Israel prepares safety measures amid Iran war talks: Report 04 Mar 2012 Israel has recently been beefing up its wartime safety measures such as building shelters and boosting emergency services amid fears of a devastating Iranian counterstrike to a potential Tel Aviv attack. Israel has been transforming the parking lot of Tel Aviv's Habima National Theater into a sophisticated bomb shelter, the Associated Press reported. Roi Flyshman, spokesman for Israeli civil defense ministry, said the make-shift shelter, four stories underground and capable of accommodating up to 1,600 people, is "very advanced" and could serve as a blueprint for others.
AIPAC turns away 3 journalists from Israel-critical sites 03 Mar 2012 AIPAC turned down requests for coverage of its annual policy conference from at least three web and news sites known for their critical and sometimes hostile coverage of Israel. Patrick Dorton, a spokesman for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, said there were a number of considerations in turning away the journalists, but would only name one -- the volume of applications for coverage. Barring coverage in Washington is rare; Government institutions in Washington are known for accommodating a broad range of journalists, including those adamantly hostile to the government of the day.
Netanyahu praises Obama's AIPAC speech 04 Mar 2012 Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu immediately responded favorably to US President Barack Obama's speech on Sunday, highlighting Obama's remarks about Israel's right to defend itself as it saw fit. "I appreciated the fact that he said Israel must be able to defend itself, by itself, against any threat," Netanyahu told reporters before meeting Canadian Jewish leaders. "I appreciated the fact that President Obama reiterated his position that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, and that all options are on the table," Netanyahu said. "I also appreciated the fact that he made clear that when it comes to a nuclear-armed Iran, containment is simply not an option." [Transcript of Obama groveling before AIPAC and his GOP warmongering overlords.]
U.S. Backers of Israel Pressure Obama Over Policy on Iran 04 Mar 2012 On the eve of a crucial visit to the White House by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, that country's most powerful American advocates are mounting an extraordinary public campaign to pressure President Obama into hardening American policy toward Iran over its nuclear program. From the corridors of Congress to a gathering of nearly 14,000 American Jews and other supporters of Israel here this weekend, Mr. Obama is being buffeted by demands that the United States be more aggressive toward Iran and more forthright in supporting Israel in its own confrontation with Tehran. Despite the position of the Israelis and the pro-Israel lobbying group, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the American intelligence agencies continue to say that there is no evidence that Iran has made a final decision to pursue a nuclear weapon. Recent assessments by American spy agencies have reaffirmed intelligence findings in 2007 and 2010 that concluded that Iran had abandoned its nuclear weapons program. [Right, so it's time for Israel and the US - the scourge of the planet - to abandon *theirs.*]
Israel delivers ultimatum to Obama on Iran's nuclear plans --At Monday's meeting between Benjamin Netanyahu and Barack Obama the Israeli prime minister will deliver a stark warning, reports Adrian Blomfield in Jerusalem 03 Mar 2012 When the two men meet in Washington on Monday... this time, perhaps as never before, it is the Israeli who has the upper hand. Exuding confidence, Mr Netanyahu effectively brings with him an ultimatum, demanding that unless the president makes a firm pledge to use US military force to prevent Iran acquiring a nuclear bomb, Israel may well take matters into its own hands within months. The threat is not an idle one. According to sources close to the Israeli security establishment, military planners have concluded that never before has the timing for a unilateral military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities been so auspicious.
New poll shows Israelis oppose military strike on Iran 02 Mar 2012 A new poll conducted in Israel ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's upcoming visit to Washington shows that only a small percentage of Israelis support an Iran strike without US backing. The poll conducted by the University of Maryland and the Dahaf Institute on Feb. 22-26, surveyed 500 Israelis for their attitude towards a military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities and its possible efficacy. Asked whether such a strike must be carried out at all, only 19 percent of Israelis favored a strike even in the face of US opposition.
CIA ex-chief lauds Stuxnet virus use against Iran 03 Mar 2012 A former CIA chief has praised the US use of Stuxnet virus to sabotage Iran's nuclear energy program, noting that the measure legitimized using malware as a weapon to cause destruction. "We have entered into a new phase of conflict in which we use a cyber weapon to create physical destruction," said Michael Hayden, former director of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), in an interview with CBS television to be broadcast on Sunday. "This was a good idea, alright?" he added. The retired US general went on to say that the attempt to disrupt Iran's nuclear energy program by Stuxnet has given legitimacy to the use of malicious software as a new type of warfare.
More than half of RAF drone strikes in Afghanistan not reported publicly 03 Mar 2012 More than half of the RAF's drone strikes against Taliban militants in Afghanistan are not reported publicly, a new analysis has revealed. Every week the RAF provides public updates of its operations in Afghanistan, including details about its US-built Reaper drones which are frequently called on to provide cover for troops, monitor the battlefield and hunt down 'Taliban commanders.' But the details of the majority of missions are withheld, despite growing debate about the increasing use of drones and the ethics of relying on unmanned weapon systems.
Pakistan criticizes US for rights abuses 03 Mar 2012 Pakistan's Ambassador to the United Nations Zamir Akram has criticized the United States for committing numerous human rights violations including those against detainees held in the US's Guantanamo Bay prison facility, Press TV reports. The Pakistani UN envoy slammed the US rights violations at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). His remarks came following a 2011 report by the United Nations Human Rights Council High Commissioner Navi Pillay on US rights violations. "The OIC states (members of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation) share the High Commissioner’s concern about the rights of detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, as well as her disappointment over the failure to close this detention facility not least because most of the prisoners incarcerated there are Muslims and have been kept in a situation of legal limbo for the past 10 years," Akram said at the UNHRC.
British barrister found dead in Pakistan 05 Mar 2012 A leading British barrister has been found dead in a hotel room in Pakistan, his family has revealed. Relatives of Paul McBride QC, said the 48-year-old had died in his sleep in the city of Lahore, where he was on a trip with a fellow human rights lawyer. Police in Lahore told The Independent last night that an investigation was underway but that initial inquiries seemed to suggest Mr McBride had died of natural causes.
Pentagon commander says US special forces in India --US special forces are present in five South Asian countries 02 Mar 2012 US special forces are present in five South Asian countries, including India, a top Pentagon commander has revealed. US Pacific Commander Admiral Robert Willard said the teams were deployed to help India with their counter-terrorism co-operation. The US and India were working together to contain Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based militant group blamed for the 2008 Mumbai [CIA-backed] attacks, he said.
US government ultimately paid bail for Egypt NGOs --Amount of bail paid for US citizens was set at about $330,000 each 02 Mar 2012 The bail paid for U.S. 'pro-democracy activists' facing charges in Egypt ultimately came from the U.S. government, the State Department said on Friday. Egyptian authorities had accused the workers, including the son of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, of working for groups receiving illegal foreign funding and had barred them from leaving the country. The case put at risk $1.3 billion in annual U.S. military aid to Egypt, a cash transfer that began flowing after Egypt made peace with Israel in 1979, and it marked the deepest rift in U.S.-Egyptian relations in decades.
Obama Receives Serious Death Threat --N.Y. man charged with making terroristic threats 04 Mar 2012 Brent G. Dickinson, 33, of Saratoga Springs, New York, is accused of threatening to assassinate President Barack Obama. U.S. Secret Service and local authorities collaborated to arrest the man - who also stands accused of threatening to murder school children - after he posted two threatening comments on the White House message board. Dickinson was charged with two counts of making terroristic threats.
Putin wins 3rd presidential term with over 60% - preliminary results 05 Mar 2012 Preliminary results show Vladimir Putin securing 63.90 per cent of votes in Russia's presidential election, with his closest rival Gennady Zyuganov taking 17.18 per cent. So far, the Central Election Commission has counted almost all of the ballots. Mikhail Prokhorov and Vladimir Zhirinovsky are waging a real political battle for third place, with Prokhorov winning support of 7.70 per cent of voters and Zhirinovsky lagging behind with 6.24 per cent.
Internet Outage at Pentagon 01 Mar 2012 The US military's Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) on Thursday shut down access to the internet and blackberry service while work was being done to fix an unspecified problem [hopefully caused by Anonymous]. The shutdown, which came around 10:00am local time, means that no one in the Pentagon has internet access. Many military downrange, including combatant commands, do not have internet either. DISA, according to its website, is a Defense Department agency that provides command and control support to national-level leaders and joint-war fighters "across the full spectrum of operations."
FBI chief warns cyber crime on par with terrorism --'In the future, we anticipate that the cyber threat will pose the number one threat to our country.' 02 Mar 2012 FBI director Robert Mueller warned a gathering of Internet security specialists that the threat of cyber attacks rivals terrorism as a national security concern. The only way to combat cyber assaults is for police, intelligence agencies and private companies to join forces, Mueller said during a presentation at an annual RSA Conference in San Francisco on Thursday.
Anonymous attack suspects identified by Greek police 02 Mar 2012 Greek police identified four people who are suspected of defacing government and bank websites, Athens News reported today. Internet-hacking group Anonymous previously claimed responsibility for the attacks. But the Greek police said that the four suspects are members of another group called the Greek Hacking Scene. Two of the suspects identified by police are teenagers, ages 14 and 15, while the other two are 24 and 28, Athens News said. They are suspected of vandalizing the websites of the ministry of justice, Proton Bank, Piraeus Bank, the Bank of Greece and the Athens Urban Transport Organization.
Anonymous Members Infected by Trojan DDOS Utility 03 Mar 2012 Victims of the various cyber-attacks by members of the hacktivist group Anonymous are undoubtedly enjoying a bit of schadenfreude this weekend, as a new report from Symantec indicates that some Anonymous members have been tricked into downloading and running a fairly unpleasant Trojan alongside one of their distributed denial-of-service tools. "In these DDoS attacks, supporters using the Low Orbit Ion Cannon denial-of-service (DoS) tool would voluntarily include their computer in a botnet for attacks in support of Anonymous," Symantec writes.
CIA tactics to trap Bin Laden linked with polio crisis, say aid groups 02 Mar 2012 An alliance of 200 US aid groups has written to the head of the CIA to protest against its use of a doctor to help track Osama bin Laden, linking the agency's ploy to the polio crisis in Pakistan. The country recorded the highest number of polio cases in the world last year, a health catastrophe that threatens to spiral out of control. In July the Guardian revealed that the CIA used a Pakistani doctor, Shakil Afridi, in the hunt for Bin Laden. In the weeks before the 3 May operation to kill 'Bin Laden,' Afridi was instructed to set up a fake vaccination scheme in the town of Abbottabad, in order to gain entry to the house where it was suspected that the al-Qaida chief was living, and extract DNA samples from his family members. However the ruse has provided seeming proof for a widely held belief in Pakistan, fuelled by religious extremists, that polio drops are a western conspiracy to sterilise the population.
6,800 tons of radiation-tainted rice straw left lying in 8 prefectures --Tainted rice straw used as feed for beef cattle has proven to have contaminated the animals with radiation. 03 Mar 2012 Some 6,800 metric tons of rice straw contaminated with radioactive substances leaked from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant remains in eight prefectures with no immediate prospect of disposal, the Mainichi has learned. Moreover, sludge generated from radiation-contaminated waste water as well as ash tainted with radioactive materials amounts to some 97,000 tons in 12 prefectures -- 3.6 times the figure as of July last year, according to the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry.
From broken temp sensors to leaky pipes, Fukushima nuke plant plagued with problems [Gee, here's a story you won't see on MSNBC. By all means, let's talk about Rush Limbaugh and birth control instead.] 03 Mar 2012 Nearly a year has passed since the meltdowns at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant, and while some progress has been made in decommissioning the power station, operations continue to be plagued with problems from broken temperature sensors to leaky piping. Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) took a major step forward in the decommissioning and dismantling process -- expected to take at least 30 years -- in January when it inserted an endoscope into the plant's No. 2 reactor vessel, beginning the first direct internal observations since the crisis began in March 2011.
Japan-made reactor unit had cracks before delivery to U.S.: regulator 29 Feb 2012 Cracks associated with welding defects were found in a Japan-made steam generator for a nuclear reactor in Southern California in 2009 before its delivery to the plant, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission documents showed Tuesday. The steam generator, produced and later repaired by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., was installed at the unit 3 reactor at the San Onofre nuclear power plant in California, which suffered a minor radiation leak in late January. At the nuclear plant, operated by Southern California Edison, abnormal attrition was also found earlier this month in the tubes of another Mitsubishi-made steam generator installed at the unit 2 reactor.
Deepwater Oil Drilling Picks Up Again as BP Disaster Fades 04 Mar 2012 Nearly two years after an explosion on an oil platform killed 11 workers and sent millions of gallons of oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico, deepwater drilling has regained momentum in the gulf and is spreading around the world. After a yearlong drilling moratorium, BP and other oil companies [eco-terrorists] are intensifying their exploration and production in the gulf, which will soon surpass the levels attained before the accident. [Thanks, Obusha!] Gas prices are averaging $3.76 a gallon, while crude oil futures settled at $106.70 a barrel on Friday. [Right, because Obama won't take *one step* to curb Wall Street speculation.]
Romney Wins Washington GOP caucuses 03 Mar 2012 Mitt Romney rolled to a double-digit victory in Washington state's Republican presidential caucuses Saturday night, his fourth campaign triumph in a row and a fresh show of strength in the run-up to 10 Super Tuesday contests in all regions of the country. Rick Santorum and Ron Paul battled for second place, while Newt Gingrich ran a distant fourth.
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