them up first" when replying to a question about Iran's nuclear weapons programme.

Reuters report.

Greece reacted with a mix of resignation and outrage on Monday to a painful new austerity package from the government that newspaper editorials said would force a long-delayed "violent modernization" on the country.

Julian Knight in the Independent.

Well, let's get one thing straight: Greece's debt mountain may be huge but our total debts are actually worse. Why? Unlike us, the Greek population isn't loaded down with credit card debts, personal loans, mortgages, remortgages, consolidation loans and individual voluntary arrangements to the tune of £1.4 trillion. If you add personal debt to the national government debt then our debt-to-GDP ratio soars from about 60-70 per cent to about 200 per cent.

Times report.

Prime Minister George Papandreou is due to hold a cabinet meeting later this morning to announce the deal.

The EU has insisted on tough austerity measures in return for a bailout worth an estimated € 45 billion (£39 billion) this year alone, and up to €120 billion (£104 billion) over three years.

Telegraph report.

An apparent car bomb has been discovered in New York's Times Square after failing to explode on Saturday night during Broadway's peak period.

Guardian report.

Mohammad Rida Rahimi, the Iranian vice-president, made the statement today at the end of a visit to Syria that was billed as underlining the strategic relationship between the two countries.

"We will stand alongside Syria against any [Israeli] threat," Rahimi said at a news conference with the Syrian prime minister, Mohammad Naji Otri. "If those who have violated Palestinian land try anything, we will cut off their feet," he promised.

Guardian report.

Greek riot police have used tear gas to disperse angry protesters in Athens, during a march against government cuts to tackle the country's crippling debt. Clashes erupted at the finance ministry and a state TV truck was petrol bombed. A tense stand-off continues, with protesters hurling bottles and rocks.

ABC report.

The court heard that in the 15-month period leading up to the bombings, MI5 and police knew of meetings between two of the bombers and a terrorist suspect.

Mr Coltart said police knew the suspect was planning to bomb a public place but chose not to put the men under surveillance.

"In the 15-month period or so leading up to the bombings... M15 and police were, between them, in possession of a significant amount of information about the bombers," Mr Coltart told the court.