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Black Sea boiling: US missile cruiser enters waters as Russian Navy monitors NATO drills

US missile cruiser Vella Gulf has reportedly entered the Black Sea, joining six other vessels for NATO’s naval drills. Meanwhile, Russia is having its own exercises in the sea, keeping a watchful eye on the alliance’s war games.
“At about 18:20, the USS Vella Gulf passed the strait and entered the Black Sea,” a source in the Russian Navy's Main Staff told Itar-Tass on Monday. “The number of NATO ships in the Black Sea has thus increased to seven.”
The official reason for the American Ticonderoga class Aegis guided missile cruiser entering the Black Sea, the source said, was the participation in an exercise of NATO mine-clearing forces.
The Russian naval official said he was bewildered by the American cruiser’s participation.“It’s like putting a horse and a deer to the same cart,” he said ironically.
A multi-mission cruiser, Vella Gulf, which is 173 meters in length and carries up to 400 crewmembers aboard, is capable of sustained combat operations in any combination of air, surface, undersea, and strike warfare environments. Equipped with four powerful gas turbine engines, it can develop the speed of over 30 knots. According to online sources, the vessel’s weapons include SM-2 surface-to-air missiles, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, Tomahawk cruise missiles, torpedoes, Phalanx Close-in Weapons Systems for self-defense against aircraft and missiles, and five-inch, rapid fire guns.
The American missile cruiser was visiting the port of Constanta in Romania from late May till mid-June. 
Earlier Monday, a military diplomatic source told the agency that the Russian Navy will monitor NATO’s Sea Breeze maneuvers in the Black Sea. Most of Russia’s Black Sea fleet is out at sea as its commander ordered a massive naval exercise the length and breadth of the area.
The Russian fleet has been ordered to “monitor all movements and activities of the NATO naval task force, which are, actually speaking, already well known.”
The major group of NATO battleships, rotational Mine Counter-Measures Group TWO (SNMCMG2), has spent several days training at the Bulgarian port of Burgas in first stage of the Breeze drill this year led by the Bulgarian Navy.
On Sunday afternoon the ships left the Bulgarian port of Burgas and headed into the open sea for training in the southwest Black Sea.
The group consists of flagship Italian Navy frigate ITS Aviere, accompanied by Italian minesweeper ITS Rimini, Turkish minesweeper TCG Akça, British minesweeper HMS Chiddingfold and Greek Corvette Macitis.
French intelligence ship Dupuy de Lome is continuing electronic surveillance near Russia’s North Caucasus coast. It replaced another French stealth frigate, Surcouf, which was on a similar mission near the Crimean peninsula in June.
There was yet another NATO reconnaissance ship in the Black Sea, Italy’s Elettra, which operated close to Russian shores, but she had to leave after the maximum 21 day presence in the area for non-regional battleships expired Sunday.
In the meantime some 20 Russian warships, over 20 airplanes and helicopters, as well as the marines and coast artillery are taking part in the Black Sea Fleet exercise. The war games launched the same day as NATO's military drill in the area, on July 4. The ships taking part in the drills are operating from two locations, the port of Sevastopol in the Crimea peninsula and the port of Novorossiysk in Russia’s Northern Caucasus.

Hillary Clinton Begins to Move Away From Obama Ahead of 2016

Presumed Presidential Candidate Makes Clear She Won't Be Running for de Facto Third Obama Term

Hillary Clinton, a presumed presidential candidate for 2016, has made clear she wouldn't be running for a de facto third Obama term. WSJ's Peter Nicholas joins the News Hub with Simon Constable with more on this. Photo: Getty

Hillary Clinton has begun distancing herself from President Barack Obama, suggesting that she would do more to woo Republicans and take a more assertive stance toward global crises, while sounding more downbeat than her former boss about the U.S. economic recovery.

People are "really, really nervous" about their future, Mrs. Clinton said at an event in Colorado last week that included hints of her emerging strategy to convey that she would be more effective in the pursuit of Democratic policy goals than Mr. Obama has been during his time in office.

"They don't think the economy has recovered in a way that has helped them or their families," Mrs. Clinton said. In contrast, Mr. Obama sounded almost cheery after Thursday's jobs report, saying the country could make even more progress if Congress were willing to "set politics aside, at least occasionally."

Mrs. Clinton hasn't repudiated Mr. Obama, who made her secretary of state in his first term, and comments aimed at highlighting her differences with Mr. Obama are often implied rather than stated bluntly.

Romney blasts Hillary Clinton as 'clueless'

Her tenure as secretary of state was 'a monumental bust,' former GOP nominee says

Mitt Romney had some harsh words on Sunday for the person many believe will be the Democratic presidential nominee in 2016: Hillary Clinton.

"Consider what's happened around the world during the years that she was secretary of state," the former Massachusetts governor and 2012 Republican presidential nominee said on NBC's "Meet the Press", calling her tenure "a monumental bust."

Romney slammed U.S. foreign policy, saying both Clinton and President Barack Obama have "repeatedly underestimated" America's enemies on the international stage.

"This administration, from Secretary Clinton to President Obama, has repeatedly underestimated the threats that are faced by America," Romney said. "It has repeatedly underestimated our adversaries. And whether that's Russia or [Syrian President Bashar] Assad or ISIS or al-Qaida itself, it has not taken the action necessary to prevent things from happening. We have not used our influence to do what's necessary to protect our interests."

Romney also blasted Clinton for comments she made during her recent book tour about the decision to release five Taliban prisoners in order to free U.S. soldier Bowe Bergdahl.

"She was asked whether the Bowe Bergdahl trade was one that presented a threat to the United States," Romney said. "And she came back with a clueless answer. She was clueless. She said, 'Look, these commandos don't represent a threat to the United States.' Well, of course they do. And then she went on to say, 'They only represent a threat to Afghanistan and Pakistan.' Are you kidding? I mean, we're in Afghanistan. And we're in Afghanistan in part to protect America's security."

Kerry glides while Iraq slides: Sec. John Kerry so concerned about Iraq he’s kiteboarding on Nantucket again

Iraq is descending into chaos and Sgt. Tahmooressi is still locked up in a Mexican prison, but that’s not stopping America’s Secretary of State from enjoying some quality leisure time! Given how little time ordinary Americans have for activities such as kiteboarding, you’d think the Secretary of State wouldn’t have room in the schedule to frolic out on the open seas. But you’d be wrong.

This isn’t the first time John Kerry decided to go kiteboarding during a major crisis in the Middle East. Last August, TheBlaze obtained photos of John Kerry doing the exact same thing in the exact same spot while Egypt and Syria were in chaos.

With Potential LIRR Strike Looming, MTA Still Doesn’t Have Final Contingency Plan

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A possible Long Island Rail Road strike is looming in two weeks, but the Metropolitan Transportation Authority still doesn’t have a final contingency plan.
MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan said the agency plans to have shuttle buses bring a percentage of riders to Queens, where they could catch a subway train to Manhattan.
“The buses will not be able to carry the same volume of customers that we can normally carry with the trains of the Long Island Rail Road,” Donovan told 1010 WINS. “As a result, the buses may be crowded, they will be stuck in traffic and we’re not recommending the buses, although we feel that it’s the best alternative.”
Contract talks are expected to resume Tuesday afternoon between the MTA and LIRR union workers. Federal mediators will be present at the negotiations. The last round of talks ended with no compromise in sight and both sides have blamed the other for the stalemate.
With the strike clock ticking, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday that he still has no plans to intervene.
Although he’s gotten involved in a number of other union disputes, Cuomo said those contracts were with the state and in control of the state.
“The LIRR is a little different because the way the law is written it’s actually Congress that can end a strike and impose a settlement,” Cuomo said. “I have said to both parties, I truly hope it doesn’t get to that point, if it does get to that point I hope Congress acts immediately to resolve it and resolves it in a prudent way.”
“The possibility of a strike causes so much anxiety I don’t even like to think about it,” Cuomo added. “There is no good alternative to the LIRR on Long Island.”
The MTA has offered workers a 17 percent raise over seven years, but would require them to pay toward health care costs. Currently, LIRR workers don’t contribute toward their health insurance at all.
The union has made a counter offer, but the details of their proposal have not been released. Union leaders have blasted the MTA for making the details of their proposal public.
A strike could come as early as July 20, affecting 300,000 daily riders who are considering their options as they wait for the details of the MTA’s backup plan.
“I’ll just drive in,” one rider said. “It would take an extra hour a day.”
“It’s a big inconvenience for everyone, it’d be terrible,” another rider said.

Bahrain Kicks Out US Diplomat for Shiite Opposition Meetings

MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — Bahrain's Foreign Ministry says that a top U.S. official has been declared persona non grata and asked to leave the country, just one day after meeting with a leading Shiite opposition group.
The Foreign Ministry statement issued Monday said U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Tom Malinowski is not welcome in Bahrain. It said he intervened in the country's domestic affairs by holding meetings with some groups at the expense of others. It said this segregates the people of Bahrain and runs counter to diplomatic norms.
Malinowski met with Bahrain's Shiite opposition group, Al Wifaq, a day earlier. Since early 2011, the country has been roiled by near-daily protests by Shiites seeking greater political rights. Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet.
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Prepare for Riots: Residents Brace For ‘Blood And Pepper Spray’

This could get ugly quick. We’re on the verge of a civil war and this might just be the tipping point.
Check it out:
A busload of illegal immigrants is expected to show up in Murrieta, California in spite of a furious group of residents who claim their town is no place for the migrants.
On Sunday Breitbart Texas broke the news that federal agents accompanying the bus will have riot gear and shields, in order to push back the crowd. Despite this, the protesters have no intentions of backing down–rather, the group is preparing for a showdown that one resident told Breitbart Texas “might get ugly.”
Sources on the ground in Murrieta told Breitbart Texas that many protesters have already gathered in the town this morning in anticipation of the busload. Law enforcement is there, too.
“There are at least 60 officers here,” John Henry, a Murrieta resident since 1991, told Breitbart Texas. “Most of them are local law enforcement like the Murrieta Police and others from the Riverside Country Sheriff’s Office. But I have seen at least 10 or 15 federal agents here as well.”
He added, “There was also a fire truck pulling a 20 foot trailer as well. I would assume it is for medical purposes.”

Armed militias planning to take over US border to thwart illegal immigrants

As militias vow to protect the Texas border from illegal immigrants, Gov. Rick Perry (R-Texas) said he believes the president has an ulterior motive for not moving quickly to prevent the overwhelming numbers of immigrants crossing the border.
Between January 1 and June 15, 2014, more than 52,000 unaccompanied alien children have been apprehended after crossing the Mexican border into the US, according to Customs and Border Patrol. The children are mostly from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. Including adults, over 181,000 undocumented immigrants who are “other than Mexicans,” or OTMs, have been apprehended along the southwest border in that time period. The majority of illegal aliens are coming through the Rio Grande Valley in southwest Texas.
As the United States struggles to deal with a huge wave of undocumented minors, the government is currently planning to convert an empty, 55,000-square foot warehouse in McAllen, Texas into an immigration processing center, located about one mile away from the Rio Grande Valley border patrol station. Meanwhile, the Army base in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, was designated as a third military base to house children illegally and will initially house 600 children before bumping up its capacity to 1,200. Over the last few months, similar housing facilities have been created in California and Texas. 

Israel launches counter-offensive on Gaza after rocket barrage fired from Strip

Israel began a major counter-offensive on Gaza early on Tuesday following the launch of over 85 rockets at southern Israel on Monday. At least nine people have been injured as the Israeli Air Force carried out airstrikes against Hamas targets.
IDF has launched Operation Protective Edge in Gaza following rocket fire, the Israeli Defense Force said on Twitter.
Out of the nine injured, two were children, a BBC correspondent cited medical sources as saying.
The Israeli air force hit sites in northern and central Gaza early on Tuesday, the Times of Israel reported.
The move comes after more than 85 rockets were fired at southern Israel Monday, with at least 16 of them intercepted by the Iron Dome defense batteries.
The IDF has called up 1,500 reservists amid the escalating crisis.
Meanwhile, Hamas urged its supporters to fight back against Israeli attacks until “they understand that our people do not know defeat nor surrender,” Man’an news agency cited Hamas’ statement as saying. “Blood for blood, and whoever sets fire burns; our blood will not be wasted,” said the statement.
The IDF warned that “Hamas will not be safe as long as it continues to threaten the lives of Israeli civilians.”
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Benghazi Bimbo Exposed ~> Hillary Clinton’s Sex Scandals 

Barack Obama has created a massive surveillance state, sicking his attack dog the NSA to spy on everyday Americans—presumably to use this information to punish his enemies.
And who will more than likely get the keys to the kingdom if the radical (that is, socialist) Democrats get their way? The Radical-in-Chief Barack Obama’s kindred spirit: Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Except it looks like Hillary Clinton is already using the NSA to punish her enemies.
Enter Clinton’s massive State Department sex scandals—including her alleged paramour, Muslim Brotherhood double agent Huma Abedin—and you have a perfect job for NSA spooks: disappearing emails, lawyers’ offices being broken into to steal documents exposing Clinton’s sex scandals—including charges of pedophilia—just to mention a few of the sexual peccadilloes being shoved down the memory hole more than likely with the help of the NSA.

Watch Western Center for Journalism’s exclusive video to find out how the Benghazi Bimbo, “What Difference Does it Make” Hillary Rodham Clinton, is using the NSA to punish her enemies.