(19.12.2013) Der russische Präsident Wladimir Putin hat den Befehlshaber des Heeres, Generaloberst Wladimir Tschirkin, entlassen, schreibt die Zeitung „Kommersant“ am Donnerstag.
Daily Archives: 2. Januar 2014
Nervöse EU-Kommission schießt ein Eigentor
Oh welche Ehre! Zu unserer Kampagne gegen das EU-US Handelsabkommen TTIP gibt es ein offizielles EU-Dokument. Es ist richtig schick mit Briefkopf und vier Seiten lang. Da hat sich jemand echt Mühe gegeben. Oder Angst bekommen.
Die vier Seiten sind, um es mit dem Schriftsteller Lion Feuchtwanger zu sagen “schwach im Geist und stark im Urteil”. Gleich zum Einstieg haut die EU-Kommission feste drauf:
Alberta facing aboriginal legal onslaught over oilsands in 2014
Simmering disputes over the oilsands between Alberta aboriginals and the provincial and federal governments will break into the open in 2014 as virtually every one of the many recent changes in oversight of the controversial industry comes under legal and political attack.
„All litigation, all the time, is what I see on the horizon,“ said Larry Innes, lawyer for the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation.
Exclusive: MoD tightens security at American spy bases linked to drone strikes
The Ministry of Defence is set to introduce “draconian” new powers to tighten security and limit access to US airbases in Britain implicated in mass surveillance and drone strikes,
Tunisia: Foreign Ministry Categorically Denies Existence of U.S. Military Base On Tunisian-Algerian Border
The article reporting this information dated December 30, 2013 is entitled: „Echourouk unveils the presence of US military base on Tunisian-Algerian border.“
In a press release issued on Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said this information is unfounded.
Hintergründe der Terroranschläge in Russland – Press TV Iran 30.12.2013
Debatte über die Hintergründe der Terroranschläge in Russland
Ex-Rwandan spy chief strangled in Johannesburg hotel
Rwanda‘s former spy chief has been found dead, possibly strangled, in a hotel in South Africa, police said Thursday, and opposition leaders immediately accused President Paul Kagame of ordering his assassination.
Israel bietet an, mit der Palästinenserbehörde Land und 300.000 Araber gegen Besiedlungszonen zu tauschen
Zugleich mit dem Aussenminister John Kerry, der Rahmenbedingungen vorlegt, um die Friedensverhandlungen zwischen Israel und den Palästinensern wieder in Bewegung zu bringen, hat Israel laut Berichten den Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika ein Angebot präsentiert, nach dem es einen Teil von Ost-Zentral-Israel mit den Palästinensern für das Recht „tauschen“ würde, große Siedlungszonen in der okkupierten West Bank einzurichten.
DoD Weighs Major COCOM Realignment
(11.08.2013) The Pentagon is considering a major overhaul of its geographical combatant commands, possibly realigning oversight within hot-button areas of the world and eliminating thousands of military and civilian positions,according to defense sources..
While the plans for combatant command (COCOM) realignment and consolidation are still notional, sources say some options include:
The National System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG)
The FM/NSG manages the end-to-end GEOINT process, which includes the cycle of activities for: tasking national imagery and geospatial information collection; advisory tasking for theater and tactical assets when under the control of a Military Department or COCOM; processing raw intelligence data from national and commercial satellites; exploiting geospatial information and imagery intelligence; and analyzing and disseminating information, knowledge, and intelligence to consumers in the form of GEOINT data and products.
Geospatial technology impacts all aspects of life
Geospatial technology affects almost every aspect of life, from navigating to law enforcement. The world is so interconnected today, and everything is based on spatial relationships. Geospatial technology refers to equipment used in visualisation, measurement, and analysis of earth’s features, typically involving such systems as GPS, GIS, and RS. Its use is well-known and widespread in the military and in national security, but its influence is pervasive everywhere, even in areas with a lower public profile, such as land use, flood plain mapping and environmental protection. The National Survey Authority, established in October 1984, participated in the Oman Geospatial Expo 2013. The National Survey Authority (NSA) was established in October 1984 with responsibilities for all survey activities in the Sultanate…
NAFTA, Twenty Years After: A Disaster
Among other things, NAFTA granted corporations extraordinary legal protections against national labor and environmental laws that that they could claim threatened future profits. At the same time, workers and unions were denied the legal status needed to defend themselves in these new cross-border jurisdictions.
Stark bewölkt: Forscher durchleuchten Supererden-Atmosphäre
Erste Hinweise auf eine wasserreiche Atmosphäre bei Gliese 1214b hatten japanische Astronomen im September veröffentlicht. Sie hatten untersucht, ob kurzwelliges Licht von der Atmosphäre des Planeten stärker gestreut wird als langwelliges. Von dieser sogenannten Rayleigh-Streuung fehlte aber jede Spur – ein deutliches Zeichen für Wasserdampf in der Luft.
Apple Says It Has Never Worked With NSA To Create iPhone Backdoors, Is Unaware Of Alleged DROPOUTJEEP Snooping Program
Here is the full statement from Apple:
Missing banker accused of multimillion-dollar theft caught in Georgia traffic stop
A former banker accused of faking his own death in 2012 to cover up the theft of millions of dollars has been arrested after a traffic stop in Georgia, authorities said.
abgeordnetenwatch.de: Ronald Pofalla sollte Vorstandsposten bei der Deutschen Bahn nicht annehmen!
Im Zusammenhang mit dem angekündigten Wechsel von Ronald Pofalla auf einen mit über einer Million Euro dotierten Vorstandsposten bei der Deutschen Bahn stellen sich eine Reihe von Fragen:
Seit wann liegt Herrn Pofalla das Angebot der Deutschen Bahn vor? Gab es Gegenleistungen seitens Pofallas in seiner Zeit als Kanzleramtsminister? Dann besteht der Verdacht der Vorteilsanahme im Amt. Das ist strafbar!
Oder handelt es sich gar um einen Versorgungsposten eines Unternehmens im Staatsbesitz für einen ehemaligen hochrangigen Politiker?
Edward Snowden, Whistle-Blower
It is time for the United States to offer Mr. Snowden a plea bargain or some form of clemency that would allow him to return home, face at least substantially reduced punishment in light of his role as a whistle-blower, and have the hope of a life advocating for greater privacy and far stronger oversight of the runaway intelligence community.
Obama’s Defining Fight: How He Will Take On the NSA’s Surveillance State in 2014
One story that rocketed around the intelligence community involved a meeting between the president and NSA Director Keith Alexander. Alexander, who holds advanced degrees in physics and electronic warfare, was trying to explain certain aspects of one of the surveillance programs to Obama. As his highly technical and jargon-laden presentation rambled on, Obama was beginning to lose patience. When Alexander finished, the president thanked him and then icily asked if he could do it over again, “but this time in English.”
Obama Chastises Keith Alexander For Trying To Befuddle Him With Tech Jargon
The Daily Beast has an interesting article with a number of insider accounts, suggesting that President Obama is seriously leaning towards cutting back the NSA‘s activities. I‘ll believe it when I see it — and there‘s still a compelling argument that all of these moves are really just an attempt to block or delay serious judicial or Congressional review of these programs. However, there are some very interesting tidbits in the article, including this chastising of NSA boss Keith Alexander for trying to dazzle Obama with tech jargon:
Questions Policymakers Should Be Asking Climate Scientists Who Receive Government Funding
Those predictions of the future are based on simulations of climate using numerical computer programs known as climate models. Past and projected factors that are alleged to impact climate on Earth (known as forcings) serve as inputs to the models. Then the models, based on more assumptions made by programmers, crunch a lot of numbers and regurgitate outputs that are representations of what the future might hold in store, with the monumental supposition that the models properly simulate climate.
German splits appear as year of war and wall anniversaries begins
It is already being talked about as Super-Gedenkjahr, the year of commemoration. This year will mark 100 years since the outbreak of the first world war and 75 years since the start of the second. But in Germany one anniversary is likely to attract more debate than introspection: the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall on 9 November.
Former minister Zahi Hawass compares Egypt‘s Abdel Fatah al-Sisi to pharaoh
Archaeologist and former antiquities minister says rise of army leader mirrors ascent of Mentuhotep II 4,000 years ago
Military rulers dissolve Egypt‘s parliament
(13.02.2011) „We do not want any protesters to sit in the square after today,“ Mohamed Ibrahim Moustafa Ali, head of military police, said as soldiers removed protesters‘ tents from the square.
Mohamed Ibrahim Moustafa
He succeeded Ahmed Gamal El Din to take a place in the Qandil Cabinet in January 2013. He attracted criticism after police violence against anti-Morsi protests at the main Muslim Brotherhood headquarters in Cairo.
Mohamed Ibrahim was one of the ministers who kept his cabinet place after the July 2013 military coup; (..)
On 26 July 2013 Mohamed Ibrahim told al Ahram that Cairo sit-in protests by supporters of deposed president Mohamed Morsi would be „brought to an end soon and in a legal manner.“ After tens died in violence through the following night, he denied that officers had fired live ammunition rounds at protesters in Nasr City.
Egypt arrests seven over Mansoura suicide bombing
Ibrahim also accused the Muslim Brotherhood of opening up lines of communication with the Islamist group Hamas in neighboring Gaza and receiving military training from them.
He accused Hamas of involvement in various attacks in Egypt in recent months, without giving details.
Prague embassy staff ‚not aware of explosive device‘ on safe
Spokesman for Palestinian embassy says safe that exploded and killed ambassador was used almost daily for storing cash
ابله فاهيتا و شريحه المرحوم
…
Egypt questions Vodafone over „bomb code“ advert
The Egyptian unit of Vodafone, the world‘s biggest mobile operator by revenue, rejected the suggestions.
In a statement sent to Reuters on Thursday, it said the ad posted on YouTube and social media channels and featuring a well-known puppet character was meant to promote a special offer for customers to re-activate their old SIM cards and had no hidden meaning.
Breakingviews: Defying low expectations
From politicians to corporate execs and bankers, Breakingviews editors discuss their list of who packs the biggest power to surprise in 2014.
#Sochi2014 Olympic Park – Photos:
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Sochi 2014 Releases more Tickets to Sports and Ceremonies – a Great New Year’s Gift for any Sports Fan
The grand finale to the Sochi 2014 Cultural Olympiad will take place during the period of the Games and the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee has created an exceptional program for those visiting Sochi next February. Visitors and locals will have the opportunity to enjoy over 500 hours of performances from Russia’s most well-known and notable music and dance groups, including Chukchi throat singing, fiery Dagestan lezginka, melodic Kuban Cossack tunes and virtuoso alto improvisations from world famous maestro Yuri Bashmet. In total, more than 5,000 artists from 70 regions of Russia will perform at numerous venues around Sochi.
Soyuzneftegaz
Soyuzneftegaz (Russian: СоюзНефтеГаз) is a Russian oil and gas company. It is headed by Russia‘s former energy minister Yuri Shafranik. The main shareholder is the Central Bank of Russia.
Syria signs offshore oil and gas exploration deal with Russia
(25.12.) Damascus has signed a major oil and gas deal with Russian company Soyuzneftegaz which allows for offshore drilling, development, and production to take place in Syria’s territorial waters for the very first time.
The deal permits the exploration of 2,190 square kilometers in the Mediterranean. The costs, which are estimated at around US$90 million, will be covered solely by Soyuzneftegaz.
Anschläge von Wolgograd: Russische Polizei setzt Hunderte Menschen fest
Mehr als 3500 Polizisten seien bei der Razzia beteiligt gewesen, darunter auch 500 Mitarbeiter des Innenministeriums und Mitarbeiter des Sicherheitspersonals.
Damit zeigt die Polizei demonstrativ Härte, eine heiße Spur nach den beiden Attentaten mit mindestens 34 Toten in Wolgograd hätten die Sicherheitsbehörden aber noch nicht entdeckt.
Meine Damen und Herren, darf ich vorstellen: Wladimir Putins Rosneft-Onkel Igor Sechin. Put your hands in the air..
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Khodorkovsky Pardon Signals Putin Rift With Russian Oil Czar
(24.12) He says Vladimir Putin pardoned him over the objections of Igor Sechin — the man Putin entrusted with constructing the dominant state oil company.
The assertion, if it bears out, signals a rift within the nation’s elite since Sechin, head of OAO Rosneft, the world’s biggest publicly traded oil producer by output now, and Putin go back to when the two worked in the St. Petersburg mayor’s office in the 1990s.
Saakaschwilis Blitzkrieg: Deutsche Waffen eingesetzt, israelische Militärberater und US-Soldaten im Land
(9. August 2008) Laut einem Bericht der den israelischen Geheimdiensten nahestehenden Webseite “Debkafile” sind rund 1000 “Militärberater” aus Israel in Georgien, welche mit allen gesammelten Erfahrungen des letzten Libanonkrieges die georgischen Land- und Luftstreitkräfte in siegreicher Kriegstaktik unterrichten.
Militärstrategisches Interesse soll laut “Debkafile” vor allem die Sicherung der Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline sein, welche von Aserbeidschan quer durch Georgien (an Südossetien vorbei) an die türkische Mittelmeerküste führt.
Von dort aus, so die Jerusalemer Strategen, soll das Öl und Gas dann weiter durch das Mittelmeer nach Israel, dann quer durch Israel, dann durch das Arabische Meer und dann nach Indien und China transportiert werden – ursprünglich vom Kaspischen Meer.
(Wir berichteten über diesen affengeilen Plan in “Operation Nabucco II: Turkey Under Radar Of Ergenekon And Oil War” am 28.Juli.)
Hintergrund ist der Versuch des israelischen Establishments unter allen Umständen die Iran-Pakistan-Indien-Pipeline zu verhindern, welche an die Nabucco-Pipeline von Iran und Irak nach Europa quasi angedockt werden könnte. Damit wäre Israel als “Zwischenhändler” vom kaspischen Öl und Gas aus dem Rennen.
Operation Nabucco II: Turkey Under Radar Of Ergenekon And Oil War
(28. Juli 2008) Indeed, earlier this year Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan offered India to facilitate the supply of oil from Central Asia to India via Israel (!) through a combination of overland pipelines and super tanker. Someone should have donated them a map.
Israel proposes crude pipeline from Georgia to Eastern Asia
(17.01.2008) The oil would be pumped in Georgia and Azerbaijan, and be brought to Turkey by pipeline. From Turkey it will be shipped by tanker to Ashkelon, whence it would be transported by pipeline to Eilat. In Eilat, the oil wilbe be loaded onto a new set of tankers for transportation to eastern Asia.
Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline: Possible transhipment via Israel
It has been proposed that oil from the pipeline be transported to eastern Asia via the Israeli oil terminals at Ashkelon and Eilat, the overland trans-Israel sector being bridged by the Eilat-Ashkelon Pipeline owned by the Eilat Ashkelon Pipeline Company (EAPC).
Massive Cooperation between Çalık Holding and Rosneft
(11.02.2011) The Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin went on to say that the cooperation between Turkey and Russia would go on increasing and the newly signed agreement in the area of petrol represented a part of this increase. Sechin was quoted as saying „Turkey is our strategic partner in the region“.
Rosneft President Participates in Igor Sechin’s Visit to Turkey
On December 15th Eduard Khudainatov, president of Rosneft, participated in the business trip of Russian Vice Prime Minister Igor Sechin to Turkey. (..)
In his comment on the results of the meeting, Sechin told reporters that Rosneft and Transneft may each contribute 25% to the share capital of the Samsun–Ceyhan project, noting that the project currently involves “one Turkish (Calik Holding) and one Italian company (Eni)”.
Eilt: Die GEMA-Alternative – bitte unterstützen
Hier geschieht etwas, das gemeinhin als unmöglich gelten darf: Ein Monopol verliert sein Monopol, obendrein eines, das für jede(n) sichtbar und weithin bekannt die Rechte vieler einschränkt, um wenigen die vollen Taschen noch weiter zu machen, und zwar nicht, weil ein anderer Kapitalsack daherkommt, sondern weil die Betroffenen selbst sich organisieren.
Exxon Russia Ambitions Show Oil Trumps Obama-Putin Spats: Energy
“There’s a whole stack of reasons why it’s good that Rosneft is working with Exxon,” said Richard Sakwa, an associate fellow at Chatham House in London, who writes on Russia’s oil industry. “There’s technology and management. Between Sechin and Exxon, there’s a degree of trust being built up that can be nothing but to the good” to both and to Russia.
New Head of FSB
(14.Mai 2008) Alexander Bortnikov who comes from St. Petersburg like Patrushev, Putin and Medvedev is believed to be closer to Medvedev than the Kremlin‘s siloviki clan, which includes Patrushev and Putin‘s longtime deputy chief of staff, Igor Sechin, The Moscow Times says. Soldatov calls him „Medvedev‘s man, not Sechin‘s,“ though, some Russian media have speculated that Bortnikov is close to Sechin.
Alexander Bortnikov
On May 12, 2008, he was appointed Director of the FSB by President Dmitry Medvedev and is believed by some security analysts to be Medvedev‘s man
Volgograd Oblast Police
Directorate of the Ministry for Internal Affairs in Volgograd Oblast (ГУ МВД России по Волгоградской области) or the Police of Volgograd Oblast (Полиция Волгоградской области) is the main law enforcement agency in Government of Volgograd Oblast in Russia. It subordinate to the regional MVD and the Governor of Volgograd Oblast.
FSB (Geheimdienst): URPO
Seit 1996 besteht eine Sonderabteilung im FSB, genannt Upravlenije Razrabotki Prestupnykh Organizatsij (deutsch: Direktion zur Infiltration krimineller Organisationen)(URPO). Die Aufgabe dieser Sonderabteilung besteht darin, in kriminelle Strukturen einzudringen und die führenden Köpfe zu ermitteln. Die Abteilung hat eine Mannschaftsstärke von etwa 150.
Alexander Bastrykin
On November 28, 2009, as head of the Investigative Committee at the scene of the 2009 Nevsky Express bombing, Bastrykin was injured by a second bomb and was hospitalised. The second bomb was reportedly targeted at investigators, and was detonated by mobile phone.
Investigative Committee of Russia
The Investigative Committee of Russian Federation (Russian: Следственный комитет Российской Федерации) is the main federal investigating authority in Russia, formed in place of the Investigative Committee of Prosecutor General of Russia. it began to operate on January 15, 2011. The Committee is subordinate to the President of Russia.