Yemen’s Former Leader, Held by Rebels, Flees Capital
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SANA, Yemen — Yemen’s former president, held under house arrest for the past month by Houthi militants controlling the country, on Saturday left the capital amid conflicting reports about whether he had been released voluntarily or escaped from his captors.
Early Saturday, Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi left his home in Sana, the capital, where he had been confined by the Houthis since he resigned on Jan. 22 along with the rest of his cabinet. Mr. Hadi headed to Aden, in southern Yemen, according to an official with the United Nations in Sana, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.
Traveling overland in a convoy of dozens of vehicles, Mr. Hadi reached Aden by afternoon, and took up residence in the presidential palace there, according to Agence France-Presse.
The United Nations official said it was clear that the Houthi militants who control Sana and much of northern Yemen, and dominate its military and police forces, had allowed Mr. Hadi to pass through their lines, but added that it was not clear whether he had passed in disguise or openly.
A Western diplomat in Sana said there were reports that Mr. Hadi had hidden in a food truck.
Mr. Hadi’s release had been demanded by the United Nations Security Council in a unanimous resolution, which also called for the release of his cabinet members. Most of them, including the country’s prime minister, have also been under house arrest since their resignations. It was not immediately clear whether they were also released from house arrest on Saturday, although earlier this month the interior and defense ministers, as well as some top intelligence officials from Mr. Hadi’s government, had joined with the Houthis to try to form a new government.
A second United Nations official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the delicate nature of the discussions, said that Mr. Hadi’s release had been promised by the Houthis as part of the interim agreement reached Friday between the Houthis and other political factions with the help of United Nations mediators.
That agreement provided for the formation of a national council, composed of the existing Parliament plus a new interim council, which would pass legislation intended to pave the way for a new government. The interim council would include Houthis and other Yemeni factions who feel disenfranchised by Yemen’s current government — a major complaint of the Houthi militants who took control of Sana last September, finally forcing Mr. Hadi to step down last month.
That interim council would also draw 50 percent of its members from southern Yemen. Many leaders in the south have warned of the danger of secession if the Houthis maintain control of the central government. North and South Yemen were long separate states and broke apart once before after having reunited. The Houthis are a northern tribal-based faction, dominated by members of the minority Zaydi sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam. Most Yemenis are Sunni Muslims.
Since forcing Mr. Hadi from power, the Houthis have been increasingly isolated internationally, as the United States and nearly all other Western countries have closed their embassies, and the World Bank last Wednesday shut down its operations in the country. Saudi Arabia, which views the Houthis as an Iranian-sponsored force, also closed its embassy, underscoring its threat to withhold $4 billion in annual aid to Yemen as long as the Houthis were in power. Yemen, the poorest country in the Middle East, is heavily dependent on Saudi, Western and World Bank aid.
Despite their use of the slogan “death to America,” and their longstanding opposition to American drone strikes against Al Qaeda in Yemen, the Houthis have done nothing to interfere with the American counterinsurgency campaign.
American military officials have said that Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, as the group in Yemen is known, is the most serious international terrorism threat, and they have vowed to continue their operations against its fighters.
On Friday night, Yemeni officials said a drone strike in the remote Shabwa Province in southeastern Yemen killed three Qaeda militants. Last week, Al Qaeda captured the headquarters of the Yemen National Army’s 19th Brigade in Shabwa.
The Qaeda militants have claimed that the Americans have carried out five drone strikes against them in the weeks since the Houthis forced Mr. Hadi’s resignation. The Houthis and Al Qaeda are bitter opponents, with Al Qaeda trying to depict itself as the defender of the Sunni majority against an Iranian proxy force.
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WASHINGTON — Federal investigators will examine whether pressurized gas played a role in the massive blast that followed the derailment of a train carrying crude oil through West Virginia this week, the U.S. Transportation Department said on Thursday.
Questioning the possible role of gas vapors in the West Virginia fire broadens the debate over how to ensure public safety at a time when drastically larger volumes of crude oil are being shipped by rail and roll through cities and towns.
At least two dozen oil tankers jumped a CSX Corp track about 30 miles south of the state capital, Charleston, on Monday, touching off a fireball that sent flames hundreds of feet into the sky.
The U.S. Transportation Department said it has an investigator at the site to take samples of crude once the wreckage stops burning.
"We will measure vapor pressure in the tank cars that derailed in West Virginia," said department spokeswoman Suzanne Emmerling.
Some experts say the nature of the explosion, which saw a dense cloud of smoke and flame soaring upwards, could be explained by the presence of highly pressurized gas trapped in crude oil moving in the rail cars.
"Vapor pressure could be a factor," said Andre Lemieux of the Canadian Crude Quality Technical Association, a trade group which is helping the Canadian government adopt crude oil quality tests.
The American Petroleum Institute, the leading voice for the oil industry, declined to comment on whether high vapor pressure might have played a role in West Virginia.
"What we need to do now is allow the accident investigators to do their jobs," said Brian Straessle, a spokesman for the trade group.
In the past twelve months, API and the North Dakota Petroleum Council have argued that the dangers of vapor pressure are exaggerated, citing self-funded studies that indicate vapor pressure readings are safe.
Starting in April, North Dakota oil producers will have to tame vapor pressure dangers as part of a statewide plan to reduce dangers on the tracks.
But there is no national standard to control the risk of dangerous gas in oil train cargo.
The Transportation Department declined to govern vapor pressure in a national oil train safety plan conceived last summer. That plan is now with the White House for final review.
The proposal would have oil trains fitted with advanced braking systems to prevent pileups and tougher shells akin to those carrying volatile propane gas on the tracks.
The question of whether gas vapors make oil shipments more prone to detonate has been kept on the margins of the U.S. debate over transporting oil by rail.
BAKKEN ORIGIN
The oil train sector has thrived in recent years, pushed by a crude oil renaissance in North Dakota's Bakken region.
Of the roughly 1.2 million barrels of crude oil produced in North Dakota daily, more than 60 percent of that fuel reaches refineries by rail, typically in 100-tanker unit trains that can stretch a mile long.
Rail and tank car industry leaders have warned that Bakken fuel is uncommonly volatile and that toughened rail cars are needed to control the risk of explosion.
Moving Bakken crude in containers akin to those that haul propane gas on the tracks, as the DOT has outlined, would be one way to mitigate dangers and "the likelihood of seeing... mushroom clouds going up into the sky," Bob Fronczak, the Association of American Railroad's hazmat chief, told a safety hearing in April.
Fronczak declined to comment on Thursday. An AAR spokesman said the trade group backed a strong oil train safety plan and looked forward to seeing a final proposal due in May.
Tougher cars and advanced brakes will likely mitigate future oil train mishaps but investigators are right to scrutinize every risk that could have contributed to the West Virginia mishap, said Cynthia Quarterman who recently resigned as head of the DOT's PHMSA.
"Any hazmat regulator or investigator worth his salt would gather as much data as possible," she said.
(Reporting By Patrick Rucker; Ernest Scheyder contributed from Williston, North Dakota; editing by Andrew Hay)
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By some miracle, considering how close it was to the city of Charleston, the huge fireball from anenormous explosion of oil tank cars in West Virginia this week did not cost lives. But this latest explosion has served as a terrifying reminder that the industry’s ability to safely ship oil from North Dakota’s booming oil fields lags well behind its capacity to get that oil out of the ground.
There are two important ways to make transporting oil much safer than it is now. One is to impose tough new standards on tank cars, improving valves and brakes and generally making them more resilient. A final rule from the Department of Transportation aimed at doing that is awaiting approval at the Office of Management and Budget, which needs to move quickly.
The second is to make the crude oil itself less volatile before it is pumped into the tank cars. Producers call it “stabilizing” the oil, a process that involves separating light gases, which in turn reduces vapor pressures and makes the oil safer to transport. Officials in North Dakota say they will take steps to make the oil less volatile starting April 1.
Tank cars filled with the volatile Bakken crude from North Dakota have exploded with disturbing regularity in the past few years as more of the oil is moved across the country. Crude oil tank cars exploded last year near Lynchburg, Va. Forty-seven people were killed in 2013 after cars derailed and exploded in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec.
Bakken crude production has increased 400 percent since 2009, and the huge, cylindrical, matte black tank cars rumble out of North Dakota’s oil fields each week by the thousands. Senator Charles Schumer of New York, who has been pushing Washington for tougher standards, noted this week that trains move through cities across the Northeast, including Buffalo, Rochester and Albany, and warned that “all you need is for one of these to explode in a populated area.”
The West Virginia explosion should be a reminder that the Obama administration, the railroad industry and the oil producers all need to find answers, as quickly as possible, to an increasingly serious problem.
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 Reuters |
US and allies discuss new sanctions on Russia over Ukraine - Kerry
Reuters Kerry made the comments as he began talks with his British counterpart Philip Hammond in London, accusing Moscow of "extraordinarily craven behaviour at the expense of the sovereignty and integrity of a nation". The Kiev military accused Russia on ... Kerry warns Russia of further sanctions after London talksThe Guardian Ukraine crisis: US and UK consider new Russia sanctionsBBC News US, Europe Discuss Further Russian Sanctions Over UkraineWall Street Journal New York Times-Telegraph.co.uk-USA TODAY all 8,663 news articles » |
 Lenta.ru |
Порошенко рассказал о нетерпеливом ожидании Януковича
Lenta.ru Президент Украины Петр Порошенко заявил, что в стране с нетерпением ждут бывшего главу государства Виктора Януковича, который в субботу, 21 февраля, заявил о желании вернуться на родину. Об этом сообщает УНИАН. «Я считаю, что это будет хорошо для Украины. Не уверен, ... Порошенко: Чем быстрее Янукович вернется, тем лучше будет для УкраиныВзгляд Порошенко пригрозил Януковичу тюрьмой в случае возвращения на УкраинуИнтерфакс Порошенко - Януковичу: в Украине его ждут с нетерпением, пусть возглавит протесты - в тюрьмеГлавред ИА "Репортер" -Диалог.UA - Всегда два мнения -GIGAmir Все похожие статьи: 157 » |
Swaziland Pro-democracy Group Rejects King’s Criticismsby webdesk@voanews.com (Peter Clottey)
Swaziland’s absolute Monarch, King Mswati III, wants citizens to protect the country from pro-democracy groups he blames for tarnishing the image of the Southern African kingdom abroad. In his speech at the opening of parliament, King Mswati said activities of the groups have deprived the country of good opportunities and benefits that could help improve the living conditions of Swazis. Denial But, Wandile Dludlu, the national coordinator for the Swaziland United Democratic Front (SUDF), a pro-democracy group, says the king’s accusations are unfortunate and misplaced. He says the international community is aware that state security agencies intimidate, harass and abuse the rights of citizens critical of the king and his administration. “We are not surprised by the utterances of his majesty. We live in a global village and it is not possible to keep hiding the shenanigans of his majesty,” said Dludlu. “He is denying the reality that he is the cause of the main problem that continues to pain the country negatively out there. By refusing to democratize, respect human rights, [and] respect the rule of law, these are the things that cast negatively about the country out there. Pro-democracy supporters worry that the king’s latest pronouncement enables security agencies, including the police, to violently crack down on their activities including meetings and protests. Dludlu said he agrees with the concerns of pro-democracy supporters. “His majesty is taking a more tougher stance on demonstrations on dissidents as he calls us," he said. "Going forward, we will continue to do our best to mobilize Swazis to continue protesting. We are making a call because these utterances are educative enough for the world to see what type of a leader and leadership is in Swaziland.” He said there is a need for the international community to pressure the king to create the enabling environment to ensure the administration respects human rights and the rule of law. “In our view his majesty will continue to posture so bad as he does if many governments in the world continue to treat him with white gloves, continue to trade with Swaziland without taking a good look at the human rights record of Swaziland,” said Dludlu. AGOA The United States recently removed Swaziland’s membership in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) after the country failed to meet benchmarks to be part of the trade agreement. The king blames pro-democracy groups for the country’s AGOA exclusion. About 17,000 people reportedly lost their jobs after Swaziland’s was excluded from AGOA. But, Dludlu says opposition and pro-democracy groups are not to blame. “His majesty is the one whose government has not honored the five benchmarks required by AGOA in trading with the U.S. government,” said Dludlu. “It is his majesty who has been detaining and arresting for instance Mario Masuku, the president of PUDEMO, Maxwell Dlamini, the secretary general, [and the rest]. It’s not the pro-democracy forces." “It is not the pro-democracy forces who are corrupt and who are squandering at least in their own admission nothing less than $6,873,894 per month, in an economy so small are misdoings of his majesty. So he cannot shift blame and he cannot play the blame game. He has to face the reality of democratizing this country and allowing it to develop and prosper as a country in Africa as it should,” Dludlu added.
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 Lenta.ru |
В СБУ рассказали об убийстве Моторолы ополченцами
Lenta.ru В Службе безопасности Украины (СБУ) сообщили, что полевой командир ополчения Моторола, скорее всего, убит. Об этом сообщает УНН. «Возможно, его собратья уже и уничтожили. Они уничтожают друг друга, пытаясь выйти на оперативные позиции», — заявил руководитель ... Боевик "Моторола" мог быть ликвидирован силами "ДНР" - СБУУНИАН СБУ сообщает об убийстве Моторолы представителями ополченияПравда.Ру СБУ сообщила о гибели МоторолыВзгляд Утро.Ru -Московский комсомолец Все похожие статьи: 62 » |
A Year After Fleeing Ukraine, Yanukovich Speaks of Returnby webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters)
Ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich, who fled to Russia a year ago after being toppled by months of street protests, said he was ready to return to Ukraine if the opportunity arose. The pro-Russian leader was overthrown by the "Maidan" uprising in Kyiv against his decision to back away from a deal that would have taken the country towards integration with Europe and instead tighten economic ties with Russia, Ukraine's old Soviet master. Just weeks after his departure, Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula, a base for Russia's Black Sea fleet, and pro-Russian separatists seized key buildings in the east of the country leading to a conflict in which more than 5,000 people have been killed. Interpol has put Yanukovich on the international wanted list at the behest of Kiev authorities on charges of embezzlement and financial wrongdoing. But Russia is likely to turn down any request to extradite him, Interfax news agency said last month, citing a source familiar with the situation. Yanukovich, who has denied any involvement in corruption, said in a TV interview aired on Saturday he regretted that he could not return to his country. "God has left me alive, so it looks like I'm needed for something... As soon as there is a possibility for me to return, I will return and will do everything I can to make life better in Ukraine. And today, the main task is to stop the war,'' he told Russian First channel. Shootings Yanukovich fled from Kyiv by helicopter after three days of shootings in which more than 100 civilians were killed. He later said he had fled because he feared for his life. He is still a hated figure in the capital and parts of central and western Ukraine where he is held responsible for the shootings. If he did suddenly return, it seems likely he would be arrested and put on trial. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Friday that phone records showed evidence of regular conversations between Yanukovich and Russia's security services which revealed a "clear Russian link" to the shootings. "They prepared for the shooting together in advance," Poroshenko was quoted as saying by Interfax, adding that a top aide of Russian President Vladimir Putin had directed "foreign sniper groups." Russia said that suggestions a Kremlin aide was behind some of the sniper killings was "nonsense." A peace deal was brokered by Germany and France this month in a bid to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine, but a cease-fire that came into force a week ago has already been breached.
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Russia to receive additional sanctions, says John Kerry in London by Rebecca Ratcliffe and agencies
US secretary of state condemns Russia’s ‘extraordinarily craven behaviour’ in breaching Ukraine ceasefire as he meets foreign secretary Philip Hammond
Further sanctions are set to be imposed on Russia in the coming days as the international community steps up pressure on Moscow over the crisis in Ukraine.
US secretary of state John Kerry, who held talks with foreign secretary Philip Hammond in London on Saturday, described Russia’s conduct as “simply unacceptable”.
Continue reading...Pro-Russia, Anti-Ukraine Rally Held in Moscowby webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News)
Russians have gathered in a central square in Moscow for what they call an "anti-Maidan" rally, vowing to prevent a pro-Western uprising like the one that took place in Ukraine's capital a year ago. Thousands of pro-Kremlin demonstrators turned out for Saturday's rally, voicing support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and criticizing Ukraine's pro-Western government. Many carried Russian flags or wore ribbons symbolizing their support for Russia. Relations between Ukraine and Russia have been strained since last year, when Russia annexed parts of eastern Ukraine and began supporting a pro-Russian insurgency inside Ukrainian borders.
 Версии.сом |
Киев готовится к «полномасштабной войне»
ИА REGNUM Заместитель министра иностранных дел Украины Вадим Пристайко заявил, что Киев готовится к «полномасштабной войне» с Россией. «Ставки очень высоки. Мы не хотим всех напугать, но мы готовимся к полномасштабной войне. Мы хотим, чтобы Канада отправила летальное ... Замглавы МИД Украины заявил о подготовке Киева к «полномасштабной войне»РБК Украина просит подготовить ее к полномасштабной войне с РоссиейВести.Ru Украина готовится к полномасштабной войнеРидус Пронедра -Mail.Ru -Диалог.UA - Всегда два мнения Все похожие статьи: 26 » |
 Комсомольская правда |
Представители ОБСЕ посетили Дебальцево
Росбалт.RU КИЕВ, 21 февраля. Миссия ОБСЕ получила гарантии безопасности от ополченцев и смогла посетить Дебальцево, сообщил в субботу пресс-секретарь Специальной мониторинговой миссии организации на Украине Майкл Бочуркив. "Мы попали в Дебальцево… Мы получили гарантии ... Мониторинговая миссия ОБСЕ посетила ДебальцевоРБК Наблюдатели ОБСЕ смогли попасть в ДебальцевоКомсомольская правда Наблюдатели ОБСЕ попали в ДебальцевоNEWSru.com Радиостанция ЭХО МОСКВЫ Все похожие статьи: 219 » |
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Top US, Iran Nuclear Officials Join Geneva Talksby webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News)
The top nuclear officials of Iran and the United States joined talks on Iran's nuclear program Saturday for the first time, stepping up efforts to reach a deal by a March 31 deadline. Iran's Atomic Energy Organization chief, Ali Akbar Salehi, and U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz traveled to Geneva to participate in the negotiations. Their presence was expected to help resolve ongoing technical disputes standing in the way of an agreement between Iran and the six world powers known as the P5+1. A deal between Iran and the group - made up of the U.S., Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia - would curb Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is flying to Geneva Sunday for two days of discussions with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif. Meeting the British foreign secretary in London Saturday ahead of the trip to Geneva, Kerry said the P5+1 remains united on Iran. "There is absolutely no divergence whatsover in what we believe is necessary for Iran to prove that its nuclear program is going to be peaceful in the future," he said. The latest talks come as a new report from the United Nations nuclear agency said it remains concerned about the possible existence of “undisclosed nuclear-related activities” in Iran that could include work linked to the development of a nuclear payload for a missile. But the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Iran is in compliance with some provisions of a nuclear agreement. Iranian state media reports quote Iran's IAEA ambassador, Reza Najafi, as saying the findings show his country’s “full transparency” and the peaceful nature of its program.
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At the start of a meeting with the British foreign secretary, Secretary of State John Kerry said Moscow had violated a cease-fire agreement.
The Greek Prime Minister declared victory after reaching a new loan deal with Germany but cautioned that the country has won “a battle, not the war”.
US Defense Chief: US 'Rethinking' Details of Afghanistan Mission by webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News)
The new U.S. defense secretary, Ashton Carter, says the United States is "rethinking details" of its counterterrorism mission in Afghanistan, including whether to slow down the withdrawal of U.S. troops, whose mission is changing from combat to training as Afghan troops take on responsibility for the fight against the Taliban. On his first trip abroad since becoming Pentagon chief earlier this week, Carter made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan Saturday, where he told reporters the United States is reassessing counterterrorism needs in the country. He said the issue is on the agenda when Afghan President Ashraf Ghani visits Washington next month. Carter said he is in Afghanistan to assess how to ensure long-term success of the U.S. mission there. He said U.S. President Barack Obama wants him to make his own assessment about the presence of U.S. troops in Afghanistan and has not ruled out slowing down the expected withdrawal of troops if necessary. Carter met with President Ghani, discussing both the drawdown and Afghan efforts to fight the Taliban. President Ghani told reporters that prospects for peace with the Taliban are better now than they have been in more than three decades, although he gave few details. He said "the direction is positive" but added he would not make "premature announcements." Carter is also scheduled to meet with U.S. troops during his visit. About 10,000 U.S. troops are in Afghanistan. Before taking office, Carter told the U.S. Senate he could reconsider plans to pull all U.S. forces out of Afghanistan by the end of the year. But he said that would depend on the security situation. He also said he would work with U.S. coalition partners to make sure the Islamic State militant group does not expand from the Middle East into Afghanistan.
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Courier Mail |
The Kremlin's Campaign to Make Friends
Newsweek It takes charm, a little anti-Americanism, a dollop of conservative family-values ideology, some visionary-leader atmospherics and, of course, money. Over recent years the Kremlin has been busy deploying all these tactics and more to attract, or in ... Opinion: Russia's defence spending and host of new friends sound a warningCourier Mail all 92 news articles » |
The Economist |
What Russia wants
The Economist Anti-Americanism had brought Stalinists and nationalists within the Communist Party closer together. When communism collapsed they united against Boris Yeltsin and his attempts to make Russia “normal”, by which he meant a Western-style free-market ... 5 Reasons Arming Ukraine Won't WorkThe National Interest Online Arming Ukraine: Obama's Diplomatic Bungle or Strategic Jiu-Jitsu?World Politics Review all 5,274 news articles » |
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Russia's aggression in Ukraine is part of a broader, and more dangerous ...
Business Insider Australia Anti-Americanism had brought Stalinists and nationalists within the Communist Party closer together. When communism collapsed they united against Boris Yeltsin and his attempts to make Russia “normal”, by which he meant a Western-style free-market ... |
Breitbart News |
Pro-Russian Allegiances Increase from Both European Left and Right
Breitbart News Additionally, anti-Americanism has reached a fever pitch in Russia. In fact, a recent poll found that over 80 percent of Russians view the United States negatively. The leaders within Europe's burgeoning political parties have alarmingly reached a ... Russia's aggression in Ukraine is part of a broader, and more dangerous ...Business Insider Australia all 2,248 news articles » |
President Obama, Our Naked Emperor
American Thinker (blog) It is no wonder our citizenry is losing all hope. Who will be the child who will have the courage to state the obvious? Our emperor has no clothes. He is an empty suit, intellectually challenged, and poisoned by a life molded by anti-Americanism. Share ... |
Newsweek |
The Kremlin's Campaign to Make Friends
Newsweek It takes charm, a little anti-Americanism, a dollop of conservative family-values ideology, some visionary-leader atmospherics and, of course, money. Over recent years the Kremlin has been busy deploying all these tactics and more to attract, or in ... US and New World Order: Why Ukraine Is Not a National Interest and ISIS (And ...Huffington Post Pro-Russian Allegiances Increase from Both European Left and RightBreitbart News Opinion: Russia's defence spending and host of new friends sound a warningCourier Mail The Guardian all 321 news articles » |
The fractured relationship between U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian leader Vladimir Putin has reached a critical juncture in the conflict over Ukraine, with ties between the two nations more strained than at any time since the Cold War.
The U.S. and Britain on Saturday discussed new sanctions against Russia as Ukraine's week-old cease-fire unravels, though it was unclear if the allies were on the same page about increasing pressure on an economy that means far more to Europe.
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La Sonnambula - Ah,non credea mirarti si presto estinto, o fiore: Report: EU 'Sleepwalked' Into Crisis With RussiaCallas sings La Sonnambula - Homoclassicus Uploaded on Sep 16, 2007 TRIBUTE TO MARIA CALLAS On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of her death, I made a slideshow with some of her most beautiful photos accompanied by her haunting interpretation of Amina...
Callas sings La Sonnambula - Homoclassicus Uploaded on Sep 16, 2007 TRIBUTE TO MARIA CALLAS On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of her death, I made a slideshow with some of her most beautiful photos accompanied by h...
Intelligence sharing between Russia and the United States regarding the Islamic State (IS) group is "quite possible," the head of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), Aleksandr Bortnikov, has said.FSB Chief: Intel Sharing With U.S. On IS Group 'Quite Possible' Friday February 20 th , 2015 at 9:40 PM Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty 1 Share Intelligence sharing between Russia and the United States regarding the Islamic State (IS) group is "quite po...
FSB Chief: Intel Sharing With U.S. On IS Group 'Quite Possible' Friday February 20th, 2015 at 9:40 PM Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty 1 Share Intelligence sharing between Russia and the United State...
The survival of the human race depends on space travel, says Stephen HawkingThe survival of the human race depends on space travel, says Stephen Hawking Friday February 20 th , 2015 at 10:10 PM News | Mail Online 1 Share Professor Hawking (pictured) was speaking at London's Science Museum. He said space travel is vital to the fut...
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"The arrival of Russia's spy chief in Washington creates new intrigue. Bortnikov is one of Russia's most influential men... Officially, Bortnikov is in the United States for two days to attend the White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism. There are no reports that he will attend any other talks while he is in the country, but we would be surprised if his agenda did not include sideline meetings. The decision to ask Bortnikov to the United States just as the cease-fire is starting to settle into place is critical. Putin trusts very few people to speak to the United States on his behalf — Bortnikov being one of them." - Stratfor | » Op-Ed Contributor: A Closer Look at the Ukraine Cease-Fire Agreement 19/02/15 10:16 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks: This new Minsk agreement is deeply flawed. It may well break down into a new spiral of deadly warfare, but it is all we have to avert further death and destruction. The West has no choice but to respond intelligently and assertively to Mr. Putin’s new strategy.Op-Ed Contributor: A Closer Look at the Ukraine Cease-Fire Agreement by By ADRIAN KARATNYCKY Thursday February 19 th , 2015 at 11:16 AM NYT > Europe 1 Share Even if the fragile truce in eastern Ukraine fails, it has allowed us to grasp Vladimir Putin's ...
Op-Ed Contributor: A Closer Look at the Ukraine Cease-Fire Agreement by By ADRIAN KARATNYCKY Thursday February 19th, 2015 at 11:16 AM NYT > Europe 1 Share Even if the fragile truce in eastern Ukraine ...
Marc Bennetts: How Putin is priming Russia for nuclear stand-off with the WestMarc Bennetts: How Putin is priming Russia for nuclear stand-off with the West Tuesday February 17 th , 2015 at 3:10 PM Comments On: Marc Bennetts: How Putin Is Priming Russia For Nuclear Stand-Off With The West 1 Share Earlier this month, as fighting rag...
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A letter to my little friend (copy to V.V. Bonaparte)A letter to my little friend (copy to V.V. Bonaparte) Your bloody Red Kanawa is to The River Stix what Hades is to the enraged juvenile delinquent fire setter animal torturer , Armstrong Creek vermin user-recruiter. Good old military school did not help you...
A letter to my little friend (copy to V.V. Bonaparte) Your bloody Red Kanawa is to The River Stix what Hades is to the enraged juvenile delinquent fire setter animal torturer, Armstrong Creek vermin user-recruiter. Good ol...
Can Russia Survive After Ukraine? - Daily Beast | » Putin's posture casts cloud over Ukraine ceasefire - Financial Times 17/02/15 12:42 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks | ‘Lead from behind’ strategy will plague the U.S. - John Bolton |Russia's Economy: Good, Bad, And Everything In Between - Forbes Tuesday February 17 th , 2015 at 1:25 PM Russia - Google News 1 Share Russia's Economy: Good, Bad, And Everything In Between Forbes Rosstat, Russia's state statistics service, just release...
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New US Defense Chief on First Official Visit to Afghanistan | »The arrival of Russia's spy chief in Washington creates new intrigue 21/02/15 05:16 from Mike Nova - Google+New US Defense Chief on First Official Visit to Afghanistan by webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) Saturday February 21 st , 2015 at 10:20 AM Voice Of America 1 Share The new U.S. defense secretary, Ashton Carter, arrived in Afghanistan early Saturday for a pr...
New US Defense Chief on First Official Visit to Afghanistanby webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) Saturday February 21st, 2015 at 10:20 AM Voice Of America 1 Share The new U.S. defense secretary, Ashton Ca...
Rudy Giuliani Said Obama Doesn't Love America - TIME | Mr. Obama’s verbal tactics have become a target for a growing chorus of critics who believe the evasive language is a sign that he is failing to look squarely at the threat from militant Islam. The vague phrasing, they say, projects uncertainty and weakness at a time when extremists claiming to fight for Islam threaten America and its interests around the world... “Self-deception is not a good idea in politics or international affairs. We’re lying to ourselves, and the world knows it”... “You cannot defeat an enemy that you do not admit exists,” Michael T. Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general and director of the Defense Intelligence Agency from 2012 to 2014, told a House hearing last week. “I really, really strongly believe that the American public needs and wants moral, intellectual and really strategic clarity and courage on this threat.” - Faulted for Avoiding ‘Islamic’ Labels to Describe Terrorism, White House Cites a Strategic Logic - NYT | Saudi cleric says Earth doesn’t revolve around Sun | Russian Army returns to Latin AmericaFaulted for Avoiding ‘Islamic’ Labels to Describe Terrorism, White House Cites a Strategic Logic Thursday February 19 th , 2015 at 1:05 PM 1 Share WASHINGTON — President Obama chooses his words with particular care when he addresses the volatile connect...
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Intelligence sharing between Russia and the United States regarding the Islamic State (IS) group is "quite possible," the head of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), Aleksandr Bortnikov, has said.FSB Chief: Intel Sharing With U.S. On IS Group 'Quite Possible' Friday February 20 th , 2015 at 9:40 PM Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty 1 Share Intelligence sharing between Russia and the United States regarding the Islamic State (IS) group is "quite po...
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When Americans Lynched Mexicans - NYTimes.comWhen Americans Lynched Mexicans - NYTimes.com Friday February 20 th , 2015 at 3:48 PM 1 Share Continue reading the main story THE recent release of a landmark report on the history of lynching in the United States is a welcome contribution to the strugg...
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The new Cold War: Vladimir Putin issues new threat - Mail Online: Military chiefs have warned that Britain has entered a new Cold War with Russia, as Vladimir Putin vows to step up military modernisation with hundreds of new combat jets and missiles. | Putin the Improviser - WSJReligion's Role in the History of Ideas Saturday February 21 st , 2015 at 12:57 PM WSJ.Com: World News 1 Share Wesleyan President Michael Roth on the importance of understanding religious experience—and the difficulty teaching it. Police: Suspect in Vegas...
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Online gambling is an “extremely easy” method of money laundering, according to an online security researcher. Intel Security Europe CTO Raj Samani (pictured) told the recent NED (Cyber Network Exploitation and Defense) ...
19-year-old accused of murdering Vegas woman after possible road rage incident, told friends heshot 22 times
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Rather, the most offensive thing about Obama’s “extremism” summit was that the “dog and pony show” (as it was called by no less a liberal than MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell) was meant to be a substantive response to the horrific terror attacks last month in Paris at the offices of the Charlie Hebdo newspaper and at a kosher supermarket before the Jewish Sabbath. Instead it was just more of the same limp prevarication from Obama, as if the surge of terror had never happened.
It is instructive to remember that Obama’s response to Sep. 11, 2001 was to cast the attacks as “a fundamental absence of empathy on the part of the attackers: an inability to imagine, or connect with, the humanity and suffering of others,” an absence that “grows out of a climate of poverty and ignorance, helplessness and despair.” Not a mass murder motivated by a specific religious ideology. Not an act of war requiring more than “dismantling” the groups who did it.
Obama is governing the country from within a Sep. 10 mindset—one that sees terror as a matter of law enforcement, rather than war. The fact that mistakes have been made in the conduct of that war does not change the fact that it is a war. Obama’s refusal to acknowledge that reality has led to retreat after retreat. Today, the U.S. is arguably in a weaker position than on Sep. 10, 2001—and Obama’s repeated obfuscations are making America weaker still.
Senior Editor-at-Large Joel B. Pollak edits Breitbart California and is the author of the new ebook,Wacko Birds: The Fall (and Rise) of the Tea Party, available for Amazon Kindle.
Follow Joel on Twitter: @joelpollak
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The CEO of the right-of-center publication Newsmax reportedly pledged $1 million to the Clinton Foundation, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
Chris Ruddy, the Newsmax CEO, has reportedly been “friends with the Clintons since 2007″ and “last year pledged $1 million to the Clinton Foundation over a five-year period.”
Ruddy told the Journal through a spokesman that though he felt Hillary Clinton would “make a great presidential candidate,” the donation was not an endorsement.
Lsat year, as Bloomberg News noted in its profile of him, Ruddy launched “NewsmaxTV, a 24-hour cable news channel that will be, he says, a kinder, gentler Fox.”
“Our goal is to be a little more boomer-oriented, more information-based rather than being vituperative and polarizing,” Ruddy told the outlet.
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Obama’s ‘See No Evil’ Islam
New York Post
Speaking at an Iranian-American Community symposium, an obviously frustrated former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani posed a rhetorical question to his audience.
Citing attack after attack in which Westerners have been murdered—from 9/11 to Fort Hood to Paris—Giuliani noted each involved “a movement the president of the United States will not recognize”—radical Islam. He then queried: “What is wrong with him?”
Concerning President Obama’s “see-no-evil” in Islam agenda, Giuliani should also have queried, “What is wrong with those in government supporting this irresponsible position?”
Despite loyalty to their boss, it is maddening to see Obama’s subordinates, from the Vice President on down, all of whom are charged with protecting our national security, unfazed by his unwillingness to label today’s terrorism as radical Islam.
As one pundit observed, “You cannot fight what you refuse to name… and you cannot win against something that you will not fight.” This is the weak link in Obama’s anti-terrorism policy—with no one else in authority willing to call it what it is.
Unsurprisingly, this approach generated incredulous comments last week from two Obama minions who remain clueless as to what we are fighting.
The White House response to the January 7th Charlie Hebdo attack was to announce it would hold a “Summit on Countering Violent Extremism” (SCVE). Its focus would be “to highlight domestic and international efforts to prevent violent extremists and their supporters from radicalizing, recruiting, or inspiring individuals or groups in the United States and abroad to commit acts of violence”—all of which are elements of radical Islam. Yet, nowhere in the 295-word announcement was “Islam” mentioned.
While the announcement suggests “generic” violent extremism exists, one is hard-pressed to name a singularly more dominant violent extremist influence other than radical Islam.
The SCVE kicked off as a clueless Vice President Biden suggested what is needed to stop extremism is ensuring immigrants are fully included in American society so violent ideologies cannot take root domestically.
Yet not one person present offered that Islam specifically prohibits assimilation by Muslim immigrants—as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan preaches.
Thus, the problem is not Americans or Europeans failing to include Muslim immigrants, but Muslim immigrants excluding them, creating the fertile soil for violent extremism to take root.
Also on Obama’s “see-no-evil” in Islam team is a U.S. State Department that believes the best way to fight ISIS is with jobs.
Queried on MSNBC by “Hardball”’s Chris Matthews about ISIS, State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf noted:
We’re killing a lot of them, and we’re going to keep killing more of them…But we cannot win this war by killing them…We need…to go after the root causes that leads people to join these groups, whether it’s lack of opportunity for jobs…We can work with countries around the world to help improve their… economies so they can have job opportunities for these people…
She should have stopped with “we’re going to keep killing more of them.” Everything else was simplistically foolish. She ignores the fact that thousands of Muslims have left jobs to join ISIS.
Unemployment does not beget ISIS followers; radical Islam begets them. And, specifically as to ISIS, “killing them” IS the ONLY solution.
Obama spoke at the SCVE—for the first time mentioning “Islam” and “terrorism” in the same breath—but still rejecting any linkage.
“We are not at war with Islam,” Obama said. “We are at war with people who have perverted Islam.” Militants, he suggests, are simply terrorists masquerading as Islamic religious leaders.
Sadly, Obama believes all Muslims are incapable of violent extremism which, when it happens, is a “perversion” of Islam. But what Obama calls a “perversion” is really a license to kill non-Muslims some interpret to be granted by the Quran to every Muslim. Some choose to exercise it; most do not.
As Obama clings to this belief, Islamic doctrine is taught to future generations of Muslims who will continue their fight in a war not being fought against them.
A February 17th LA Times op-ed by Obama suggested ISIS recruits young followers by successfully exploiting their anger over having “no chance of improving their lives.” Making no mention Islam’s teachings have created this environment, he admonishes the rest of the world for failing to offer them something better (while charging all religions with generating hatred).
Islam is a “never-ending story” generating hate-filled followers, yet Obama seeks a never-ending solution from their victims.
The State Department maintains a list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) around the world, to which additions or deletions are made as necessary.
Currently, 59 FTOs are listed. Obama might do well to review that list as 45 (76%) have Islamic links. It might give him pause to consider the cause of violent extremism is not “perverted” Islam but Islam itself.
Lt. Colonel James G. Zumwalt, USMC (Ret.), is a retired Marine infantry officer who served in the Vietnam war, the U.S. invasion of Panama and the first Gulf war. He is the author of “Bare Feet, Iron Will–Stories from the Other Side of Vietnam’s Battlefields,” “Living the Juche Lie: North Korea’s Kim Dynasty” and “Doomsday: Iran–The Clock is Ticking.” He frequently writes on foreign policy and defense issues.
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Federal agents arrested 17 suspected members of a Mexican Zetas cartel cell operating in Texas. Members of the cell moved massive quantities of of drugs from the Texas border city of Laredo to Dallas, Texas. The U.S. federal agencies involved in the task force ranged from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service, all the way to the U.S. Border Patrol. Eleven accused members of the group were arrested in Laredo and two were arrested near Dallas. Four others were already in custody on other charges, information released to Breitbart Texas by the U.S. Attorney’s Office revealed.
The charges against them come from a federal indictment that a grand jury handed down earlier this month under seal and it was partially unsealed following the arrests.
The group, which is led by 43-year-old Erasmo Trejo Nava, is accused of multiple drug conspiracy and money laundering charges starting on June 2011.
While the court records on the new charges are still not available, according to court records from a previous charge on Trejo Nava, he would own properties near the Rio Grande which were used as stash houses from cartel mules that would bring ton quantities of marijuana. As Breitbart Texaspreviously reported, the area just south of the Rio Grande has little to offer as far as physical barriers making it very easy for Zeta cartel mules to get their drugs into the American side.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Trejo Nava’s group moved those large quantities of narcotics to Dallas and then in return moved large quantities of bulk cash from Dallas to Laredo and then over the river into the Zetas-controlled Mexican city of Nuevo Laredo.
Nuevo Laredo is considered by Mexican officials to be one of the main strongholds of the Zetas cartel, a ruthless criminal organization that, in addition to drug trafficking, is known for its ultra-violent executions that include beheadings, dissolving victims’ bodies in barrels of acid, and skinning the faces off of enemies.
A federal agent who works under the umbrella of Customs and Border Protection spoke with Breitbart Texas on the condition of anonymity. The agent stated, “Due to the region involved, any large narcotics trafficking cell is going to be Los Zetas. They control the region with an iron fist. The refusal on the part of the federal government to name Los Zetas in their press releases on these matters is akin to the Obama administration refusing to name radical Islam in terrorist acts or identify the beheaded Egyptians as Christians. This cell was undoubtedly Los Zetas, just as any large narcotics ring in the RGV Sector is undoubtedly the Gulf cartel, and any large trafficking ring in the Tucson sector is undoubtedly the Sinaloa Federation.” The agent continued, “If we continue refusing to identify who we are fighting, how can we ever possibly win?”
The suspected Zetas are:
Erasmo Trejo Nava, 43, Laredo, Texas
Gerardo Moreno Recio, 46, Laredo Texas
-Jaime Enrique Montalvo Ruiz, 44, Laredo Texas
-Felipe Gonzalez Flores, 46, Laredo Texas
-Jose Angel Trejo 42, Laredo Texas
-Salvador Saldana Medrano, 36, Laredo Texas
-Baltazar Ibarra Cardona, 54 Laredo Texas
-Ricardo Ramirez, 33, Laredo Texas
-Raquel Margarita Ramos Jimenez, 43, Laredo Texas
-Leslie Bernice Trejo, 22, Laredo Texas
-Victor Hugo Trejo Nava, 41, Nuevo Laredo Tamaulipas
-Joshua Sanchez, 32, Nuevo Laredo Tamaulipas
-Erika Alvarez, 38, Nuevo Laredo Tamaulipas
-Arturo Lozano, 47, Grand Prairies Texas
-Leocadio Ruiz, 47, Cedar Hill Texas
Juan Manuel Vargas Aguilar 45, Mexico
Mario Alberto Rodriguez, 28, Mexico
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In a segment that aired on “CNN Newsroom” Friday, CNN’s Carol Costello talked of a Department of Homeland Security report that warns of “right-wing” terrorism.
“ISIS isn’t the only threat for Americans. According to an intelligence report by the Department of Homeland Security, authorities are also concerned about right-wing citizen extremists here in the United States,” Costello said. “That may be in some cases more dangerous than foreign Islamic terror groups. Evan Pérez has been looking into this.”
CNN justice reporter Evan Pérez continued by elaborating on this so-called terror threat.
“We’re talking about sovereign citizens,” Pérez said. “These are people around the country who believe that the federal government and even state government doesn’t have any authority over them. There was a case in 2012 in which a father and son were pulled over for a traffic infraction and decided to start shooting against police officers. There was later a shootout in which two police officers were killed. We have pictures of a couple of the suspects here. Brian Smith and Kyle Joekel are their names in Louisiana. This is something that law enforcement around the country is worried about simply because they never know when they might encounter these people just simply by doing their jobs, for example, enforcing traffic laws or serving a warrant. And this is something that the FBI has focused on.”
Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poor
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The police force made the announcement humorously on its Facebook page, as the temperature dropped to minus 17 degrees.
“HPD has issued an arrest warrant for Queen Elsa of Ardenelle,” reads the post. “The suspect is a blonde female last seen wearing a long blue dress and is known to burst into song ‘Let it Go,'” it continued.
Along with the light-hearted announcement, the department issued a reminder to residents so take proper precautions during the winter storm. “As you can see by the weather she is very dangerous. Do not attempt to apprehend her alone,” it reads.
According to The Daily Mail, the post received more than 5,500 likes in a 24-hour period.
While the continued weather is sure to spoil the upcoming weekend for many Kentuckians, it has not frozen their sense of humor.
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