Prime minister intervenes in Middle East dispute and hopes Turkey can stop Iran’s nuclear weapons programme.

David Cameron used a visit to Turkey to make his strongest intervention yet in the intractable Middle East conflict today when he likened the experience of Palestinians in the blockaded Gaza Strip to that of a “prison camp”.

Although he has made similar remarks before, his decision to repeat them on a world stage in Turkey, whose relations with Israel have deteriorated sharply since it mounted a deadly assault on the Gaza flotilla, gave them much greater diplomatic significance.

Read more ….

David Cameron describes blockaded Gaza as a ‘prison’ — BBC
Gaza is a prison camp, says David Cameron – The Telegraph
British PM Cameron: Gaza must not remain a prison camp — Haaretz
Cameron urges lifting of Gaza seige — Al Jazeera
Cameron calls Gaza ‘prison camp’ — AFP
British PM Supports Turkey by Calling Gaza a ‘Prison’ — AoL
Cameron Gaza ‘prison camp’ comments divides conservatives — The Guardian
David Cameron panders to Turkey — at Israel’s expense — Washington Post

British PM Cameron Calls Gaza A ‘Prison Camp’. Blames Israel, Ignores Hamas is a post from: Updated News

Russia and Iran seemed to be good friends, but in recent weeks the relationship has unravelled.

Since 1991, Russia has been a major supplier of modern arms to Iran.

The Russian-built nuclear power plant in the southern Iranian city of Bushehr is due to finally come on line this year.

In advance, Russia has shipped more than 100 tonnes of low-enriched uranium reactor fuel rods to Bushehr.

Read more ….

Iran says Medvedev’s nuke remarks ‘divorced from reality’ — RIA Novosti
Russia attacks Iran’s verbal assault on Medvedev — Reuters
Russia says Iran’s criticism of Moscow’s support for UN sanctions “unacceptable” — FOX News
Sanctions Vote Strains Russia-Iran Relations — New York Times
Russia turns on ‘irresponsible Iran’ — Jerusalem Post

Russian – Iranian Relations Are Starting To Show Strains is a post from: Updated News

The US government has published a letter sent to First Minister Alex Salmond before the release of the Lockerbie bomber.

Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi was convicted of murdering 270 people in 1988, and was freed on compassionate grounds last year because he is terminally ill.

It was claimed the US told Mr Salmond compassionate release was “preferable” to a transfer to a Libyan jail.

The letter confirmed this but it called for him to stay in Scotland if freed.

It said: “The US is not prepared to support Megrahi’s release on compassionate release or bail.

Read more ….

U.S. Letter Regarding Continued Detention of Megrahi — U.S. Department of State
State Department says it did not back Lockerbie bomber’s release — Washington Post
Senators want UK officials at Lockerbie hearing — Washington Post/AP
Push for Truth Behind Lockerbie Bomber’s Release — NBC New York
N.J. Sen. Menendez to lead hearing on Lockerbie bomber’s release — NJ.com
Scotland hits back on Lockerbie case — UPI
Senators demand answers in release of Lockerbie bomber — AC360
Lockerbie row: Key questions put Scottish Government under spotlight — Scotsman
Americans are outraged that Al Megrahi is still alive — Linda S. Heard, Gulf News
Barack Obama must also answer questions over the Lockerbie bomber’s release — Nile Gardiner, The Telegraph

The Release Of The Lockerbie Bomber Is Causing Embarrasement On Both Sides Of The Atlantic is a post from: Updated News

THIRTY-ONE years ago the Khmer Rouge regime collapsed and its leaders fled Phnom Penh.

Invading Vietnamese troops came across an abandoned prison where the bodies of tortured prisoners were still shackled to beds and the floor was splattered with their blood.

This was Tuol Sleng, a school that Pol Pot’s murderous regime had converted into its main extermination centre in Cambodia.

Read more ….

Khmer Rouge Prison Chief Awaits Verdict — New York Times/AP
Long haul for Cambodia’s genocide court — BBC
Cambodia confronts its past as Khmer Rouge killer awaits court’s verdict — The Independent
Comrade Duch, the Khmer Rouge executioner who killed thousands for Pol Pot, faces his day of justice — The Guardian
Khmer Rouge victims pray at prison before historic verdict — Montreal Gazette/AFP
Many victims of the Khmer Rouge regime may now get justice — Herald Scotland
A timeline of the Khmer Rouge regime and its aftermath — CNN

Khmer Rouge Prison Chief Awaits Verdict On genocide Charges is a post from: Updated News

For every US soldier or Marine deployed in harm’s way overseas, three remain in the US working to support the mission. But, as the BBC’s Katie Connolly finds, missing the defining deployments of a military era can be difficult to come to terms with.

When Jay Agg signed up for the US Marine Corps after the 9/11 attacks, he knew he risked being severely injured, perhaps losing limbs. He knew he might even lose his life.

Read more ….

My Comment: What can one say …. but welcome to the military …. because you can never get what you want.

Frustration For The Soldiers Who Do Not Go To War is a post from: Updated News

A Turkish court has ordered 102 people charged with plotting to overthrow the government to be arrested and held in jail until their trial, the state news agency says.

The suspects were among 196 people indicted this week. Some were detained in February and then released.

They include three retired military commanders. They are to be jailed pending their 16 December trial.

The remaining 94 will remain free until their trial.

Read more ….

Arrest warrant for 102 suspects in Turkey coup case: report — AFP
Turkish court orders arrest of 102 in coup plot — AP
Turkey orders 102 ‘plotters’ held — Al Jazeera
Turkey: 102 Military Officers Charged With Plotting Coup — New York Times
Military leaders wanted over coup plot — ABC News (Australia)
Coup charges dent Turkish army’s clout — Gulf Times

Coup Rumors In Turkey After 102 Officers Charged With Plotting To Overthrow The Government is a post from: Updated News

A newly-developed heat-ray gun that burns the skin but doesn’t cause permanent injury is now with US troops in Afghanistan.

The Active Denial System (ADS) is a non-lethal weapon designed to disperse violent crowds and repel enemies.

It uses a focused invisible beam that causes an “intolerable heating sensation”, but only penetrates the skin to the equivalent of three sheets of paper.

The discomfort causes whoever it’s pointed at to immediately start moving away. They often scream but the US military says the chance of injury from the system is 0.1%.

It’s already been tested more than 11,000 times on around 700 volunteers. Even reporters have faced the heat-ray.

Read more ….

My Comment: It is hot enough in Afghanistan during summer …. I guess they want to make it hotter.

The Army Heat Gun Has Arrived is a post from: Updated News

A newly-developed heat-ray gun that burns the skin but doesn’t cause permanent injury is now with US troops in Afghanistan.

The Active Denial System (ADS) is a non-lethal weapon designed to disperse violent crowds and repel enemies.

It uses a focused invisible beam that causes an “intolerable heating sensation”, but only penetrates the skin to the equivalent of three sheets of paper.

The discomfort causes whoever it’s pointed at to immediately start moving away. They often scream but the US military says the chance of injury from the system is 0.1%.

It’s already been tested more than 11,000 times on around 700 volunteers. Even reporters have faced the heat-ray.

Read more ….

My Comment: It is hot enough in Afghanistan during summer …. I guess they want to make it hotter.

The Army Heat Gun Has Arrived is a post from: Updated News

From the BBC, we find this short mention of the report conducted by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative.

The Indian states, including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, have 421 million “poor” people, the study found.

This is more than the 410 million poor in the poorest African countries, it said.

The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) measures a range of “deprivations” at household levels.
…

The measure assess a number of “deprivations” in households – from education to health to assets and services.

More poor in India than in Africa is a post from: Updated News

A liquid armour has been shown to stop bullets in tests carried out by UK scientists at BAE systems in Bristol.

The researchers have combined this “shear-thickening” liquid with Kevlar to create a new bullet-proof material.

The company is keeping the chemical formula of the liquid a secret, but it works by absorbing the force of the bullet strike and responding to it by becoming much thicker and more sticky.

The BAE scientists describe it as “bullet-proof custard”.

Read more ….

My Comment: This is fascinating. Check out the video.

Liquid Armour? is a post from: Updated News