Kadyrov, Putin and the Desensitization of Russia
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Sputnik International |
Russia appeals order to pay $50 bln to Yukos shareholders in Netherlands
Reuters In July 2014, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague issued the order for three cases that had sought a total of $114 billion from Russia for expropriating Yukos' assets. Russian'sappeal at The Hague District Court seeks to overturn all three ... Russia Calls for Recognition Hague Court Lacked Authority in Yukos CaseSputnik International all 12 news articles » |
The Week Magazine |
Russia needs only 3 days to conquer Estonia and Latvia
The Week Magazine NATO has no way of stopping a Russian conventional invasion of Estonia and Latvia short of nuclear war, according to a new RAND Corporation study. That's not surprising in itself. Russiahas one of the world's most powerful militaries, and can field ... and more » |
Генерал армии Сергей Шойгу также поручил до 1 сентября этого года завершить возведение объектов второй очереди Кызылского президентского кадетского училища.
The number of attacks reported over the last 24 hours has dropped somewhat, but mortar use continues across the front line.
Yesterday’s live coverage of the Ukraine conflict can be found here.
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For links to individual updates click on the timestamps.
For the latest summary of evidence surrounding the shooting down of flight MH17 see our separate article: How We Know Russia Shot Down MH17.
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RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty |
Russia says no evidence of civilian deaths in its Syria bombings
Yahoo News MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Tuesday there was no credible evidence of its air strikes causing civilian deaths in Syria, rejecting German Chancellor Angela Merkel's criticism of the bombing campaign. Merkel said on Monday that Russianbombing ... Russian Envoy Warns NATO Buildup Will Prompt ResponseRadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty Russia's operation in Syria destroyed plans for military solution to crisis — ambassadorTASS Russia warns vs NATO buildup, launches massive military drillsInquirer.net all 218 news articles » |
Deutsche Welle |
Russia renews challenge to Yukos ruling
Deutsche Welle Moscow wants a court in the Hague to overturn a decision making Russia pay $50 million in damages to former shareholders of one-time oil giant Yukos. Russia argues that legal decisions to impound its assets are not binding under Russian law. Russia appeals order to pay $50 bln to Yukos shareholders in NetherlandsReuters Russia begins Yukos payout appealUpstream Online Russia Calls for Recognition Hague Court Lacked Authority in Yukos CaseSputnik International all 14 news articles » |
RT |
Dragon + Bear: China seeks Russia's help in mastering Arctic, sets sights on Antarctic
RT Meanwhile, the SOA also announced they are interested in arranging a joint Arctic Ocean expedition with Russia for the first time. In June, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed an order for the development of the Northern Sea Route, a passage ... and more » |
РИА Новости |
НАТО изучает возможность созыва Совета Россия-НАТО
РИА Новости Йенс Столтенберг считает, что НАТО и России надо стремиться к диалогу. Генсек НАТО также отметил, что прорабатывается возможность проведения заседания Совета Россия-НАТО. Штаб-квартира НАТО в Брюсселе. Архивное фото. © AFP 2016/ Pool/Virginia Mayo. БРЮССЕЛЬ ... и другие » |
UN Warns of Humanitarian Crisis if Syrian Forces Encircle Aleppo by webdesk@voanews.com (Sharon Behn)
The United Nations warned Tuesday that if pro-government forces in Syria succeed in encircling the strategic city of Aleppo then up to 300,000 people could be cut off from humanitarian aid. In an assessment of the situation in Aleppo, the U.N. said the Aleppo offensive has already cut rebel supply lines between the eastern part of the city and the Bab al-Salam crossing on the Turkish border. Further advances into the city could send another 100,000 to 150,000 civilians fleeing Aleppo. The World Food Program said Tuesday it is distributing urgently needed meals to 21,000 people who fled Aleppo to A'zaz, just south of the Turkish border. Volatile, fluid situation Jakob Kern, WFP director in Syria, called the situation in Aleppo "quite volatile and fluid." Pro-government forces have pounded their way toward Aleppo during the past week in their effort to crush rebels who have been fighting President Bashar al-Assad's regime for more than five years. “If that happens, the rebel momentum will be gone,” said Omar Lamrani, a military analyst for Stratfor, geopolitical intelligence firm based out of Texas. “If Aleppo were to fall, it would highlight how dire the situation is for the rebels throughout the country.” Russian warplanes have been relentlessly bombing northern Syria for days, forcing U.S.-backed and other rebel forces to take shelter in tunnels and blast craters. One young rebel fighter told VOA that morale has dropped to rock bottom as anti-Assad fighters feel the West has abandoned them. “I have spoken with the ambassadors and their staffs of the U.S., Britain and France, and asked them, ‘What will you do other than make statement?’ ” said Zakaria Malahefji, political officer to the 3,000-strong Fastaqim Kama Umirt brigade. US game plan With government troops backed by Russian air power and Iranian-backed ground forces seizing the north of the city and threatening to move south to link up with government-held parts of the city, it does not appear that Washington can do much. “The U.S. has its game plan, and that is the negotiating table,” Lamrani said. But with Syrian forces gaining ground, the attraction for the Syrian government of a political solution over a military one appears to be fading fast. Talks in Geneva for a political solution to Syria’s conflict stalled last week after just two days on differences between Syria and the opposition on the priority of humanitarian issues. The U.S. State Department said Russia was also partly to blame. "It is difficult in the extreme to see how strikes against civilian targets contribute in any way to the peace process now being explored," spokesman John Kirby said. Russian investment Although the Russians have lost men and money, Lamrani said it appeared that their investment was paying off, to the detriment of the Syrian opposition and its U.S.-led coalition backers. “They are highlighting they are a power in the Middle East,” he said. The Russians and Iranians are also pushing to create a situation whereby the “only really viable choices are the Syrian government or Islamic State – and IS is a non-option.” “By removing the rebels from the equation, then essentially it is game over,” Lamrani said. But the conflict could also get more complicated and more drawn out. Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, unwilling to cede such influence to Syria and its allies, might decide that one way to force everyone back to the negotiating table is to raise the cost of the military campaign by bolstering the rebels with more money and bigger and deadlier weapons. “They want to maintain a stake in the conflict,” Lamrani said. “They still want the U.S. to stay close and give them cover against Russia to keep Russian ambitions at bay.” VOA’s Jamie Dettmer contributed to this report from the Turkish-Syrian border, Chris Hannas contributed from Washington.
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US Embassy Warns of Attacks Targeting Foreigners in Kabulby webdesk@voanews.com (Ayaz Gul)
The United States has warned its citizens in Afghanistan that insurgents are planning to attack foreign guest houses in the capital city of Kabul as of early this month. A U.S. Embassy statement issued early Tuesday says the warning is based on reports it has received, adding there is no further information regarding the timing, target, location, or method of any planned attack. “Unidentified insurgents are planning to attack unidentified foreign guest houses in Kabul City, possibly near the Qala-e Fatullah neighborhood. The attack could also occur near Ansari or Haji Yaqub roundabouts in Kabul City,” it said. The embassy again warned against travel to Afghanistan, saying the security situation in the country is “extremely unstable and the threat to all U.S. citizens in Afghanistan remains critical.” Suicide bombings Taliban suicide bombers and heavily armed fighters in recent months have staged deadly attacks against local and foreign targets in Kabul, including guesthouses. Meanwhile, hundreds of U.S. troops were headed for the restive southern Helmand province to support the Afghan Army’s 215th corps, which has struggled for months to reverse Taliban territorial gains in the poppy-growing region. “This was a planned deployment of additional personnel to both bolster force protection for the current staff of advisors and to provide additional advisors to help with ongoing efforts to re-man, re-equip, and re-train the 215th Corps,” said U.S. Army spokesman Col. Michael Lawhorn. However, the U.S. military’s mission in Afghanistan “remains the same: to train, advise, and assist our Afghan counterparts, and not to participate in combat operations,” said Lawhorn. Army shakeup The battlefield setbacks have prompted Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to replace more than 90 general officers in a major shakeup in the army corps. The NATO-led coalition comprised mostly of U.S. troops ended its combat mission at the end of 2014, encouraging the Taliban to capture territory and inflict heavy losses on Afghan security forces for the first time since it was ousted from power nearly 15 years ago. The insurgents have also captured areas in northern and northeastern Afghanistan but their advances in Helmand have been particularly significant. The Taliban is said to be in control of 11 out of 14 districts in the largest Afghan province, which borders Pakistan and has been a traditional Taliban heartland.
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UN Envoy: No Changes In Belarus's 'Dismal' Human Rights Situation by support@pangea-cms.com (RFE/RL)
The United Nations special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, Miklos Haraszti, has warned that "no changes" have been initiated in the country to alter the "oppressive laws and practices" since the October presidential election.
9 февраля в Симферополе было замечено движение колоны военной техники, автомобильные номера принадлежат базе Черноморского флота России.
Колона двигалась по направлению в сторону Белогорска, для проезда военной техники в Симферополе перекрыли движение транспорта на 30-40 минут.
Ссылка на источник - http://www.svoboda.org/media/video/27540988.html
Колона двигалась по направлению в сторону Белогорска, для проезда военной техники в Симферополе перекрыли движение транспорта на 30-40 минут.
Ссылка на источник - http://www.svoboda.org/media/video/27540988.html
Islamic Renaissance Party Members Go On Trial In Tajikistanby support@pangea-cms.com (RFE/RL's Tajik Service)
The Tajik Supreme Court has started hearings in the trial of 13 leading members of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan accused of attempting to overthrow the government.
Bloomberg |
Russian Hopes of Sanctions Relief Fade Amid Ukraine Deadlock
Bloomberg More than 9,000 people have died and several million fled their homes during nearly two years of fighting in eastern Ukraine that sparked the worst crisis between Russia and its former Cold War adversaries since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Ukraine's unrecognized republics reject claims Russian officers collaborate with militiasTASS all 26 news articles » |
BBC News |
Russian military deployed near Ukraine for huge exercises
BBC News Russia is holding combat readiness exercises involving 8,500 troops, with dozens of ships and aircraft, in a southern region near areas of eastern Ukraine held by pro-Russian rebels. The snap drill in the Rostov region was ordered by President Vladimir ... Russia Announces Surprise Military Drills in SouthNew York Times Putin rattles Russia's saber with massive military drillsCBS News Russian troops put on high alert as part of massive drillsYahoo News Sputnik International all 135 news articles » |
British MPs Say Proposed Spy Law Fails to Protect Privacyby webdesk@voanews.com (Associated Press)
British government plans to strengthen spies' powers to snoop on the Internet are muddled and don't do enough to protect privacy, lawmakers responsible for scrutinizing the country's intelligence agencies said Tuesday. Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee said the draft Investigatory Powers Bill takes a “piecemeal” approach to protecting privacy. It said in a report that privacy should be “an integral part of the legislation rather than an add-on.” In the wake of Edward Snowden's revelations about the powerful snooping capabilities of the U.S. National Security Agency and its British counterpart, GCHQ, the legislators said “it is surprising that the protection of people's privacy... doesn't feature more prominently” in the legislation. The bill is intended to replace a patchwork of laws, some dating from the Web's infancy, and set the limits of surveillance in the digital age. But the committee said portions of the draft law were “inconsistent and largely incomprehensible.” Conservative lawmaker Dominic Grieve, who chairs the committee, said it has been evident that even those working on the legislation have not always been clear as to what the provisions are intended to achieve.” The committee also said the bill should include more restraints on spy agencies' powers to scoop up bulk data from computer and mobile-phone users. If approved by Parliament, the bill will let police and spies access Internet connection records - a list of websites, apps and messaging services someone has visited, though not the individual pages they looked at or the messages they sent. It will require telecommunications companies to keep records of customers' Web histories for up to a year, and to help security services gain access to suspects' electronic devices. Internet companies including Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter and Yahoo have raised concerns about the plans, saying they could introduce “risks or vulnerabilities into products or services.” Civil liberties groups have also expressed alarm at the bill. The government says it will set out final proposals in the spring.
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British MPs Say Proposed Spy Law Fails to Protect Privacyby webdesk@voanews.com (Associated Press)
British government plans to strengthen spies' powers to snoop on the Internet are muddled and don't do enough to protect privacy, lawmakers responsible for scrutinizing the country's intelligence agencies said Tuesday. Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee said the draft Investigatory Powers Bill takes a “piecemeal” approach to protecting privacy. It said in a report that privacy should be “an integral part of the legislation rather than an add-on.” In the wake of Edward Snowden's revelations about the powerful snooping capabilities of the U.S. National Security Agency and its British counterpart, GCHQ, the legislators said “it is surprising that the protection of people's privacy... doesn't feature more prominently” in the legislation. The bill is intended to replace a patchwork of laws, some dating from the Web's infancy, and set the limits of surveillance in the digital age. But the committee said portions of the draft law were “inconsistent and largely incomprehensible.” Conservative lawmaker Dominic Grieve, who chairs the committee, said it has been evident that even those working on the legislation have not always been clear as to what the provisions are intended to achieve.” The committee also said the bill should include more restraints on spy agencies' powers to scoop up bulk data from computer and mobile-phone users. If approved by Parliament, the bill will let police and spies access Internet connection records - a list of websites, apps and messaging services someone has visited, though not the individual pages they looked at or the messages they sent. It will require telecommunications companies to keep records of customers' Web histories for up to a year, and to help security services gain access to suspects' electronic devices. Internet companies including Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter and Yahoo have raised concerns about the plans, saying they could introduce “risks or vulnerabilities into products or services.” Civil liberties groups have also expressed alarm at the bill. The government says it will set out final proposals in the spring.
Swedish Prosecutors Press for Assange Interview Despite UN Ruling by webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters)
Swedish prosecutors said on Thursday they would renew an application to interview Julian Assange over a rape allegation, adding that their case was not affected by a U.N ruling that he was being arbitrarily detained. Sweden has been stymied in its attempts to question the WikiLeaks founder since he took refuge in Ecuador's embassy in London in June 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over the allegation, which he denies. Assange, 44, says he fears Sweden will extradite him to the United States, where authorities were enraged by his organization’s publishing of hundreds of thousands of secret U.S. diplomatic cables. "In relation to the [U.N.] report which was released last week, I can state that it does not change my earlier assessment in the preliminary investigation," the prosecutor in charge of the investigation, Marianne Ny, said in the statement. The U.N.'s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said Assange should be allowed to leave Ecuador's embassy in London without the threat of arrest by Britain and extradition to Sweden. Britain and Sweden's government's rejected the U.N. ruling and said Assange had voluntarily chosen to stay in the embassy. Sweden's prosecution authority said Ny was working on a new application to interview Assange after the previous request was rejected by Ecuador in January. "It is a scandal that Sweden ... openly defies the decision of an important U.N. body," Per Samuelson, a Swedish lawyer representing Assange, told Reuters. Assange, an Australian, denies allegations of a 2010 rape in Sweden, saying the accusation is a ploy that would eventually take him to the United States where a criminal investigation into the activities of WikiLeaks is still open.
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About 1,200 refugees so far have relocated to Finland’s third-largest city, prompting a rise in nationalists, and in champions of multiculturalism.
Росбалт.RU |
В Брюсселе обсудили прогресс Грузии в сотрудничестве с ЕС
ИА REGNUM Тбилиси, 9 Февраля 2016, 17:35 — REGNUM Премьер-министр Грузии Георгий Квирикашвили в ходе визита в Брюссель 9 февраля встретился с президентом Европейского совета Дональдом Туском. По информации пресс-службы правительства Грузии, на встрече обсуждались процесс ... Грузия будет договариваться с Ираном об отмене визНовости 24 часа - MyNewsOnline24.ru Грузия отменяет визы для жителей ИранаНовости туризма Турции Руководство Грузии планирует упразднение визового режима с ИраномNewsEra.ru - ЭРА Новостей Вестник Кавказа -РЫБИНСКonLine -apsny.ge Все похожие статьи: 85 » |
Syrian Government Forces 25 Kilometers from Turkey's Borderby webdesk@voanews.com (Jamie Dettmer)
For the first time since August 2013, forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are within 25 kilometers of the Turkish border in northern Syria. They continue to press a Russian-backed offensive that is throwing moderate rebel forces into disarray and despondency, say activists and insurgent commanders. Turkish officials are warning that the round-the-clock Russian air sorties and heavy fighting could spark the arrival of as many as 600,000 fleeing Syrian civilians at its border, but reiterate their determination for the refugees to stay on the Syrian side of the frontier. “Our objective for now is to keep this wave of migrants on the other side of Turkey's borders as much as is possible, and to provide them with the necessary services there,” said Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş. Following a Cabinet meeting, he said, “As a consequence of this situation, we are seeing 200,000 people being forced to flee, 65,000 in the direction of Turkey and 135,000 inside Syria.” A Syrian Arab Red Crescent official, Zakaria Ibrahim, told VOA Monday at least 25,000 refugees were across the border from the Turkish frontier post at Öncüpınar. The multi-sided conflict raging in the northern Aleppo countryside features regime forces, Western-backed Free Syrian Army militias and their allies, Islamist brigades, al-Qaida’s affiliate in Syria, the Kurds and the jihadist Islamic State group. Two mainly Sunni Arab villages in the northern Aleppo countryside, Deir Jamal and Mar’anaz, asked fighters with the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, the YPG, to occupy them in a bid to escape ferocious Russian airstrikes, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Rebel commanders said YPG territory wasn't being bombed and that was clear evidence of collusion between Damascus and Syrian Kurdish leaders, a claim denied by the YPG. The fate of the strategically important air base at Menagh nearby remains unclear. The base, which anti-Assad rebels captured after a lengthy siege in August 2013, is being targeted by Russian warplanes, according to Zakaria Malahefji, the political officer of the 3,000-member Fastaqim Kama Umirt, a brigade aligned to the rebel alliance Jaish al-Mujahideen (Army of Holy Warriors). The YPG, however, holds two nearby villages and unconfirmed reports suggest Kurdish fighters may also have attacked the base. The YPG insists it is not colluding with the regime in the government offensive. YPG commanders said their control of Deir Jamal and a road running south has prevented the regime forces, mainly consisting of Iranian guardsmen and Shi’ite fighters from Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement and Afghanistan, from advancing. The YPG said it transferred Sunni Arab families fleeing the fighting to the Kurdish enclave of Afrin. The YPG said the refugee transfer aimed “to prove to everyone that Syria is for all its citizens" and that the YPG "is not fighting Arabs as promoted by the media.” During the weekend, Salih Muslim, the leader of the Democratic Union Party that dominates the YPG, told VOA he doubted the current offensive would impact Syrian Kurdish hopes for semi-autonomy. “The fighting is not in Kurdish areas, it is close to them. The Kurdish forces are not involved in the fighting, although some Arab allies of the YPG have been fighting Jabhat al-Nusra,” he added. He said the bulk of YPG forces to the east of the Euphrates, would not cross west of the river unless it is in coordination with the U.S.-led international coalition against the Islamic State group. “It would be easy to do.” His biggest worry is that Turkish forces may be drawn into the fighting. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has frequently warned Ankara would not stand by and allow Kurdish advances in northern Syria or the establishment of a semi-autonomous Kurdish entity to emerge in northern Syria. On Sunday, Erdogan said the United States, which has partnered with the YPG to fight Islamic State, had to choose between Turkey and the YPG, or as he put it, “terrorists.” Ankara considers the PYD and YPG to be part of Turkey’s outlawed Kurdish separatist movement. Turkish forces or their allies among some Syrian rebel militias “may be a problem in the future,” Muslim said. He warned they may attack Kurdish areas. “The scene is not pretty,” a senior European Union diplomat told VOA. “This is an unmitigated disaster, a huge mess that was all too predictable.” He said the moderate, more nationalist militias would collapse in the north of the country that is now in its sixth year of a civil war that has left upwards of 250,000 people dead. The beneficiaries will be the hardline Islamist brigades and Jabhat al-Nusra, the al-Qaida affiliate, he said.
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EU Debate Initiative Sparks Fears Of Concessions To Russiaby support@pangea-cms.com (Rikard Jozwiak)
European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini initiated an internal debate last month with a group of fellow European commissioners on how to improve cooperation with Russia, causing concern among EU members that want to keep up the pressure on Moscow over its interference in Ukraine, sources have told RFE/RL.
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Christian Science Monitor |
Amid recession and predatory officials, Russia's small businesses hang on
Christian Science Monitor Small businesses are a small part of Russia's oligarch-dominated economy. But despite the headwinds they face – and the instability they could bring to the current order – they are showing resilience amid the downturn. and more » |
British Effort to Identify Potential Radicals Spurs Debate Over Profiling by KIMIKO DE FREYTAS-TAMURA
A program encouraging fellow citizens to identify potential radicals has also raised questions about racial and religious profiling and the balance between security and civil liberties.
Obama Proposing $4 Trillion 2017 Budgetby webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News)
U.S. President Barack Obama is unveiling a $4 trillion-plus federal spending plan Tuesday for the year that starts next October, but the Republican-controlled Congress is already signaling it will ignore many of his new initiatives during his last year in office. In a presidential election year to pick his successor, the Democratic president is proposing programs sure to appeal to supporters of the eventual Democratic presidential nominee and likely opposed, at least in part, by the Republican candidate. In recent days, in advance of the official release of Obama's fiscal year 2017 budget, the White House has said the proposal will call for increased spending to fight Islamic State insurgents across the Middle East, a $10-per-barrel tax on crude oil to fund "clean" transportation projects, a new research initiative to cure cancer and more financial aid for low-income college students. Obama wants $7.5 billion to fight Islamic State, a 50 percent increase that includes money to pay for more than 45,000 GPS-guided smart bombs. Deficit creeping up again The budget would also allow the country's chronic annual budget deficit to creep up again, to above the half-trillion-dollar mark after falling to $439 billion last year. Government deficits had been falling during Obama's seven years in office, after hitting $1.4 trillion during his first year as president amid the country's steepest recession since the Great Depression of the 1930's. Obama's oil tax would come at a time of very low prices on the world oil market — about $30 a barrel. "We're going to impose a tax on a barrel of oil — imported, exported — so that some of that revenue can be used for transportation, some of that revenue can be used for the investments in basic research and technology that's going to be needed for the energy sources of the future," Obama said in announcing his proposal. "Then 10 years from now, 15 years from now, 20 years from now, we're going to be in a much stronger position when oil starts getting tight again, prices start going up again." Republican objections New oil taxes have routinely been rejected by the Republican-controlled Congress, where Obama's opponents are also rejecting his latest government spending plans, much as they have rebuffed calls in earlier years for higher taxes on wealthy Americans and new fees on big banks. Already, Republican lawmakers have taken the unusual step of refusing to invite the White House budget director, Shaun Donovan, to testify about the 2017 budget. White House spokesman Josh Earnest accused the Republican lawmakers of "taking the Donald Trump approach to debates about the budget," referring to the front-running Republican presidential candidate refusing to show up at one of his party's candidate debates last month. Congressman Tom Price, chairman of the House of Representatives' budget committee, said Republicans will draft their own spending plan, "rather than spend time on a proposal that, if anything like this administration's previous budgets, will double down on the same failed policies."
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It seems impossible now to imagine Great Britain during World War Two being led by anyone other than Winston Churchill. It was not impossible at the time, however, as Jonathan Schneer will show in this presentation. Moreover, despite a legend to the contrary that has been burnished over many years, Churchill had to manage a War Cabinet most of whose members never ceased to snipe at one another and at him, even as t
Directions:
Ukraine and the West Need Each Otherby By OLEKSANDR SUSHKO
Despite Putin’s threats, the West should keep its promises of closer ties.
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Washington Post |
Remaining Oregon occupiers reduced to pranky stunts, taunting FBI by doing donuts in federal vehicle
Washington Post “I want the FBI to see this,” says David Fry, a 27-year-old dental assistant from Cincinnati who has been running the occupation's YouTube account. “This is how I say 'Screw you, piss off [with] your little charges.' “You see this? It's a U.S ... Remaining Malheur occupiers mock FBI in YouTube videosChristian Science Monitor all 371 news articles » |
Reuters |
Obama seeks over one-third rise in US cyber security funding
Reuters WASHINGTON President Barack Obama's budget proposal for the 2017 fiscal year seeks $19 billion for cyber security across the U.S. government, a surge of $5 billion over this year, according to senior administration officials. The request comes as the ... Obama seeks 35 percent hike in federal cyber budget to boost defenseWashington Post Obama makes final push to cement cyber legacyThe Hill all 49 news articles » |
February 9, 2016, 2:19 PM (IDT)
Chechen ruler Ramzan Kadyrov said during an appearance on Russian television that Chechen special forces are fighting alongside Russian troops in Syria, and that they have suffered casualties. He did not specify the location of the deployment or the fronts where they have fought. The Chechen special forces brigades are an integral part of the Russian military as Chechnya is part of Russia. Some of the units, disguised as volunteer fighters, fought in eastern Ukraine in recent months.
Before the start of business, Just Security provides a curated summary of up-to-the-minute developments at home and abroad. Here’s today’s news.
IRAQ and SYRIA
Fight for Aleppo. Shi’ite fighters, including forces led by Iran and Hezbollah, are pushing toward Aleppo, giving the Syrian government offensive the “greatest momentum” seen in years. [Wall Street Journal’s Nour Malas and Raja Abdulrahim] The Syrian opposition needs assistance from Arab nations in order to avoid defeat in Aleppo, rebels have warned, saying that the “Russians will kill us all” if no help is sent. [The Guardian’s Martin Chulov] And German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned Russian airstrikes in northwestern Syria during a visit to Ankara to discuss the refugee crisis. [Wall Street Journal’s Dion Nissenbaum]
The offensive on Aleppo is challenging the Obama Administration’s “diplomacy-first approach,”reports Nahal Toosi, writing that some commentators believe Syrian peace talks will become irrelevant if Russia is not sent a “tough message.” [Politico]
Russia has conducted daily airstrikes using cluster bombs, which are internationally prohibited, in rebel-held areas throughout Syria, according to Human Rights Watch. [Al Jazeera]
Iraqi forces retook territory from ISIS today, reconnecting Ramadi to a major army base in the west of the country. [Reuters]
Canada will cease airstrikes against the Islamic State within two weeks, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced yesterday. [National Post] As Canada pulls out its fighter jets, it will triple its training mission of Iraqi forces and increase its military personnel from 650 to 830. [The Guardian’s Jessica Murphy] And Defense Secretary Ash Carter “greatly appreciates” Trudeau’s decision to “step up” Canada’s involvement in the war against ISIS. [DoD News]
The Assad regime and other parties must uphold their duty to protect civilians and allow safe passage of aid, says the UN humanitarian relief chief, amid reports that 30,000 Syrians have been displaced due to heavy attacks on Aleppo. [UN News Centre]
Thousands of Syrians have been killed in detention over the past four and a half years, with warring parties committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, reported a UN commission yesterday. [UN News Centre] The report accuses the Syrian government of “inhuman actions” on a scale that “amounts to extermination.” Full text of the report is available here.
The US has filed criminal charges against Umm Sayyaf, the widow of deceased ISIS finance chief, Abu Sayyaf. The charges link Umm Sayyaf to the death of US hostage Kayla Mueller; the ISIS widow was captured in a US Special Operations raid last year. [Wall Street Journal’s Devlin Barrett; BBC]
US-led airstrikes continue. The US and coalition military forces carried out one strike against Islamic State targets in Syria on Feb. 7. Separately, partner forces conducted a further nine strikes against targets in Iraq. [Central Command]
“Five reasons Putin backs Assad” Matthew Chance explores Russia’s agenda in Syria. [CNN]
“The troubling thing is that the Putin policy on Syria has become hard to distinguish from the Obama policy.” Roger Cohen criticizes the US approach to the Syrian conflict, opining that Aleppo’s plight is the “result of the fecklessness and purposelessness over almost five years of the Obama administration.” [New York Times]
NORTH KOREA
The US and South Korea have agreed that sanctions in addition to those imposed by the UN are needed to properly punish North Korea for its recent missile launch. [Reuters’ Jack Kim and David Brunnstrom]
“Modest advances” in its rocket technology: Choe Sang-Hun examines North Korea’s rocket launch on Sunday. [New York Times] Aerospace engineer John Schilling answers questions on the launch and whether a similar rocket could be used to fire a nuclear weapon. [Al Jazeera’s Tarek Bazley]
Other analysts have warned that a missile that can be launched into orbit has the capability of targeting “more than half of the continental United States.” [The Daily Beast’s Gordon G Chang]
Meanwhile, GOP candidates have described how they would respond to the launch, which came just before Saturday night’s Republican debate. [Foreign Policy’s John Hudson]
China is “as unwilling as ever” to respond to North Korea’s latest test, and has failed to impose real sanctions or cuts supplies to its neighbor. That said, US leaders aren’t “all that serious,” either, opines the Wall Street Journal editorial board.
NIGERIA
A “ruthless Islamist terror campaign.” The New York Times editorial board discusses the increasing violence of Boko Haram’s campaign in Nigeria.
In Nigeria, separatists are once again jeopardizing the country’s “fragile national unity.” Max Siollun draws parallels between the start of the civil war, 50 years ago, and today’s climate. [Foreign Policy]
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
“Hundreds” more US troops are due to be deployed to Afghanistan’s Helmand province to strengthen local resistance to the Taliban. The troops will not engage in combat, but will be “bolstering the performance” of the Afghan military through training and by providing extra security. There are currently 9,800 US troops in Afghanistan. [The Guardian’s Spencer Ackerman] US Special Forces advisers are being increasingly drawn into combat, with a Green Beret killed in January during a firefight with Taliban insurgents, despite NATO’s combat mission officially ending in 2014. [Reuters’ Josh Smith]
A hacker has published the details of 20,000 FBI employees as well as 9,000 DHS employees, reports Motherboard’s Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai.
The FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email server is “ongoing.” Formal confirmation was provided by way of a letter released Monday. No new details of the probe into the former secretary of state’s private emails have been released. [The Hill’s Julian Hattem; Politico’s Josh Gerstein] As Republicans call for a special prosecutor to oversee the probe, the Obama administration has stated that Attorney General Loretta Lynch should not fill the role, on account of previous donations to the Democrats. [The Hill’s Julian Hattem]
The UK Court of Appeal has upheld a gagging order against the media in the case of Erol Incedal who was cleared of terrorism-related charges last year. [BBC]
Somali authorities have identified the bomber responsible for the on-board blast on Feb. 2 as Abdullahi Abdisalam Borle, aged 55, and have suggested that his original target may have been Turkey, which has been helping Somalia to combat extremist groups. Borle was originally due to board a Turkish Airlines flight, which was canceled. [Wall Street Journal’s Heidi Vogt]
Egypt’s interior minister has dismissed allegations that Italian student, Giulio Regeni, was in the custody of Egyptian authorities before his death, calling them “unacceptable.” [New York Times’ Kareem Fahim and Nour Youssef; Al Jazeera]
Russia’s defense ministry is considered to have attempted to “unnerve neighbors” by ordering a surprise military drill in the south of the country. The drill saw troops and pilots ordered to full combat readiness. [New York Times’ Andrew E Kramer] And suspected Islamic State affiliates have been detained in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on suspicion of planning large-scale attacks in Moscow and elsewhere. Explosives and firearms were recovered from the suspects’ homes. [New York Times’ Ivan Nechepurenko]
Israel is considering a package of economic measures designed to provide the Palestinian Authority with the “clout” to deter Palestinian violence against Israelis. Palestinian officials have insisted that peace talks are the true answer to the situation. [Wall Street Journal’s Rory Jones]
The problem of “home-grown jihadists.” David Wise explores the phenomenon of US citizens performing or attempting acts of terror in their own country. [Reuters] Home-grown extremists have been described as the “most significant” threat to the US by Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper. [The Hill’s Julian Hattem]
The international community must act now to ensure the peace deal in Colombia has lasting results, opines Virginia M Bouvier. [The Daily Beast]
Regional cooperation is essential to the fight against terrorism in West Africa. Michael D Rettig examines recent terror attacks and the trans-border approach of terrorist groups. [The Hill]
“In the name of security, justice was forgotten.” Nations intervening in Yemen failed to consider the concerns of its citizens, writes Atiaf Alwazir considering how the Yemeni people’s “dream was sold.” [Al Jazeera]
Despite the “particularly heinous” attack on Bacha Khan University in January, Pakistan is well on its way to combating terrorism, opines Murtaza Hussain. [The Intercept]
The Pakistani-American man currently serving a 35-year sentence in the US for his role in plotting the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai has informed a court in India that he was in contact with the Pakistani military intelligence agency at the time. India intends to use the information to pressure Pakistan into taking proper action in relation to those conspirators who remain inside its borders. [New York Times’ Ellen Barry and Hari Kumar]
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The head of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency predicted Monday that the Islamic State terrorist group is likely to step up the "pace and lethality" of its attacks in the coming months as it moves to increase its reach outside its home base of Iraq and Syria.
Speaking at a ...
EDITORIAL: The voters need answers on Clinton
Statesville Record & Landmark In the name of fairness, we urge FBI Director James B. Comey to do everything possible to answer the question sooner rather than later. If there was no criminal behavior, allowing suspicions and doubts to linger through a campaign year would be wrong. and more » |
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NOGALES, Ariz. (AP) - Customs and Border Protection reports that officers at a Nogales crossing found hundreds of packages containing nearly 400 pounds of methamphetamine hidden inside a tractor-trailer rig carrying bell peppers.
A criminal complaint says officers found 388 pounds of meth in the trailer's front wall and rear ...
Investments into cybersecurity startups and emerging players grew by 235% over the past five years.
President Obama is seeking a 35 percent hike in cybersecurity funding in his final budget.
The wife of a senior Islamic State leader has been charged with holding American Kayla Mueller hostage and with contributing to the aid worker's death.
On January 21, a British investigation concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin “probably” approved the poisoning of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, who died in a London hospital in November 2006. Litvinenko was poisoned with Polonium-210 seemingly poured into a cup of tea by two Russian operatives. A former FSB intelligence agent, he had fled to the UK in 2000, where he was later granted asylum and eventually British citizenship. From the UK, he was a harsh critic of the Russian government and seemed to have entered into some sort of relationship with the British intelligence service, MI-6.
The British government responded to the “disturbing” report bystating that the Russian operation constituted a “blatant and unacceptable breach of the most fundamental tenets of international law and of civilized behavior.” If the operation and poisoning of Litvinenko were indeed sanctioned by Putin and the Russian state, it clearly constitutes a violation of British sovereignty. As the Permanent Court of International Justice — a predecessor to the UN’s International Court of Justice — noted in the seminal Lotus case, failing the existence of a permissive rule to the contrary, a State “may not exercise its power in any form in the territory of another State.”
A more vexing question, however, relates to Russia’s responsibilities under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the obligation to protect the right to life in Article 2 of that Convention. The right to life encompasses both a substantive right not to be unlawfully killed and a procedural duty on the part of the State to conduct an investigation of the circumstances that led to the deprivation of life.
For the ECHR to apply, Litvinenko would have had to be under Russian jurisdiction at the time of his poisoning. The determination of whether or not that was the case raises broader questions about the extraterritorial scope of human rights treaties on issues that extend far beyond a single assassination of a former spy.
The crux of the ECHR question is that Litvinenko was poisoned outside Russian territory. Pursuant toArticle 1 of the ECHR, State Parties shall secure the rights and freedoms of the convention to “everyone within their jurisdiction.” So, was Litvinenko within Russia’s jurisdiction when he was poisoned?
The Strasbourg Court’s case law on the extraterritorial reach of the ECHR is highly complex and, at times, even contradictory. Following the current leading case on the extraterritorial application of the ECHR — the Grand Chamber’s 2011 judgment in Al-Skeini v. the United Kingdom that arose from the British and American 2003–2004 occupation of Iraq — Litvinenko does not appear to have been within Russian jurisdiction for the purposes of the ECHR.
In Al-Skeini, British forces deployed to Basra had killed five individuals during a patrol and a sixth individual had been mistreated and killed by British forces in a British detention facility in Basra. While everybody agreed that the individual who was killed in the detention facility was within British jurisdiction at the time he was killed, the situation was more uncertain with regard to the five Iraqis who were killed by the patrol. Although the Court noted that extraterritorial application of the ECHR is exceptional, it did list a number of instances where the case law of the Court nevertheless indicates that the acts of a State outside its territory fall within the concept of “jurisdiction” under Article 1 (paras. 131–39).
For present purposes, the Court’s most interesting statements in Al-Skeini were that a State exercises jurisdiction over an individual abroad when that individual is located within an area where the State has “effective control” or when the individual is taken into the custody of State agents abroad. In addition, the Court concluded that the five Iraqis who were killed by UK forces were also within UK jurisdiction because the United Kingdom quite exceptionally fulfilled certain “public powers normally to be exercised by a sovereign government.”
None of the exceptions listed in Al-Skeini is relevant to the poisoning of Litvinenko. Russia did not have effective control over any part of London, it did not exercise public powers in the city, and it seems far-fetched to conclude that Litvinenko was in custody of the Russian agents when he was poisoned.
To argue that Litvinenko may be considered to be within the “jurisdiction” of Russia because his assassination was in all likelihood planned on Russian territory does not seem convincing. After all, there is usually a link between commanders and decision-makers who may be physically located within the state and those state representatives (agents, soldiers, etc.) that act on their commands and orders abroad, and Strasbourg has not yet found that the mere planning of extraterritorial activities is sufficient to close the jurisdictional gap.
As the case law from Strasbourg currently stands, then, a State is not bound by the ECHR in relation to targeted operations — including assassinations — that are aimed at an individual located outside the territory of the State, unless one of Al-Skeini’s exceptions are met. In practice, of course, this also means that the ECHR does not reach the current airstrikes in Syria conducted by members of the Council of Europe. It would similarly not scrutinize an American-style drone program of targeted killings.
To conclude that Russia was not in breach of its obligations under the ECHR when its agents poisoned Litvinenko may, however, be hard to reconcile with the (allegedly) universal character of human rights. And it may seem hard to understand why the Court continues to insist on an interpretation of its jurisdictional clause that makes it possible for a State to get away with outrageous conduct abroad that would constitute a clear and serious violation of its human rights obligations if committed on its own territory. It will, therefore, be very interesting to see how Strasbourg deals with the application launched against Russia by Litvinenko’s widow. While the complaint was launched in 2007, the case is seemingly still being investigated by the Court.
Looking toward the future of this body of law, Marko Milanovic argued in 2011 that Strasbourg should distinguish between negative and positive obligations and that a State should always — regardless of its exercise of jurisdiction within the meaning of Article 1 — be bound by its obligations under the ECHR in relation to its negative obligations. This would mean that a State would always be obliged torefrain from infringing on an individual’s rights, such as the right to life, if it could not offer an adequate justification, even if that individual is outside of its territory. The State would not, however, be under a duty to secure and ensure the human rights of those living outside the country, including not being obligated to offer effective protection from harmful acts perpetrated by private actors.
But while one can be sympathetic to Milanovic’s argument, it would also — as he himself acknowledges — require a fundamental shift in the approach taken by the European Court of Human Rights.
A more realistic approach to the issue of extraterritorial targeted operations and human rights obligations is one that has been proposed by David Kretzmer. In a 2005 article, Kretzmer argues that some of the substantive norms in human rights treaties have become unchallenged norms of customary international law, including the duty to respect the right to life. Thus, a “state’s duty to respect the right to life … follows its agents, wherever they operate.” Under this approach, regardless of the geographical reach of the ECHR, Russia violated its human rights obligations under customary law when it poisoned Litvinenko.
In practice, of course, the extraterritorial scope of human rights treaties is not just of relevance to operations like the poisoning of Litvinenko. Since the Snowden revelations, for example, the question of whether human rights conventions apply to surveillance programs run by the NSA and GCHQ has increasingly been debated (e.g., here and here).
Since the US is not a party to the ECHR, the issue of surveillance and human rights raises the questions of the extraterritorial application of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights(ICCPR) to which the United States is a party. As is well-known, the US remains of the view that it is not bound by the ICCPR outside US territory (this contrasts with the ICJ’s advisory opinion on theLegal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory).
It is, however, not clear if that (controversial) position can be maintained in the long run, and judging by a leaked 2010 memo by then-State Department Legal Adviser Harold Koh, the US is well-aware of the wide-spread international opposition to its position on the extraterritorial application of the ICCPR.
Russia’s “probable” poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko in London has revealed that there are holes in the human rights protections currently offered by the ECHR. It is too early to tell if Strasbourg intends to fill in those holes by expanding the territorial reach of the Convention. What is certain, though, is that the debate about the extent to which a state like Russia should be bound by its human rights obligations when it assassinates its political opponents abroad ought to be of interest not only to States Party to the ECHR, including Russia, but to all States whose activities raise questions about the extraterritorial application of human rights.
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The Guardian |
West's military advantage is being eroded, survey warns
The Guardian The west's decades-long advantage in military technology is being eroded as defence spending in the rest of the world, notably Asia, soars, an authoritative survey has warned. The latest annual Military Balance by the International Institute for ... |
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February 9, 2016, 5:35 PM (IDT)
An Israeli man of 30 was seriously injured when he was stabbed by a Palestinian terrorist outside Neveh Daniel. The assailant got away. Security forces have launched a manhunt in the Hebron district. Earlier Tuesday, a Palestinian woman of 18 was apprehended by Karmei Tzur sentries before she could use her knife.
The U.S. plans to deploy additional troops and advisers to strategic Helmand province to help Afghan forces struggling against a virulent Taliban insurgency, poor leadership and corruption.
NATO faces a difficult balance as it seeks to deter Russian aggression against vulnerable eastern allies without inciting a military escalation, which some analysts warn could result.
Russia's ambassador to Damascus says an estimated 10,000 Russian citizens are currently living in war-torn Syria.
Iraqi forces say they have recaptured territory around the western city of Ramadi from the Islamic State (IS) group.
Train crash in Germany kills at least 8, injures 150by By MATTHIAS SCHRADER and KIRSTEN GRIESHABER
BAD AIBLING, Germany (AP) -- Two commuter trains crashed head-on Tuesday morning in southern Germany, killing at least eight people and injuring some 150, police said....
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Tens of thousands of commuters in the Spanish city of Barcelona are facing travel chaos as smoke from a fire filled railway tunnels and forced authorities to suspend train service.
 The Nation |
Suicide blast at Damascus police club kills several: interior ministry
Reuters BEIRUT A suicide car bomber blew himself up at a police officers' club in a residential district of Damascus on Tuesday, killing several people, Syria's interior ministry said. It said a number of people were also wounded in the blast in Masaken Barza ... Report: Car bomb in Syrian capital kills 10Yahoo News Car bomb explodes in Damascus market, several killed: Syrian TVAustin American-Statesman ISIS Claims Deadly Car Bomb In Syrian Capital DamascusInternational Business Times Al-Bawaba all 32 news articles » |
A messy, deadly conflagration in the Middle East is going to get worse.
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Brother Of Dublin Crime Boss Killed In Growing Gangland Feudby webdesk@voanews.com (Associated Press)
Ireland's justice minister urged gang members to seek police protection Tuesday after gunmen shot to death the brother of a Dublin crime kingpin in apparent retaliation for last week's attack on a boxing weigh-in ceremony. Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald spoke hours after the most brazen assault yet on the authority of Gerry "The Monk" Hutch, the Dublin crime figure behind many of Ireland's most daring bank heists. His faction has been blamed for Friday's...
About 60 Central American migrants held captive by a gang in the Mexican city of Reynosa escape after a gas explosion.
The International Organization for Migration says 409 people have died this year trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea, and migrant crossings in the first six weeks of 2016 are running at nearly ten times the rate of the same period last year.
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Reuters |
EU's Tusk says Russian bombings make situation in Syria even worse
Reuters BRUSSELS Top European Union official Donald Tusk denounced Russian air strikes in Syria as helping the "murderous" government of President Bashar al-Assad and triggering fresh waves of refugees fleeing toward Europe. The war in Syria has made ... NATO to send more forces east to face Russia threatStars and Stripes Hypocritical much? Merkel blames Russia for Syria's plightRT Rubio is Right: Obama is Betraying AmericaCanada Free Press Middle East Monitor-Washington Post all 211 news articles » |
Report: Car Bomb in Syrian Capital Kills 10
New York Times BEIRUT — A car bomb driven by a suicide attacker exploded Tuesday near a police officers' club in the Syrian capital Damascus, killing at least 10 people and causing wide material damage, state media said. The state-run SANA news agency said Tuesday ... and more » |
 BBC News |
Report: Car Bomb in Syrian Capital Kills 10
New York Times BEIRUT — A car bomb driven by a suicide attacker exploded Tuesday near a police officers' club in the Syrian capital Damascus, killing at least 10 people and causing wide material damage, state media said. The state-run SANA news agency said Tuesday ... Report: Car bomb in Syrian capital inflicts casualtiesPost-Bulletin all 121 news articles » |
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