Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

Ukraine Crisis: Kiev Faces Halt of Russian Gas Supplies
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsBBC
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

 

Russia's state-owned gas giant Gazprom says Ukraine has to pay upfront for its gas supplies, after Kiev failed to settle its huge debt.

Gazprom had warned it would cut supplies if Ukraine failed to pay $1.95bn (£1.15bn) - out of $4.5bn it says it is owed - by 06:00 GMT.

There is no confirmation supplies have been ended. The Russian firm said it would continue to supply gas to Europe.

Russia-Ukraine ties remain tense since Moscow annexed Crimea in February.

Kiev accuses Moscow of supporting separatists in the east of the country. Russia denies the charge.

'Slim chances'

"Today, from 10:00 Moscow time, Gazprom, according to the existing contract, moved Naftogaz to prepayment for gas supplies," Gazprom said in a statement.

"From today, the Ukrainian company will receive Russian natural gas only in the amounts it has paid for."

Moments later, both Gazprom and Ukraine's state-owned Naftogaz company filed lawsuits against each other in the Stockholm arbitration institute.

Gazprom said it wanted to recover $4.5bn from Naftogaz, which is dealing with gas supplies to Ukraine. Meanwhile, Naftogaz said it was seeking to recover $6bn in "overpayment" for gas since 2010.

The move follows crisis talks between Ukraine, Russia and the European Union on the issue.

"We reached no agreement. The chances that we meet again are slim," Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kuprianov said after the latest round of the talks ended in Kiev over the weekend.

However, EU Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger, who attended the talks, said he was "not pessimistic" about a deal.

He said he would continue to work for an agreement despite his compromise proposal, that Kiev pay $1bn on Monday and the rest in instalments, being rejected by Gazprom.

Mr Oettinger later added that Ukraine intended to fill its gas transit commitments to the EU and he was also confident that Russia would meet its gas supply pledges to Europe.

Ukraine's discounted rate for gas was axed in April after Moscow accused Kiev of failing to pays its bills.

On Monday, Gazprom stressed that it would continue to supply European consumers with gas at "full volume" and that it was Ukraine's responsibility to make sure the gas transited through the country.

However, correspondents say the EU could be affected.

About 15% of the EU's gas supply is Russian gas which is piped through Ukraine.

Earlier this month, Gazprom gave Ukraine more time to settle its gas bill after receiving a part-payment of $786m (£469m).

Ukraine said it refused to clear its debts completely in protest at Gazprom's recent 80% price increase.

Gazprom ended its discount price for Ukraine, which was negotiated by former President Viktor Yanukovych last December, in April.

Before the discount was cancelled, Ukraine's gas bill was heavily reduced by Russia to $268 per 1,000 cubic metres.

The price is now $485.50 per 1,000 cubic metres, the highest in Europe.

Almost 15% of gas used in Europe comes from Russia via Ukraine, which is why EU members are taking a particularly close interest in the stand-off, observers say.

The talks that ended on Monday had been brokered by EU representatives.

Heading into the negotiations, Kiev said it was ready to make the $1.95bn payment if Russia cut its price to $326 per 1,000 cubic metres.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin said $385 per 1,000 cubic metres was his final offer.

Prospects of a breakthrough in discussions were diminished in recent days after increasing tension between Kiev and Moscow over the pro-Russian insurgency in the east of Ukraine.

Moscow reacted angrily to a violent protest outside its embassy in Kiev on Saturday after separatists shot down a Ukrainian military plane, killing all 49 people on board.

Meanwhile, Ukraine accused Russia of sending tanks into the east of the country to support pro-Russian fighters.

U.S. Steps Up Security At Baghdad Embassy
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsDebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Security was bolstered at the US Embassy in Baghdad and some staff members evacutated from the Iraqi capital as the Green Zone faced a threat from advancing Al Qaeda, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said early Monday. She did not say how many of the 5,000-strong embassy staff, the largest in the world, were moved out to safer places, believed to be Basra in the south and the Kurdish capital of Irbil in the north.

U.S. Prepares for Talks With Iran to Stop Iraq Militants, Says Official
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsThe Guardian
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Volunteers to fight Sunni militants gather in the streets in Al-Fdhiliya district, eastern Baghdad on Sunday. Photograph: Thaier Al-sudani/Reuters

The United States is preparing to open a direct dialogue with Iran about how to deal with the Sunni insurgency in Iraq, a senior official said on Sunday.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said the US was considering engaging with its longtime adversary about Iraq, where the government of prime minister Nuri al-Maliki is struggling to repel a militants who have seized several cities.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that Washington was preparing to open talks with Iran on ways to push back the militants.

Citing senior US officials, the newspaper said the dialogue was expected to begin this week. It comes as the US and other world powers strive for an agreement with Tehran to curb its nuclear program.

Militants from the Isis group have swept through towns in the Tigris valley north of Baghdad in recent days but appeared to have halted their advance outside Baghdad as they tightened their grip on the north.

Insurgents seized the mainly ethnic Turkmen town of Tal Afar in northwestern Iraq on Sunday after heavy fighting.

Residents reached by telephone in the city of Tal Afar said it had fallen to the rebels after a battle that saw heavy casualties on both sides.

"The city was overrun by militants. Severe fighting took place, and many people were killed. Shi'ite families have fled to the west and Sunni families have fled to the east," said a city official who asked not to be identified.

US officials said it was not certain which diplomatic channel the Obama administration would use with Iran for any discussions about Iraq, the Journal reported. One possibility was through Vienna, the paper said, where senior US and Iranian officials were scheduled to meet with other world powers on Monday to negotiate limits on Iran's nuclear capabilities.

The US state department said on Sunday that the number two American diplomat, deputy secretary of state Bill Burns, would travel to Vienna this week to take part in the talks.

US senator Lindsey Graham said on Sunday that Washington needed Iran's involvement to prevent a government collapse in Iraq and should open talks with Tehran.

"We are probably going to need their help to hold Baghdad," Graham, a South Carolina Republican, said on CBS' Face the Nation.

Graham, a member of the Senate armed services Committee, said the idea was "unattractive" but compared it to the US working with the Soviet Union against Adolf Hitler.

US"The Iranians have an interest. They have Shia populations to protect. We need a dialogue of some kind," to help stabilize Iraq but also to set limits to ensure Iran does not use the situation to seize territory, he said.

U.S. Considers Air Strikes, Action With Iran to Halt Iraq Rebels
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsReuters
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

MOSUL Iraq/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said it could launch air strikes and act jointly with its arch-enemy Iran to support the Iraqi government, after a rampage by Sunni Islamist insurgents across Iraq that has torn up traditional alliances in the Middle East.

Militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant have routed Baghdad's army and seized the north of the country in the past week, threatening to dismember Iraq and unleash all-out sectarian warfare with no regard for national borders.

Turkey Should Close Its Border to Isis
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsAl-Monitor
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

US President Barack Obama is reviewing a range of options to deal with the takeover of Mosul and other Iraqi cities by the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).

The U.S. Embassy is Preparing to Evacuate Baghdad As Tal Afar Falls and Iraq Masses Forces At Samarrah
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsHerald Sun
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

AUSTRALIAN and US embassy staff in Baghdad are being evacuated as terror sweeps Iraq following the release of images showing captured troops being massacred.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says a number of embassy staff members have been withdrawn from Baghdad due to the deteriorating security situation.

Islamic militants have taken over a swathe of territory in northern Iraq in an offensive that has brought fighting to within 80km of the capital.

“The Australian embassy remains open with reduced staffing levels,’’ DFAT says in its latest travel advice.

“We are unlikely to be able to provide consular assistance in Iraq at the current time.’’

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says an “essential core’’ of embassy staff will remain in place but they will be limited in what they can do for the estimated 90-plus Australians in Iraq.

“Due to the very challenging security environment we are unlikely to be able to provide the level of consular assistance that might be expected,’’ she told ABC radio this morning.

 

Terror weapon ... Militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) with captured Iraqi soldiers wearing plain clothes after taking over a base in Tikrit, Iraq. The insurgent advance continues to meet little opposition in its advance on the capital Baghdad. Source: AP

NERVOUS US SHUFFLES BAGHDAD STAFF, TROOPS

The New York Times reports the US embassy is also preparing to evacuate “a substantial number” of its 5500 staff in the face of the relentless insurgent advance.

The $600 million, fortress-like embassy on the Tigris River is the heart of what used to be known as the Green Zone, a heavily fortified and defended compound in the heart of Baghdad.

A US State Department spokeswoman said in a statement that key staff will stay in place, but would not reveal how many will be pulled out.

“Overall, a substantial majority of the US Embassy presence in Iraq will remain in place and the embassy will be fully equipped to carry out its national security mission,” she said.

Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby said in a statement that a “small number” of military personnel — believed to be 100 Marines and US Army troops — were being sent to help keep State Department facilities safe in Baghdad.

US civilian contractors employed in training Iraqi defence and police forces throughout the country have already been recalled to Baghdad or evacuated from the war-torn nation.

Meanwhile, the Islamic militant group that captured two major cities last week has posted graphic photos that appeared to show its fighters massacring dozens of captured Iraqi soldiers.

Murderous intent ... Islamic militants have released pictures online that appear to show them leading captured Iraqi troops and militia into fields to be executed. Source: AFP

The pictures on a militant website appear to show masked fighters of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, loading the captives onto flatbed trucks before forcing them to lie facedown in a shallow ditch with their arms tied behind their backs. The final images show the bodies of the captives soaked in blood after being shot.

In all, ISIS claims to have executed 1700 Iraqi soldiers, police and militia members.

 

Killing fields ... This image posted on a militant website appears to show militants leading captured Iraqi soldiers wearing plain clothes to an open field moments before shooting them in Tikrit, Iraq. Source: AP

The grisly images could further sharpen sectarian tensions as hundreds of Shiites heed a call from their most revered spiritual leader to take up arms against the Sunni militants who have swept across the north. ISIS has vowed to take the battle to Baghdad and cities further south housing revered Shiite shrines.

Fresh forces ... An Iraqi soldier waves as trucks carrying volunteers to fight alongside the Iraqi security forces leave a recruitment centre in the Iraqi capital Baghdad. Source: AFP

FALL OF TAL AFAR

Intense helicopter gunship strikes by Iraqi government forces did little to prevent the powerful Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) from overrunning defenders in the northern town of Tal Afar today.

“The situation is disastrous in Tal Afar. There is crazy fighting and most families are trapped inside houses, they can’t leave town,” a local official told Reuters. “If the fighting continues, a mass killing among civilians could result.”

An Iraqi general has since confirmed Tal Afar has fallen.

However there are also unconfirmed reports that a major military base at Taji, about 35km north of Baghdad, has also fallen today.

The report comes as Al Arabiya News quotes insurgent tribal leaders declaring the attack on Baghdad had now begun.

Steinitz : Israel Concerned About Any U.S. - Iran Cooperation in Iraq
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsThe Jerusalem Post
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Russia Cuts Gas to Ukraine, Flows to EU Threatened
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsReuters
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Russia cut off gas to Ukraine on Monday in a dispute over unpaid bills that could disrupt supplies to the rest of Europe and set back hopes for peace in the former Soviet republic.

Opposition Chairman Herzog Says 'Don't Blame Abbas'
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Yitzhak Herzog

Flash 90

Opposition and Labor Party Chairman Yitzhak Herzog met on Monday with the family of Naftali Frenkel, the 16-year-old who was kidnapped along with two other young students last Thursday night by terrorists.

After leaving the Frenkel family's home in Nof Ayalon, just south of Modi'in, Herzog called the family "the salt of the earth, who serves and contributes to the society and the state. I was impressed by their strength and faith, and told them that all the people of Israel are putting their arguments aside to pray with them for the return of the boys."

Apparently Herzog didn't manage to completely put the arguments aside.

Speaking after the meeting, he criticized Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's statements holding Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas responsible for the kidnapping, given that it originated from PA-controlled territories and given the recent Fatah-Hamas unity deal; Netanyahu accused Hamas of conducting the abduction.

"This is a process (carried out by) criminal and despicable terrorists. It's not right to put the blame on Mahmoud Abbas, instead we have to work with him," Herzog told Yedioth Aharonoth.

Despite Herzog's defense of Abbas, the official PA daily on Sunday printed a cartoon sickeningly distorting the World Cup 2014 logo so as to celebrate the kidnapping. The cartoon shows three hands holding three people with their hands up in surrender, over the word "Khalil," Arabic for Hevron where the boys are believed to be held.

The same day, Abbas's Fatah faction celebrated the kidnapping as a victory on its official Facebook page, showing a picture of a victory sign with three fingers held up instead of two, symbolizing the three kidnapped youths. Accompanying the picture was a smiley with the text, "For your interpretation :)".

Earlier, Fatah also posted a sickening cartoon on its Facebook showing three rats with Jewish stars on them dangling from a fishing rod. Another official Fatah post encouraged Palestinian Arabs to cover up all evidence of the missing teens to hinder the IDF search. 

Herzog said after the meeting that he was on his way to the Yifrah family, whose 19-year-old son Eyal was among the kidnapped, and that he would meet with the family of 16-year-old Gilad Sha'ar later in the day.

Netanyahu: We Face a Tough and Protracted Operation
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsDebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Let the Headlines Speak
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsFrom the internet
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Obama to Sign Order Barring Federal Discrimination Against Gays
Obama will sign an executive order barring federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, a White House official said on Monday, handing another victory to gay rights activists.  

A 5.6 Earthquake Rocks Limon, Heredia, and Cartago
The National Volcanological and Seismological Observatory (Ovsicori) noted that a 5.6 magnitude earthquake occurred 250 kilometers northeast of Limon, near the islands of San Andrés, shaking several areas.  

IMF lowers estimate of US economic growth in 2014
The U.S. economy is poised to accelerate after a dismal start to the year even though the job market won't return to full employment until 2017. That was the forecast offered Monday in a report by the International Monetary Fund.  

Oklahoma meteorologist deals with earthquake live on the air
Shake, rattle and keep rolling, because we are live on the air, folks. An Oklahoma City meteorologist showed grace under fire when her television studio was struck by a fairly significant earthquake in the middle of her forecast.  

Kerry: US open to talks with Iran over Iraq
John Kerry says the Obama administration is willing to talk with Iran over deteriorating security conditions in Iraq and is not ruling out potential U.S.-Iranian military cooperation in stemming the advance of Sunni extremists. Kerry also says U.S. drone strikes "may well" be an option.  

Guatemala Earthquake Today 2014: Terremoto Also Hits Chile, Ecuador
Three big earthquakes today 2014 have struck the western hemisphere. A terremoto en Guatemala hoy, a 5.2 magnitude temblor, has hit. Then a strong terremoto en Ecuador erupted, a temblor registering a 5.7. And finally a 4.8 temblor has hit Chile.  

Alaska Earthquake Today 2014: 5.7 Strikes Near Noatak
A strong Alaska earthquake today 2014 has hit this morning. An Alaska earthquake today June 16, 2014 began in the predawn morning hours. Damage assessment is pending.  

Putin on notice: Two U.S. stealth bombers head to Europe for first time amid tension
Two U.S. B-2 Spirit stealth bombers are being deployed to Europe for the first time. The deployment of the advanced aircraft will be used for “short term deployment” at Fairford, a Royal Air Force base in England — just three hours from Russia.  

Blair: Iraq invasion not to blame for rising extremism – Syrian war is
In fact, the former prime minister describes at length how it’s necessary to rid oneself of any feeling of responsibility that the crumbling country and region have been pushed over the edge by well-meaning Western interventionism.  

ISIS 'execute' 1,700 Iraqi soldiers, post gruesome pictures (GRAPHIC)
Radical Sunni militants who have been capturing cities in northwest Iraq claimed on Twitter that they executed 1,700 Iraqi soldiers. The radicals posted graphic photos as evidence.  

SOLAR ACTIVITY
These sunspots are leaving behind at least one region still capable of major flares: AR2087 is almost directly facing Earth and it has a 'beta-gamma' magnetic field that harbors energy for M-class eruptions. Any flares from AR2087 today would hit Earth head on.  

GEOMAGNETIC UNREST
NOAA forecasters estimate a 20% to 30% chance of minor geomagnetic storms on June 16-17 in response to a high-speed solar wind stream.  

Coin Operated Conservatism
Its advocates call it the “Marketplace Fairness Act.” They call it that because what it actually is, is the internet sales tax, which is not all that popular. These “conservatives” not only support an internet sales tax. They also support forcing businesses in states with no sales tax to, by federal fiat, start collecting sales taxes.  

VOLCANO WATCH: Mauna Loa Showing Signs of Stirring
After a 30-year repose, Mauna Loa may be slowly stirring to life. While there are no signs of impending eruption, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has recorded an increased level of seismic activity on the flanks and summit of Mauna Loa over the past 13 months.  

Ukraine fighting threatens water supply to four million: OSCE
Fighting in eastern Ukraine threatens water supplies to the city of Donetsk and could have serious consequences for 4 million people, monitors for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said on Monday. The OSCE...quoted local officials as saying a water pumping station and a section of pipeline near the town of Semyonovka...had been damaged in fighting between government forces and separatists.  

Kenya attack: Islamist threat growing more sophisticated
When Kenya sent thousands of its soldiers over its border into Somalia in 2011 to help crush al-Shabaab, the Islamists immediately promised to respond by bringing their jihad inside their neighbour's territory. At first, attacks in Kenya were on a small scale: single grenades hurled into bars serving alcohol in predominantly Muslim areas, minor explosions at bus queues or attempted IEDs targeting police patrols in remote areas.  

Pakistan jets renew strikes on tribal North Waziristan
Pakistani fighter jets are reported to have carried out fresh air strikes against militants based in the north-west tribal area of North Waziristan. They came hours after the government announced an offensive in the mountainous area bordering Afghanistan. Many civilians fled in anticipation of the offensive, which the army hopes will disrupt militant strongholds.  

No UK military intervention in Iraq conflict says Hague
The UK will not intervene militarily to help Iraq fight Islamist insurgents, William Hague has insisted. Asked whether the UK could participate in air strikes, the foreign secretary told the BBC that he "could not be clearer" that this would not happen. It was up to the Iraqi authorities to stabilise the situation and then try to reconcile different factions.  

ISIS direct threat to Jordan, US senator says
Top Republican lawmaker Sen. Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) suggested on Sunday that a deal with Iran might be necessary in the short term to stop the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) from marching on Baghdad – not dissimilar to America’s alliance with Joseph Stalin’s Soviet Union at the height of the Second World War. “We’re going to have to have some dialogue with the Iranians,” Graham said.  

IAF strikes targets in Gaza in retaliation for rocket fire
The Israel Air Force struck five targets in the Gaza Strip in retaliation to rocket fire by Palestinian terrorist groups, Israel Radio reported. There is no word regarding casualties. The IDF released a statement confirming the airstrikes, which targeted arms-manufacturing facilities and weapons caches.  

West Bank Hamas leadership in Israeli custody
As the intensive search for the kidnapped Israeli boys continues, Israeli security forces arrested nearly all Hamas leaders in the West Bank. There have been reports that some of the Hamas members arrested will be deported as well. Hamas' parliamentary speaker in the West Bank Abdel Aziz Dweck was among 50 people arrested by security forces Sunday night and Monday morning.  

Drug Use Linked with Brain Differences in Teens
Teens who have used drugs even just once in their lives have brain characteristics that are different from those who have never used drugs, a new study finds.  

Ukraine crisis: Kiev faces halt to gas supply
Gazprom has reaffirmed its Monday deadline for Ukraine to pay its debts after talks between Moscow and Kiev ended without agreement. The Russian gas giant said it will cut Ukraine's supply if Kiev fails to pay $1.95bn (£1.15bn) by 06:00 GMT. "We reached no agreement. The chances that we meet again are slim," Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kuprianov said.  

Why Is the U.S. Government Working Frantically to Get Rid of GPS?
One of the primary vulnerabilities in today's hi-tech, ultra-accurate weapons systems, you see, is their dependence upon GPS signals to guide them to their destinations. American "smart bombs" and guided missiles all depend greatly on GPS to know where they are, and to get where they're going. American dominance in drone technology, similarly, depends on GPS. Problem is, while we know this is a problem, the "bad guys" know it, too -- and can sometimes hack GPS signals so as to confuse, and even hijack, American weapons systems.  

Japanese central bank chief sticks his neck out, pressures PM Abe for action
Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Haruhiko Kuroda has a simple message for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe: It's time to fire the 'third arrow' of reform or risk squandering the efforts of the past 18 months to revive the Japanese economy.  

Here's Why The Iraq Crisis 'Plays Right Into Iran's Hand'
Iraq is falling apart, and Iran is eager to help America save face (again). Extremist militants from the al-Qaeda offshoot Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) have captured Iraq's second-largest city and have advanced within 60 miles of the capital.  

Kerrys Top Deputy to Take Part in Iran Nuclear Talks This Week
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsThe Jerusalem Post
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The No. 2 US diplomat will travel to Vienna this week to take part in talks over Iran's nuclear program, the State Department said on Sunday.

In a statement, the State Department said Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns would be among the US officials taking part in the latest round of nuclear talks, which include six world powers and Iran and are scheduled for Monday to Friday.

The participation of Burns, who led secret US-Iranian negotiations that helped bring about a Nov. 24 interim nuclear agreement between Iran and the major powers, could signal that the United States is intensifying efforts to break a logjam in the nuclear talks.

Kerry: U.S. Open to Working With Iran on Iraq
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsDebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday in an interview: "I think we are open to any constructive process here that could minimize the violence, hold Iraq together, the integrity of the country and eliminate the presence of outside terrorist forces that are ripping it apart." He said that President Obama was vetting "every option that is available," including drone strikes.

Shortly before Kerry made the comments, Islamic fighters captured the northwestern Iraqi town of Tal Afar, the largely Turkmen town that is key their plan for an Islamic caliphate spanning Iraq and Syria.

Kerry: 'Can't Rule Out' Cooperation With Iran on Iraq
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

John Kerry

Reuters

The United States and Iran have a common interest in preventing Sunni ISIS militias from taking over Iraq completely – and if an alliance between the two is the only way to do that, said US Secretary of State John Kerry, then so be it.

Speaking to Yahoo News Monday, Kerry said that the US was faced with a challenge to the stability of the region. It is obviously an existential challenge to Iraq itself. This is a terrorist group,” Kerry said of the ISIS rebel group now threatening to overrun Baghdad. Asked about possible cooperation with Shi'ite Iran, an arch-enemy of the ISIS group which has threatened to destory Shi'ite shrines in Iraq, Kerry said that the US needed to be cautious before throwing its lot in with Tehran.

With that, he said, “I think we are open to any constructive process here that could minimize the violence, hold Iraq together — the integrity of the country — and eliminate the presence of outside terrorist forces that are ripping it apart.

“I wouldn’t rule out anything that would be constructive to providing real stability, a respect for the (Iraqi) constitution, a respect for the election process, and a respect for the ability of the Iraqi people to form a government that represents all of the interests of Iraq — not one sectarian group over another," Kerry added.

The United States began evacuating some workers out of the Iraqi capital, the State Department said on Monday. In a statement Sunday, the State Department said that "some additional U.S. government security personnel will be added to the staff in Baghdad; other staff will be temporarily relocated – both to our Consulate Generals in Basra and Arbil and to the Iraq Support Unit in Amman.”

The move comes in the wake of the takeover of several Iraqi cities by the Islamist group the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS). The group, which widened its grip in the north and east over the weekend, has threatened to march south, towards Baghdad.

Israel to 'Overthrow Hamas Infrastructure' in Judea and Samaria
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

IDF soldiers search for students

Flash 90

Israel will seek to deal a crushing blow to Hamas's infrastructure in Judea and Samaria following the kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers, army radio reported on Monday.

Plans to move against the Islamist terrorist movement were discussed at a meeting of the security cabinet convened by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at which ministers discussed punitive steps against Hamas which Israel says is behind the kidnapping of three teenagers, media reports said.

Following the meeting, which lasted around 90 minutes, political sources said Israel would "attempt, in the coming hours and days, to try and overthrow Hamas infrastructure in the West Bank," the radio's political correspondent reported.

There was no immediate comment from Netanyahu's office.

Israel is in the throes of a massive manhunt to find the three youths who disappeared on Thursday evening from a hitchhiking stop in Gush Etzion, south of Jerusalem. So far, more than 150 terror suspects have been arrested, most of them Hamas members and among them senior Hamas leaders.

But opposition leader Yitzhak Herzog said the Palestinian Authority had been helping efforts to find the missing teens, and warned that any major move could escalate the situation in the already tense Judea-Samaria region.

"It is clear now that the security coordination and Palestinian efforts to help locate the children are very important," he told army radio. "The war on terror will never end, it is vital. But in parallel, we must take all the necessary steps to calm the situation in the West Bank."

Earlier Monday, Herzog criticized the Prime Minister's pressure on PA head Mahmoud Abbas.

"This is a process (carried out by) criminal and despicable terrorists. It's not right to put the blame on Mahmoud Abbas, instead we have to work with him," he said.

Reports published earlier on Monday by Walla news website said ministers would look into the possibility of banishing senior Hamas members to Gaza.

"One of the steps being considered is the possibility of expelling senior Hamas members from the Judea-Samaria to the Gaza Strip as well as destroying their homes," Walla said, quoting unnamed senior sources.

A senior official quoted by Haaretz said the justice ministry had on Sunday looked into the legalities of expelling Hamas members to Gaza. The meeting was attended by Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein and other ministry officials, it said.

The discussion was to "explore whether such steps were in line with international law and would stand up to challenges in the High Court," according to the report, indicating that no decision had yet been taken.

As well as deportation to Gaza and demolishing the homes of senior Hamas members, Israel was also weighing sanctions against Hamas prisoners in Israel jails, it said.

Five Active Volcanoes Keeping Alaska Scientists Busy
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsTrue News
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

 

An advisory alert has been issued for a remote  volcano in the western Aleutian Islands after dozens of earthquakes were reported in the area, an early sign of volcanic unrest.

The change means that five volcanoes being monitored in Alaska are now simultaneously active, the most in recent memory, said Matt Haney, a research geophysicist at the Alaska Volcano Observatory.

“We might have had four before, but we haven’t had five,” Haney said.

A total of 52 volcanoes in Alaska are considered by the observatory to be “historically active.” All are monitored daily through satellites, and about 30 are monitored with ground-based seismometers that measure earthquake activity. On Friday, the observatory raised the color code alert level for the Semisopochnoi  (pronounced Semi-so-poch-noi) volcano to “yellow,” a reflection of heightened unrest.

Haney said there doesn’t appear to be a connection between the five, just random chance. The other four volcanoes — Cleveland and Veniaminof volcanoes are in the “yellow” alert level, and the Pavlof and Shishaldin volcanoes are classified as “orange” – are among the most active in the state. 

EU Needs European Army That Excludes Uk Claims Former Defence Minister
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsTrue News
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Charles Millon, who served under Prime Minster Alain Juppe, urged Brussels to abandon Nato and appease Russian premier Vladimir Putin instead.

In a scathing attack on the transatlantic alliance, Mr.Millon poured scorn on Washington’s influence over Europe, claiming that abandoning Nato would prevent the EU from “bowing to US policy” which does not necessarily line up with its interests.

“It is as though we had returned to the calamitous times of the Warsaw Pact and Pershing missiles in 1979, when the frightened West – the ‘free world’ – took refuge under America’s wings,” he said.

“Political wrangling in Ukraine, for example, is playing out between Russia and the United States directly, completely bypassing the European Union which, in a sense, is actually the source of the turmoil, because of the EU’s desire to integrate Ukraine into its economic sphere.”

In a sop to Vladimir Putin, he added: “Europe’s desire for indefinite expansion and its methods of sizing up Ukraine for its economic area were, at the very least, tactless as well as making no geopolitical sense.”

Egyptian PM to Launch New Government After Sisis Election
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsReuters
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Egypt's prime minister will meet members of his new government later on Monday, the cabinet spokesman said, finalizing an appointment process following the inauguration last week of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Egypt Seizes Brotherhood - Owned Retail Stores
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Muslim Brotherhood protesters

Reuters

Egyptian authorities on Sunday seized two retail outlets owned by leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, part of the ongoing crackdown against the group since its president Mohammed Morsi was ousted last year.

According to the AFP news agency, the businesses targeted were the Seoudi supermarket chain and Zad department store, respectively owned by Abdel Rahman Seoudi and Khairat al-Shater -- both leaders of the Brotherhood.

"Security forces are implementing the law," Cairo's police chief, Brigadier General Ali al-Demerdash, said in relation to the moves.

"A committee formed in accordance with a court ruling decided to seize Zad, which is owned by Khairat al-Shater, and Seoudi, which is owned by Abdel Rahman Seoudi, because the two leaders are financing the Muslim Brotherhood," he told reporters, according to AFP.

A court in September banned the Muslim Brotherhood from operating and ordered its assets seized. It also prohibited any institution branching out from or belonging to the Islamist movement.

The group has also been blacklisted as a "terrorist organization" in Egypt, after the country’s temporary authorities linked it with a series of terrorist attacks that occurred after Morsi’s ouster.

Shater, the Brotherhood's number two who headed its financial affairs, is behind bars and on trial for a range of charges, some of them punishable by death.

He was arrested along with Brotherhood chief Mohammed Badie following the ouster of Morsi in July 2013.

Seoudi is a wealthy businessman but little is known about his role in the Muslim Brotherhood.

Since Morsi's ouster the Brotherhood it has faced a brutal police crackdown, with more than 1,400 of its supporters killed in street clashes, and its top leaders including Morsi have been put on trail.

The two medium-sized supermarket chains had operations in Cairo, selling food and beverages, noted AFP.

Dozens of masked policemen were seen stopping customers from entering a Seoudi outlet in central Cairo on Sunday.

"They came and ordered us (employees) all out... yes, the chain is owned by a Muslim Brotherhood member, but we sell food and beverages, not politics," said a manager of the store.

Demerdash said the two retail outlets would be handed over to the government once all legal formalities were completed.

Earthquake Swarm Continues to Shake Northwest Arctic
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsTrue News
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Another powerful earthquake shook the Northwest Arctic on Friday. It is the fourth magnitude 5.5 quake to rock the region in six weeks. Like the previous three, Friday’s episode was initiated about 10 miles from Noatak and was measured at a depth of 10 miles.

“The whole house shook,” said Herbert Walton, the tribal administrator in Noatak. “We’re concerned.”

Walton said there was no major damage or injuries that he was aware of, though the first set of quakes in mid-April did cause a few cracks in the IRA building.

“There are plenty of people wondering if there is going to be a bigger one, because every time it happens, they seem to be getting bigger,” Walton said.

The first two quakes happened on April 18, while the third shook the area on May 3. All four were about the same magnitude and are now being referred to as an “earthquake swarm,” said Mike West, a seismologist with the Alaska Earthquake Center.

The four major quakes have been accompanied by more than 250 “unusually vigorous” aftershocks, West said.

“They all have the same cause; the same fault motion,” he said. “And they occur in more or less the same place.”

ADL Solidarity Statement Slams Hamas - Fatah Unity Pact
Jun 16th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Swearing-in of unity government in Ramallah

Flash 90

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) released a statement of solidarity with Israel as it searches for three kidnapped yeshiva students Monday, as well as condemning a string of rocket attacks which has resurged from Gaza. 

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the three young men kidnapped with the involvement of Hamas, as the efforts by Israeli authorities continue to attempt to ensure their safe return," Barry Curtiss-Lusher, ADL National Chair, and Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, stated Monday."We echo [US] Secretary [of State John] Kerry’s statement that the Palestinian Authority must fully cooperate with Israeli authorities to assist in locating the Israeli teens."

The ADL also slammed the current unity pact between Hamas and Fatah, noting that worldwide legitimization of Hamas's role in the new government has a direct connection to the kidnapping. 

"[The teens'] horrifying abduction and the resumption of rocket fire from Gaza into Southern Israel lay bare the dangers of legitimizing Hamas' role in governing the Palestinians and present a stark choice for the Palestinian Authority leadership," the ADL stated. "Will they choose to continue on the path of aligning with forces promoting terror, violence and conflict? Or will they reject this hatred and return to the steps necessary for reconciliation and peace?"

The ADL statement joins a wave of scrutiny over both the unity pact itself and international support for the new PA government, which saw both the US and EU blindly insist that Hamas would have minimum impact on a government specifically designed to unite them with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party. 

Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz was among the critics Sunday, noting that the pact has lowered security in Judea and Samaria. 

"It is not only that, for all intents and purposes, the PA is logically responsible for the attack in an area [under their control], but also that Hamas is represented in their government and its media encourages kidnapping," Steinitz stated to IDF Radio. "Since the formation of the 'unity government,' the Palestinians have greatly reduced their pressure on the Hamas infrastructure, as well as Hamas activity in Judea and Samaria." 

Deputy Minister Ofir Akunis stated Monday that it is the world's "moral duty" to retract support for the pact. 

"It is the ultimate moral duty of the nations of the world to withdraw their recognition of the Palestinian terrorist government," Akunis stated. "We offer every foreign minister or ambassador from around the world to come here and see why they erred when they rushed to greet a Palestinian terrorist government."