New Cold War.org Information Bulletin, Vol 2 #37, Feb 28, 2017
Ukraine-Russia-Europe:
Donetsk and Lugansk republic heads urge Kyiv to stop transport blockade by March 1, Donetsk News Agency, Feb 27, 2017
The Donetsk and Lugansk republics will place under receivership enterprises operating under Ukrainian jurisdiction and will halt coal exports to Ukraine if Kyiv doesn’t lift a transport blockade by the beginning of March, announced DPR and LPR heads Alexander Zakharchenko and Igor Plotnitskiy…
Germany to join ‘fake news’ battle in Baltics with new Russian-language media, RT.com, Feb 28, 2017
German intel service spied for years on foreign media, reports Der Spiegel, RT.com, Feb 24, 2017
Documents indicate Germany spied on foreign journalists, by Maik Baumgärtner, Martin Knobbe and Jörg Schindler, Spiegel Online International, Feb 24, 2017
Germany’s foreign intelligence agency, the BND, apparently spied on large numbers of foreign journalists overseas over the course of several years, including employees of the BBC, Reuters and the New York Times. Critics see a massive violation of press freedoms.
Turkey-Syria-Middle East and Caucasus: (* denotes also published in full on New Cold War.org)
* Russia, China block anti-Syria resolution at UN Security Council, Press TV, Tuesday, Feb 28, 2017
Heavy casualties claimed as Turkey-backed Syrian rebels clash with Syrian army near Al-Bab in north, by Tom Perry and Humeyra Pamuk, Reuters, Feb 27, 2017
A [‘Free Syrian Army’] statement said “22 regime members” were killed. A Syrian military source said the rebels had “targeted our forces in Tadef with artillery and machine guns”. The source, who described the FSA factions as “terrorist groups that belong to Turkey”, gave no casualty toll.
Earlier this month, a senior Russian official said Tadef marked an agreed dividing line between the Syrian army and the Turkey-backed forces…
Syrian Army neutralizes Turkish-backed troops near Al-Bab, Al-Masdar News, Feb 27, 2017
Barzani asks Erdogan to free pro-Kurdish detainees, by Amberin Zaman, Al-Monitor, Feb 27, 2017
The president of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, Massoud Barzani, has renewed calls for Turkey to release Selahattin Demirtas, the co-leader of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), and other lawmakers from the pro-Kurdish bloc who are being held on a mind-numbing array of thinly supported terror charges. Barzani made the appeal during an hour-long meeting Feb. 25 with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul, reported the Iraqi Kurdish Rudaw media organization. Barzani described his talks with Erdogan at the sumptuous Ottoman-era Mabeyn kiosk as “very good.” He said, “We discussed all subjects,” but chose not to elaborate.
Coming ahead of a referendum on expanding the powers of the Turkish presidency due to be held on April 16, the Iraqi Kurdish leader’s visit has sparked speculation that Erdogan hopes a halo effect will win him votes from conservative Kurds…
Top U.S. general wants to resume military cooperation with Egypt that was cancelled over 2013 coup, by Michael R. Gordon and Declan Walsh, New York Times, Feb 26, 2017
United States:
* Trump’s ‘obsolete NATO’ means Europe paying for U.S. militarism, by Finian Cunningham, RT.com, Feb 27, 2017
Trump’s proposed increase in U.S. defense spending would be 80 per cent of Russia’s entire military budget, by Alex Emmons, The Intercept, Monday, Feb 27, 2017
The U.S. government already spends $600 billion dollars a year on its military — more money than the next seven biggest spenders combined, including China and Russia. On Monday, the White House said it would request $54 billion more in military spending for next year. That increase alone is roughly the size of the entire annual military budget of the United Kingdom, the fifth-largest spending country, and it’s more than 80 percent of Russia’s entire military budget in 2015…
Trump’s Justice Department is no longer opposing Texas’s discriminatory voter-ID law, by Ari Berman, The Nation, Feb 27, 2017
Jeff Sessions reverses the Obama administration’s position in a crucial voting-rights case.
Targeting a sanctuary after ICE stakes out a church homeless shelter, charities worry immigrants will fear getting help, by Alex Emmons, The Intercept, February 27 2017
“[ICE – Immigration and Customs Enforcement] were not here because they were doing a routine community sweep. They were clearly targeting,” said Rev. Keary Kincannon. “They were waiting until the Hispanic men came out of the church. And they rounded them all up. They didn’t question the blacks. They didn’t question the whites. They were clearly going after folks that were Latino.”
Mainstream media’s ‘victimhood, by Robert Parry, Consortium News, Feb 28, 2017
Just weeks ago, mainstream U.S. media decried “fake news” and backed a blacklist of independent news sites over “Russian propaganda.” Now, under fire from President Trump, the MSM loves a free press.
Fox News distances itself from bogus Swedish ‘security’ expert invited onto O’Reilly show, by Liam Stack and Christina Anderson, New York Times, Feb 27, 2017
The Fox News host Bill O’Reilly distanced himself on Monday from a guest his show falsely identified last week as a “Swedish defense and national security adviser,” saying he should not have been invited to appear in a segment on immigrants and crime in Sweden…
World:
‘Bodies every night’: Documenting the brutal Philippine drug war, by Tess McClure, VICE News, Feb 21 2017
With more than 6000 people already dead, we spoke to a local photojournalist about the realities of bearing witness to the carnage.
Court papers over murder of Berta Cáceres in Honduras show suspects’ links to U.S.-trained elite troops, The Guardian, Feb 28, 2017
The Honduran environmental activist’s killing a year ago bears the hallmarks of a ‘well-planned operation designed by military intelligence’ says legal source Indigenous Hondurans and peasants march to demand justice for the murder of Berta Cáceres on 17 August 2016 in Tegucigalpa. Hondurans demand justice for Berta Cáceres on 17 August 2016 in Tegucigalpa. Officials have denied a state role in the killing despite the arrest of one serving and two ex-soldiers.
Leaked court documents raise concerns that the murder of the Honduran environmentalist Berta Cáceres was an extrajudicial killing planned by military intelligence specialists linked to the country’s U.S.–trained special forces, a Guardian investigation can reveal. Cáceres was shot dead a year ago while supposedly under state protection after receiving death threats over her opposition to a hydroelectric dam. The murder of Cáceres, winner of the prestigious Goldman environmental prize in 2015, prompted international outcry and calls for the U.S. to revoke military aid to Honduras, a key ally in its war on drugs…
New attack aircraft is latest acquisition by expanding Australian military, ABC News.au, Feb 28, 2017
‘This is a beast, it was built to be a war aircraft and that’s exactly what we plan to use it for,’ says Air Force Chief Air Marshal Leo Davies at opening day of Australian International Airshow.
Background:
Australia defense minister says Australia is ready, willing and able to help build Donald Trump’s ‘gigantic’ fighting force, News.com.au, Nov 16, 2016
Military ‘white paper’ says Australia will be armed to the teeth under new government plan, by Simon Benson and Daniel Meers, The Daily Telegraph, Feb 25, 2016
The total defence budget will be boosted by $29 billion bringing the total 10-year spend to $448 billion.
Defence white paper prepares Australia for a tougher world, Sydney Morning Herald, Feb 27, 2016
Massive $150b submarine program the centrepiece of Turnbull government, Sydney Morning Herald, Feb 25, 2016
The Defence white paper says the government will pump $195 billion over the next decade into new military hardware, with an unprecedented focus on cyber and high-tech intelligence and space-based capabilities.
Turks caught up in growing stream of illegal border crossings to Canada, by Turkish Minute, Feb 28, 2017
A winter of discontent and homeless deaths in Toronto, by Cathy Crowe, Rabble.ca, Feb 27, 2017
Homelessness in Vancouver a crisis that senior governments are ignoring, say region’s mayors, Vancouver Sun, Feb 28, 2017
Homelessness in the Vancouver region is growing. There are an estimated 4,000 people living without shelter.
Subsidiary of Canada’s largest insurance company is outed for money laundering after Canada’s financial regulator tried to hide who it was, CBC News, Feb 27, 2017
… Manulife Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of Manulife Financial Corporation, a $47-billion insurance and financial services company. The bank doesn’t have physical branches and sells its products primarily through financial advisors.
Global warming and climate change:
Amazon deforestation, once tamed, comes roaring back, New York Times, Feb 24, 2017
Antarctic sea ice hits new all-time low, RobertScribbler, Feb 27, 2017
Unprecedented climate extremes: One year after record drought, Lake Oroville, California is spilling over, RobertScribbler, Feb 13, 2017 (with charts and video)
Our oceans are garbage, by Tyler Hooper VICE News, Feb 27, 2017
Scientists predict there could be more plastic than fish in the oceans by 2050.
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