weekend Gazette 083114 - Labor day weekend

Sunday August 31st 2014 

Labor Day Weekend

Israel reportedly shoots down drone from Syria

JERSUALEM –  The Israeli military said Sunday that it shot down a drone that entered Israeli-controlled airspace from neighboring Syria, heightening tensions in the volatile Golan Heights.
Military spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said the aircraft apparently belonged to the Syrian military and accidentally crossed over into the Israeli-controlled side of the Golan. It was shot down with a Patriot missile.

"We have repeatedly stated that we will respond to any breach of Israel's sovereignty and will continue to act to maintain safety and security," Lerner said.
The military said the incident occurred near Quneitra, a main crossing point between Syria and the Israeli-controlled Golan.
The Quneitra area has experienced heavy fighting in recent days between Syrian government troops and rebels.
Israel has avoided taking sides in the three-year civil war in Syria, though Israeli troops have responded to occasional mortar fire that has landed on the Israeli side of the Golan. Israel says some of the attacks have been accidental spillover, while others have been intentional. It has always held Syria responsible for any cross-border fire.

Rebuilding Gaza Will Take 20 Years, Housing Group Says

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — An international organization involved in assessing post-conflict reconstruction says it will take 20 years for Gaza's battered and neglected housing stock to be rebuilt following the war between Hamas and Israel.
The assessment by Shelter Cluster, co-chaired by the U.N. refugee agency and the Red Cross, underscores the complexities involved in an overall reconstruction program for the Gaza Strip, which some Palestinian officials have estimated could cost in excess of $6 billion.
Any effort to rebuild Gaza will be hindered by a blockade imposed by Egypt and Israel since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power in 2007. Israel has severely restricted the import of concrete and other building materials into Gaza, fearing that militants will use them to build rockets and reinforce cross-border attack tunnels.

Iraqi forces 'reach besieged Amerli'

Iraqi forces have reached the besieged town of Amerli in northern Iraq, where thousands have been trapped by jihadists, military officials say.

The apparent breakthrough comes after the US carried out air strikes overnight on Islamic State (IS) positions near the town.
The UK, France and Australia joined the US in dropping humanitarian aid.
Some 15,000 minority Shia Turkmen in Amerli have been surrounded by Islamic State militants for two months.
Military sources told BBC Arabic that the Iraqi Army and volunteer militia entered Amerli town on Sunday.
Fifteen Islamic State fighters were said to have been captured.
The operation to reach Amerli began on Saturday when an alliance of Iraq government forces, Shia militias and Kurdish Peshmerga began a two-front attack on IS positions.
US and Iraqi planes provided air cover.
Related:

• Iraqi Forces Break Militant Siege Of Shiite Town

• Israel estimates cost of Gaza conflict at £1.5bn

Cameron considers ban on UK jihadists returning home

British-born jihadists in Iraq and Syria could be temporarily banned from returning to the UK under plans being considered by the government.

The BBC understands UK nationals suspected of being involved in terror acts would be allowed to keep their British citizenship.
But they would be prevented from re-entering the UK for a period of time.
David Cameron will set out plans to counter the threat posed by Islamic State militants to MPs on Monday.
At least 500 people from the UK are thought to have gone to fight in Syria, although ministers say they do not know the exact number.
The number of people arrested in the UK for Syria-related activity stands at 69, according to a recent briefing by senior police officers.
In his statement the prime minister is also expected to announce plans to make it easier to seize the passports of would-be terrorists travelling abroad.
Related: DHS considering new security measures to intercept ‘foreign fighters’ returning from Syria

Australian planes to deliver weapons for Kurds fighting Islamic State

Tony Abbott agrees to help US transporting arms and munitions while participating in further humanitarian air drops
Australia will help deliver weapons to Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq in an attempt to counter the threat posed by Islamic State militants, while participating in further humanitarian air drops.
Tony Abbott said the US government had requested that Australia help to transport stores of military equipment, including arms and munitions, as part of a multinational effort.
“Royal Australian Air Force C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster aircraft will join aircraft from other nations including Canada, Italy, France, the United Kingdom and the United States to conduct this important task,” the prime minister said in a statement on Sunday.
“Australia’s contribution will continue to be coordinated with the government of Iraq and regional countries.”
The Labor opposition signalled its support for the decision, saying the Kurdish Peshmerga fighters were the only effective barrier to Isis slaughtering civilian populations while advancing through northern Iraq.
Australia continued to assist with humanitarian airdrops, joining the US, France and the UK in another operation to deliver aid to the people of Amirli, according to a statement issued by the Pentagon on Sunday.
This town was “home to thousands of Shia Turkomans who have been cut off from receiving food, water, and medical supplies for two months” by Isis, the statement said.
The Pentagon said US aircraft had also conducted airstrikes against nearby Isis terrorists.

Philippine peacekeepers rescued in Syria's Golan Heights

Thirty-two Philippine peacekeepers trapped by rebels in the Syrian Golan Heights have been rescued, the UN says.

A UN spokesperson said the "situation on the ground is calm but tense", without providing further details.
Another group of 40 peacekeepers escaped a seven-hour siege by rebels after returning fire in self-defence, said the head of the Philippines army.
The rebels - said to be from the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front - have taken 44 Fijian peacekeepers captive.
They have also seized a crossing point into the Israeli-occupied Golan.
Worsening security "Everyone is in a safe position. We left our (old) position but we brought all our arms," said Philippine Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala.
The head of the Philippine armed forces, General Gregorio Pio Catapang, speaking Manila, said: "We may call it the greatest escape."
The Fijian members of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (Undof) were detained on Wednesday near Quneitra, during fighting between rebels and government forces.
An online statement posted by the Nusra Front said the Fijians "are in a safe place, and they are in good health, and that we have given them what they need of food and treatment".
It said the peacekeepers had been seized because the UN ignored "the daily shedding of the Muslims' blood in Syria".
Last week the Philippine government said it would bring home its 331 peacekeeping troops from the Golan Heights in October, amid deteriorating security there. 

Iraqi officials: Suicide car bomb attack kills 9 people south of Baghdad

BAGHDAD –  Iraqi officials say a suicide car bomb attack on an army checkpoint has killed nine people, including four soldiers, south of Baghdad.
Police officials say a suicide bomber drove his explosives-laden car into the checkpoint in the town of Youssifiyah on Saturday. At least 20 people were wounded and several cars were burnt in the attack.

Youssifiyah is 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Baghdad.
Iraq has faced an onslaught by Sunni insurgents since early this year as the extremist Islamic State group and allied militants have taken over large areas in the country's west and north.
Related: Suicide truck bomber targets intelligence office in Afghanistan, killing 2, officials say

EU Gives Russia Ultimatum: Pull Back In Ukraine Or Face Sanctions

Despite tough rhetoric decrying Russia's increasing military involvement in Ukraine, European Union leaders on Sunday stopped short of imposing new sanctions against Moscow right away.

Instead, the 28-nation bloc's heads of state and government tasked their executive body to "urgently" prepare tougher economic sanctions that could be adopted within a week, according to EU summit chairman Herman Van Rompuy.
The decision on new sanctions will depend on the evolution of the situation on the ground but "everybody is fully aware that we have to act quickly," he added. The EU leaders call on Russia to "immediately withdraw all its military assets and forces from Ukraine," they said in a joint statement.

NATO said this week that at least 1,000 Russian soldiers are in Ukraine. Russia denies that. NATO also says Russia has amassed some 20,000 troops just across Ukraine's eastern border, which could rapidly carry out a full-scale invasion.
The fighting between the military and Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine has so far claimed 2,600 lives, according to U.N. figures.
The U.S. and the EU have so far imposed sanctions against dozens of Russian officials, several companies as well as the country's financial and arms industry. Moscow has retaliated by banning food imports.

China rules out open elections in Hong Kong

Democracy activists prepare protests after standing committee says it will select candidates for leader of Chinese territory

China's legislature has ruled against allowing open nominations in elections for Hong Kong's leader, a decision that promises to ignite political tensions in the Asian financial hub.
The legislature's standing committee ruled that all candidates for chief executive must receive more than half of the votes from a special nominating body before going before voters.
Hong Kong democracy activists have held protests calling for genuine democracy in the Chinese territory, over concerns that candidates would continue to be screened to assess their loyalty to Beijing. They see the nominating committee as beholden to Chinese leaders.
Li Fei, deputy secretary general of the National People's Congress's standing committee, told a news conference that openly nominating candidates would create a "chaotic society".
"These rights come from laws, they don't come from the sky," he said. "Many Hong Kong people have wasted a lot of time discussing things that are not appropriate and aren't discussing things that are appropriate."
In its decision, the committee said: "Since the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and the sovereignty, security and development interests of the country are at stake, there is a need to proceed in a prudent and steady manner."
It said the 1,200-member nominating committee would select two or three candidates. After one is selected through universal suffrage, the chief executive-elect "will have to be appointed by the central people's government".
Hong Kong has enjoyed substantial political autonomy since returning from British to Chinese rule in 1997. Chinese leaders agreed then that the chief executive would be chosen by "universal suffrage" in 2017 – language that pro-democracy activists say shows Beijing has not kept its promises.

Pakistani opposition to press on with protests until Sharif resigns

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani opposition leader Imran Khan called on his supporters on Sunday to take to the streets across the country after at least three people were killed in clashes between protesters and police in the capital overnight.

The violence erupted late on Saturday after thousands of protesters tried to march on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's residence, prompting police to fire tear gas to stop them.

Demonstrators demanding his resignation have camped outside government offices for more than two weeks but it was the first time violence broke out as protesters, some armed with sticks and wearing gas masks, tried to break through police lines.

The eruption of violence has unnerved many in the coup-prone country, with Sharif looking increasingly cornered amid relentless calls by the opposition for him to step down.

Small skirmishes continued and protesters were also expected to rally in the streets of Karachi later in the day but no major acts of violence were reported on Sunday.

Khan, an outspoken cricketer-turned-politician, told his supporters on Sunday he would not back down from his demand for Sharif to resign and called on more protesters to join him.

Related : One dead, 400 injured in Pakistan as protester marches on PM's home

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Reid's name removed from center at Utah university from which he graduated

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s name has been removed from a Southern Utah University facility, following pressure from a conservative group to make the change.
The group received $40,000 in pledges over five days toward removing the Nevada Democrat’s name from the school’s Outdoor Engagement Center.

University President Scott Wyatt acknowledged Friday that he was under pressure from a group of conservatives to remove Reid's name but insisted that politics had nothing to do with his decision.
Reid’s name was removed last week from the front door of the facility, several months after two local elected officials and others met with Wyatt and told him about the campaign, Wyatt said.
He said he told the group to stop raising money and that pledge money would not be accepted to remove Reid's name.
Wyatt said he removed Reid’s name because "nobody" associated the senator with the outdoors. 
The center rents outdoor equipment to students, offers internship programs for students seeking outdoor careers and coordinates project-based learning activities for students. Reid graduated from the school in 1959.

Barack Obama And The Misery Of His Augusts, Ranked

There was definitely a time in President Barack Obama's life in which he looked forward to August. He was, after all, born on Aug. 4. And Hawaii seems like it's maybe the best part of America in which to spend an August. And on Aug. 3, 2004, he was one day away from celebrating his 43rd birthday and basking in his first week of officially becoming what Vice President Joe Biden might refer to as a "big f--king deal," having delivered a historic stemwinder of a keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. "August! Man, this is all right," Obama probably thought at the time.
Flash-forward to Aug. 28, 2014, however, and Obama is found speaking at a very grim press conference, telling the assembled reporters that "we don't have a strategy yet" for ending the violence and terror that's been meted out by ISIS across Iraq and Syria.
The thing is, it may be possible to develop a strategy for ISIS, but there truly is no strategy for August, the Gregorian calendar's most inglorious month. August is, first and foremost, the supposed "slow news month" that almost never, ever ends up being slow. But it's distinct in other ways beyond that. It's not necessarily the most dangerous month or the saddest month or the most tragic month. Rather, it's a cruel month, where boredom and anomie seem to combine in a way that breeds sociopathy

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Rick Perry, Rand Paul take aim at Obama, Hillary Clinton at Koch event 

Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, already sounding like announced presidential candidates, appeared before several thousand conservative activists in Dallas on Friday to attack President Obama and Hillary Clinton while laying out their respective platforms.Perry derided what he called Obama’s “era of lawlessness,” comparing it — in a nod to Tea Party activists — to British rule over American colonists.
“We need to make Washington as inconsequential in our lives as we can,” he said to more applause. He added with a chuckle, “In Texas, we actually do pretty well without Washington’s advice.”

Republicans have edge to take Senate

WASHINGTON — Voters hate Washington, and they’ll get their chance to shake things up in November’s midterm elections.
The big question is whether the Republicans can win control of the Senate while holding the House of Representatives, which would give them the entire Congress for the remaining two years of Barack Obama’s presidency and set the stage for the 2016 elections.
At stake this fall are 36 of the Senate’s 100 seats, all 435 House seats and 36 governorships.
Republicans start with a decided edge:
– The most vulnerable Democrats are in states Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney won two years ago;
– Republicans are already strong favorites to win Democratic-held seats in Montana, South Dakota and West Virginia.
– The GOP’s strongest candidates survived primary challengers from tea party loyalists, who have often proved to be volatile and potentially losing general election candidates in the past;
–Obama’s flagging polls numbers are making him a drag on Democrats. Voters by a 42-32 margin say Obama makes them more likely to vote for a Republican, according to a McClatchy-Marist poll this month. Forty percent approved of how Obama was doing his job, the second worst showing of his presidency.

Obama sets own pace as global crises erupt

Short of world war, it’s rare that a chief executive goes through a foreign policy month like President Obama’s August.
U.S. warplanes struck in Iraq for the first time in years, as U.S. diplomats struggled to establish a new government in Baghdad. Islamic State militants beheaded an American journalist in Syria and spread their reach across the Middle East.
War raged between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. In Afghanistan, U.S. plans for an orderly exit at the end of the year teetered on the brink of disaster. Russia all but invaded Ukraine and dared Obama to stop it. Libya descended into violent chaos.
As events cascaded, Obama juggled rounds of vacation golf with public statements addressing the conflicts. But his cool demeanor, and the split-screen imagery of a president at play and at work, seemed ill-matched to the moment.
Then came a Thursday news conference and a comment that only reinforced criticism of a president neither fully engaged nor truly leaning into world problems. Speaking of the Islamic State, he said, “We don’t have a strategy yet.”
The statement may have had the virtue of candor, as Obama weighs the military and diplomatic components of a U.S. response and seeks support from other nations. But it hardly projects an image of presidential resolve or decisiveness at a time of international turmoil.
Republicans pounced on the statement. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), speaking Friday in Texas, said, “If the president has no strategy, maybe it’s time for a new president.” He said in a later e-mail that he would call a joint session of Congress to seek authority “to destroy ISIS militarily,” using another name for the Islamic State. Texas Gov. Rick Perry accused Obama of “lurching from crisis to crisis, always one step behind.” 
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