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UK to double number of drones in Afghanistan

“The UK is to double the number of armed RAF ‘drones’ flying combat and surveillance operations in Afghanistan and, for the first time, the aircraft will be controlled from terminals and screens in Britain. Pilots based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire will fly the recently bought American-made UAVs at a hi-tech hub built on the site in the past 18 months. The most recent figures from the Ministry of Defence show that, by the end of September, the UK’s five Reapers in Afghanistan had flown 39,628 hours and fired 334 laser-guided Hellfire missiles and bombs at suspected insurgents.” Continue reading →

Romney on drones: ‘Use any and all means necessary to take out’ enemies

“I believe we should use any and all means necessary to take out people who pose a threat to us and our friends around the world. And it’s widely reported that drones are being used in drone strikes, and I support that and entirely, and feel the president was right to up the usage of that technology, and believe that we should continue to use it, to continue to go after the people that represent a threat to this nation and to our friends.” Continue reading →

Romney on drones: ‘Use any and all means necessary to take out’ enemies

Iraq issues arrest warrant for ex central bank chief, other officials

“Iraqi authorities issued arrest warrants for the former central bank chief and other bank officials after a probe into corruption, a spokesman for the high judicial council said on Friday. Iraq’s cabinet on Tuesday ousted director Sinan al-Shibabi over a parliamentary charges bank officials were abusing dollar sales. His dismissal will do little to ease investor worries the government is undermining the bank’s autonomy.” Continue reading →

Middle East oil companies targeted in cyber war

“Middle Eastern oil and gas companies have been targeted in massive attacks on their computer networks in an increasingly open cyber war where a new virus was discovered just this past week. US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta also referred publicly for the first time about the ‘Shamoon’ virus that hit Saudi Arabia’s state oil company Aramco in August, disabling more than 300,000 computers. The virus also hit Rasgas, a joint venture between US oil firm Exxon Mobil Corp and state-controlled Qatar Petroleum. Panetta warned of the possibility of a ‘cyber-Pearl Harbor’ to justify a policy of moving aggressively against threats.” Continue reading →

South Korean Activists Send Leaflets to North Korea

“South Korean activists floated balloons carrying tens of thousands of anti-Pyongyang leaflets into North Korea on Monday, eluding police who had disrupted an earlier launch attempt due to threats from North Korea. North Korea’s military warned last week that it would strike if the South Korean activists carried through with their plan to fly balloons carrying the propaganda leaflets across the border. South Korean police, citing security concerns, had sent hundreds of officers Monday to seal off roads and prevent the activists and other people from gathering at an announced launch site near the border.” Continue reading →

Tens of thousands rally in London against austerity

“Government spending cuts brought some tens of thousands of people onto the streets of London and other British cities on Saturday in protest, with union leaders expected to call for a general strike. Marchers carried signs reading ‘No cuts’ and ‘Tax justice not tax havens’, condemning the austerity measures introduced by Prime Minister David Cameron’s coalition government in a bid to reduce Britain’s huge deficit.” Continue reading →

Study proves pesticide exposure linked to bumblebee colony failures

“In those exposed to gamma-cyhalothrin, there was a higher death rate among worker bees. And colonies that were exposed to both kinds of pesticides were likelier to fail. The experiment was exceptionally long and detailed, the scientists say. It lasted four weeks, whereas current guidelines test pesticides on bees for only up to 96 hours. In addition, it looked at what happened when bees were exposed to two chemicals at the same time and at the changes in a colony’s social structure.” Continue reading →