Mainstream News

Gunman dead after killing 4 at heavily secured Washington Naval Yard

"A heavily armed gunman opened fire at the Navy Yard in southeast Washington, D.C., Monday morning killing four people and shooting as many as 12, a senior Naval official told NBC News. Washington police swat teams cornered at least one of the shooters, who they said was carrying an AR-15, double barrel shotgun, and a handgun in the Naval Sea Systems Command Headquarters building. At least one officer had been shot in both legs at the Naval Sea Systems Command Headquarters, NBC News reported. The building has heavy security and requires a government I.D. to enter." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGunman dead after killing 4 at heavily secured Washington Naval Yard

French navy intercepts Syrian ship carrying 20 tons of marijuana

"The French navy said Thursday it had made a record cannabis seizure in the Mediterranean sea after intercepting a ship carrying 20 tonnes of cannabis worth up to 50 million euros. 'To the best of our knowledge it is the biggest seizure by the French state in the Mediterranean,' vice-admiral Yves Joly told a news conference in Toulon. The market value of the cannabis was 'between 40 and 50 million euros ($53 and 66 million),' said regional customs head Hugues-Lionel Galy. The eight-member crew, who claimed to be Syrians, set the cannabis on fire and a part of the clandestine cargo was destroyed. The men will be tried in France and could face up to 10 years in prison, if convicted." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFrench navy intercepts Syrian ship carrying 20 tons of marijuana

Obama on Iran: Diplomacy can work when backed with military threats

"Barack Obama has revealed an exchange of letters with Iran’s new President Hassan Rowhani but warned his reluctance to strike Syria should not devalue US threats of force to thwart an Iranian nuclear bomb. The US president, in an interview aired Sunday, publicly confirmed the outreach to Rowhani for the first time, and said he believed the Syria chemical arms drama showed that diplomacy could work if backed by threats of military action. In his interview, Obama said that the outcome of the Syrian deal offered Iran a 'lesson' in the benefits of diplomacy." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingObama on Iran: Diplomacy can work when backed with military threats

Pat Buchanan: Putin ‘Made A Better Case’ Than Obama On Syria

"Conservative pundit Patrick Buchanan says Vladimir Putin's op-ed in the New York Times is an 'outstanding piece' that 'made a better case against U.S. strikes in Syria' than President Obama has done in arguing for U.S. strikes." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPat Buchanan: Putin ‘Made A Better Case’ Than Obama On Syria

Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri calls for U.S. attacks and economic boycott

"'We should bleed America economically by provoking it to continue in its massive expenditure on its security, for the weak point of America is its economy, which has already begun to stagger due to the military and security expenditure,' Zawahiri said according to the SITE translation. 'And keeping America in tension and anticipation only costs a few disparate attacks here and there, meaning as we defeated it in the gang warfare in Somalia, Yemen, Iraq and Afghanistan, so we should follow it with that war on its own land,' he added." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAl-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri calls for U.S. attacks and economic boycott

Nobel laureates urge end to Syria hospital attacks

"'Systematic assaults on medical professionals, facilities and patients are breaking Syria’s health-care system and making it nearly impossible for civilians to receive essential medical services,' they said in an open letter. The letter described the attacks as 'deliberate and systematic…. (and) an unconscionable betrayal of the principle of medical neutrality.' 'We call on the Syrian government and all armed parties to refrain from attacking hospitals, ambulances, medical facilities and supplies, health professionals and patients; allow access to treatment for any patient; and hold perpetrators of such violations accountable according to internationally recognised legal standards,' it said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNobel laureates urge end to Syria hospital attacks

Russian lawmaker charged with racism over ‘Obama banana’ image

"A pro-Kremlin lawmaker and former Olympic gold medallist faced a racism row Saturday after she posted a photo-collage of President Barack Obama juxtaposed with a banana on Twitter. Irina Rodnina posted on Twitter a photomontage that purports to show Obama and his wife gazing at a hand in the foreground holding up a banana. After the post sparked a storm of disgust on Saturday, Rodnina deleted the message, but insisted she believed she had done nothing wrong. 'Freedom of speech is freedom of speech! Deal with your hangups yourself,' she wrote defiantly on Twitter, saying the post had boosted her rating." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRussian lawmaker charged with racism over ‘Obama banana’ image

Report: Half of Syrian rebels are hardline jihadists or Al-Qaeda operatives

"Of the rebel forces, IHS Jane’s estimates that around 10,000 are jihadists fighting for groups linked to Al-Qaeda and another 30,000 to 35,000 are hardline Islamists, who differ from jihadists in that they are concentrated only on the Syrian conflict, and not on the global Islamist fight. 'The insurgency is now dominated by groups which have at least an Islamist viewpoint on the conflict,' Charles Lister, author of the analysis, told the British newspaper. 'The idea that it is mostly secular groups leading the opposition is just not borne out. [..] If the West looks as though it is not interested in removing Assad, moderate Islamists are also likely to be pushed further towards extremists,' he warned." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingReport: Half of Syrian rebels are hardline jihadists or Al-Qaeda operatives

Syria rebel chief rejects U.S.-Russia chemical weapons deal

"Syria’s rebel Free Syrian Army chief rejected Saturday a US-Russian deal to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons by mid-2014. 'We cannot accept any part of this initiative,' General Selim Idriss told reporters in Istanbul. He preceded that by saying: 'We in the Free Syrian Army are unconcerned by the implementation of any part of the initiative… I and my brothers in arms will continue to fight until the regime falls.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSyria rebel chief rejects U.S.-Russia chemical weapons deal

Syria hails U.S.-Russia chemical weapons deal as a ‘victory’ that averts war

"A US-Russian plan to remove Syria’s chemical weapons is a 'victory' that averts a war, a Syrian minister said Sunday, as Washington’s top diplomat briefed Israel about the landmark deal. Some Israeli commentators raised the question of whether Washington would lean on Israel to ratify the international treaty banning the use of chemical weapons. Israel signed the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1993 but never ratified it, despite demands to do so from Washington and Moscow." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSyria hails U.S.-Russia chemical weapons deal as a ‘victory’ that averts war