A.M. Links: Rand Paul Blocking Tax Treaties, Air Shows Canceled for Sequester, Iraq Shuts Down Nine Media Outlets

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  U.S. Air Force

  DC lobbyists are upset that Rand Paul is blocking a set of tax treaties in the Senate.

• The Russian government apparently recorded conversations between the Boston bombing suspects' mother, who in 2011 was put in a CIA terror database, and her eldest son, who was also on the list, as well as an FBI target in southern Russia. The U.S. was unaware of the conversations. The mother maintains her children are innocent.
• Air shows around the country were canceled this weekend due to sequester, but a federal helium program lives on.
• San Francisco's gay pride parade, an official function of the city government, extended and then quickly rescinded Grand Marshal status for Bradley Manning.
• Charlotte's mayor Anthony Foxx is expected to be named as Ray LaHood's replacement as Transportation Secretary later today.
• The government of Iraq has suspended the license of Al-Jazeera and nine other television media outlets, blaming sectarian violence.
• The Greek parliament has approved civil service lay-offs; 15,000 state workers will lose their jobs, by the end of next year.

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