from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2QUv07Q
Monday 31 December 2018
Israel protests after Jordanian spokeswoman steps on its flag
Israel protested to Jordan on Sunday after the spokeswoman for the government in Amman was photographed stepping on the Israeli flag during a meeting with trade unionists.
from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2QUv07Q
from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2QUv07Q
'This is the only way now’: desperate Iranians attempt Channel crossing
No one in the Calais region is sure what has prompted the rise in crossing attempts or whether it will last
Wahid has tried twice so far. Both times, the small inflatable boat that he and about a dozen others were riding in was intercepted by a French coastguard vessel maybe an hour, perhaps two, after it pushed off from the beach.
He is a bit vague on the details, for which he apologises. “It was cold, very cold. The sea was calm, flat, but it was frightening. A dark night and, of course, no lights. Dangerous. We all knew it was dangerous. We could die. Instead, we’re back here.”
Continue reading...from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Qf84eq
Bangladesh PM Hasina wins thumping victory in elections opposition reject as 'farcical'
At least 17 people were killed on election day, with claims ruling Awami League rigged country’s first contested election in a decade
Bangladesh’s opposition has rejected the “farcical” results of national elections officially declared to have been won by the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, in a landslide.
The Bangladesh election commission said early on Monday that Hasina’s Awami League had won a record third consecutive term, taking along with its allies 288 of the country’s 298 parliamentary seats on offer.
Continue reading...from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2EZwBTA
Record number of Britons seeking Irish passports ahead of Brexit
The number of British citizens applying for Irish passports has doubled since vote to leave European Union
The number of British citizens applying for Irish passports rose by 22% in 2018, Ireland’s foreign office said on Monday, more than doubling the total of annual applications since Britain voted to leave the European Union.
Almost 100,000 eligible Britons sought to hang onto their EU citizenship via a passport from their nearest neighbour this year, up from 81,000 last year and 46,000 in 2015, the year before the Brexit vote led to a sharp rise in applications.
Continue reading...from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Qb4Bxp
Almost 200 die in three days on Thailand's roads as holiday carnage returns
Fatalities have occurred in the first three days of the country’s ‘Seven Dangerous Days’
Authorities in Thailand are braced for a record number of road deaths over the holiday period as the country’s highways lived up to their official status as the most lethal in south-west Asia.
The annual spike in dangerous, often alcohol-fuelled driving, saw 182 deaths reported between Thursday and Saturday last week, up from last year’s count of 167.
Continue reading...from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2EX5eZx
Two dead after tower block collapses in Russian city of Magnitogorsk
Scramble to find survivors after suspected gas blast at apartment building in southern central city
Rescue teams are scrambling to find survivors after a suspected gas blast caused the partial collapse of a high-rise apartment building in the Russian city of Magnitogorsk, killing at least two people, news agencies reported.
News outlets in the city, which is 1,700 km (1,050 miles) east of Moscow in the southern Urals, said it was unclear how many people were trapped in the debris, but cries for help could be heard from beneath the rubble.
Continue reading...from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2RnIpVu
New Year's Eve: Sydney lord mayor says ticketed events for fireworks 'outrageous'
Clover Moore says the NSW government should not be making money from what is meant to be a free event
Sydney’s lord mayor, Clover Moore, has called ticketed New Year’s Eve events around the city’s harbour an “outrageous” money-making exercise by the state government.
Of the 51 official harbourside events on the City of Sydney’s website, 19 are ticketed, including at prices as high as $335 – not including alcohol – to watch the fireworks from the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Continue reading...from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2GKqJ23
Lion kills worker at North Carolina conservation centre
The lion escaped from a locked area and killed staff member as enclosure was being cleaned
A lion has killed a worker at a wildlife conservatory in North Carolina after it escaped from a locked space, the center said.
The lion was shot and killed after it attacked an employee of the Conservators’ Center in Burlington in an enclosure that was being cleaned, the center said in a statement.
Continue reading...from World news | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2rZ7fg5
A Woman Facing Deportation Says She Was Denied Justice Because She Speaks An Indigenous Language
"It's an extreme case and perfect example of an unjust system."
from BuzzFeed News http://bit.ly/2QUMdhs
Chinese Police Officers Have Raided Mosques In A New Crackdown On Religion
The raids are the latest in a Chinese move against unregistered religious institutions.
from BuzzFeed News http://bit.ly/2EWZdvU
Saudi King Orders Cabinet Shakeup In Light Of Khashoggi Killing Fallout
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia’s King Salman issued a wide-ranging overhaul of top government posts on Thursday, including naming a new foreign minister, following international fallout from the killing of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi nearly three months ago.
He also ordered a shakeup of the kingdom’s two supreme councils that oversee matters related to the economy and security, respectively. Both councils are headed by the king’s son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose powers, including roles as deputy prime minister and defense minister, were untouched in the overhaul.
The changes appear to further consolidate the crown prince’s grip on power by appointing advisers and members of the royal family seen as close to him.
Adel al-Jubeir, the soft-spoken foreign minister who took over the post in 2015 from the late Prince Saud al-Faisal , was replaced by Ibrahim al-Assaf, formerly a longtime finance minister. Al-Jubeir was appointed to the rank of minister of state for foreign affairs.
Al-Assaf had been serving as a minister of state prior to being named foreign minister. He holds a seat on the boards of state-owned oil-giant Saudi Aramco and the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund. The crown prince oversees both entities.
Al-Assaf’s biography on Aramco’s website says he holds a Ph.D. in economics from Colorado State University, a master’s degree in economics from the University of Denver and a bachelor’s degree from King Saud University.
The changes, which impact several key ministries, come as the king and his son, the crown prince, were looking to announce a major reshuffle following Khashoggi’s killing by Saudi agents in Istanbul.
The king issued a number of other royal decrees, which were read on state TV, that replaced the ministers of media and education.
Turki Shabbaneh, a Saudi TV presenter, was named minister of media. Hamad al-Sheikh was appointed minister of education.
Meanwhile, Prince Abdullah bin Bandar— the son of Prince Bandar Al Saud who once served as Saudi ambassador to Washington— was named head of the National Guard. The force is tasked primarily with the protection of the Al Saud ruling family. Prince Abdullah had been deputy governor of Mecca.
One significant change impacts a close aide of the crown prince, Turki al-Sheikh, who was named as head of the kingdom’s General Entertainment Authority, a body created in recent years to help organize and promote concerts and other events that had long been banned in the conservative country.
Al-Sheikh, who is known to be close to the crown prince, was replaced as head of the Sports Authority by Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal.
Al-Sheikh’s appointment as head of entertainment means he no longer oversees a cybersecurity and programming body that was led by Saud al-Qahtani, a close aid to the crown prince who was fired from his post and sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for helping to mastermind the plot in Istanbul that led to Khashoggi’s killing.
Khashoggi, a critic of the crown prince, was killed and dismembered by a team of Saudi agents in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.
Saudi Arabia denies the crown prince knew of the plot. He’s been supported by President Donald Trump who has touted U.S.-Saudi ties. The U.S. Senate, however, passed a unanimous resolution saying it believes the crown prince is to blame for the murder. His critics point to U.S. intelligence reports and say an operation like this could not have happened without his knowledge.
The killing badly damaged Prince Mohammed’s international image as a transformational leader committed to changes Saudi Arabia’s allies in the West long hoped for.
from World News – Talking Points Memo http://bit.ly/2ShVpJs
Tweets For Today
#UPDATE Graham said that President Donald Trump promised to stay in Syria to finish the job of destroying the Islamic State group -- just days after announcing he would be withdrawing troops immediately https://t.co/5Qm2q6bnXW pic.twitter.com/FvWkFUcqJl— AFP news agency (@AFP) December 31, 2018
Bangladesh PM Hasina scores big election win, opposition claims vote rigged https://t.co/o7oT5AGSth pic.twitter.com/KuNmCK4Vhx— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) December 31, 2018
Brazil is about to experience its moment of truth with its new president, Jair Bolsonaro, who takes power on Tuesday as an untested leader vowing a crackdown on crime and corruption and ideological opposition to the left https://t.co/6YupfV95Co— AFP news agency (@AFP) December 31, 2018
China to kick off year of sensitive anniversaries with major speech on Taiwan https://t.co/T9ZxVUN8BY pic.twitter.com/5Xwe0mnGfD— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) December 31, 2018
In May, @USMC #Marines and @USNavy #sailors trained with the Jordanian Armed Forces during exercise #EagerLion. #KnowYourMil #YearInReview pic.twitter.com/OdT0HvNMf1— U.S. Dept of Defense (@DeptofDefense) December 31, 2018
23 charts and maps that show the world is getting much, much better https://t.co/OYEfZcTSkD Is true.— Close Danger (@CloseDanger) December 31, 2018
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2F1uj6q
Picture Of The Day
Soldiers wait to rappel from UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters during an air assault course at the Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Sept. 20, 2018. Army photo by Spc. Rolyn Kropf
WNU Editor: The above picture came from this photo-gallery .... Soldiers Conduct Rappelling, Ruck March During Air Assault Course in Germany (US Department of Defense).
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2s27wid
U.S. Senator Graham: President Trump Is 'Slowing Down' Syria Withdrawal
Business Insider: Lindsey Graham suggests Trump may have changed his mind on pulling troops out of Syria: 'I think the president's going to finish the job when it comes to ISIS'
* Senator Lindsey Graham may have changed President Trump's mind about pulling troops out of Syria.
* "I think the president's going to finish the job when it comes to ISIS," Graham told reporters after meeting with President Trump Sunday.
* Trump's decision earlier this month to order his staff to execute the "full" and "rapid" withdrawal of US military from Syria was met with harsh criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike.
"We are in a pause situation," said Senator Lindsey Graham on pulling out US troops from Syria.
After a White House lunch with President Trump, Graham indicated that Trump may have changed his mind on on the highly criticized decision to pull out of Syria.
Read more ....
More News On U.S. Senator Graham's Remarks That President Trump Is 'Slowing Down' A Syria Withdrawal
Graham says Trump slowing down planned withdrawal from Syria -- AP
Lindsey Graham Suggests Syrian Troop Drawdown Will Take Longer Than 30 Days -- The New York Times
Graham more upbeat on Syria troop withdrawal after Trump meeting -- Reuters
Top Republican says Trump vows to 'destroy' IS before leaving Syria -- AFP
Graham: Trump still wants to leave Syria, but will reevaluate plan to attack ISIS -- CNN
Graham says 'I feel pretty good' about Syria after lunch with Trump -- FOX News
Lindsey Graham says Trump is 'slowing down' Syria withdrawal -- NBC
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2Tnv117
Iraq Preparing For A Bigger Role In Syria After The U.S. Withdrawal
Iraqi forces in the past pounded ISIL positions inside Syria after getting the green light from Syrian authorities [Reuters]
Reuters: Iraq hints at bigger role in Syria after U.S. withdrawal
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq’s prime minister said on Sunday that top security officials from Baghdad had met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, and hinted at a bigger Iraqi role fighting Islamic State militants as U.S. troops withdraw from Syria.
“This issue has a lot of complications,” Adel Abdul Mahdi told reporters, referring to U.S. President Donald Trump’s surprise announcement this month that he will withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq’s neighbor.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: The Syrian government has given the authorization to Iraq to launch air strikes against ISIS targets in eastern Syria .... Syria's Assad authorizes Iraqi forces to strike IS in Syria (AP). More here .... Damascus allows Iraq to hit ISIL targets in Syria: State media (Al Jazeera). This announcement comes after this meeting .... Assad Receives Iraqi National Security Adviser in Damascus (Sputnik).
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2BR6KZZ
A Look At Asia's Flash Points And Arms Races In 2019
The Diplomat: Flashpoints and Arms Races to Watch in 2019
Will 2019 see an increased chance for military confrontation in Asia?
The 2019 security outlook for Asia, as in past years, is dominated by a number of regional flashpoints that include the Korean Peninsula, the South and East China Seas, as well as the Taiwan Strait, all of which have the potential to trigger a military confrontation. Nonetheless, there appears to be a reduced risk for open military clashes in all of the four cases in the next 12 months.
Simultaneously, 2019 will likely see an intensification of the war in Afghanistan, amid ongoing peace negotiations and the suggested withdrawal of 7,000 U.S. troops from the country; the presidential election scheduled for the spring may be postponed. Other areas our readers should watch include: a possible uptick in violence in Jammu and Kashmir as a result of the 2019 Indian general elections, the usual chance of South Asian border disputes getting out of control, and increased naval competition between India, China, and Pakistan in the Indian Ocean. Naval competition is especially noteworthy as all three states are in the process of fielding, or already have deployed, nuclear-armed submarines.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: The world has seen many arms races in its history, but I think there is a very real possibility that in the next decade Asia will dwarf all past arms races .... including what happened during the Cold War. What does not help the situation is the history and cultures of the region. While culturally Asia is very old, politically they are still immature. They do not have the alliances and safeguards that Europe and the U.S. have put in place since the Second World War that has kept (more or less) the peace in Europe. Absent these political and international structures in Asia, there is no way that flash points and disputes can be brokered amicably and without the use of violence. And while past conflicts were limited, today's advanced weaponry and destructive capabilities can make a small border conflict escalate into something far bigger and devastating. In the middle of all of this is China. They want to be the super power in Asia. Will they use their military dominance to achieve this .... that is a question that still remains unanswered.
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2EUqq32
Could North Korea and Iran Could Acquire Hypersonic Weapons?
Reuters
Zachary Keck, National Interest: Forget Russia: North Korea and Iran Could Acquire Hypersonic Weapons
It is extremely likely that Tehran and Pyongyang will acquire hypersonic missiles, according to a senior U.S. general.
Hypersonic weapons for everyone?
It is extremely likely that Iran and North Korea will acquire hypersonic missiles, according to a senior U.S. general.
Back in April, Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves, the director of the Missile Defense Agency, testified to the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee. During the hearing, Sen. Susan Collins asked Greaves about the risk that China and Russia’s hypersonic missile technology will be proliferated to countries like North Korea and Iran. “I assess that risk as extremely high,” Greaves responded. “I don’t see what will prevent it from happening.” He added that this is the reason why “the hypersonic threat is something that we need to address expediently.”
Read more ....
WNU Editor: Only three countries are currently developing hypersonic weapons (U.S., Russia, and China), and they are doing so at great cost while overcoming many technical and engineering difficulties. Can North Korea and Iran develop and deploy hypersonic weapons .... for the moment no. But in the future .... anything is possible.
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2GPosmk
North Korea Continues To Develop Its Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reacts during the long-range strategic ballistic rocket test launch. KCNA via Reuters
Daily Mail: North Korea continues to develop its intercontinental ballistic missiles, despite vowing to put a stop to launches as leader Kim Jong-un calls for more peace talks with the South
* Radio signals detected from North Korea are said to have come from an ICBM
* Kim Jong-un previously called a halt to the nuclear programme in June this year
* It comes as he penned a letter to South Korea asking for further peace talks
North Korea has continued to develop its nuclear missiles, despite pledging to ditch the weapons programme earlier this year - it has been revealed.
The hermit kingdom is said to have conducted a missile-linked radio wave experiment earlier this month after signals were picked up which are known to have been emitted from warhead equipment - according to the Japan News.
Leader Kim Jong-un declared an end to missile launches earlier this year after a crunch summit with US President Donald Trump in Singapore in June.
The U.S. military, Japan Self-Defense Forces and South Korean military are constantly monitoring North Korea for radio waves.
Read more ....
More News And Analysis On North Korea's Missile Program
N. Korea continues missile development -- Japan News/The Yomiuri Shimbun
North Korean Missile Tests: A Wary Pause -- Council on Foreign Relations
Kim Jong Un set for key speech after a missile-free year of talks -- Nikkei Asian Review
Get ready for a new North Korean missile test -- Tom Rogan, Washington Examiner
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2Vk3nUg
China Is On Its Way To Become The Global Superpower In Space
A Long March 2D rocket lifts off Saturday from the Jiuquan space base in northwestern China’s Inner Mongolia region. Credit: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp.
Global Times: China on the way to becoming a major space power
While commercialization has become a common noun in a world that's being propelled by business innovation, its usage in the space sector remains something new, which is especially true with China's space missions. Nonetheless, with the country's Long March carrier rocket series and an array of space start-ups gaining increased global attention, space commercialization is springing into a high frequency phrase. In an exclusive interview with Global Times reporter Li Qiaoyi (GT) earlier in December in Zhuhai, Yang Yiqiang (Yang), the first commander-in-chief of the Long March 11 solid-fuel carrier rockets project, described policy priorities and to-do lists toward turning China into a major space power.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: This is very revealing .... China launched more rockets into orbit in 2018 than any other country (MIT Technology Review)
More News On China's Space Program
China Pushes for Primacy in Space -- The Wall Street Journal
The New Space Race -- WSJ
Pentagon report: China’s space program ‘continues to mature rapidly’ -- Space News
China to carry out 35th space launch of 2018 from Jiuquan on December 7 -- GBTimes
China probe reportedly readying to land on the dark side of the moon -- Reuters
China launches two more Long March rockets; another possible before end of year -- Space Flight Now
China debuts new upper stage in final launch of the year -- Space Flight Now
China is infiltrating US space industry with investments -- Sean Kelly, The Hill
China's Space Program Is Coming for Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos -- Bloomberg
The Moon's Far Side and China's Space Strategy -- The Diplomat
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2AkUnWc
New York Times: Saudi Arabia Pays Sudanese Children To Fight In Yemen
A Sudanese militiaman fighting under the command of the United Arab Emirates along the coastal highway leading to the contested port of Hudaydah, Yemen.CreditCreditTyler Hicks/The New York Times
New York Times: On the Front Line of the Saudi War in Yemen: Child Soldiers From Darfur
KHARTOUM, Sudan — The civil war in Darfur robbed Hager Shomo Ahmed of almost any hope. Raiders had stolen his family’s cattle, and a dozen years of bloodshed had left his parents destitute.
Then, around the end of 2016, Saudi Arabia offered a lifeline: The kingdom would pay as much as $10,000 if Hager joined its forces fighting 1,200 miles away in Yemen.
Hager, 14 at the time, could not find Yemen on a map, and his mother was appalled. He had survived one horrific civil war — how could his parents toss him into another? But the family overruled her.
“Families know that the only way their lives will change is if their sons join the war and bring them back money,” Hager said in an interview last week in the capital, Khartoum, a few days after his 16th birthday.
Read more ....
More News On Reports That Saudi Arabia Is Paying Sudanese Children To Fight In Yemen
Saudi Arabia is reportedly paying up to $10,000 to Sudanese militiamen, including child soldiers, to fight in their brutal war in Yemen -- Business Insider
Saudi Arabia recruited Darfur children for Yemen war: report -- The Hill
Child soldiers from Darfur fighting at front line of war in Yemen, returned soldiers say -- The Independent
Saudi Arabia pays Sudanese children to fight in Yemen, report claims -- Daily Sabah
Saudi Arabia recruited Darfur children to fight in Yemen: NYT -- Al Jazeera
Saudi Arabia is reportedly outsourcing its war in Yemen to child soldiers -- VOX
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2QdKJtF
Talks To Begin Among Southeast Asian Nations On South China Sea
A map shows different nation's claims to the South China Sea.
Reuters: Tough South China Sea talks ahead as Vietnam seeks to curb China's actions
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Tough negotiations lie ahead over a new pact between China and Southeast Asian nations aimed at easing tensions in the South China Sea, as Vietnam pushes for provisions likely to prove unpalatable to Beijing, documents reviewed by Reuters suggest.
Hanoi wants the pact to outlaw many of the actions China has carried out across the hotly disputed waterway in recent years, including artificial island building, blockades and offensive weaponry such as missile deployments, according to a negotiating draft of the ASEAN Code of Conduct (COC) seen by Reuters.
The draft also shows Hanoi is pushing for a ban on any new Air Defence Identification Zone - something Beijing unilaterally announced over the East China Sea in 2013. Chinese officials have not ruled out a similar move, in which all aircraft are supposed to identify themselves to Chinese authorities, over the South China Sea.
Read more ....
WNU editor: Here is an easy prediction. China is not going to compromise.
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2EVks16
More News On The Dispute Over The Yemeni Port Of Hodeida
DW: Yemen government disputes rebel withdrawal from Hodeida port
Shiite rebels said they handed over control of the key Red Sea port of Hodeida to local officials as part of a ceasefire deal with Yemen's Saudi-backed government. But pro-government forces have cast doubt on the claim.
Shiite Houthi rebels have begun to withdraw from the key port in the Red Sea city of Hodeida as part of a deal reached in peace talks in Sweden earlier this month, a United Nations official said Saturday.
But the Yemeni government has disputed the withdrawal claim, calling it a ploy by the rebels to maintain control of the strategic area.
Military and local Hodeida officials loyal to the government have said the Houthis placed loyalist administrators and fighters in both the port management and the coast guard.
"It's a stage play in which the Houthis handed over the port to their fighters after they put on coast guard uniforms," said Hodeida Governor al-Hassan Taher.
Another pro-government official has called on the UN to put in place a "clear mechanism" to ensure a fair recruitment process at these facilities.
Read more ....
More News On The Dispute Over The Yemeni Port Of Hodeida
U.N. says Yemen Houthis' redeployment in Hodeidah should respect Stockholm deal -- Reuters
UN calls out Houthi rebels over Hodeidah peace plan -- The National
Head of UN team in Yemen ‘angered’ by Houthi redeployment in Hodeidah -- Al Arabiya
Pro-government official casts doubt on rebel withdrawal from Hodeidah port -- Middle East Eye
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2ThYV6U
The 'New' F-16 Viper Has Become A Deadlier Plane By Using Critical Components From The F-22 And F-35
F-16 Block 70. Lockheed Martin
Dave Majumdar, National Interest: How F-22 and F-35 'DNA' Will Make the 'New' F-16 Viper a Real Killer
Here is all we know.
Key point: "At the core of the F-16 Block 70 is the Northrop Grumman APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, which is based on technology leveraged from the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 and can track more than 20 targets simultaneously."
Lockheed Martin has received a massive $1.12 billion contract from the U.S. government to produce 16 advanced F-16 Block 70 Fighting Falcons for Bahrain.
The “undefinitized contract action award” means that the Royal Bahraini Air Force will become the first operator of the most advanced and capable version of F-16 ever designed.
Moreover, unlike previous versions of the F-16—which were built in Fort Worth, Texas—these new “Vipers” are to be manufactured in Greenville, South Carolina.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: The old F-16 was a formidable plane. These improvements will make it even more formidable.
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2rXJJ32
Time Report: Former Russian Spy Pressured Manafort To Pay Debts To Oligarch
Time: Exclusive: Russian Ex-Spy Pressured Manafort Over Debts to an Oligarch
When the U.S. government put out its latest sanctions list on Dec. 19, the man named at the top did not seem especially important. Described in the document as a former Russian intelligence officer, he was accused of handling money and negotiations on behalf of a powerful Russian oligarch. The document did not mention that the man, Victor Boyarkin, had links to the 2016 campaign of President Donald Trump.
A months-long investigation by TIME, however, found that Boyarkin, a former arms dealer with a high forehead and a very low profile, was a key link between a senior member of the Trump campaign and a powerful ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: According to Time the mysterious Russian person identified as "V" by the Mueller investigation is Victor Boyarkin (not Vladimir Putin as some were speculating a few months ago). As for Russian Oligarch Oleg Deripaska connections to Paul Manafort and the money that Manafort owes him, that is old news. I am also skeptical of the Time's report claiming that this former intelligence officer is close to Russian President Putin. They provide no proof .... just the claim that he knows people who know people in the Kremlin. So what is the big story here .... according to Time a former GRU agent turned businessman was used in trying to retrieve money that Paul Manafort took (and did not pay). That is about it. And as to the big question .... was Paul Manafort pressured to give information and/or did he offer something to pay off his debt? From what I have read so far .... the answer is no.
More News On Time's Report That A Former Russian Spy Pressured Manafort To Pay Debts To Oligarch
Ex-Kremlin spy 'pressured Paul Manafort to pay back $19million in debt he owed to a Russian oligarch while he was in charge of Trump's campaign' -- Daily Mail
Paul Manafort pressured by Russians to pay back debt while Trump's campaign chair, Time magazine says -- CNN
Russian ex-spy reportedly pressured Manafort to pay debts to oligarch -- The Hill
Former Russian Spy Reportedly Pressured Manafort to Pay Back Oligarch Debts -- Slate
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2VlLVPw
Here Are Three Deaths That Stand Out This Year In Afghanistan
Afghan commando Maj. Shoaib Moradef, 33, died on Sept. 2 in a military airplane accident in Mazar-i-Sharif, in northern Afghanistan. Courtesy of Shoaib Moradef
NPR: What 3 Deaths Among Thousands Tell Us About Afghanistan In 2018
In 2018, Afghanistan bled. Violence claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 civilians between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30, the highest number in that same period since 2014. The death toll of Afghan security forces — which some estimates put at more than 9,000 this year, between 25 and 30 deaths a day — has been called "unsustainable" by the U.S. military.
The leading cause of civilian casualties was the use of improvised explosive devices, according to the U.N. There were suicide attacks and bombings at voting centers, schools and mosques. And there were U.S. airstrikes.
It all took place in this, the 17th year of America's longest war. U.S. combat troops have been in Afghanistan for nearly double the time they were in Vietnam. And the war has touched generations of Afghans.
Of the thousands of lives lost this year, three stand out. The lives and deaths of these three Afghan men help tell the story of Afghanistan and shed light on the challenges the U.S. faces there.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: Wars always make people into brutal human beings, and the ones who are on the front lines never last long.
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2EWWzqW
It Gets Worse Everyday In Afghanistan
Daily Mail/AFP: 'Worse every day': Afghans expect 2019 to be even deadlier
After a year of record bloodshed, Afghans are bracing for an even deadlier 2019 with the threat of a US drawdown and a looming presidential vote likely to fuel violence.
President Donald Trump's plan to slash the number of US soldiers in Afghanistan before negotiators have struck a peace deal with the Taliban has crushed hopes among many Afghans for an end to the 17-year conflict.
The news, which the White House has not confirmed, capped an annus horribilis for the war-weary country which by some estimates has overtaken Syria as the world's deadliest conflict zone this year.
Read more ....
WNU editor: The Taliban have rejected peace talks with the Afghan government .... Taliban dismiss Afghanistan's peace talks offer (Rueters). More here .... Taliban dismisses Afghanistan's peace talk offer (Al Jazeera). The Presidential election has been delayed .... Afghanistan to delay presidential election to July: election body (Reuters). More here .... Afghan presidential election delayed until July 20 (AFP). And the violence worsens .... Afghanistan becomes world's deadliest country for terrorism, overtaking Iraq (NBC). So yes .... it is getting worse everyday in Afghanistan.
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2EXhEBq
Venezuelans Arrested In Assassination Plot Against The Colombian President
Colombia's Ivan Duque took office in August promising to diplomatically isolate Nicolas Maduro's government [File: Luisa Gonzalez/Reuters]
BBC: Colombia probes alleged plot to assassinate President Iván Duque
Colombia has condemned an alleged plot to assassinate its president, and says three Venezuelans have been arrested in connection with the plan.
Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo said there were "credible" plans to target President Iván Duque.
Without going into details, Mr Trujillo also said three Venezuelans had been arrested with "weapons of war".
Tensions have risen between Colombia and Venezuela in recent months, with mutual expulsion of officials.
Millions have fled Venezuela's severe economic crisis in recent years, and many of those migrants have crossed into Colombia.
Mr Duque was elected in August promising to isolate the country diplomatically.
Read more ....
More News On The Uncovering Of An Assassination Plot Against The Colombian President
Colombia probing plots against president, arrests Venezuelans: foreign minister -- Reuters
Colombia says it has uncovered plot to assassinate PM Iván Duque -- The Guardian/AP
Colombia Investigating Possible Plot to Assassinate President, Official Says -- The New York Times
Colombia investigates plot to assassinate President Ivan Duque -- DW
Colombia investigates 'plots to kill president' as 'weapons of war' seized -- SKY News
Venezuela offers help probing alleged planned attack on Colombia president -- Reuters
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2CDGFz6
Korean Leaders Exchange Letters To End A Year Of Progress
BBC: Kim Jong-un letter to Seoul asks for more summits in 2019
North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un has vowed to "frequently" meet South Korea's President Moon Jae-in next year to discuss denuclearisation.
In a rare letter to Seoul, Mr Kim said he wished to pursue peace between the countries and "solve the issue of denuclearising the peninsula together", a spokesman for Mr Moon said.
Mr Kim also expressed "much regret" that he could not visit Seoul in 2018.
He promised to make the trip after Mr Moon visited Pyongyang in September.
Read more ....
More News On Both Korean Leaders Exchanging Letters To End A Year Of Progress
N. Korean leader calls for more talks with South in new year -- AP
North Korea's Kim wants more summits with Moon next year: Blue House -- Reuters
N. Korea's Kim vows more summits with South next year: Seoul -- AFP
Kim Jong Un sends rare letter to South Korean leader after extraordinary year -- CNN
Korean leaders exchange friendly letters to end year of progress -- NBC
Kim Wants More Summits With Moon to Tackle Nuclear Issue -- Bloomberg
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2GOT6MK
Voters Go To The Polls In Bangladesh
Al Jazeera: Hasina 'wins Bangladesh elections' as opposition rejects polls
Unofficial results show PM Sheikh Hasina won election marred by violent clashes and opposition claims of vote rigging.
The party of Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has won the nation's general election, unofficial results reported by local TV stations showed, after the main opposition alliance rejected the polls.
Marred by claims of vote rigging and voter suppression, Sunday's elections also saw at least 17 people killed in clashes between rival supporters, police said.
Read more ....
More News On Today's Elections In Bangladesh
The Latest: Bangladesh opposition calls election ‘farcical’ -- AP
Bangladesh election: Opposition demand new vote -- BBC
Bangladesh PM takes big lead as opposition rejects poll alleging vote rigging -- Reuters
Hasina takes early lead as Bangladesh opposition rejects polls -- Al Jazeera
Bangladesh opposition reject 'farcical' election and demand new vote -- The Guardian
Polls close in Bangladesh's violence-marred election -- DW
At least 15 killed as Bangladesh election turns violent -- CNN
Bangladesh elections marred by deadly clashes -- Al Jazeera
Bangladesh opposition leader rejects election as ‘farcical’ -- AP
Exclusive: Bangladesh Election Commission investigates complaints of vote rigging -- Reuters
Exclusive: For Bangladesh PM, authoritarian tag is 'badge of honor', son says on poll eve -- Reuters
AP PHOTOS: Election Day in 600-year-old Bangladesh city -- AP
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2Ao26mq
Voters Go To The Polls In Congo
Reuters: Delays blight Congo's presidential vote as opposition cries foul
KINSHASA (Reuters) - Long queues, broken-down machines and torrential rain in the capital disrupted voting in Democratic Republic of Congo’s long-anticipated presidential poll on Sunday, as the opposition alleged widespread irregularities.
Three opposition strongholds will see no casting of ballots at all after the authorities canceled the vote there, citing health risks from an ongoing Ebola outbreak and ethnic violence.
Some polling places in other opposition bastions in the capital Kinshasa did not open until more than seven hours after the 6 a.m. (0500 GMT) start because voter rolls had not arrived.
Read more ....
More News On Today's Presidential Elections In Congo
The Latest: Congo polls remain open for whoever is in line -- AP
DR Congo election: Presidential poll hit by delays -- BBC
Delays, frustrations mark Congo’s presidential election -- AP
Volatile DR Congo votes after two-year delay -- AFP
Polls open as DR Congo chooses successor to longtime leader Kabila -- France 24
Congolese finally go to the polls amid fears over fraud -- The Guardian
Congo voters cast ballots in election delayed for 2 years -- CNN
Congo voters barred over Ebola vote anyway, by the thousands -- AP
DR Congo voters go to polls in long-delayed elections -- DW
DRC election: Voting under way in long-delayed polls -- Al Jazeera
AP Explains: Why groundbreaking Congo vote could stumble -- Cara Anna, AP
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2SuCScT
Analysis: Chinese President Xi Jinping Has Had A Turbulent Year
Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a New Year speech to extend New Year greetings to all Chinese, and best wishes to friends all over the world, in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2017. (Xinhua)
Bill Birtles, ABC News Online: Xi Jinping's turbulent year marked by trade wars, detention camps and an economic slow down
In the grand narrative of China's rise, it's easy to ascribe a type of exceptionalism to the China model that renders normal standards for political analysis unsuitable.
After all, the free media, opposition parties and civil society groups that highlight the shortcomings of democratic leaders elsewhere are missing from the day-to-day coverage in China.
But if you try to judge President Xi Jinping's performance over the past 12 months by the standards of any other country, 2018 was a troubling year.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: The Chinese economy is President Xi's weak spot, and it is going to be his number one problem in 2019.
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2Rsd2ZO
Russian President Putin Sends President Trump A Friendly Holiday Message
'Vladimir Putin stressed that the (Russia - United States) relations are the most important factor for providing strategic stability and international security,' a Kremlin statement said
Daily Mail/Reuters: Moscow is ready for dialogue on a 'wide-ranging agenda' Putin tells Trump in friendly New Year letter that stresses the importance of good US-Russia relations
* Russian President Vladimir Putin sent the letter on Monday, the Kremlin said
* Stressed that US and Russia relations are key to international security
* Putin also sent New Year letters to leaders of UK, Japan, China and Syria
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a New Year letter to his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump, said on Sunday that Moscow was ready for dialogue on a 'wide-ranging agenda', the Kremlin said in a statement.
'Vladimir Putin stressed that the (Russia - United States) relations are the most important factor for providing strategic stability and international security,' a Kremlin statement said.
'He confirmed that Russia is open for dialogue with the USA on the most wide-ranging agenda.'
Read more ....
More News On Russian President Putin Sending To President Trump A Friendly Holiday Message
Putin sends Trump friendly holiday message after turbulent year of U.S.-Russia relations -- NBC
Putin tells Trump that Moscow is ready for talks on an ‘extensive agenda’ -- The Hill
In holiday message, Putin says Russia 'open to dialogue' with US -- CNN
Putin to Trump: Moscow ready for ‘most extensive’ talks -- Politico.eu
Russia's Putin says he is 'open for dialogue' with United States -- Al Jazeera
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2EWYz2g
Outgoing White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly's Interview With The Los Angeles Times
President Trump shakes hands with White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly after he was sworn in July 31, 2017. (Pool photo)
Los Angeles: Outgoing White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly defends his rocky tenure
In August 2017, shortly after John F. Kelly became White House chief of staff, he convened crucial meetings on Afghanistan at President Trump’s golf club in Bedminster, N.J.
Top officials from the Pentagon and the CIA, the director of national intelligence, diplomats and lawmakers huddled with Trump as Kelly and others urged him not to give up in Afghanistan.
“When I first took over, he was inclined to want to withdraw from Afghanistan,” Kelly recounted during an exclusive two-hour interview with the Los Angeles Times.
“He was frustrated. It was a huge decision to make ... and frankly there was no system at all for a lot of reasons — palace intrigue and the rest of it — when I got there.”
Read more ....
WNU Editor: An excellent post from the Los Angeles Times on its interview with White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly. There is a part of this post that did clicked with me ....
.... On most days, he said, he woke up at 4 a.m. and typically came home at 9 p.m. Then he often went straight into a secure area for classified reports and communications so he could keep working.
“I’m guarded by the Secret Service. I can’t even go get a beer,” he quipped.
I mentioned a month ago when everyone knew that John Kelly was leaving on how exhausting such a job actually is. I said that because I know someone who had this type of government position. He told me the same thing on how exhausting the work and responsibility is. You never sleep, and you never have any time for friends and family. And when you retire .... you leave feeling free, but also worried that your replacement will not be up to the job.
That is why IMHO .... and from what I know .... John Kelly served the President and country with honour and distinction. He will be hard to replace.
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2LGkB9X
Why Today's Journalists Are Not 'Guardians Of The Truth'
This combination photo provided by Time magazine shows its four covers for its 2018 “Person of the Year.”
Rex Murphy, National Post: Time is wrong. Today's journalists are not 'guardians of the truth'
Contemporary journalism is frequently as wayward as the social media it deplores. It has long since given up any attempt to be objective.
Time, that tattered, shrunken revenant of a once-popular news magazine, continues in its endless decline to delude itself that it has either the authority or the competence to name the “Person of the Year.” Brilliantly it named journalists — “The Guardians” — as 2018’s collective heroes, with Jamal Khashoggi given pride of place on the once-iconic cover. Time neglected to check on Khashoggi and now finds that it nominated a Qatar stooge, whose columns were midwifed by officers in the Qatar government, and whose “journalistic” career was but a distracting pendant to his many more serious activities, latterly as an anti-Saudi lobbyist, nephew to the one-time world’s biggest arms dealer, and a host of other shadowy mésalliances. The neatest summary I have read of Khashoggi, the journalist, is: “a highly-partisan operative who worked with a handler to publish propaganda at the behest of the Emirate of Qatar … in other words, an agent of influence.”
Read more ....
WNU Editor: Regular readers know that I am always skeptical of the media. I guess being exposed to years of Soviet media news reports and lies made me become that type of person. But here is a real good post from Canadian commentator Rex Murphy, who unravels it all with a blow-torch.
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2StP4dW
Guns And America
The most profound 36 seconds of your day. You will not regret watching this. 2nd Amendment+USA 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/X9mtrCkG6e— X Strategies (@XStrategiesDC) December 24, 2018
WNU Editor: Wow!!! Watch the entire clip.
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2Qd8ty3
Tweets For Today
Bangladeshis head to the polls following a weeks-long campaign that was dominated by deadly violence and allegations of a crackdown on thousands of opposition activists https://t.co/GprmegOQfC pic.twitter.com/PVAOzo0UA0— AFP news agency (@AFP) December 30, 2018
DR Congo election: Polls to open in tense vote https://t.co/PaM6U3UrHj— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) December 30, 2018
WATCH: The year of Putin - 2018 saw more sanctions on Russia, hacking allegations, war games, and the biggest expulsion of diplomats since the Cold War. @GuyReuters on what 2019 could bring pic.twitter.com/mHypbWzFcj— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) December 30, 2018
Syrian forces have deployed around the city of Manbij at the request of the Kurds, but people still fear a US military withdrawal will see Turkish troops enter https://t.co/8sgGo8QJOe— AFP news agency (@AFP) December 29, 2018
This is actually very sad. Iraqis dressed as Santa Claus make their way through the remains of Mosul’s Old City, giving gifts to local children. pic.twitter.com/eETdDpACDe— RT (@RT_com) December 29, 2018
Awesome pass and incredible flares pic.twitter.com/9hqxJck4st— Aviationdaily✈️الطيران يوميآ (@Aviationdailyy) December 29, 2018
from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2EWUVVZ
Syria at war: How departure of US forces opens up a Wild East
President Trump’s withdrawal of US troops from Syria could make the eastern third of the country an open arena for several competing forces and herald a new chapter in the country’s bloody civil war, just as it was beginning to wind down. Some 2,200 US Special Forces are deployed in the vast terrain east of the Euphrates River, where they support and train the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a local Arab and Kurdish militia that has played a leading role in the battle against the Islamic State (ISIS). Mr. Trump declared victory over ISIS as the reason for pulling out of Syria, but many analysts warn that the extremist group could bounce back in the vacuum caused by a US departure.
from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2LDJNht
Rising hopes for democracy in the American heartland
At a time when many see looming clouds on the horizon of American democracy, I’ve been thinking about glimmers of hope. Political activism in America, especially as depicted on social media or TV, tends to focus almost exclusively on die-hard Trump supporters or those who form the official “resistance” to the current administration. The encouraging signs I’ve seen across the heartland this year are, I believe, part and parcel of a broader awakening that includes both sexes.
from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2rZNzZG
Hold off the forecasts of doom
Paying attention to what troubles humanity is understandable: The out-of-whack needs fixing. Harvard University’s Steven Pinker makes the case that humankind’s current great leap forward is being overlooked.
from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2rZLSLO
Why Britain's effort to end knife crime is about more than stopping violence
Sephton Henry is on a mission: he wants to keep British kids away from violence and gangs.
from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2SkKwqs
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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks with Senator John McCain on Capitol Hill in 2016. NATO photo CNBC: NATO is considering na... -
DAKAR, Dec 17 (IPS) - Masters of Laws student Khoudia Ndiaye will graduate from Senegal's University Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) next year....
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Footage posted to social media shows chaotic scenes in Senegal's capital, Dakar. from BBC News https://ift.tt/4LItBfF
