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| Flotilla’s humanitiarian aid en route to the Kerem Shalom Crossing. The aid was unloaded at the Gaza border crossing but was refused by Hamas. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
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| December 27, 2008 In June 2007, Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip. This building is utilized by Hamas as a weapons arsenal. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
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| Tent Camp, Gaza Strip (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
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| English: Watchtower, Rafah, Gaza Strip border with Egypt, April 2009. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Ukraine's Economy Is Imploding As Fighting In The East Intensifies
Archive © ITAR-TASS/Anton Tushin
*Ukraine’s GDP Fall Quickens By 4.7% -- ITAR-TASS*
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has made a worse Ukrainian GDP
falling forecast from five to 6.5% in 2014
IEV, July 30. /ITAR-TASS/. Ukraine’s GDP in the second quarter of 2014 has
plummeted 4.7% compared the same period in 2013, Ukrainian State Statistics
Service said on Wednesday.
The second quarter’s GDP rate went down 2.3% compared with the first
quarter with due account of seasonal factor.
The GDP decline has amounted to 1.1% in the first quarter of this year, the
republican service sa... more »
Ukraine Civil War News Updates -- July 30, 2014
*Ukraine Conflict: Army Claims Strategic Town In Donetsk -- BBC*
*The Ukrainian army says it has seized a key town near the rebel stronghold
of Donetsk, as fighting rages in the east.*
Pro-Russia separatists were driven out of Avdiivka on Wednesday, the army
said. The strategic town is near the airport and train station in Donetsk.
Heavy fighting around Donetsk has again prevented international experts
from reaching the crash site of flight MH17.
Meanwhile, Russia said new sanctions were "destructive and short-sighted"
and would lead to higher energy prices.
Almost two weeks afte... more »
Hamas Military Wing Release Video of Covert Tunnel Raid That Killed Five Israeli Guards
*Gaza Crisis: Hamas Military Wing Release Video of Covert Tunnel Raid Which
Killed Five IDF Soldiers -- IBTimes*
Hamas' military wing has released footage claiming to be its militants
entering Israel, via an underground tunnel from the Gaza Strip, and
storming an IDF guard post, in an attack which killed five Israeli soldiers.
The unverified video censors the faces and conversations of the militants
as they emerge from a tunnel believed to originate in Shejaiya, Gaza and
run towards a guard post south of Kibbutz Nahal Oz near Karmi Crossing.
An anti-tank missile and shots are fire... more »
Before And After Satellite Images Show The Devastation Of Israel's Bombardment On Gaza
(*Click on Image to Enlarge*)
Devastation: Using images from before the conflict began and comparing them
with ones from July 25, they identified 700 destroyed homes and mosques
*Razing Gaza: Before And After Satellite Images Show The True Devastation
Of Israel's Bombardment As 700 Homes And Mosques Are Turned To Rubble And
400 Craters Blight The War Zone -- Daily Mail*
The obliteration of Gaza from relentless Israeli air strikes and tank
shelling was laid bare today in a series of satellite images charting the
escalating violence across the region.
Analysis from UN satellite expe... more »
Israel - Hamas War News Updates -- July 30, 2014
*Israeli Military Offers 4-Hour Humanitarian Ceasefire In Gaza -- Reuters*
(Reuters) - The Israeli military said on Wednesday it would hold fire
unilaterally in limited areas of the Gaza Strip for four hours from 3 p.m.
(1200 GMT) for humanitarian purposes, an army statement said.
Hamas described the truce as a media stunt because it only applied to some
areas.
"IDF (Israel Defence Forces) has authorised a temporary window in the Gaza
Strip. The humanitarian window will not apply to the areas in which IDF
soldiers are currently operating," the Israeli statement said.
*Read more* ... more »
World News Briefs -- July 30, 2014
*Israel Announces Brief Cease-fire After Shelling UN School -- Voice of
America*
GAZA CITY — Palestinian officials say Israel has announced a four-hour
humanitarian cease-fire in some areas of the Gaza Strip, in the wake of an
Israeli tank attack on a United Nations-run school in the Gaza Strip that
killed at least 19 people.
The cease-fire began at 3:00 p.m. local time (1200) Wednesday. Israel
authorized the pause in fighting against Hamas militants, saying it would
be limited to parts of the densely populated coastal strip.
Hamas continued to fire rockets, saying it would fight... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- July 30, 2014
The view is shown from a turret of a mine-resistant, ambush-protected
vehicle making its way back to Camp Leatherneck after a combat logistics
patrol in Afghanistan's Helmand province, July 14, 2014. U.S. Marine Corps
photo by Cpl. Alex Roberts
*Afghanistan To Cost More Than Marshall Plan, Watchdog Says -- Stars and
Stripes*
KABUL, Afghanistan — By the time its combat troops depart at the end of
2014, the United States will have appropriated more money trying to fix
Afghanistan than it did on the Marshall Plan that helped Europe recover
economically after World War II, according t... more »
Is Israel Creating A Buffer Zone In Gaza?
*Israel Creates ‘No Man’s Land’ in Gaza, Shrinking Strip by 40 Percent --
Jesse Rosefeld, Daily Beast*
*To protect itself from Hamas rockets and tunnels, Israel is forcing tens
of thousands of people out of their homes, turning their old neighborhoods
into a no-man’s land.*
BEIT HANOUN, Gaza — This narrow strip of land that used to be called “the
Gaza Strip,” already one of the more densely populated places on Earth, is
growing dramatically smaller. The Israeli military, relentlessly and
methodically, is driving people out of the 3-kilometer (1.8 mile) buffer
zone it says it need... more »
Is Colombia's Peace Talks With FARC About To Collapse?
Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos speaks after the signing of
agreements at the second day of the 2014 Alianza del Pacifico (Pacific
Alliance) political summit in Punta Mita in the Nayarit region, in the West
Coast of Mexico, June 20, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Jorge Dan Lopez
*Colombia President Says 'Demented' FARC Attacks Could End Peace Talks --
Reuters*
(Reuters) - Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos warned on Tuesday that
continuing attacks perpetrated by leftist FARC guerrillas, many of which
target infrastructure, could bring an end to peace negotiations with the
gove... more »
Argentina Hours Away From Default
Graffiti in Buenos Aires says, “No to the payment of the debt.” Hedge funds
have won court victories demanding full payment on the bonds. Credit Marcos
Brindicci/Reuters
*Argentina Hours Away From Bond Default -- BBC*
Argentina's economy minister is expected to return to the negotiating table
on Wednesday in a last-ditch attempt to prevent the country defaulting on
its bonds.
Axel Kicillof's talks with "hold-out" investors ended late on Tuesday night
in New York without agreement.
They are demanding a full pay-out of $1.3bn (£766m) on the bonds they hold.
A US judge has ruled tha... more »
Top Pentagon Intelligence Chief: US Less Safe Than Several Years Ago And Al Qaeda's Ideology Is Rapidly Expanding
Defense Intelligence Agency director U.S. Army Lt. General Michael Flynn
(Reuters / Gary Cameron)
*US Is No Safer After 13 Years Of War, A Top Pentagon Official Says -- Anna
Mulrine, CSM*
*The outgoing head of the Defense Intelligence Agency says that new players
on the scene are more radical than Al Qaeda, and the core Al Qaeda ideology
has lost none of its potency.*
The nation is no safer after 13 years of war, warns a top US military
official who leads one of the nation’s largest intelligence organizations.
“We have a whole gang of new actors out there that are far more extreme... more »
Last Hiroshima Bomb Crew Member Of Enola Gay Dies At 93
*Last Crewman Of U.S. Plane That Dropped First Atomic Bomb Is Dead At 93 --
CNN*
(CNN) -- Nearly 69 years ago, Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk navigated a U.S.
B-29 Superfortress called the Enola Gay over Hiroshima, Japan, on a sunny
August day. Once over its target, the Enola Gay unloaded the first atomic
bomb dropped in war.
A single bomb blast killed some 140,000 people and helped end World War II
-- and pushed the world suddenly into the nuclear era.
On Monday, Van Kirk died of natural causes at the Park Springs retirement
community in Stone Mountain, Georgia, according to his elde... more »
Top U.S. Negotiator: No Firm Deadline On A Nuclear Deal With Iran
*U.S. Nuclear Negotiator Declines Setting Deadline On Iran Deal -- Reuters*
(Reuters) - The lead U.S. nuclear negotiator declined to give a final
deadline on Tuesday for negotiating a final nuclear agreement with Iran,
but said participants mean to finish the international talks at the end of
the current four-month extension.
"Our intent is absolutely to end this on Nov. 24 in one direction or
another. But what I can say to you is we will consult Congress along the
way," Wendy Sherman, the under secretary of State for political affairs,
said at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee... more »
Kidnapping And Ransoming Hostages Has Become Big Business For Al Qaeda
MEMENTOS FROM CAPTIVITY: Items saved by Harald Ickler, a Swede living in
Germany, from his 54 days as a hostage in 2003. He was on what he thought
would be a four-week adventure vacation when he was kidnapped in the
Algerian desert by jihadists who would soon become an official arm of Al
Qaeda. Credit Gordon Welters for The New York Times
*Ransoming Citizens, Europe Becomes Al Qaeda’s Patron -- New York Times*
BAMAKO, Mali — The cash filled three suitcases: 5 million euros.
The German official charged with delivering this cargo arrived here aboard
a nearly empty military plane and... more »
Like Vietnam 40 Years Ago, Iraq Has Become The Newest Geopolitical Disaster For The U.S.
*Vietnam And Iraq Are Now Inextricably Linked As U.S. Geopolitical
Disasters -- Bill Powell, Newsweek*
Lance Corporal Victor Lu’s friends in his Marine unit – the 3rd Battalion
5th Marine Regiment, part of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force that fought
in the brutal battle to retake the Iraqi city of Fallujah from insurgents
in late 2004 – used to call him “Buddha”. The young Vietnamese-American man
was 1.9m tall, a black belt in Ju Si Tang Chinese kung fu and among the
physically strongest men in his unit. But the imposing strength and
physique belied a gentle, affable nature. He... more »
Islamic State Releases Video Of Terror And Mass Murder
*The Islamic State Killing Fields: Terror Group Releases Horrifying Video
Showing Drive-By Shootings, Suicide Bombings And Dozens Of Other Victims
Rounded Up And Executed -- Daily Mail*
* WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
* Jihadists release video in sick celebration to mark Muslim festival of Eid
* Shows prisoners huddling in trucks before being driven to their deaths
* Film cuts to them lying face down in dirt as they are shot one by one
* Suicide bomber brags about becoming a martyr in truck full of explosives
* Video shows him driving down street before detonating vehicle by building
* Othe... more »
Iraq Civil War News Updates -- July 29-30, 2014
*Iraq Struggles To Halt Militants' March On Baghdad -- Wall Street Journal*
*Islamic State Militants Are Edging Their Way to the Capital From the South*
BAGHDAD—Last week, the Iraqi army said it had retaken a town the government
said was a base for Sunni jihadists.
Baghdad's stated victory was short-lived.
Two days later, Sunni extremists from the Islamic State drove five Humvees
into the town, Jurf al-Sakhar, and blew themselves and others up, setting
off a new round of fighting to control the town.
On Monday, the government's retaliatory airstrikes killed 27 people, a
local sec... more »
Libyan Special Forces Base Overrun By Islamists
*Libyan Militants Overrun Benghazi Special Forces Base As Chaos Deepens --
Reuters*
(Reuters) - Militant fighters overran a Libyan special forces base in the
eastern city of Benghazi on Tuesday after a battle involving rockets and
warplanes that killed at least 30 people.
A special forces officer said they had to abandon their main camp in the
southeast of Benghazi after coming under sustained attack from a coalition
of Islamist fighters and former rebel militias in the city.
"We have withdrawn from the army base after heavy shelling," Saiqa Special
Forces officer Fadel Al-Hassi ... more »
Afghan President Karzai's Cousin Assassinated By Suicide Bomber
Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai’s cousin Hashmat Karzai. India.com
*Powerful Cousin of Afghan President Karzai Killed in Kandahar -- Wall
Street Journal*
*Suicide Bomber Was Guest at Hashmat Karzai's Home for Muslim Holiday of
Eid al-Fitr*
A suicide bomber Tuesday assassinated a powerful cousin of outgoing Afghan
President Hamid Karzai, a major blow to the country's ruling clan that
risks further destabilizing the volatile south.
Hashmat Karzai was in his fortified home outside Kandahar city greeting
visitors on the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr when the blast took place.
The ... more »
China's Anti-Corruption Drive Snares It's Biggest Target So Far
*Xi Jinping's Anticorruption In China Drive Snares A Tiger -- Peter Ford,
Christian Science Monitor*
*Once seen as untouchable, Zhou Yongkang, a former Politburo security czar,
is under investigation. Chinese President Xi's far-reaching anticorruption
drive is targeting political opponents and sending an uncompromising
message to Communist Party the rank and file.*
Beijing — Dropping the biggest bombshell to date in Chinese President Xi
Jinping’s anticorruption campaign, the ruling Communist Party announced
Tuesday that one of its most senior elder statesmen is being investigated ... more »
Terrorist Attack Kills Dozens In China's Xinjiang Province
*Knife Attack Kills Dozens in China's Xinjiang -- Voice of America*
China says dozens are dead following an attack by a mob armed with knives
in restive Xinjiang province, the latest in a series of attacks in the
region.
The official Xinhua news agency says the mob staged attacks in two towns
Monday, killing both Han and Uighur residents. The report says police
responded with gunfire, killing dozens of attackers. An unknown number of
people were wounded in the violence, which the report called a
"premeditated terrorist attack."
Beijing waited nearly a day before officially confirm... more »
Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- July 29, 2014
Ahmed Zakot/Reuters
*How Long Will It Last? Gaza Conflict By The Numbers - Josh Levs, CNN*
(CNN) -- For all the talk of a possible cease-fire, residents of Israel and
Palestinians in Gaza are living under a daily barrage of attacks. More than
1,200 Palestinians have been killed, as have 53 Israeli soldiers and three
civilians in Israel.
"If the enemy has not had enough of our strikes, our fighters have a lot to
surprise the enemy's leaders and its special forces," Hamas said Tuesday in
an online posting.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his country Monday to
prepare... more »
The U.S. And Russia Are Now Waging Economic Warfare
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
*Russia, U.S. Edge Toward Economic Warfare -- Rob Garver, The Fiscal Times*
Russia and the West appear to be moving ever closer to full economic
warfare as U.S. and EU leaders prepare new and harsher sanctions on the
Russian economy and Russian lawmakers discuss legislation that would give
authorities in Moscow the ability to eject companies from Russia if they
are headquartered in “aggressor nations” – defined as countries that have
imposed sanctions on Russia.
In the nearly two weeks since a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet was shot
down over Ukraine by Ru... more »
EU And The US Impose A New Round Of Sanctions On Russia
*Europe Unveils 'Tough' New Sanctions On Russia, Including Arms Embargo -
But They WON'T Block French Deal To Sell Warships To Moscow -- Daily Mail*
* Arms embargo will only apply to future contracts, meaning sale will go
ahead
* But it will block 3billion euros worth of Russian arms sales to Europe a
year
* Russian state-owned banks banned from issuing long-term debt in Europe
* Eight more Russians also face asset freezes and travel bans in Europe
* Fresh sanctions announced as John Kerry meets Ukraine's foreign minister
* Mr Kerry says Russia is 'leaving the international community ... more »
A Bloomberg Reporter Reflects On His Arrest By Ukrainian Forces In Eastern Ukraine
Russian reporter Igor Kornelyuk, who was killed in Kiev’s army shelling
near Lugansk on June 17, 2014.
*My Captivity In Ukraine Shows Amateurs Succumb To Hatred -- Stepan
Kravchenko, Bloomberg*
In eastern Ukraine, one text message can turn you into an enemy. In my
case, it was sent to my father. “Talked to Borodai at night,” it said about
an interview I had with a rebel leader.
“So, you are Borodai’s little friend,” concluded the camouflaged man
reading my Nokia. His comrade pointed a Kalashnikov at my stomach. “We’ve
got a Russian warrior here saying he is a journalist,” he calle... more »
Who Is Supplying Ukraine's Separatists Their Weapons?
Ukrainian servicemen stand near weapons, seized from pro-Russian
separatists, near Slaviansk in this July 8, 2014 file photo. Credit:
REUTERS/Gleb Garanich/Files
*Special Report: Where Ukraine's Separatists Get Their Weapons -- Reuters*
(Reuters) - On the last day of May, a surface-to-air rocket was signed out
of a military base near Moscow where it had been stored for more than 20
years.
According to the ornate Cyrillic handwriting in the weapon's Russian
Defence Ministry logbook, seen by Reuters, the portable rocket, for use
with an Igla rocket launcher, was destined for a base ... more »
CNN: Ukraine Forces Are Now Firing Ballistic Missiles Into Pro-Rebel Parts Of Eastern Ukraine
*Kiev Forces Fire Ballistic Missiles Into E. Ukraine – CNN -- RT*
In the past two days Kiev’s forces have launched several short-range
ballistic missiles into areas in east Ukraine controlled by self-defense
forces, CNN reports, citing US government sources.
The move “marks a major escalation” in the Ukrainian crisis, CNN said.
“Three US officials confirmed to me a short time ago that US intelligence
over the last 48 hours has monitored the firing of several short-range
ballistic missiles from territory controlled by Ukraine government forces
into areas controlled by the pro-Russi... more »
Ukraine Civil War News Updates -- July 29, 2014
*Donetsk Shelled As Ukraine Government Continues Offensive -- Wall Street
Journal*
*At Least One Killed as Mortars Reach Heart of City*
DONETSK, Ukraine—He was one of the people who kept Donetsk clean, its parks
tended and flower-beds watered, even as encroaching war upended the city's
everyday life.
At midday Tuesday, a municipal groundskeeper and his wife were doing their
usual chores when at least two mortars landed just feet away from him,
according to witnesses. He died instantly, his severed arm lying on the
lawn behind a 10-story apartment building next door to a local mil... more »
Hamas' Attack Tunnels Has Become Israel's Newest Worry
*CNN's Wolf Blitzer Goes Into A Hamas Tunnel -- CNN*
(CNN) -- The opening was so small that CNN's Wolf Blitzer -- no physical
giant -- had to bend down to climb inside one of 30 or so Palestinian
tunnels from Gaza to southern Israel.
"I guess the tunnel was built for relatively short people, because if you
stand up you're going to hit your head," Blitzer said of the almost
two-mile concrete corridor about 45 feet underground where he reported from
Monday.
His visit, accompanied by the Israeli military, revealed conditions in the
network of tunnels below Gaza that are a key issue ... more »
Why The Kerry - Israel 'Meltdown'
*Inside The Kerry-Israel Meltdown -- Josh Rogin & Eli lake, Daily Beast*
The Secretary of State has been furiously working on a Mideast ceasefire,
but his ad hoc efforts were dealt another blow Monday when Israel rejected
his latest peacemaking plan.
On Monday, Secretary of State Kerry took to the podium at the State
Department to say that he was working with Israel and Hamas to negotiate an
extension of their temporary ceasefire.
“Today, we are continuing to work toward establishing an unconditional
humanitarian ceasefire, one that…will stop the fighting, allow desperately
neede... more »
US And Israel Deny Reports Of A Harsh Obama-Netanyahu Conversation
*White House, Israeli Prime Minister's Office Deny Reports of Tense
Exchange Over Ceasefire -- Breitbart*
On Tuesday, Israeli media reported the text of an alleged phone
conversation on July 27th between President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The text was said to have come from a “senior
US official”. Obama National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes said on Twitter
that the excerpt of the 35-minute phone call was a “totally false” report.
Israel’s Prime Minister’s office also denied reports, saying that the
Israeli media misrepresented the conversation.
Th... more »
Israel - Hamas War News Updates -- July 29, 2014
*At Least 100 Palestinians Die In One Day As Israeli Tanks Destroy Gaza's
Only Power Plant And Ten Members Of One Family Are Killed -- Daily Mail *
* Netanyahu said any solution to the crisis would require the
demilitarisation of the Palestinian territory
* Power company said the shells hit one of three tanks in the plant
compound which currently store fuel
* At least 26 Palestinians were killed early Tuesday in the airstrikes and
tank shelling on four homes
* North Korea rejected claims it supplied missiles to Hamas as fiction' and
a 'sinister' effort to link it to the crisis
* Is... more »
World News Briefs -- July 29, 2014
*Israel Intensifies Gaza Assault, Egyptians Revise Truce Plan -- Reuters*
(Reuters) - Israel knocked out Gaza's only power plant and pounded dozens
of other high-profile targets on Tuesday, while Egyptian mediators prepared
a revised proposal for halting its war with Islamist militants in the
enclave. Israel's Channel Two TV said progress was being made on such a
deal in Cairo, where a Palestinian delegation is expected later on Tuesday,
although the station retracted an earlier report that a truce had already
been provisionally agreed.
Health officials said at least 84 Palestinia... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- July 29, 2014
Gorbachev and Raegan Signing Historic INFTreaty. © White House Photographic
Office
*US: Russia Violated Nuclear Treaty -- Voice of America*
The United States accused Russia of violating a historic nuclear test ban
treaty by testing a ground-launched cruise missile.
U.S officials said President Barack Obama informed Russian President
Vladimir Putin in a letter Monday of the United States' determination that
Russia broke the 1987 treaty.
The move was first reported Monday evening by The New York Times.
The U.S. said Russia tested a new ground-launched cruise missile, breaking
the ... more »
Editor's Note
Lost power in my neck of the woods. The joys of living in the forest. A
tree fell down and cut the wires early this morning. I have just been told
that power will be restored in 3 hours. Since I cannot do this blog using
my cell phone as my platform .... I will wait, fidget, chew my nails, chop
some wood, answer some comments, and wait till everything is restored.
*Update 13:35 EST: *Power has been restored. It will take me an hour or two
to catch up on my reading, emails, etc..
Are These The Five Most Overrated Weapons Of War?
An A-10 from the 81st Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.
Wikipedia
*The Five Most Overrated Weapons of War -- Robert Farley, National Interest*
“Overrated” is a challenging concept. In sports, a player can be “great”
and “overrated” at the same time. Future Major League Baseball Hall of
Famer Derek Jeter, for example, is quite clearly a “great” player, well
deserving of the first ballot invitation he will likely receive. However,
as virtually all statistically minded aficionados of the game have noted,
he is highly overrated (especially on defense) by the baseball pre... more »
Chief Of U.S. Naval Operations: Chinese Missile Threat Is Growing
Chief of U.S. Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert, right, sits down
for a moderated discussion with David Ignatius, Washington Post journalist,
editor and book author, at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado hosted by
The Aspen Institute, July 25, 2014. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Petty Officer
Peter D. Lawlor
*Chinese Missile Forces Pose Threat to U.S. in Future Conflict --
Washington Free Beacon*
CNO says China building second carrier
ASPEN, Colo.—China’s advanced cruise and ballistic missiles pose a
significant threat in future conflict with the United States, the chief of... more »
Did Venezuela Threaten Aruba And The Netherlands To Release It's Former Intelligence Chief Wanted In The US For Drug Trafficking?
*U.S. Official: Venezuela Threatened Aruba, Netherlands To Force Release Of
Spy Chief -- FOX News*
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – U.S. officials are saying Venezuela may have used
threats to obtain the freedom of a former general detained in Aruba at the
request of the American government.
In a statement released Monday morning, U.S. State Department spokeswoman
Jen Psaki says there are credible reports that Venezuela threatened the
governments of Aruba, the Netherlands and others to force the release of
former military intelligence chief Hugo Carvajal.
Carvajal was arrested when he a... more »
Is Putin The Problem?
*Is Putin Worse Than Stalin? -- Pat Buchanan, Buchanan.org*
In 1933, the Holodomor was playing out in Ukraine.
After the “kulaks,” the independent farmers, had been liquidated in the
forced collectivization of Soviet agriculture, a genocidal famine was
imposed on Ukraine through seizure of her food production.
Estimates of the dead range from two to nine million souls.
Walter Duranty of the New York Times, who called reports of the famine
“malignant propaganda,” won a Pulitzer for his mendacity.
In November 1933, during the Holodomor, the greatest liberal of them all,
FDR, invited... more »
What Russian Sanctions?
*U.S. Sales To Russia Have Only Risen Since Sanctions Imposed -- McClatchy
News*
WASHINGTON — In the months since the United States imposed sanctions on
Russian businesses and close associates of President Vladimir Putin’s, an
odd thing has happened: U.S. exports to Russia have risen.
U.S. Census Bureau foreign trade data show that exports rose 17 percent
from March through May _ the most recent months for which the data is
available _ compared with the previous three months, before sanctions were
imposed. The value of exports has risen in each consecutive month this
year, an unu... more »
US Says Russia Has Violated The 1987 Nuclear Missile Treaty By Testing Cruise Missiles
Russian cruise missiles. Source: Supplied
*U.S. Says Russia Tested Cruise Missile, Violating Treaty -- New York Times*
WASHINGTON — The United States has concluded that Russia violated a
landmark arms control treaty by testing a prohibited ground-launched cruise
missile, according to senior American officials, a finding that was
conveyed by President Obama to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia in a
letter on Monday.
It is the most serious allegation of an arms control treaty violation that
the Obama administration has leveled against Russia and adds another
dispute to a relatio... more »
Chinese Hackers Have Stolen The Plans For Israel's Iron Dome
An Iron Dome launcher fires an interceptor rocket in the southern Israeli
city of Ashdod July 9, 2014. (Reuters/Baz Ratner)
*Chinese Hackers Obtained Info On Israel’s Iron Dome Missile Defense System
- Report -- RT*
In a raid seeking information related to Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense
system, Chinese hackers infiltrated the databases of three Jewish defense
contractors.
In addition to taking information on the Iron Dome, the attackers were also
able to nab plans regarding other projects – including Unmanned Aerial
Vehicles, ballistic rockets, and “detailed schematics and spe... more »
Is Israel Losing The Information War In It's Conflict With Hamas?
A Palestinian man reacts as he lies on the remains of his destroyed house
in the Shejaia neighbourhood, which witnesses said was heavily hit by
Israeli shelling and air strikes during an Israeli offensive, in Gaza City
July 26, 2014. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem
*Why Benjamin Netanyahu Should Be Very, Very Worried -- Ron Fournier,
National Journal*
*Israel's defense is vulnerable to more than missiles as demographic and
social changes threaten its global story.*
Chris Wallace of Fox News Sunday asked Benjamin Netanyahu whether he was
worried about "a third intifada." The Israeli prime m... more »
Israel Says That It Is Now Expanding It's Military Operations In Gaza
An Israeli mobile artillery unit fires towards the Gaza Strip July 28,
2014. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
*Israel Says It Is Escalating Gaza Campaign -- WSJ*
Defies International Pressure for Immediate Cease-fire
Israel's leaders said they were escalating the military campaign in Gaza
and told the country to prepare for a prolonged operation, defying
international demands for an immediate cease-fire after Hamas militants
broke a Muslim holiday lull.
The military chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, said Israel's assault on
Gaza's Hamas rulers was being "intensified" after three weeks of fi... more »
U.S. Congress Limits President Obama's Options On Iraq
U.S. President Barack Obama disembarks from Air Force One as he arrives at
Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California。 （File photo:
Reuters)
*House Tells President Obama: No Combat Troops To Iraq Without
Congressional Approval -- International Business Times*
President Barack Obama won’t be able to send American troops back to Iraq
in a "sustained combat role" without approval from Congress, according to a
resolution passed by the House on Friday. It is a nonbinding measure that
will have to be debated in the Senate, but in a demonstration of strong
feeling abou... more »
Iraqi Air Space Is Getting Crowded With U.S. And Iranian Drones
An MQ-9 Reaper UAV taxies after landing at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. US,
Iranian and Iraqi unmanned vehicles share airspace over Iraqi skies. (Tech.
Sgt. Erik Gudmundson / US Air Force)
*US, Iranian Drones Crowd Iraqi Air Space -- Defense News*
WASHINGTON — Despite a years-long history of intermittently sniping at one
another’s drones in the skies over Iraq, Afghanistan and the Arabian Gulf,
the United States and Iran have for the most part avoided each other in the
air.
But with the US now flying about 50 missions a day over Iraq and a
dedicated Iranian drone and signals intelligen... more »
Is ISIS About To Launch A Major Attack On Baghdad?
*The ISIS Caliphate’s Coming Blitz of Baghdad -- Jamie Dettmer, Daily Beast*
Analysts say the Islamic State is about to launch a major offensive—but one
built around commando raids and suicide bombings rather than a frontal
attack.
BEIRUT, Lebanon—When the minions of the self-anointed caliph in the
self-declared Islamic State that now straddles Iraq and Syria blow up a
mosque supposed to contain the remains of the prophet Jonah, or offer
punctilious details about the kind of purdah to be imposed on women, the
world takes brief notice. But the group’s military campaigns have made l... more »
Miss Israel And Other Israeli Supermodels Do Their Part To Support The IDF
*Israeli Models Do Their Part To Support The IDF -- Washington Free Beacon*
As the conflict between Israel and Gaza lumbers on into its 21st day,
Israelis across the world have shown solidarity with their fellow
countrymen. While most Israelis have congregated in public displays of
support numbering in the tens of thousands, some more internationally
visible Israelis have taken to social media.
Bar Refaeli took a somber moment to remember fallen soldiers who’ve paid
the ultimate price to ensure Israeli’s safety.
*Read more* ....
*My Comment*: Propaganda is part of war .... and th... more »
White House Warns Israel That they Have 'Crossed The Line' In Their Criticism of John Kerry
Secretary of State John Kerry boarding a plane in Paris after negotiations
on Saturday. Credit Pool photo by Charles Dharapak/NYT
*Obama Admin: U.S.-Israel Relationship ‘In Jeopardy’ Over Criticism Of
Kerry -- Washington Free Beacon*
Despite years of pledges that the U.S.-Israel alliance is “unbreakable,”
“ironclad,” and “unshakeable,” the Obama administration on Monday
threatened the relationship over Israeli criticism of Secretary of State
John Kerry.
According to the AP’s Matt Lee and Julie Pace, administration officials
used ”unusually harsh language” to declare that “critici... more »
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: No Quick End To Gaza War
*Israeli Leader Signals No Quick End To Gaza War -- New York Times*
JERUSALEM — Israel’s prime minister on Monday signaled no quick end to the
three-week-old Gaza war, telling Israelis that they must prepare themselves
for more fighting in order to crush what he described as the double threat
of rockets and “death tunnels” into Israel dug by Hamas and its associates.
The speech by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a televised address came
after an informal lull by both sides in deference to a Muslim holiday was
shattered by explosions that hit a children’s play area in a Palesti... more »
Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- July 28, 2014
Secretary of State John Kerry. (Charles Dharapak/Pooll/Reuters)
*John Kerry’s Big Blunder In Seeking An Israel-Gaza Cease-Fire -- David
Ignatius, Washington Post*
Secretary of State John Kerry has made a significant mistake in how he’s
pursuing a Gaza cease-fire — and it’s not surprising that he has upset both
the Israelis and some moderate Palestinians.
Kerry’s error has been to put so much emphasis on achieving a quick halt to
the bloodshed that he has solidified the role of Hamas, the intractable,
unpopular Islamist group that leads Gaza, along with the two hard-line
Islamist n... more »
World News Briefs -- July 28, 2014 (Evening Edition)
*Gaza City And Israel's Eshkol Hit By Deadly Blasts -- BBC*
*Gaza and southern Israel have seen an upsurge in violence despite a plea
by the UN secretary general for a cessation of hostilities.*
Explosions in Gaza City reportedly killed 10 people, including children.
Israel confirmed five of its soldiers died on Monday - one inside Gaza and
four in a mortar attack along the border. Five Hamas militants were also
killed inside Israel, officials said.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu warned of a "prolonged" Israeli campaign in
Gaza.
"We will continue to act aggressively and responsibl... more »
Hamas In Discussions With North Korea On A Secret Arms Deal
Palestinians militants from various armed factions, including Hamas, attend
a news conference in Gaza City June 17, 2014. Mohammed Salem/Reuters
*North Korea To Send Hamas Weapons, Communication Equipment In Secret Arms
Deal -- IBTimes*
As American lawmakers request $225 million in emergency funding to support
Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, Hamas militants are reportedly
negotiating an arms deal with North Korea to boost their own supplies of
weapons and communications equipment.
“Hamas is looking for ways to replenish stocks of missiles because of the
large numbers it has fir... more »
North Korea Threatens To Launch A Nuclear Strike Against The White House And Pentagon
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects the tactical rocket firing drill
of the units of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) Strategic Force on July 10,
2014. Press TV
*North Korea Threatens Nuclear Strike On White House And Pentagon --
NDTV/AFP*
Seoul: A top-ranking North Korean military official has threatened a
nuclear strike on the White House and Pentagon after accusing Washington of
raising military tensions on the Korean peninsula.
The threat came from Hwang Pyong-So, director of the military's General
Political Bureau, during a speech to a large military rally in Pyongyang on ... more »
Top Russian Official Admits That They Are Not Worried About The $50 Billion Yukos Ruling Against Them. They Are More Worried About The 'Coming European War'
*The Shocking Reason Putin Isn't Worried About The $50 Billion Yukos Ruling
-- Zero Hedge *
Having $50 billion of assets under potential seizure is enough to make
anyone whince.
However, despite a quickly worded statement on the Yukos award, Vladimir
Putin seems less than anxious to find a resolution.
We think we know why... and it's very concerning...
As The FT reports confirming our earlier comments...
The award is a landmark not just for its size – 20 times the previous
record for an arbitration ruling.
The tribunal also found definitively that Russia’s pursuit of Yukos and ... more »
The EU And The U.S. Preparing To Impose More Russian Sanctions
*Beware Russia: Expect More Sanctions From The West -- Fortune*
Critics may think the U.S. and Europe haven’t been aggressive enough with
Russia, but a closer look suggests more sanctions are under way.
The tragic downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 accelerates pressure
on the West to put full “sectoral” sanctions in place targeting entire
industries across Russia. The economic disruption could be profound, but
the West—backed by a larger, stronger economies and central banks flush
with liquidity liquidity—is far more resilient than Russia for what is to
come.
It is easy to... more »
Ukraine's Economy Is In 'Free-Fall'
A man walks past a coal mine in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, July
8, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Maxim Zmeyev
*In Ukraine's East, Soviet-Style Economy Withers Under Onslaught -- Reuters*
(Reuters) - After pro-Russian rebels took 720 kg of explosives, 360
detonators and almost 1 km of wiring, the Skochinskiy coal mine, an ageing
stalwart of the economy in Ukraine's Donbass region, was put out of action.
Fierce fighting and rebel requisitioning have stopped work at many of the
coal mines in and around the strongholds of Donetsk and Luhansk. Without
the fuel, nearby steel factorie... more »
Russia Puts It's Man In Charge Of Rebel Forces In Eastern Ukraine
Vladimir Antyufeyev, deputy prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk
People's Republic, listens during an interview with a Reuters journalist in
Donetsk July 25, 2014. Credit: REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin
*Pushing Locals Aside, Russians Take Top Rebel Posts In East Ukraine --
Reuters*
(Reuters) - As Ukrainian troops gained ground in eastern Ukraine in early
July, separatist leader, Aleksander Borodai, a Russian national, left for
Moscow for political consultations.
After what he described as successful talks with unnamed people there, he
returned to the rebel stronghold of Donets... more »
Malaysian Airline Flight MH17 News Updates -- July 28, 2014
*Fighting Forces MH17 Investigators To Turn Back Again In Ukraine -- CNN*
Donetsk, Ukraine (CNN) -- Dutch and Australian experts trying to reach the
crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in war-torn eastern Ukraine
turned back for the second day Monday after hearing explosions and being
told of heavy fighting in the area.
The group -- including officials from the Netherlands, Australia and the
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe -- returned to
Donetsk, according to the Dutch-led investigation team.
Among other things, the team had hoped to work on the retrieva... more »
A CBC Crew Witnesses The Quickly Changing Front Lines In The Ukraine Civil War
*Ukraine Crisis: On The Front Lines With A Rebel Dog -- CBC *
*CBC's Susan Ormiston reports from near the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17
disaster site *
The front lines in eastern Ukraine changed significantly today. We saw it
happen.
Suddenly, rounding a corner, we saw two cars of rebel fighters. They jumped
out, dived in the ditches and dropped to their bellies near a train track.
They waved us on urgently down the road. Something was brewing.
At the next intersection, there were more rebels. We were told Ukrainian
tanks were up ahead. They said, "Go if you like, but you migh... more »
Ukraine Civil War News Updates -- July 28, 2014
*Ukraine Civil War Death Toll 1,100, Over 3,500 Wounded - UN -- RT*
*Some 1,129 people have been killed and nearly 3,500 wounded in eastern
Ukraine since the start of the Kiev's military operation in April,
according to UN estimates.*
The report also states that these are the minimum casualty toll estimates
by the UN monitoring mission and WHO.
The report says that the cause of the rising death toll is intensified
artillery shelling of the civilian residential areas and the so-called
“collateral damage” of the armed actions in the heavily-populated areas.
Also, 100,000 people wer... more »
Israel - Hamas War News Updates -- July 28, 2014
*Gaza Fighting Flares, Netanyahu And U.N. Chief Spar On Truce Terms --
Reuters*
(Reuters) - A fragile truce in Gaza for the Muslim Eid al-Fitr festival was
fraying on Monday as Israel's prime minister said United Nations calls for
a long-term ceasefire ignored his country's security needs.
Israeli forces said they were firing only when fired upon while army
engineers hunted infiltrator tunnels from the Gaza Strip's eastern
frontier. They accused Palestinians of firing 17 rockets across the border,
causing no casualties.
Palestinian officials said seven people, at least five of th... more »
World News Briefs -- July 28, 2014
*Gaza Fighting Continues As Both Sides Reject Others' Ceasefire
Announcements -- The Guardian*
Death toll rises to more than 1,030 as Unicef says 218 children have been
killed, two-thirds of them under the age of 12
Fighting between Hamas and Israel continued on Sunday despite a series of
ceasefire announcements by both sides, each of which was rejected by the
other amid mutual blame and recrimination.
There was no sign of a longer-term deal to end the military confrontation,
which began three weeks ago on Tuesday and which has claimed about 1,100
lives, the vast majority of them... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- July 28, 2014
Israeli soldiers gather at a staging area after crossing back into Israel
from Gaza July 28, 2014. Credit: REUTERS/Baz Ratner
*The Reasons Why Israel's Military Is In Such A Tough Fight -- Greg Myre,
NPR*
Ever since its sweeping victory in the Six-Day War of 1967, Israel has been
regarded as the dominant military power in the Middle East. No Arab state
has risked a full-fledged war in decades, and few question the conventional
wisdom that Israel would swiftly defeat any national army in a traditional,
head-to-head confrontation.
Yet for the third time in the past decade, Israel's ... more »
Ebola Out Of Control In Western Africa
*Second American Aid Worker Is Infected With Ebola In Africa Amid Fears
Biggest Ever Outbreak Of Incurable Virus Will Spread Around The World --
Daily Mail*
* Nancy Writebol was working in Liberia for a charity when she caught the
terrifying disease
* American doctor Kent Brantly was already being treated at a hospital in
Monrovia, Liberia after he tested positive
* Two high profile Ebola researchers from Sierra Leone and Liberia have
also caught the illness - one died Sunday
* The virus has appeared in large West African cities for the first time.
An outbreak in heavily populated ... more »
U.S. Military Unable To Track 40% Of The Weapons That It Has Given To The Afghan Army
U.S.-supplied weapons like these M-16s in Kandahar, Afghanistan, often lack
proper accounting by both U.S. and Afghan authorities, according to a new
investigation. SIGAR
*Afghanistan: Awash In Guns, As Well As Narcotics -- Time*
Contrary to law, U.S. military lacks data on nearly half the weapons
delivered
The bad news out of Afghanistan this week is that the U.S. military’s
accounting for the arsenals the Pentagon is giving to Afghan security
forces is plagued by “incompatible inventory systems” that generate
“missing serial numbers, inaccurate shipping and receiving dates, an... more »
An Inforgraphic On World War One
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)*
From *RIA Novosti*: During the First World War, 10 million people were
killed, 19 million were wounded and 3.5 million were left permanently
disabled. This RIA.ru infographic shows what else WWI wrought in Europe.
World War I (1914-1918) was the first global conflict in history, involving
38 countries with a combined population of over 1.5 billion – three
quarters of the world’s population at that time. The war lasted four years,
three months and ten days, and led to collapse of four empires – Russian,
German, Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman. This RIA.ru ... more »
The U.S. Army Wants 'Pocket Drones'
*‘Pocket Drones’: U.S. Army Developing Tiny Surveillance Tools For The Next
Big War -- Washington Times*
Future U.S. Army soldiers sent into combat may have a brand new tool at
their disposal: the pocket drone.
The U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center
in Massachusetts is developing a “pocket-sized aerial surveillance device”
for soldiers assigned to small units in dangerous environments.
When the Army’s efforts come to fruition, the Cargo Pocket Intelligence,
Surveillance and Reconnaissance program will provide dismounted troops with
real-time sur... more »
The Chinese Navy Now Matches (And Maybe Surpasses) The Japanese Navy
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)*
*The Chinese vs Japanese Navy Head To Head: An Infographic -- Zero Hedge*
Tomorrow is the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I. Perhaps just
as importantly, this weekend is also the 120th anniversary of the first
Sino-Japanese war: a war between China's Qing dynasty and Meiji Japan. A
war which China lost, and which has been a chip on China's shoulder ever
since.
As Hong Kong's SCMP reports "China's loss of the first Sino-Japanese war
has been attributed to a disorganised navy. Although the northern fleet
equalled, some say exceeded, the Meij... more »
Anti-Surveillance Camouflage Is Becoming The Newest Trend
Examples of CV dazzle makeup from Adam Harvey’s “Look Book.” (More here.)
*Anti-Surveillance Camouflage for Your Face -- Robinson Meyer, The Atlantic*
In a world of increasingly sophisticated facial-recognition technology, a
drastic technique can throw the machines off your trail.
The NSA made me slather my face in make-up.
Or, it didn’t make me, exactly. But last spring, I found myself wandering
around D.C., wearing dazzle camouflage for the first time. It was a sunny
Saturday, the capital swamp neither frigid nor muggy-oppressive—perfect for
walking. It took me 45 minutes to get ... more »
The First World War Began Exactly 100 Years Ago
Clockwise from the top: The aftermath of shelling during the Battle of the
Somme, Mark V tanks cross the Hindenberg Line, HMS Irresistible sinks after
hitting a mine in the Dardanelles, a British Vickers machine gun crew wears
gas masks during the Battle of the Somme, Albatros D.III fighters of
Jagdstaffel 11
*My Comment:* Only a hundred years ago? A lot has change since then.
Wikipedia's account of World War One is a good one to read* if you have the
time*.
United Nations: South Sudan Is Facing Famine
*UN Warns Of ‘Hunger Catastrophe’ For South Sudanese Children -- UN News
Centre*
Two United Nations humanitarian agencies today called for action to stop a
potential famine in South Sudan which they said is being allowed to happen,
just as it occurred in Somalia and the Horn of Africa three years ago.
“The world should not wait for a famine to be announced while children here
are dying each and every day,” said Anthony Lake, Executive Director of the
UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). “We all have to do more, and quickly, to keep
more children alive.”
Mr. Lake and World Food Programme ... more »
Boko Haram Militants Kidnap Wife Of Cameroon Vice Prime Minister
*Boko Haram Militants Kidnap Wife Of Cameroon Vice Prime Minister Amadou
Ali: Report -- IBTimes*
Nigerian militants of the Islamist Boko Haram group attacked Kolofata, a
town inside neighboring Cameroon Sunday, reportedly seizing the wife of
Cameroonian Vice Prime Minister Amadou Ali.
"The situation is very critical here now,” Colonel Felix Nji Formekong, a
commander of Cameroon’s army, told Reuters. "Some of them [Boko Haram
militants] have already taken away the wife of Vice Prime Minister Ahmadou
Ali and her house help while the bodyguards of the vice prime minister have
succe... more »
Al-Nustra Front In Syria Releases Another Video Of The First American Suicide Bomber In Syria
*Video Shows American Suicide Bomber In Syria -- Al Jazeera*
Al-Nusra Front claims Moner Mohammad Abu-Salha, who grew up in Florida,
carried out attack on army positions in Idlib.
An al-Qaeda-linked group fighting in Syria has released video of the first
American to carry out a suicide attack in the country's civil war, showing
him smiling and saying he looked forward to going to heaven.
Al-Nusra Front released the new video on Friday showing American citizen
Moner Mohammad Abu-Salha, 22, with other fighters before the May 25 attack
that targeted several army positions in the gove... more »
ISIS Militants Continue The Destruction Of Iraq's Cultural Treasures And The Extermination Of The Christian Faith
*ISIS Militants Wreak Havoc On Iraq's Cultural Treasures -- FOX News*
The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), the Sunni Muslim insurgent
group who swept across northern and western Iraq earlier this year,
menacing Baghdad in the process, has commenced the systematic destruction
of the country's cultural treasures.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the group had destroyed a mosque in
the northern Iraq city of Mosul that contained a shrine believed to be the
tomb of Jonah -- who is revered as a prophet by Christians, Jews, and
Muslims. The paper reported that the milita... more »
Iraq Edges Towards Collapse Into Seperate States
*Iraq Edges Towards Collapse Into Rival Statelets -- Irish Times*
*Government reliance on Shia militia to fight rebels has deepened sectarian
mistrust*
Salman Khaled has already lived through Baghdad’s sectarian disintegration;
with Iraq now splintering into Shia, Sunni Arab and Kurdish regions, he
says the survival of the country is at stake this time.
“Things are really tense and it could get worse,” said the 23- year-old
Sunni Muslim student. “If the politicians continue as they are doing now we
are on the path to separation.”
When Khaled’s father was shot dead by Shia gunmen ... more »
Turkey To Provide A Military Naval Escort For Ships Who Want To Breach Israel's Quarantine Of Gaza
Israeli Navy vessels escort the Mavi Marmara to the port of Ashdod, May 31,
2010. (photo credit: Kobi Gideon/Flash90)
*'Freedom Flotilla II' Set To Sail For Gaza From Turkey With A Turkish
Naval Escort -- Jerusalem Post*
Media report says activists – the same behind 2010’s ‘Mavi Marmara’ –
scheduled to take off with Turkish military protection.
Amid Israel’s Operation Protective Edge to stop Hamas attacks from Gaza, a
“Freedom Flotilla” is being organized in Turkey to bring humanitarian aid
to the Hamas-controlled Palestinian coastal enclave with the protection of
the Turkish mili... more »
In A Phone Call To Israeli PM Netanyahu President Obama Calls For An 'Immediate' Ceasefire In Gaza
US President Barack Obama speaks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in
January 2012. (photo credit: Peter Souza/White House/File)
*In Phone Call With Netanyahu, Obama Stresses Need For 'Immediate' Gaza
Cease-Fire -- Jerusalem Post*
*Obama told Netanyahu he wants a ceasefire "that both allows Palestinians
in Gaza to lead normal lives and addresses Gaza’s long-term development and
economic needs."*
JERUSALEM -- An immediate and unconditional ceasefire ending Israel's
assault on Hamas is a "clear strategic imperative" to Israel, US President
Barack Obama told Prime Minister Benya... more »
U.S. Diplomacy Has Failed To End The Israeli - Hamas War
John Kerry's Proposed 7-Day Gaza Truce in Limbo (ABC News)
*Kerry’s Diplomacy Falls Short to End Gaza Fighting -- Bloomberg*
It took U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry five days in the Middle East to
negotiate a 12-hour pause in the bloody fighting between Hamas and Israel.
Prospects for extending that humanitarian halt in the Gaza war had
evaporated by the time Kerry landed in Washington shortly after midnight
yesterday following a sleep-deprived week in which he served as a
round-the-clock, Cairo-based diplomatic call center for Israel, Egypt and
intermediaries to Hamas.
While K... more »
This Is How The U.S. Marines Evacuate An Embassy In A Country At War
*Here's How US Marines Evacuate An Embassy In A Hostile Country -- David
Brooks, Business Insider*
The U.S. Embassy in Tripoli, Libya, was evacuated on Saturday in response
to intense insurgent fighting, according to the State Department.
A Marine quick reaction force led the evacuation with assistance from two
USMC MV-22 Ospreys, three Air Force F-16 fighter jets, and an undisclosed
number of surveillance drones, according to the Military Times.
In situations like these, the Marine Corps is trusted to quickly respond to
hostile situations, and countless hours of training have m... more »
Scores Killed As Militias Battle For Power In Libya
*More Than 50 Killed In Benghazi, Tripoli Clashes -- Reuters*
(Reuters) - At least 36 people were killed in Libya's eastern city of
Benghazi where Libyan Special Forces and Islamist militants clashed on
Saturday night and Sunday morning, medical and security sources said.
The government said more than 150 people have died, many of them civilian,
in the capital Tripoli and Benghazi in two weeks of fighting as clashes
forced U.S. and foreign diplomats to pull out of the country.
In Tripoli, 23 people, all Egyptian workers, were killed when a rocket hit
their home on Saturday during ... more »
With U.S. Forces Leaving Afghanistan, The Taliban Are Making Significant MIlitary Gains In The Country
*Taliban Making Military Gains in Afghanistan -- New York Times*
MAHMUD RAQI, Afghanistan — Taliban fighters are scoring early gains in
several strategic areas near the capital this summer, inflicting heavy
casualties and casting new doubt on the ability of Afghan forces to contain
the insurgency as the United States moves to complete its withdrawal of
combat troops, according to Afghan officials and local elders.
The Taliban have found success beyond their traditional strongholds in the
rural south and are now dominating territory near crucial highways and
cities that surround Ka... more »
This Months Israel - Hamas Conflict Is On Track To Become The Deadliest Between The Two Sides
*Gaza Campaign On Pace To Become Deadliest Israeli Conflict In Recent Years
-- Washington Post*
JERUSALEM — Palestinian and Israeli casualties are mounting at a pace that
could surpass any other Israeli conflict in nearly a decade, amid signs of
a deepening military and political stalemate driven by diplomatic gridlock,
Palestinian militant resilience and the absence of a clear Israeli exit
strategy.
The rising death toll in the Gaza Strip conflict propelled U.S. and
European diplomats huddled in Paris to call for an extension of a 12-hour
humanitarian truce Saturday that had aff... more »
Hamas Agrees To A 24 Hour Cease-Fire
Smoke rises during an Israeli offensive in the east of Gaza City July 27,
2014. Credit: Reuters/Ahmed Zakot
*Hamas Announces New 24-Hour Gaza Ceasefire With Israel -- BBC*
*Palestinian militant group Hamas has announced a 24-hour ceasefire after
Israel ended an earlier truce amid continuing rocket fire from Gaza.*
Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, said the ceasefire would start from
14:00 local time (11:00 GMT).
There is no formal Israeli response but a military spokesman said the offer
was "an opportunity perhaps".
Some 1,060 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and 43 Israeli sol... more »
U.S. To Assist Ukraine's Military In Targeting Pro-Russian Rebel Forces
U.S. President Barack Obama meets with Ukraine President-elect Petro
Poroshenko in Warsaw June 4, 2014. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)
*Pentagon Plan Would Help Ukraine Target Rebel Missiles -- New York Times*
The Pentagon and American intelligence agencies are developing plans that
would enable the Obama administration to provide specific locations of
surface-to-air missiles controlled by Russian-backed separatists in eastern
Ukraine so the Ukrainian government could target them for destruction,
American officials said.
But the proposal has not yet been debated in the White House, a sen... more »
If All Else Fails, Send In The Lawyers To Go After Putin
RIA Novosti / Michail Metcel
*Putin Facing Multi-Million Pound Legal Action Over Alleged Role In MH17
Crash -- The Telegraph*
British lawyers have flown to Ukraine to prepare a class action against the
Russian president on behalf of bereaved families
Vladimir Putin is facing a multi-million-pound legal action for his alleged
role in the shooting down of a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet over eastern
Ukraine, The Sunday Telegraph can disclose.
British lawyers are preparing a class action against the Russian president
through the American courts. Senior Russian military commanders... more »
Top Pentagon Intelligence Official: Destroying Hamas Will Only Bring Someone Worse
Defense Intelligence Agency director U.S. Army Lt. General Michael Flynn
testifies before the House Intelligence Committee on ''Worldwide Threats''
in Washington February 4, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Gary Cameron
*Destroy Hamas? Something Worse Would Follow: Pentagon Intel Chief --
Reuters*
(Reuters) - A top Pentagon intelligence official warned on Saturday that
the destruction of Hamas would only lead to something more dangerous taking
its place, as he offered a grim portrait of a period of enduring regional
conflict.
The remarks by Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, the outgoing head... more »
Israel's Elite Maglan Unit Takes The War Behind Hamas Lines
Givati brigade in Gaza Photo: IDF SPOKESMAN'S OFFICE
*'If We Don't Deal With This Now, these Threats Will Come ToUSs,' Senior
Maglan Unit Member Says -- Jerusalem Post*
Operating behind enemy lines, unit has destroyed series of high-quality
Hamas targets; Source: Hamas cells are abandoning their positions and have
a low fighting spirit; Gazan homes have one area for family life, second
area for rockets and tunnels.
Operating behind enemy lines in Gaza during the conflict with Hamas, the
elite Maglan unit has attacked dozens of terrorists cells that fired on the
IDF, destroyed area... more »
Israel Extends Gaza Ceasefire For 24 Hours But Hamas Resumes It's Attacks On Israel
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com
*Gaza Truce In Peril After Hamas 'Resumes Its Attacks On Israel' -- The
Guardian*
*Israel agrees to extend ceasefire until midnight local time on Sunday at
request of UN but says it will act against any breach*
Rocket fire from Gaza resumed on Saturday night with warning sirens
sounding across central and southern Israel in an apparent rebuff by Hamas
of attempts to extend a 12-hour humanitarian truce, a snub that could risk
escalating the war.
Thousands of people in Gaza ventured out from homes and shelters on
Saturday to find that whol... more »
Ukraine Military Launches A Major Assault On The Rebel Stronghold Of Donestk
*Ukraine Poised To try To Reclaim Donetsk, Its Military Says -- Washington
Post*
KIEV, Ukraine — Government troops were engaged in a pitched battle with
rebels on Saturday just outside the separatist bastion of Donetsk and plan
to advance next into the city that has been at the heart of the pro-Russian
insurgency.
If the army succeeds in retaking Horlivka, a city of almost 300,000 people
where fighting was fierce Saturday, they will be within a few miles of
Donetsk. Rebels have held sway there since the spring, ruling what they
call the Donetsk People’s Republic. Cars created roa... more »
After Seizing A Major Syrian Base In The Eastern City Of Raqqa, ISIS Beheads Scores of Syrian Soldiers
Photo from www.liveleak.com
*ISIS ‘Beheads Scores Of Syrian Soldiers’ After Daring Assault On Army Base
(GRAPHIC PHOTOS) -- RT*
Jihadist group ISIS published photos of the beheadings of soldiers and
officers at a Syrian government base near the eastern city of Raqqa after
rebel forces reportedly breached a stronghold that had not been captured
since the start of the conflict.
Conflicting reports have emerged regarding the outcome of the attack, which
began when two Saudi suicide bombers simultaneously detonated their payload
at different points of the Division 17 base perimeter on... more »
Where Is President Obama?
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
*Barack Obama Has Already Checked Out Of His Job -- Matt K. Lewis, The
Telegraph*
The degree to which Barack Obama is now phoning it in – sleepwalking
perfunctorily through his second term, amid golf rounds and dinner parties
– is astonishing
President Obama has emotionally checked out of his job a couple of years
early, it seems. How can one tell?
Candidates for president who brazenly assume they are the inevitable victor
are sometimes accused of “measuring the drapes” for the White House.
Obama, conversely, seems to be prematurely pac... more »
Gaza Death Toll Soars Above 1,000
*Gaza Death Toll Soars Above 1,000 As Ceasefire Reveals Horrors -- The
Telegraph*
A lull in fighting between Israel and Hamas allows Gaza City's residents to
survey the extent of damage in the attack.
The people of Nazaz street in Gaza City returned home during the 12 hour
ceasefire in hostilities not to resume their lives but to bury their dead
and pick over the remains of their possessions.
The homes that once lined this street in the eastern suburb of Shejaiya
have been pulverised beyond recognition.
Where once there were crowded apartment blocks, three or four storeys high,... more »
The Murky World Of Western Business Interests And Contacts With Russia Is Partially Revealed
*(Click on Image to Enlarge)*
*Putin And The Prince Of Darkness: Revealed: The Web Of Links Between Peter
Mandelson's Shadowy Global Consultancy Firm And The Billionaire Power
Brokers Of Putin's Russia -- Daily Mail*
With its white marble floors and wood-panelled walls, the prestigious
building just north of London’s Oxford Street couldn’t be further removed
from the working class streets of Hartlepool, which he represented as MP.
Yet it is here, in a 5,000 sq ft office filled with frosted glass, brushed
chrome and fashionable leather sofas, that Lord Mandelson presides over the
i... more »
The Plight Of Vladimir Putin's Daughter (Updated)
*MH17 Fallout: Vladimir Putin's Daughter Forced To Leave Home In
Netherlands -- Sydney Morning Herald*
The daughter of Vladimir Putin has felt the full force of a global backlash
towards her father in the wake of the MH17 disaster, fleeing her home in
the Netherlands.
Amid growing fury in the Netherlands over the attack on flight MH17, Maria
Putin and her rumoured Dutch boyfriend Jorrit Faassen left their flat in
Voorschoten, just 32 kilometres from the airport where the ill-fated
Malaysia Airlines plane took off.
The 34-year-old's departure comes after her address was leaked by ... more »
Boycotting Russian Goods Ukrainian Style
Ukrainian singer Irena Karpa wearing a "Don't give it to a Russian"
t-shirt. Photo: Facebook
*Ukraine In Campaign To Boycott Russian Goods, Restaurants, Sex -- Sydney
Morning Herald*
War might be at their doorstep but Ukrainian citizens are using a more
peaceful style of dissent against Russia.
Across the capital Kiev last weekend, young men and women converged on
Russian-owned cafes and restaurants. With each sale, the activists feigned
their own death. They held signs that said "Russia kills!" against their
chest as they lay prone on the floor.
Each pancake sold they claimed ‘c... more »
With Fighting Continuing In The Region, Ukraine Is Still Proceeding To Develop It's Shale Gas Deposits
*Company In Which Joe Biden's Son Is Director Prepares To Drill Shale Gas
In East Ukraine -- Zero Hedge*
Recall what we said earlier today: the proxy Ukraine war just like that in
Syria preceding it, "is all about energy."
Recall also the following chart showing Ukraine's shale gas deposits,
keeping in mind that the Dnieper-Donets basin which lies in the hotly
contested eastern part of the nation and where as everyone knows by now a
bloody civil war is raging, is the major oil and gas producing region of
Ukraine accounting for approximately 90 per cent of Ukrainian production
and... more »
Ukraine Civil War News Updates -- July 26, 2014
A Russian-backed separatist stands next to bodies of Ukrainian crew members
of a destroyed tank in the northern outskirts of Donetsk on July 22. © AFP
*Ukraine Poised To Try To Reclaim Donetsk, Its Military Says -- Washington
Post*
KIEV, Ukraine — The Ukrainian military is on the verge of launching an
assault to take back the separatist bastion of Donetsk, a military
spokesman said Saturday.
Government troops are currently battling rebels in the nearby town of
Horlivka and have blocked all roads leading out of Donetsk to prevent the
insurgents from replenishing supplies and fight... more »
US Embassy In Libya Evacuated
*U.S. Embassy In Libya Evacuates Personnel -- CNN*
(CNN) -- The U.S. Embassy in Libya evacuated its personnel on Saturday
because of heavy militia violence in the capital, Tripoli, U.S. officials
said.
About 150 personnel, including 80 U.S. Marines were evacuated from the
embassy in the early hours of Saturday morning and were driven across the
border into Tunisia, U.S. officials confirm to CNN.
CNN has learned the plan to evacuate the Americans was in the works for
several days, but the decision to carry out the plan was made just in the
last few days as the security situation a... more »
A 12-Hour Cease-Fire Continues To Hold In Gaza
*Silence Falls On Gaza For First Time In 19 Days As 12-Hour Ceasefire
Begins And Palestinians Return To See What's Left Of Their Homes -- Daily
Mail*
* WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: 18 members of the same family killed in village
near Khan Younis, southern Gaza
* Tense halt in fighting began at 6am UK time today but Israel will
continue searching for tunnels
* Death toll in 19-day conflict nears 1,000 Palestinians and 40 Israelis as
85 Palestinian bodies are pulled from rubble
* Hundreds of Palestinians protested in the traditionally Arab east of
Jerusalem after Muslim noon prayers yest... more »
Friday Night Is Movie Night: The Red Baron
*WNU Editor:* *The Red Baron (Wikipedia)*. The official site for the movie *is
here*.
Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- July 25, 2014
*Opinion: 20 Years On, The Struggle For Gaza Peace Drains Me Of Hope --
Omar Shaban, Special to CNN*
(CNN) -- At age of 52, it might be too late to re-visit your beliefs and
principles in order to change them.
When you see the regression from where we were, to the situation now and
realize the dream you have been working towards has moved almost entirely
out-of-reach, you feel tired, hopeless, and less motivated to recharge
yourself.
I was born in Gaza in 1962 to a refugee family who had been expelled from
their village "Sawafir" in the then British --mandate of Palestine.
*Read... more »
World News Briefs -- July 25, 2014 (Evening Edition)
*Kerry Vows to Press On After Israel Rejects Gaza Cease-Fire Proposal --
Voice of America*
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry vowed to press on for a truce after
Israel rejected a proposal for a cease-fire between Israel's military and
Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli public television said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security
cabinet is seeking modifications before any agreement to end hostilities.
Kerry said late Friday that efforts will continue towards an agreement . He
proposed a plan that would begin with a week-long cease-fire starting
Sunday to stop two ... more »
A Look At Israel's Military
Israeli APCs drive near the Israeli border with Gaza as the come out of the
Gaza Strip July 25, 2014. A flurry of long-range rocket launches on Friday
set off sirens around Israel's commercial capital of Tel Aviv, where
witnesses reported several interceptions by the Iron Dome air defence
system. REUTERS/Nir Elias
*The History of Israel’s Powerful Military -- Time*
Since 1948, the Israel Defense Forces has been the country's only line of
defense. The men and women who make up the IDF are some of the most
well-trained combatants in the world. Here's a look at Israel’s highly
effect... more »
Israel Rejects Gaza Ceasefire Plan
Palestinians walk past a fire following what witnesses said was an Israeli
air strike on a building in Gaza City July 24, 2014. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem
*Israel Rejects Ceasefire Plan, Source Says As Death Toll Nears 850 --
Reuters*
(Reuters) - Israel rejected on Friday international proposals for a
ceasefire in its fight against Islamist militants in Gaza, but is
discussing changes to the truce plan with U.S. Secretary of State John
Kerry, a government source said.
Mediators hope that a truce could come into force ahead of a Muslim
festival that starts early next week, but they have ... more »
Top U.S. General: We Are Dusting Off Decades-Old 'Readiness' Plans For Russia
*US Military Dusts Off Decades-Old 'Readiness' Plans for Russia -- ABC News*
As American officials fire of diplomatic salvos at Russia in response to
that nation’s purported actual artillery salvos into Ukraine, the Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said recently that among other actions, the
U.S. military is dusting off decades-old plans, just in case.
“We’re looking inside our own readiness models to look at things that we
haven’t had to look at for 20 years, frankly, about basing and lines of
communication and sea lanes,” Gen. Martin Dempsey, America’s top military
officer,... more »
Using Explosives ISIS Destroys Jonah's Tomb In Mosul, Iraq
*Officials: ISIS Blows Up Jonah's Tomb In Iraq -- CNN*
(CNN) -- If you blink during the video, you might miss the moment Jonah's
tomb in Mosul, Iraq, explodes.
The first few frames show the revered shrine towering over its landscape.
There's a sudden burst of dust, fire and smoke.
Then, nothing.
CNN could not immediately confirm the authenticity of the video, which was
posted to YouTube.
The holy site is thought to be the burial place of the prophet Jonah, who
was swallowed by a whale or fish in both the Islamic and Judeo-Christian
traditions.
Militants belonging to the Islamic... more »
Calls Grow To Impound Russian Billionaires' Luxury Super Yachts To Punish Putin
Billion-pound palace: Roman Abramovich's Eclipse, pictured, is worth as
much as £1billion. Super-rich Russians such as Abramovich could be caught
up in rounds of sanctions directed against Russia
*Yacht's The Way To Send The Oligarchs A Message: Calls Grow To Impound
Russian Billionaires' Luxury Boats In Protest At Shooting Down Of MH17 --
Daily Mail*
* Billionaires with links to Putin's Russia flaunt wealth with huge
superyachts
* Russian regime currently in international firing line over MH17 jet attack
* Flight, with 298 on board, was shot out of the sky last week
* Western power... more »
Investigators Are Still Not At The Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 Crash Site In Ukraine
Locations where debris was spotted by Times reporters or could be seen in
satellite imagery. Source: Satellite images from DigitalGlobe, Google and
NASA/USGS Landsat
*Ukraine Disaster In Search Of An Investigation -- Sabrina Tavernise and
Thomas Erdbrink, NYT*
GRABOVO, Ukraine — The rescue workers have left, and their tents are gone.
The peppermint-striped plastic cordon flutters uselessly in the breeze.
Farmers are harvesting wheat in a field where bodies had lain.
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was blown out of the sky one week ago on
Thursday, deepening tensions between Russia and... more »
Ukraine Civil War News Updates -- July 25, 2014
*Ukraine And Russia Claim Border Crossfire -- Al Jazeera*
*Army claims it was attacked by rebels, while Russia accuses Ukraine of
firing mortar shells into its territory.*
The Ukrainian army has claimed that its soldiers came under artillery fire
from the Russian side of the border overnight and were attacked by rebels
in several other places in the country's restive east.
In a statement on Friday, the headquarters of the government's military
operation in the east listed at least seven locations where rebels attacked
Ukrainian troops.
*Read more* ....
*Ukraine Civil War News Up... more »
U.S. Poll: A Look At American Opinions On The Israel-Hamas War
*Americans' Reaction to Middle East Situation Similar to Past -- The Gallop*
Divided on whether Israel's actions against Hamas justified
PRINCETON, NJ -- Americans are divided in their views of whether Israel's
actions against the Palestinian group Hamas is "mostly justified" or
"mostly unjustified," but they widely view Hamas' actions as mostly
unjustified. Those results are similar to what Gallup measured 12 years ago
during another period of heightened Israeli-Palestinian violence, and they
are consistent with Americans' generally more positive views of the
Israelis than of the... more »
Palestinians And Israelis Prepare For More Violence On The West Bank
*Fresh West Bank Clashes As Israel Girds For 'Day Of Rage' -- CNN*
Gaza City (CNN) -- Angry clashes erupted Friday in the West Bank, as
Palestinian leaders called for a "day of rage" in response to the fatal
shelling of a United Nations school.
At least four Palestinians have been killed in outbreaks of violence in
several parts of the West Bank, according to medical sources.
The call for a massive follow-up to what were already some of the largest
West Bank protests in years comes a
*Read more* ....
*More News On The Escalating Violence On The West Bank*
Israeli undercover poli... more »
Israel - Hamas War News Updates -- July 25, 2014
Israeli soldiers walk next to their APCs after coming back into Israel from
the Gaza Strip July 25, 2014. A flurry of long-range rocket launches on
Friday set off sirens around Israel's commercial capital of Tel Aviv, where
witnesses reported several interceptions by the Iron Dome air defence
system. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
*Crunch Time For Gaza Truce Talks As Death Toll Passes 800 -- Reuters*
(Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pressed regional leaders to
nail down a Gaza ceasefire on Friday as the civilian death toll soared, and
further violence loomed between Israelis and ... more »
World News Briefs -- July 25, 2014
*Gaza Conflict Deaths Pass 800 As Kerry Pushes Ceasefire -- BBC*
Efforts to secure a ceasefire between Israel and the militant Hamas
movement are intensifying as the number of deaths in the 18-day conflict
rises.
US Secretary of State John Kerry has been in Cairo meeting Egypt's foreign
minister and the UN secretary general.
Four Palestinians were killed in the West Bank, while one Israeli soldier
was killed in northern Gaza.
Activists called for a "day of rage" over the deaths of 800 Palestinians in
Gaza. Israel has lost 36 people.
Most of the Palestinian deaths have been civil... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- July 25, 2014
U.S. President Barack Obama (Reuters/Joshua Roberts)
*Obama Orders Pentagon Advisers To Ukraine To Fend Off Putin-Backed Rebels
-- Washington Times*
U.S. to help Kiev bolster military as pressure mounts on Vladimir Putin
A team of Pentagon officials is heading to Ukraine to help the country
rebuild its fractured military, a mission that lawmakers and analysts
expect will result in recommendations for greater military assistance in
the country’s fight against pro-Russia separatists amid international
outrage over the downing of a commercial airplane.
Within the next few weeks, a gr... more »
A Third Of U.S. Iraq, Afghanistan Vets Have Considered Suicide
*Survey: A Third Of Iraq, Afghanistan Vets Have Considered Suicide (+video)
-- Anna Mulrine, CSM*
Some 2,000 combat vets surveyed by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of
America reported 'the crisis with suicide' as their number one concern.
Nearly half of all veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan know at
least one fellow US troop who has attempted suicide, and 40 percent know
someone who has died by suicide, warns a survey released Thursday by the
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA).
The largest nongovernmental survey of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans found
that... more »
U.S. Justice Department: Al Qaeda Preparing To Lauch Cyber Warfare Against The U.S.
*Al Qaeda Targeting U.S. Infrastructure for Digital 9/11 -- Bill Gertz,
Washington Free Beacon*
*Terrorists, nation states, criminal groups have capability of causing
significant damage*
ASPEN, Colo.—Al Qaeda, nation states, and criminals are preparing for major
cyber attacks against U.S. infrastructure that could be comparable to the
devastating September 11 attacks on New York and Washington, a senior
Justice Department official said on Thursday.
“We’re in a pre-9/11 moment, in some respects, with cyber,” said John
Carlin, assistant attorney general for national security in the ... more »
Top U.S. General Compares Putin To Stalin
*U.S. Military Chief Compares Putin’s Ukraine Move to Stalin’s Invasion of
Poland -- Josh Rogin, Daily Beast*
*Today the U.S. government claimed the Russian military is firing artillery
into Ukraine and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs said it reminds him of
Russia’s invasion of Poland in 1939.*
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey said Thursday that
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s new use of Russian military force inside
Ukraine harkens back to 1939 when Joseph Stalin led a Russian invasion of
Poland, and Dempsey predicted Putin was far from finished.
Dempsey ... more »
The Truth Of Who Murdered Former KGB Officer Alexander Litvinenko May Soon Be Revealed
*Photo*: Alexander Litvinenko at University College Hospital. Wikipedia
*Brits Investigate Assassination of the Spy Who Warned Us About Putin --
Nico Hines, Daily Beast*
Eight years ago, the Kremlin likely murdered a former KGB officer living in
London with radioactive poison. The U.K. was too cozy with Russia to go
after his killers—until now.
LONDON — Vladimir Putin thought he’d got away with murder. At least that
was the conclusion of diplomats and security officials for eight years as
Britain ignored demands for an inquiry into the assassination of a former
KGB officer in Cent... more »
A Look At How The CIA 'Stole' A Soviet Satellite
*Photo:* Luna-3 satellite. Art via Wikipedia
*How The CIA Stole A Soviet Satellite -- Michael Peck, War Is Boring*
U.S. spies ‘borrowed’ a moon craft from unsuspecting Russians
In a scheme worthy of Mission Impossible, CIA agents hijacked a Soviet
spacecraft and probed its secrets.
When did this happen? That’s classified, as is the country where the caper
occurred. In the declassified article on the subject in Studies in
Intelligence, a CIA journal, much of the text has been blacked out by the
agency’s censors.
But the article, released by the National Security Archive watchdog gr... more »
These Are The Lethal Weapons That The Russian Army Will Field In The Event Of War With Ukraine
*Image: Flickr/Dmitry Terekhov/CC by-sa 2.0*
*Russia's Five Most Lethal Land Weapons of War -- Michael Peck, National
Interest*
Should direct conflict erupt between Russia and Ukraine, or between NATO
and Russia, the Russian Army will be fielding some powerful weapons.
Purists may argue whether they are better or worse than comparable U.S. or
NATO equipment. In many cases, we can't and won't know unless there rival
weapons meet in battle. But what is clear is that the Russian Army has
weapons far more sophisticated than anything the West has encountered in
places like Iraq and Afg... more »
Forget About Israel's Iron Dome, The Weapon That Has Got Everyone's Attention Is Israel's Trophy Missile Defense System
*We’ve Read About Israel’s Iron Dome Missile Defense System. What About
This New Weapon? -- Extra Good Shit*
Thursday, July 24, the 17th day of the IDF’s Gaza operation, Israeli
ministers were discussing a possible “humanitarian ceasefire” in IDF-Hamas
hostilities, which could last up to five days. According to debka’s
military sources, it is Hamas which, behind its tough stance, is keen on a
pause – and not just out of sudden concern for Gaza’s civilians. Its
tacticians are desperate to find a chink in the Chariot-4 tank’s Armored
Shield Protection-Active Trophy missile defense s... more »
Iconic Photos Of The Vietnam War (Photo Gallery)
*From CNN: *1960s photojournalists showed the world some of the most
dramatic moments of the Vietnam War through their camera lenses. LIFE
magazine's Larry Burrows photographed wounded Marine Gunnery Sgt. Jeremiah
Purdie, center, reaching toward a stricken soldier after a firefight south
of the Demilitarized Zone in Vietnam in 1966. Commonly known as Reaching
Out, Burrows shows us tenderness and terror all in one frame. According to
LIFE, the magazine did not publish the picture until five years later to
commemorate Burrows, who was killed with AP photographer Henri Huet and
three... more »
China Wants To Exploit The Resources In The Arctic
*China Explores Arctic Ocean to Develop Its Resources -- RIA Novosti*
MOSCOW, July 24 (RIA Novosti) - Chinese scientists are seeking the
possibility for mineral resources extraction in the Arctic Ocean, Deputy
Dean of the Faculty of Geography at Lomonosov Moscow State University
Sergei Dobrolyubov told RIA Novosti on Thursday.
“First and foremost, China is doing a research that serves China’s
interests. They are building a new research icebreaker. They are exploring
ice conditions in the eastern Arctic region in particular. It’s a matter of
mineral resources: if they find a rich a... more »
New EU Sanctions Will Target State-Owned Russian Banks And Billionaires
*Proposed EU Sanctions May Target Russian Billionaires -- Newsweek*
Hard-hitting European Union sanctions would target state-owned Russian
banks and the export of sensitive military goods to Russia, as well as some
of Russia's richest people, according to proposals set forth by European
leaders today. EU ministers are meeting to discuss further measures against
Russia as a response to the crisis in Ukraine and downing of Malaysia
Airlines flight MH17 last week. If implemented, it would be the first time
European nations have targeted the Russian economy and gone beyond asset
freez... more »
Top U.S. Commander Of Air Force Space Command Worries About Jammers, Nukes, And Lasers In Space
Gen. William Shelton, commander of Air Force Space Command, speaks about
space and cyberspace at the Air Force Association Air Warfare symposium, on
February 21, 2014. Scott M. Ash. U.S. Air Force photo
*America’s Top Threats in Space Are Lasers and Nukes -- Defense One*
The U.S. thought it won the space race long ago, but no victory lasts
forever. On Tuesday, Gen. William Shelton, the commander of Air Force Space
Command, speaking at the Atlantic Council, said that U.S. dominance in
space will be confronted by some real threats in the years ahead. When
Defense One asked what those... more »
Ukraine Civil War News Updates -- July 24, 2014
*US Says Russian Military Has Fired Artillery Into Ukraine -- ABC News*
Russian military forces have fired artillery rounds into eastern Ukraine
targeting Ukrainian military positions and plans to send even more heavy
multiple rocket launchers to Russian separatists, U.S. officials said for
the first time today.
A Pentagon official labeled the Russian activity as “a clear escalation” of
the conflict in that region that has drawn worldwide attention since
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down.
“We have new evidence that the Russians intend to deliver heavier and more
powerful ... more »
Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 News Updates -- July 24, 2014
*Officials: Rebels Hinder Effort To Recover Bodies From MH17 Crash Site --
CNN*
(CNN) -- The transfer from Ukraine to the Netherlands of remains of victims
of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 shootdown is expected to be completed by
Saturday, the Dutch prime minister said Thursday.
Two military cargo planes landed in the Netherlands with dozens of coffins
Thursday evening, a day after the same planes made the first delivery from
Ukraine.
While 203 body bags have been transferred from the crash site in war-torn
eastern Ukraine, "that doesn't really tell us that much about the exact... more »
Taking 'Smiling Bomb Shelter Selfies' And Posting It In Social Media Is The Latest Trend In Israel
Hundreds of Israelis have documented their experiences when they take cover
with a bizarre set of smiling selfies which they have posted on Facebook
*Bizarre Trend Of 'Bomb Shelter Selfies' Takes Off In Israel As Under-Siege
Tel Aviv Residents Vow To 'Keep On Smiling' -- Daily Mail*
* Hundreds of Israelis have documented their experiences on Facebook
* 'There’s a selfie for everything so why not bomb shelters?' said creator
* Many show Israeli citizens smiling and laughing as they pose for the
photos
* 16-day conflict has claimed lives of 718 Palestinians and 32 Israel
soldiers
When... more »
Hamas Militants Rounded Up Chain Gang-Style By Israeli Soldiers
Chained up: This photo shows suspected Hamas militants who have been
rounded up chain-gang style by Israeli soldiers during the Israel-Gaza
conflict. They were captured after the Army entered the Gaza strip
*Suspected Hamas Militants s Rounded Up Chain Gang-Style By Israeli
Soldiers During Gaza Offensive -- Daily Mail*
* Suspected Hamas militants captured by Israeli soldiers during offensive
* One photo shows them chained together in two lines with hands on heads
* Another picture depicts four of them walking in chains while blindfolded
* Since the conflict began in Gaza, nearly 790 P... more »
Israel - Hamas War News Updates -- July 24, 2014
*The War In Gaza: No One Is Winning — Yet -- The Economist*
As the death toll soars, both sides claim success, while mediators flounder
TWO weeks into the Israeli campaign against Hamas in Gaza, more than 700
Palestinians have been killed, at least 4,000 injured and 150,000
displaced, according to the UN. The Israelis have lost at least 32 soldiers
and three civilians. Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, who has been
trying in vain to mediate, said that this round of war has been worse than
the Israelis’ previous biggest effort to knock out Hamas, in 2008-09,
because Palestinia... more »
Chaos In West Bank As Thousands Of Palestinians Riot
*Massive West Bank Clashes Reportedly Leave 2 Palestinians Dead --
Jerusalem Post*
Thousands protest against IDF's Gaza operation, throwing rocks, firebombs
and fireworks at Israeli security forces near Kalandia checkpoint.
Violence broke out Thursday night near the Kalandia checkpoint, located in
the West Bank between Jerusalem and Ramallah, as residents of the West Bank
village clashed with police in protests against the IDF's operation in the
Gaza Strip.
Some 10,000 Palestinians protested near the checkpoint, throwing rocks,
firebombs and fireworks at Israeli security forces, ... more »
Apparently The Earth Missed A Disaster Two Years Ago
*How A Solar Storm Two Years Ago Nearly Caused A Catastrophe On Earth --
Washington Post*
On July 23, 2012, the sun unleashed two massive clouds of plasma that
barely missed a catastrophic encounter with the Earth’s atmosphere. These
plasma clouds, known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs), comprised a solar
storm thought to be the most powerful in at least 150 years.
“If it had hit, we would still be picking up the pieces,” physicist Daniel
Baker of the University of Colorado tells NASA.
Fortunately, the blast site of the CMEs was not directed at Earth. Had this
event occurred a we... more »
Editor's Note
Taking care of some friends from overseas today. Blogging will return later
tonight.
World News Briefs -- July 24, 2014
*Algeria Airliner Feared Crashed On Flight From Burkina Faso -- BBC*
A passenger plane carrying 116 people is feared to have crashed on a flight
from Burkina Faso to the Algerian capital Algiers.
Contact with the Air Algerie flight was lost over the Sahara as it crossed
Mali in bad weather, officials said.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the plane, which has 50 French
citizens aboard, "probably crashed".
He said French Mirage fighter planes were scouring the area for the
aircraft.
Contact with Flight AH 5017, chartered from Spanish airline Swiftair, was
lost about 50... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- July 24, 2014
Stringer/Reuters
*Administration Official: ISIL 'No Longer A Terrorist Group,' Now A
'Full-Blown Army' -- Defense News*
WASHINGTON — Obama administration officials made clear Wednesday the White
House remains reluctant about launching a new military intervention in Iraq.
The US State Department’s Brett McGurk told a House panel that only a
political solution featuring a new government that includes Shia, Sunnis
and Kurds will allow Iraq to defeat a violent Sunni group that controls
much of its north.
“Our combined focus must be on isolating [the Islamic State of Iraq and the
Leva... more »
Astronaut Photographs Gaza War From The International Space Station
My saddest photo yet. From #ISS we can actually see explosions and rockets
flying over #Gaza & #Israel pic.twitter.com/jNGWxHilSy
— Alexander Gerst (@Astro_Alex) July 23, 2014
*‘Saddest Photo Yet’: Astronaut Photographs Gaza Offensive From Space -- RT*
A German astronaut managed to capture the Gaza war zone from space while
aboard the International Space Station. He called it his “saddest photo
yet.”
Alexander Gerst, a German flight engineer, geophysicist and volcanologist,
spread the news with a short tweet on Wednesday, as the ISS was on a flyby
over Israel and the occupied Pal... more »
Why Is Afghanistan Sending It's Aid Money To Gaza?
*Photo:* A money changer holds a stack of Afghan currency on a street in
central Kabul. Reuters.
*Why Is Afghanistan Sending Aid to Gaza? -- Ali M Latifi, Vice News*
When the Afghan government announced last week that it was sending $500,000
“in a show of sympathy to the people of Gaza,” many here and abroad
wondered if a nation still reliant on aid — and suffering rising civilian
casualty rates — should be providing financial assistance to others.
For some, the announcement was a positive step, showing that Kabul was
ready to do its part to help others in need. Hasan, a middle-age... more »
A 'Small Glimpse' Inside The Chinese Military
A soldier of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) takes pictures of a drill
during an organised media tour at a PLA engineering academy in Beijing July
22, 2014. Credit: REUTERS/Petar Kujundzic
*China's Secretive Military Cracks Open Door For Glimpse Inside -- Reuters*
(Reuters) - With dancing robots and smiling soldiers and to the strains of
British singer George Michael, China cracked open the door on its secretive
armed forces on Tuesday during Beijing's annual attempt to assuage worries
about its growing military might.
China has jangled regional nerves over the past few months w... more »
Israel Is Developiong New Technologies To Defeat Hamas's Tunnel Strategy
REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa
*Israel Tests Hi-Tech Tunnel Detection System To Fight Threat From
Underground -- The Telegraph*
Many bemoan fact that such a large number of tunnels dug by Hamas from Gaza
into Israel have gone undetected for so long
Deep in the bowels of Tel Aviv's underground, engineers and scientists
recently conducted trials of a new hi-tech detection system that aims to
eradicate the threat posed by Hamas's underground tunnels.
As international pressure mounts to end the current round of fighting
between Israel and Hamas, and the operation in Gaza continues to ... more »
Iran Has Abandoned It's Support Of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki
*Iraqi Leader Maliki Loses Backing of Shiite Figure and Iran for New Term
-- Wall Street Journal*
Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani Comes Out in Opposition to Maliki
BAGHDAD—Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is losing political support
for his bid for a third term from core backers, including the country's
Shiite religious establishment and ally Iran, say Iraqi officials.
The shift, officials said, is prompting members of the premier's own
alliance to reconsider their support and dimming the prospect of his stay
in power.
In recent days, high-level delegations of Iranian military ... more »
Should The Children Of Russia's Leaders Suffer And/Or Be Punished Because Of Their Parent's Actions?
Vladimir Putin with his wife Lyudmilla and a woman believed to be his
daughter Maria Putina. Source: Supplied
*Dutch Calls For Deportation Of Maria Putina, Who Lives In The Netherlands
-- The Australian/The Telegraph*
MARIA Putina, daughter of the Russian President, became the target of Dutch
anger yesterday with calls for her to be deported from the home that she
has set up in the Netherlands with her Dutch boyfriend.
The mayor of the city where victims’ bodies will be brought for
identification demanded the expulsion of Maria, 29, the elder of Vladimir
Putin’s two daughters, wh... more »
With Hama's Massive Tunnel Network Exposed, Will Cement Now Be Restricted In Gaza?
Amir Cohen, Reuters
*Gaza's Next Disaster: No Cement For Rebuilding -- Bloomberg Businessweek*
To rebuild after its war with Israel, Gaza is going to need tons of cement.
But Hamas has a history of using cement for military rather than civilian
purposes, and importation of the vital building material is likely to be
even more tightly controlled once hostilities end than it has been in the
past. So big swaths of Gaza that have been devastated by Israeli
bombardment will likely not be rebuilt for many years to come.
The bottom line: Visible scars from this war will last a long time.
... more »
Will Hezbollah Stay Out Of The Gaza War?
*Hezbollah Talks Big But Bows Out Of The Gaza War -- Jamie Dettmer, Daily
Beast *
Hamas is inceasingly isolated in the region as it fights its ferocious war
against Israel. In the old days Hezbollah might have helped—but not now.
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Hezbollah boss Hassan Nasrallah made a phone call to
Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal on Monday and vowed to support “the resistance
in Gaza in any way necessary.” Then Nasrallah, whose fame has spread far
and wide over the years as the head of the Iranian-backed Lebanese “Party
of God,” called Palestinians Islamic Jihad leader Ramadan Salah to... more »
The U.S. Is Not Equipped To Detect Countries With Secret Nuclear Weapons Programs
*Iran Could Still Achieve Nuclear ‘Breakout’ In Two Months -- Washington
Free Beacon*
*U.S. still has no ability to detect nuclear activity*
Iran could still produce enough nuclear material to fuel a bomb in as
little as two months, a timeframe that has not been prolonged under the
recently struck agreement to extend nuclear talks through November,
according to experts.
As negotiators spend the next several months attempting to strike a final
deal with Tehran over its nuclear program, concerns are mounting in
Congress about the United States’ inability to detect a covert breakout... more »
Breaking News: Another Airline Jet Is Been Reported Missing
*Contact Lost With Air Algerie Plane Carrying 116 People From Burkina Faso
-- Reuters*
(Reuters) - Authorities have lost contact with an Air Algerie flight en
route from Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso to Algiers with 110 passengers on
board, Algeria's APS state news agency and a Spanish airline company said
on Thursday.
APS said authorities lost contact with flight AH 5017 an hour after it took
off from Burkina Faso, although other officials gave other timings, adding
to confusion about the fate of the flight and where it might be.
Spanish private airline company Swiftair confirmed ... more »
You Know It's Bad When Darth Vader Is Polling Higher Than All Potential 2016 U.S. Presidential Candidates
*Darth Vader Is Polling Higher Than All Potential 2016 Presidential
Candidates -- Washington Post*
On Tuesday FiveThirtyEight released the results of a poll of Americans'
opinions on the "Star Wars" universe. Not surprisingly, Jar Jar Binks is
the most reviled character in the series. As Walt Hickey notes, the Gungan
from Naboo posted lower favorability numbers than Emperor Palpatine, "the
actual personification of evil in the galaxy."
On the other hand, with a net favorability of -8, Jar Jar is considerably
more popular than the U.S. Congress, which currently enjoys a net
favora... more »
ISIS Is Proving To The World That It Can Govern Effectively
To those entering Raqqa Province, home to about a million people, ISIS
makes clear, immediately, who is in charge. Credit Reuters
*Life In A Jihadist Capital: Order With A Darker Side -- New York Times*
In a Syrian City, ISIS Puts Its Vision Into Practice.
RAQQA, Syria — When his factory was bombed in the northern Syrian city of
Aleppo, the businessman considered two bleak options: remain at home and
risk dying in the next airstrike, or flee like hundreds of thousands of
others to a refugee camp in Turkey.
Instead, he took his remaining cash east and moved to a neighboring city,
... more »
U.S. Intelligence Knew 3 Days Before Mosul Fell That ISIS Was Preparing For A Major Attack
Reuters
*Officials: U.S. Knew 3 Days Before Mosul Fell That Islamic State Was
Moving Forces -- Sacramento Bee/McClatchy News*
WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration knew an attack was in the works
three days in advance of the Islamic State’s offensive in northern Iraq,
but U.S. efforts to mount a response were hampered by the Iraqi
government’s insistence that it could handle the threat, two top U.S.
architects of Iraq policy said Wednesday.
The officials faced bipartisan criticism from the House Foreign Affairs
Committee as members accused the Obama administration of taking
ins... more »
After Criticizing France For It's MIlitary Deals With Russia, The U.K. Admits That It Is Also Selling Weapons To Russia
A column of Russian tanks drive during a rehearsal for the Victory parade
on Moscow's Red Square May 5, 2014. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
*UK 'Still Exporting Arms To Russia': Britain Said To Be Sending Millions
Of Pounds Of Military Equipment To The Country Despite Concerns Moscow Is
Arming Separatists In Ukraine -- Daily Mail*
* Ministers promised to halt flow of arms from UK to Russia in March this
year
* Putin's regime is believed to be arming rebels fighting in eastern Ukraine
* But it emerged today that 251 export licences to the country remain in
place
* They are worth £132million... more »
U.S. Increases Surveillance Flights Over Iraq But U.S. Lawmakers Want To Know Why No Drone Strikes
*US Boosts Iraq Surveillance Flights -- Voice of America/Reuters*
The United States has boosted the number of surveillance flights over Iraq
to nearly 50 a day from one a month as it faces Sunni Islamist militants
who control swaths of Iraqi territory, a top State Department official said
on Wednesday.
Washington has not yet authorized unmanned drone strikes, however, as
requested by Baghdad, on the forces now known as Islamic State, Brett
McGurk, deputy assistant secretary for Iraq and Iran, testified at a House
of Representatives hearing.
"The formal request from the Iraqis for ... more »
Why Is Russia President Putin Popular Among Russians
Russian President Vladimir Putin (RIA Novosti/Aleksey Nikolskyi)
*Putin’s Power: Why Russians Adore Their Bare-Chested Reagan -- Josh Weil,
Time*
The history of strongmen leaders helps fuel a passion for capitalism—even
if there's a cost
There he is, the President of Russia, riding bare-back and bare-chested
astride a galloping steed; spending $50 billion on a resort town most
Russians will never see; seizing Crimea, instigating unrest in Ukraine;
maybe even making himself indirectly responsible for the murder of nearly
300 innocents aboard a downed passenger plane: Vladimir Putin... more »
Is Igor Strelkov The Most Dangerous Man In Ukraine?
Igor Strelkov (left) allegedly is a Russian Military Intelligence colonel,
according to Ukraine's Security Service. © Courtesy
*The Most Dangerous Man in Ukraine Is an Obsessive War Reenactor Playing
Now with Real Weapons -- Oleg Kashin, New Republic*
he face now of the pro-Russian separtists in Eastern Ukraine is 43-year-old
Igor Strelkov. The Russian media fell in love with Strelkov this April,
when his armed group took control of the town of Slavyansk, escalating the
conflict from a war of nerves into an actual full-fledged war. And Strelkov
has become a fixture in the Western ... more »
Pro-Russian Rebel Commander Acknowledges That Neighboring Rebel Fighters Had A BUK Missile (Update: Denies Making This Claim)
Rebel commander Alexander Khodakovsky of the so-called Vostok battalion -
or eastern battalion - speaks during an interview in Donetsk, July 8, 2014.
Credit: Reuters/Maxim Zmeyev
*Ukraine Rebel Commander Acknowledges Fighters Had BUK Missile -- Reuters*
(Reuters) - A powerful Ukrainian rebel leader has confirmed that
pro-Russian separatists had an anti-aircraft missile of the type Washington
says was used to shoot down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 and it could have
originated in Russia.
In an interview with Reuters, Alexander Khodakovsky, commander of the
Vostok Battalion, acknow... more »
Ukraine Is Now Claiming That Missiles Launched From Russia Were Responsible For Today's Downing Of 2 Jet Fighters
*Ukraine Believes Missiles From Russia Downed 2 Military Jets -- L.A. Times*
Ukrainian officials said Wednesday that two military jets have been shot
down in the eastern part of the country, and the missiles that downed them
may have been launched from Russia.
There was no immediate response from Russian officials. Russia's state-run
Itar-Tass news agency reported that the planes were shot down by a
Ukrainian separatist militia.
The pilots of the Su-25 fighter aircraft ejected from the planes, the
Ukrainian government said, but their whereabouts are unknown. The incidents
occurred... more »
Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- July 23, 2014
Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting at the Kremlin in
Moscow earlier this month. Michael Klimentyev/Kremlin/RIA Novosti/Reuters
*Is US Bent On Bringing Down Russia? Some In Kremlin Say Yes. -- Fred Weir,
CSM*
*Many leading foreign policy advisers to Putin say that Ukraine is merely
an excuse for US-led sanctions, and that Washington is bent on 'regime
change' in Russia.*
Moscow — There are at least two schools of thought in the Kremlin about
what Russia can do in the face of a US-led "sanctions attack," which is
only growing deeper with each passing week.
One scho... more »
World News Briefs -- July 23, 2014 (Evening Edition)
*Hamas Says Gaza Blockade Must End Before Ceasefire -- BBC*
The leader of Islamic militant group Hamas has said there can be no
ceasefire to ease the conflict in Gaza without an end to Israel's blockade.
Khaled Meshaal said Hamas would continue to reject a lasting ceasefire
until its conditions were met.
It follows further Israeli air strikes and ground operations in Gaza, as
Hamas continues to fire rockets into Israel.
Israel launched its military offensive on 8 July with the declared
objective of stopping rocket fire from Gaza.
*Read more* ....
*MIDDLE EAST*
Iran leader urges... more »
50 Israeli Reservists Are Refusing To Take Part In The Israel - Hamas War
*We Are Israeli Reservists. We Refuse To Serve. -- Yael Even Or, Washington
Post*
A petition.
Whenever the Israeli army drafts the reserves — which are made up of
ex-soldiers — there are dissenters, resisters, and AWOLers among the troops
called to war. Now that Israel has sent troops to Gaza again and reserves
are being summoned to service, dozens are refusing to take part.
We are more than 50 Israelis who were once soldiers and now declare our
refusal to be part of the reserves. We oppose the Israeli Army and the
conscription law. Partly, that’s because we revile the current mil... more »
Ukraine Rebels Release Video Of Today's Shoot-Down Of Two Ukrainian fighters
*WNU Editor*: Nothing new or surprising in the video .... what we have are
a bunch of rebel soldiers showing up and inspecting the crash site. What I
am surprised by is the viewcount for this YouTube video (355,000+) and
counting.
*Previous Post:* 2 Ukrainian Fighter Jets Have Been Shot Down By
Pro-Russian Rebels
FAA Extends Its Ban On U.S. Flights To Tel Aviv For A Second Day But Other Airlines Are Still Flying In
Passengers at Ben Gurion airport hoping to fly out of Israel must now wait
after airlines suspended services
*Travel To Israel Continues Despite Air Cancellations -- USA Today*
As the Federal Aviation Administration extended its ban on U.S. flights to
Tel Aviv for a second day Wednesday, Israel's tourism ministry sought to
quell concerns among would-be U.S. visitors, noting that 75,000 foreign
tourists are presently in the country and "their travel arrangements are
proceeding as planned."
Among those visitors is former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, who
arrived Wednesday in Tel... more »
1,800 Year Old Christian Church In mosul Burned Down By ISIS
#ISIS burns 1,800-year-old church in #Mosul http://t.co/TA2hBFMyah
pic.twitter.com/SK0F6jpQpX
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) July 20, 2014
*ISIS Burns 1,800-Year-Old Church In Mosul -- Al Arabiya*
Militants from the radical jihadist group the Islamic State of Iraq and
Syria have set fire to a 1,800-year-old church in Iraq’s second largest
city of Mosul, a photo released Saturday shows.
The burning of the church is the latest in a series of destruction of
Christian property in Mosul, which was taken by the Islamist rebels last
month, along with other swathes of Iraqi territ... more »
ISIS Is Making 'Tens Of Millions' From Oil Sales To Fund It's Caliphate And War Machine
Militant Islamist fighters parade on military vehicles along the streets of
northern Raqqa province. Reuters
*Isis Smuggling $50m of Oil Monthly to fund Medieval Caliphate in Iraq and
Syria -- IBTimes*
The Islamic State, which reportedly generates $50m (£25m) a month in oil
operations in neighbouring Syria, has expanded its oil business in Iraq to
fund its recently declared 'caliphate.'
Having seized vast swathes of territory across Iraq, the jihadist group has
begun selling crude oil and gasoline on black markets to fund its
cross-border caliphate.
Militants from the Islamic Sta... more »
Egyptians Cheer That U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry Had To Undergo A Security Check (Update)
Egyptian CBC Extra TV showed John Kerry being checked by security at the
palace
*Egypt Media Applaud Tough Security Check On John Kerry -- BBC*
A highly unusual security check that US Secretary of State John Kerry and
his senior aides were subjected to at the presidential palace in Cairo
before meeting Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has made a splash in
the local press.
The top US diplomat is usually treated with every courtesy in Cairo, but
the front-page coverage in both private and state-owned papers hovers
between factual reports and applause, describing the check wit... more »
Nigeria Rocked By Terror Bomb Attacks
DW
*Bombs In Nigeria's Kaduna Kill 82, Ex-Leader Buhari Targeted -- Reuters*
(Reuters) - At least 82 people were killed on Wednesday in two bombings in
the northern Nigerian city of Kaduna targeting opposition leader and former
president Muhammadu Buhari at a busy market and a moderate Muslim cleric
about to lead a crowd in prayer.
The attacks bore the hallmarks of Islamist group Boko Haram but may also
have been linked to politics ahead of 2015's elections.
The deadlier blast targeted Buhari's convoy at the crowded Kawo market, his
son told Reuters on the scene. A Red Cross offic... more »
Ukraine Civil War News Updates -- July 23, 2014
*Ukraine: Two Military Jets Shot Down Over Donetsk -- CNN*
Donetsk, Ukraine (CNN) -- Two Ukrainian military jets were shot down
Wednesday in the eastern part of the country, where pro-Russian rebels have
fought against government forces, a Ukrainian military office said.
The pilots ejected, the office said. Information on their condition wasn't
immediately available.
An air defense system shot down the jets after the pilots completed a task
in Dmytrivka, a village in Ukraine's Donetsk region near the border with
Russia, the military press office said.
*Read more* ....
*Ukraine C... more »
Malaysia Flight MH17 News Updates -- July 23, 2014
*Tears For The MH17 Crash Victims: Dutch Royals And Grieving Relatives
Watch As First Bodies Arrive Back In Holland In Dignified Ceremony That
Shames Russia -- Daily Mail*
* Bodies of around 200 international victims of the MH17 plane massacre
have arrived in Eindhoven, Netherlands
* Aircraft, which left Ukraine this morning, were greeted by grieving
relatives and members of the Dutch royal family
* Torturous identification will now take place, which officials have warned
is likely to take several months to complete
* There is concern over the total number of bodies that have been r... more »
Israel - Hamas War News Updates -- July 23, 2014
*Gaza Bloodshed Deepens, Airlines Shun Israel -- Reuters*
Reuters) - Gaza fighting raged on Wednesday, displacing thousands more
Palestinians in the battered territory as U.S. Secretary of State John
Kerry said indirect truce talks between Israel and Hamas had made some
progress.
While pressing a 15-day-old offensive, Israel scrambled to contain economic
damage from a halt of flights to Tel Aviv's main airport by U.S. and
European airlines spooked by the long-range rocket salvoes of Hamas and
other Gaza Strip guerrillas.
Adding to pressure on Israel, U.N. High Commissioner for H... more »
World News Briefs -- July 23, 2014
*TransAsia Airways Plane Crashes In Typhoon-Hit Taiwan, Killing 47 --
Reuters*
(Reuters) - A domestic TransAsia Airways plane crashed on landing on an
island off the west coast of typhoon-hit Taiwan on Wednesday, killing 47
people, the Civil Aeronautics Administration said.
The plane, a 70-seat turboprop ATR 72, crashed near the runway with 54
passengers and four crew on board, it said.
"It’s chaotic on the scene," director Jean Shen told Reuters.
Eleven injured people had been taken to hospital, the government said.
*Read more* ....
*MIDDLE EAST*
Kerry defies FAA ban, flies in... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- July 23, 2014
*U.S. Discloses Intelligence On Downing Of Malaysian Jet -- Washington Post*
The Obama administration, detailing what it called evidence of Russian
complicity in the downing of a Malaysian airliner, on Tuesday released
satellite images and other sensitive intelligence that officials say show
Moscow had trained and equipped rebels in Ukraine responsible for the
attack.
Senior U.S. intelligence officials cited sensors that traced the path of
the missile, shrapnel markings on the downed aircraft, voiceprint analysis
of separatists claiming credit for the strike, and a flood of photos... more »
2 Ukrainian Fighter Jets Have Been Shot Down By Pro-Russian Rebels
A fighter jet flies above as Ukrainian soldiers sit on an armoured
personnel carrier in Kramatorsk, in eastern Ukraine April 16, 2014.
Ukrainian government forces and separatist pro-Russian militia staged rival
shows of force in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday amid escalating rhetoric on
the eve of crucial four-power talks in Geneva on the former Soviet
country's future. Reuters
*Two Ukrainian Jets Shot Down, Defense Ministry Says -- ABC News*
Two Ukrainian military jets were shot down in the Donetsk region of the
country today, the Ukrainian defense ministry said.
The planes were i... more »
China Wants The U.S. Navy To Teach Them On How To Operate Aircraft Carriers
U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert, right, speaks
with China's Navy Commander-in-Chief Adm. Wu Shengli during a welcoming
ceremony in Beijing July 15. Reuters
*China Pushes Limits to Closer Ties With U.S. Military -- Wall Street
Journal*
Beijing's Navy Chief Seeks Greater Access to U.S. Aircraft Carriers
DALIAN, China—China is seeking greater access to U.S. aircraft carriers and
guidance on how to operate its own first carrier, the Liaoning, testing the
limits of a newly cooperative military relationship the two sides have
tried to cultivate in the past year.... more »
U.S. Aircraft Departure Delayed Because Of A Bird Nest
*Photo Courtesy*: United States Navy
*Peregrine Falcon Fledglings Delay USS Saratoga Departure From Newport --
Newport Patch*
The famous aircraft carrier that played a role in the Cuban Missile Crisis
and Vietnam and Gulf Wars is set to be scrapped, but a family of nesting
endangered birds has put the plan on hold until fledglings get their wings.
The USS Saratoga will be hanging around Newport for a while longer thanks
to a family of peregrine falcons that have made a home of the
decommissioned aircraft carrier.
The Navy has delayed the Saratoga's final voyage to Texas where it w... more »
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan: 'I No Longer Talk To U.S. President Obama'
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left, answers a question as he
and U.S. President Barack Obama hold a joint news conference, White House
Rose Garden, Washington, May 16, 2013.
*Turkey Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan: 'I No Longer Talk to Barack
Obama' -- IBTimes*
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that he has stopped
talking to US President Barack Obama on the phone as relations between
Washington and Ankara worsen.
Erdogan is at odds with the United States over their handling of the Syrian
civil war. As a staunch opponent of Syrian President Bas... more »
Hamas Is Waging A Tunnel War Against Israel
*Israeli Military Stunned By Scale Of Hamas Tunnel War Infrastructure --
World Tribune*
TEL AVIV — Israel has been shocked by the scope and methods of Hamas tunnel
warfare.
In at least one case, Hamas fighters have infiltrated Israel wearing
Israeli military uniforms. “This is a threat to the south,” Maj. Gen. Sami
Turgeman, head of the Army’s Southern Command, said.
The Hamas attack tunnels, estimated at up to 60, have forced Israel to
close areas to civilian traffic.
“The [Hamas] organization has used the period in which the Muslim
Brotherhood ruled Egypt to establish a real m... more »
Israel And Gaza: The Social Media War
*Gaza And Israel: War Of The Hashtags -- Inside Story/Al Jazeera*
How instant access to online images and information is helping to shape
global reaction to the Israel-Gaza war.
As the conflict between Israel and Hamas intensifies, so too does the
battle being waged online.
For generations, propaganda has always unfolded alongside warfare; but
conflicts now are coming under increased scrutiny through social media.
An information war is being waged online by journalists, by individuals and
by the Israeli and Hamas media machines.
The hashtag #GazaUnderAttack has been used in more... more »
How Many Foreigner's Serve In Israel's Army?
Israeli soldiers participate in a military operation in Sderot, south
Israel
*‘Foreign Fighters’ For Israel -- Washington Post*
The deaths on July 20 of two Americans serving in the Israel Defense Forces
(IDF) provided an opening for critics of Israel to compare them to the
foreign fighters of the Islamic State, formerly referred to as the Islamic
State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Similar complaints have already called for
other governments to criminalize volunteering for Israel to create
equivalence to the prosecution of would-be jihadi Islamists. The IDF
reports 4,600 foreign “Lo... more »
Resisting Internatinal Pressure France Will Proceed With The Controversial Sale Of A Warship To Russia
The Mistral-class helicopter carrier Vladivostok is seen at the STX Les
Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard site in Saint-Nazaire, western France
(Reuters / Stephane Mahe)
*'Hypocrites!': Hollande Hits Back At Cameron Attacking France Selling
Warships To Russia While Oligarchs Seek Refuge In London -- Daily Mail*
* Prime Minister insists all EU countries must accept impact of sanctions
* Financial curbs would hit London while others would be affected by energy
* Cameron says it would be 'unthinkable' for France to sell warships to
Russia
* EU foreign ministers meet in Brussels to dis... more »
Did Russian President Putin Just Signal A Major Shift On Russian Policy Towards Ukraine?
*Did Putin Just Bring Russia In From The Cold? -- Fred Weir, Christian
Science Monitor*
In a security meeting today, Putin said Russia would try to rein in
Ukraine's rebels. He also effectively told media and politicians that the
country is not under Western siege – and to stop repeating that claim.
Moscow — Vladimir Putin opened a special meeting of the Kremlin's Security
Council today with an odd statement: "There is no direct military threat to
our country’s sovereignty or territorial integrity at present," he said.
To a Western ear, that might sound like belaboring the obvious... more »
Malaysian Jet Crashes In Ukraine (Photo Gallery)
An armed pro-Russian separatist takes pictures at the site of a Malaysia
Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash near the settlement of Grabovo in the
Donetsk region, July 17. (Maxim Zmeyev /Reuters)
*Malaysian Jet Crashes In Ukraine -- Leanne Burden Seidel, Boston.com*
Four months after the tragic disappearance of a Malaysian jet in the Indian
Ocean, a Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 crashed in eastern Ukraine killing
all 298 aboard. According to Ukrainian and US officials, the plane was shot
down by a Russian-made antiaircraft missile. Along with coping with this
devastating loss, tensions... more »
Video Of Palestinian Civilian Shot By Israeli Sniper Goes Viral (Graphic Video)
*Video of Israeli Sniper Killing Wounded Civilian -- International
Solidarity Movement*
Yesterday, international and Palestinian volunteers accompanied Civil
Defence and other rescue crews, as well as family members, into Shajiya
neighbourhood in Gaza. They attempted to locate survivors of overnight and
ongoing shelling by the Israeli army. A young Palestinian man in a green
shirt hoped to find his family. He was shot by an Israeli soldier while
crossing an alley between buildings. Two additional rounds struck him as he
lay injured on the ground. His dead body could not be retriev... more »
Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- July 22, 2014
*Will The Threat To Israel's Only International Airport Be A Game-Changer?
-- Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz*
Whether or not flights in and out of Israeli are suspended for any length
of time, the suspension of flights by several major air carriers is Hamas'
first major achievement of this conflict.
With a single rocket, which evaded the Iron Dome missile defense system and
exploded between two houses in the Tel Aviv suburb of Yehud, Hamas might
just have achieved what it failed to do with nearly 2,000 rockets fired at
Israel since the beginning of this round of warfare 15 days ago.
No ... more »
World News Briefs -- July 22, 2014 (Evening Edition)
*Israel Soldier Missing; U.S. Presses Hamas To Accept Truce -- Wall Street
Journal*
FAA Bans Flights to Tel Aviv After Rocket Lands Near Airport
Israel reported one of its soldiers missing in action on Tuesday as the
death toll for the Gaza conflict escalated on both sides and the U.S.
pressed the territory's Hamas rulers to accept an Egyptian cease-fire
proposal.
As the fighting entered a third week with no sign of Gaza militants letting
up on rocket fire against Israel, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
barred flights to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport for at least 24 hour... more »
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry Is Checked By Egyptian Security Officers Before Meeting Egypt's President
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) and U.S. Secretary of State John
Kerry talk before a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Cairo June 22,
2014. Credit: Reuters/Brendan Smialowski/Pool
*Kerry Checked By Security Before Meeting Egypt's President -- Huffington
Post/Reuters*
CAIRO, July 22 (Reuters) - Egyptian security officers checked U.S.
Secretary of State John Kerry and his top aides with a metal detector as
they arrived for a meeting on Tuesday with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi,
an unusual screening for a senior State Department official.
Foreign officials usually ex... more »
Heavy Fighting Being Reported Throughout Libya
A wreckage of a burnt aircraft is pictured after a shelling at Tripoli
International Airport July 21, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Hani Amara
*Suicide Attack Escalates Libya Violence, Oil Output Slips -- Reuters*
(Reuters) - A twin suicide bombing at a Libyan army base in Benghazi killed
at least four solders in an escalation of clashes between Islamist
militants and regular forces battling to oust them from the eastern city.
A first attacker blew himself up at the entrance to Benghazi's special
forces headquarters, allowing a second suicide bomber to detonate his
explosives at the base a... more »
The Ukraine Government Is Spending $130m A Month Fighting The Insurgency In The East
The cost of defence has escalated in Ukraine when the pro-Russian
separatists are as well-equipped as this. Reuters
*Ukraine Spending $130m A Month Fighting Insurgency-- IBTimes*
Ukraine's Finance Minister Oleksander Shlapak has said the country's
"anti-terrorist" campaign in the east of the country was costing Kiev 1.5bn
hryvnias ($130m, £76m, €96m) a month and that it could not afford to
finance the operations without assistance.
"We need to seek additional resources for this operation," he told a
meeting of parliamentary party leaders.
Security in eastern Ukraine has deteriorat... more »
Ukraine Civil War News Updates -- July 22, 2014
*Ukrainian Military and Rebel Fighters Clash in Donetsk -- New York Times*
DONETSK, Ukraine — A thick plume of dark smoke could be seen rising into
the bright blue afternoon sky here on Monday. One man, a passenger in a
blue car that was stopped at a red light, said two people in his building
were killed in the day’s fighting. He said he ran out of his house in
nothing but his slippers.
A woman in the Kuibysheva neighborhood, which was hit Monday morning, was
killed as she walked through a courtyard near a small playground. Two men
were found dead nearby. A grocery discount card w... more »
Russia Gives It's Version On Why Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 Was Shot Down
Head of General Staff of the Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Andrey Kartopolov (
left) and chief of the Air Force Main Staff Lt. Gen. Igor Makushev ( right)
at a media conference in Moscow, July 21 (RIA Novosti / Vadim Savitsky)
*Russia Hits Back At Claims It Supported Rebels Suspected Of Downing MH17
-- The Guardian*
Vladimir Putin still blames Kiev for disaster in eastern Ukraine and claims
west is using air atrocity for political gain
President Vladimir Putin and Russia's military top brass have attempted to
strike back at accusations that they had supported the pro-Russian rebels
suspec... more »
Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 News Updates -- July 22, 2014
*Where Are All The Bodies? Australian Air Force Plane And Refrigerated
Trucks Arrive In Holland To Wait For MH17 Victims – But Ukraine Says There
Were Only 200 Recovered From The Crash Site -- Daily Mail*
* Dutch investigators have taken charge of the bodies, which will be flown
to the Netherlands tomorrow, says Dutch PM
* 150 Dutch forensic experts assembled to collect DNA from close family, a
similar process for 2010 Libya crash
* Ukrainian officials said 282 corpses found, which rebels are accused of
allowing to decompose in heat
* Malaysian PM Najib Razak said rebels had handed... more »
U.S., Canadian, And European Airlines Have Halted Flights To Israel For 24 - 36 Hours
*European Airlines Halt Flights To Israel Due To Instability -- Reuters*
* Delta, United suspend operations to Tel Aviv until further notice
* American cancels flight from Philadelphia to Tel Aviv
* Lufthansa, KLM, Air France also suspend Israel flights (Recasts
throughout with FAA statement, details on European carriers)
July 22 (Reuters) - U.S. air carriers Delta Air Lines , American Airlines
Group and United Airlines on Tuesday halted flights to Israel under
directions from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to ensure
passenger safety as turmoil in the region has intensifie... more »
Israel - Hama War News Updates -- July 22, 2014
*Israel Hits Hundreds Of Targets In Gaza As Soldier Is Confirmed Missing --
The Guardian*
• Israeli soldier captured during intense battle in Shujai'iya
• Palestinian death toll nears 600, with 27 Israeli soldiers killed
• John Kerry to meet UN chief and Egyptian mediators in Cairo
Israel continued to pound Gaza overnight, including hitting 100 targets in
Shujai'iya, the scene of the most intense fighting of the conflict, as the
Israeli military confirmed that one of its soldiers was missing.
Hamas claimed on Sunday that it had captured an Israeli soldier during the
intense battle... more »
World News Briefs -- July 22, 2014
*Israel Hits Hundreds Of Targets In Gaza With Airstrikes After One Of Their
Soldiers Is Confirmed Missing In Area -- Daily Mail*
* The soldier has been identified as Sgt. Oron Shaul, 21
* Among 7 soldiers in vehicle hit by an anti-tank missile in Gaza at weekend
* Disappearance raised the possibility that he had been captured by Hamas
* In the past, Israel has paid a heavy price in lopsided prisoner swaps
An Israeli soldier is missing following a deadly battle in the Gaza Strip
it was announced today.
The news came as Israeli airstrikes pummeled a wide range of locations
along the... more »
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- July 22, 2014
An EA-18G Growler launches from the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson. A Senate
subcommittee added $1.3 billion for a dozen of the aircraft. (MC2 John
Philip Wagner/ / Navy)
*US Senate Panel Proposes Keeping A-10, 11 Aircraft Carriers With $547.9B
Defense Bill -- Defense News*
WASHINGTON — A US Senate panel on Tuesday approved nearly $550 billion in
military spending as part of a bill that would keep alive weapon systems
the Pentagon wanted to retire.
The chamber’s Appropriations Defense subcommittee unanimously approved
legislation that would give the Pentagon $489.6 billion in base s... more »
NASA Reveals US Military Plans To Build A Military Base On The Moon
Moonbase Alpha: How site may have looked
*US Military Once Planned On Building Surveillance System On The Moon --
ABC News*
The United States military once planned to build a surveillance station on
the moon.
Code named "Project Horizon," a declassified report released today on the
45th anniversary of Neil Armstrong's historic moonwalk outlines the
military's detailed plans to install a moon-to-Earth surveillance system
that would have been used for "facilitating communications with and
observation of the earth." The report that was originally published in 1959
exceeds 100 pages... more »
U.S. Sgt. Ryan Pitts Receives The Medal Of Honor For His Actions In Wanat, Afghanistan
*'It Is For My Fallen Brothers': Hero Who Held Off 200 Taliban Fighters
Dedicates His Medal of Honor To The Nine Comrades Who Perished That Day --
Daily Mail*
* Ryan Pitts, 28, received the Medal of Honor for his heroics in one of the
deadliest battles of the Afghanistan War in 2008
* He spent 90 minutes fighting off enemy fighters despite shrapnel injuries
* Nine paratroopers gave their lives and 27 were wounded
* President Obama said Pitts displays 'the humility and loyalty' that
defineAmerica's men and women in uniform
* Sgt. Pitts became only the ninth living recipient of the Med... more »
The End Of 'Bomb Sniffing' Dogs?
*Researchers Develop Laser ‘Bomb Sniffers’ -- Value Walk*
*Bomb sniffing dogs may become obsolete thanks to new technology developed
by researchers at UC Berkeley*
Bomb sniffing dogs have become an important part of law enforcement, but
that could change. Over the weekend, researchers at the University of
California, Berkeley published their findings in the journal Nature
Nanotechnology.
*“Bomb sniffing” laser sensor*
Mechanical engineering professor Xiang Zhang headed up the team. They found
a way to make laser sensors sensitive enough to be able to detect
“incredibly minute co... more »
American Buyers Scramble To Buy Kalashnikov Rifles Following Sanctions
*Gun Buyers Scoop Up AK-47 Rifles After New Sanctions -- FOX News*
Following another round of sanctions, demand for Russian-made firearms like
the AK-47 rifle has picked up in recent days.
The U.S. and European nations have imposed economic sanctions targeting
Russian companies over the country’s role in backing separatists that are
fighting the Ukraine government. Additional penalties could be handed down
in response to the downing of a Malaysia Airlines flight late last week.
Federal officials believe the jet was shot down by a surface-to-air missile
fired by rebels in eastern U... more »
Russia's Oligarchs Are Afraid Of Sanctions
*Russia's Billionaires 'Horrified' At Sanctions Threat That Could Push
Economy Into Recession But Too Terrified Of Putin To Speak Out -- Daily
Mail*
* Billionaire oligarchs 'scared of sanctions but more scared of Putin'
* Dare not speak out over measures which could cripple Russian economy
* Putin allies are already suffering from existing U.S. measures
* Britain pushing for EU sanctions against Mr Putin’s 'crony group'
* Foreign secretary Philip Hammond said Russia risks becoming 'pariah state'
* Additional U.S. measures may be imposed in the next few weeks
Russia's billionaire busine... more »
A Look At the Airlines Who Are Flying Over Warzones
*War Zones Don't Deter Some Carriers -- Wall Street Journal*
Malaysia Airlines Flies Over Conflict Areas Days After Flight 17 Is Downed
in Ukraine
Four days after Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was downed by a surface-to-air
missile over eastern Ukraine, the carrier and other major airlines are
still flying over war zones, underscoring how crucial that airspace is to
the industry.
Airlines have discretion to plan flight routes along airways they think are
safe, but rely on governments to issue warnings if they deem airspace
unsafe. The decision by some airlines to fly over war zones... more »
With Eastern Ukraine Airspace Closed Malaysian Flights Are Now Flying Over The Warzone In Syria
Swedish flight tracking service Flightradar24 AB posted a flight map on its
Twitter account on Monday showing the change in the route of Malaysian
Airlines flight MH4, which flies from Kuala Lumpur to London.
*Malaysia Airlines Flight Over Syria Reflects War Zone Challenge -- Voice
of America/Reuters*
KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia Airlines rerouted a flight over Syria on Sunday
after its usual path over Ukraine was closed, reflecting the challenges
airlines face in finding conflict-free routes between Asia and Europe.
After Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down Thursday by a
groun... more »
The Rise Of China's Currency
File photo/Xinhua
*RMB Developing Quickly As Major World Currency -- China Daily*
The renminbi is on track to become the third-largest international currency
behind the US dollar and the euro within five years as China accelerates
its promotion of the yuan, said a Renmin University of China report
released on Sunday.
Last year, RMB cross-border trade settlement amounted to 4.63 trillion yuan
($746 billion), up 57.5 percent from 2012. It accounted for 2.5 percent of
cross-border trade settlement worldwide, the report said.
By the end of the fourth quarter of 2013, direct investment... more »
Financial Times Photo Shows Signs Of A Missile Strike On Malaysian Flight MH17
*WNU Editor: *The Financial Times has published the first photo that shows
signs of a missile strike on Malaysian Flight MH17. The link* is here.*
Gaza Underground Infrastructure (A Photo Gallery)
*WNU Editor: *An impressive photo gallery from Cryptome on the many tunnel
complexes that exist in Gaza. The link *is here*.
*Hat Tip*:* Good Shit*
A Look At The Humanitarian Disaster In Gaza
*Gaza's Humanitarian Disaster -- Inside Story/Al Jazeera *
As Israel continues its assault on the occupied territory, relief and
refuge are in short supply.
The UN Relief and Works Agency has warned of a severe humanitarian crisis
as people in the Gaza Strip run out of food and medicine.
The UNRWA says the number of displaced Palestinians seeking shelter in Gaza
now exceeds 50,000 in 44 UN schools.
The agency says it is concerned that a more intensive military operation
will mean these numbers rise even higher, imposing an additional burden on
people who are already vulnerable. ... more »
ISIS Continues It's Military Campaign In Both Syria And Iraq
*Syria Civil War: Bloodiest 48 Hours Sees 700 Killed as Isis Gain Influence
-- IBTimes*
More than 700 people were killed in clashes over two days between
pro-government forces and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis)
militants in Syria.
Activists from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said that the
deaths represented the bloodiest fighting since the civil war began in 2011.
Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and Isis militants battled
following the rebel group's capture of the Shaar gas field east of Homs
city.
By Thursday 270 have been killed in clash... more »
Ukraine Civil War News Updates -- July 21, 2014
*Fighting Breaks Out in E. Ukraine City of Donetsk -- Voice of
America/Reuters*
DONETSK, UKRAINE — Explosions rocked the eastern Ukraine city of Donetsk
Monday as government troops sought to reclaim control of the rebel
stronghold, marking the first heavy fighting since Malaysian Airlines
Flight MH17 was shot down last week.
Intense shelling was reported near the rail station. The AFP news agency
said that terrified civilians were fleeing the city, though local
authorities warned them to stay indoors.
Sergei Kavtaradze, a leader of the pro-Russian separatists, said Ukrainian
gov... more »
Russian President Putin's Approval Rating Among Russians Soars To The Highest Level In Years
*Russian Approval Of Putin Soars To Highest Level In Years -- Gallop*
Ratings of U.S., European Union leadership sink to record lows, in single
digits.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- President Vladimir Putin's popularity in Russia is now
at its highest level in years, likely propelled by a groundswell of
national pride with the annexation of Crimea in March on the heels of the
Sochi Olympic Games in February. The 83% of Russians saying they approve of
Putin's leadership in late April/early June ties his previous high rating
in 2008 when he left office the first time.
The 29-percentage-point... more »
Is World Opinion Shifting To President Obama's Side Vis-a-Vie Russian President Putin On Ukraine And Malaysian Flight MH17?
*Obama Seen Gaining On Putin As U.S. Prods EU On Sanctions -- Bloomberg*
President Barack Obama’s response to the downing of Malaysian Airlines
Flight 17 over Ukraine reflects the consensus of U.S. officials that time,
evidence, and world opinion are increasingly on his side as he takes on
Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Secretary of State John Kerry cited the tragedy yesterday in an effort to
prod Europeans into expanding sanctions against Russia, even at some peril
to their own economies, in an effort to break Putin’s support for
pro-Russian Ukrainian separatists. “We are tryi... more »
President Obama Comments On The Malaysian Flight MH17 Disaster
*'What Exactly Are They Trying To Hide?' Obama Says Of Russia, Ukrainian
Rebels -- CNN*
Hrabove, Ukraine (CNN) -- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and U.S.
President Barack Obama lashed out Monday at Russia over conditions at the
crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, saying Russian-backed rebels at
the site continue to impede efforts to recover bodies and investigate
exactly what happened.
Poroshenko, speaking to CNN's Christiane Amanpour, pleaded for
international solidarity against the rebels fighting the government in Kiev.
"I don't see any differences" between 9/11, ... more »
Malaysian Flight MH17 News Updates -- July 21, 2014
Row on row: The bagged victims were gathered and piled onto vehicles before
being taken to a train station in rebel-held Torez, nine miles from the
crash site
*The Final Indignity: Bodies Of MH17 Crash Victims Tossed Into Rubbish
Trucks And Carted Off To Morgue Train After Three Days Laying In 85f Heat
-- Daily Mail*
* Observers report an overwhelming stench of death, as despairing families
attack 'inhumane' treatment of bodies
* Around 200 corpses were left in the heat for three days before being
piled up and driven to refrigerated carriages
* But refrigeration 'broke down overnig... more »
Israel Prepares For Long War In Gaza
*Israel Prepares for Long War in Gaza as Both Sides Suffer Most Casualties
Yet -- Ilene Prusher & Hazem Balousha, Time*
*Israeli leaders are preparing for a drawn-out invasion of Gaza even as
casualties on both sides hit their peak*
If you look at most maps of Gaza, you won’t find the neighborhood of
Shujaiyeh on it. But the name of the neighborhood on the eastern edge of
Gaza City will likely go down in history as a particularly horrific point
in a war between Israel and Hamas that only seems to get bloodier and more
bitter by the day.
Each side has its own story, and they diffe... more »
President Obama: Gaza Ceasefire Is The Priority
*Obama: Focus In Gaza Conflict Must Be On Ceasefire -- Reuters*
(Reuters) - President Barack Obama repeated on Monday that Israel had the
right to defend itself against rocket attacks from Hamas militants but said
he had serious concerns about the growing number of civilian casualties
resulting from the conflict.
"We have serious concerns about the rising number of Palestinian civilian
deaths and the loss of Israeli lives, and that is why it now has to be our
focus and the focus of the international community to bring about a
ceasefire that ends the fighting and that can stop the ... more »
Israel Releases Video of Hamas Infiltration Unit Being Twarted As They Tried To Flee Back To Their Tunnel (Grahic Video)
*WATCH: 10 Terrorists Killed Attempting To Infiltrate Israel Through Tunnel
-- Jerusalem Post*
All terrorists shot dead by Israeli forces; two squads attempt to
infiltrate Kibbutz Nir Am through two tunnels; IDF received alert from Shin
Bet hours before attack.
Two terrorist attack cells entered Israel from northern Gaza via a
smuggling tunnel on Monday morning.
They were identified by IDF lookouts, and an aircraft was dispatched to
intercept them. The first cell was struck from the air, and ten of its
members were killed.
*Read more* ....
*Update:* IDF Kills Hamas Terrorists ... more »
Israel - Hamas War News Updates -- July 21, 2014
*Israeli Minister Warns The Country 'Will Take Over The Whole Gaza Strip'
If Necessary, As Latest Airstrikes Kill 28 Members Of Palestinian Family --
Daily Mail*
* Israeli forces killed at least 10 Palestinian militants who tunneled
into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip
* UN Security Council has called for an immediate ceasefire following a
meeting last night
* Sunday was the deadliest day so far - 13 Israeli soldiers and more than
100 Palestinians were killed
* Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called deaths after heaving shelling
yesterday 'a massacre'
* Israeli Prime ... more »
World News Briefs -- July 21, 2014
*Casualties Mount as Gaza Conflict Wears On -- Voice of America*
JERUSALEM — Heavy fighting continued Monday in Gaza, with Israeli war
planes bombarding more than 50 Hamas targets, Hamas firing as many rockets
back into the Jewish state, and the death toll topping 500.
Israel reported hitting two weapons manufacturing sites and six underground
rocket launchers on Monday. Hamas fired more rockets into Israel and tried
to sneak fighters into the country in tunnels, but Israeli forces spotted
the militants, killing 10 of them.
Palestinian officials said more than 500 Gaza residents ... more »
Military And Intellgience News Briefs -- July 21, 2014
Offending launcher? A driver filmed this BUK launcher on the back of a
military track rumbling back across the Russian border on Saturday
*Is This The BUK Missile Launcher That Shot Down MH17 Being Smuggled Back
To Russia: Motorist Captures Military Truck Carrying BUK M1 In Border Town
-- Daily Mail*
* Driver filmed military truck on main road for two kilometres in 'border
area' of Russia at 8.45pm on Saturday
* Ukrainian sources have seized the footage and branded it 'film of the
BUK, the one that shot the Boeing'
* Comes after a BUK launcher was pictured rumbling into pro-Russian ... more »
Chinese Spy Ship Observing U.S. Led Navy Drills Involving 22 Countries
China already has four vessels participating in the Rimpac exercise,
including the hospital ship Peace Ark. BBC
*China Sends Spy Ship Off Hawaii During U.S.-Led Drills -- Reuters*
(Reuters) - China has sent a spy ship to international waters off of Hawaii
during a giant U.S.-led naval exercise involving 22 countries, even as
Beijing participates in the drills for the first time this year, the U.S.
Navy said on Sunday.
The Navy played down any U.S. intelligence risk associated with the
proximity of the Chinese surveillance vessel and noted that China also sent
a similar ship to mon... more »
Libyan Militias Continue To Battle For Control Over Tripoli's International Airport
*Dozens Killed In Week-Long Battle For Libya Airport -- Business Standard*
Tripoli, July 21 (IANS/EFE) Forty-seven people have been killed, most of
them civilians, and 120 others wounded in a week of fighting between two
Libyan militia groups seeking to control the Tripoli International Airport,
Libya's health ministry reported Monday.
Most of the dead were residents of Qasr Ben Ghashir neighbourhood near the
airport, who died when their homes were hit in the crossfire, and only two
of the fatal victims were insurgents, the ministry said on its website.
*Read more* ....
*More New... more »
South Sudan Truce Has Collapsed. Civil War Returns
*South Sudan Rebels Break Ceasefire - Unmiss -- BBC*
*The United Nations (UN) has accused South Sudanese rebels of violating a
ceasefire by launching an offensive to recapture its former headquarters.*
The attack on Nasir town was the "most serious resumption of hostilities"
since May, the UN said.
The rebels said they had seized the town in an act of "self-defence". The
government denied the town had fallen.
Fighting between government and rebel forces broke out in December, leaving
more than a million homeless.
President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar met in May and
r... more »
Ukraine Prime Minister: We Are Preparing To Halt Trade With Russia
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk (RIA Novosti / Alexandr
Maksimenko)
*Russia Trade Halt to Deepen Ukrainian Recession, PM Says -- Bloomberg*
Ukraine, already facing recession, may see its economy shrinking by as much
as 2 percentage points more should Russia halt trade as a conflict widens
between the two ex-Soviet partners, Premier Arseniy Yatsenyuk said.
The trade relationship between Ukraine and Russia is “getting worse,”
Yatsenyuk said in an interview on Bloomberg Television. “We do not have any
kind of real relationship. we have the war. It will severely hamper
Ukrai... more »
Iran Has Eliminated It's Entire Stock Of Enriched Uranium
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Iranian Foreign Minister
Mohammad Javad Zarif attend a news conference in Vienna July 18, 2014.
Credit: Reuters/Leonhard Foeger
*UN Report: Iran Eliminates Sensitive Nuclear Stockpile -- VOA*
A report from the United Nations nuclear agency said Iran has converted or
diluted its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, as called for in an
agreement the country reached with a group of six world powers last
November.The report from the International Atomic Energy Agency, obtained by Western
news agencies Sunday, said Iran's more than 200-kil... more »
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