We’re rapidly approaching a potential checkmate moment in the Mideast. There are 41 nations plus the U.S., for a total of 42 nations currently participating in military maneuvers off the coast of Iran, but the battle will almost certainly begin in Syria. … Read More
Blatant US hypocrisy in accusations of Chinese hacking
The United States is accusing China of trying to hack into US defense computers for espionage purposes. This claim comes across as hypocritical and posturing: For several decades, the United States has happily wiretapped every other nation’s conversations whenever possible.Under Washington’s ‘Echelon’ global wiretapping network, this includes most industrialized nations – such an obscene a violation of international trust when discovered, most didn’t want to believe the Echelon program actually existed and was operational.This network of wiretapping stations isn’t just used by the United States for military purposes – it has long been asserted that it is also used to give United States industries the upper hand in purely industrial applications, in competition with its international counterparts.In Europe, it is not enough for the United States to listen in to all conversations using the Echelon program. The US also demands information on all SWIFT bank transactions in Europe, ostensibly in the name of combating terrorism, but such information again gives US industries an upper hand in industrial espionage.To criticize China for doing what the US has been doing to the rest of the world for decades comes across as hypocritical posturing of the worst sort, regardless of whether or not the allegations are true. But it gets worse: This alleged Chinese hacking was implied to have military connotations, and the US claimed it was a violation of “international trust.”To date, only two national powers are known to have used hacking in military applications: The United States and Israel, in their joint attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities that used malicious software of sophistication never before seen by the security community. (As a bonus, before it was discovered that the US was behind the attack, NATO used this hacking attack as a scare to ask for increased funding.)No, what this really is about is a threat to Pax Americana – the idea that world peace is guaranteed by the United States, but only on the terms of that same United States. (We can easily observe how those terms are changed daily, and then enforced, by killer drones.)If any other nation should gain superiority in any single field, Washington’s already-overstretched capability to project military violence anywhere in the world could come crumbling down. Though the US Military spends practically as much as the rest of the industrialized world’s militaries combined, this would account for little if an Achilles Heel in their dominance is allowed to develop.Therefore, it is absolutely vital to US interests that they – and only they – get to wiretap the rest of the world and hack into their industrial interests, in order to maintain and fund a superior military, which is in turn used to maintain a peace-through-superior-firepower dominance throughout the world: The Pax Americana.If any other nation develops such wiretapping or hacking capabilities, they would present a long-term threat to US dominance. Therefore, it comes as little surprise that Washington would criticize others it. But screaming about “violations of trust?” Those claims couldn’t have rung more hollow.That international trust was violated a long time ago, and not by the Chinese. The United States doesn’t have the moral high ground, or a single leg with which to stand on it. … Read More
Saudi Arabia to allow girls to take sport classes, but only in private schools
The ministry decree published in Saudi newspapers says that private schools for girls have been told to “put into effect a number of rules to regulate sports,” Agence France-Presse. Although the reforms are being hailed as a progressive move in the predominantly-Muslim country, the measure appears to exclude the majority of students at state-run schools. At private schools, where the initiatives are being encouraged, the government has requested that school officials ensure girls wear “a covering and decent outfit” for sport activities in “suitable areas.” The ministry directive also advised that female Saudi instructors receive top priority for employment positions at the educational facilities. The ministry pointed out that some private schools were already offering physical education, but without any regulations to follow. The issue of Saudi women participating in sporting competition entered the spotlight during the 2012 London Olympic Games. Saudi officials threatened to withdraw from the Games when the International Olympic Committee ruled that its female judo participant, Wojdan Shaherkani, could not wear a headscarf during competition. Eventually the two sides came to agreement over the dispute, and the Olympic Committee allowed Shaherkani to “wear something that would not compromise her safety.” Today, many details in the lives of Saudi women are closely regulated by Sharia law derived from the Koran. Every adult woman is required to have a close male relative as her ‘guardian’, who is authorized to make a number of decisions on a woman’s behalf, including the right to travel, to start a business, and study at university. Saudi women are prohibited from driving, and are required to cover themselves in public, among other restrictions. … Read More
MOP up: US ‘upgrades’ biggest bunker buster to calm Israel over Iran
The upgrade of the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) reported by the Wall Street Journal includes deeper burrowing capability, better guidance system and improved countermeasures to avoid air defense systems. The upgraded version had not been tested yet, the newspaper reports, citing unnamed US officials.American officials gave details of the upgrade to their Israeli counterparts and demonstrated a classified video showing the test of an earlier version of MOP several times in recent weeks, WSJ says. The contacts were part of Obama administration’s effort to convince the Israelis not to carry out a unilateral military strike on Iran, according to the report.Israel threatened an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, saying that if it doesn’t act soon than the Islamic Republic would soon become impervious to such an airstrike. The US publicly discouraged Israel from it and advocated diplomacy to resolve the nuclear issue.The US, Israel and some of their allies believe that Iran is trying to secretly develop a nuclear weapon under the guise of its civilian nuclear program. They want Tehran to halt enrichment of uranium, accusing it of hoarding the fissile material in preparation to rush production of a nuclear bomb.Iran denies the allegations and insists that it has a sovereign right for peaceful nuclear development. It says it needs domestic enrichment facilities as an independent source of fuel for its reactors.MOP is the successor BLU-109 as US Air Force’s ‘bunker buster’ weapon, designed to be dropped from the B-2 and B-52 bombers. The GPS-enabled 14-ton 6-meter weapon is designed to penetrate reinforced concrete facilities before detonation. The Pentagon said it contracted a total of 20 of such bombs from the producer, Boeing.Fordow nuclear enrichment facility is buried under a mountain near the Iranian city of Qom. Israel has concerns that its Air Force would not be able to completely destroy it even with latest supplies offered by the US.The news comes as US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel visited Israel. The secretary reportedly was trying to convince his Israeli counterparts to wait until after the Iranian parliamentary election in June, according to WSJ.The Obama administration views the event is a milestone, which is to show how successful was its campaign to pressure Iran into changing its policies with a series of crippling economic sanctions. … Read More
Russia to mine uranium and build nuclear power plants in Egypt
The Egyptian leader has paid official visit to Russia to hold talks with Vladimir Putin as clashes continue in Egyptian cities.The latest reports suggest that at least 48 people have been wounded in Cairo over the last 24 hours, as Muslim Brotherhood supporters and opponents clashed. Nine of the hospitalized reportedly suffered gunshots. Police deployed teargas to disperse the rival groups, but with little success.Egyptian opposition activists demand Mohamed Morsi’s resignation, saying they don’t want Islamist rule in the country.While political opponents in Egypt are unable to find common ground, Morsi’s economic and political negotiations in Russia appear to bring some concrete results.”We have agreed to gradually proceed toward diversifying our trade and economic ties. New joint projects in the areas of industrial cooperation, energy or, say, agriculture could increase the mutual investment flows,” Vladimir Putin said, informing that the financial agencies of the two countries will get in contact to extend a loan to Egypt at a bilateral meeting in the nearest future.Russian Energy Minister Aleksandr Novak announced that Egypt proposed sending a delegation to Cairo “to resume cooperation in peaceful nuclear projects” to jointly construct new nuclear power plants. Cairo plans to build 4 GWt of nuclear power facilities by 2025, Novak said.Cairo has also invited Moscow to step in joint developing of uranium mines in Egypt and Moscow accepted both proposals, he said.Moscow said it would like to see Egypt taking part in Gas Exporting Countries Forum scheduled to take place in Moscow in July 2013.”Egypt is a gas extracting country. A Gas Exporting Countries Forum is scheduled to be held in Moscow in July. We will welcome the participation by the president of Egypt or his representatives,” Putin said.International politics positions of the two countries also coincided a lot, as the leaders “thoroughly considered a number of acute international problems,” Putin said, and found common ground on the issues of international politics, particularly the hair-trigger situation in the Middle East, and especially emphasized the civil war in Syria.The presidents agreed that diplomacy is the only solution to the Syrian crisis and that foreign intervention into Syria is unacceptable.“There should be a political and legal solution of the Syrian crisis without external meddling. We are for an early ceasefire to start intra-Syrian negotiations,” Putin said, stressing that Moscow’s and Cairo’s “positions are close.”Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov told the media after the talks that “The Egyptian president voiced very new, fresh and interesting ideas,” on the Syrian crisis settlement.Moscow and Egypt also found considerable similarity in the approaches to settle the Arab-Israeli conflict.”We believe it is essential for the quartet of international mediators to step up its activity in cooperation with the Arab League States,” Putin noted.At the end of the talks, Morsi invited Putin to pay a return visit to Egypt.In the meantime clashes between Egyptian opposition and Muslim Brotherhood are running high.The parties are throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at each other, both sides use homemade handguns.Opposition accuses police of siding with Morsi supporters from the Muslim Brotherhood as police use teargas to disperse crowds.“We need calm and we also need president Morsi to step down because we are tired of this,” Morsi opponent Emad George told AP.In the light of the turbulent events in Egypt, Putin particularly asked Morsi to give “increased attention to Russian tourists’ safety.”On Friday Islamist Morsi supporters held rallies outside the High Court building in Cairo and in the coastal city of Alexandria, demanding the “cleansing of the judiciary.” They believe the loyalists from the former regime are blocking Morsi’s policies. Their opponents insist that Islamists want to consolidate the Muslim Brotherhood’s power by taking over the courts and get rid of secular-minded judges. … Read More
McDonald’s surprising pro-transgender bathroom policy
A Detroit-area McDonald’s recently found itself in legal trouble after falsely claiming its menu items were halal, and New York City employees of the fast food chain went on strike last month to demand a living wage, but a franchise in Washington state is grabbing headlines for actually doing something right: Providing safe, guaranteed access to bathroom facilities regardless of a person’s gender identity or expression.A Reddit user shared a photo of a Seattle McDonald’s bathroom sign, announcing:We respect the rights of all customers and employees. We believe all people must have access to safe and dignified bathroom facilities regardless of their gender identity or expression. Therefore, the following policy has been adopted for this restaurant at 1530 3rd Avenue … Employees and customers may use any restroom that corresponds with and is based upon the gender identity they publicly and exclusively assert or express.Continue Reading… … Read More
Dozens injured after magnitude 6.3 earthquake jolts Japan (PHOTOS)
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said the quake hit early on Saturday morning near Awaji Island, just south of Kobe, at a depth of 15 kilometers. The quake was initially measured at 6.0 on the JMA seismic intensity scale, though the agency later upgraded its magnitude to 6.3. The US Geological Survey measured the earthquake at 6.0 on the Richter scale, saying it struck at a more shallow depth of five kilometers. No tsunami warning was issued, and the country’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said it has received no reports of problems at nuclear facilities. Many of those who received more serious injuries were elderly people who tripped while attempting to flee, police said. An 82-year-old woman in Fukui prefecture broke her leg after falling to the ground, and a 74-year-old woman Hyogo prefecture suffered a broken hip bone, AFP reported. Japanese TV news footage showed houses with broken rooftop tiles and cracked walls, while some areas of the island underwent soil liquefaction – a common side-effect of strong tremors.The earthquake was centered in the same region as the 1995 ‘Kobe earthquake,’ a magnitude 7.2 tremor which killed 6,434 people and caused more than $100 billion in damage.”I was scared to death. I thought a big quake hit again,” AFP quoted Hikaru Doi, a 36-year-old employee at a taxi company on Awaji Island, as telling Jiji Press. In March 2011, a massive 9.0 quake struck northeastern Japan, sparking a tsunami which killed nearly 19,000 people and set off the world’s worst nuclear disaster in a generation. Japan, which is located near a triple fault line, is considered one of the most quake-prone countries in the world. … Read More
