Who are the al-Jazeera three - and why were they imprisoned?
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Journalists Peter Greste, Mohammed Fahmy, and Baher Mohamed became pawns in a wider political game after the overthrow of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi
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As Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed are pardoned months after Peter Greste's deportation, we look at how the "Al Jazeera three" ended up in prison
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The two reporters for the Qatar-based television network had been sentenced to three years in prison after they were convicted for disseminating false news.
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The internal feuds also raise broader questions about European unity.
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The Tirah Valley is home to some of the world’s most sought-after hashish, but trouble looms.
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Pope Francis visits the White House on Wednesday,
Egypt has agreed to buy two Mistral-class warships from France, the French government said Wednesday, announcing its second military sale to the economically-strapped country this year.
Putin Opens Moscow’s Most Elaborate Mosqueby By NEIL MacFARQUHAR
The opening is a singular event for the city, where attacks by Muslim extremists have generated a wave of animosity toward the faith that has never entirely ebbed.
Chechen leader and Instagram king Ramzan Kadyrov is vulgar, vicious and very rich. Is he out of control, or just the kind of blunt instrument the Russian president likes to have around?
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On 27 February this year, Boris Nemtsov took his girlfriend out to dinner near Red Square. Nemtsov was 55, greying but boyish. He had served briefly as Russia’s deputy prime minister in the late 1990s, but thereafter had been in perpetual opposition. As Vladimir Putin’s grip on power strengthened, Nemtsov’s weakened. But he kept fighting, running for elections and exposing corruption and mismanagement. In February, he was investigating evidence that, despite Kremlin denials, Russian soldiers were fighting in Ukraine.
Ramzanism is almost the ur-expression of Putinism: equal parts bling, violence, nationalism, kleptocracy and religion
Kadyrov is vulgar, venal, vicious, venerated and very rich: somewhere between Uday Hussein and the Notorious B.I.G.
Any woman would dream of being his wife, even the fourth. He’s healthy, strong, not poor. He could support a family well
Kadyrov was constantly on his feet, urging his fighters on. They rewarded him after each bout with a cuddle
Putin’s system can be flexible, and sometimes smart. There are times one needs someone like Kadyrov to do dirty things
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 РИА Новости |
США хотят убедиться, что Россия в Сирии борется с ИГ
РИА Новости Москва не раз заявляла о том, что передаваемые сирийской армии вооружения предназначены для противодействия террористической угрозе. Улица с развешанными сирийскими флагами в городе Хомс. Архивное фото. © РИА Новости. Игорь Лоцман | Купить иллюстрацию. Белый дом: США должны быть уверены в действиях России в СирииГазета.Ru США заинтересовала готовность России бороться с ИГLenta.ru США заявили о заинтересованности в посылаемых Россией сигналах о готовности бороться с ИГВзгляд НТВ.ru Все похожие статьи: 165 » |
 Life News |
Москва готовится к открытию самой большой мусульманской святыни Европы
Life News В преддверии праздника Курбан-Байрам свои двери для прихожан откроет отреставрированная Соборная мечеть на проспекте Мира. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. Ожидается, что на сегодняшнюю торжественную церемонию приедут первые лица нашей страны, а также дружественных мусульманских ... В Москве сегодня торжественно открывается отстроенная заново Большая соборная мечетьРадиостанция ЭХО МОСКВЫ Московская соборная мечеть торжественно откроет двери для посетителейРИА Новости Москва и мусульманеРадио Свобода Все похожие статьи: 205 » |
Obama, Xi to Meet Amid 'Difficult Atmosphere'by webdesk@voanews.com (Aru Pande)
From cyber security to the South China Sea, President Barack Obama will welcome his Chinese counterpart to the White House amid U.S. concerns about China’s behavior in a range of areas. “Xi Jinping is coming here amidst the most difficult atmosphere in U.S.-China relations that any Chinese leader has faced in a major visit to the United States,” said Robert Daly, director of the Wilson Center’s Kissinger Institute on China and the U.S. Daly said there are questions on the American side about China’s long-term intentions, the nature of Xi’s government, “about whether or not it is aiming to challenge the United States regionally and nationally, and whether it is planning to challenge the world order.” These concerns have prompted some critics of the administration to question whether Friday’s state visit should even be happening. But deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said the U.S. policy of sustained engagement with Chinese leadership is critical. "This is the most consequential bilateral relationship in the world, given the breadth of issues on which the United States and China have common interests, or at times have differences,” Rhodes said in a press call on Tuesday. China in cyber space The talks come in the aftermath of a cyber attack that compromised the information of more than 21 million Americans — a breach blamed on China. In an interview published Tuesday in The Wall Street Journal, Xi said China also has been a victim of hacking and denied any governmental role in stealing business data. "The Chinese government does not engage in theft of commercial secrets in any form, nor does it encourage or support Chinese companies to engage in such practices in any way," Xi wrote. Obama last week told U.S. business leaders that China’s behavior in cyber space would be one of the main topics during his talks Friday with Xi. Obama said he understands intelligence-gathering functions that all states engage in, including attempts by China to obtain state secrets or meeting transcripts. “We understand you're going to be trying to do that. That is fundamentally different from your government or its proxies engaging directly in industrial espionage and stealing trade secrets, stealing proprietary information from companies,” Obama said. “That, we consider an act of aggression that has to stop.” Obama has raised such concerns as far back June 2013, when the two leaders met in California. David Lampton, director of China Studies at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, said the credibility of the Obama administration is affected by how long it allows itself to be pushed back. “I think we need to make some progress on these issues or we are going to have to think about how to articulate our interests in a more effective way,” Lampton said. Among the options: countervailing actions, such as economic sanctions. Rhodes said that while the administration’s preference is dialogue and diplomacy, “we would be prepared, if necessary, to pursue sanctions as a tool if we felt that there was a case that merited that type of punitive action.” South China Sea Another area where some would like to see more assertive U.S. action is in the South China Sea, where Beijing has been creating artificial islands in waters where other countries have overlapping claims. The Wilson’s Center Daly said the United States should conduct freedom-of-navigation cruises within 12 nautical miles of China’s man-made islands to send a clear message to Beijing. “There can be a new normal in which we put down markers and assert our navigational rights or a new normal in which we don’t. And that is acceding to Chinese wishes,” Daly said. White House officials emphasized that the United States has a global freedom-of-navigation program it conducts around the world, including in the South China Sea. Dan Kritenbrink, the National Security Council’s senior director for Asian affairs, said the U.S. military intends to operate “anywhere and at any time” it is allowed to do so under international law. “Our goal is to support and sustain the liberal rules-based order, and that applies on maritime issues,” Kritenbrink said in a press call. “We are looking to uphold these larger principles of international law, such as freedom of navigation, freedom of overflight, unimpeded lawful commerce and peaceful resolution of disputes.” Engagement Despite significant differences on certain issues, White House officials emphasize areas where the United States and China have collaborated, including on climate change in advance of the U.N. conference in December. “As the two biggest emitters, our ability to work together is what unlocks the possibility of reaching that type of agreement,” Rhodes said. “On Iran, China was instrumental in reaching the P5+1 agreement. On North Korea, I think we have seen in recent years an increasing Chinese willingness to understand that we need to be underscoring the necessity of denuclearization and, as necessary, applying pressure on the North Korean regime.” The Wilson Center’s Daly agreed that differences should not be a reason for disengagement. “I think engagement remains extremely important and has to be the cornerstone of the relationship," he said. "We do not have the option of ignoring or isolating China.” But while Obama looks to frankly convey U.S. concerns, analysts say Xi will most likely be concerned with how the visit plays out on television sets back home.
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Report: China Inks Deal to Buy 300 Boeing Jetsby webdesk@voanews.com (Associated Press)
Chinese companies have agreed with Boeing to buy 300 jets and build an aircraft assembly plant in China in deals signed during President Xi Jinping's visit to the United States, the official Xinhua news agency said Wednesday. China Aviation Supplies Holding, ICBC Financial Leasing and China Development Bank Leasing inked the jet purchase agreement after Xi's arrival in Seattle, Xinhua said. It did not give details of the plane models involved or the deal's value. State-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, which is better known as COMAC, also signed a cooperation agreement with the U.S. plane maker to build a 737 aircraft assembly center in China. Xi is due to visit Boeing's Paine Field assembly plant during the Seattle leg of his trip before moving on to Washington, D.C. to meet President Barack Obama. Matching Airbus's presence The assembly plant would be Boeing's first in China and signals its attempt to match its European rival Airbus's Chinese presence as the two rivals step up their efforts to win more business in the country's lucrative aircraft market. Airbus opened its first assembly line outside of Europe in 2008 with a Tianjin facility that turns out four A320 aircraft per month. In July, Airbus signed a deal for a second completion and delivery center for A330 jets. Boeing sold a record 155 airplanes last year to customers in China and so far this year a quarter of its jets have been delivered there. The company predicts that over the next two decades China will overtake the U.S. as the world's biggest plane market with demand for 6,330 new airplanes worth an estimated $950 billion. China's state planning agency also signed an agreement with Boeing to promote cooperation in the aviation industry, Xinhua said.
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The Guardian |
Veteran Russian journalist slams media standards
The Guardian If Russian journalism has a patron saint, his name is Yasen Zasursky. The 85-year-old headed the Moscow State University journalism department for more than 40 years before becoming its president emeritus in 2007. A long list of respected journalists ... and more » |
Russia continues to resist MH17 probe
9news.com.au As authorities investigating the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight 17 prepare to brief the families of victims on their findings, the Russian Federation is continuing to resist efforts to establish an international tribunal to bring the perpetrators ... and more » |
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Reuters |
Russia pledges counter measures if US upgrades nuclear arms in Germany
Reuters MOSCOW Russia would be forced to take counter measures to restore the balance of power in Europe if media reports that the United States plans to upgrade its nuclear presence in Germany are true, President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said on ... U.S. To Station Nuclear Weapons In Germany Against Russia [REPORT]ValueWalk Russia pledges counter measures if United States upgrades nuclear arms in GermanyStuff.co.nz US Will Station New Nuclear Weapons in Germany Against RussiaCenter for Research on Globalization International Business Times all 21 news articles » |
RT |
Russia's imports from non-CIS countries down 39%
RT Food imports from outside the former Soviet Union were down 3 percent at $1.8 billion. Russiaimported fruit and nuts worth $221 million. Chemicals were down almost 10 percent in the first 8 months of the year, at $2.5 billion. Russia's pharmaceutical ... Russian Imports Plunge 39 Percent as Recession Takes HoldThe Moscow Times (registration) all 5 news articles » |
Reuters |
Russia may put missiles in Kaliningrad if US upgrades nuclear arms in Germany ...
Reuters MOSCOW Russia may deploy Iskander ballistic missiles to its enclave of Kaliningrad if the United States upgrades its nuclear weapons in Germany, the Interfax news agency cited a military source as saying on Wednesday. "A final decision well be taken ... and more » |
Aljazeera.com (blog) |
Russia opens huge new mosque ahead of Eid holiday
Aljazeera.com (blog) Russian President Vladimir Putin has been joined by the Turkish and Palestinian leaders at the ceremonial opening of the Russian capital's new main mosque after 10 years of construction work. The $170m mosque - entirely funded by private donations ... Grand Mosque Opens In Russia Where Majority Of People Believe Islam Is ...International Business Times Islam in Russia: Caught between acceptance and rejectionDeutsche Welle all 99 news articles » |
The Hill (blog) |
How Russia proves it's 'right,' one scapegoat at a time
The Hill (blog) Sentsov was arrested by agents of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) at his home in disputed Crimea, accused of plotting, along with his alleged co-conspirator Alexander Kolchenko, to blow up a statue of Vladimir Lenin. In addition to conspiracy ... |
 Wall Street Journal |
These new satellite images show how Russia is expanding its military presence ...
Washington Post Russia is continuing to expand its military presence in Syria according to new satellite images released Tuesday. The images, distributed by IHS Janes, a defense analysis organization, show that Russia is placing equipment at two facilities north of a ... Russia Expands Military Presence in Syria, Satellite Photos ShowWall Street Journal Russia's Syria military build-up is self-protection - KerryBBC News Russian jets in Syria mean no-fly zone is 'out of the question', warn expertsTelegraph.co.uk Mashable |
all 3,961 news articles »
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 CNN |
The Economist explains
The Economist (blog) IN THE past few days, Russia has sharply beefed up its military presence in Syria. Reports from American officials (denied by the Russian authorities) state that it now has at least 28 warplanes deployed at an airbase outside Latakia on the Syrian coast. Russia launches drones in SyriaCNN Photos: Russia's forward operating base in Syria is growing at a rapid paceBusiness Insider Russia funds Moscow conference for US, EU and Ukraine separatists |
all 1,710 news articles »
 Daily Beast |
Russian Soldiers: Dont Send Me to Syria
Daily Beast A group of Russian contract soldiers have refused to go on “an assignment,” as their army command referred to it in the papers they received about their secret deployment. The document did not have any return date. To their astonishment, the soldiers ... and more » |
 ValueWalk |
Pentagon Plans To Go To War With Russia
ValueWalk The Pentagon is going through re-evaluation of its Cold War era-old military plans amid deteriorating relations between Russia and the U.S. after Moscow has taken sudden interest in Syria earlier this month. The U.S. Defense Department feels the need ... and more » |
 CNN |
Is Russia preparing to move troops to 2 new Syria bases?
CNN That chimes with an assessment provided to CNN by a U.S. official earlier this week that Russia has more than 25 fighter and attack aircraft, 15 helicopters, nine tanks, three surface-to-air missile systems and at least 500 personnel on the ground |
These new satellite images show how Russia is expanding its military presence...Washington Post
Russia Expands Military Presence in Syria, Satellite Photos ShowWall Street Journal
Russia's Syria military build-up is self-protection - KerryBBC News
Telegraph.co.uk-Mashable-The Guardian
all 3,966 news articles »
 The Guardian |
Russian vetoes are putting UN security council's legitimacy at risk, says US
The Guardian Russia has used its veto powers four times to block resolutions on Syria that Moscow sees as damaging to its ally, the regime of Bashar al-Assad. It has also forestalled common action on Ukraine where it is a party to the conflict, having annexed ... UN Security Council would lose relevance without Russia's veto – ChurkinRT all 8 news articles » |
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu moved swiftly late Tuesday to appoint replacements described as independents.
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“You’ve got to make up your mind”, Mustafa Dzhemilev said. “You’re either at war, or you’re trading with the enemy.” The leader of the Crimean Tatars, 71, was dwarfed by the lorries lined up behind him at the Chaplynka border crossing.
Investment treaty between China and U.S. key business goalby Gene Johnson and Phuong Le
SEATTLE (AP) — When Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses a meeting of some of the top names in Chinese and American business Wednesday, they may be most interested what he says about progress toward a treaty between the nations that would provide a framework for broader investment in each other's ...
Multiple senior Iranian officials have vowed in recent weeks to violate the recently inked nuclear accord that aims to constrain the Islamic Republic’s contested nuclear enrichment program, according to multiple comments by top Iranian leaders.
Iranian leaders, including President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, have said that the country has “no intention” of abiding by a United Nations Security Council Resolution that encompasses the deal and other restrictions on Tehran’s rogue activities, according to these comments.
These officials said that Iran views the recent Iranian nuclear deal secured in Vienna as separate from the resolution endorsing the deal and further prohibiting Iran from developing advanced ballistic missiles and purchasing other types of arms, according to the Middle East Media Research Institute, or MEMRI, which issued a report compiling recent statements by Iran.
The agreement, which was made earlier this year, is a non-binding set of resolutions focused on Iran’s nuclear program. The deal was transferred to the United Nations and officially endorsed as UNSRC 2231.
The accord itself “is not a contract between Iran and the P5+1 countries as a group or any single one of them, and hence no document was signed,” MEMRI noted.
Senior Iranian leaders have expressed opposition to the formal resolution adopted by the U.N. and say the country will not abide by any further restrictions on its ballistic missile development.
“President Hassan Rouhani, Foreign Minister Zarif, and Deputy Foreign Minister and senior negotiator Abbas Araghchi emphasized that Iran has no intention of abiding by UNSRC 2231, which includes the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] and another element; rather, that they will abide only by the original JCPOA,” which is a nonbinding international agreement, according to MEMRI.
Araghchi said Iran would violate the U.N. resolution formalizing the deal.
When asked in a recent interview whether Iran can violate that agreement, Araqchi responded, “Yes we can; just as we refrained from complying with UN Security Council resolutions, we can do so with regards to 2231.”
He also said this would not technically violate the non-binding and unsigned nuclear agreement reached earlier this year in Vienna.
“The Iranian Foreign Ministry statement explicitly noted that Iran does not attach legitimacy to any restriction and any threat,” Araqchi said. “If UNSCR 2231 will be violated by Iran, it will be a violation of the Security Council resolution and not of the JCPOA, similar to what happened 10 years ago when we violated Security Council resolutions and nothing happened.”
“The text of the JCPOA notes the fact that the content of the JCPOA and of the U.N. Security Council resolution are two separate things,” he claimed.
Rouhani has issued similar statements about Iran’s intentions to disregard the U.N. resolution formalizing the deal. Rouhani took particular exception to restrictions on Iran’s missile program.
“There is nothing about the topic of missiles, defense, and weapons in the JCPOA,” Rouhani said late last month. “Whatever we have about it is in Resolution [UNSCR] 2231.”
“Moreover, we have formally announced that we are not committed to all the sections that appear in the resolution [2231], and we specified in the JCPOA that violation of the resolution [2231] does not mean violation of the JCPOA,” Rouhani said, explaining Tehran’s interpretation of the accord.
Zarif has also claimed that Iran can violate U.N. measures without repercussions.
“There is a difference between the JCPOA and UNSCR 2231. Violating the JCPOA has consequences, while violating UNSCR 2231 has no consequences,” he was quoted as saying last month.
It is unclear whether the Obama administration shares this interpretation of the agreement and subsequent U.N. resolution.
Araqchi has maintained that while the United States sought to include the missile restrictions in the document solidified in Vienna, it failed due to Iranian opposition.
“The Americans sought their inclusion in the JCPOA, claiming that otherwise they could not face criticism from Arab countries in the region,” he said. “When they said that they could not lift the sanctions altogether, we told them explicitly that in that case there is no agreement.”
“We told them that the national security issues are non-negotiable and that we will not accept an agreement which continues the embargo on weapons and the sanctions on missile development,” he added. “In the end, the Americans said, ‘We will put the issue of the embargo and the missiles in the U.N. Security Council Resolution separate from the agreement.’”
The post Iran Promises to Violate Nuke Deal appeared first on Washington Free Beacon.
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A group of U.S.-trained rebels that recently returned to Syria says it is investigating reports that one of its members has defected and handed over his weapons to the al-Qaida affiliate in the country.
Investigators Find Emails Hillary Clinton Said Were Erasedby By MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT
The F.B.I. recovered work-related and personal emails from the server Hillary Rodham Clinton used as secretary of state, two officials said, but it was not clear if all 60,000 emails were found.
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
Turkish jets targeted Kurdish positions in northern Iraq late yesterday, hitting a facility being used as an “education and logistics” hub by PKK militants. [Reuters]
A senior ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al-Turkmani was killed by a coalition airstrike two weeks ago in northern Iraq, the Pentagon said yesterday. [New York Times’ Helene Cooper]
Retired Marine Gen John R Allen will resign later this fallas the Obama administration’s envoy to the international coalition against the Islamic State, US officials say. [Defense One’s Kevin Baron]
Former CIA director David Petraeus called for a stronger US military effort in Syria, during testimony before a Senate committee yesterday, accusing the Obama administration of failing to build sufficient military leverage against Assad to bring about a political solution to the conflict. [New York Times]
Russia appears to have developed two additional bases at Syrian military facilities close to the Mediterranean coast, the latest expansion of its military presence in that country. [Wall Street Journal’s Dion Nissenbaum and Carol E. Lee]
Secretary of State John Kerry said Russia’s increased military support of the Assad regime risksconfrontation with coalition forces battling the Islamic State in Syria. [Reuters]
The commander of one of the US-trained Syrian rebels groups may have defected to al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch, the Nusra Front, reports Michael Weiss. Officials at the Pentagon, Central Command and the State Department all said they were unaware of defections among Division 30. [The Daily Beast]
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has praised the progress made by the panel charged with establishing a mechanism to investigate the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian conflict. [UN News Centre]
Russia’s involvement in Syria is about “power projection,” and establishing its own long-term role in the Middle East, not about assisting Assad to the win the war, suggest Jeffrey Mankoff and Andrew Bowen, at Foreign Policy.
“In Syria, where there often seem to be only bad options, helping the Syrian Kurds fight the Islamic State should be a no-brainer.” David Ignatius discusses White House “dithering,” at the Washington Post.
“With more people fleeing conflict and disaster than at any time since World War II, renewed leadership is required.” Head of the International Rescue Committee, David Miliband, suggests how the US can welcome refugees, in an op-ed at the New York Times.
YEMEN
Yemen’s exiled President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi has returned to his war-stricken country, according to a statement from his government; the leader was forced to leave six months ago. [New York Times’ Shuaib Almosawa and Kareem Fahim]
President Hadi arrived in the port city of Aden, and said that his return to Sana’a “will be soon after liberating all of Yemen’s cities and provinces from the coup militia,” the Saudi Press Agency reported. [Wall Street Journal’s Mohammed Al-Kibsi and Asa Fitch]
“What made Awlaki such a compelling figure for so many extremists? He was charismatic and glib, but the key was his fluent English.” Max Boot discusses AQAP and the prominence it gained from the late Anwar al-Awlaki. [Wall Street Journal]
GUANTÁNAMO BAY
A Saudi detainee and longtime hunger striker has been released by the military. Never charged with a crime, Abdul Rahman Shalabi was brought to Camp X-Ray the day it opened as a suspected bodyguard of Osama Bin Laden. [Miami Herald’s Carol Rosenberg]
Detainee Abd al Hadi has fired his two Pentagon-appointed lawyers, bringing to a halt the one war-court case that had appeared to be progressing toward trial. Hadi is accused of commanding al-Qaeda’s troops in Afghanistan that carried out war crimes following the US invasion in 2001. [Miami Herald’s Carol Rosenberg]
US-CHINA RELATIONS
China has committed to engaging in “high-level joint dialogue” with the US on tackling cybercrime. Chinese President Xi Jingping called for a “new model of major country relationship” between the two states, during a keynote address in Seattle yesterday on the first day of a week-long US visit. [Al Jazeera; New York Times’ Jane Perlez]
President Obama will meet with the Chinese leader at the White House on Friday, on a visit which is hoped to ease tensions between the two nations. [The Hill’s Vicki Needham]
The Obama administration is urging US companies to speak out about the challenges of operating in China, paving the way for potentially uncomfortable meetings for China’s president as he visits the United States. [Wall Street Journal’s Gillian Wong and William Mauldin]
China is putting pressure on American tech companies to comply with strong encryption and surveillance policies if they want to break into the market there, reports Jenna McLaughlin at The Intercept.
“Xi Jingping’s US Visit.” Jane Perlez will be following the Chinese president’s first state visit to the United States, at the New York Times.
HILLARY CLINTON EMAIL CONTROVERSY
The FBI has recovered emails from Hillary Clinton’s private email server that she said had been deleted, according to two government officials. The FBI is investigating how classified information was dealt with in connection to the account. [Bloomberg News’ Del Quentin Wilber; New York Times’ Michael S. Schmidt]
Previously undisclosed State Department emails pertaining to Benghazi were disclosed in a federal court filing in a FOIA lawsuit brought by Citizens United. Most of the documents appear to have been withheld from the House Benghazi Committee investigating the 2012 attack, report Josh Gerstein and Rachael Bade. [Politico]
A federal judge has complained about the slow progress of the Obama administration in handing over documents from top aides to Clinton, saying that “there has to be some reallocation of resources” in such an “atypical” case. [The Hill’s Julian Hattem]
ISRAEL and PALESTINE
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned of a “new Intifada,” as violent clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians continue in occupied East Jerusalem. [Al Jazeera]
A Palestinian woman was shot and killed by Israeli security forces at a checkpoint in Hebron in the West Bank yesterday, the latest incident amid heightened tensions in the region ahead of Yom Kippur and Eid al-Adha. [New York Times’ Diaa Hadid]
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
The Wall Street Journal editorial board criticizes the IAEA for its acceptance of Tehran’s self-inspection of Parchin nuclear site, saying that the “authenticity” and “integrity” of samples are not “decisive issues,” but rather whether “they provide a complete picture of Iran’s previous nuclear work.”
“The Pentagon’s indulgent, even complicit attitude toward pedophiles among the Afghan militias that it funded and trained is indefensible,” according to the New York Times editorial board, adding that the legal obligations on the US to investigate and prosecute violations of the laws of war under its jurisdiction are clear.
Calls for assistance from the Libyan people are gaining in volume, as frustrations with the limited progress in achieving a diplomatic solution to the political crisis become more pronounced. Carlotta Gall provides the details. [New York Times]
The UN Security Council “risks irrelevance” if it does not reform and adapt to the changing world, former secretary general Kofi Annan said in an interview with the Guardian, adding that the situation in Syria is a “rather tragic and unique one,” reports Harriet Grant.
Leaders of several West African nations called for the reinstatement of Burkina Faso’s interim president, who was overthrown in a coup last week; leaders will travel to the country today in an attempt to find a peaceful solution to the crisis. [New York Times’ Hervé Taoko]
An Islamist group in Bangladesh has released a hitlist of secular activists, writers and bloggers around the world, including nine UK bloggers and two in the US. [The Guardian’s Jason Burke]
The UN is intensifying its investigation into alleged human rights abuses in North Korea, opening an office in Seoul tasked with “prodding” the North into closing a network of prisons that are claimed to be holding thousands of political prisoners. [Wall Street Journal’s Alastair Gale]
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A new study by a British-based organization details for the first time the views of dozens of former Islamic State fighters who have defected from the group in the past year. 
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Egypt has agreed to buy two Mistral warships which France built for Russia before scrapping the sale over the Ukraine crisis, the French presidency said in a statement Wednesday.
CNBC |
Why China's Economic Problems May Be Worse Than We Think
Huffington Post China's trading partners have good cause for concern: Whether China will emerge from its current challenges stronger, hobble along or enter a free fall is largely up to China's authoritarian leaders. They must enact deep economic reforms that will ... China's Xi visits US tech-amid tepid expectationsCNBC Undercurrent of tension on China state dinner menuYahoo News What are the big differences between US and China?BBC News all 206 news articles » |
 IrishCentral |
Massive stash of JFK documents declassified by the CIA
IrishCentral The documents, known as the President's Daily Brief, were dossiers of CIA intelligence from around the world delivered daily by the spy agency to the White House. For the first time, some of these briefs are being made public, starting with those ... |
Nearly 19,000 pages of newly declassified CIA documents from the Cold War and John F. Kennedy's administration were released to the public and posted on the CIA's website last week. The documents, known as the ...
 NBCNews.com |
Deleted Clinton Emails Recovered By the FBI: Reports
NBCNews.com FBI investigators have reportedly recovered work-related and personal emails from Hillary Clinton's time as secretary of state that she claimed had been deleted from a private computer server. Clinton the frontrunner for the 2016 Democratic ... FBI reportedly recovers emails from Clinton serverThe Hill (blog) FBI reportedly recovers deleted emails from Clinton serverFox News FBI leaks that it has recovered deleted 'private' emails on Hillary's serverAmerican Thinker (blog) Washington Free Beacon-CBS News-Bloomberg all 94 news articles » |
US-trained Syrian rebels investigate whether their officer defected, gave weapons to al-Qaida
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PALMI, Italy (Reuters) - Most southern Italian businessmen do not cross the 'Ndrangheta mafia. Gaetano Saffioti did, and paid a high price.
Pope Francis arrives at White House for meeting with Obama – liveby Nicky Woolf with Dan Roberts, Lauren Gambino and Rory Carroll in Washington, Harriet Sherwood in New York and Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Rome
- Follow welcome ceremony with Obama and thousands of faithful
- Remarks from both leaders to precede massive event on National Mall
- Midday prayer with bishops at St Matthew’s Cathedral
- Later today: controversial canonization of Junipero Serra
- Pope Francis in America visit schedule: how to follow the pontiff in DC
More from Dan Roberts on the White House South Lawn:
Many of the guests at the ticketed-event the south lawn said they saw the Pope as a unifying figure.
“He is particularly good at bringing young people together who are not necessarily the most devout,” said Katharine Connolly, a 23-year-old law student at Georgetown University.
Moments from now, Pope Francis and president Barack Obama will emerge from this door to address the nation.
Scene of pomp at the White House, waiting for @Pontifex's arrival. #PopeinUSpic.twitter.com/4DMH1Zgzsb
Continue reading...AP PHOTOS: Muslims come together for pinnacle of hajjby Mosa'Ab Elshamy | AP
From all around the world and after years of saving, Muslim pilgrims packed onto a rocky landscape outside of Mecca on Wednesday for the apex of the annual hajj pilgrimage.
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(CAIRO)—The Egyptian president on Wednesday pardoned two journalists for Al-Jazeera English and dozens of human rights activists, state media and the lawyer of one of the reporters said.
The two — Canadian journalist Mohamed Fahmy and Egyptian national Baher Mohammed — were expected to be released later in the day.
The state-run MENA news agency said a third person from the case — which included multiple other defendants along with Australian journalist Peter Greste — was also pardoned but was not identified by name. Greste was deported earlier this year.
A tweet from Fahmy’s account Wednesday afternoon said “Thank you to all the supporters sending us the news, we have heard and are very happy. AJ Staff is Free!”
“I don’t know what to say. It is done. Thank God, thank God,” said Fahmy’s brother Adel, reached by The Associated Press by phone from Kuwait.
The three were sentenced to three years in prison last month for airing what a court described as “false news” and biased coverage. There was no immediate comment from the Al-Jazeera network, which is based in Doha, Qatar.
Prominent Egyptian activists Yara Sallam and Sanaa Seif were among about 100 people pardoned by President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, according to MENA, on the eve of the major Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, when Egyptian presidents usually pardon convicts for health or other reasons.
The pardon also comes a day before el-Sissi is to travel to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly.
Fahmy’s lawyer, Khaled Abu Bakr, confirmed the pardon him and said he hopes it will be “repeated with many others jailed.”
“I was sure the president was going to issue such a decision. Mohammed is a professional and innocent journalist,” Abu Bakr told AP. “This decision will have positive impact on the media and international level.”
On Tuesday in Australia, Greste attended the dedication of a war correspondents memorial at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull spoke to him and vowed to press Egypt for a pardon for him and his colleagues, according to Turnbull’s Facebook page.
The long-running trial of the three Al-Jazeera staff is entangled in the wider political conflict betweenEgypt and Qatar, where Al-Jazeera is based, following the Egyptian army’s 2013 ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, a Muslim Brotherhood member.
The case began in December 2013, when Egyptian security forces raided the hotel suite used by Al-Jazeera at the time to report from Egypt.
The journalists began using the hotel as a base of operations after the Al-Jazeera English office near Tahrir Square was raided by police. Authorities arrested Fahmy, Greste and Mohammed, later charging them with allegedly being part of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood, which authorities have declared a terrorist organization, and airing falsified footage intended to damage national security.
The three men initially were convicted on June 23, 2014, with Greste and Fahmy sentenced to seven years in prison and Mohammed to 10 years for also being found with a spent bullet casing. That ruling was later overturned on appeal by Egypt’s Court of Cassation, which said the initial proceedings were marred by violations of the defendants’ rights, but a retrial was ordered, ending with last month’s convictions.
A spokeswoman for Canada’s foreign affairs department Rachna Mishra said Canada is “pleased” with the pardon and “will assist to facilitate his departure from Egypt. We look forward to Mr. Fahmy reuniting with his family and loved ones, and his return to Canada.”
Fahmy gave up his Egyptian nationality during the trial in hopes of being deported to Canada.
There was no immediate comment from Al-Jazeera.
The two activists Sallam and Seif were sentenced in October with 21 others for staging a peaceful protest near the presidential palace to call on el-Sissi to abolish a law that severely restricts the right to stage protests. Their sentence was reduced to two years in December.
The pardons were given to 100 people “who have received final prison verdicts in cases related to breaking a protest law or infringing on the police forces’ actions, in addition to a number of health-related and humanitarian cases,” the president’s office said in a statement emailed later Wednesday.
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Why the European Union's refugee crisis? 'Lack of central authority'
Critics say groups took advantage of sanctions-hit Islamic republic
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European Court of Justice adviser says national regulators can suspend transfers of data to
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 Arab News |
Exiled President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi returns to Yemen
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette SANA, Yemen — Yemen's President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi flew back to his war-ravaged country Tuesday for the first time since he was forced into exile six months ago, according to a senior Yemeni security official and a statement by his exiled ... The World in BriefNorthwest Arkansas News Yemen's Hadi Returns From Exile to 'New Capital' of AdenAntiwar.com |
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Turkey is hosting almost two million refugees—mostly Syrian. The Turkish government has provided relief camps. But refugees say they don’t just want food and water, they want a future that includes a dignified life. For that, they look toward Europe. VOA’s Ayesha Tanzeem is in Turkish border province Edirne and has this report.
Originally published at - http://www.voanews.com/media/video/2975026.html
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