Gazette - Weekend edition Pt.2 120813

Sunday December 8th 2013

Weekend edition Pt.2

----------------------

S Korea expands air defence zone

South Korea has announced it is expanding its air defence zone, which will now partially overlap with a similar zone announced by China.

The two zones will now both include a rock claimed by both countries and controlled by South Korea.
The defence ministry said it would co-ordinate with "related countries".
China announced a new Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) last month, in a move that raised regional tensions.
Both countries' zones will cover the airspace above a rock called Ieodo by South Korea and Suyan by China, which is claimed by both countries. 
 
China Escalates Tensions with Neighbors

Beijing's recent establishment of a new air defense zone in the East China Sea is exacerbating long-running disputes with its neighbors Japan and Taiwan -- and threatens to draw the US military into a larger regional conflict.

If it were only a matter of distance, the solution to a dispute over a small group of hotly contested islands in the East China Sea would be simple. Taiwan, which is just 200 kilometers (125 miles) away from the islands, would take the prize. The Chinese mainland is farther off, at 330 kilometers away, and the Japanese island of Okinawa even more distant, at 400 kilometers. Why then shouldn't small Taiwan take control of the five uninhabited islands and three rock outcroppings, known as the Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan?
While Taiwan does lay claim to the islands, so do its more powerful neighbors, China and Japan. And the dispute is, unfortunately, not about distance. It has to do with influence and natural resources, with hegemony and nationalism, and with bitter historical memories and fresh, global aspirations -- in short, it's a toxic mixture of geopolitics. In fact, a military crisis is brewing in East Asia -- one that is being played out hundreds to thousands of kilometers away from these desolate islands.
-

Hundreds of thousands rally in Ukrainian capital 

Anti-government protesters have toppled the state of Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin in central Kiev amid huge protests gripping Ukraine.

A group of protesters dragged down and decapitated the landmark statue Sunday evening after hundreds of thousands of others took to the streets to denounce the government's move away from Europe and toward Moscow.
Protesters took turns beating on the torso of the fallen statue, while others chanted "Glory to Ukraine!"
The chaotic protest further raised tensions in the Ukrainian capital. 

Baghdad bomb attacks leave dozens dead

Nine explosions target crowded marketplaces and commercial districts in Shia Muslim districts of Iraqi capital
At least nine explosions have torn through predominantly Shia Muslim areas in and around Baghdad, hitting crowded marketplaces and commercial districts and killing at least 33 people, officials said.
The attacks are part of a wave of violence that has spread across Iraq since a deadly security crackdown on a Sunni protest camp in April. Since then, bloodshed in Iraq has reached heights unseen since the country teetered on the brink of civil war in 2006 and 2007.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Sunday's attacks, but insurgent groups frequently target civilians in markets, cafes and commercial streets in Shia areas in an attempt to undermine confidence in the Shia-led government and stir up Iraq's already simmering sectarian tensions.
The deadliest attack took place in the mostly Shia neighbourhood of Baiyaa, where a car bomb exploded inside a car repair shop, killing seven people and wounding 14 others, police said.
Another car bomb, in a commercial street in downtown Baghdad, killed four more, while in the eastern Ghadeer district a car bomb near a government tax office killed six people and wounded 22, authorities said.
In the Husseiniyah neighbourhood, a car bomb near a restaurant killed three people and wounded 13. Another car bomb near a small market in Baghdad's Shia slum of Sadr City killed two, while five more died after a blast in a crowded marketplace in the primarily Shia neighbourhood of Amil.
-
Greece approves more austerity cuts

Greece's parliament has approved a budget plan filled with over 3 billion euros of austerity cuts with the hope that the debt-laden country will emerge from a six-year recession next year.
After nearly going bankrupt and almost crashing out of the euro zone last year, Greece expects growth of 0.6 percent in 2014 and hopes to secure more leeway on its debts to the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.
"This is a historic day," Prime Minister Antonis Samaras told lawmakers on Saturday, calling the 2014 plan a budget of recovery and hope.
"People's sacrifices bore fruit and changed the course of the country, he added."
Outside parliament, an anti-austerity rally called by the country's largest labour unions drew only a few hundred people, a shadow of former demonstrations where tens of thousands took to the streets of Athens to protest the belt-tightening.
A total of 153 lawmakers voted in favour of the 2014 budget plan in the 300-seat house. Samaras' conservative-led coalition controls 154 seats in parliament.
Athens sees a budget surplus before interest payments at 812 million euros in 2013 thanks to higher than expected tax revenues.
Posting a primary surplus is key as it would open the way for Greece to pursue debt relief from the EU and IMF.
But Athens and its lenders disagree on the forecasts for 2014, arguing over the size of a potential budget gap next year and the slow pace of reforms.
-
UN nuclear inspectors visit Arak reactor, a feared source of bomb fuel for Iran 


DUBAI - UN inspectors visited an Iranian plant on Sunday linked to a planned heavy-water reactor that could yield nuclear bomb fuel, taking up an initial offer by Tehran to open its disputed nuclear program to greater scrutiny.
The increased transparency is the result of a thaw in relations between Iran and the West that culminated in a deal struck last month under which Tehran is to curb its nuclear program in return for some easing of sanctions.
It was the first time in more than two years that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had been allowed to go to the Arak heavy water production plant, which is designed to supply a research reactor under construction nearby.
Iran's heavy water work is a big concern for the West because it could be used in the process of making a nuclear bomb. Tehran says its program is for peaceful purposes.
Two inspectors arrived in Tehran on Saturday and met experts from Iran's own atomic energy agency before traveling to Arak in the evening, Iran's ISNA news agency reported.

Syria jihadists 'use Turkey bases'

Foreign jihadist fighters are using safe houses in southern Turkey to cross into Syria to fight against government forces, the BBC has learnt.

A man running one such house near the border town of Reyhanli said more than 150 people - including up to 20 Britons - had used it in the past three months.
The route through Turkey used by al-Qaeda-linked foreign jihadists is now becoming increasingly organised.
Opposition activists say jihadists are destroying the Syrian revolution.

The man in charge of the safe house near Reyhanli told the BBC's Richard Galpin that "more than 150 people stayed at the house" in the past 90 days.

"Between 15 and 20 were British. It's all done through invitations from friends".
He added that jihadists usually "stay for a day or two before crossing into Syria and stay on the way back when they are waiting for flights back to their home countries".
One such fighter from France told our correspondent that "there are thousands of us, literally from every corner of the world".
"And we are all al-Qaeda," he added.
The jihadist, a former student in France, said he had joined a brigade which had 8,000 men.

Jordan to begin trial of radical Muslim preacher

A Jordanian military court official says the trial of a radical Muslim preacher deported from Britain to face terrorism charges will start Tuesday.

Prosecutors have charged the cleric, Abu Qatada, 53, with conspiring to carry out terrorist attacks against Israelis, Americans and other Westerners in Jordan in two foiled plots in 1999 and 2000. In both cases, Abu Qatada was convicted in absentia years ago and sentenced to life in prison.
But with his return on July 7, those sentences have been suspended and he will receive a new trial.
The official said Sunday Abu Qatada will enter his plea in the opening hearing at Jordan's military State Security Court.
He spoke anonymously because he is not allowed to comment on a case to be heard in court.

French troops pour into Central Africa

Bangui, Central African Republic: French troops have received a triumphant welcome as they arrive in the strife-torn Central African Republic, while the African Union says it will nearly double its force in a bid to stamp out deadly sectarian violence.
Cheering residents honked horns, danced and banged on saucepans as some 200 French troops rolled into the mainly Christian town of Bouar in the west of the country.
Weary of months of violence from a rebellion that overthrew the government in March, provoking bloody sectarian clashes between Muslim and Christian communities, the residents yelled "Thank you!" and "Save us!" 

Afghanistan's Karzai in Iran amid US security row

TEHRAN: Afghan President Hamid Karzai arrived in Iran on Sunday for talks amid disagreement with the United States over a security accord that would allow some NATO forces to stay in Afghanistan.

Karzai will meet President Hassan Rouhani — for the second time in four months in Tehran — and foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, the official IRNA news agency reported.

The proposed deal allowing NATO troops to operate in Afghanistan after 2014 will be discussed during the talks, according to the ISNA news agency.

Tehran strongly backs Karzai's stance in refusing to sign the deal.

His trip comes a day after an awkward visit to Kabul by US defence secretary Chuck Hagel amid growing disagreement with the Afghan president over the long-delayed security accord.

Hagel did not meet Karzai, which would have been customary for a Pentagon chief, saying that Kabul was already aware of the US position.

Washington and its allies have appealed to Karzai to sign the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA).

This lays out the rules for US and other NATO troops to operate in the country after 2014 on a mission focused on training, and countering al-Qaida-linked extremists.-   

-

Russian diplomats in US fraud case

New York City prosecutors have charged 49 Russian diplomats and their family members in connection with a nine-year health benefits fraud.

They are accused of receiving more than $1.5m (£918,780) in Medicaid funds meant for low-income families.
US officials say the defrauded benefits related to pregnancy, birth and infant care. No arrests have been made.
The suspects allegedly spent tens of thousands of dollars on luxury goods, holidays, gigs and helicopter rides.
'Shameful corruption' During the time of the alleged fraud, the accused were buying jewellery, clothing and gadgets at retailers such as Bloomingdale's, Jimmy Choo, Swarovski, Apple and Tiffany & Co, according to the criminal complaint.
It is alleged that the accused falsified household income and provided inaccurate information on Medicaid forms.
Preet Bharara, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, called it "shameful and systemic corruption".
"Diplomacy should be about extending hands, not picking pockets in the host country," he said.
The court documents were filed in the Southern District of New York in November and released on Thursday.

Obama says odds of final Iran deal not 'more than 50-50'

President Obama cast doubt on his hard-fought deal with Iran, saying Saturday that he believed  the chances of a final, comprehensive nuclear agreement being struck with Tehran are less than 50-50. 
The comments, during  a forum at the Brookings Institution in Washington, came ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's expected address to the same forum on Sunday. The Netanyahu government has been sharply critical of the short-term agreement with Iran, and Obama could be trying to smooth over their differences. 
However, Obama defended the interim deal struck by the U.S., Iran, and five other world powers last month in Geneva, saying that diplomacy had to be tested as a solution to the crisis and was the best way to prevent Tehran from acquiring automatic weapons. 
"If you ask me what is the likelihood that we're able to arrive at the end state ... I wouldn't say that it's more than 50-50," Obama said. "But we have to try."
Obama made the remarks via webcast. The think tank was hosting a forum on U.S.-Israel relations that was broadcast live on Israeli television.

Are Young Voters Turning on Obama? 

A new study shows a dropoff in support for the president. But does it mean Milennials have soured on Obama, or that youngsters just joining the pool don’t see much to be excited about?

Whether he’s slow-jamming the news, sitting for an interview on The Daily Show, or  tweeting at Katy Perry (don’t forget to use a hashtag: #ROAR!), President Obama has always found it easy to cultivate a base of support among the youngest voters. In 2008, Obama won the under-30 vote by a whopping 43-point margin, and in 2012 he continued to trounce his Republican opponent among the young, winning 60 percent to Romney’s 37 percent.

But the magic couldn’t last forever.

Yesterday’s release of the semi-annual Harvard Institute of Politics youth survey indicates young voters may be leaning away from the President and his policies. Only 41 percent of these young voters surveyed approve of the job Obama is doing. A majority say they disapprove of the health care reform law, and the results are identical whether the law is called “Obamacare” or “the Affordable Care Act” in the question. Half think the law will make their health care costs go up, and at least four out of 10 think the quality of their health care will get worse.

The way young voters feel about Obama doesn’t just matter in 2014 or even 2016. Despite the conventional wisdom that young voters don’t matter in politics, the way a voter first looks at politics when they come of age resonates throughout their voting behavior through their lifetimes. Just last month, Pew Research Center released a study showing that if you came of age under Nixon, you’re more likely to vote Democratic, even to this day. Came of age during the Reagan years? You’re still more likely to lean Republican.
So will Generation Obama lean leftward forever, or does this Harvard poll show that the spell may be broken?
To better understand what’s happening with today’s “youth vote,” first consider this fact: someone who turned eighteen on election day last year would have been just six years old on September 11, 2001. They would have been eighth graders during Obama’s first election.

Winter Storms Grip U.S., Knocking Out Power and Grounding Flights

A deadly winter storm caused power failures and flight cancellations in Dallas on Saturday, while sleet and freezing rain were forecast for much of the Tennessee Valley and the mid-Atlantic on Sunday. 

Emergency officials from Texas to Virginia advised drivers to postpone holiday shopping and stay off the roads.

“This is a dangerous storm,” said Kevin Witt, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Virginia. “The roads may just look wet, but you could have a sheet of ice there. It’s best to stay home.”

In the Dallas area, more than 130,000 customers were without power on Saturday as temperatures dropped to 25 degrees. The utility serving the region, Oncor, said it had 1,200 additional workers in the field and hoped to restore power for most customers by late Sunday. 

RCMP step up video surveillance of Parliament Hill

It's the time when tourists usually begin posing for family photos with the newly strung holiday lights on Parliament Hill.
This year the festive visits will almost certainly be captured by RCMP lenses, too.
The Mounties have recently added new video cameras near pedestrian entrances and a vehicle screening facility along Wellington Street, the boulevard in front of the Parliament Buildings.
The RCMP and its Hill security partners have also bowed to the wishes of the federal privacy commissioner by posting signs on bollards that read: 24 hour video surveillance for security of the grounds.
The notices mark the end of a behind-the-scenes tussle between the commissioner's office and the RCMP about whether people visiting Parliament Hill should be advised of the unblinking electronic eyes that expand video coverage of the precinct.
"This is a positive outcome stemming from our work to achieve this with the RCMP and others involved in managing Parliament Hill, including Public Works and the National Capital Commission," said Scott Hutchinson, a spokesman for the privacy commissioner.

-