Australian foreign minister questions NSA contractor's motives but supports US proposals for greater oversight of spy agencies
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Ukraine opposition: We're ready to attack by CNNInternational
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Becky Anderson speaks to Ukrainian opposition leader Vitali Klitschko about their ongoing protests in Kiev.
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'U.S. trying to kill it's way to victory' by CNNInternational
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Becky Anderson speaks to the producer of "Dirty Wars" about the covert operations that happen we rarely hear about.
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Biden: No man has a right to ignore 'no' by CNNInternational
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President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden had empowering words at the Council on Women & Girls.
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Threat to Americans going to Olympics by CNNInternational
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Ominous e-mail sent to U.S. Olympic Committee. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh reports.
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It is reported that U.S. military leaders have proposed two options for Afghanistan after 2014 - leave 10,000 American troops there when the combat mission is over, or pull all of them out.Several news organizations, including The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, report that General Joseph Dunford, the commander of the NATO-led force in Afghanistan, presented the option to the White House last week.Haji Saleh Muhammed Saleh sits on the defense committee in Afghanistan's Lower...
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UN leader Ban Ki-moon tells Syria's warring sides at a peace conference in Switzerland on Wednesday that the time has come for negotiations to end the countr...
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From: AFP news agency
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US Army prepares to replace Thousands of Troops with Military Robots by The European Union Times
US army’s humanoid robot Petman by Boston Dynamics and funded by DARPA.
An all-out drone war seems inevitable given the rapid rate at which battlefield technology is advancing in this day and age, but a United States Army commander expects an arsenal of robotic warriors could be but a few years away.
Gen. Robert Cone, the chief of the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command, said during a recent symposium that he thinks there’s a chance the size of the military’s brigade combats teams will shrink by a quarter in the coming years from 4,000 total troops down to 3,000. Picking up the slack, he said, could be a fleet of robotic killing machines akin to the ground versions of the unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, increasingly used by the world’s armies.
The Military Times’ Paul McLeary was the first to report this week on remarks that Cone, a four-star general, made during the Army Aviation Symposium January 15 in Arilington, Virginia.
“I’ve got clear guidance to think about what if you could robotically perform some of the tasks in terms of maneuverability, in terms of the future of the force,” Cone told his crowd, according to McLeary, adding that he also has “clear guidance to rethink” the size of those infantry squads, which currently are manned by nine troops apiece.
Brigade combat teams are the smallest units of decent size that can be sent into war on their own, Popular Science acknowledged. Even if they are limited to just nine troops apiece, however, trimming their size by a quarter and tacking on still in-the-works robotics could give those brigades unmatched ability on the battlefield.
“If the Army can reduce number of people in squads, it can reduce the total manpower everywhere, and it can acquire vehicles that are both smaller and cheaper,” Kelsey Atherton wrote for PopSci. “In order to reduce manpower without reducing fighting ability, the Army will need to make sure that Brigades have everything they need to be just effective.”
According to Gen. Cone, that could be just a couple of years away and exactly what’s needed.
“Don’t you think 3,000 people is probably enough probably to get by” with increased technological capabilities, he said during last week’s symposium.
As RT has reported extensively in the past, the Pentagon has for years now been tinkering with robotic warriors made to someday replace real life soldiers on the battlefield of the future. Some of those drone troops have already undergone extensive testing, and Cone suggests that they could soon come into good use as the military considers further scale backs amidst sequester-induced spending cuts.
According to McLeary, the general said he envisions “a smaller, more lethal, deployable and agile force” in the Army’s future. The Military Times reported that the Army is on track to cut its number of soldiers by 60,000 before 2015 is over, and then could trim just as much by 2019 to bring the total number of troops — human troops — to 420,000.
“When you see the success, frankly, that the Navy has had in terms of lowering the numbers of people on ships, are there functions in the brigade that we could automate — robots or manned/unmanned teaming — and lower the number of people that are involved given the fact that people are our major cost,” he said.
Last May, the US Navy unveiled a first-of-its-kind fleet for the military branch that relies on both manned and unmanned vehicles to accompany warships into battle. Then in November, a US Navy drone crashed into a battleship and caused roughly $30 million in damages.
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Subscribe on YouTube: http://bit.ly/U8Ys7n On the Minute: Deadly clashes in Ukraine protests, Mayor Bill de Blasio responds to snowplowing complaints, and a ...
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The United States on Wednesday led a fierce denunciation of the Syrian regime and vowed it would step up support for the opposition as it seeks to topple Pre...
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From: AFP news agency
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Syria defiant at conference by CNNInternational
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Syria defiant at conference; Secretary of State John Kerry rules out al-Assad. CNN's Elise Labott reports.
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Ukraine opposition leaders say President Viktor Yanukovych failed Wednesday to respond positively to their demands, and they warned of an opposition offensive if he does not respond to a second round of talks on Thursday.In Kyiv, opposition leader Arseniy Yatseniuk told a crowd of supporters "we have 24 hours left to walk this path." He went on to warn that "tomorrow we will march forward together" if the president does not end the government crackdown that left three...
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Iran's Rouhani: Possible to Overcome Animosity With USby webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters)
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday it would be possible to turn more than three decades of enmity with the United States into friendship if both sides were to make an effort. He was speaking in a Swiss television interview after arriving at the World Economic Forum in Davos where he will court the global business community and meet a series of oil company executives on Thursday. Asked whether there could one day be a U.S. embassy again in Tehran instead of the Swiss...
US, Russia Cooperate on Sochi Securityby webdesk@voanews.com (Kent Klein)
In the face of terrorist threats, the United States is offering to help Russia strengthen security at next month's Winter Olympics in Sochi. The offer could help to improve U.S.-Russian relations or cause them to deteriorate further. White House spokesman Jay Carney says President Barack Obama spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin Tuesday about efforts to keep the Olympics safe. "What I can tell you is that we are having conversations with the Russians. We...
Iran's FM: We Did Not Agree to Dismantle Anything in Nuclear Deal by webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News)
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Iran did not agree to dismantle anything in the recent nuclear deal with the United States and five other countries. Zarif told CNN television Wednesday that the White House version of the agreement "overplays Iranian commitments." Zarifsaid Iran is not dismantling any centrifuges or equipment. He says all Iran is doing is not enriching uranium over 5 percent. Anything above that could be used to build a nuclear...
Deputy prime minister to risk rift with coalition partners by calling for Britain to stand tall in EU at Davos
Nick Clegg will today seek to upstage David Cameron at the World Economic Forum in Davos when he warns business and European leaders that the Tories are damaging Britain by "flirting with exit" from the EU.
The deputy prime minister will call for Britain to "stand tall in the EU" when he takes part in two events in Davos – a discussion on the new Europe with EU leaders, and a discussion about China – before Cameron takes to the stage.
Clegg has not attended the World Economic Forum for a few years. But he decided to put in an appearance this year amid fears that the prime minister is deterring investors from Britain by raising questions about Britain's EU membership.
A spokesperson for Clegg said: "Nick Clegg is … attending Davos to represent thousands of British businesses and the millions of British workers who rely on the UK's position in Europe. With European leaders discussing reform, he is not prepared to simply allow Conservatives flirting with the exit door to be the only British voice in this important debate.
"Nick Clegg has become so concerned about the damage being done to the reputation of UK Plc by the Tory party that he wants to take every possible opportunity to set out a more balanced view to investors and the international community."
In his first event of the day, Clegg, who arrived in Davos late last night, will join three EU prime ministers for a discussion about the new Europe. The group will include Fredrik Reinfeldt, the Swedish prime minister, who is Cameron's closest EU ally. But Reinfeldt leads the Moderate party, which remains in the European People's party group in the European Parliament after the Tories set up a new group with Poland's socially conservative main opposition party.
Tickets sold out within an hour for Clegg's second event, with the OECD general secretary Angel Gurría, which is entitled China, Europe and the US: the competitive challenge. Clegg will tell the event: "The UK cannot stand tall in the modern world if it doesn't stand tall in its own backyard. That means standing tall in the EU and working collectively towards growth.
"To trade successfully in the modern world, Britain must stay in. As an EU member, we have access to trade agreements with more than 50 countries around the world – and we've launched negotiations with the US.
"As power rises in the east and the US subsequently turns more of its attention in that direction, the importance to Britain of us being part of Europe will become even more apparent. It is vital for our country's prosperity and vital for British jobs. The commission has confirmed if the UK left the EU, we'd lose access to EU trade agreements with third parties and potentially have to negotiate them all from scratch, and negotiate from a much weaker position.
"We simply will not be taken seriously by the Americans or the Chinese if we're isolated and irrelevant amongst our own neighbours. We stand tall in Washington, Beijing, Delhi when we stand tall in Brussels, Paris and Berlin."
A Lib Dem source said: "This is not about raining or indeed snowing on the prime minister's parade. It is about making the case for Britain in Europe."
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Scotland Yard charges women over offences alleged to have taken place in London between 13 and 16 January
Two women were charged with arranging funds to facilitate terrorism in Syria, police said.
Amal Elwahabi, 27, of north-west London, and Nawal Msaad, 26, of north London, were charged with being involved in an arrangement as a result of which money was made available or was to be made available to another, and knowing or having reasonable cause to suspect it would or may be used for the purposes of terrorism, Scotland Yard said.
The alleged offences are said to have taken place between 13 and 16 January and relate to terrorist activity in Syria, a spokesman said.
He added: "SO15, the Metropolitan police counter-terrorism command, will continue to pursue individuals and networks in the UK seeking to support terrorists engaged in the Syrian conflict."
They will appear in custody at Westminster magistrates court on Thursday.
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Journalists who have been covering the standoff in Kiev for weeks uploaded dramatic images of the spiraling conflict to social networks from the streets on Wednesday.
Anton Casey faces disciplinary action after posting comments mocking poor locals and labelling taxi driver a 'retard'
A British banker has been forced to apologise to the people of Singapore after he complained he would have to "wash the stench of public transport" off himself during a period of separation from normal mode of transport – his Porsche.
Anton Casey, who lives as an expat in the city-state with his wife – a former Miss Singapore – also mocked the "poor people" he shared public transport with and made derogatory comments about a taxi driving in a series of posts online.
In one post, he published a picture of his young son using Singaporean public transport, along with the caption: "Daddy, where is your car and who are all these poor people?"
He also posted a picture of his son sitting inside a silver Porsche and added: "Ahhhhhhhhh, reunited with my baby. Normal service can resume, once I have washed the stench of public transport off me FFS!"
In another, he published a picture of a Singaporean taxi driver and wrote: "And today's cabbie retard award goes to … Mr Arm Warmers, stripy mittens & towel on the lap man. After all, it's only 37C outside today!"
Casey, 39, said he had received death threats and faces disciplinary action from his employers, the wealth management firm Crossinvest. In a statement released by his PR firm, he said: "I would like to extend a sincere apology to the people of Singapore.
"I have the highest respect and regard for Singapore and the good people of Singapore; this is myhome." Casey is a permanent resident of the city state. "I wish for nothing more than to be forgiven for my poor judgment and given a second chance to rebuild the trust people have had in me as a resident of this wonderful country."
A video appeared online in which Casey said: "I don't mean to offend anyone. Don't be angry at me. Be angry with your mum and dad for raising you a wuss." In his statement, he said: "It must be made extremely clear that a YouTube video of me, with my son in the background, was not posted in response to any recent events. This video was made weeks prior and has been misused to portray me as unrepentant."
Casey's boss, Christophe Audergon, said the comments were "in poor taste". In a statement, he said: "Crossinvest has clear policies regarding the codes of conduct expected of its employees. That code of conduct extends to social media. We are currently investigating the comments made by our employee and will take appropriate action once we are in possession of all the facts."
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Joseph Gonzalez and Ralph Magnus’s Union Square apartment is filled with maps of Hispaniola and the West Indies. The living room’s treasures include a 1634 map by Willem Janszoon Blaeu (foreground, center left), one of only 10 in the world.
KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian opposition leaders emerged from crisis talks with President Viktor Yanukovich on Wednesday saying he had failed to give concrete answers to their demands, and told their supporters on the streets to prepare for a police offensive.
Inside Syria's most dangerous town by CNNInternational
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An uneasy cease-fire hangs over Aleppo, but is it sustainable? CNN's Fred Pleitgen reports.
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From: CNNInternational
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Israel says it has arrested two Palestinians in annexed East Jerusalem who were allegedly planning a series of bombings on behalf of al-Qaida that included the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv.The Shin Bet intelligence agency said a third suspect from the West Bank town of Jenin was taken into custody on suspicion of planning to set up an al-Qaida cell in the northern West Bank. Shin Bet said other targets included Jerusalem's international convention center and the kidnappings of Israeli...
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State Dept. Learned in November of Photos Said to Show Torture in Syria by By MARK LANDLER and BEN HUBBARD
The photos seem unlikely to change the American policy of seeking a settlement to remove President Bashar al-Assad but avoiding direct military action.
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