Despite a delay, the US is moving more military hardware closer to Syria – Egypt foils a plot to shut one of the world’s most important waterways – Angela Merkel is blamed for austerity’s European failures – A groundbreaking filmmaker retires – And a broadcast legend has passed.

The US is moving the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and the rest of the ships in its group towards the Red Sea, to support any military action against Syria.  That’s a carrier, four destroyers, and a cruiser in the Red Sea, and at least five guided-missile destroyers in the Mediterranean. 

Egyptian security has foiled a plot to attack a container ship on the Suez Canal, and bring commerce to a standstill.  The target was the Cosco Asia, a 349-meter long, Panama-flagged vessel container ship now safely westbound in the Mediterranean.  The canal authority says the military dealt with the threat as the Cosco Asia passed through the Suez Canal over the weekend. 

Journalist Glenn Greenwald, on a Brazilian TV show, says the US National Security Agency (NSA) directly spied on the communications of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and Mexican politician Enique Nieto who later became president of America’s southern neighbor.  The revelation is from the cache of intelligence documents smuggled out of America by fugitive leaker Edward Snowden, who is now in hiding in Russia.

Venezuela’s Finance Minister says despite the “Chavismo” economic programs of the late Hugo Chavez, carried on by President Nicolas Maduro, the country’s economy still has “structural problems”.  Generous government subsidies from Venezuela’s vast oil trade have slashed poverty and inequality, built hospitals, and brought higher education to unprecedented numbers of poor people.  But Venezuelan finance minister Nelson Merentes admits nationalization of some industries and management of public funds have not cured high inflation, underperforming sectors, and product shortages.

In their only televised debate, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's main rival the upcoming election accused her of being the cause of austerity misery throughout Europe. Center-left candidate Peer Steinbrueck called her Euro policies a failure.  The sharp jabs may not have been enough, as a snap poll gave Merkel a slight edge with viewers, and overall she leads her competition by 15 points.

A 92-year old former SS officer will appear in court in Germany on Monday to answer charges of murdering a Dutch resistance fighter in World War II some 70-years ago.  Siert Bruins is one of the last alleged Nazi war criminals to be detained in Germany.

One of the world’s great filmmakers is going out on a slightly controversial note.  Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki has announced his retirement while promoting his latest film, “The Wind Rises” which tells the life story of the designer of the Japanese Zero fighter plane of World War II.  Almost all of Miyazaki’s films have involved flying in one way or another.  Other Miyazaki works include instant classics such as “My Neighbor Totoro”, “Princess Mononoke”, “Howl’s Moving Castle”, and “Spirited Away”, for which he won a richly deserved Oscar.

Legendary British Broadcaster Sir David Frost Is dead at age 74.  He suffered a heart attack aboard the Queen Elizabeth, where he was to deliver a speech.  Best known internationally for getting former US President Richard Nixon to apologize for the Watergate Scandal, Frost was a fixture on British TV for five decades, sitting with stars, politicians, and royalty.