In public remarks made at his weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu said with great emphasis that the Israeli government would “continue to act to ensure the security interests of the citizens of Israel,” suggesting that further strikes could be on the cards.“The Israeli government acts in a responsible, determined and measured manner to ensure the State of Israel’s main interest, which is the security of its citizens,” he said.According to the Jerusalem Post, Netanyahu’s comments came in response to a Sunday Times report alleging that Syria had missiles directed towards Tel Aviv, following several deadly strikes on a military facility in Damascus at the beginning of May.They reportedly targeted a shipment of missiles en-route from Iran to Lebanon’s Hezbollah.”Our policies are to stop, as much as possible, any leaks of advanced weaponry to Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations. We will continue to act to ensure the security interests of the citizens of Israel,” Netanyahu stressed.Israel had neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for May’s attacks. However, Reuters reported shortly afterwards that Netanyahu had convened the security cabinet on the previous Thursday in order to approve the airstrikes.Israel refused to confirm the strikes so as not to incite retaliation from Syria, an aide to Netanyahu told Jerusalem Post.On Wednesday – the day after Netanyahu’s visit to Russia – a senior Israeli official told the New York Times that any reaction to Israeli hostilities from Assad’s government means “he will risk forfeiting his regime.””If Syrian President Assad reacts by attacking Israel, or tries to strike Israel through his terrorist proxies, he will risk forfeiting his regime, for Israel will retaliate,” the official is cited as saying.It was noted that the decision to contact the paper and make would have been made at the highest levels of Israeli government – however Netanyahu’s Office refused to deny or confirm being behind the report, Haaretz says. … Read More
The Agenda is to Generate Fear and Crisis So They Can Dominate With Control
We must break the stranglehold of truth from establishment media and we must take back our country. … Read More
Sugar producer tops Russia’s largest landowner list
Prodimex has 16 sugar factories in 3 different provinces, and produces over 1.1 million tons of sugar a year. The company’s general director, Viktor Aleksakhin told Vedomosti that production requires such a large land holding due to the nature of sugar beet cultivation – which must be replanted on a different field each year. Russia accounts for a sixth of the world’s landmass and has several private land owners, with the top five having ties to agricultural production. At the beginning of 2012, agricultural land in Russia was 196 million hectares, 115 are fertile and in use. In April 2013, the Russian Ministry of Agriculture said the industry was ‘unprofitable’, and only made possible by state subsidies. RusAgro, which specializes in pig breeding, and production of sugar and cooking oil in the Moscow region, owns 452,000 hectares. Vamin, a dairy specialist in Tartarstan that has recently declared bankruptcy, owns 450,000 hectares. Siberian agricultural major Sakho has 400,000 hectares and is owned by State Duma Deputy Airat Khairullina. Tatar agro-company Krasny Vostok Agro has 350,000 hectares. Before Prodimex was founded in 1992, nearly all sugar was imported from Ukraine.America’s cattle kingdomKings of agriculture dominate landholding in Russia, but in the US, it’s a millionaire ranch and cattle club. John Malone, Liberty Media Chairman, owns almost twice as much land as Russia’s largest sugar producer, about 890,000 hectares (2.2 million acres) which combined are the equivalent of 150 Manhattans. Malone owns ranches in Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, and New Mexico. The most famous is ‘The Bell Ranch’, a 290,100 acre cattle ranch which he bought in 2010 for a listed, but not confirmed price, of $83 million. Malone’s equities are widespread. Liberty Global agreed to buy Britain’s Virgin Media cable company for $16 billion in February 2013. Malone also has diversified interests in US sports teams (the Atlanta Braves) and media (Starz channel). Land has made a comeback – from cattle, private ski resorts, hunting and fishing clubs, to Maine coastline – for American entrepreneurs who prefer to take a stake in natural real estate to diversify and hedge their assets against the risky gold, oil, and stock prices. With an improving US housing market, land holdings are likely to appreciate, especially those acquired during the recession.Media mogul Ted Turner, the owner of CNN has over 2 million acres of land spread through New Mexico, Colorado, Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Florida. The grand Vermejo Park ranch in New Mexico and Colorado is 590,823 acres and his hunting sanctuary in Florida, where he has residence is 30,000 acres. … Read More
Obama Won’t Apologize for AP Scandal
http://www.youtube.com/v/X0nbiHLmpCs?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata Link: Obama Won’t Apologize for AP Scandal
Kenyan court gives two Iranians life sentences for attack plots
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Two Iranians have received life sentences in Kenya after being found guilty of plotting attacks against Western interests.
They were arrested in Nairobi last year and led police to a stash of RDX explosives being hidden on a Mombasa golf course.
An accomplice who supplied them with the explosives is still at large.
Kenyan officials said the two men may have been planning attacks on American, British, Israeli or Saudi Arabian targets.
“It is wrong, it is illegal, the magistrate has totally misconceived the law, we are going to appeal,” said defence lawyer David Karimi.
Iranians have been suspects in attacks or plots in several other countries , notably Azerbaijan, Thailand and India in recent years, most with connections to Israeli targets.
More about: Attack, Death penalty, Iran, Kenya
Copyright © 2013 euronews
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Pirate Bay and Antigua Explore Launch of Authorized “Pirate Site”
Yesterday President Obama announced Michael Froman as his new U.S. Trade Representative.
Froman will be tasked with protecting U.S. trade interests around the globe and informing other countries on how to improve their copyright enforcement initiatives.
“He does not rest until he’s delivered the best possible deal for American businesses and American workers. He’s fought to make sure that countries that break the rules are held accountable,” the President said in his speech.
However, the U.S. itself hasn’t been playing by the rules either. In fact, one of the issues the new Trade Representative will have to deal with is the lingering dispute with Antigua and Barbuda. The U.S. refuses to lift a trade “blockade” preventing the Caribbean island from offering Internet gambling services, despite several WTO decisions in Antigua’s favor.
Earlier this year TorrentFreak broke the news that the WTO had granted Antigua the right to suspend U.S. copyrights and launch a “piracy site.” The money generated by such a site would compensate the country for some of the losses suffered due to U.S. actions.
Since the initial announcement a lot of progress has been made behind the scenes and a source close to the Government of Antigua informed us this week that they will soon start accepting bids for the new media platform.
One of the potential partners that has been suggested is none other than The Pirate Bay. The world’s largest file-sharing site has plenty of experience with online media distribution and its owners are unlikely to succumb to the inevitable pressure from the U.S. Government.
Antigua’s attorney Mark Mendel confirmed to TorrentFreak that the Government is likely to soon start a process to solicit bids to operate whatever platform the Government determines to put in place. However, he didn’t want to speculate on any of the parties that could collaborate.
Mendel did emphasize that whatever Antigua ultimately choose to do, it will respect the copyrights of non-U.S. owners.
“Whichever vendor is selected in the process, be it The Pirate Bay or any other company, it would be involved in a dialogue with the Government and a partnership that will be strictly supervides to make sure that the operation is conducted in accordance with the WTO rulings,” Mendel says.
The above means that The Pirate Bay would have to develop a separate service for Antigua. This service could be advertising supported, levy a charge per download, or operate on a subscription base. The advertising model would be an interesting option as that revenue would not be bound to the $21 million cap defined by the WTO.
A Pirate Bay insider informed us that they are considering their participation and are looking forward to working out the details for an eventual bid. “The Pirate Bay would definitely love help out,” TorrentFreak was told.
Thus far official negotiations haven’t been initiated, but the unusual collaboration could prove to be an interesting one for both sides.
Antigua of course knows very well that having The Pirate Bay on board will raise the visibility of the project. The Pirate Bay on the other hand never likes to waste an opportunity to mock the U.S. copyright monopolies.
“I think this would be a great opportunity to finally launch The Freedom Bay,” The Pirate Bay says.
Source: Pirate Bay and Antigua Explore Launch of Authorized “Pirate Site”
Congress won’t allow Pentagon to save money
The Pentagon has long wished to retire some of its aircraft, ships and other military equipment, but is being forced to use its budget to keep them in service. Military officials claim that the Navy and Air Force are spending $5 billion more than they would if they could retire their old vehicles, many of which are parked at airstrips or warehouses, the Associated Press reports. The Pentagon begrudgingly keeps its C-5A Galaxy transport planes and other expensive vehicles in service, despite the fact that it has no money to operate them, repair them or employ them. The Air Force recently hoped to save $600 million by retiring the C-5A and C-130 aircraft, 18 high-altitude surveillance drones, and three B-1 bombers, but Congress rejected the request and insisted that the equipment be maintained. The Air Force has newer C-5 models and no longer needs the old ones – especially since they are costly to maintain. Lockheed Martin, which has previously come under scrutiny for “trying to squeeze every nickel out of” the Pentagon, is contracted to modernize the planes. The Navy has also been denied the right to retire seven cruisers and two amphibious warships, even though it would save $4.3 billion over the course of two years. According to AP interviews with senior military leaders, lawmakers are reluctant to having bases or programs moved from their districts.“A lot of it comes down to parochial political interests,” Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, told AP. “No member of Congress wants to have a base closed in their district or to have a fighter squadron relocated out of their district.” But Pentagon officials claim that because they are being denied the ability to save money, they are being forced to furlough civilians, reduce the number of Air Force training flights and cancel international ship deployments to stay within their budget. Maintaining aircraft requires money for fuel or manpower to fly them, even if they will never again be deployed. In some cases, keeping the machinery provides economic advantages to the community where the equipment is stored or parked. Local officials near Pittsburgh, Pa., argue that the 911th Airlift Wing base, which stores eight C-130s and uses space rented from the Pittsburgh International Airport, brings in a stream of money for local residents. When Congress denied the Pentagon the right to shut it down, lawmakers hailed the decision as a victory. But aside from retiring old equipment and closing Air Force and military bases, the Pentagon has also been pushing to reduce military retirement benefits.”I think there’s a misunderstanding in Congress about what it is that would change,” Harrison said. “They tend to associate changes in retirement benefits with changes to veterans benefits.” Harrison told AP that only 17 percent of service members stay in the military long enough to qualify for retirement, and most of these are senior officers with high incomes. Veterans benefits are included in the Veterans Affairs Department budget, not the Pentagon’s, which Harrison says is a common misunderstanding.With excess infrastructure, transportation equipment and a costly retirement program, the Pentagon is struggling to save money, even though it knows exactly how to save at least $5 billion. But because of Congress’ refusal to allow the department to retire its old equipment, the Pentagon is being forced to furlough employees to compensate. … Read More
