Something as serious as what happened in benghazi could ever partisan political purposes. Amy democratic president ial front runner Hillary Clinton defends her record as secretary of state on the september 11, 2012 attack in libya that killed u. S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other americans. Clinton was grilled for more than eight hours before the House Select Committee. Well get reaction from melvin goodman, a former cia and state Department Analyst, and author of, National Insecurity the cost of american militarism. Then to europe, where the United Nations is accusing the Czech Republic of committing systematic Human Rights Violations of migrants and refugees the children were being separated from their children behind wire fences. They were having to see their parents being handcuffed. People are being stripsearched in order to take their money, essentially, because they are actually being charged for being detained. They are being wrongly detained in the first place, than having to pay for it. Amy well speak with the council of europes commissioner for human rights nils moyzhniks about the refugee crisis in europe, the dangers of mass surveillance, as well as his call for a full probe of the cias secret prisons in europe. All that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Former secretary of state and current democratic president ial hopeful Hillary Clinton underwent a marathon day of testimony thursday before the House Select Committee probing the 2012 attack in libya, which killed u. S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other americans. Throughout the hearing, clinton defended her record on benghazi in the face of republican criticism, republicans say lenten ignored preattack warnings and mishandled its aftermath, even though seven previous congressional probes have found no wrongdoing. Clinton handled republican questions with a column to mean her and afterward, panel chair trey gowdy, republican commerce member of south carolina, admitted the hearing failed to turn up anything new. We will have more on the benghazi hearing after headlines. A u. S. Soldier has been killed in iraq during a rescue mission targeting the islamic state. Its the first known combat death of an american servicemember in iraq since the u. S. Withdrawal of 2010. U. S. Forces officially reentered iraq last year under a training and advisory role. Pentagon spokesman peter cook said the operation was a unique circumstance, not a signal of changing tactics. I would not suggest you look at this as some change in tactics on our part, this was a unique circumstance in which very close partners of the United States made a specific request for our assistance, and there was a deliberate process to analyze this situation and circumstances, and that is when the decision was made to move forward with this operation. Amy the u. S. Says the rescue mission freed 70 captives from an isil prison, saving them from potential execution. Russian president Vladimir Putin says the u. S. Could be open to joint cooperation on Bombing Missions in syria. On thursday, putin said any military partnership with the u. S. Could hopefully lead to a diplomatic opening for resolving the syrian conflict. I hope we will be able to. If the military people can come to know agreement between themselves, and they seem to be the most responsible people, it means a certain agreement can also be reached at the political level. Amy putins comments follow a visit to moscow by syrian president bashar alassad. Russia launched airstrikes in syria last month, saying it was targeting the selfproclaimed islamic state, although, its attacks have hit assads rebel foes. The Group Physicians for human rights says russian air strikes have damaged six Syrian Health facilities this month, killing at least four civilians and wounding six medical staffers. All the strikes were in rebelheld areas. Secretary of state john kerry says hes cautiously optimistic on defusing the recent spate of violence in israel and the occupied territories. Kerry spoke after meeting with israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu in berlin. I come directly from several hours of conversation with Prime Minister netanyahu, and i would characterize the conversation as one that gave me a cautious measure of optimism that there may be some things that could be, next couple of days, put on the table which would have an impact, i hope, on the perceptions of everybody engaged that there is a way to defuse the situation and begin to find a way forward. Amy meanwhile at the United Nations, deputy secretarygeneral jan eliasson said the current unrest would not be happening if palestinians had their freedom. This crisis would not have erupted, i suggest, if the Palestinian People had the perspective of hope toward a viable palestinian state. If they had an economy that provides jobs and opportunities, if they had more control over their security on the Legal Administration processes that define their daily existence. In short, if the palestinians did not still live under a stifling and human getting occupation that has lasted a musthave for century. Amy a funeral was held in the occupied west Bank Thursday for veteran palestinian activist hashem azzeh. A medical doctor and olive grower, azzeh died from inhaling tear gas fired by israeli troops during a protest in hebron. He was well known in activist circles for years of organizing against the Israeli Occupation and harassment by jewish settlers. A more than weeklong student protest over College Tuition hikes continues in south africa. On thursday, thousands of students marched on the headquarters of the Ruling African National congress in johannesburg. South african president jacob zuma has pledged to meet with student leaders and University Heads to discuss protesters demands. Under the banner, fees must fall, the demonstrations are among south africas largest since the election of Nelson Mandela in 1994. President obama has followed through on a pledge to veto a 612 billion military spending bill passed by congressional republicans. The measure lets the pentagon sidestep mandatory sequestration budget cuts for the defense for the pentagon while the , cuts remain in effect for domestic programs. The bill would also make it more difficult to close guantanamo. Sending a back to congress and i message to them is very simple lets do this right. We are in the midst of budget discussions. Lets have a budget that properly funds are National Security as well as economic security. Lets make sure that we are able in a constructive way to reform our military spending to make it sustainable over the long term and lets make sure that in a responsible way, we can draw down the populations in guantanamo, and make sure the American People stay safe and were not providing the kinds of agreements rules tools to terrorists. Amy republican Congressmember Paul Ryan has formally declared for the house speakers race. Ryan confirmed his bid on thursday after securing support from the farright House Freedom caucus. Ryan had said he would only be willing to run if he could be assured of wide support from divided republican factions. The house vote is expected next week. The Obama Administration is warning puerto rico faces a humanitarian crisis unless Congress Takes steps to address its crushing debt. The white house wants lawmakers to approve bankruptcy protection for the u. S. Territory expand , medicaid and impose a control board to oversee puerto ricos finances. U. S. Treasury counselor Antonio Weiss made the appeal before a senate panel. I can tell you with total confidence that puerto ricos fiscal crisis is escalating and it is very real. And without federal action, it could easily become a humanitarian crisis as well. Congress should pass legislation already introduced that provides chapter nine protection to puerto ricos municipalities and public corporations, but congress should also authorize a broader, Legal Framework that allows for a comprehensive restructuring of all of puerto ricos outstanding debt. Amy another church has been set on fire in st. Louis, the seventh in a spate of arsons over the last two weeks. The blaze at the shrine of st joseph follows deliberate fires at six predominantly black churches this month. St. Joseph is the first that is primarily white. St. Louis fire chief Dennis Jenkerson said officials are expanding their search for whoever is responsible. We recognize a pattern a week ago. Like a said, it is starting to disturb a lot of people. We have a lot of people on the street. We hand build today up in the north area, making sure people were aware of the rewards being offered by various organizations, whether it is the state of missouri or crimestoppers. We will be back out again in the morning making sure were going to expand our area of focus, because it looks like whoever is doing this has expanded theirs. Amy in florida, family and friends are seeking answers about a plainclothes officers Fatal Shooting of africanamerican musician corey jones. Police say officer nouman raja was in an unmarked cruiser when he stopped to investigate jone car, which had broken down. Police said the officer was suddenly confronted by an armed subject and opened fire, killing jones. Jones family says he was carrying a gun but never fired it, and at one point tried to run away. On thursday, cory jones brother and father demanded accountability. He was the kindest, the closest, the happiest person ever any person can ever imagine. So today, i need some answers. Why. D to know why is my son gone today . Why . Amy corey jones had been waiting for a tow truck when officer raja approached him. The family says they believe raja failed to identify himself as an officer. Later on thursday, the family led a march of hundreds of protesters on Palm Beach Gardens city hall. Andverybody knows corey never, ever, ever, ever would go against the law. Me, personally, i dont believe they say he did. I believe the story is not right. We are looking for the truth. We want answers. We want justice. Amy president obama has voiced support for the black lives Matter Movement for campaigning over the Police Treatment of africanamericans. Speaking at a Panel Discussion in washington, d. C. Obama said , activists pointing to discrimination against africanamerican communities are raising a legitimate issue. I think the reason that the organizers use the phrase blacklivesmatter is not because they were suggesting nobody elses lives matter, rather what they were suggesting was there is a specific problem that is happening in the Africanamerican Community that is not happening in other communities. Legitimate issue that we have got to address. We as a society are particularly given our history, have to take this seriously. And one of the ways of avoiding the politics of this and losing the moment is everybody stepping back for a second and , uh, that the Africanamerican Community is not just making this up. And it is not just something being politicized. It is real, and there is a history behind it and we have to take it seriously. Amy president obamas comments appear to be his first in public on the black lives Matter Movement since it erupted across the country in the summer of 2014. The federal Communications Commission has voted to reduce the cost of prison phone calls for inmates and their families. The move imposes rate caps for instate and longdistance calls that follows a campaign from advocacy groups seeking to end predatory phone calls for prisoners and her loved ones, sometimes with prison phone contracts have charged as much as 14 a minute on top of other fees. Thegroup free press hailed decision saying this will make a difference for millions of people who struggle to stay connected to loved ones, now they can do it without getting fleeced by unprincipled companies. In mexico is bracing for the worst ever hurricane recorded in the western hemisphere. The category five Hurricane Patricia is expected to make landfall on mexicos southern pacific coast. Experts warn the storm could be potentially catastrophic. The World MeteorologicalOrganization Says the strongest typhoon, which killed 6300 people in the philippines in 2013. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Former secretary of state and current democratic president ial hopeful Hillary Clinton spent more than on thursday testifying eight hours before the House Select Committee probing the 2012 attack in libya, which killed u. S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other americans. Throughout the hearing, clinton defended her record secretary of state on benghazi in the face of republican criticism. I would imagine ive thought more about what happened and all of you put together. Ive lost more sleep than all of you put together. I have been racking my brain about what more could have been done or should have been done. And so when i took responsibility, i took it as a challenge and an obligation to make sure before i left the state department, that what we could learn, as im sure my predecessors did after beirut and after nairobi and after all of the other attacks on our facilities im sure all of them, republican and democrat alike, especially where there was loss of american life, said, ok, what must we do better . Amy the panel was the eighth such committee to investigate the benghazi attacks, and the hearings largely covered much of the same ground as previous proceedings. Clinton supporters have criticized the republicanled effort as an attempt to damage the democratic frontrunners president ial campaign. In his opening statement, Committee Chair republican trey gowdy addressed those charges. Quick madam secretary, i understand there are people, frankly, in both parties, who have suggested this investigation is about you. Let me assure you, it is not, and let me assure you why it is not. This investigation is about four people who were killed representing our country on foreign soil. Other democrats pushed back on the assertion, casting the continued investigation as politically motivated. Referencing an interview gowdy did on sunday on cbs face the nation, coming said gowdy was nothing truthful when he said he has zero interest in investigating the Clinton Foundation in clinton theme is other than for evaluating them for information. Gowdy and cummings then had this tense exchange. You issued a subpoena dissenting blumenthal on may 19 2015 compelling him to appear for the position on june 1620 15 deposition june 16, 2015, unilateral without giving select Committee Members the ability to debate or vote on it. You said two armed marshals to serve a subpoena on mrs. Blumenthals wife in their home without having ever sent him a request to participate voluntarily, which he would have done. Then, mr. Chairman, you personally attended his deposition and personally asked him about the Clinton Foundation and you personally directed your staff to ask questions about the Clinton Foundation, which they did more than 50 times. Now, these facts directly contradict the statements you made on National Television with all due respect, they do not. We just heard email after email after email about libya in benghazi that city blumenthal sent to the secretary of state. I dont care if you send it by morse code, carrier pigeon, smoke signals, the fact that he happen to send a by email is irrelevant. What is relevant is that he was sending information to the secretary of state. That is what is relevant. With respect to the subpoena, if you had bothered to answer the telephone calls of our committee, he would not needed a subpoena. [inaudible] you need to make sure the entire record is correct. And that is exactly what i want to do. Thing go ahead. I move we put into the record the entire transcript of sidney blumenthal. Were going to release the emails, lets to the transcript. That way the world can he had. Amy the Obama Administration has been criticized for its handling of the aftermath of the benghazi attack. The white house initially said the consulate was attacked by protesters denouncing a short american film insulting the prophet mohammed. But it later