Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

Thursday 5 May 2016

John Kerry Draws New Red Line For Assad In Syria
 
By Natasha Bertrand
Kerry insisted the US would not allow Aleppo to be liberated by the government. -http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article44585.htm
 
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A Tale Of Two Hospitals
 
By Brandon Turbeville
Potentially Fabricated Bombing Incident VS Open Terrorist Targeting Of Facilities In Aleppo. -http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article44590.htm
 
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US Air Strikes Kill Hundreds of Civilians in Mosul
 
By Nicolas J. S. Davies
Reports of hundreds of civilians killed by air strikes reveal some of the human costs of the U.S. air war and the new rules of engagement. - http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article44586.htm
 
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Raised By War: This Is What It's Like To Come Of Age In Iraq
 
By Jane Arraf
The figures are staggering. Analysts believe more than 800,000 Iraqi children have been orphaned by conflict since 2003. - http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article44588.htm
 
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Point of No Return
Obama's Legacy in the Middle East
 
By Seymour M. Hersh
Obama's has maintained many of the core elements initiated by his predecessor - assassinations, drone attacks, heavy reliance on special forces, covert operations. -http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article44587.htm
 
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Saudi Arabia and Israel's Growing Alliance, a Match Made in Hell
 
By Alli McCracken, Raed Jarrar
The Iran nuclear deal is redrawing political lines in the Middle East. - http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article44591.htm
 
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Uproar Over the 28 Pages: The Saudi/CIA Connection?
 
By Kristen Breitweiser
Fifteen years after the 9/11 murders, we have uncovered a part of that truth. -http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article44589.htm
 
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Hard News

 
 Syria : Air strike on refugee camp 'kills dozens': The Local Co-ordination Committees, an opposition activist network, said some 30 people had been killed and dozens more wounded in the attack there.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-36214290

Twin bombings kill 10 civilians in central Syria: monitor:
State television reported that at least six people were killed and 28 seriously wounded in the suicide attack and car bombing in a square in Mukharram al-Fawqani in Homs province.
http://www.timeslive.co.za/world/2016/05/05/Twin-bombings-kill-10-civilians-in-central-Syria-monitor

IS seizes full control of gas field in Syria:
The Islamic State (IS) on Thursday seized full control of al-Shaer gas field, located east of the central Syrian province of Homs, after three days of fighting against government forces.
http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/is-seizes-full-control-of-gas-field-in-syria-116050500874_1.html

Russia's Lavrov: 'Assad Is Not an Ally for Us': "Assad is not an ally for us. Yes, we support him in the fight against terror and in preserving the Syrian state," he told RIA in an interview. "But he is not an ally in the sense Turkey is an ally for the United States."
http://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/1.717868

U.S., allies agree to do more to combat Islamic State: U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter made the comment following talks in Germany with defense ministers and representatives from 11 other nations participating in the alliance.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-usa-idUKKCN0XV0U6

17 civilians killed by US bombing in northern Iraq : At least 17 civilians, including 12 children and three women, were killed in a US bombing in northern Iraq's Tal Afar city in the early hours of Thursday, Xinhua quoted Al Jazeera's Arabic channel as saying.
http://www.oneindia.com/international/17-civilians-killed-us-bombing-northern-iraq-2089886.html

Bomb kills five in graveyard : A bomb went off in a graveyard south of Baghdad Thursday, killing five people among a group of mourners at a burial, Iraq's interior ministry spokesman said.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/bomb-kills-five-in-graveyard/

25 ISIS fighters executed: Kurdistan Democratic Party in Nineveh Province revealed on Thursday, that the so-called ISIS executed 25 of its members on charges of escaping from the battles in Tel Skuf north of Mosul
http://www.iraqinews.com/iraq-war/isis-executes-25-fighters-arrests-200-people-charges-escape-fighting/

Video appears to show battle that left Navy SEAL dead: Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Keating died Wednesday from an apparent sniper shot to his side, sustained as his quick reaction team rushed into a gunfight with Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants whose early morning attack on a northern Iraqi town took another unit of elite American troops by surprise.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/video-iraq-battle-teleskof-tel-asqof-us-special-forces-navy-seal-charles-keating/

Why are Canadian troops in Iraq wearing Kurdish flag?: Critics say flags that represent autonomous Kurdish region may run counter to Canada's stated mission in country.
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2016/05/canadian-troops-iraq-wearing-kurdish-flag-160505171906785.html

10 Iranian soldiers killed near Iraq border: Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Mohamed Salih, a member of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, said that fierce clashes had broken out between Iranian soldiers and Kurdish militants in the city of Sardasht in western Iran on Tuesday.
http://aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/10-iranian-soldiers-killed-near-iraq-border/567093

Saudi forces kill suspected ISIL fighters near Mecca: Security forces kill four men suspected of belonging to ISIL in a gun battle in Wadi Noman, near the holy city of Mecca.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/05/saudi-forces-kill-suspected-isil-fighters-mecca-160505100520073.html

Israel kills Palestinian woman in Gaza:
A Palestinian woman was killed when Israeli tank shells hit her home east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Thursday, the southern city's Nasser hospital said.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinian-woman-killed-by-israeli-tank-fire-in-gaza/

The bloody consequences of US hypocrisy are on full display in Yemen: Op-Ed: The US seems to be rationalizing its role in the conflict by arguing the weapons deals will be good for the American economy and will help maintain our longtime relationship with Saudi Arabia
http://qz.com/677087/the-bloody-consequences-of-us-hypocrisy-are-on-full-display-in-yemen/

British arms are fuelling Yemen's cruel war: The toll on ordinary people has been immense and has contributed to creating one of the world's worst humanitarian crises where on average six children a day are killed or injured.
http://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2016/may/05/british-arms-are-fuelling-yemens-cruel-war

Turkey's PM Ahmet Davutoglu steps down: Ahmet Davutoglu to leave post after what is reported as a falling out with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/05/turkey-davutoglu-set-talks-fail-reports-160505034300569.html

Turkey opposition dubs PM resignation 'palace coup': Leader of Turkey's main opposition has slammed the ouster of Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as a "palace coup" aimed at consolidating the president's power.
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/05/05/464130/Turkey-Davutoglu-Erdogan-CHP-Kilicdaroglu/

Nigerian army kills 20 bandits: The Nigerian army on Wednesday killed 20 armed bandits, who have been terrorising the people of Dansadu in Zamfara state in northern Nigeria.
http://en.starafrica.com/news/nigerian-army-kills-20-bandits.html

Suicide bomb attacks Libyan town: -
An IS-affiliated suicide bomb attack on Thursday hit a check point in the town of Abu-Gren, nearly 110 km south of Misrata, killing and wounding several security guards, a security source told Xinhua.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-05/05/c_135337183.htm

'Too busy' Cameron won't show for Libya 'sh*t-show' war inquiry: Prime Minister David Cameron told the committee holding an inquiry into his 2011 Libyan campaign that he is too busy to answer questions before the panel.
https://www.rt.com/uk/341824-cameron-libya-war-inquiry/

Egypt's Interior Ministry, in Error, Releases Memos on Restricting News Media: Egypt's Interior Ministry, already under fire over accusations of police brutality and other abuses, heaped new woes onto itself on Tuesday when its press office published, apparently by accident, confidential guidelines that aim to counter a growing tide of news media criticism.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/04/world/middleeast/egypts-interior-ministry-in-error-releases-memos-on-restricting-news-media.html

China is building its first overseas military base in Djibouti - right next to a key US one: US troops sweating away in Djibouti will soon be seeing a lot more of their counterparts from a great economic and military rival: China.
http://www.globalpost.com/article/6766981/2016/05/03/china-building-its-first-overseas-military-base-djibouti-right-next-key

Five Killed In Roadside Bombing In Afghanistan: Police said a van carrying civilians hit the roadside bomb in the morning on May 4.
http://www.rferl.org/content/afghanistan-roadside-bombing-badghis-/27717962.html

Russia to boost military force if Sweden allies with NATO - senator:
Russia will reply to Sweden's entry into NATO by increasing the numbers of its military forces, in particular on its northern and northwestern frontiers, the deputy head of the upper house Committee for Defense and Security says.
https://www.rt.com/politics/341330-russia-will-boost-its-military/

Spain issues arrest warrants for Russian officials close to Putin: A Spanish national court judge is seeking to arrest 12 people allegedly linked to Russian gangsters operating in Spain. They include Vladislav Reznik, a prominent MP for Putin's ruling United Russia party, and Reznik's wife Diana Gindin.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/04/spain-issues-arrest-warrants-for-russian-officials-close-to-putin

London mayor may be Labour's lone bright spot in local elections: Labour candidate Sadiq Khan looked set on Thursday to become the first Muslim elected mayor of London, loosening the ruling Conservatives' hold on Britain's financial center after a campaign marred by charges of anti-Semitism and extremism.
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/britains-labour-set-london-bitter-mayoral-campaign-101122139.html

Where did the Greek bailout money go?: This paper provides a descriptive analysis of where the Greek bailout money went since 2010 and finds that, contrary to widely held beliefs, less than €10 billion or a fraction of less than 5% of the overall programme went to the Greek fiscal budget.
https://www.esmt.org/where-did-greek-bailout-money-go

Millions face refusal to fly to US after passport debacle :
They have been hit by changes to American border controls introduced after December's San Bernardino shootings which claimed 14 lives.
http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/millions-face-refusal-to-fly-to-us-after-passport-debacle/ar-BBsFvum?

ISIS Has Ability to Execute Paris-Style Terrorist Assaults in U.S., Clapper Says: Similar to ISIS' coordinated blasts abroad, Clapper told CNN in an interview published Wednesday that jihadists have the ability to use terrorist cells throughout the U.S. to perpetrate "dozens of casualties."
http://freebeacon.com/national-security/clapper-isis-paris-terrorist-attacks-us/

Deployed Army captain sues Obama over ISIS fight: An Army captain deployed to Kuwait has sued President Obama because he believes the war against the Islamic State terror group is illegal, reigniting a long-simmering issue between the president and Congress.
http://tinyurl.com/zacy4sk

NSA and CIA Double Their Warrantless Searches on Americans in Two Years: Many privacy activists, as well as lawmakers including Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., describe this practice as a "backdoor" search because it's a way to gather evidence on Americans without getting court approval.
https://theintercept.com/2016/05/03/nsa-and-cia-double-their-warrantless-searches-on-americans-in-two-years/

Illegal immigrant numbers skyrocket at Mexican border: The surge of illegal immigration quickly swamped border authorities, immigration courts and health and humanitarian workers, while sparking a political battle on Capitol Hill over the cause and proper response to the crisis.
http://thehill.com/latino/278785-migrant-numbers-skyrocket-at-mexican-border

N.J. anti-terrorism plan aims to spot those vulnerable to being radicalized:The FBI is enlisting teams of community leaders, clergy, social workers and mental health professionals to counsel troubled people who voice support for terrorism in a program that could begin in New Jersey this year, officials said.
http://www.northjersey.com/news/n-j-anti-terrorism-plan-aims-to-spot-those-vulnerable-to-being-radicalized-1.1556340

L.A. sees another sharp rise in homelessness and outdoor tents : Homelessness increased in the last year in the city and county of Los Angeles, leaving nearly 47,000 people in the streets and shelters
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-homeless-count-20160504-story.html

Clinton's Email Security Procedures Won't Be Released Until After the Election: The State Department says it won't release any documents relating to Hillary Clinton's email security procedures and protocol until after the November presidential election.
http://motherboard.vice.com/read/hillary-clinton-email-security-procedures-wont-be-released-until-after-the-election

Hillary's Secret Weapon: Op-Ed: We know that the FBI is getting closer to Hillary Clinton. The defense he offered belies the facts and the law.
https://www.creators.com/read/judge-napolitano/05/16/hillarys-secret-weapon

Romanian hacker Guccifer: I breached Clinton server, 'it was easy':
The hacker subsequently claimed he was able to access the server - and provided extensive details about how he did it and what he found - over the course of a half-hour jailhouse interview and a series of recorded phone calls with Fox News.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/05/04/romanian-hacker-guccifer-breached-clinton-server-it-was-easy.html

War criminals:
Former Republican presidents will not endorse Trump: Former US presidents George H W Bush and George W Bush will not endorse Donald Trump's candidacy for president, aides have told local media.
http://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2016-36214738

Donald Trump's Latest Abortion Comments Will Make Your Head Spin:
Donald Trump now claims his controversial suggestion that women should be punished for having an abortion "was an unbelievable academic answer."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-abortion_us_572aa2bbe4b096e9f0905153

Trump Says He'll Try to Raise $1 Billion With Republican Party: NBC: Donald Trump says his campaign will "probably" work with the Republican National Committee in the general election to raise enough money to defeat possible Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton,
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/trackers/2016-05-04/trump-says-he-ll-try-to-raise-1b-with-republican-party-nbc

America now has nearly 5 PR people for every reporter: 15 years ago, there were two PR people for every reporter in the country. Now there are 4.8 PR people for every reporter.
http://muckrack.com/daily/2016/04/14/america-now-has-nearly-5-pr-people-for-every-reporter-double-the-rate-from-a-decade-ago/