In February, the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (Teyrenbazen Azadiya Kurdistan; TAK) claimed responsibility for a bomb attack in the Turkish capital Ankara targeting buses carrying military personnel in which 28 people were killed. Experts and Turkish officials believe the group may also be responsible for an attack at a bus stop in the city on Sunday, 13 March, in which 34 people, mostly civilians died.
Ebola flare-up over says WHO, as virus no longer spreading in West Africa
The latest flare-up of Ebola in Sierra Leone has ended, leaving no confirmed cases of the virus in West Africa
Donald Trump crushes Kasich despite big win in Ohio
Donald Trump won the Republican presidential primaries in Florida, North Carolina and Illinois on Tuesday
Thursday, 17 March 2016
Russia’s pullout from Syria will leave dangerous void says Isreal
Israel viewed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement that he was removing the bulk of his troops from Syria with a mix of surprise and concern.
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin met with Putin in Moscow on Wednesday as part of a visit to mark 25 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
During the meeting, which lasted two hours, Putin reiterated Russia’s commitment to Israel’s security, a senior adviser to Rivlin said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the news media.
He said Rivlin made clear Israel’s concerns regarding the wider regional instability and stressed issues that would constitute red lines in terms of Israel’s security.
Israeli journalists traveling with Rivlin reported that he spoke to Putin about the possibility of U.N. peacekeeping troops returning to the tense border between Syria and the Israeli-controlled portion of the Golan Heights. It was also reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might soon be heading to Moscow to meet with Putin.
Israelis, like others closely monitoring the conflict, had little understanding of what had driven the Russians to pull back from the fight. But for Israel, which borders Syria on its northern edge, there was fear that a vacuum in the war-torn country could allow Israel’s enemies — Iran and its Lebanese proxy, the Shiite militia Hezbollah — to gain strength.
Israel not only is anxious about spillover of fighting in southern Syria into the Golan Heights but is also worried about transfers of Iranian and Syrian missiles and weapons to Hezbollah.
"Everybody understands that the Islamic State is a danger to the entire world, but for us, fundamentalist Iranian Shiite Islam is no less of a danger," Rivlin said as he left for Russia on Tuesday evening.
Rivlin is the first foreign leader to meet with Putin since he announced the withdrawal from Syria.
Speaking in the Knesset on Tuesday, the Israeli army’s chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, said Israeli officials had not received any information in advance about Putin’s plans to pull out and were as surprised as everyone else. He said it was likely that the Russians would reduce their presence in a gradual manner, maintaining a naval and air base in Syria.
Although Israel has refrained from direct involvement in the five-year-old Syrian conflict, it has been keeping a close eye on the situation there.
Along the demilitarized zone on the Golan Heights, groups for and against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad vie for control. Additionally, fighting between rebels and Assad forces often spills over into Israel, with stray rockets or wounded fighters crossing the border.
Moshe Marzuk, a researcher at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism in Herzliya and former head of the Israeli army’s Lebanon and Palestinian intelligence division, said there is real concern that Hezbollah has gained strength and valuable military experience from its involvement the Syrian conflict. Hezbollah fought an intense three-week war with Israel in the summer of 2006.
"I don’t think Hezbollah will try to do something to Israel at this stage — it knows it will pay an expensive price if it does," he said. "But Israel still has to keep monitoring the situation closely."
Marzuk said that although the Russians were physically pulling out, they still had a vested interest in the region and in helping to bring stability to Syria.
Yaakov Amidror, a former major general in Israel’s army and former national security adviser, played down the threat to Israel that might arise from Russia’s move.
"I think there will be the same vacuum as there was before the Russians entered," he said. "We have been living with this situation for a long a time, and just like there was not any real change when the Russians came in, there will not be any real change now that they are leaving."
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin met with Putin in Moscow on Wednesday as part of a visit to mark 25 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
During the meeting, which lasted two hours, Putin reiterated Russia’s commitment to Israel’s security, a senior adviser to Rivlin said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the news media.
He said Rivlin made clear Israel’s concerns regarding the wider regional instability and stressed issues that would constitute red lines in terms of Israel’s security.
Israeli journalists traveling with Rivlin reported that he spoke to Putin about the possibility of U.N. peacekeeping troops returning to the tense border between Syria and the Israeli-controlled portion of the Golan Heights. It was also reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might soon be heading to Moscow to meet with Putin.
Israelis, like others closely monitoring the conflict, had little understanding of what had driven the Russians to pull back from the fight. But for Israel, which borders Syria on its northern edge, there was fear that a vacuum in the war-torn country could allow Israel’s enemies — Iran and its Lebanese proxy, the Shiite militia Hezbollah — to gain strength.
Israel not only is anxious about spillover of fighting in southern Syria into the Golan Heights but is also worried about transfers of Iranian and Syrian missiles and weapons to Hezbollah.
"Everybody understands that the Islamic State is a danger to the entire world, but for us, fundamentalist Iranian Shiite Islam is no less of a danger," Rivlin said as he left for Russia on Tuesday evening.
Rivlin is the first foreign leader to meet with Putin since he announced the withdrawal from Syria.
Speaking in the Knesset on Tuesday, the Israeli army’s chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, said Israeli officials had not received any information in advance about Putin’s plans to pull out and were as surprised as everyone else. He said it was likely that the Russians would reduce their presence in a gradual manner, maintaining a naval and air base in Syria.
Although Israel has refrained from direct involvement in the five-year-old Syrian conflict, it has been keeping a close eye on the situation there.
Along the demilitarized zone on the Golan Heights, groups for and against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad vie for control. Additionally, fighting between rebels and Assad forces often spills over into Israel, with stray rockets or wounded fighters crossing the border.
Moshe Marzuk, a researcher at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism in Herzliya and former head of the Israeli army’s Lebanon and Palestinian intelligence division, said there is real concern that Hezbollah has gained strength and valuable military experience from its involvement the Syrian conflict. Hezbollah fought an intense three-week war with Israel in the summer of 2006.
"I don’t think Hezbollah will try to do something to Israel at this stage — it knows it will pay an expensive price if it does," he said. "But Israel still has to keep monitoring the situation closely."
Marzuk said that although the Russians were physically pulling out, they still had a vested interest in the region and in helping to bring stability to Syria.
Yaakov Amidror, a former major general in Israel’s army and former national security adviser, played down the threat to Israel that might arise from Russia’s move.
"I think there will be the same vacuum as there was before the Russians entered," he said. "We have been living with this situation for a long a time, and just like there was not any real change when the Russians came in, there will not be any real change now that they are leaving."
Sir Andrew Witty GlaxoSmithKline to retire in March 2017
In the publication of its 2015 Annual Report to shareholders, GSK plc today announced that Sir Andrew Witty, CEO, has indicated to the Board his intention to retire from the company in early 2017. The Board has agreed that he will retire on 31st March 2017. The Board will now conduct a formal search for a successor and will consider internal and external candidates for the role.
Wednesday, 16 March 2016
Report:Google's cloud platform now in use by Apple
Sources tell enterprise tech site CRN Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has begun using Google's (GOOG, GOOGL) cloud infrastructure (IaaS) platform, and has "significantly reduced its reliance" on market leader Amazon Web Services (NASDAQ:AMZN), which it has used to help run iCloud and other services.
Google execs have reportedly told partners Apple is spending $400M-$600M on the Google Cloud Platform - CRN says it isn't clear if this reflects an annual spending rate or capacity purchases. Morgan Stanley estimated last month Apple, which has been investing heavily in its own data center infrastructure, spends ~$1B/year on AWS.
Google execs have reportedly told partners Apple is spending $400M-$600M on the Google Cloud Platform - CRN says it isn't clear if this reflects an annual spending rate or capacity purchases. Morgan Stanley estimated last month Apple, which has been investing heavily in its own data center infrastructure, spends ~$1B/year on AWS.
Obama nominates Merrick Garland to US Supreme Court
President Barack Obama said Wednesday he would nominate appeals court judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, challenging Republicans to reject a long-time jurist and former prosecutor known he called "one of America's sharpest legal minds."
Pope Francis urges countries to 'open doors to migrants'
On Wednesday Pope Francis renewed his appeal on behalf of the tens of thousands struggling to enter other countries as they flee war and violence, asking global leaders to "open their hearts" and doors to migrants and refugees.
"How many of our brothers are currently living a real and dramatic situation of exile, far away from their homeland, with their eyes still full of the rubble of their homes, and in their heart the fear, and often, unfortunately, the pain of having lost loved ones," the Pope said March 16.
Such cases can often lead one to ask questions such as "where is God? How is it possible that so much suffering befalls innocent men, women and children?" he said.
Francis lamented that migrants and refugees fleeing violence in their homeland frequently find "closed doors" when attempting to enter another country.
Germans give thumbs down to Merkel migrant policy
Election losses for Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats in three German state elections will not change policies in the refugee crisis, a government spokesman said on Monday.
Merkel acknowledged Monday that the refugee issue dominated three state elections and that many voters felt there is no satisfactory solution yet.
The three-year-old Alternative for Germany, or AfD - which has campaigned against Merkel's open-borders approach - easily entered all three legislatures, according to projections for ARD television based on exit polls and early counting. Merkel's conservatives trailed centre-left rivals in two states they hoped to win. While Sunday's results will likely generate new tensions, Merkel herself should be secure: she has put many state-level setbacks behind her in the past, and there's no long-term successor or figurehead for any rebellion in sight. "I am fully convinced that we need a European solution, and that this solution needs time".
Merkel acknowledged Monday that the refugee issue dominated three state elections and that many voters felt there is no satisfactory solution yet.
The three-year-old Alternative for Germany, or AfD - which has campaigned against Merkel's open-borders approach - easily entered all three legislatures, according to projections for ARD television based on exit polls and early counting. Merkel's conservatives trailed centre-left rivals in two states they hoped to win. While Sunday's results will likely generate new tensions, Merkel herself should be secure: she has put many state-level setbacks behind her in the past, and there's no long-term successor or figurehead for any rebellion in sight. "I am fully convinced that we need a European solution, and that this solution needs time".
