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Russian police arrest 7 Islamic State militants
Today's Headlines
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-Lurid Crime Tales-
House Freedom Caucus fighting crony FAA restructuring plan
Last week we talked about a congressional move which introduced a plan to "de-federalize" air traffic control, shifting 30,000 federal workers into a non-profit corporation. I expressed some misgivings at the time, even though any move to reduce the size of the federal government gets high marks at first glance. I questioned why the unions were so gung-ho in favor of it, as well as whether or not there would really be any savings coming from the plan.

It turns out that I wasn't alone in my questions over the wisdom of such a move. Hot Air has obtained a copy of a memo which is currently circulating around the House and it comes from the Freedom Caucus. In it, they lay out a number of points which indicate that this plan may not be the conservative goal which is portrayed in its selling points. I wouldn't normally put in such a long quote, but since I can't release the source of the memo you may as well read the entire thing for yourselves.

The AIRR Act is Not Conservative

H.R. 4441 – The AIRR Act, is anything but a conservative, free-market approach to air traffic control reform (ATC). The bill would establish a non-profit regulatory entity that would be designed and run by a board of self-interested industry stakeholders, absent congressional oversight. The costs of carrying out the proposal are undoubtedly high, largely unforeseen, and would be paid for by American taxpayers and the traveling public. In addition, separating ATC from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and congressional oversight would create jurisdictional and regulatory ambiguities, and in this case, present blatant conflicts of interest.

New Special-interest Bureaucracy

H.R. 4441 would let a non-government board of industry and union special interests run the new entity created to regulate the ATC system, but the American people would still pay for it.

H.R. 4441 lets this 11-person board of directors make its own rules inside of very wide parameters set by the bill.

The new board would have the ability to collect charges and fees, also known as taxes, on system users – airline passengers and plane operators – and to modify those fees as it sees fit.

Diminished Congressional Oversight


Under H.R. 4441, Congress cannot control this new regulatory entity, surrendering its oversight function over this critical system.

Without congressional control or oversight, the American people would have less of a say in how U.S. airspace is governed, while still being forced to pay into the system.

The regulatory entity does not require reauthorization, eliminating regular review of the system by Congress.

High Cost to Taxpayers and a Sweet Deal for Unions

This is the first FAA bill in twenty years to be introduced without a including a way to pay for the bill.

The 30,000-plus current ATC employees and all U.S. ATC assets would be transferred, an undertaking of huge magnitude and cost that H.R. 4441 does not adequately capture.

Under H.R. 4441, air traffic controllers would retain all the benefits of a federal government union, but would no longer be subject to federal salary caps.

These employees can also choose to stay in federal pension programs and continue to draw federal healthcare benefits, even though they no longer are government employees.

The special interest-run entity would be given billions of dollars' worth of equipment originally paid for by taxpayers.

Less Safe

The U.S. has the safest, largest, and most complex air transportation system in the world. It is viewed worldwide as the gold standard of aviation safety.

Completely upending this system could introduce problems such as regulatory ambiguities and operational complications that could pose serious safety risks.


Some of this falls directly in line with the reservations I expressed. This new "non-profit" which would oversee the flight controllers would be, as quoted above, a non-government board of industry and union special interests. This structure would also remove them from a lot of government oversight while still allowing them to collect all of the associated "fees" which are already running wild. (And the memo's author is correct that these are still de facto taxes and nothing more.) Who will pay for all of this? As I originally guessed, that would be the airlines. And since they never lay out a dime that they don't squeeze back out of their customers with interest, you know who winds up paying for it in the end.

Not only that, but check out the benefits plan that the workers will be getting. (Listed toward the end of the memo.) They will still be enrolled in all of the taxpayer funded benefits of federal workers, so what's the difference as to who is printing their paychecks? The idea that this will "shrink the size of government" is getting less and less plausible the more we learn.

Give this a look and let us know what you think. It's a great sounding title for a bill, what with the idea of reducing the size of the federal government baked into the cake. But does it really? This is sounding more and more dodgy to me.
Talk about pure cronyism and nothing more than the government special interests feeding at the taxpayer trough. Pure corruption for the world to see.
Posted by: DarthVader || 02/09/2016 14:46 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  The business aviation community is dead set against this as they would assume a disproportionate percentage of the 'fees.'
And airline tickets would skyrocket. The overall safety of the entire system would decline and we could be back in the bonfires at night for navigation age.....
Posted by: USN, Ret. || 02/09/2016 15:05 Comments || Top||

#2  How do we get the country to realize that Cronyism, Corporatism and Crony-capitalism are all the same thing AND the economic base of fascism?

Mussolini laid it all out and it hasn't changed since.
Posted by: AlanC || 02/09/2016 16:09 Comments || Top||


-Signs, Portents, and the Weather-
Arctic shipping passage 'still decades away'
But we've only got 20 10 5 ?? years before warming will destroy us!
[TheGuardian] It will be decades before big cargo ships link China and northern Europe by taking a shortcut through the Arctic Ocean, a report predicts.

Climate change, retreating summer ice
Sez who?
and the prospect of shorter journey times and 40% lower fuel costs has led Russia, European governments and some industries to expect a major ice-free shipping lane to open
I expect to win the lottery, too; wonder which of us will get our dream first?
above Russia, allowing regular, year-long trade between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans within a few years.

But, says the Arctic Institute in a new paper, low bunker fuel prices, a short sailing season and continuing treacherous ice conditions in the Arctic even in summer months means it could be 2040 at the earliest before it is commercially viable for ordinary merchant ships to pass through what is known as the northern sea route.

Until then it will remain cheaper to send trade between Europe and the east via the Suez canal, it says.
I wouldn't hold my breath for 2040, either, Bubbi.
Posted by: Barbara || 02/09/2016 14:17 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  And another thing - I thought we (but not the greenies and our supposed "leaders") were supposed to sacrifice everything to stop warming.

Explain to me how we can stop warming in the rest of the globe, but somehow magically not stop it in the Arctic.

Go ahead - I'll wait (but I won't hold my breath).
Posted by: Barbara || 02/09/2016 14:34 Comments || Top||

#2  "Explain to me how we can stop warming in the rest of the globe, but somehow magically not stop it in the Arctic. "

Tilt the Earth further, that's the only way, but that's gonna cost a lot of money and progress may be impossible to judge during our lifetimes but have no fear. Oh, and A UN tax on the first world will be necessary to pay for it.
Posted by: rjschwarz || 02/09/2016 18:23 Comments || Top||

#3  Tilting the Earth further would help cool the planet by making winters colder, although at the cost of hotter summers. The net effect would be cooling.

Slowing the Earth's orbit would have the same effect.
Posted by: phil_b || 02/09/2016 20:03 Comments || Top||

#4  Pretty obviously we must abandon the planet NAOW. I highly recommend we load our elites and MMGW betters into rockets NAOW and shoot them into space! There is NO TIME to waste

/channeling the Goracle's Chakra
Posted by: Frank G || 02/09/2016 20:53 Comments || Top||

#5  Perfect solution, #4 Frank. :-D

We're saved!!
Posted by: Barbara || 02/09/2016 21:02 Comments || Top||

#6  Frank and Barbara, read "The Marching Morons" by C.M. Kornbluth
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia || 02/09/2016 22:44 Comments || Top||


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Satellite photos show Iranian work on Parchin during and after agreement
[Hot Air] Curious indeed. Didn't John Kerry assure us that Tehran had negotiated the nuclear-technology agreement in reasonably good faith? Stratfor's analysis of satellite imagery of the Parchin site, which was a hub of activity for Iran's development of nuclear weapons, has had a facelift of sorts in recent months. And there appears to be a new tunnel leading to .... what, exactly? A hydroponic farm?

Satellite imagery provided by our partners at AllSource Analysis gives a clear picture of the dual nature of Iran's approach to its nuclear program throughout its negotiations with the West. The pictures of the Parchin Military Complex, taken in July 2010 and January 2016, respectively, show how Tehran removed potentially incriminating traces of activity at the site while talks were ongoing. It also constructed an underground facility within the complex, where research and weapons development could be concealed. ...

Based on the images, it is clear that Iran began making an effort to scrub the site clean in 2012, as talks with the West began to show more potential. It removed layers of soil and foliage that could have contained evidence of its previous activities well before inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency arrived in September 2015, and covered large areas with concrete. Tehran also insisted that Iranian personnel, rather than IAEA experts, collect the test samples required for the inspection. However, the IAEA insists that this process was subject to rigid oversight, and the organization found no incriminating evidence against Iran during its visit to Parchin, though this was likely in part due to the recent renovations and the lack of equipment left in the high explosives test building.
Posted by: Besoeker || 02/09/2016 02:20 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iran

#1  The only effect of the agreement was that they have a LOT more money to work with.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia || 02/09/2016 8:30 Comments || Top||

#2  A success for ValJar, Obama, and Kerry
Posted by: Frank G || 02/09/2016 9:16 Comments || Top||

#3  Yes, but the currency is new money with the tracking stripe.
Posted by: Skidmark || 02/09/2016 9:40 Comments || Top||

#4  Nah, it all got converted into Euros...
Posted by: Steve White || 02/09/2016 11:41 Comments || Top||


Rebels in Northern Syria Assailed on Multiple Fronts
[AnNahar] Rebels in northern Syria were under attack on multiple fronts Monday from Russian-backed regime forces, advancing Kurdish militia and Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems....
group jihadists.

One week into an assault on opposition-held areas of Aleppo province that has caused tens of thousands to flee, troops loyal to Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad
The Scourge of Hama...
have seized a string of villages.

Aided by Russian air strikes and allied militia including Leb's Hizbullah
...Party of God, a Leb militia inspired, founded, funded and directed by Iran. Hizbullah refers to itself as The Resistance and purports to defend Leb against Israel, with whom it has started and lost one disastrous war to date, though it did claim victory...
, regime troops are now around 20 kilometers (14 miles) from the Turkish frontier.

"It's the first time since 2013 that the Syrian regime has been this close to the Turkish border in Aleppo province," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitor.

Opposition fighters are now squeezed "between the pincers of the army, which is pushing north, Kurdish forces coming from the west, and IS which dominates the east," he said.

The regime offensive, one of the largest yet in the north, has cut a major rebel supply route out of Aleppo city.

Regime forces now have their sights set on taking Tal Rifaat, one of three remaining rebel bastions north of Aleppo city.

With their capture of the village of Kafeen late Sunday, government troops are stationed only five kilometers (three miles) south of Tal Rifaat.

A rebel front man blamed the losses of villages in Aleppo province on the lack of support from regional powers opposed to Assad.

"The difference between them and us, it's that we don't benefit from the help of our allies, while the regime gets all sort of support from its allies," said Haitham Hammo, a front man for Jabha Shamiya (Levant Front).

"This means the areas held by the revolutionaries are collapsing," he told AFP.

Since fighting intensified there in 2012, Aleppo province has been transformed into a patchwork of territories held by the government, rebels, Kurds, and jihadists.

In the province's north, opposition fighters are centered in three main strongholds: Tal Rifaat, Marea -- under attack by IS -- and Azaz, which lies five kilometers from the Turkish border.

All three towns fell to opposition fighters in 2012, just a year after the popular uprising against Assad's rule erupted.

But in recent weeks, developments around Syria's second city Aleppo have put serious pressure on rebels there.

On Sunday night, Kurdish fighters took control of three villages east of Afrin after festivities with rebels, who were urged to leave by residents to avoid Russian air strikes, Abdel Rahman said.

The Kurds are one of the most powerful fighting forces on the ground in Syria and have scored significant victories against IS.

About 350,000 civilians are now stuck in the opposition-held eastern parts of Aleppo city, bombarded daily by government forces.

On Monday, 10 non-combatants were killed in an air strike on the rebel-held Salhin neighborhood of the city, according to the Observatory.

With the city nearly completely surrounded, the fear is that residents of opposition-held areas will face severe shortages of basic goods.

"What peace negotiations are they talking about when the regime is transforming the people here into human remains?" said Abu Ahmad, a resident of Aleppo.

Peace talks in Geneva quickly collapsed last week amid rebel anger over the government offensive.

Further north in the Shiite villages of Nubol and Zahraa, where regime forces recently broke a three-year rebel siege, steady transport routes with Damascus have finally resumed, an AFP journalist said.

Three people were killed there Monday when rebels nearby fired rockets into the villages, according to the Observatory.

If rebels lose Aleppo, it would be a major turning point in the nearly five-year war, which has left more than 260,000 people dead.

In Damascus province, regime forces began a siege of the rebel bastion of Daraya over the weekend, prompting the opposition National Coalition to warn Monday of an "imminent massacre".
Posted by: trailing wife || 02/09/2016 02:07 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:


Home Front: Culture Wars
Rudy Giuliani slams Beyonce's '€˜outrageous' Super Bowl performance
[Wash Times] Former New York City Mayor Rudolph W.Giuliani blasted pop star Beyonce for using her "outrageous" halftime performance at the Super Bowl to attack police officers.

"This is football, not Hollywood," the former Republican presidential hopeful said Monday morning on "Fox & Friends."

Beyonce's performance of her newly released single "Formation" featured an army of black women wearing leather outfits reminiscent of the Black Panther Party. At one point, Beyonce and her dancers raised black power fists.

"I think it was outrageous," Mr. Giuliani said. "The halftime show I thought was ridiculous anyway, I don't know what the heck it was. A bunch of people like bouncing around and doing strange things. It was terrible.

"I thought it was really outrageous that she used it as a platform to attack police officers, who are the people who protect her and protect us," he continued. "What we should be doing in the African-American community and all communities is build up respect for police officers.

"This is a political position and she's probably going to take advantage of it," Mr. Giuliani said. "You're talking to middle America when you have the Super Bowl. So if you're going to have entertainment, let's have decent, wholesome entertainment, and not use it as a platform to attack the people who put their lives at risk to save us."

Beyonce's music video for "Formation," which released Saturday, invokes the "Hands up, don't shoot" rallying cry of the Black Lives Matter movement inspired by the 2014 killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, the New York Post reported. The song is being adopted as an anthem for some in the movement and the video features scenes of flooded New Orleans and graffiti that reads: "stop shooting us," the Washington Examiner reported.

Members of the National Sheriffs' Association holding their annual legislative meeting at the J.W. Marriott in Washington D.C. said they turned off the volume and video during Beyonce's performance.

The group called on the NFL to choose less controversial halftime entertainment in the future, the Examiner reported.

On Friday, Beyonce's husband, famous rapper Jay Z, announced he would donate the $1.5 million raised from last year's Tidal charity concert to Black Lives Matter.
Yet another 'dog bites feeding hand' story.She had no problem taking a police escort to the 'performance.'
Posted by: Besoeker || 02/09/2016 02:05 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  It's about POWER. Never really was about integration. The Asians integrated, see how much power they have. Enough to be actively and openly discriminated against in the UC system.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 02/09/2016 8:53 Comments || Top||

#2  As a friend told my wife last night, the Superbowl Halftime Show was marred by a functioning sound system.
Posted by: Mullah Richard || 02/09/2016 10:26 Comments || Top||

#3  "stop shooting us,"

stop acting like feral tribals committing crimes far beyond your % of American society
Posted by: Frank G || 02/09/2016 10:47 Comments || Top||

#4  The NFL still has its antitrust exemption, yes?

And it only gave up its tax exempt status last year.

Maybe a Repub government could take a look at all that.

Maybe even charge them back taxes for all those years of lost revenue.

You know, for social justice.
Posted by: charger || 02/09/2016 12:31 Comments || Top||

#5  @4: Spot on! follow the $! Halftime show was an insult to Americans and fulsome praise to America's self-haters.
Posted by: borgboy || 02/09/2016 12:58 Comments || Top||

#6  We were enjoying our evening repast, when Coldplay's tame and strangely boring show was overrun by leather clad rioters from the sixties. Their gutter-all mumbly-grumbly was utterly incomprehensible to my unsophisticated ears, and I returned to pleasant conversation with the family.
Posted by: JHH || 02/09/2016 15:40 Comments || Top||

#7  We had Joel, Crow, Servo, and Gypsy over at our place.

We were peeing ourselves the whole performance, but that segment, a few of the memorables:

Are those...bandoliers on her arms? What the hell is this? Is she a corporal?

Yeah, corporal punishment.

"Dad, grandma went outside without he pants on again."

Those shoes...oh crap, gonna need a shitload of divot fixers. Game's tough enough without playing around gopher holes.

What's the deal with the zipper britches?
Strong like Carhart! Probably needed a come-along to get'em zipped.

When the performers all looked at each other and made their way to dance off end of show pose, somebody did the "let's get'em girls!" from Blazing Saddles and we lost it, so if there was a panther fisting at the end, we missed it.
Posted by: swksvolFF || 02/09/2016 16:26 Comments || Top||

#8  Didn't like coldplay trying to throat the rainbow microphone? Yeah, the Hefty Bags segment was the worst, we think they lifted the riff from old Run DMC songs.

And the fans holding the color blocks - hilarious. There was like 80% participation at the beginning, and the cameras were smart to get a quick pan, because next view it was down to 40%, then quickly to like 5%. To which I pondered out loud, "Eff this shit man, hold up this board and miss the show."

To which was replied, "Noh, eff this shit, I'm going to go take a piss and get a beer."
Posted by: swksvolFF || 02/09/2016 16:48 Comments || Top||

#9  I didn't understand a thing. But her derriere could use a good dose of Southern style spanking.
Posted by: European Conservative || 02/09/2016 17:50 Comments || Top||

#10  Well its like a Rodeo. About halfway through gotta get all the bullshit off the field to keep playing.

Nice to hear everyday people talking about the game, rather than the show and/or commercials.
Posted by: swksvolFF || 02/09/2016 19:02 Comments || Top||

#11  I have to agree wid Rudy on this one - as entertainment, Beyonce's show was so complex it was disjointed or confusing, at least IMO.

LADY GAGA'S SHOW WAS SIMPLER BUT MUCHO MORE IMPRESSIVE + FUN.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 02/09/2016 19:50 Comments || Top||


Olde Tyme Religion
Female Muslim Prof. Says Muslims Can Rape, Rob Infidel Women Only in Some Circumstances
[PJ] Straining at gnats while swallowing camels is increasingly how Islam's apologists rationalize away the violence and hate Sharia engenders for the "infidel," the non-Muslim. Consider the significance of yet another video of yet another learned Muslim justifying the enslavement and rape of non-Muslim women.

Suad Saleh, a female professor of doctrine at Al Azhar University, correctly defines the Arabic phrase melk al-yamin -- "right hand possession" (see Koran 4:3):

[Non-Muslim] female prisoners of wars are "those whom you own." In order to humiliate them, they become the property of the [Muslim] army commander, or of a Muslim, and he can have sex with them just like he has sex with his wives.
Ms. Saleh's comments are not new or unique. Countless Muslims -- beginning with Muhammad himself -- have confirmed that Islam permits the sexual enslavement of non-Muslim women seized during the jihad.

Saleh cannot even take the "honor" of being the first Muslim woman to support this inherently misogynistic creed.
Posted by: Besoeker || 02/09/2016 02:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  It's not just Muslims. Throw the Left into it too.

Both seek the destruction of Western Civilization. The Left because it believes in the false belief that from its ashes it will create a utopia. It will be another Dark Age.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 02/09/2016 8:44 Comments || Top||

#2  an actual culture of rape with scriptural sanction

but apparently this is of zero interest to feminist activists in the US
Posted by: lord garth || 02/09/2016 10:01 Comments || Top||

#3  Clinton, Cosby and Kennedy's approve of this message.
Posted by: Airandee || 02/09/2016 10:06 Comments || Top||

#4  Its Sanctioned rape. Much like Sanctioned Murder (aka abortion).

And of course simply by assulting a women, the woman becomes the muslim's 'prisoner' and they can rape away.

And of course the real war on women is not paying for their birth control so they can Fluke all they want without responsibility.
Posted by: CrazyFool || 02/09/2016 10:10 Comments || Top||

#5  It was one thing in days of old when they could justify this type of behavior among themselves. But with modern communications when the details of each new atrocity can be flashed across the globe in an instant there is no longer any excuse for it. Their apologists must be exposed for being as evil as they are.
Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 || 02/09/2016 11:49 Comments || Top||

#6  We need to start playing the "Men of the West" pre-battle oration by Aragorn before the final battle in Lord of the Rings.
The rapid demise of all we hold dear approaches as we rush towards cultural Armageddon
Posted by: NoMoreBS || 02/09/2016 12:26 Comments || Top||

#7  So, how many of them we've to kill before they grasp they're not the winners here?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 02/09/2016 12:30 Comments || Top||

#8  Turnabout being fair play, she wouldn't object to non-muslim men taking female muslim women as sex slaves.

Dip sh*t.
Posted by: Sven the pelter || 02/09/2016 13:09 Comments || Top||

#9  Turnabout being fair play, she wouldn't object to non-muslim men taking female muslim women as sex slaves.

Who wants them?
Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 || 02/09/2016 13:50 Comments || Top||

#10  Radically Muslims are like chemotherapy. Can they manage to kill off liberalism before they kill the west.
Posted by: rjschwarz || 02/09/2016 14:54 Comments || Top||

#11  Can we circumcise her brain? Right now?
Posted by: M. Murcek || 02/09/2016 15:24 Comments || Top||

#12  She's just exposing what kind of Sick Pathetic, Perverted, and Evil 'religion' Islam is.

Perhaps we should thank her...
Posted by: CrazyFool || 02/09/2016 16:54 Comments || Top||

#13  Like...when you are around infidels!

/hattip
Posted by: swksvolFF || 02/09/2016 19:06 Comments || Top||

#14  Ahhhh, Islamo-Muslim "progress", aka the Hardline-or-Harder "Status Quo".

Apparently the burden is STILL on the US-West = Non-Islamic/Muslim World to surrender like France to Islam or Radical Islamism, NOT for the latter to change or modernize its ways.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 02/09/2016 19:45 Comments || Top||


Home Front: Politix
FBI Confirms 'Ongoing' Investigation Into Clinton's Server
[Daily Caller] FBI officials confirmed in a court filing Monday they are continuing to investigate former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for using her private email server while at the Department of State, according to Politico.

The FBI's General Counsel James Baker said in public statements and congressional testimony that the FBI "has acknowledged generally that it is working on matters related to former Secretary Clinton's use of a private email server." Baker said he could not disclose more, as to not compromise the FBI's law enforcement work.

Monday's one-paragraph letter is perhaps the most clear example of the FBI going on the record about its "ongoing" probe into the Democratic presidential contender.

The FBI made the disclosure in a letter dated Feb. 2, but filed in court Monday as part of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by Judicial Watch against the Department of State.
Posted by: Besoeker || 02/09/2016 01:53 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  "We don't do security reviews, Beest"
Posted by: Frank G || 02/09/2016 9:01 Comments || Top||

#2  Confirms it huh?

They must have figured out a way to cover it up and their asses at the same time.
Posted by: AlanC || 02/09/2016 12:06 Comments || Top||

#3  Slightly O/T:

Hillary Clinton Election night party with American flag laying on floor
Posted by: Blossom Unains5562 || 02/09/2016 21:02 Comments || Top||


-Land of the Free
TX: Guns, OK. Open carry alcohol, go to jail.
Posted by: Skidmark || 02/09/2016 01:48 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Which people are more likely to cause trouble, the ones with a holster or the ones drinking out of the bottle?
Posted by: james || 02/09/2016 22:47 Comments || Top||


Economy
Evidence Mounts: Minimum Wage Hikes Cost Jobs
The evidence continues to mount that minimum wage hikes have economic costs: A Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco review paper recently found that minimum wages had “directly reduced the number of jobs nationally by about 100,000 to 200,000.” And now a new survey of recent data by Jed Graham of Investor’s Business Daily (h/t RCP) found that minimum wage hikes seem to have taken a toll on hiring in some of America’s major metropolitan areas:
Posted by: DarthVader || 02/09/2016 00:32 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Because it isn't about you being able to work. It is about "fairness".

Stand in the bread line now like a good little comrade while your betters eat caviar.
Posted by: DarthVader || 02/09/2016 0:33 Comments || Top||

#2  US15.0 Minimum Wage = JOBS FOR ROBOTS, NOT HUMANS.

SUPPORT THE MACHINE = ROBO-REVOLUTION, YOU CAN DATE + MARRY YOUR ROBOTS!

Oh wait ...

["I, ROBOT" here].
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 02/09/2016 0:41 Comments || Top||

#3  and yet our liberal gay Democrat SD Councilman Todd Gloria just got an increase with mandatory paid sick days on the June Ballot:

"Vote with your hearts, not your heads! Math is hard!"
Posted by: Frank G || 02/09/2016 9:00 Comments || Top||

#4  Making it illegal for American workers to compete in the global market. Damn, they wanted that global market soooooo bad!
Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 || 02/09/2016 16:16 Comments || Top||


Arabia
Bahrain Charges 11 with Forming Iran-Trained 'Terrorist' Group
[AnNahar] Bahrain's prosecution service said Monday it has charged 11 suspects with forming a "terrorist" group, including a number trained by Iran's Revolutionary Guards and the Hezbollah branch in Iraq.

The group, including four suspects on the run, has been charged with "establishing and joining a terrorist group; possessing explosives, weapons and firearms; and receiving training for terrorist purposes", Advocate General Ahmed al-Hamadi said.

He said four suspects "attended military training camps operated by Iran's Revolutionary Guards and the Iraqi branch of (Shiite movement) Hezbollah", although it was unclear if they were the runaways.

The charges were filed after a probe into a weapons cache found in a warehouse in the Shiite village of Nuwaidrat, he said in a statement.

"In excess of 1.5 tonnes of high-grade explosives, including C4-RDX, TNT and other powerful chemical explosives were discovered in the counter-terrorism operation in September last year," he said.

The Sunni-ruled kingdom, home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, has witnessed unrest since the repression of a protest movement launched in 2011 by members of the Shiite majority demanding political reforms.

Bahrain has repeatedly accused Shiite-dominated Iran of meddling in its internal affairs, a charge denied by Tehran.

Scores of opponents have been detained, with many facing trial, while others convicted of involvement in violence have been handed heavy sentences, including loss of citizenship and life in prison.
Posted by: trailing wife || 02/09/2016 00:00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iran


Iraq
Erbil detainees confess being sent on suicide mission by ISIS
Snip. Duplicate.
Posted by: trailing wife || 02/09/2016 00:00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


Afghanistan
Suicide blast: six killed, nine wounded in Paktika
Six people have lost lives and nine others sustained injuries in a suicide bomb blast in Paktika province.

The blast took place in front of a baker in the capital city of Yahyakhil District around 11:30 am this morning. The apparent target of the suicide bomber was Musa Khan Kharotai, the district governor, who just drove through the area before the blast took place.

Kharotai said all of the victims of the blast are civilians.

No group has so far said it was behind the explosion but it came after a suicide bomber of Taliban targeted a mini-bus of Afghan National Army (ANA) in northern Balkh province this morning.
Posted by: Steve White || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
9 Kurds die in ISIS attack on Hasakah
[ARA News] HASAKAH – Radical group of the Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility for a car bomb attack that hit a security center for the western-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the northeastern province of Hasakah on Monday.

An ISIS jihadi detonated a vehicle loaded with explosives at the main gate of the SDF security center in al-Hawl town in Hasakah countryside, a military source said.

“Nine SDF members were killed and four more were injured during the terror attack,” a spokesman for the SDF told ARA News in Hasakah.

ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement released by the jihadi Amaq agency, saying the operation targeted “mercenaries of the crusader coalition” –in reference to the U.S.-led coalition that has been bombing ISIS strongholds across Syria and Iraq for nearly two years.

The SDF, which includes Kurdish, Arab and Christian troops, had recaptured the strategic town of al-Hawl on Syria-Iraq border in September, 2015.

Noteworthy, the Syrian Democratic Forces, backed by the U.S.-led coalition’s air cover, have expelled ISIS militants from more than 240 towns and villages in northeastern Syria since the start of its operations last September.
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


Afghanistan
Taliban Sustain Heavy Casualty Toll In Baghlan
Embattled Afghan armed forces have conducted a major military operation against Taliban insurgents in Baghlan-e-Markazi district, eliminating a number of insurgents in the process and breaking their four day siege on an Afghan National Army (ANA) base in the volatile region in northern Afghanistan.

Reports from the warfront reveal that the insurgents kept the base under their siege for four days in their attempt to capture the soldiers alive, but they did not succeed and instead faced strong retaliation from the besieged soldiers.

The troops who foiled the Taliban's attempt to capture the base have said they continued resisting Taliban attacks despite the insurgents' calls to them to surrender.

"We remained under Taliban siege for four days, they asked us to surrender, but we said that you (Taliban) are the slaves of Pakistan and we will never surrender to you," Matiullah, an ANA soldier who resisted Taliban during the siege said.

"Taliban kept the base under siege for four days, they made several attempts to capture us and asked us to surrender, but failed," another soldier Mohammad Musa said.

Security commanders in the area have said that the army inflicted heavy casualties to the Taliban in the battlefield.

"The area came under siege and we launched a joint operation and broke the siege," Lieutenant Colonel Ziauddin, commander of the first battalion of the ANA said.

"All personnel of the commando, police and national security are in good spirits. The commandos assure the entire people of Baghlan to stay alongside them until current issues are resolved," Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Ali Yazdani said.

Referring to human casualties among the Taliban, Abdul Rashid Bashir, security in-charge of Baghlan police department said that so far in the operation, seven Taliban have been killed and scores more wounded including the group's shadow district governor for Baghlan-e-Markazi.

"Taliban's shadow governor in Baghlan-e-Markazi and his nine companions were wounded in the operation and seven others were killed. Mangal village in the area has been cleared of Taliban," he said.
Posted by: Steve White || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Taliban


Iraq
Iraqis captures ISIS position in Diyali
(IraqiNews.com) Diyali – The Ministry of Defense announced on Monday the destruction of a shelter belonging to ISIS during a security operation north of al-Azim District.

The ministry said in a statement obtained by IraqiNews.com, “A security force belonging to Diyali police had managed to seize a shelter for ISIS gangs during a security operation by Diyali police north of al-Azim District,” adding that, “The shelter contains a great number of explosive devices and motorcycles used by ISIS gangs for transportation in Salahuddin province.”

The statement added, “The operation aimed at preventing ISIS from finding safe havens in the northern areas of Diyali province.”
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


Kurds dismantle ISIS cells in Erbil
(IraqiNews.com) Kurdistan – Kurdistan Security Council announced on Monday the arrest of a cell belonging to ISIS in Erbil, while noted that the cell was planning to carry out a terrorist operation in the province.

The council said in a press statement followed by IraqiNews.com, “The Anti-Terrorism forces arrested a terrorist cell belonging to ISIS in Erbil,” pointing out that, “The cell consists of three persons from the residents of Diyali, who were carrying weapons and explosives.”

The statement added, “The cell was planning to carry out a terrorist operation in Erbil.”
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [1 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


Arabia
Saudi Arabia places 27 on trial for spying for Iran
[Saudi Gazette] Some 27 people — mostly Saudis — are to appear before the Criminal Court in Riyadh for spying for Iran, Makkah daily reported on Sunday.

The accused were arrested in 2013 in Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah and the Eastern Province.

The Saudi national security department of the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution (BIP) has already completed the list of charges against the accused.

The bureau had sufficient evidence on the involvement of the accused.

The list of charges includes gathering data on a number of vital installations in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi’s Interior Ministry had announced on March 19, 2013, that it had captured 18 people accused of spying for Iran. The accused include 16 Saudis, a Lebanese and an Iranian arrested in simultaneous crackdown in four regions.

The Lebanese was later released for lack of sufficient evidence against him.

Two months later the ministry announced that 10 more people were arrested for spying for Iran including eight Saudis, a Turkish national and a Lebanese raising the total number of the accused to 27.

The ministry had earlier said that 21 of them have confessed and legally documented their confessions.

This article first appeared in the Saudi Gazette on Feb. 8, 2016.
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iran


Africa Horn
Two Somali Airport Employees Detained Over Plane Blast
Somali authorities arrested two employees of the Mogadishu airport in connection with an explosion on board a Somalian passenger plane caused by a bomb, a spokesman for the Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke said.
You knew that the bad guy on the plane had to have had help...
On Tuesday, a blast tore a hole in the side of the Airbus A321, belonging to the Dubai-based Daallo Airlines, minutes after it took off from the Mogadishu airport to fly to Djibouti.

“There is a CC video showing 2 terror suspects hiding a laptop #Somalia,” Abdisalam Aato wrote in his official Twitter account on Saturday.

The video released by Somali intelligence services showed the laptop, believed to have contained a bomb, had been taken by an only victim of the blast, Abdullahi Abdisalam Borleh, who was sucked out of the plane from the gash in the fuselage.
Seems to me there are two more guys who should take a flight without wings...
Posted by: Steve White || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: al-Shabaab


India-Pakistan
FIA man found shot dead
KARACHI: A constable of the Federal Investigation Agency was found shot dead in a car parked on the Lyari Expressway on Sunday, police said.

SP-Jamshed Dr Fahad Ahmed said that the Motorway Police spotted the body in the car and informed the area police about it.

He said that the FIA personnel, identified as Muhammed Ali Khanzada, sustained a single bullet wound in the chest. He said that investigators collected a spent bullet casing from the vehicle.

It appeared that he was killed somewhere else and later the car and his body were abandoned at the expressway, he added.

Meanwhile, FIA Director (Sindh) Shahid Hayat told the media that the victim was posted at Karachi airport.

SSP-Investigation (East) Zulfiqar Mahar said that a forensic analysis of the vehicle was being carried out.

He added that the family of the victim had been contacted to get details of his movement.

The body was shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for a post-mortem examination.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2016
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:


Great White North
Canada to end bombing missions in Iraq and Syria
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday Canada would pull out six jets that have been bombing targets in Iraq and Syria, ending Canada's controversial combat role in the effort against Islamic State.

Canada will end its bombing missions by Feb. 22 but keep two surveillance planes in the region as well as refueling aircraft, and triple the number of soldiers training Kurdish troops in northern Iraq to about 200, from about 70 currently, the government said.

"In any mission, you need to make choices. We can't do everything. In our decision, we were guided by our desire to do what we could do best to help in the region and to do it in the right way," Trudeau said during a news conference.

"The people terrorized by ISIL every day don't need our vengeance, they need our help."
You help them by killing the people who would kill them, Mr. Trudeau...
Trudeau won an election last October promising to pull out six jets that have been bombing targets in Iraq and Syria but had been under pressure from allies unhappy with the decision.

He said Canada would keep two Aurora surveillance planes in the region, as well as a refueling aircraft.
Deutsche Welle adds:
Trudeau made the promise to end his country's combat role shortly after being elected, but a recent poll showed that some two-thirds of Canadians support the Arclight airstrikes, or even want them expanded, after "IS"-inspired attacks in Jakarta and Burkina Faso
...The country in west Africa that they put where Upper Volta used to be. Its capital is Oogadooga, or something like that. Its president is currently Blaise Compaoré, who took office in 1987 and will leave office feet first, one way or the other...
killed seven Canadian nationals last month.
Posted by: Steve White || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  No more CF-18's, more SPECOPS.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 02/09/2016 0:30 Comments || Top||

#2  and triple the number of soldiers training Kurdish troops in northern Iraq

Sometimes liberals do the right thing.
Posted by: phil_b || 02/09/2016 2:36 Comments || Top||

#3  6 jets? If not so sad would be funny.
Posted by: borgboy || 02/09/2016 12:52 Comments || Top||


The Grand Turk
600,000 refugees may arrive at Turkish border
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said Monday there was a possibility that 600,000 refugees would soon arrive at the Turkish border, Anadolu Agency reported.
Might be true, or he might be squeezing the EU for a few billion more Euros...
“It is estimated that a wave of 600,000 refugees may come to the Turkish border soon in a worst case scenario,” he said. “Our first goal is to host these refugees outside of Turkey.”

Earlier Monday, the Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Germany and Turkey had taken in most refugees from the Syrian crisis, with Turkey now hosting more than 2.5 million Syrians. Germany took in 1.1 million refugees last year, the most of any EU nation.

Last week, the EU approved a 3 billion euro ($3.33 billion) aid package for Turkey to help care for the world’s largest refugee population.
Posted by: Steve White || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  ION NOT-1970's-SCHOOLHOUSE-ROCK "No. 6" News ...

* WORLD NEWS > "ISIS DEPLOYED 60 JIHADIS [60-90] TO EUROPE TO ATTACK FIVE CITIES", before the recent Paris attack.

CNN AM = MAJOR "EURO/EUROPEAN 9-11" Event may loom on the nwear-horizon for the EU.

VERSUS

* JAPAN TIMES > ISLAMIC STATE [ISIS/ISIL/Daesh] BENT ON ARRANGING ATTACK(S) IN US THIS YEAR [2016]: TOP US INTELLIGENCE CHIEFS WARN.

Anti-US Caliphate-happy ISIS/ISIL = Anti-US OWG Par Co-Superpowers CHINA, IRAN, + RUSSIA, OTHER? to come = pragmatically behooves them to make their MilPol or Geopol moves while ANti-US US OWG Globalist POTUS Obama, aka the Pert, MSM-Net verified Weakest or Worst US POTUS in US History or since Jimmy Carter, STILL occupies the WH or OVal Office in 2016 thru Jan. 2017, + STILL sits atop the US National Command Authority responsible for the US' Direct Military Response [DMR] to any US-World Crisis or Crises, OR IN ALTERNATE THE LACK OF SAME.

The Bammer as above PCorrectly-Deniably gave CHINA what it wanted in the SCS, so why not ditto in the ECS agz US Regional Allies Japan, Taiwan, + SOKOR; + also as per Russia, Iran, + now the ISIS/ISIL including Al-Nusra???

* E.G. INTERNATIONAL_BUSINESS_DAILY@TWITTER > 2008 POTUS CANDIDATE BARACK OBAMA SAW IRAN + NORTH KOREA AS TWO INDIFFERENT NUCLEAR THREATS HIS DIPLOAMCY COULD RESOLVE OR END - BOTH HAVE BECOME WORSE THAN EVER | NUCLEAR NORTH KOREA WORSE, IRAN STILL NOT SOLVED.

* WORLD NEWS > CLAPPER: CHINA TO KEEP PUSHING ILLEGAL SOUTH CHINA SEA BOUNDARIES | CHINA TO KEEP BUILDING ON ARTIFICIAL ISLANDS.

* BIGNEWSNETWORK > [UPI] MULITPLE CHINESE SHIPS SAIL NEAR JAPAN'S WATERS.

"US-style/par" OWG Co-Superpower CHINA wants its "Sole" Leadership of East Asia-Pacific/ WESTPAC, intact, + also wants its unchallengeable or unopposed strategic access + overseas Milbases for the PLA for the projection of Chinese power, + ISN'T TAKING "NO" FOR AN ANSWER FROM EITHER THE US = POTUS OBAMA, NOR FROM US REGIONAL ALLIES IN EAST ASIA.

PRAY HARD + KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED THAT OBAMA-APPOINTED NIPPON AMB. SWEET CAROLINE KENNEDY IS UP TO HER JOB DESCRIPTION AS PER PREVENTING CHINA-VS-JAPAN [China-vs-US?] WAR.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 02/09/2016 23:18 Comments || Top||


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Morocco to Send Ground Forces to Support anti-IS Saudi-led coalition in Syria
Moroccan ground forces will reportedly be dispatched to Syria to combat on the side of the Saudi-led combat forces to drive out Islamic States (IS) fighters. Moroccan Arabic daily Assabah Monday quoted Saudi military sources as saying that Morocco will send troops to war-torn Syria to combat on the side of the Saudi-led coalition forces. “Aside from Morocco, Turkey, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE and Qatar have announced they will send military troops in Syria,” Assabah said in its Monday publication.

Morocco’s involvement has been also confirmed by the US television network CNN which has indicated that Morocco has pledged to take part in Saudi-led operations.

The Moroccan local paper also indicates that a Saudi senior military officer told the American network that the Sunni Gulf giant is planning military drills in the north of the country in the framework of the future operation. Another senior Saudi military officer according to reports said that the future drills will take place in March and around 150,000 soldiers from Saudi Arabia (majority of them), Egypt, Sudan and Jordan are expected to participate.

Morocco has been taking part in air operations in the US-led coalition shelling IS fighters’ positions in Syria.
Posted by: Steve White || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:


The Grand Turk
Tens killed in clashes in Turkey's Kurdish southeast
At least nine civilians and 16 rebel fighters have been killed as security forces battle militants of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast, the army and the region's main political party said on Monday.

Violence has raged in the region since the collapse of peace talks last July aimed at ending a three-decade PKK insurgency. Some of the worst clashes have been in the town of Cizre and the Sur district of Diyarbakir, the region's biggest city, where security forces have imposed a 24-hour curfew.

Ten of the 16 rebels killed on Sunday were in Cizre and six were in Sur, the military said on its website, adding that this brought the militants' total death toll in the two places to 749 since December. A plainclothes police officer was also gunned down on Monday in the town of Yuksekova near the Iraqi border, media reported.

In the centre of Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, police used water cannon and tear gas on Monday to break up a protest against the Cizre operations, witnesses said. Several people were detained, Dogan News Agency said.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, speaking at a joint news conference in the capital Ankara with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the Cizre operations may draw to a close in the next few days.

"It is obvious that (the PKK) is implementing methods to destabilise cities in Turkey. In this regard, Cizre is a critical town, situated so close to the (Syrian) border, exploitable for weapons and terrorists to cross," he said.

The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which has Kurdish origins and is the southeast's biggest party, named nine civilians who had been killed in Cizre since Friday, bringing the death toll to 127 civilians since December.
Posted by: Steve White || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Syrian Regime Hits Turning Point in War Against Rebels
[TIME] The Syrian civil war reached a turning point last week when forces loyal to the regime of president Bashir al-Assad cut a key supply line into rebel-held city of Aleppo, imperiling one of the key strongholds of the nearly five-year-old rebellion.

Further advances by the regime and allied militias could place Aleppo under siege, striking a potentially crushing blow for the insurrection that began a series of unarmed protests against Assad's authoritarian regime in February 2011 and later metastasized into a civil conflict that left more than a quarter million Syrians dead.

The Russian air force, which has supported the regime's offensive against the rebels since October 2015, has intensified Arclight airstrikes in the Aleppo area over the last week. Fearing a siege of the city, tens of thousands of civilians fled Aleppo last week, the latest exodus from a city already devastated by years of shelling, including often indiscriminate bombardment by government forces. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Thursday that as many as 70,000 new refugees are headed toward The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire....
from Aleppo.

Aleppo was once Syria's largest city and its commercial capital and is now a key redoubt of the mainstream and Salafist tough guys opposed to the regime, the fall of the city could irreversibly alter the dynamics of the war. The rebels' loss of Aleppo would also empower murderous Moslem groups including ISIS, transforming the conflict into a largely binary conflict between the regime and the jihadists.
Posted by: Fred || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Syria

#1  As per the MSM-Net, the outcome of the Battle of Aleppo will supposedly reveal Darth Putin's real or true regional intentions = agenda???

* IIRC FARS NEWS AGENCY > TURKEY AND SAUDI ARABIA'S PLANS TO INVADE/INTERVENE IN SYRIA IS ALL ABOUT RUSSIA?

More specifically, the Russo-Iranian Alliance LR or strategic scheme to eventually dominate or control Sunni States in the ME???
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 02/09/2016 0:36 Comments || Top||


Europe
German police search homes of suspected extremists
[TRIBLIVE] German police on Sunday searched the homes of two men suspected of being part of an Death Eater organization, prosecutors said.

Federal prosecutors said that the raid took place near the western city of Mainz. The two men are "suspected of taking part in the Syrian civil war as members of a foreign terrorist organization," prosecutors' office front man Michael Neuhaus said in an email.

He declined to provide further details, including whether the men had been placed in durance vile
You have the right to remain silent...
, citing the ongoing investigation.

News website Spiegel Online reported that it had tracked down one of the men -- a 32-year-old suspected former commander in the Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems....
group -- before the raid in Sankt Johann, a town about 12 miles south of Mainz. The man had allegedly fought with ISIS in the eastern Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor before leaving via The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire....
and claiming asylum in Germany.

Federal prosecutors declined to confirm those details.

On Thursday, German police conducted raids in Berlin and western Germany against four Algerian men suspected of having ties to IS and plotting an attack in Berlin. One of the men had registered in Germany as a Syrian refugee, police said.
Posted by: Fred || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Russian police arrest 7 Islamic State militants
[IsraelTimes] Russian, Asian detainees found with improvised explosives, allegedly planned terror attacks in Moscow, Saint Petersburg

Russia has detained seven alleged members of the Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems....
group who wanted to stage terror attacks in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, authorities said on Monday.

The group was held on Sunday in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg and included Russians and Central Asian nationals, while its leader came from The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire....
, the FSB security service said in a statement.

The suspects had planned to stage attacks in the Russian capital, Saint Petersburg and the Sverdlovsk region, which includes Yekaterinburg, the FSB said.

During a search of the suspects' homes, the authorities found a makeshift laboratory to make bombs, grenades, weapons and Lion of Islam literature, among other things, the FSB said.

After the attacks the suspects had planned to travel to Syria to fight alongside IS jihadists, the statement said, adding that the security service had opened a criminal probe.
Posted by: trailing wife || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State

#1  Pliars, hoods, blowtorches. Some assembly required
Posted by: Frank G || 02/09/2016 10:37 Comments || Top||

#2  Followed by some digital dis-assembly...
Posted by: Crolunter Crineper3591 || 02/09/2016 14:55 Comments || Top||


Arabia
ISIS Claims Car Bomb Blast in Saudi Capital
Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that ISIS militant group claimed responsibility for an explosion that damaged a car in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Monday. The incident took place because of a bomb that had been affixed to the vehicle by an ISIS member.

The Saudi citizen said that his car had been damaged by a blast on Monday while parked in front of his house in the city’s Al-Azizia district, SPA reported citing a police spokesman. The blast caused no casualties; however, some nearby vehicles were damaged.

ISIS, which controls territory in Iraq and Syria, has staged a series of attacks in the kingdom. In 2014, Saudi Arabia declared the group a terrorist organization and apprehended hundreds of its supporters. Furthermore, it has been participating in the fight against extremist organizations in several countries.

In a statement released on the Telegram social messaging platform, ISIS’s Amaq news agency said the blast was triggered by a “sticky bomb” attached to the vehicle of a member of the Saudi armed forces, the SITE monitoring service reported.

A Saudi interior ministry spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

Among the attacks by ISIS was the incident of January 29th, when a Shi’ite Muslim mosque in the al-Ahsa district in Eastern Province was attacked killing four people and injuring 18. It was among a string of attacks claimed by the ISIS- affiliated jihadists that killed around 50 Saudis in the past year.
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State

#1  Way to go, ISIS. Dented a guy's ride. Aw, come on, claim credit.
Posted by: Bov Flimbers || 02/09/2016 5:09 Comments || Top||

#2  Hey ISIS time to step up your game, bomb Mecca.
Posted by: AlanC || 02/09/2016 6:59 Comments || Top||


-Lurid Crime Tales-
Obama bullied bank to pay racial settlement without proof: report
[NYPOST] Newly uncovered internal memos reveal the B.O. regime knowingly exaggerated charges of racial discrimination in probes of Ally Bank and other defendants in the $900 billion car-lending business as part of a "racial justice" campaign that's looking more like a massive government extortion and shakedown operation.

So far, Obama's Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has reached more than $220 million in settlements with several auto lenders since the agency launched its anti-discrimination crusade against the industry in 2013. Several other banks are under active investigation.

That's despite the fact that the CFPB had no actual complaints of racial discrimination -- it was all just based on half-baked statistics.

A confidential 23-page internal report detailing CFPB's strategy for going after lenders shows why these companies are forking over millions of dollars in restitution and fines to the government despite denying any wrongdoing.

The high-level memo, sent by top CFPB civil-rights prosecutors to the bureau's director and revealed by a House committee, admits their methods for proving discrimination were seriously flawed from the start and had little chance of holding up in court. Yet they figured they could muscle Ally, as well as future defendants, with threats and intimidation.
Posted by: Fred || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  'It's just what community organizers do'. Save 15% or more with Geico.
Posted by: Airandee || 02/09/2016 6:28 Comments || Top||

#2  that's looking more like a massive government extortion and shakedown operation.

The MO of some of the best known 'community activists'
Posted by: Procopius2k || 02/09/2016 8:46 Comments || Top||

#3  It's all "restitution for slavery" in his eyes.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 02/09/2016 13:35 Comments || Top||

#4  The last American slaves were whites from a segregated Army, circa 1941, doing forced labor in Japanese industry.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 02/09/2016 16:16 Comments || Top||


Arabia
Blue on Blue: Al-Qaeda militants fight each other in south Yemen
SANAA, Yemen: Al-Qaeda militants battled each other on Monday in a southern Yemeni city controlled by the group, in what appeared to be an internal power struggle that erupted after a senior militant was killed in a US drone strike.

The clashes broke out in the southern city of Zinjibar late Sunday, leaving at least seven militants dead and another nine wounded, according to Yemeni officials. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

The rival factions are led by local commander known as Abu Anas Al-Sanani and another known as Ossan Baliedy, the brother of Jalal Baliedy, the leader who was killed along with three others in a drone strike on Thursday.

The late Baliedy headed Al-Qaeda in Abyan province, of which Zinjibar is the capital, and was known for brutality, including the beheading of 16 soldiers in August 2014. He was believed to be ideologically closer to the Daesh group, which is locked in a bitter rivalry with Al-Qaeda and has a branch in Yemen.

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, as the group’s Yemen branch is known, has attempted several attacks on the US homeland and has long been seen by US officials as the group’s most lethal affiliate.

It has exploited the chaos of Yemen’s civil war, which pits various forces loyal to the internationally recognized government against Shiite Houthi rebels allied with troops loyal to a former president. AQAP has seized a number of southern cities and towns, including the port city of Mukalla.

A Saudi-led coalition has been striking the Houthis since March 2015 and has also sent in ground troops. On Monday, the coalition shot down a ballistic missile launched toward the kingdom from Yemen, according to a statement.
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: al-Qaeda in Arabia


Afghanistan
No End In Sight For Kabul Power Outage
Kabul city has been without power for 13 days - almost two weeks that Afghan security forces have been trying to push back Taliban militants from the area where they blew up a power pylon. Officials from Da Breshna Sherkat (DABS) said that they do not know when they will be able to rebuild the pylon.

"I don't know when the power will be restored. Security forces should specify the time when they will allow us to rebuild the pylon," said Wahidullah Tawhidi, spokesman for DABS. He added that security forces have made no progress in the past 12 days in securing the area.

The Deputy Chief of Army Staff, General Murad Ali Murad, a few days ago assured people that power will be restored within two days.

This electricity outage has also inflicted losses for manufacturing companies.

"Production of oxygen is very important for hospitals and nitrogen is also important. However, the electricity outage has affected our activity," said Fahim, a worker at Maihandost oxygen manufacturing plant.
Posted by: Steve White || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Taliban

#1  No panic unless there is an ammo shortage.
Posted by: borgboy || 02/09/2016 13:00 Comments || Top||


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Kurds recaptures two towns in Aleppo
[ARA News] ALEPPO – Kurdish forces of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) attacked strongholds of the al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front in Aleppo province, northern Syria, and reported new gains, military sources said on Monday.

The YPG, supported by moderate rebels of the al-Thuwar Army, bombed with mortar fire and heavy artillery the towns of Meranaz and Der Jamal in the northern countryside of Aleppo, targeting strongholds of Islamist rebels of the Nusra Front and allied Ahrar al-Sham Movement.

“Under the blows of the Kurdish forces, the Islamists evacuated their headquarters in the two towns,” YPG member Wael Ahmed told ARA News in Aleppo.

“Subsequent to the YPG-led operation, clashes broke out in the vicinity Meranaz and Der Jamal. At least 12 Islamist fighters from Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham were killed and several others were wounded,” the source said, adding that the Islamists were eventually forced to withdraw from both towns on Monday midnight.

This comes as sporadic clashes continue between the YPG fighters and al-Qaeda-affiliated militants in the Sherawa district near Afrin in northwestern Aleppo, where Kurds regained control of several villages last week.
According to Rudaw, it's three villages, and a bit more complicated:
The Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) have made advances at the expense of Syrian opposition groups in the country's north amidst continued Russian aerial bombardments being carried out in support of a major Syrian offensive aimed at routing out the rebels from that important part of the country.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, fighters opposed to the regime of Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad
Terror of Aleppo ...
abandoned the villages of Aqlamiyah, Deir Jamal and Mareanar on Sunday due to their fears of being bombed. The YPG capitalized on the vacuum and advanced to seize those three villages. This comes mere days after they took another three towns from these groups.

Residents in the towns reportedly called upon the fighters to leave and let the YPG take over since that would lessen the chance of the Russians bombing them.

The YPG has clashed with Syrian military forces in the past but has not been part of the uprising against the Syrian regime and has been mainly focused on fighting Islamists in recent years.

Russia claims to support Syria's Kurds.

The Russians are supporting a Syrian effort to close off the borders of both The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire....
in the north and Jordan in the south, where Russian warplanes are supporting a Syrian offensive against a U.S.-backed opposition group. The Kurds also want to close off Syria's northwestern border with Turkey which has long been a conduit to various anti-Assad groups, many of whom are Islamist and have killed Kurds.
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: al-Nusra


Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Jerusalem police arrest Palestinian woman armed with knife
[IsraelTimes] Officers detain suspect near Damascus Gate, site of multiple attacks, after search reveals large concealed blade.

Police officers stationed at the Damascus Gate area outside Jerusalem's Old City on Monday tossed in the clink
Drop the rosco, Muggsy, or you're one with the ages!
a Paleostinian woman carrying a large knife.

The officers said that they stopped and searched the woman, said to be 42 years of age, after she was acting suspiciously. The search turned up the concealed blade.

The Damascus Gate is the main entrance to the Muslim Quarter of the Old City, and has been the site of dozens of attacks in recent months.

Also on Monday, an 11-year-old Jewish boy was stabbed and maimed in an attack in the central Israeli town of Ramle.

The boy was hospitalized with moderate injuries, the Magen David Adom emergency services said. The child said that the assailant was an Arab. A 17-year-old Arab youth was tossed in the calaboose
Book 'im, Mahmoud!
a short time later on suspicion of carrying out the attack.

Earlier Monday, two Paleostinian teenagers from East Jerusalem were arrested for throwing stones at the Jerusalem Light Rail near the Shuafat refugee camp.

The two, both aged 16, were taken into police custody for questioning, Channel 2 reported.

Since October, an ongoing wave of Paleostinian terror attacks has killed 27 Israelis, as well as an Eritrea
...is run by the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), with about the amounts of democracy and justice you'd expect from a party with that name. National elections have been periodically scheduled and cancelled; none have ever been held in the country. The president, Isaias Afewerki, has been in office since independence in 1993 and will probably die there of old age...
n, an American and a Paleostinian bystander. Some 150 Paleostinians have been killed by Israeli security forces, most while carrying out attacks but others during violent festivities and demonstrations.

Sudanese migrant stabs Israeli soldier, is shot dead

[Ynet] Attacker tries to flee the scene after stabbing soldier, is pursued by another soldier and civilians; soldier shot and killed the attacker.

A Sudanese migrant in Israel stabbed and maimed a soldier in an apparent act of solidarity with Paleostinians and was rubbed out, police said.

The stabber tried to flee the scene, but was pursued by civilians and another soldier at the scene. The soldier, who grabbed the weapon of the maimed soldier, caught up with the attacker and shot him, seriously wounding him. The attacker later died of his wounds.

Magen David Adom paramedics evacuated the soldier to the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon in light condition.

Police is still investigating whether the stabbing was criminal or nationalistically-motivated. If the attack was done in solidarity with the Paleostinians, it would be the first such attack by a foreigner during a four-month-old surge of Paleostinian street violence.

"The behaviour, the location, the flight, the targeting of a soldier - all of these add up to a nationalistic attack," Ashkelon police chief Shimon Portal told news hounds.

He said there was no indication of an event that might have precipitated the knife attack. Before he died, the maimed suspect "mumbled a few unclear statements in Arabic but otherwise did not say a word," Portal said.

A police spokeswoman said efforts to identify the suspect "thus far" had determined he was Sudanese. She did not elaborate on what he had been doing in Israel.
If he's a "migrant", he is there illegally.
The Times of Israel adds that according to his countrymen, the dead gentleman had "emotional problems" that suddenly worsened, but he wasn't a terrorist. And all Sudanese stand with Israel, truly.
Posted by: trailing wife || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:


India-Pakistan
Two kidnapped in Quetta
QUETTA: Two men were kidnapped from a Levies station in Loralai district on Sunday.

Levies officials said that some unidentified men took away two people from Ghardawas area at gunpoint.

One kidnapped man was identified as Syed Mohammad.

The Levies Force has lodged an FIR. Investigation is in process.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2016
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Russian air strikes in Syria 'good thing': Carla Del Ponte
Former war crimes prosecutor Carla Del Ponte, who is currently probing rights abuses in Syria, on Monday backed Russia's air strikes on "terrorist groups" in the war-torn country.
This is not a surprise: now if she were asked about U.S. bombing of the same bad guys, her answer would be different. Of course it would.
"Overall, I think the Russian intervention is a good thing, because finally someone is attacking these terrorist groups," Del Ponte told Swiss public broadcaster RTS, listing the Islamic State group and Al-Nusra among the groups targeted.

But Del Ponte, a member of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, quickly added that the Russians apparently "are not distinguishing enough between the terrorists and others, and that is not as good."
Our guys work much harder to do that. Notice she didn't give us any credit...
Her comments came amid international bickering over the Russian air strikes and what role they played in undermining last week's peace talks to end the country's five-year war.

Moscow launched a bombing campaign in Syria last year at the request of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, saying it was targeting the Islamic State group and other Islamist militant organizations. The West has accused Russia of targeting more moderate factions that oppose Assad's regime, and Syrian activists say the strikes have killed civilians, allegations Moscow dismisses as "absurd".
The Rooshun spokes-thug is just being a Rooshun...
UN envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura last week suspended attempts to begin a dialogue between al-Assad's regime and the opposition, as Russia pressed on with its bombing campaign on the ground.

One day after the talks broke down, Russia's defence ministry said that air strikes had hit 875 "terrorist targets" in Syria since the start of the month.

Del Ponte, a 68-year-old Swiss national who came to prominence investigating war crimes in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, also touched on another sensitive subject Monday, saying she thought Assad should be included in peace negotiations.

"If you want a ceasefire, if you want peace, you first have to negotiate with the government," she said, pointing out that the late Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic was already under investigation when the US negotiated the 1995 Dayton accord with him that ended Yugoslavia's bloody war.
Look what happened to him, too: died of old age in a hotel prison in the Netherlands while awaiting trial. Pencil-neck watched and learned...
Posted by: Steve White || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:


Iraq
1 Dead in Baghdad bombing attack
(IraqiNews.com) Baghdad – A source in the Iraqi Ministry of Interior announced on Monday, that eight people had been either killed or wounded in a bomb blast east of Baghdad.

The source said in a press statement received by IraqiNews.com, “A bomb exploded, this afternoon, near shops in Nairiyah area east of Baghdad, killing one person and wounding seven others.”

The source added, “A security force rushed to the area and transferred the wounded to a nearby hospital for treatment and the dead body to the forensic medicine department, while strict measures have been taken in anticipation of the presence of other bombs.”
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:


Southeast Asia
Abu Sayyaf releases 3-year-old hostage in Sulu
[PNA] The Abu Sayyaf on Sunday released a three-year-old boy they kidnapped in March last year in the town of Pitogo, Zamboanga del Sur. Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado identified the freed child as Ace Jay Garban. Ace is the grandson of Mayor Richard Garban of Pitogo, Zamboanga del Sur.

Arrojado said Garban was spotted "without a companion" by a concerned citizen Sunday afternoon in Indanan, Sulu. He said, "Immediately, the concerned citizen approached the child and at the same time informed the military unit of the kidnap victim's presence in the area."

The boy was was turned over to the Jolo Internal Defense Force. Arrojado said efforts are underway to reach Garban's relatives in Zamboanga del Sur for his eventual return to the province.

Garban was seized by ten Abu Sayyaf gunmen together with his two-year-old brother, Zynielle Jay, and bakery worker Ledegie Tomarong, 17, on March 31, 2015. The militants killed Zynielle Jay, whose body was plucked out from ocean in Zamboanga del Sur, while Tomarong was released on July 20, 2015.
Posted by: ryuge || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Abu Sayyaf

#1  See also BIGNEWSNETWORK > [Manila-MNLF = BBL]PHILIPPINE PEACE DEAL IN TATTERS.

WINNER = MORO SEPARATISM, + AL-QAEDA + ISIS/ISIL in Asia or East Asia.

Good for INSURG'IN, JIHAD'IN, BEHEAD'IN + CALIPHAT'IN AGZ INFIDELS.

* RELATED THE DIPLOMAT > VIOLENCE IN THE PHILIPPINES FEARED AFTER PEACE DEAL [BBL] SETBACK.

* Also from THE DIPLOMAT > MORE ISIS ATTACKS IN INDONESIA LIKELY AMID LEADERSHIP RIVALRY: REPORT.

What happens in SYRIA or SYRAQ in the ME can affect Indonesia + South, SE Asia???

* BIGNEWSNETWORK > [Inquirer.Net] MNLF HAPPY ABOUT BBL'S NON-PASSAGE AT MEETING WID MISUARI - INFORMANTS.

* SAME > BIFF-PH ARMY FIGHTING DISLOCATES HUNDREDS.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 02/09/2016 0:55 Comments || Top||


India-Pakistan
Pak beefs up military protection of Chinese investments
A heavy police presence, guarded convoys, new checkpoints and troop reinforcements have turned parts of the southern port city of Gwadar into a fortress, as Pakistan's powerful military seeks to protect billions of dollars of Chinese investment.

Securing the planned $46 billion economic corridor of roads, railways and pipelines from northwest China to Pakistan's Arabian Sea coast is a huge challenge in a country where Islamist militants and separatist gunmen are a constant menace.

On a recent visit, an SUV carrying Chinese visitors was escorted by two police cars and an army vehicle, while police blocked traffic at every crossroad along the route. It was not clear who the passengers were.

"We consider the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as ... an occupation of Baluch territory," said rebel spokesman Miran Baluch, a member of the Baluchistan Liberation Front (BLF), adding its fighters would attack anyone working on the project.

"Thousands of Baluch families have been forced to flee the area where the CPEC route is planned. (The) Baluch (people) will not tolerate such projects on their land."
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [2 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan

#1  Yuuup.

* "An occupation of Baluch territory" > which islamabad = Pakistan deems to be better than seeing Pakistan lose Baluchistan to independence, or worse to Afghanistan as Kabul's "Road/Path/
Corridor to the Sea" [maritime trade] + Afghan National Prosperity [also read, US SUCCESS].
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 02/09/2016 1:03 Comments || Top||

#2  JM, why does it have to be either or? Seems like Pakistan could make coin transporting Afghanistan's mineral wealth to China and the world.
Posted by: Sven the pelter || 02/09/2016 21:48 Comments || Top||


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
US welcomes Saudi troop offer for Syria
The United States welcomes a Saudi offer to deploy special forces to support a possible coalition ground operation inside Syria, the kingdom's foreign minister said Monday. Speaking after a meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said any operation would be US-led but that Saudi Arabia would play a leading role.

"The United States government was very supportive and very positive about the kingdom's readiness to provide special forces to the operation in Syria, should the international coalition make a decision to do so," he told reporters.

"So the kingdom will be part of it," he said. "That support came from the White House, it came from the State Department, it was natural for Secretary Kerry to support such a decision."

Jubeir said the idea for a possible ground operation had come from Washington, and said that members of the 65-strong coalition against the Islamic State group would expect the United States to lead it.
And pay for it. And supply the weapons, maintenance, and logistics. And put our boys out in front...
But debate continues in Washington about the advisability and final size of a possible larger ground operation against the hardline group.
Posted by: Steve White || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  The farce continues.

If they were really interested in defeating ISIS, they'd sit back and let Russia, Iran and the Syria forces do the job.
Posted by: phil_b || 02/09/2016 0:47 Comments || Top||

#2  They gonna send a handful of Pak mercenaries?
Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 || 02/09/2016 12:04 Comments || Top||

#3  @3 EXACTLY!
Posted by: borgboy || 02/09/2016 12:54 Comments || Top||

#4  Fear the moustaches!
Posted by: Raj || 02/09/2016 13:08 Comments || Top||

#5  And the pointed shoes.
Posted by: Sven the pelter || 02/09/2016 13:09 Comments || Top||

#6  Russia is not happy.
Posted by: newc || 02/09/2016 13:38 Comments || Top||


Arabia
Saudi intercepts scud missile from Yemen
[AlArabiya] Saudi air defenses on Monday intercepted a Scud missile fired at Khamis Mushait city where a major airbase is located, the coalition fighting in Yemen said.

The interception occurred “this morning at about three o’clock,” Brigadier General Ahmed al-Assiri, spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, told AFP.

“They are still targeting the cities,” he said.

Roughly 100 kilometres (60 miles) from the Yemeni border, the King Khalid Air Base, near the city of Khamis Mushait, is at the forefront of Saudi-led air operations against Shiite Houthi militias and their allies, elite troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh in Yemen.

The Saudis have deployed Patriot missile batteries designed to counter tactical ballistic missiles, which have been fired occasionally since March when the Saudi-led coalition began air strikes in support of the Yemeni government after Iran-backed Houthi militias seized much of Yemen.

Rocket fire from Yemen and border skirmishes have killed about 90 civilians and soldiers in southern Saudi Arabia since the coalition intervention began.
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:


Iraq
ISIS detains 35 in Mosul
(IraqiNews.com) Nineveh – The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) announced on Monday, that the so-called ISIS arrested 35 of the residents of Mosul (405 km north of Baghdad), while emphasized that one of the arrested is a journalist.”

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan spokesman Ghyath Surja said in a brief statement followed by IraqiNews.com, “Today, ISIS fighters arrested 35 of Mosul residents from markets and public places without reasons.”

Surja added, “The arrested people included the journalist Wathiq Abdul Wahab who works at a local newspaper in the city of Mosul.”
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


India-Pakistan
IED defused in Dera Bugti
QUETTA: The Frontier Corps personnel defused an improvised explosive device (IED) in Dera Bugti on Sunday.

An FC spokesman said the FC personnel along with a team of bomb disposal squad reached the site after receiving intelligence that an IED had been placed on a roadside. The law-enforcement personnel after defusing the IED cordoned off the area to trace out the suspects. However, no arrest was reported till late night.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2016
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:


Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Teacher suspected of planning to help jihadis enter Israel
[IsraelTimes] Suspect, from Tel Sheva in the south, tossed in the clink
Drop the heater, Studs, or you're hist'try!
3 weeks ago upon return from Jordan, admitted he sought to join Lion of Islam group


Southern District Prosecution was set to file an indictment Monday against a resident of the southern Bedouin town of Tel Sheva, near Beersheba, on suspicion that he had maintained contact with members of jihadist groups from various Arab countries and had agreed to assist murderous Moslems to cross the border into Israel.

The suspect, a student in his twenties who served as a substitute teacher at an elementary school in Tel Sheva, was arrested three weeks ago at Israel's eastern border on his way back to the country from a trip to Jordan, following an intensive investigation by Israel Police and the Shin Bet security service.

After his arrest, the man confessed that before leaving for Jordan, he had conspired with jihadis from various Arab countries and agreed to help jihad activists from Tunis infiltrate Israel, police said Monday in a statement.

The suspect also admitted he had planned to join a Salafi jihadist organization, according to police.

His identity was not cleared for publication.

Israel's security services estimate some 50 Israeli Arabs have traveled to fight with IS and other jihadist groups in neighboring Syria.

Last month, President Reuven Rivlin called on the government to push through new funding for Israeli Arab communities to help counter what he described as a growing influence of Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems....
. Warning that "Daesh [Islamic State] [an Arabic acronym for Islamic State] is already inside Israel's Arab community," Rivlin told a security conference in Tel Aviv that more support is needed for Arab communities to combat radicalization among the young.

The cabinet in December passed an estimated NIS 15 billion ($3.85 billion) plan for development in Arab communities, but neither the funding nor the specific programs have been finalized. The new concern over Arab Israeli integration follows a January 1 terror attack in Tel Aviv by an Arab Israeli, Nashat Milhem, that killed three people and led to speculation that the gunman may have been inspired by IS, though Sherlocks are still studying his motives.

Milhem was killed in a shootout with police in his hometown of Arara after a week-long manhunt.
Posted by: trailing wife || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


Arabia
Houthis struck clandestine deals with Yemeni parties to peace talks
Riyadh- A seminar at the Saudi 30TH Janadriyah festival on Sunday has dealt with the “decisive storm” and the geopolitical changes happening in the region. The seminar was held at the King Faisal Conference Hall in Riyadh. It highlighted the Iranian greed spreading into the region and how the Saudi-led Arab coalition has confronted it in an effort to keep Iran from being left alone with Yemen.

. Najeeb Ghallab, Head of Aljazeera Alarabiyah Center for Studies and Research forum, pointed out that Iran has proceeded with its plans based on a miscalculation. It has depended on the Zaidiyyah Shi’ite sect to help in taking over Yemen as a whole. Iran has skipped the day on the differences on perception in “Fiqh” (Islamic divine law) between Houthis and the Zaidiyyis, and has attempted to yield a political and religious state designed with a specific ideology. Iran has also taken advantage of the Yemeni deepened strife on the presidential institution to plant Houthi militias for the Iranian ideology to be implemented.

Ghallab explained that the six wars waged by Houthis against the Yemeni Legitimate government, have changed the political parties’ definition of the group. Their insurgency sparked in the Saada Governorate then spread towards Zaidiyyah inhabited regions after their Coup d’état.

Moreover, Ghallab confirmed that Houthi militia has managed to infiltrate into the Yemeni Left and the precedent government. He also mentioned that Houthis have taken part in 2011in the rebellion against the now-ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Moreover, political parties have accepted the Houthis as a basic component of Yemen’s make-up, and have integrated them to all the deliberations regarding the political process, despite that they have refused the Gulf initiative and announced going forth with the insurgency against President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.

Houthi militia had struck under-the-table deals with all parties, who had believed that the militia would benefit them with terminating the 30 year-old Saleh corrupt remnants from the country, and launch a new unsoiled rule. However, an Iranian cell organization had planned for the Houthis something more, the political parties were not aware of their true intentions that showed up after the insurgency. The group flashed its vicious truth.

Ghallab also mentioned that the Iranians created a system for the Houthis comprised of vulnerable institutions that are led by insurgent committees which control all the vectors of the government and manipulate the ministers. Yemen as a whole was turned into a hostage in the hands of a Supreme Leader who dubs himself great. Khamenei had attempted to include Yemen to his Wilayat al Faqih propaganda until the process was obstructed by the Decisive Storm.

The conspiracy, before the Decisive Storm, had planned for Yemen to become the center for launching wars against the Arabs after it was transformed to an Iranian colony head by gangs. Yemen was set to become a replica to Iran, which would be considered the greatest victory in the history of the Iranian revolution.

The Yemeni people have sensed danger after the insurgency, and now welcome the Decisive Storm, and back the spent efforts for the reinstatement of legitimate governmental institutions, putting them into effect again.

On the other hand, Moroccan expert, Dr. Abd al-Haq Azoozi , said that the Arabs should take a serious look into fixing the Arab League. This case is a corner stone to all priorities, and a preliminary principal to all sessions held to remove all the harm inflicted on the Arab world.

Recent Arab awareness, a real story, which is supported by the positive Arab coalition in Yemen is a manifest of political sciences and international relations.
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [1 views] Top|| File under: Houthis


Yemeni Army Fires Ballistic Missiles on Saudi Base
The missile unit in the Yemeni army fired two ballistic missiles on Saudi base in Asir.

Yemeni sources told al-Manar that the missile unit launched two Qaher-1 missiles on Khamis Mushait base in the Saudi province of Asir.

The sources confirmed that the missiles caused casualties.

Meanwhile, other sources said that several mercenaries hired by the US security firm, Balackwater, were killed during fierce clashes with the Yemeni army and the popular committees in Thubab district of Taiz governorate.

The sources added that among the killed, were Australian and Colombian mercenaries.
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  If the Russians are selling SRBMs to Iran to use in Yemen against Saudi airbases, turn about in Syria is only fair play.
Posted by: Sven the pelter || 02/09/2016 0:57 Comments || Top||

#2  These are Vietnam era SA-2 air defense missiles being used against ground targets. They were probably sold before the fall of the Soviet Union. The sooner they shoot them all out into the desert, the easier the Saudi Air Force can blow up their operators.
Posted by: rammer || 02/09/2016 1:10 Comments || Top||

#3  other sources say

-the Qaher-1 is an updated version of the Soviet Era missile

- the updated version, which is surface to surface can carry about 400 pounds of explosives and travel 200 miles or so

- a simulation of the Qaher has been used in tests to see if anti-missile defenses can knock it out and some of those tests have produced defensive successes
Posted by: lord garth || 02/09/2016 5:57 Comments || Top||

#4  If the Y's have them does it mean that they are placed is southern Lebanon as well?
Posted by: jvalentour || 02/09/2016 6:51 Comments || Top||

#5  jv

could be

it may be that the weapon doesn't quite fit the Hezb ideal

- its very heavy (2 tons or so)

- probably requires some launch infrastructure and some on site personnel with weapons specific knowledge

- while in the air the missile is itself a relatively big target (compared to the smaller rockets that Hezb has in abundance)
Posted by: lord garth || 02/09/2016 7:58 Comments || Top||


Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
What the Baltic States could learn from Israel
Posted by: ryuge || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  "The Balts can't possibly keep a Russian invasion at bay without NATO's aid. They're right, too, that Western analysts spend too much time imagining Russia taking a Ukraine-style approach to destabilizing the Balts, when a quick, outright invasion is more likely."

No, I think a long destabilization campaign is much more likely than an invasion.
Posted by: European Conservative || 02/09/2016 1:36 Comments || Top||

#2  From Israel, almost nothing. From South Vietnam & Finland, a lot.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 02/09/2016 6:31 Comments || Top||

#3  What the Baltic States could learn from Israel

Get nukes.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 02/09/2016 8:50 Comments || Top||

#4  Trying o get nukes is the one sure way for them to cause immediate, and no holds barred, Russian invasion.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 02/09/2016 12:32 Comments || Top||

#5  So like where did all the Baltic Waffen-SS units go when you really need them. Poetic irony: the Balts heartily agreed in murdering their Jewish fellow citizens as the Germans looked on - and now one wants them to take lessons from Israel? lol
Posted by: borgboy || 02/09/2016 13:09 Comments || Top||

#6  g(r)om, that's why you do it quietly, by the sly. You know sort of like 'Money for Kimmy', their little bad boy or 'Money for Karachi' like the Saudis.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 02/09/2016 13:23 Comments || Top||

#7  (i) Look up the Baltic economies. Not sure they've this kind of money (by the way these are several countries---who don't particularly like each other).
(ii) On the quiet? You can't get a nuke on the quiet. You can fool people, who want to be fooled.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 02/09/2016 13:32 Comments || Top||

#8  I really suspect there's a event in the future whose result will be a sudden appearance of a lot of people having nukes who previously quietly assembled or purchased the necessary ingredients.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 02/09/2016 13:47 Comments || Top||


Home Front: Politix
Hackers leak DHS staff directory, claim DOJ is next
But don't worry. Your information is safe.
Posted by: Iblis || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  This country is in the very best of hands.
Posted by: DarthVader || 02/09/2016 0:28 Comments || Top||

#2  That list should be handy when the next administration starts cleaning house the day after the election.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 02/09/2016 8:49 Comments || Top||

#3  Hunt them down and terminate with extreme malice.
Posted by: Zebulon Check7490 || 02/09/2016 9:41 Comments || Top||


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Reddit: Syrian Civil War ATGM Weekly, a list of ATGMs shot off this week, each with video
Posted by: Thraling Hupoluns2819 || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:


-Signs, Portents, and the Weather-
Man Could Be First Person In Centuries To Be Killed By Meteorite
[HUFFINGTONPOST] A man in India died on Saturday due to a fallen object that could have been a meteorite, officials said.

The object apparently prompted a mysterious kaboom that killed a 40-year-old bus driver named Kamaraj, who worked for Bharathidasan Engineering College in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The victim only used one name, which is a common practice for people in the state.

If the object was indeed a meteorite, Kamaraj would be the first person to have been killed by a fallen space rock since 1825, according to The Washington Post.
Posted by: Fred || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  So an engineering student got whacked by a sudden rock from God???
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 02/09/2016 0:28 Comments || Top||

#2  The uninamed was a bus driver.
The engineering students are whacking themselves.
Posted by: Skidmark || 02/09/2016 1:43 Comments || Top||

#3  Somebody had to have been killed in the Tunguska event.
Posted by: Sven the pelter || 02/09/2016 7:22 Comments || Top||

#4  Should have bought that Lotto ticket. (Odds are.....)
Posted by: Procopius2k || 02/09/2016 8:51 Comments || Top||

#5  Just testing... nothing to see here... move along...
Posted by: Haliburton Rods From God Division || 02/09/2016 10:02 Comments || Top||

#6  Damnit Haliburton! I told you to secure that socket wrench!

Snark of the day. With a crunch...
Posted by: DarthVader || 02/09/2016 11:42 Comments || Top||


India-Pakistan
Two killed in IED blast in Bannu
BANNU: At least two people were killed in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in the Havid area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Bannu district on Monday morning.

According to Station House Officer of Havid police station, Rizwan, the IED went off in front of a shop as a shopkeeper was about to open the door.

The shopkeeper, Dilnawaz, and a rickshaw driver were killed on the spot.

Police registered a first information report against unknown miscreants.
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Pay to play: Peugeot to pay $475m in Iran sanctions compensation
There will be no reestablishing sanctions, exactly as Prsident Obama planned.
[IsraelTimes] French carmaker agrees to Tehran's terms in bid to return to its second-largest pre-sanctions market

French carmaker Peugeot is to provide Iran Khodro with 427 million euros ($475 million) in debt waivers, bonuses and discounts under their first post-sanctions deal, the Iranian manufacturer said Sunday.

Iran Khodro signed a deal with Peugeot during President Hassan Rouhani's trip to La Belle France last month to form a joint venture that is expected to invest up to 400 million euros ($436 million) over five years.

Peugeot is the first Western carmaker to announce a return to Iran since many economic sanctions against the country were lifted last month upon implementation of a nuclear deal with world powers.

"To compensate for suddenly leaving Iran under sanctions," Iran Khodro CEO Hashem Yekkeh Zare said Sunday, Peugeot has agreed to waive 80 million euros ($89 million) of outstanding debts and provide free car parts worth 25 million euros ($28 million), and a free production line for the Peugeot 207 model worth 11 million euros ($12 million).

Peugeot will also offer 311.6 million euros ($347 million) in discounts, he said, including 140 million euros ($156 million) in royalty fees for cars made under Peugeot's name.

Instead of 100 euros ($111), "Peugeot will receive 30 euros ($33) in royalty for two million cars," Yekkeh Zare said.

As part of last month's deal, Peugeot and its French partner Citroen will work with Iran Khodro to eventually produce 200,000 vehicles a year using parts manufactured in Iran.

The aim is to make the Peugeot 208, the 2008 sport utility vehicle and 301 compact models, with the first vehicles expected to roll off the production line in 2017.

The joint venture will export 30 percent of its production, and the remainder will be sold in the domestic market.

Peugeot front man Olivier Salmon told AFP the deal with Iran Khodro was "a balanced agreement."

"The joint venture that will be established will help to provide vehicles to Iranian customers for sustainable mobility," Peugeot added.

Yekkeh Zare added that talks were under way with Germany's Mercedes Benz and Volkswagen as well as Italian carmaker Fiat.

Iranian conservatives have been critical of Rouhani's government for restoring trade with Peugeot and other foreign firms whose departure under sanctions dealt a blow to the economy, saying the international partners proved themselves unreliable.

But when Peugeot pulled out of Iran in 2012 it was a major loss for the French company as the Islamic republic was its second-largest market, after La Belle France.

With the lifting of the sanctions, Iran has signed a raft of commercial deals, including one to buy 118 Airbus aircraft worth about $25 billion.
Posted by: trailing wife || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iran

#1  The financial totals read the opposite of the emotionally suggestive title.
Peugeot will install a new production line for free which is in their favour, a majority of the money is made up of accepting $33, as opposed to $111, just for sticking the Peugeot badge on a vehicle already destined to sell.
Waiving a debt of company you want as a partner to deal with it's reasonable practice.
The only real freebie is the spare parts giveaway of $28m

It's a bad headline written to evoke feeling.
Posted by: Whusotle Grinelet5340 || 02/09/2016 3:51 Comments || Top||


Iraq
Anbar Antics: 6 die
6 ISIS elements killed in armed clashes in Fallujah

(IraqiNews.com) Anbar – On Monday, al-Hashed al-Shaabi Command in Anbar Province announced, that six members of the so-called ISIS were killed in armed clashes in the center of Fallujah (62 km west of Baghdad).

The commander of the 1st battalion in Karmat Fallujah brigade in al-Hashed al-Shaabi, Colonel Mahmoud Mardi Jumaili said in a press statement received by IraqiNews.com, “Armed clashes erupted between the tribal fighters and ISIS members in Nazran District in the center of Fallujah,” adding that, “The clashes resulted in the killing of six members of ISIS and seizing their weapons and communication devices.”

Jumaili also pointed out, “The security information confirmed the launch of a tribal revolt from Fallujah against ISIS guerrilla.”

Iraqi Security forces advance into Husaiybah

(IraqiNews.com) al-Anbar – On Monday, Khalediya District Council announced the entry of the Anti-Terrorism forces as well as the army forces in Husaiybah area east of Ramadi.

Head of the district council, Ali Dawood, said in a statement obtained by IraqiNews.com, “Today, military troops belonging to the Anti-Terrorism Directorate as well as the army forces, with support from the emergency police brigades, had managed to enter into the area of Husaiybah al-Sharqiyah (7 km east of Ramadi) after liberating the area of Joabh.”

Dawood also added, “The resistance of ISIS is weak amid advance by our security forces and a large collapse in the ranks of the terrorist and criminal gangs.”

Iraqi forces destroy 6 ISIS boats

(IraqiNews.com) Anbar – The commander of al-Jazeera Operations Ibrahim Deboun announced on Monday the destruction of 6 boats and two houses, in addition to seizing 16 explosive devices belonging to the so-called ISIS in different operations west of Ramadi.

Deboun told reports, “A force from the army’s 7th brigade, backed by Anbar emergency police’s 13th regiment and tribal fighters, carried out a number of search operations in the area between al-Kasr Village and Joba area north-east of Baghdadi area.”

Deboun added, “Abnormal activity was detected inside one of the houses,” pointing out that, “The security forces detonated the house and killed its inhabitants, while managed to destroy six boats belonging to ISIS, as well as two houses in al-Kasriyat area north-east of Baghdadi.”

Anbar Operations announce liberation of Juwiba center

(IraqiNews.com) Anbar – The commander of Anbar Operations Ismail al-Mahalawi announced on Monday the liberation of Juwiba area east of Ramadi from the so-called ISIS control.

Mahalawi said in a press statement obtained by IraqiNews.com, “Today, joint forces from the Anti-Terrorism Bureau, Iraqi army and police managed to liberate the center of Juwiba area east of Ramadi from ISIS control,” adding that, “The security forces engaged with ISIS militants in the area, killing a number of them.”

Mahalawi also pointed out, “A large number of hostages were released and evacuated to Ramadi, while the security forces continued their advance to liberate the remaining areas.”
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [1 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iraq


India-Pakistan
JI's textbook concerns
[DAWN] AT a time when the rest of the country is worrying about how to protect our children from holy warriors who have vowed to attack more educational institutions, the Jamaat-e-Islami
...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores...
appears unduly preoccupied with school textbooks that show people wearing trousers, girls in short sleeves and drawings of human body organs.

Such absurdities -- especially the last, for what else would a biology textbook be expected to contain -- would perhaps be easier to stomach had the party, which is a coalition partner of the ruling PTI in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central...
, actually made some useful contribution towards the ongoing discussions on the best way to protect our educational institutions from terrorist threats.

But thus far we have heard nothing very constructive from it as far as that conversation is concerned. Instead, there is a long list of what the JI, or at least its chapter in the province, considers objectionable that has already been submitted to the education department.

One wonders how this list has been received. Some reports suggest the list has been rejected.

At a time when the education department of the province, headed by a PTI minister, is striving to rebuild schools damaged by floods and protect other educational sites from terrorist attacks of the sort that KP has already witnessed, how exactly does the provincial government perceive this list?

Already the education department has tried to appease the JI, mainly by removing a chapter on Helen Keller -- whose story is a ray of hope for the deaf and mute -- which was a bizarre response.

Others have shied away from allowing the use of Malala Yousafzai
...a Pashtun blogger and advocate for girls' education from Mingora, in Swat. She started blogging at age 11-12. She was 15 when a Talib boarded her school bus and shot her in the head in 2012. She was evacuated to a hospital in Britain and the Pak Taliban vowed to kill her and her father. Among other awards, she received the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize, which she deserved more than Barack Obama, Jimmy Carter, Al Gore, Yasser Arafat, or Rigoberta Menchu...
's book in higher education for fear of offending some with an bully boy mindset.

One sincerely hopes that the education authorities will not now feel they have to indulge in further acts of appeasement, if, for instance, they are asked to rewrite science and history textbooks; and that the ruling party will prove equal to the task of imparting a sound education to the children of the province.

The provincial chief of the JI has pointed to an 'agreement' that he says his party has with the PTI on education matters in KP, and hopes that all issues will be settled 'amicably'. It would be troubling if this meant giving in to demands that can only deal a lethal blow to all efforts to bring education back from the brink in KP.
Posted by: Fred || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Jamaat-e-Islami


Iraq
Warbirds hit ISIS positions in Mosul
(IraqiNews.com) Nineveh – The US Army’s Joint Task Force announced on Monday, that the international coalition had carried out the biggest aerial attack against the so-called ISIS in Mosul.

The Joint Task Force said in statement followed by IraqiNews.com, “Yesterday the US-led coalition carried out ten air strikes on ISIS headquarters in Iraq and Syria,” pointing out that, “Nine air strikes were carried out in coordination with the Iraqi government against ISIS near five cities in Iraq.”

The statement added, “The biggest attack included four air strikes near Mosul that destructed a tactical unit, as well as five combat sites belonging to ISIS,” indicating that, “Two air strikes were conducted in Ramadi and destructed two vehicles belonging to ISIS, in addition to a booby-trapped vehicle and anti-aircraft artillery unit.”

“One air strike was carried out in Syria on ISIS headquarters near al-Hasakah Province northeast of the country,” the statement continued.
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


Afghanistan
3 killed, 20 wounded in suicide attack near Mazar-i-Sharif
Three people have been killed and 20 others wounded in a suicide attack near Mazar-i-Sharif, capital of northern Balkh province, this morning.

Abdul Razaq Qadiri, Deputy Police Chief of Balkh province said the blast took place in Nawabad area of Dehdadi District around 7 am.

He said the suicide bomber was waiting in the area and when the mini-bus of 209 Shaheen Corps of Afghan National Army (ANA) reached to him he detonated his explosives.

Including officers, 18 army personnel sustained injuries in the blast, the Deputy Police Chief added.

However, chief doctor of the regional hospital in Balkh province said that three dead bodies and 20 wounded have been brought to them from the attack site.

Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack through a post on the twitter account of the group’s spokesperson.
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Taliban


India-Pakistan
Sindh's plan to formulate Friday sermons for all mosques criticised
[DAWN] The Milli Yakjehti Council has criticised the Sindh government's move to formulate Friday sermons for all mosques in the province, saying that "idealising Soddy Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
over this issue was not correct".

Addressing a presser on Monday, Jamaat-e-Islami
...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores...
's Prof Ibrahim Khan, head of the council's 'Khutbat-e-Juma commission', said the government could not dictate the holy mans over what to say or not to say in Friday sermons.

"This is not the right way," he said. "The government should seek guidance from the Learned Elders of Islam to implement Sharia in the country... ."

Prof Khan said that no government should dictate holy mans.

The commission was formed by the council to promote sectarian harmony and members of several religious parties are its part.

Replying to a question about incidents in the federal capital where the authorities shut down mobile phone service to prevent a holy man from delivering a fiery
...a single two-syllable word carrying connotations of both incoherence and viciousness. A fiery delivery implies an audience of rubes and yokels, preferably forming up into a mob...
Friday sermon, Prof Khan claimed that the step was taken on the basis of assumptions and over the conduct of one individual.

"Whatever is happening in Islamabad is a result of flawed government policies," he said.

"This system of forcing their voice and opinions through us is not fair."

He said this was a way to "manipulate their politics through the mosques. If a holy man doesn't abide by it, then the government can use the law against him for not reciting the 'certified' khutba".
Posted by: Fred || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Jamaat-e-Islami


Africa North
Ready to return to Libya?
Posted by: ryuge || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  In the game of ISIS whack-a-mole I think we should ignore Libya for awhile and keep whacking them in the Syria/Iraq theater. Their proclaimed homeland and capital should be ground to nothing.

Maybe we can pay Egypt to go after the ones in Libya for us. Offer them some of that good old oil money if they stabilize the place.
Posted by: rjschwarz || 02/09/2016 14:53 Comments || Top||


Israel-Palestine-Jordan
IDF general: Hamas giving medical care to IS fighters from Sinai
[IsraelTimes] Gazoo's terrorist rulers said to be getting money and guns in return for treating maimed jihadists smuggled in via tunnels

The Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason, terror group is allowing Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems....
fighters from Sinai to be treated in Gazoo Strip hospitals in exchange for weapons and money, an Israeli general told a Saudi-owned news outlet on Monday.

The IS operatives enter the Gazoo Strip through tunnels from Egypt and receive medical treatment at Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, according to Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, the head of Israel's Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories unit.

In exchange, the Islamic State supplies Gazoo's terrorist rulers with money and weapons, both of which the terrorist group has been lacking since Egypt began cracking down on the tunnels Hamas had been using for its lucrative commercial trade, the Elaph news site said.

Though Israeli officials have noted the growing relationship between terror groups in the Gazoo Strip and terror groups in the Sinai Peninsula, most have been reticent about the exact nature of the relationship.

The relatively small Islamic State contingent in Sinai -- approximately 500 fighters in all -- has nevertheless put up a considerable fight against Egyptian forces, with regular shooting and boom-mobileing attacks on military bases and cop shoppes.
Gazoo's Hamas-run Health Ministry denied the allegation, in a statement posted on Facebook, calling Mordechai's claim "completely baseless."

"Paleostinian government hospitals only receive the sick and maimed residents of the Gazoo Strip," Dr. Ashraf al-Qudra, front man for the ministry, said.

The relatively small Islamic State contingent in Sinai -- approximately 500 fighters in all -- has nevertheless put up a considerable fight against Egyptian forces, with regular shooting and boom-mobileing attacks on military bases and cop shoppes.

Israel has not taken a role in the fight, but the IDF has provided intelligence to Egyptian forces, according to military sources.

Egpyt, meanwhile, has reportedly helped Israel in the fight against Hamas by flooding the tunnels used by the terror group for both commercial and military purposes. According to Energy Minster Yuval Steinitz, speaking on Saturday, this was done at Israel's request.

However,
denial ain't just a river in Egypt...
Egypt has denied this. A bigwig in the Egyptian foreign ministry called the Israeli ambassador in Cairo, Haim Koren, to voice his objection to Steinitz's remarks, the London-based news site al-Araby al-Jadeed reported.

On Monday, a Paleostinian man died when a tunnel collapsed on him in the latest in a series of fatal Gazoo tunnel collapses. The 24-year-old man had been repairing the tunnel, which had been damaged by the Egyptian military, according to local reports.

Since September last year, the Egyptian military has periodically pumped sea water into the underground cross-border tunnels dug between its Sinai Peninsula and the Gazoo Strip in a campaign to stamp out smuggling.
Another article from The Times of Israel adds:
Past weeks have seen at least five separate tunnel collapses in the Gazoo Strip, according to Paleostinian reports, and Tuesday's incident marks the tenth death. In the previous cave-ins, the victims were identified as members of Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason,, the Islamist group that rules the Paleostinian enclave.
A Hamas spokesman denies they're helping the wounded of IS in the Sinai, according to Ynet, and says Israel is only saying so to be mean.
Posted by: trailing wife || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Hamas

#1  Hamas almost certainly has a 'don't help ISIS' policy but that won't keep individual Gazans, including those who are nominally Hamas, from helping their co-believers out on occasion.

Of course ISIS is more likely to execute a wounded Hamas fighter than to give them medical care.
Posted by: lord garth || 02/09/2016 9:49 Comments || Top||


Southeast Asia
Three BIFF rebels killed in Maguindanao clash
[Rappler] Three Philippine soldiers were injured as they clashed Saturday, February 6, with an undetermined number of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Maguindanao province.

Lieutenant Colonel Warlito Limet said the fierce firefight occurred simultaneously in the villages of Butilen, Andabit, and Tee, where he said that three militants were reportedly killed. Limet said three of his men, including a captain, were wounded. The militants also set on fire to heavy equipment as they retreated.

The fighting began on Friday, when BIFF rebels attacked troops securing bridge construction in the town.

BIFF spokesman Abu Misry Mama confirmed their forces were involved in the clash. He said, "We were only forced to fire our weapons because the soldiers were in our location. We have just strengthened our forces to continue our fight for an Islamic state."
Posted by: ryuge || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters

#1  BIFF seek MILF: Object, merge our assets
Posted by: Vernal Creremp4139 || 02/09/2016 14:49 Comments || Top||

#2  Up to 20 BIFF-ies now repor killed.

Wid the non-passage of the BBL by the PH Govt, it strongly appears from collective Net evidence that all of the southern Philippines is now deemed up for grabs by Anti/Non-MILF Muslim radical militant groups, NOT just the Muslim or Moro regions of Mindanao.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 02/09/2016 22:44 Comments || Top||


Home Front: Politix
Pressure mounting on Lynch for special counsel on Hillary e-mails?
[HOTAIR]
Posted by: Fred || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  The donk's don't believe in right or wrong; only what they can get away with. And apparently, so do many Americans.
Posted by: Sven the pelter || 02/09/2016 0:53 Comments || Top||


India-Pakistan
Headley illustrates LeT carried out 26/11 attacks with ISI help
[Daily Excelsior] Pak-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, a key LeT operative, today illustrated how his outfit had planned the 26/11 attacks and executed it after two failed attempt
Curses! Foiled again!
s and gave details of the role played by ISI whose three officials he named.

Headley, who is serving 35-year prison sentence in the US for his role in the Mumbai attacks, spoke about the role of LeT founder Hafiz Saeed
...founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba and its false-mustache offshoot Jamaat-ud-Dawa. The United Nations declared the JuD a terrorist organization in 2008 and Hafiz Saeed a terrorist as its leader. Hafiz, JuD and LeT are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Pak intel apparatus, so that amounted to squat...
, another LeT commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi as well as his handler in the outfit Sajid Mir.

He gave the sequence of events leading up to the November 26, 2008 assault as he deposed before Special Judge GA Sanap via video link, in the first such case of deposition in an Indian court from foreign land.

The 55-year-old, who has turned approver in the case, revealed details about his training by LeT in Pakistain-Indian Kashmiree (PoK) and Abbottabad
... A pleasant city located only 30 convenient miles from Islamabad. The city is noted for its nice weather and good schools. It is the site of Pakistain's military academy, which was within comfortable walking distance of the residence of the late Osama bin Laden....
near Islamabad under the guidance of LeT founder "Hafiz Saeed sahab", whose picture he identified in the court, as also Lakhvi, and how he got in touch with three officers of Pakistain's ISI -- Major Ali and Major Iqbal and Major Abdul Rehman Pasha.

Headley told the court that he had changed his name from the original Dawood Gilani after instructions from the LeT commanders, including Lakhvi, and ISI officials to carry out recce in India for an attack, an "adventurous" task for him.

He also revealed that the 10 terrorists, who struck at various places in Mumbai on November 26, 2008 killing 166 people, had planned to carry out the attack twice earlier -- in September and October -- but the attempts failed. Once their boat hit a rock in the seas, because of which they lost all the arms and ammunition and had to go back to Pakistain.

"I used to treat India as my enemy. Hafiz Saeed and LeT operative Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi also saw India as their enemy," he said in his deposition which began at 7 AM.

He said he had joined the LeT after getting "influenced and motivated" by the speeches of "Hafiz Saeed Sahab".

Headley, who described himself as a "true follower of LeT, said he took his first "course" with the outfit in 2002 at Muzaffarabad and had also attended a 'leadership course' which was led by Saeed and Lakhvi.

He said he underwent 5-6 training courses in LeT camps for about two years. "Daura-e-sufa is a study course and is held in Muridke in Lahore while 'Daura-e-aam' is a preliminary military training course held in Muzaffarabad in 'Azad Kashmire' (PoK)," Headley said.

In 'Daura-e-Khas, which is a more advanced training, he was taught to handle weapons, arms, explosives and ammunition, the LeT operative said.

He said he was also given 'Daura-e-Ribat' training, an intelligence course in which setting up of safe houses and reconnaissance are taught. The center where it is taught is in Mansera, 40 miles from Abbottabad, a place in Pakistain where former Al Qaeda chief the late Osama bin Laden
... who is no longer with us, and won't be again...
was killed by the US.

Headley said he had wanted go to Kashmire and fight Indian troops but he was told that he was "too old" for that. "Lakhvi told me that they would use me for some other purpose," he said, adding it was to be more "adventurous" than Kashmire.

Talking about his travels to India, Headley said, "Before the first visit here, Sajid Mir (his LeT handler and an accused in the case) gave me instructions to make a general video of Mumbai."

He said he visited Mumbai seven times before the 2008 terror attack and Delhi once after the attack in March 2009.

To enter India, he said he changed his name from Dawood Gilani to David Headley in 2006 so that he could travel here with an American identity and set up some business.

"I applied for change in name on February 5, 2006 in Philadelphia. I changed my name to David Headley to get a new passport under that name. I wanted a new passport so that I could enter India with an American identity.

"After I got a new passport, I disclosed it to my colleagues in LeT of which one of them was Sajid Mir, the person with whom I was dealing with. The objective for coming to India was to set up an office/business so that I can live in India," he said.

Headley said he had applied for business multiple-entry visa with the Indian embassy so that he does not have to apply for Indian visa repeatedly.

"My office was established in Mumbai so that I could take cover in India," Headley told the court, adding he wanted the cover so that his real identity would not be known.

He said while applying for the Indian visa, he cooked up a story that he was an immigration consultant and had furnished all wrong information to protect his cover.

"I had discussed it (cover story) with Sajid Mir and Major Iqbal of ISI, and they were very happy to see my Indian visa," Headley told the court.

He said he knew Major Iqbal of ISI and had met him in Lahore after one Major Ali (also from ISI) introduced him to the former.

Special prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, who examined Headley and will do so again tomorrow, said, "I am absolutely satisfied with what Headley had revealed in today's deposition. Headley has given certain sensational revelations during his deposition. He confirmed that he met Hafiz Saeed and he identified his picture as well."

He said, "He (Headley) revealed a lot about Major Iqbal and Major Ali, both of them were there in ISI. It was Major Iqbal who trained him and he also unravelled names of few LeT trainers before the court."

Nikam said Headley had "joined a leadership course where both Sayeed and Lakhvi used to come and give speeches against India. He completed his education from Hasan Abdal Cadet College in Pakistain but left for America at the age of 17."

Headley's lawyer's Mahesh Jethmalini said he has confessed that he had joined LeT after being influenced by Hafiz Saeed.

Headley wanted to fight actively in Kashmire against the Indian Army but LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi
...an asset of the Pak govt and a big turban in Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is actually a redundant statement. Zak was the criminal mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai attack. Despite what India's provided there is not enough evidence in this world for a Pak court to convict him or even to keep him in the calaboose for very long...
stopped him, saying something more "adventurous" was in store for him.

Giving details about the deposition of Headley which began at 7 AM here, Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told news hounds here that the terrorist said he wanted to fight against the Army deployed in Kashmire.

However,
there is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened...
Lahvi told Headley that they have something "more adventurous" for him.
Posted by: Fred || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistain Proxies

#1  Headley is also linked to Fort Hood shooter MAJOR HASAN, as well as ABU MUSAB ZARQHAWI.

But, as they say, 'tis another story ...
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 02/09/2016 0:25 Comments || Top||

#2  "It's Headley!"
Posted by: Frank G || 02/09/2016 9:15 Comments || Top||


Iraq
Iraqi aircraft destroys bridges in Salahuddin
(IraqiNews.com) Salahuddin – Media officials with the Ministry of Defense announced on Monday, that the al-Awashr Bridge was destructed in an aerial strike by the Iraqi Air Force in Salahuddin province.

The officials said in a statement followed by IraqiNews.com, “The brave air hawks conducted a direct aerial strike by Sukhoi warplanes resulting in the destruction of al-Awashr Bridge,” noting that, “The bridge is used to cross from the areas located east of Zaghiyton Valley to the area of Hamrin Mountains.”
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iraq


Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Russian documentary alleges Chechen forces are in Syria
[RFE/RL] Russian state television plans to broadcast a documentary this week alleging that Chechen forces loyal to the Kremlin are on the ground in Syria.

A preview for the documentary to be broadcast on February 10 quotes Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov as saying Chechen agents are gathering military intelligence inside Daesh-controlled territory and have also infiltrated the ranks of the group. It showed a training camp in Chechnya, where it said soldiers now in Syria had been trained.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to confirm the report.
Posted by: ryuge || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:


Afghanistan
Taliban executes 1 in Ghor
Taliban militants have executed a woman on adultery charges in Dolina District of central Ghor province.

Spokesperson for the governor of Ghor province said the execution was carried out based on the order of a desert-court of Taliban in Zanu village yesterday.

According to Abdul Hai Khatibi, the man who is accused of the immoral relationship with deceased Zahra is also detained by Taliban.

The accused is waiting for his sentence in the custody of Taliban.
The militant group has not yet commented on the report.
Ghor is one of the provinces of Afghanistan where some remote areas are either under the control of Taliban or not in government control.

People in those areas refer to Taliban or local Shuras (councils) for their matters instead of government.
In April last year, three civilians were shot dead in another remote area of Ghor province by the orders of a local Shura (council).

They were allegedly responsible for the killing two civilians. Among them, one was son of the director of the education department of Ghor province.
Posted by: badanov || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Taliban


India-Pakistan
No evidence links Jaish to Pathankot airbase attack: officials
[DAWN] ISLAMABAD: A special investigation team set up in Pakistain to probe a deadly assault on an Indian airbase last month found no evidence implicating the leader of the group India blamed for the attack, Pak security officials said on Monday.

The officials said the team interrogated Jaish-e-Mohammad
...literally Army of Mohammad, a Pak-based Deobandi terror group founded by Maulana Masood Azhar in 2000, after he split with the Harkat-ul-Mujaheddin. In 2002 the government of Pervez Musharraf banned the group, which changed its name to Khaddam ul-Islam and continued doing what it had been doing before without missing a beat...
(JeM) chief Maulana Masood Azhar
...One of the major players in Pak terrorism. In early 1994, India incarcerated him for his terrorist activities. In 1995, foreign tourists were kidnapped in Jammu and Kashmir. The kidnappers included the release of Masood Azhar among their demands. One of the hostages managed to escape but the rest were eventually killed. In 1999, he was freed by the Indian government in exchange for passengers on hijacked Indian Airlines Flight 814 that had been diverted to Kandahar. The hijackers were led by Masood Azhar's brother, Ibrahim Athar. Once he was handed over to the hijackers, they fled to Pak territory despite the fact that Islamabad had earlier stated that any of the hijackers would be jugged at the border. The Pak government had also previously indicated that Azhar would be allowed to return home since he did not face any charges there. Shortly after his release, he made a public address to an estimated 10,000 people in Karachi, firing up the rubes against America and India...
and his associates and found no evidence linking him with the Jan 2 attack on the Pathankot airbase in northern India that killed seven Indian military personnel.

"We searched their homes, seminaries, hideouts and also examined their call records for past three months and found nothing dubious," a security official with links to the investigating team said.

The raid on the airbase stalled efforts to revive talks between the neighbours after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an unscheduled visit to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf...
in December.

A front man for India's foreign ministry declined to comment on reports of the special investigation team's findings.

In January, authorities detained Maulana Azhar and several members of JeM, sealed offices belonging to the outfit, and shut down several religious schools run by the group.

The security officials said on Monday that Maulana Azhar remained in jug, but did not say whether authorities were considering his release.

The investigating team has not ruled out the possibility that other members of JeM may have been involved, the officials said.

It also continued to look into groups affiliated with the United Jihad Council, an alliance of pro-Pakistain bully boy groups based in Azad Kashmire that grabbed credit for the assault in Pathankot.

Jaish-e-Mohammad did not claim responsibility for the attack, but praised it in a statement released a few days after the incident.

Posted by: Fred || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistain Proxies


Europe
Greece calls for agreement to stop migrants in Turkish waters
Greece's defense minister has said he wants an agreement with neighboring Turkey that would allow the European Union's Frontex border agency to stop and turn back - within Turkish waters - boats carrying migrants to the Greek islands.
I'll bet he did. And I'll bet the Turks said 'no'...
Panos Kammenos said Monday that he has already made the proposal to his EU colleagues, who "showed great interest," and will raise the matter with NATO officials.

He said Greek authorities are in a position to locate smugglers boats as they leave the nearby Turkish coast and alert Frontex, and the Turkish coast guard. Kammenos said this would "stop the great migratory flow to Greece" and stop deaths of migrants and refugees trying to reach Greece in rickety boats.
Posted by: Steve White || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Greeks suggesting that NATO blockade the Turkish coast?
Posted by: Skidmark || 02/09/2016 14:58 Comments || Top||


Africa North
Ansar Al-Sharia in Derna sez it shot down Mig-23 today
Ansar Al-Sharia is claiming that it shot down a Libyan Air Force Mig-23 today during an airstrike on Derna. Ansar used a Twitter account to say that it had brought down the plane with anti-aircraft fire.

The Air Force has admitted the loss of the warplane but said that it crashed because of a mechanical failure. The Mig-23, numbered ‘6132’, was reportedly only returned to frontline service on 1 February after a major overhaul. Spokesman AbdulKareem Sabra told Reuters that the pilot had survived and was well. He added the attack had been against IS positions in the town.

Other sources are saying this evening that the jet came down east of Derna, in the Sidi Khaled area and that the pilot, named as Younis Aldenala, was killed.

This is the second time in 48 hours that Derna has been hit by airstrikes. Yesterday four people, including a ten year-old boy and his mother, died in three raids which also struck and damaged a mosque, the renal unit at the Alwahda hospital and nearby doctors’ accommodation in the Bab Tobruk area of the town. The main target seemed to be sites held by the Derna Shoura Council. The Libya Air Force immediately denied it had been responsible.
See -- told you it was the Ruritanians...
Social media today carried pictures purporting to show the wreckage of the Mig-23 lost today and fragments of a bomb casing from yesterday’s raid which appeared to have English writing on it.
Posted by: Steve White || 02/09/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || E-Mail|| [0 views] Top|| File under: Ansar al-Sharia



Who's in the News
32[untagged]
10Islamic State
4Taliban
4Govt of Iran
2Govt of Iraq
2Jamaat-e-Islami
2Govt of Pakistain Proxies
1Abu Sayyaf
1Govt of Pakistan
1Govt of Syria
1Hamas
1Houthis
1al-Nusra
1al-Shabaab
1al-Qaeda in Arabia
1Ansar al-Sharia
1Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters

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Two weeks of WOT
Tue 2016-02-09
  Russian police arrest 7 Islamic State militants
Mon 2016-02-08
  ISIS executes 300+ in Mosul
Sun 2016-02-07
  North Korea fires long-range rocket despite warnings
Sat 2016-02-06
  Yemeni Army's Tochka Strikes Saudi-US Aggression Camp in Marib, Kills 104
Fri 2016-02-05
  6 al Qaeda operatives die in Yemen drone strike
Thu 2016-02-04
  Head of AQAP killed in Yemen drone strikes: residents
Wed 2016-02-03
  Heavy Benghazi fighting as IS counterattacks
Tue 2016-02-02
  86 Dead as Boko Haram Burns Children Alive in Nigeria
Mon 2016-02-01
  50 Feared Killed in Boko Haram Attack in Nigeria
Sun 2016-01-31
  At least 60 killed in terror attack at Shi'ite holy site in Syria
Sat 2016-01-30
  Shibir men held for plotting religious unrest
Fri 2016-01-29
  Man Arrested in Disneyland Paris Hotel with 2 Handguns
Thu 2016-01-28
  Melbourne teen accused of plotting to pack kangaroo with bomb
Wed 2016-01-27
  FBI arrests Milwaukee man accused of planning mass shooting at Masonic temple
Tue 2016-01-26
  Suicide bomb attack kills 28, wounds dozens in Cameroon

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