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Latest World News, World News, Current Affairs, Daily Current Affairs

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 04:13 AM PST

Latest World News, World News, Current Affairs, Daily Current Affairs


Top NATO Commander Says U.S. Should Not Sell F-35 Jets To Turkey Due To Its Purchase Of Russia's S-400 Missile Systemunless it drops Russian system

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 02:00 AM PST



CNBC: Top US commander in Europe recommends not selling Lockheed Martin's F-35 jets to Turkey amid controversial Russian missile system deal

* Turkey is in the process of buying Russia's S-400 missile system and America's most expensive weapons system, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
* The S-400 missile system, which is equipped with eight launchers and 32 missiles, is capable of targeting stealth warplanes like the F-35 jet.
* "My best military advice would be that we don't then follow through with the F-35, flying it or working with allies that are working with Russian systems, particularly air defense systems," Army Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, head of U.S. European Command, told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON — The United States should not follow through with a multi-billion dollar weapons sale of F-35 jets to Turkey, if Ankara takes delivery of an advanced Russian missile system, the top U.S. military commander for Europe told Congress on Tuesday.

"My best military advice would be that we don't then follow through with the F-35, flying it or working with allies that are working with Russian systems, particularly air defense systems," Army Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, head of U.S. European Command, told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Read more ....

More News On The Top NATO Commander Saying The U.S. Should Not Sell F-35 Jets To Turkey

Top US general in Europe: Don't give Turkey F-35 if they buy Russian system -- Defense News
Top general: US shouldn't deliver F-35s to Turkey if it buys Russian defense system -- The Hill
Turkey Can't Have Both F-35s and Russian Missile System, NATO Commander Says -- Defense Tech
U.S. should not sell F-35 jets to Turkey unless it drops Russian system: U.S. general -- Reuters
Russia could destroy the F-35 from within with a missile-defense sale to Turkey -- Business Insider

Top NATO General Says He Needs More Forces To Counter Russia

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 01:00 AM PST

NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Scaparrotti addresses a news conference at the Alliance headquarters in Brussels Reuters

VOA: US General Calls for Firepower, Focus to Counter Russia

WASHINGTON — The United States needs more firepower and focus to push back against ever-increasing Russian aggression across Europe and beyond, according to the top U.S. commander in Europe.

In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday, European Command's Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti called Russia the primary threat to stability in Europe and recommended the U.S. boost the number of troops it deploys to the continent on both a permanent and rotational basis.

Scaparrotti said he was particularly concerned about insufficient intelligence and surveillance capabilities, as well as a shrinking advantage on the high seas.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: He is not on the same page as President Trump.

More News On NATO's Top General Saying He Needs More Forces To Counter Russia

Top US general in Europe seeks more troops, warships to counter Russia -- Defense News

NATO chief wants to beef up Ukraine defenses against Russia threat -- AFP
Top U.S. commander: More assets needed in Europe to counter Russian threat -- Washington Times
Top US general calls for more troops and warships to counter growing Russian threat -- CNN
EUCOM commander requests 2 more Navy destroyers, extra ground troops for Europe -- Stars and Stripes
Top US general in Europe cries 'Russian threat' to get more troops, planes & ships -- RT
The top US general in Europe says he needs more troops and warships to take on Russia -- Business Insider
EUCOM Wants More Destroyers, Expanded Aircraft Carrier Presence to Deter Russia -- USNI News

Two Marine F/A-18s Collide Midair Over California

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:00 AM PST

F/A-18C Hornets assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115 prepare to be refueled during Integrated Training Exercise 1-18 over Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif., Oct. 28, 2017. (Staff Sgt. Kowshon Ye/ Marine Corps)

Marine Times: Two Marine F/A-18s collide midair over Twentynine Palms, California

Two F/A-18s collided in midair over the sprawling Twentynine Palms, California, Marine training base on Feb. 28, according to military officials.

The two Hornets involved in the accident are from 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

They both managed to land safely after "experiencing a mid-air incident" over Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, 1st Lt. Fredrick D. Walker, a spokesman for 3rd MAW, told Marine Corps Times. "No personnel were injured."

Read more ....

Update #1: Marine Jets Collide Midair But Land Safely at SoCal Base (NBC 4/AP)
Update #2: Two F/A-18s Collide Over US Marine Corps Base in California (Sputnik)

WNU Editor: Both planes landed safely, and there were no injuries.

China's Chief Of Submarine Research Arrested Because He ‘Obtained Canadian Nationality’

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 11:00 PM PST

Bu Jianjie (pictured), the head of the 718 Research Institute under the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) has been expelled from the Communist Party and is facing trial

National Post: China arrests its chief of submarine research because he 'obtained Canadian nationality'

'As a leading party cadre, Bu Jianjie lost his ideals and beliefs, (and) succumbed to greed,' the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection says.

Adding another strange wrinkle to Canada-China relations, a Chinese official who oversaw research on his country's burgeoning naval-submarine fleet has been placed under arrest in China and accused of illegally obtaining Canadian citizenship.

Bu Jianjie, who reportedly spent time as a visiting scholar at two Ontario universities in the mid-1990s, has also been charged with various corruption-related crimes and expelled from the Communist party.

The Canadian citizenship accusation stems from China's ban on holding dual nationalities. Despite being a scientist with access to naval-defence technology and apparent citizenship from a Western country, however, authorities have not charged him with spying.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: This story was first reported 3 months ago .... Head of Chinese shipbuilding firm is punished for 'illegally acquiring Canadian citizenship' amid escalating tensions between Beijing and Ottawa over the arrest of Huawei executive (Daily Mail).

Tweets For Today

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 10:30 PM PST






Is China Waging Economic Warfare Against Canada To Obtain The Release Of Huawei Executive Meng Wanzhou?

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 10:00 PM PST



CBC: China halts canola shipments from major Canadian supplier

Richardson International's licence to ship canola revoked, escalating trade tensions

A major Canadian canola exporter has had its registration to ship canola seeds to China revoked, the latest flare-up in a diplomatic and trade dispute between the two countries.

A Chinese customs document dated March 1 says the country has cancelled Winnipeg-based agricultural handler Richardson International's registration. That means the company is forbidden to export canola seeds to the country.

"Richardson has been directly targeted," vice-president Jean-Marc Ruest told CBC News. "We think this is part of a larger Canada-China issue, and we hope it gets resolved expeditiously."

Read more ....

WNU Editor: China is putting pressure on Canada over its detention of Huawei Executive Meng Wanzhou, and this is going the first of many economic actions against Canada.

More News On China Halting Canola Shipments From Canada

China cancels major canola shipments from Winnipeg company amid rising tensions -- Global News/Reuters
Beijing just made the Huawei feud economic by targeting an iconic Canadian export -- The Globe and Mail
China revokes Richardson Int. canola shipping permit as Huawei dispute escalates -- Winnipeg Free Press/Canadian Free Press
Richardson International barred from shipping canola to China -- CTV News
Blocked by China, Canada's biggest canola exporter says it has become target in Ottawa-Beijing spat -- Financial Post

This Is How Chinese President Xi Jinping Rose To Power

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 09:00 PM PST

Photo: Chinese President Xi Jinping acquired all three leadership roles by the start of his tenure in 2013. (ABC News: Jarrod Fankhauser)

ABC News Online: Chinese President Xi Jinping's astonishing rise to become one of the world's most powerful people

For a man named by Forbes as the world's most powerful person, there's been little transparency as to how Xi Jinping accrued so much power in such a relatively short amount of time.

China's President was almost unknown to the world just over a decade ago — even his folk singer wife, Peng Liyuan, was far more renowned than the trailblazing political statesman.

But over the last 50 years Mr Xi — the son of a powerful communist revolutionary — strategically used his personal life narrative as a cave-dwelling farmer during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s and '70s to grant himself political validation as he rose steadily but patiently through ranks of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) right to the top.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: One of the best posts that I have read so far on how Chinese President Xi Jinping rose to power.

Is The U.S. And China Locked In Cold War 2.0?

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 08:00 PM PST



ABC News Online: US and China locked in Cold War 2.0, historian Niall Ferguson warns

The world is entering a new Cold War as China and the US go head-to-head for the title of dominant economic superpower, high-profile British historian Niall Ferguson has warned.

"We're now looking at something much more than just tariffs," he told The Business.

"If you look at the battle that has broken out over the Chinese telecoms company Huawei, you see it has something of the features of the Cold War.

"There is also defence element to it — the Chinese are building a lot of weaponry which is probably designed to challenge American pre-eminence in the Asia-Pacific, so tick that box."

Read more ....

WNU Editor: This Cold War .... if it does become a Cold War .... will not resemble the nuclear tensions that existed during the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the West. It is going to be something different.

China's Defense Spending To Rise 7.5% In 2019 To $177.61 Billion

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 07:00 PM PST



CNBC: China's defense spending is growing more slowly. But that doesn't mean military tensions are easing

* China on Tuesday set its 2019 defense spending at 7.5 percent higher than a year ago — or 1.19 trillion yuan ($177.61 billion).
* That's lower than the 8.1 percent growth in 2018 and far below double-digit increases of previous years — though analysts have long questioned how accurately the budget reflects actual spending.
* But slower growth in defense spending doesn't mean ongoing military tensions with the U.S. have ceased, warned Timothy Heath, senior international defense researcher at U.S. think tank Rand Corporation.

China announced Tuesday that military spending will grow at a slower pace than last year, but one analyst cautioned that it should not be interpreted to mean that military tensions with the United States will ease.

At its annual parliamentary meeting, the National People's Congress, Beijing set its 2019 defense spending at 7.5 percent higher than a year ago — or 1.19 trillion yuan ($177.61 billion).

That's lower than the 8.1 percent growth in 2018 and far below double-digit increases of previous years — though analysts have long questioned how accurately the budget reflects actual spending.

Read more ....

More News On China's Defense Spending To Rise 7.5% In 2019

Modernising military remains top priority as China boosts defence spending to US$175.98 billion after announcement in Two Sessions -- SCMP
Rise in China's defence budget to outpace economic growth target -- Reuters
China's Defence Spending to Grow by 7.5% to $177.6Bln in 2019 - Draft Budget -- Sputnik
China to raise defence spending by 7.5%, lower than 2018 -- AFP
China's military is going from strength to strength under Xi Jinping -- Ben Westcott, CNN
China to spend 1.19 trillion RMB on military in 2019 -- Taiwan News
China Focus: China to lower defense budget growth to 7.5 percent -- Xinhua
Nation lowers defense budget growth to 7.5% in 2019 -- Global Times

Can An Old Indian MiG-21 Aircraft Shoot-Down A More Modern Pakistani F-16?

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 06:55 PM PST


Stephen Bryen, Asia Times: It's MiG-21 versus the F-16 over Kashmir

Questions still remain over whether India shot down a Pakistani jet, but the planes on both sides perform quite differently.

Can an old MiG-21 aircraft destroy a more modern F-16? Yes, in fact an Indian pilot flying a version of the MiG-21 called Bison allegedly shot down a Pakistani F-16 using a Russian R-73 Vympel air to air missile, known as a high off bore-sight air-to-air weapon.

For the record, Pakistan continues to deny one of its F-16s was shot down. But denials notwithstanding, the evidence seems increasingly compelling against Pakistan's denial.

The R-73, a short-range missile, can be controlled by a helmet-mounted sight, allowing the pilot to look to his right or left and launch a missile that will turn in the direction the pilot's head is pointing. Later Russian aircraft including the MiG-29 had a helmet-mounted site (HMS) called the Shchel-3UM.

Read more ....

Update #1: Why Did India Send Old MiG-21s To Take on Pakistan's F-16s? (David Axe, National Interest)
Update #2: MiG-21 vs F-16: Is the Russian Fighter Really A Vintage Machine? (Arun Dev, The Quint)
Update #3: Could Indian MiG-21 have downed Pakistani F-16? Military expert says it's up to pilot, not plane (RT)

WNU Editor: If A MiG-21 was successful in shooting down a Pakistani F-16 (which Pakistan is denying), there may be consequences on this possible deal .... MiG21 Downing Pakistan's F-16 Could Soil Lockheed's $21Bln India Dream (Sputnik). Russian experts are also saying that the Mig-21 is as good as Pakistan's F-16 .... India's MiG-21 upgraded by Russia equal to Pakistan's F-16, says analyst (TASS).

Is There A Growing Rift Between Saudi King Salman And Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman?

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 06:16 PM PST

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (R) and his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

The Guardian: Rumours grow of rift between Saudi king and crown prince

King Salman said to have been angered by recent moves by Prince Mohammed against him

There are growing signs of a potentially destabilising rift between the king of Saudi Arabia and his heir, the Guardian has been told.

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are understood to have disagreed over a number of important policy issues in recent weeks, including the war in Yemen.

The unease is said to have been building since the murder in Turkey of the dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which the CIA has reportedly concluded was ordered by Prince Mohammed. However, these tensions increased dramatically in late February when the king, 83, visited Egypt and was warned by his advisers he was at risk of a potential move against him, according to a detailed account from a source.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I follow Saudi politics very closely, and I do not see any rift. The Crown Prince is many things, but he does not strike me as a person who would usurp the power of his father and King at this moment in time. The Crown Prince is already ruling the Kingdom in all but name, so why destabilize a situation that would only benefit your opponents. So why the Guardian post reporting on rumours of a rift? My gut tells me that that this report is nothing more but wishful thinking from those who oppose the Crown Prince, and who are hoping that there is a rift.

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- March 5, 2019

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 04:43 PM PST

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un waves before boarding his train at the Dong Dang railway station in Lang Son on March 2. Photo: Vietnam News Agency/AFP

Philip J. Cunningham, SCMP: The Trump-Kim summit failed, but Kim Jong-un's China train trek taught us the truth about Beijing's role

* When Kim, surrounded by lavish praise and rapt attention, took care to avoid dropping cigarette ash or a match on his host's land, it was a reminder that China's place atop the hierarchy of communist East Asia is as strong as ever

The US-North Korea summit in Hanoi produced little more than photo ops, but much can be learned from the logistics of the affair. What looked at first glance like material for comedians – Kim Jong-un's 60-hour journey to Vietnam by train – may be one of the summit's inadvertent points of success. Not for US President Donald Trump or the North Korean leader, but for China.

Beijing's transport support to Kim went beyond the technical to the symbolic; as this train chugged across a country vast in territory, rich in history and bulging with economic resources, Kim had only to look out of the window to realise China remains a viable alternative to the US when it comes to brokering political survival. Beijing, in return, received ritual respect, firming up the sense of North Korea as a tributary state while making clear to the US that the hermit kingdom can't be dealt with without China.

Read more ....

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- March 5, 2019

America Must Move Past Its "Sputnik" Moment on North Korea—Or Else -- Harry J. Kazianis, National Interest

China faces 'tough economic' challenges -- Asia Times

Applause fails to pierce China's economic gloom -- Gordon Watts, Asia Times

Beijing touts 'Chinese democracy' at annual national congress — but what does that mean? -- Michael Walsh, ABC News Online

Fewer billionaires among China's lawmakers as 2018 stock market rout crimps their ranks and fortunes -- Yujing Liu, SCMP

Kashmir's fog of war: how conflicting accounts benefit both sides -- Michael Safi and Mehreen Zahra-Malik, The Guardian

Kenya should let the ICJ settle its maritime dispute with Somalia -- Patrick Gathara, Al Jazeera

Germany's celebration of Iran's murderous regime is nothing new -- Michael Rubin, Washington Examiner

After 5 years of Ukraine sanctions, where are Viktor Yanukovych's millions? -- Eugen Theise, DW

Latin America's Most Corageous Political Figure in Years -- A. Oppenheimer, Miami Herald

Do Venezuelans Actually Want U.S. Help? -- Megan Janetsky, New Republic

Netanyahu Faces Indictments and a Rising Opposition—Could He Lose Reëlection? -- Bernard Avishai, New Yorker

Censured by Britain, Hezbollah is bigger than ever in Beirut -- Martin Chulov, The Guardian

It is more dangerous to prevent ISIS foreign fighters from coming back to the US than to let them back in the country -- David Malet, The Conversation

Revoking citizenship: How it works across the EU -- Elizabeth Schumacher, DW

World News Briefs -- March 5, 2019 (Evening Edition)

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 04:07 PM PST

The second session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Photo: Xinhua

SCMP: China cuts taxes and defence budget growth, demands more profits from state firms

* Value-added taxes cut more than expected. State firms have to hand in more profits to bridge fiscal shortfall
* Defence budget growth slashed from 8.1 per cent to 7.5 per cent

China on Tuesday set its economic growth target
of 6.0 to 6.5 per cent for 2019, down from last year's target of "about 6.5 per cent."

The figure was revealed in the government work report to be delivered by Premier Li Keqiang as the National People's Congress opens.

A separate report will announce the targeted defence budget.

This annual gathering of China's political elite comes a year after President Xi Jinping amended the constitution to remove a presidential term limit and ahead of the 70th anniversary of Communist Party rule later this year.

Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

Final assault against ISIS camp launched Friday night and is still ongoing.

Syrian forces evacuate 3,000 from final Islamic State territory. ISIL fighters 'surrender in large numbers' in final Syria enclave.

Syrian army attacks Islamic State targets in desert: report.

Trump: 'I agree 100 percent' with keeping some US troops in Syria.

Yemen, Saudis, UAE accuse Huthis of breaking pullback deal.

Zarif resigned over Assad's trip to Tehran: Spokesperson.

Saudi Arabia faces first-ever censure at U.N. rights forum: diplomats.

Islamic council rejects Israeli court closure at Al-Aqsa compound.

ASIA

US reports 'progress' in peace talks with Taliban.

U.S. declines to elaborate on Pompeo labeling Taliban terrorists.

China sets robust growth target to shore up cooling economy.

North Korea restoring part of launch site it promised Trump to dismantle.

China praises U.S., South Korea decision to end military drills.

Pakistan begins crackdown on militant groups amid global pressure.

U.N. religious freedom expert seeks visit to China's Xinjiang.

AFRICA

Algeria army chief pledges to secure country as anti-Bouteflika protests continue. Algerian army talks tough to protesters.

Thousands of Algerian students gather for fresh anti-Bouteflika protests. Armed with memes, Algerian students join anti-Bouteflika protests.

Rwanda accuses Uganda of supporting rebel groups.

Terror attacks on the rise in Mali: UN.


Rebels in Chad gold-rush region refuse to lay down arms.

IS-backed Boko Haram faction may have new chief: sources.

Burundi forces UN human rights office to close.

Mali refugees arrest: Fears in Burkina Faso.

Ex-Liberian president's son charged over missing money scandal.

Libya to hold elections by year end: Tripoli PM.

EUROPE

Three small bombs found at London's Heathrow, Waterloo railway station and City Airport. Explosives mailed to London transport hubs spark counterterrorism investigation.

EU-UK Brexit talks failed to reach deal on Tuesday: sources.

Theresa May gains momentum ahead of Brexit vote next week.

Soft Brexit could be result if May deal rejected again, says chief whip.

EU's Juncker hits out at Hungary PM over party group membership.

US senior diplomat to discuss INF treaty with UK officials in London.

EU leaders lukewarm on Macron's plea for reform.

European Parliament set to end EU-wide daylight savings.

AMERICAS

Record-breaking family migration overwhelming U.S. border agency.

Trump signals White House won't comply with Democratic probes.

U.S. Paul, Udall introduce bill to end Afghanistan War.

Hillary Clinton rules out running for president in 2020.

Bloomberg says he will not run for president in 2020.

Venezuela crisis: Maduro vows to defeat 'crazed minority'.

Venezuela's Guaido vows to paralyze public sector to squeeze Maduro.

Venezuela's adversaries seek to show resolve in crisis.

Colombia border hospitals struggle with Venezuelan migrant influx.

Justin Trudeau's cabinet rallies behind him after second resignation. Jane Philpott: Trudeau crisis grows as minister quits.

Justin Trudeau 'concerned' as China suspects Canadians of spying.

Canada FM decries China halting canola shipments.

Cuba aims for 5M tourists in 2019, the year of Havana's 500th anniversary.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Pakistan says 'action being taken against Jaish-e-Mohammed' militant group. Pakistan arrests scores in fresh crackdown on armed groups.

International courts, Guantanamo, citizenship-stripping: What next for Western ISIS supporters?

Berlin Christmas market attacker accomplice charged with bomb plot.

Prominent French jihadis killed in IS-held area in Syria.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Industrial, tech companies pull US stocks slightly lower.

Trump to strip India, Turkey of preferential trade status. Trump ejects India from $5.6bn tariff deal over 'negative' trade barriers.

Kylie Jenner beats Mark Zuckerberg to become youngest self-made billionaire.

Most expensive car ever built sells for $19M at Swiss auto show.

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- March 5, 2019

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 03:21 PM PST



Business Insider: The top US general in Europe says he needs more troops and warships to take on Russia

* The top US general in Europe told Congress Tuesday that he needs more firepower to counter Russia.
* He requested more ground troops, a robust naval presence, more cyber assets, and increased intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities.
* "I am not comfortable yet with the deterrent posture that we have in Europe," Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, head of European Command and NATO's supreme allied commander Europe, said, warning that Russia's military modernization erodes America's advantages.

The top US general in Europe told Congress Tuesday that he needs a lot more firepower to counter the threat from Russia.

"I am not comfortable yet with the deterrent posture that we have in Europe," Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, head of European Command and NATO's supreme allied commander Europe, told the Senate Armed Services Committee, Stars and Stripes reported.

"While the US maintains a global military superiority over Russia, evolving Russian capabilities threaten to erode our competitive military advantage," he explained. He told lawmakers there continue to be shortfalls across all warfighting domains.

Read more ....

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- March 5, 2019

Top US general in Europe: Don't give Turkey F-35 if they buy Russian system -- Defence News

Army 'Legacy' Weapons Systems to Take a Hit in Next Budget -- DoD Buzz

Army to kick off virtual reality pilot training program in April -- C4ISRNet

USS Charleston commissioned as 16th LCS to enter Naval fleet -- UPI

GenDyn nets $191M for USS South Dakota post-delivery work -- UPI

US Marines Want Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles to Aid Navy in 'Maritime Fight' -- Sputnik

This is why Air Force A-10s are flying escort for Marine Ospreys over Hawaii -- Marine Times

The Air Force's B-52 bombers are getting the ability to drop smart bombs like never before -- Task & Purpose/Business Insider

Why Was an F-15 Forced to Dump its Missiles and Land? Officials Aren't Sure -- DoD Buzz

Lockheed awarded $945.9M for Saudi THAAD missile system -- UPI

Raytheon awarded $63.3M for hypersonic weapons system research -- UPI

Former service secretaries accuse Pentagon of deceiving Congress on Trump's transgender ban -- The Hill

US considering providing more weapons for Ukraine, general says -- The Hill

US Plans to Increase Presence of Carrier Strike Group to Counter Russia - EUCOM -- Sputnik

Russian Defense Ministry confirms meeting of Russian, US chiefs of general staff in Vienna -- TASS

Russia's New 'AI Supercomputer' Runs on Western Technology -- Defense One

Russia begins research into new intelligence satellites -- TASS

Modernising military remains top priority as China boosts defence spending to US$175.98 billion after announcement in Two Sessions -- SCMP

China's Defence Spending to Grow by 7.5% to $177.6Bln in 2019 - Draft Budget -- Sputnik

China to raise defence spending by 7.5%, lower than 2018 -- AFP

Chinese aircraft carriers are back home after sea trials and ship-shape for PLA Navy anniversary review, photos show -- SCMP

A close ally is terrified the US will drag it into a 'shooting war' with China in the South China Sea -- Business Insider

US more likely than the Philippines to end up in 'shooting war' in South China Sea, says defence chief Delfin Lorenzana -- SCMP

India's Military Might: Country Only Has 10 Days Worth of Ammunition, Most Army Weapons Now Considered 'Vintage' -- Newsweek

Japan Commissions New Anti-Submarine Warfare Destroyer -- The Diplomat

A Nearly Unstoppable Combo: Adding F-35s to an Aircraft Carrier. And that's exactly what Japan is doing. -- National Interest

Tensions high over Senkakus amid buildup of China's 'second navy' -- Japan Times

French Flagship Headed Toward Mediterranean for Anti-Daesh Ops - Reports -- Sputnik

German security hawks are fighting to keep Huawei out of 5G, in clash with economy ministry and industry lobby -- SCMP

Is North Korea Restoring A Missile Site That They Promised To Dismantle?

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 01:59 PM PST

Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) are driven past the stand with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and other high-ranking officials during a military parade marking the 105th birth anniversary of the country's founding father Kim Il Sung, in Pyongyang April 15, 2017. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj/File Photo

Reuters: South Korea sees signs North Korea restoring part of launch site it promised to dismantle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - South Korean intelligence agencies have detected signs that North Korea is restoring part of a missile launch site it began to dismantle after pledging to do so in a first summit with U.S. President Donald Trump last year, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported on Tuesday.

Yonhap quoted lawmakers briefed by South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) as saying that the work was taking place at the Tongchang-ri launch site and involved replacing a roof and a door at the facility.

The Yonhap report did not say when the work was detected, but news of it comes days after a second summit on denuclearization between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un broke down last week in Hanoi over differences on how far North Korea was willing to limit its nuclear program and the degree of U.S. willingness to ease sanctions.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: They are replacing a roof and door. They will need to do a lot more to raise the alarm bells.

Will India Buy U.S. Fighter Aircraft After Last Week's 'Dog-Fight' Against Pakistan?

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 01:29 PM PST

Civil-defense personnel remove wreckage from an Indian air force MiG-21 Bison aircraft after it crashed in Kashmir, August 24, 2015. REUTERS/Danish Ismail

Foreign Policy: India's 'embarrassment' against Pakistan could be a big win for US weapons-makers

* The shortcomings of India's fighter aircraft were put on display in an aerial engagement with Pakistan last week.
* The blemish comes as New Delhi grapples with a long-delayed fighter-replacement program.
* The incident may compel India's leaders to speed that program up — and benefit US defense firms in the process.

The dilapidated state of the Indian Air Force was thrown into sharp relief last week when Pakistan shot down an Indian pilot flying a Russian-made MiG-21 Bison, a fighter jet first flown in 1956.

The pilot ejected safely into Pakistani territory and was captured by the Pakistan Army. Islamabad released the airman a couple days later in an effort to de-escalate a crisis that began when a Pakistan-based militant group killed more than 40 Indian security officers in a Feb. 14 suicide bombing in India-controlled Kashmir.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The Russians are also hopeful that India will buy advance aircraft from them .... Magnificent seven: Top-notch Russian aircraft that may land in India's shopping cart soon (RT).

This Is The Pentagon Plan To Devastate Any Russian Or Chinese Attack

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 01:22 PM PST

An F-35C Lightning II test aircraft conducts the first separation of a Joint Standoff Weapon C from an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. (U.S. Navy via Raytheon)

Popular Mechanics: The Pentagon Is Reviving Cold War "Assault Breaker" Concept to Thwart China, Russia

DARPA wants weapons that can counterattack enemy forces and buy the U.S. time.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is researching new long-range smart weapons designed to devastate attacking enemy forces, buying time for the U.S. to send reinforcements in a hypothetical future engagement.

The program, known as "Assault Breaker II," mirrors a Cold War era program designed to stop Soviet armored spearheads poised to roll into Western Europe. The effort would consist of a combination of long-range sensors and bombers loaded with smart weapons designed to seek out and destroy tanks, ships, and other enemy systems.

Read more ....

Update: The Pentagon is reviving this hard-hitting Cold War strategy to devastate any Chinese and Russian assaults (Business Insider)

WNU Editor: It all comes down to having an arsenal of smart weapons to target against enemy forces.

U.S. B-52 Fly Near The Disuted Islands In The South China Sea

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 01:12 PM PST

April 9, 2016: A pair of U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, taxi after landing at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. (Reuters/Air Force)

ABC News: US B-52 flies over disputed islands in the South China Sea

The U.S. has flown a B-52 bomber mission near disputed islands in the South China Sea, according to U.S. Pacific Air Forces.

The last reported B-52 mission in the vicinity of the South China Sea was in November.

"Two B-52H Stratofortress bombers took off from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and participated in routine training missions, March 4, 2019," said a statement from the U.S. Pacific Air Forces.

"One bomber conducted training in the vicinity of the South China Sea before returning to Guam, while the other conducted training in the vicinity of Japan in coordination with the U.S. Navy and alongside our Japanese air force counterparts before returning to Guam," it continued.

Read more ....

WNU Editor:  The last time a B-52 flew in the vicinity of the South China Sea was in November.

The Mexican 'Honeymoon' With President Obrador Continues

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 11:32 AM PST

Mexico's presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the Movement for National Renewal (MORENA) party takes part in an event at the Wilson Center in Washington, U.S. September 5, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Euronews/Reuters: Mexico president's approval rating at 78 percent after three months - poll

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's approval rating stands at 78 percent, an opinion poll showed on Monday, adding to evidence that the veteran leftist has started his term with a strong popular mandate.

The figure in newspaper El Financiero was down from the 86 percent rating published in a poll on Feb. 7. But it was a percentage point higher than the newspaper's first gauge of his popularity after assuming the presidency on Dec. 1.

Lopez Obrador, a former Mexico City mayor, won election by a landslide last July, pledging to end corruption, reduce violence, fight inequality and boost economic growth.

Since taking office, he has launched a crackdown on rampant fuel theft, rolled out welfare programs and vowed to inject $3.9 billion into ailing state oil company Pemex.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: These numbers are now only going to go down.

China's Government Is Warning That The Economy Is Slowing Down

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 11:25 AM PST

Daniel Shane, CNN Business: China cuts taxes as it warns of 'a hard struggle' ahead

China is slashing business taxes as it tries to stop its economy from slowing down too sharply.

The Chinese government on Tuesday predicted economic growth of between 6% and 6.5% in 2019. That's a decline from last year's 6.6% rate of expansion, which was already China's weakest performance in three decades.

"There has been a more complex and severe environment facing our country's development this year," Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said in a speech. "There are greater expected and unexpected risks and challenges, and we have to make full preparations for a hard struggle."

Li announced the growth target, which is in line with most economists' forecasts, at the start of this week's annual meeting of the National People's Congress, China's rubber-stamp parliament. He also unveiled a slew of new measures intended to bolster the economy, including cuts in taxes and other charges that he said would save businesses nearly 2 trillion yuan ($298 billion) a year.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The current business tax rate in China is 25%, and the individual progressive rate ranges from 3% to 45% (see here for more info on China's tax rates). If these proposed tax cuts are implemented, it will significantly boost the economy.

Quds Force Commander Major General Qassem Soleimani Is Flexing His Political Muscle In Iran

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 11:05 AM PST

FILE PHOTO: A portrait of Quds Force Commander Major General Qassem Soleimani is held up during a demonstration in Baghdad, March 31, 2015. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani/File Photo

Reuters: Revolutionary Guards commander flexes political muscle

(Reuters) - Qassem Soleimani's role in a political crisis in Iran highlights the influence of the leader of the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force, who has acquired celebrity status at home after being largely invisible for years.

The resignation of Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif last week was quickly rejected by President Hassan Rouhani, but a week on, tension over Zarif's absence from meetings with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that Soleimani attended is still evident.

Soleimani's Quds Force, tasked with carrying out operations beyond Iran's borders, shored up support for Assad when he looked close to defeat in the civil war raging since 2011 and also helped militiamen defeat Islamic State in Iraq.

Its successes have made Soleimani instrumental to the steady spreading of Iranian influence in the Middle East, which the United States and Tehran's regional foes Saudi Arabia and Israel have struggled to keep in check.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Quds Force Commander Major General Qassem Soleimani has influence and power in Iran because the clergy who rule Iran have given him the support, media attention, and resources necessary to be a player in Iranian politics. And the reason why the mullahs have given him this influence is to confront and keep in check people like Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif .... The duel between Qassem Soleimani and Mohammad Javad Zarif sends important messages (The National).

More F-35s Or New, Old F-15s?

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 10:39 AM PST

A conceptual rendering from Boeing of the F-15 C2040. Boeing

Breaking Defense: Mitchell Weighs In: More F-35s or New, Old F-15s?

Fifth gen or fourth gen? F-35A or F-15X. Stealth, sensors and fusion or lots of missiles? Lockheed or Boeing? See what the Mitchell Institute says.

The Air Force needs to buy more new fighter planes. The constricted size and increasing age of the Air Force's fighter inventory is the product of long-standing deferred investment; the 2009 decision to prematurely curtail the F-22 buy at less than half its required inventory; failure to boost F-35 production to originally planned rates; and the fact that 234 of 1970's era F-15Cs will be hitting the end of their service lives in the next decade. Maintaining the current fighter inventory size demands that the Air Force buy at least 72 fighters per year into the 2020s. Failure to meet this requirement is not an option given the burgeoning global threat environment. With the fiscal year 2020 defense budget set for release next month, Congress will prove critical in charting a prudent path forward.

On one side of the debate, the Air Force could boost the production rate of its newest fifth-generation F-35 fighter—an aircraft imbued with stealth and information gathering, processing, and sharing capabilities that allow it to effectively execute its missions in modern threat environments and return home safely.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: F-35 supporters are not happy that Boeing's F-15X may purchased in significant numbers .... Buying new F-15X fighters for the US Air Force is unsolicited and unwise (Gen. John Michael Loh (ret.)).

The U.S. Army Spent $30 Billion On These Weapon Systems That Were Cancelled

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 10:31 AM PST

The Pentagon scrapped the Future Combat System after spending billions on its development. Photo provided by U.S. Army

Sebastien Roblin, National Interest: Epic Fail: The U.S. Army Spent $30 Billion on These 5 Weapons (For Nothing)

What happened?

Worst of the worst?

The United States spent $610 billion in 2018 on defense, roughly one-third of all military spending on the planet —but that doesn't mean that money is always being used efficiently. Over thirty years, the U.S. Army has engaged in two long-term wars and several briefer ones without replacing the major weapon systems which entered service in the 1970s and 80s.

In part, this is because the Army scaled back hi-tech equipment procurement in order to sustain expensive wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But at the same time, the Army did spend $30 billion dollars on five new hi-tech weapons—all of which were cancelled.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: A brutal reminder on failed U.S. Army weapon systems from the past.

Is ISIS Coming Back To Iraq?

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 09:03 AM PST

A view of a part of western Mosul during the battle to remove Isi from the city taken on 29 May 2017 REUTERS

Arwa Damon, Ghazi Balkiz, Muwafaq Mohammed and Brice Laine, CNN: Iraq defeated ISIS more than a year ago. The group's revival is already underway

There is a different feel to the atmosphere in Baghdad these days, as if the chokehold that has gripped the Iraqi capital for the better part of the last decade and a half has started to ease.

On the main road cutting through the Karada district, the sidewalks are crowded with vendors hawking designer knock-offs and sticky sweets. Restaurants lining the boulevard grill masgouf, a butterflied carp considered to be Iraq's national dish, over open flames. People sit at outdoor cafés, sipping tea and smoking shisha.

Two and a half years ago, ISIS plowed a truck packed with explosives into a busy shopping area down the road during Ramadan, killing hundreds of people.

Now, young men sporting skinny jeans, funky jackets and what we're told is the new "spikey" hairstyle hang around in groups. It's a look that once would have gotten them killed, back in the years of Iraq's sectarian bloodletting when Baghdad was a patchwork of brutal militias.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Iraq is a textbook example on what happens when centuries of sectarianism, religious conflict, and ethnic conflict are not resolved in a nation where all of these groups must live and work together.

Pakistan Navy Is Claiming That They Intercepted An Indian Submarine Near Their Waters

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 08:28 AM PST



Business Insider: Pakistan says it intercepted an Indian submarine near its waters, a week after the dogfight over Kashmir

* Pakistan says it stopped an Indian submarine from entering its waters and toyed with the idea of sinking it.
* The Pakistan Navy shared video and a photo to back up its claim on Monday, though it did not specify the exact location.
* Tensions between the nuclear rivals spiked last week, with the countries engaging in an air battle and Pakistan capturing an Indian pilot.
* A representative for the Indian Navy told Business Insider that India was still assessing the situation.

The Pakistan Navy on Tuesday said it had stopped an Indian submarine from entering its waters, just one week after tensions between the two nuclear rivals peaked in a dogfight over Kashmir.

In a Facebook post, the Pakistan Navy said it had "detected and blocked Indian Navy Submarine from entering into Pakistani waters."

Framing the incident as an act of aggression by India, the navy said it could have destroyed the Indian submarine but decided not to in the interest of peace.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: If this story is true, and if this submarine was attacked and destroyed, India and Pakistan will be in a state of war right now. This Indian sub appears to have also been in international waters when detected, and India is also denying these Pakistan reports .... India denies reports of its submarine near Pakistani waters (The Tribune).

More News On Pakistani Claims To Have Intercepted An Indian Submarine Near Their Waters

Pakistan navy says it stopped Indian sub from entering its waters -- MSN/AFP
Pakistan's Navy claims it prevented Indian submarine from entering its waters (VIDEO) -- RT
Pakistan Navy claims it blocked Indian submarine from entering Pak waters -- IBTimes
Pakistan Navy foils attempt by Indian submarine to enter Pakistani waters -- DAWN (Pakistan)

World News Updates, World News, Current Affairs, Daily Current Affairs, World News Updates

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 01:58 AM PST

World News Updates, World News, Current Affairs, Daily Current Affairs, World News Updates


Hungarian MEP ridicules Macron's FANTASY vision for EU – 'he doesn't understand'

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:27 AM PST



EMMANUEL Macron's "fantasy" vision for the future of the European Union has been ridiculed by Hungarian MEP György Schöpflin who has said the French President is oblivious of the populist movement sweeping across the continent.

Ivanka Trump SCANDAL: President grants his daughter security clearance after staff REFUSE

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 07:23 PM PST



FIRST Daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner have reportedly been granted security clearances by the President himself after his staff refused.

Melania Trump OUTRAGE: First Lady attacks media 'gossip' as Be Best tour ends in Las Vegas

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 07:22 PM PST



MELANIA Trump attacked the media at the end of her tour promoting her anti-bullying 'Be Best' project.

MH370 latest: 'Oxygen cylinder explosion' could be behind plane disappearance

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 04:03 PM PST



THE SEARCH for flight MH370 could have renewed hope with an Australian entrepreneur demanding more cash raised to look for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight which disappeared five years ago this week, as he set out a theory of what could have happened the day the jet went missing.

Husband HACKS machete-wielding rapist to death after he attacks pregnant wife

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 04:21 PM PST



A HUSBAND hacked an armed rapist to death with his own machete after he attacked his pregnant wife.

R Kelly pounds chest with FURY as he denies sexual abuse in FIRST interview since charge

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 01:51 AM PST



R KELLY erupted in anger during his first interview since being charged with sexual abuse, pounding his chest and yelling to the camera "I'm fighting for my f***** life".

SHOCK DISCOVERY: 2,000-year-old PRINCESS unearthed with 140 items of priceless jewellery

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:48 AM PST



THE grave of an ancient Crimean princess bedecked in "priceless" gold has been unearthed by archaeologists. The wealthy Scythian woman lived at the same time as Christ in the first century AD, say Russian scientists. In her vault was a stunning laurel wreath of eight gold leaves. 

MH370 could FINALLY be found in $3 BILLION plan to map ENTIRE ocean floor

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:40 AM PST



MH370 is the greatest mystery of the modern age but the fate of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 could finally be resolved with an ambitious $3billion plan to map the entire ocean floor.

R Kelly denial video: WATCH R Kelly IN FULL in CBS interview 'I didn't do this stuff'

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:46 AM PST



R KELLY declared he "didn't do this stuff" during his first interview since being charged with sexually abusing four people.

North Korea rebuilds rocket test site as US warns of fresh RETALIATION

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:21 AM PST



NORTH Korea has started to rebuild a rocket test site it was dismantling after Kim Jon-un's first summit with Donald Trump last year.

World News, World News Updates, World News Headlines, Latest World News, Current Affairs

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 01:48 AM PST

World – TIME

World News, World News Updates, World News Headlines, Latest World News, Current Affairs


Afghanistan Suicide Blast Kills 16 Near Jalalabad Airport, Officials Say

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 01:19 AM PST

(KABUL, Afghanistan) — Militants in Afghanistan set off a suicide blast on Wednesday morning and stormed a construction company near the airport in Jalalabad, the capital of eastern Nangarhar province, killing at least 16 people, officials said.

The dawn assault triggered an hours-long gunbattle with local guards, drawing in U.S. forces to assist the Afghan troops in the shootout.

Along with the 16 killed, nine people were also wounded in the attack, according to Attahullah Khogyani, the provincial governor’s spokesman.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but both the Taliban and the Islamic State group are active in eastern Afghanistan, especially in Nangarhar.

The two groups have been carrying out near-daily attacks across Afghanistan in recent years, mainly targeting the government and Afghan security forces and causing staggering casualties, including among civilians. The attacks have continued despite stepped-up U.S. efforts to find a negotiated resolution of the 17-year war, America’s longest.

Wednesday’s attack began around 5 a.m. and five attackers were involved, Khogyani said. Two of them detonated their explosives, blowing themselves up, while the remaining three were killed in the shooting.

The attackers were on foot and after setting off a suicide blast at the company gates, the others stormed in, triggering a gunbattle that drew U.S. forces to the scene, according to Gen. Ghulam Sanayee Stanikzai, the provincial police chief.

“U.S. forces are supporting Afghan forces in securing the area now,” Stanikzai later said.

As the attack unfolded, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani arrived for a visit to neighboring Kunar province to inaugurate an administrative health complex and to lay the cornerstone of a 200-bed hospital.

It was unclear why the construction company, called MQ, was targeted. The attack was over by 10:30 a.m. when the last of the attackers was killed, Khogyani said. “A clearing-up operation is still underway by Afghan security forces,” he added.

Over the weekend, the Taliban targeted an Afghan army unit at its camp in southern Helmand province, killing at least 23 troops and wounding more than 20 others. That attack began on Friday and ended on Saturday evening, 40 hours later.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the Helmand attack, which came even as insurgents were meeting with a U.S. peace envoy in Qatar, a Gulf Arab country, for peace talks.

Australia Plans to Send Refugees Seeking Medical Care to a Remote Island

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:20 AM PST

(CANBERRA, Australia) — Asylum seekers who are allowed to leave Australia-run migrant camps in Pacific nations to get medical treatment will be sent to a prison-like facility on a remote Australian island, the prime minister said on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison flew to tiny Christmas Island in an overnight flight to announce his government’s strategy aimed at preventing asylum seekers from reaching the Australian mainland. The island is 5,170 kilometers (3,210 miles) northwest of the Australian capital, Canberra, and is closer to Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta.

Australia pays Nauru and Papua New Guinea to accommodate almost 1,000 asylum seekers who have attempted to reach the Australian coastline by boat since 2013. Boats carrying asylum seekers from Africa, the Middle East and Asia had been arriving daily from Indonesian ports, but the smuggling attempts have all but stopped since the government announced that no refugee who arrives by boat will ever be allowed to settle in Australia.

Medical evacuations have proven to be a crack in the policy. Sick asylum seekers often have to fight the government in court for permission to be transferred to an Australian hospital, but hundreds granted that permission have received court injunctions that prevent their return to the islands.

The government began reopening a Christmas Island camp in December after a new law was passed to allow doctors rather than bureaucrats to decide which asylum seekers could come to Australia for hospital treatment. The law passed through the support of political parties outside the government and against the government’s wishes.

A new doctors’ panel to decide the medical transfers to Australia has yet to be appointed.

The government had warned last year that the medical-treatment law could allow all the asylum seekers on the islands to come to Australia and encourage more of the risky people-smuggling journeys.

Critics argue that Christmas Island doesn’t have the necessary medical facilities to cope with asylum seekers’ medical needs.

Morrison said the island’s high-security Northwest Point Immigration Detention Center was ready to accept up to 250 men transferred for medical treatment and can be quickly ramped to accommodate 600.

“My attention here is to ensure that vexatious acts … by those who would seek to game the system to come to Australia using these loopholes will think twice about it,” Morrison told reporters.

Women will be transferred to a less secure facility on the island. Only 4 percent of asylum seekers on Nauru and Papua New Guinea are women, Immigration Minister David Coleman said.

Amnesty International’s Australian refugee coordinator Graham Thom accused Morrison of attempting to mislead the public and demonize refugees.

“It is clear there has been a shift in public attitude in supporting humane solutions for unwell refugees and it is extremely disappointing that instead of looking for genuine solutions Mr. Morrison continues to fear monger and use these individuals as political pawns,” Thom said in a statement.

Jon Stanhope, who as Christmas Island’s administrator from 2012 to 2014 was its most senior Australia-appointed bureaucrat, also disagreed with sending sick asylum seekers being sent there. Stanhope is also a former lawmaker who opposes both the government and opposition’s policies of refusing asylum seekers’ entry to Australia which has been condemned by the United Nations.

“It’s a very strange decision. I think it’s a decision that was driven by politics and not practicalities,” Stanhope told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Papua New Guinea only houses men. The last children on Nauru left with their families in December to make new homes in the United States. President Donald Trump agreed early in his presidency to accept up to 1,250 refugees from Papua New Guinea and Nauru after “extreme vetting.” As of Wednesday, only 493 had been resettled in the United States, the Home Affairs Department said in an email.

The department also said it had identified 57 men on the islands as having “adverse character findings,” and therefore unwelcome in Australia.

The department confirmed media reports that they included an Iran man allegedly charged with murder before reaching the camps, a Pakistani man accused of raping a child and a suspected Islamic extremist from Myanmar who transferred more than $700,000 from Nauru to Australia.

China Prepares for ‘Unpredictable’ Year Ahead at Subdued Annual Parliament

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 10:10 PM PST

If last year was the Xi Jinping show, the 2019 National People’s Congress (NPC) — China’s annual rubberstamp parliament — has been all about the economy.

Twelve months have past since Xi’s coronation as China’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong at last year’s NPC, when presidential term limits were officially scrapped and Xi’s eponymous political thought enshrined in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) charter. By comparison, this year’s NPC, which opened Tuesday, had a markedly less triumphant feel.

It’s hardly surprising. Growth had slipped to its slowest rate in 28 years while crucial exports have also shrunk. Xi’s signature Belt and Road Initiative — a Beijing-bankrolled trade and infrastructure network tracing the ancient Silk Road — has encountered opposition from Hanoi to Madrid. Governments around the world are raising concern about China’s tech ambitions, particularly security concerns regarding 5G rollout.

Premier Li Keqiang sounded a cautionary note during Tuesday’s Work Report, which forms the NPC’s opening address and is akin to a State of the Union. Next year’s growth forecast would be between 6% and 6.5%, Li revealed, the lowest level since 1990, with Li stressing “graver,” “unpredictable” and “more complex” risks ahead, while steering clear of acknowledging any missteps by the Xi leadership.

“The more pressure Xi is under the less scope he has to acknowledge mistakes,” says Steven Tsang, director of SOAS China Institute.

None of those pressures loom as large as the ongoing trade war with Washington. Li conceded that “trade disputes” had negatively impacted the economy, but insisted that Beijing had “appropriately” handled the situation. Beijing and Washington are close to finalizing a trade deal, according to U.S. President Donald Trump.

“Outside of its own long list of domestic challenges, relations with the U.S. are of paramount concern for Xi Jinping and the Chinese leadership,” says Jude Blanchette, a senior China analyst for Crumpton Group, a business consulting firm.

Tellingly, there was no mention of Made in China 2025 in the 35-page Work Report. The key strategic gambit to dominate certain hi-tech industries — such as aeronautics, Artificial Intelligence and semi-conductor chips — prompted a backlash from Washington, which has suggested it flouts WTO rules.

Trump has already accused Beijing of massive intellectual property theft while Meng Wanzhou, CFO of Chinese telecoms firm Huawei, awaits possible extradition from Canada to the U.S. to answer charges of flouting U.S. sanctions on Iran.

Li’s omission of Made in China 2025 — which featured in his previous three Work Reports — was probably “a sop to Trump but I can’t imagine Beijing ever abandoning said program’s high-technology objectives,” says Sean King, a former U.S. diplomat and now senior vice-president of political risk firm Park Strategies.

Li also announced a significant 3% cut in VAT for manufacturers to 13%, while VAT for construction and transport companies was trimmed to just 9%, in an attempt to boost private businesses. Local governments will be allowed to issue $320 billion worth of “special purpose” bonds.

But the announcement of tax cuts and infrastructure spending also signifies the government is willing to let its debt mountain — already estimated at three times GDP — grow in a bid to stabilize the economy and head off a possible rise in unemployment.

As a result, “the government’s fiscal position at both the central and local levels will deteriorate, while looser controls over lending to small companies could lead to widening bad debts,” writes Tom Rafferty, principal economist for China for the Economist Intelligence Unit.

Li also announced efforts to improve social services, particularly education and healthcare, which are much maligned and a growing source of popular discontent. The government will incentivize investment in elderly care facilities and nurseries to address the ticking demographic time-bomb of China’s rapidly aging population.

Overall, the NPC is shaping up as an attempt to steady the ship amid disquiet from within the CCP and outside about Xi’s helmsmanship in the face of unprecedented headwinds.

Still, “It’s important that we don’t confuse more outspoken grumbling about Xi’s rule with an actual organized challenge,” says Blanchette, highlighting that his “control over the military and security services still appears firm.” Ultimately, he adds, “It’s time we start imagining Xi ruling China for the next few decades.”

Crew Aboard India’s National Airline Have Been Ordered to ‘Hail the Motherland’

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 09:52 PM PST

Burundi Government Forces Closure of U.N. Human Rights Office

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 09:00 PM PST

(NAIROBI, Kenya) — Burundi’s government has forced the United Nations human rights office in the troubled East African country to close after 23 years, the U.N. rights chief announced with “deep regret” on Tuesday.

Burundi in December asked the U.N. office to leave, months after the outgoing U.N. rights chief called the country one of the “most prolific slaughterhouses of humans in recent times.”

New rights chief Michelle Bachelet said in a statement that human rights gains in Burundi have been “seriously jeopardized” since 2015. That is when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced he would run for another, disputed term, leading to months of violence that the U.N. has said killed more than 1,200 people.

In New York, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “was deeply disappointed by the decision to close down the human rights office.” Guterres thinks Burundi’s government should work with the U.N. rights office “regarding the human rights situation in the country,” the spokesman said.

Burundi has been pulling back from international criticism, making history in 2017 as the first country to withdraw from the International Criminal Court.

The government has long been angered by U.N. reports describing alleged abuses amid the political turmoil. ICC judges authorized an investigation into allegations of state-sponsored crimes including murder, rape and torture — a decision unaffected by Burundi’s withdrawal from the court.

The government strongly denies allegations it targets its own people, saying the charges are malicious propaganda spread by exiles.

Burundi suspended its cooperation with the U.N. rights office in October 2016, accusing it of “complicity with coup plotters and Burundi’s enemies” after a report alleged the “involvement of the regime in systematic abuses and a risk of genocide.”

In December 2017, the government shut four regional offices of the U.N. rights office. And a team of experts mandated by the U.N. Human Rights Council to look into possible abuses was expelled in May despite Burundi’s agreement to cooperate.

“I am disappointed by Burundi’s lack of cooperation in recent years with U.N. human rights mechanisms, which even went so far as to include threats to prosecute” members of that commission of inquiry, Bachelet said in her statement.

She said her office would continue to explore other ways to expose human rights concerns in Burundi and that the government “has expressed its readiness” to work with her office. “We stand ready to engage constructively,” she said.

The U.N. office in Burundi was established in 1995, two years after the assassination of President Melchior Ndadaye in 1993. His death sparked a civil war between the East African nation’s two dominant ethnic groups, the Hutu and Tutsi, in which an estimated 300,000 people died.

North Korea Is Rebuilding a Launch Site Amid Collapse of Denuclearization Talks, Reports Say

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 08:45 PM PST

North Korea has made repairs at a major missile launch site it had begun dismantling after agreeing with U.S. President Donald Trump to work toward denuclearization at their first meeting in Singapore last June.

Reuters reports that the country began restoring the facility just two days after their second summit failed to produce an agreement between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jung Un in Hanoi late last week.

The latest construction at the Sohae launch site, also known as the Tongchang-ri launch site, in the country’s north near the border with China, includes a new roof and door at the facility, according to Reuters.

Jenny Town, managing editor at the Washington-based monitoring website 38 North, told Reuters that work on the launchpad can also be seen in satellite images.

A report released by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), also based in Washington, says that satellite imagery dated March 2 “shows that North Korea is pursuing a rapid rebuilding of the long-range rocket site at Sohae.”

The construction “may indicate North Korean plans to demonstrate resolve in the face of U.S. rejection of North Korea’s demands at the summit,” CSIS said in a statement. Although Trump has repeatedly claimed that North Korea was willing to denuclearize after his first meeting with Kim, the dismantling of the Sohae site was one of the only signs of progress.

Trump abruptly ended talks with Kim in the Vietnamese capital last week, saying that Pyongyang insisted the U.S. remove all sanctions on North Korea. But at a rare news conference held by the North Koreans, senior officials said they had only asked for partial sanctions relief in exchange for closure of their main nuclear site at Yongbyon.

A Female Cyclist Was Forced to Stop Mid-Race When She Almost Caught Up to the Men

Posted: 05 Mar 2019 11:23 AM PST

A female cyclist who was soaring past her competitors during a renowned bicycle race in Belgium was abruptly forced to stop for several minutes when she came too close to the “very slow” men’s race ahead of her.

The cyclist, Nicole Hanselmann, described the “awkward moment” in an Instagram post after Saturday’s annual Omloop Het Nieuwsblad race, during which male cyclists were given an eight-minute head start.

As the race progressed, Hanselmann built a lead of almost two minutes against the other women cyclists and “almost saw the back of the men’s peloton.”

“[Maybe] the other women and me were [too] fast or the men [too] slow,” she wrote in the Instagram post.

Hanselmann, a 27-year-old cyclist and the 2017 national champion in Switzerland, said officials paused the women’s race to stop them from catching up to the men.

Kerala Tourism launches aggressive blitzkrieg in US market

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:06 AM PST

Trade meets held in four cities, pitching new products and exciting destinations
Source: BHT

Benetton Summer collection

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:06 AM PST

Benetton Summer collectionUnited Colors of Benetton has launched its Spring Summer 2019 collection with Tamannaah Bhatia. The fashion brand reaffirmed
Source: BHT

Should I count how many mosquitoes I killed: V.K. Singh on Balakot casualty debate

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:04 AM PST

Should I count how many mosquitoes I killed: V.K. Singh on Balakot casualty debate
The Union minister had slammed the Congress for demanding data on the number of people killed during the air strikes

Source: TH

CPI (M) likely to support Prakash Raj in 2019 Lok Sabha polls

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:04 AM PST

CPI (M) likely to support Prakash Raj in 2019 Lok Sabha polls
The actor Prakash Raj is slated to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate from Bengaluru Central Constituency

Source: TH

Ayodhya title suit appeals: SC reserves order on mediation

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:04 AM PST

Ayodhya title suit appeals: SC reserves order on mediation
"We are not concerned about what Mughal ruler Babar had done and what happened after. We can go into what exists in the present moment," the Bench said.

Source: TH

Two young devotees die after falling from hill temple in Vizianagaram

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:04 AM PST

Two young devotees die after falling from hill temple in Vizianagaram
Pilgrimage turned into a painful last journey for two young devotees at Ramateertham temple located near Nellimarla, 10 km from Vizianagaram.The victi

Source: TH

Satellite images show madrasa buildings still standing at Balakot, says San Francisco-based private satellite operator

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:04 AM PST

Satellite images show madrasa buildings still standing at Balakot, says San Francisco-based private satellite operator
The image is virtually unchanged from an April 2018 satellite photo of the facility, says news agency Reuters.

Source: TH

Book on Ahobilam temple released

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:04 AM PST

Book on Ahobilam temple released
Jeeyar appreciates The Hindu's effort

Source: TH

New DIMHANS block to come up at a cost of ₹ 4.5 crore

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:04 AM PST

New DIMHANS block to come up at a cost of ₹ 4.5 crore
Project to be ready within stipulated time of 10 months

Source: TH

Mukesh Ambani is 13th richest in world: Forbes

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:04 AM PST

Mukesh Ambani is 13th richest in world: Forbes
Richest Indian Mukesh Ambani jumped six positions to rank 13th on Forbes World's Billionaire list released on Tuesday that was again topped by Jeff B

Source: TH

Mysuru gets train to Hyderabad

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:04 AM PST

Mysuru gets train to Hyderabad
The daily service will run as non-superfast till Bengaluru

Source: TH

‘₹ 637 cr. released for drought relief’

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:04 AM PST

'₹ 637 cr. released for drought relief'
Having declared 156 taluks in the State as drought-affected during the rabi season, the State government has released ₹ 637 crore for tackling drought

Source: TH

Anganwadi workers stage protest

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:04 AM PST

Anganwadi workers stage protest
Accuse officer of harassment, seek her suspension

Source: TH

Lapses in food safety measures or blackmail?

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:04 AM PST

Lapses in food safety measures or blackmail?
Movie scenes show crooked customers dropping dead lizards or cockroaches in the food served to them at restaurants after eating a good portion of it,

Source: TH

‘Chitravi’ launched in Malappuram

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:04 AM PST

'Chitravi' launched in Malappuram
Samagra Siksha to encourage art

Source: TH

Use knowledge for society’s welfare, students told

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:04 AM PST

Use knowledge for society's welfare, students told
NAAC Director's appeal at KSOU convocation held after a gap of four years; 17,512 candidates awarded degrees

Source: TH

Wrong policies have caused farming crisis, says CPI(M)

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:04 AM PST

Wrong policies have caused farming crisis, says CPI(M)
'Many gave up farming owing to Gadgil report, animal raids'

Source: TH

Special trains to clear summer rush

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:04 AM PST

Special trains to clear summer rush
The special services will available between March 5 and June 26, says railways official

Source: TH

Anantapur RTA enters Limca Book of Records

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:04 AM PST

Anantapur RTA enters Limca Book of Records
Issues most number of driving licences

Source: TH

Three killed, 15 hurt as pick-up truck overturns

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:04 AM PST

Three killed, 15 hurt as pick-up truck overturns
Driver was trying to overtake a vehicle

Source: TH

Taliparamba now has a full-fledged RDO

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:04 AM PST

Taliparamba now has a full-fledged RDO
The new Taliparamba Revenue Division Office has become full-fledged with the posting of Assistant Collector Arjun Pandian as Subcollector/Revenue Divi

Source: TH

YSR Congress Party leaders jump into Twitter fray

Posted: 06 Mar 2019 12:04 AM PST

YSR Congress Party leaders jump into Twitter fray
At present, Alla, Roja have good following with unofficial handles

Source: TH

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