Syria and Obama's Nobel Prize: Bush's Clone Prepares for War in Syria; 'unreliable' Russia takes on Saudi

Who gave President Barack Hussein Obama, the presumed first 'man of colour' to rule America a Nobel Prize? The bribe is not working. It will never work. He is a clone. This is just like giving George Walker Bush the prize of a 'man of peace'.

The world is again been fooled by some microscopic warmongers who see wars as the only cards to be played once a government refused to dance to their nefarious whims and caprices. Logically, Bashar al Assad made the mistake earlier of embarking on such massive crackdown of protesters and in the other angle, Syria's earliest responses to the protests were better and satisfactory compared to Mubarak's Egypt and Gaddafi's Libya. Assad's government kept on making concessions on Thursdays.

He kept on paving the way for peace and peaceful resolutions but the recalcitrant elements among the protesters, probably belonging to al Qaeda, bolstered by NATO elements through Turkey or maybe waiting to catch in on Western hatred of al Assad refused to mellow down and allowed for peace. They chose to go so nauseously militaristic beginning from Homs and the government cannot just fold its arms watching. The crackdown though affected a lot of unarmed protesters but where two elephants fight, the grass suffers.

Almost all governments on earth employ the same tactics to silence protesters but that of a government not on the same page with western diktats are usually blown beyond proportion otherwise was Bahrain better than Syria when Damascus' protests started? Syria was much reasonable. It did not order for thousands of Iranian troops to silence and kill its citizens.

Saudi sent over one thousand soldiers into Bahrain to crush all peaceful protests. That will be allowed because Bahrain must not fall because of Iran. America's fifth fleet is there, Saudi needs a buffer zone and an ultimate 'destruction' of Iran to eliminate its most potent rival. Israel needs that too as Iran is a formidable bone on its throat. It is a real Middle East of confusion. America continues to claim al Qaeda is its enemy, that is just another slap on the world. People are taken to be morons. Al Nusra was listed by the State Department as a terrorist group but when its actions and bestial acts are needed in Syria, it became a rebel group. Who is fooling who?

Al Qaeda was created through Osama bin Laden in the nomenclature of a Mujahideen to oust the Soviet Union from Afghanistan but became a terrorist group after accomplishing the CIA-led mission and decided to bite its master a little. That is the same way the Free Syrian Army will be tagged in some few years. The world is in real mess. Libya knows no peace again. Gaddafi like Assad was about completing the job; hence, the rebels would have surrendered and Libya would be stabilized. Those who took up arms against a government should fight their wars to the last not when a monster comes in and turns the whole country into a continuous 'graveyard'. That is what Iraq is today. That is what Libya is now.

North to West Africa is now suffering from the outcome of NATO's involvement in Libya. Islamist militants parade the territories blatantly, causing mayhem and havoc. Russia has centrally been an unreliable partner, hence it is really usually better and safer to dance to the tune of the United States who can flex its muscle than depend on a country with much noises and less action but cries. If the news making the round is anything to go by, which revealed the Kremlin has ordered massive strikes on Saudi Arabia because it was threatened by Makkah to hands off Syria and allow Assad to fall, then Moscow is not taken seriously because the powers know it is not ready to act, hence the bombs would likely rain on Syria.

Tentative UN report proved the rebels not Assad may have likely used the sarin nerve gas. NO! The powers do not want any conclusion again and they will never go through the UN. Going through the UN means Russia will stop them. How can that be? They want wars. They have been able to save a little after the depression and financial meltdown. They need to charge world's tension. They need to strike and create pandemonium. It is not about regime change but 'humanitarian'. Yes! We know how Gaddafi was deposed and Libya is now left naked.

It is always 'humanitarian' with bombs. The same government that encouraged Saddam Hussein to gas Iran is now the police against such weapons. The same government that refused to apologise on Hiroshima and Nagasaki is the alpha and omega. Soon, another declassified document of the CIA will come out in some years and it will be revealed that Israel, Saudi Arabia or even Turkey with the backing of the United States pushed the rebels to use or knew the rebels will use the gas on 'children' like it happened in the Iraq-Iran war of 1980-88. The world is full of noises; no actions. They know Russia and China will not risk wars, so they behave like injected dogs everywhere.

The war on Iran has begun. President Morsi who has a soft side for Hamas has been sent packing. Syria will soon be out. Russia should be ready, it will be left naked. Iran is the main target. Arabs like Africans are the problems of their lands now. They blame Israel but refused to think and settle disputes among one another. The greed of the leaders has destabilized their region. Saudi Arabia does not allow Israelis into its territory but it is working for Israel by allowing Washington to continue to invade any nation Israel wants out of the 'map'.

Assad is winning the war; no doubt. They want the table overturned like in the Iraq-Iran war. Syrian opposition says it will not not attend Geneva-2 peace conference if does not gain militarily. It needs a leverage to force Assad out on the negotiating table. It has happened before, it is happening and will likely continue. They control and determine it. The shi'ites are going down. Saudi wants that. The sunnis must 'rule'. It is a planned agenda. Sunni monarchies; Saudi Arabia and Qatar primarily have committed to the war in order to ensure their own continued hegemony, especially in terms of energy production. A renowned author and geopolitical analyst F. William Engdahl has noted, Israel’s new gas discoveries off the Mediterranean coast add a new dimension to the struggle for dominance in the region.

The real terrorists are the police of the world. They are the ones who determine what terrorism is and label anyone not working in their favour as a terrorist. Everything looks like a planned agenda. President Obama spoke and said categorically: 'I have told Assad to leave so we can have a transitional government'. Obama, the president of another country ordering another sovereign head to leave. Will they not use all means even if sarin gas is the key? How come it is all coming after Obama's 'red line' speech? He was so bold because he knew they control the world. This is no real joke. That is just it. Bahrain and all repressive regimes on Washington's good book can kill their citizens with smile but once your act are against Washington, just try not to touch even a criminal.

It is the Balkan wars all over again. Balkanization of the Middle East has been effected. The wars must keep coming like it led to the first world war (WWI). Like the Balkans almost exactly 100 years ago, Syria has become the proverbial powder keg in which Western leaders play with matches. Almost all the players and powers in the Balkan wars are still present today. America did not join the start but joined in the larger war (WWI). The world should brace up once again.

United States Calls for Calm and Restraint in Congo as Fighting Escalates

The United States said it was alarmed by an escalation in fighting in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo between M23 rebels and Congolese soldiers; called on neighbouring Rwanda to stop its support for the rebels. The State Department condemned attacks by the M23 that killed at least three people in Congo's eastern city of Goma. It also expressed concern over reports by the United Nations of shelling by the M23 into Rwanda territory.

"We urgently call on (the) DRC and Rwandan governments to exercise restraint to prevent military escalation of the conflict or any action that puts civilians at risk," State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said in a statement. "We are deeply concerned about evidence of increasing ethnic tensions in Goma and call on all parties to avoid any actions that could exacerbate such tensions." Harf said the United States was ready to consider further targeted sanctions against M23 rebel leaders and other armed groups.

Washington urged the UN mission in Congo, MONUSCO, to thoroughly investigate charges of cross-border shelling. Rwanda said five mortar bombs had fallen on Rwandan villages, following a rocket the previous and blamed Congo's army.

United Nations Brigade, created by the Security Council and composed of Tanzanian, South African and Malawian soldiers has had its first clash with the Congolese rebels menacing the Eastern town of Goma bordering Rwanda since it was created in March to neutralise the rebels at all cost; by the use of force if and when necessary. The brigade fired artillery at the rebels according to reports.

The rebels were reported to have entered a security zone ringing Goma that had been established by the newly-designed UN Intervention Brigade and at least two people were killed when three shells landed in the city centre. The fighting entered a third successive day near Goma, a city of about a million people after a relative lull in the 18-month-old M23 rebellion. The city was seized by the M23 rebels last year and the United Nations pledged in July to prevent the rebels from getting back within range of the city.

UN Lieutenant-Colonel Felix Basse said another M23 shell crashed near Munigi on Goma's outskirts, where a UN peacekeepers' base is located, causing some civilian casualties. Clashes between M23 and the Congolese army continued. Government forces repelled two rebel assaults according to Colonel Olivier Hamuli, spokesman for the Congolese army, known as FARDC. "The (UN) brigade is engaged on our side, they're supporting us with their artillery," he told reuters.

Rwanda, which has long had strained relations with Congo, accused the Congolese army of deliberately firing artillery into its territory. Kinshasa denied the reports and repeated its accusation that Rwanda backs M23. Rwanda denies it. Martin Kobler, head of the UN mission known as MONUSCO, said populated areas and UN positions had been directly attacked during the clashes.

American Public Rejects War in Syria; Obama Urges Restraint, Iran Warns of Consequences

The American public has expressed real unwillingness to get involved in another costly conflict in the Middle East, a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll suggests. Only 9 percent of the surveyed believe President Barack Obama should take action on Syria, while some 60 percent of Americans said the United States should not intervene in Syria's bloody civil war.

According to the poll taken on August 19-23, 25 percent of Americans would back intervention if it is proven that the forces of Syrian President Bashar Assad used chemical weapons against civilians, while almost double that number – 46 percent – would still oppose such a move. Iran has also lent its voice against any intervention in Syria.

Obama has discussed the latest developments in Syria with British PM David Cameron and both expressed grave concern over the alleged chemical attack. "They reiterated that significant use of chemical weapons would merit a serious response from the international community and both have tasked officials to examine all the options." President Obama has received the awaiting intelligence report with no specific details of the options but the emphasis on responses in the event of confirmation of chemical attacks.

US Secretary of Defence, Chuck Hagel, while speaking at a conference in Malaysia indicated that the US military is ready to exercise options on Syria, should Obama choose military action. “President Obama has asked the Defence Department to prepare options for all contingencies. We have done that and we are prepared to exercise whatever option - if he decides to employ one of those options," Hagel told reporters.

President Obama himself, however, has been cautious about intervention in Syria. In an interview with CNN, the president said the United States should be wary of “being drawn into very expensive, difficult, costly interventions that actually breed more resentment in the region.”

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has said that nearly 3,600 patients with neurotoxic symptoms were treated in three Damascus hospitals on the day a toxic gas attack was reported, while 355 patients were reportedly pronounced dead. Moscow has commented that it was monitoring events surrounding the alleged attack. “We’re getting more new evidence that this criminal act was of a provocative nature,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Aleksandr Lukashevich, said in a statement.

“In particular, there are reports circulating on the Internet that the materials of the incident and accusations against government troops had been posted for several hours before the so-called attack. Thus, it was a pre-planned action,” he said.

The revelation by MSF happened within a week of a UN investigative team entering the country to examine three different sites of alleged chemical weapons usage. It was also just hours after UN disarmament chief, Angela Kane, arrived in the Syrian capital of Damascus to apply pressure on the Syrian government to grant access to the site of the reported attack in the Damascus suburbs.

Professor of International Law at Georgetown University, Daoud Khairallah, told RT that the US would not act without verifiable evidence.

“The US can’t take any action without verifiable evidence about who is the party who is responsible. If it turns out that it was the rebels that used this poisonous material, the US will be embarrassed because it will be the allies of US, the opposition the US has been supporting and claiming that these are people who are seeking democracy and rule of law in Syria.”

“The US would like to prove that it was the regime who has done this, but it has not been independently proved or verified and without independent verification I doubt that Obama will act. Obama did say that ‘we need to be sure who has used these weapons, evaluate the costs to the US both financially and morally, we need international approval.’”

"We are ready to go into Syria" ~White House. Do not venture into Syria; Iran warns

Syrian state media accused the rebels of attacking regime's soldiers with chemical weapons while the rebels said Assad's forces were behind the Damascus chemical massacre that occurred in Damascus. The UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Angela Kane is in Syria to try to get access for the team of international inspectors to work at the site in the Damascus suburbs.

The rebels earlier assured the UN officials of their safety in rebel-controlled areas and told them they need to get to the site before 48 hours. Russian foreign ministry also assured the UN experts that the Syrian government is ready to guarantee them maximum cooperation in their quest to verify the truth; separate facts from fictions.

Some western nations seem not to be satisfied with whatever arrangement is going on. The United States, France and the United Kingdom, the three traditional supporters of wars and unrest in countries not in support of them, not on the same page with them and not in tandem with whatever principles they purport to project have blamed the attack on the regime solely. Earlier UN report speculated the regime as well as the rebels have used toxic agents on the populace.

White House says:

"We have a range of options available, and we are going to act very deliberately so that we're making decisions consistent with our national interest as well as our assessment of what can advance our objectives in Syria," the White House official said. "Once we ascertain the facts, the President will make an informed decision about how to respond."

President Obama is set to meet with his national security team later on in the day to discuss possible options.

Tehran says:

"Iran has announced several times that there is no military solution to the Syrian crisis, these provocative measures and moves make regional issues more complicated and fuel tensions. The Syrian problem could be resolved only through a peaceful solution and there is no international permit for military meddling in Syria." ~Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Abbas Araqchi.

The Foreign Ministry said there is evidence showing that terrorist groups and rebels have been using chemical weapons against Syrian civilians.

Commentaries from RT on the developing story of chemical attack in Syria:

"According to US press reports the US government is preparing to launch attacks on Syria using the Kosovo intervention as justification. A route that lies outside the UN. The Russian government should note this will reduce the UN to the same status as its forerunner the League of Nations. It is clear that Western Imperialism will not be deflected by any treaties it has signed with Russia. Look to your military preparations. " ~Babeouf

"Putin and all the Russian citizens must realise that if they success to take down Assad, Iran is their next target and then they will come after the Russian empire. It's not time to play the waiting game, it's time to get ready for all the consequences of the Syrian proxy-war." ~Corbis

"Well it seems like the western warmongers want to have there war no matter the cost. The people of Syria are just a pretext for the war you only have to look at Iraq and Afghanistan to see the concern the US and UK had for its civilians. A negotiated peace was the only solution but the west doomed it from the start. If they succeed this will have ramifications for Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and could well spread to Saudi. If the west wants to see the entire region in flames they are going about it the right way." ~Carlos

"Bingo. What both sides fail to ralize is that neither West, nor East, nor anyone in between is squeaky clean. Media and government from both sides lie through their teeth. Be they Russian, be they Syrian, be they British, French or American; none are to be trusted. Furthermore, I pray the my own government (the US) keeps a level head and chooses inaction until every last detail is uncovered in undisputable fashion. Even then I would recommend the US does nothing." ~Shark McCallister (sic).

"It is horrific to see there is an anti-Assad faction willing to murder the women & children of their erstwhile allies to provide pretext for Western Humanitarian Intervention, that, or the Assad regime is willing to wage unlimited & criminal warfare to assure the survival of his Ba'athist Dynastic Dictatorship. With the information currently at hand it is impossible to definitively determine. Humanity can not allow this Internecine Civil War to ignite WWIII. It is encumbant upon Russia, the United States, the European Union member States & China to work cooperatively as possible to prevent Global Armageddon." ~Paris Nicolaides

"William Hague will wish he never had a Twitter account if this keeps up.. Have you noticed it is the French and British demanding "action" whilst the other enablers stay strangely quiet ? What is it about these subservient countries and their fake concern for humanity who fund terrorists in the name of democracy? From where i am standing they are all criminally insane and i wonder who they get that from shhh from that little terrorist haven in the Middle East.." ~Jubba

Peacekeeping Redefined; United Nations Peacekeepers Clash with Congolese Rebels

United Nations Brigade, created by the Security Council and composed of Tanzanian, South African and Malawian soldiers has had its first clash with the Congolese rebels menacing the Eastern town of Goma bordering Rwanda since it was created in March to neutralise the rebels at all cost; by the use of force if and when necessary. The brigade fired artillery at the rebels according to reports.

The rebels were reported to have entered a security zone ringing Goma that had been established by the newly-designed UN Intervention Brigade and at least two people were killed when three shells landed in the city centre. The fighting entered a third successive day near Goma, a city of about a million people after a relative lull in the 18-month-old M23 rebellion. The city was seized by the M23 rebels last year and the United Nations pledged in July to prevent the rebels from getting back within range of the city.

UN Lieutenant-Colonel Felix Basse said another M23 shell crashed near Munigi on Goma's outskirts, where a UN peacekeepers' base is located, causing some civilian casualties. Clashes between M23 and the Congolese army continued. Government forces repelled two rebel assaults according to Colonel Olivier Hamuli, spokesman for the Congolese army, known as FARDC. "The (UN) brigade is engaged on our side, they're supporting us with their artillery," he told reuters.

Rwanda, which has long had strained relations with Congo, accused the Congolese army of deliberately firing artillery into its territory. Kinshasa denied the reports and repeated its accusation that Rwanda backs M23. Rwanda denies it. Martin Kobler, head of the UN mission known as MONUSCO, said populated areas and UN positions had been directly attacked during the clashes.

Rwanda has continued to be embroiled in the crisis because it is believed to be sponsoring and protecting the rebels. Four rebels who sought refugee in Uganda recently indicted Rwanda while it has also refused to release two rebels in Kigali wanted by the Democratic Republic Congo. Bosco Ntaganda, a notorious rebel leader also escaped into Rwanda before being extradited to the Hague to face war crimes.

Rwanda's defence ministry acknowledged a rocket had hit the Rwandan border village of Buga but blamed it on the Congolese army, calling it "completely unprovoked and senseless". No casualties were reported in Rwanda, but the ministry said the explosion had damaged property. Rwanda faults a UN position drafted by France and want a resolution that would condemn both the Congolese FARDC army and M23 and would urge the "FARDC and M23 to cease violence immediately."

Rwanda also proposed deleting language noting that targeting peacekeepers is a war crime. Rwanda was the sole member of the 15-nation council that objected to the French-drafted statement, envoys said. Two Western diplomats said the Rwandan amendments were an attempt to equate the Congolese army with the M23 rebels and therefore unacceptable. The rebels rejected accusations they were behind any shelling, saying it was done by Congolese soldiers in an attempt to draw peacekeepers and Rwandan troops into the fight.

The M23 rebels accused the government of not honouring an agreement reached on a March 23 date, hence, the name M23 rebels. They moved past the 17,000-strong MONUSCO troops; the world's largest UN mission in November 2012 to briefly seize Goma. They withdrew under a deal that called for peace negotiations between the rebels and Congolese government representatives. However the talks in the Ugandan capital Kampala have made little headway.

Securing the Waters: Nigerian Navy Kills 12 Pirates off the Gulf of Guinea

The Gulf of Guinea is the current home of rising pirates' activities. It has superseded Somalia and the Indian Ocean in this menace. Leaders of West and Central Africa are making frantic efforts at securing their coasts and making sure that the rising spates and cases of piracy are stemmed. Alassane Ouatarra, The Ivory Coast President once called for the presence of a multi-national naval force to combat the pirates.

The Nigerian navy said it killed 12 pirates in a gun battle as they tried to flee from a fuel tanker they had hijacked off the coast of the Gulf of Guinea last week. Pirates took control of the St. Kitts and Nevis-flagged MT Notre on August 15, but an emergency signal was sent to the navy and several gunships were deployed to recover the vessel, Navy Flag Officer Rear Admiral Sidi-Ali Hassan told reporters.

The pirates were killed why trying to escape on a speed boat during negotiation on the ship's release after Navy gunships chased and caught up with the vessel and forced it into Nigerian waters. In the pursuit, the navy boats were fired upon by the hijackers. "The gun battle lasted for about 30 minutes after which they were overpowered. On taking over the speed boat, four of the militants were alive and unhurt while the rest of the pirates were killed in the crossfire," Sidi-Ali Hussan said.

Sidi-Ali Hussan revealed the crew were all rescued unharmed from the MT Notre, which was carrying 17,000 metric tons of gasoline.

Thinking Egypt: Democracy, Military and the Muslim Brotherhood; The Ban, the Agendas and the Players

Discussing the horrific and saddening events in Egypt, beginning from the Rabaa Massacre would attract limited attention as the whole world is already aware and abreast of the developments. What is of note is the developing issue of banning the Muslim Brotherhood and the various monies fueling the crisis. In some quarters, Obama is perfectly supporting the Brotherhood against Egyptians who want a free society while some others believe it is a design because Morsi snubbed them; a way to secure Israel because Morsi is soft on Hamas. Apparently, the Egyptian military is 'gullible' compared to the Brotherhood. Most probably, Obama has to be in support of the Brotherhood on his own 'personal' part due to his analysis of the Tamarod 'Rebel' campaign movement.

John Kerry said the Egyptian military acted to preserve democracy and was lambasted by the Brotherhood that he would not accept a 'coup that was not a coup', to use Pepe Escobar's phrase, in Washington. Kerry's speech showed the official position of the White House but sometimes, a leader might somewhat deviate 'personally' from an official position guided by institutional traditions and laid down procedures. The White House is fighting to preserve the annual $1.3 billion aid to the military. On his part, Obama revealed that any future without the Muslim Brotherhood will lead to a divided society. That is just on point. Banning the Muslim Brotherhood would be a case of 'much ado about nothing'. In fact, were Egyptians not the ones who voted for it? Are Egyptians not the ones fighting now in support of Morsi?

If  the Muslim Brotherhood is banned, will its members be banished and exiled? Will its supporters not vote in elections? Will it be the case of Mubarak's era of fixed and pre-determined elections? If the Brotherhood is banned and free and fair elections are to be held, with its support base, its members will find a way back. It will remodel itself. Cutting of the head is not a panacea to a serious headache, maybe that is what President Obama had foreseen before 'mulling' support for the MB. According to the Tamarod group, Morsi was supporting Israel. How? Morsi by all standard was pro-Hamas, except if Hamas has turned a friend of Israel. Morsi balanced his acts, settled differences between Hamas and Israel to the applause and accolade of many but came back to commit a faux pas - promulgated a rule by decree. Although he later apologised but the people felt a Mubarak in democratic clothing was back. To err is human, to forgive is divine.

Tamarod utilised the dissatisfaction. While protesters were galvanised using the Tahrir Revolution of freedom and a 'secular' state, Tamarod group has its own agenda somehow. Mistakes are flying around in Egypt and it appears people are lost in support of one group against another without getting to know the latent intentions of the groups. Upon the ouster of Morsi, Israeli drones began work in Sinai in conjuction with Egyptian officials. Will Morsi have accepted such? Tamarod who sought his ouster and found Sisi as the 'devil' to accomplish the task definitely will not accept such but Sisi gave approval. Morsi's government is said to be against the tenets of democracy; women's rights and rights of minorities. Democracy alone does not specify these rights, Islam and Sharia'ah law do too but just as we have radical ones in every society, Egypt has too, hence the attacks on churches. Attacks on churches pre-dated Morsi but only became somehow worsen under him.

Morsi apologised and promised to make amends. His removal ought to be for calm, peace and dialogue. He can return once a real plan in a formidable third way out of military ideals already established by Mubarak and the 'fundamentalism' the MB is accused of trying to impose is worked out. Egyptians danced to the music of the power players; the music they know not its esoteric concoction. The only option to keep the MB off is to establish a Mubarak-style government because only such a style of governance can contain the resurgence of a body existing for over 30 years with well structured and articulated platform. Egyptians should then brace up for continued unrest. Too much of everything is bad. The most likely and plausible candidate for such a regime is General Abdel Fatah El Sisi, hence, the 'El Sisi' for President slogan is already gathering momentum. Egypt is back to pre-Morsi days; no doubt. Why then were elections held? Were Egyptians not the ones who voted?

El Sisi is soft on Israel though Israel is still in doubt of his actions. He does not appear like one who is ready to break the 1979 Camp David Accord with Israel or act detrimentally to the extent of severing Washington's cash; so, Tamarod still has much rebellious campaigns, unrest and civil disobediences to organise. The Gulf Monarchies are also bankrolling the military and El Sisi. Egypt is the heart of the Arab World truly. Egypt is now the testing ground of the divisive voices in the Arab World. Morsi is pro-Hamas, hence, must have a soft spot for Iran (Saudi Arabia's rival) though he had to go against al Assad to save himself from an impending danger.

Saudi Arabia is in full support of the military carnage going on in Egypt, so also is UAE and definitely Bahrain and Kuwait not excluding Hamas rival, the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO). PLO is understandable, it is being paid by Washington like the Egyptian army. It just received $148 million to boost its budget. All of them have nothing to lose. Egyptians have all to lose. Iran sits and watch but rightly warned of a civil war in the offing earlier.

A simple suggestion would have been to continue dialogue, no matter how defiant the Muslim Brotherhood is. It has every right to be defiant. After all these years of being shortchanged and attacked under Mubarak, its LEGITIMATE mandate was again stolen and Sisi wants it to clap, fold its arms and smile? That would be the most debasing thought ever. Morsi can come back with serious negotiations for a real third way in Egypt where all parties will pledge to a free society that will guarantee women's rights and the rights of the minorities, most especially the Coptic Christians. They must be really, centrally and fully protected as in the days of Mubarak where attacks were very minimal. Sisi should shelve his pride and discuss with Morsi because he seems to be the only face that can calm the MB. Now, Mubarak is to  be released to show that Sisi really revenged. A soldier will always be for another soldier or so it looks now.

Muslims formed human shield to prevent the burning of the church

Egyptians should not allow the polarisation of their country. They are brothers; Muslims or Coptic Christians, Egypt is Egypt. Those pushing from the outside and from all sides will not suffer the consequences, Egyptians will. They are losing. The economy is battered, education is crippling. Egyptians should wake up. Egypt is Egypt and it must be saved.

Next Theatre of War: China Flexes Muscle in East Asia as Washington Boosts Military Presence

As the United States prepares to boost its military presence in East Asia by expanding her troops' strength in the Philippines, China shows off her military might; probably telling Washington, 'this is not the Middle East or Africa'. China has been embroiled in series of conflicts with her neighbours over land issues, mostly bothering on sea routes and maritime endowments. It is based on the skirmishes with some East Asian countries that Washington feels it has to contain China in her territory not elsewhere.

What comes easily to mind is how Washington denounced any interference in her own 'sphere of influence' during the Cold War to the extent of 'risking' a nuclear holocaust with the Soviet Union. Washington also rebuffed the International Court of Justice when it was to rule between her and Mexico on land dispute. She said she will not accept any arbitration in her 'sphere of influence'.

Apparently, the United States has succeeded to a good extent in destabilizing the Middle East as the region is really boiling now from Damascus to Cairo and among major countries that mattered most; notably, Saudi Arabia and Iran. Africa is already under her grip militarily and in all other facets. Africa is a perfect stooge, continually under her tutelage and seems to notoriously nauseously love to genuflect for her. Now it is time to go Asia and China is simply waiting.

As reported by RT, China has launched four days of live-fire naval exercises in the East China Sea that coincide with the anniversary of Japan’s defeat in WWII. The exercises come after Japanese Cabinet ministers visited Tokyo’s most controversial war shrine.

China and South Korea, which both suffered under Japan’s militarist expansion in the 1930s and 40s, have expressed concern at Japanese Cabinet ministers’ visit to the Tokyo Yasukuni Shrine as glorification of the country's militaristic past and aggression. Established in 1869 and funded by the Imperial Japanese government until 1945, the shrine has been dedicated to the nation's 2.5 million war dead, including – controversially – 1,000 convicted war criminals.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry summoned Japan's envoy and issued a statement condemning the visits by nearly 100 Japanese lawmakers, saying they "fundamentally attempt to deny and gloss over Japan's history of invasion." According to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, the East China Sea drills will be conducted off the coast of Zhejiang province by the East Sea Fleet, which oversees the waters around the disputed Diaoyu Islands.

Earlier this month, on August 8, four Chinese coast guard vessels stayed a record 28 hours in waters near islands claimed by Japan and China. Japan summoned the Chinese envoy in Tokyo to lodge a formal protest. The latest intrusion into Japanese territorial waters near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea by Chinese ships was twice as long as the last one, on February 4. Chinese ships have been entering the disputed area regularly since last September, when the Japanese government bought the islands.

China and Japan have long struggled for the ownership of supposedly oil-rich islands located in the East China Sea. The islands are known as the Diaoyu to the Chinese, and Senkaku to the Japanese. The dispute over the islands and the maritime boundaries around them has continued for years. The Senkaku Islands have been controlled by Japan since 1895, but China insists that it has historic rights to them dating back to the 16th century.

The standoff escalated after Tokyo announced the purchase of three of the islands from a private Japanese owner in September of last year. After that, China witnessed mass anti-Japanese demonstrations. A diplomatic scandal led to problems in bilateral economic relations, with Japanese businesses withdrawing investment. Several Japanese companies in China suspended their work for security reasons, and Chinese Customs’ clearance of goods slowed from Japan.

The tiny archipelago of islands, which is halfway between both countries, are currently uninhabited, but the ground below could house significant mineral resources.

"It is expected that there will be more drills in the East China Sea to build up the combat capabilities of the Chinese Army," Ni Lexiong , director of the Sea Power and Defence Policy Research Institute at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, told the South China Morning Post. "It is also possible that China's aircraft carrier will participate in some of these drills."

China News Service reported that Liaoning, the country's first aircraft carrier, which it refitted after buying a Soviet-era vessel from Ukraine, has also been dispatched from its home port of Qingdao, in Shandong province, for training of ship-borne aircraft in the East China Sea. The ship is reportedly sailing to the northern Bohai Sea, off Liaoning province, where a separate round of military exercises was launched.

Israel vs Palestine: 'New alliances in the Middle East.' ~Livni. 'No peace visible' ~Israeli citizens

Israel’s top peace negotiator said newly resumed talks with the Palestinians have provided an opening “to change the allies and alliances in the region.” There are parts in the Arab world that, “for them, re-launching the negotiations can be an opportunity… to work together against the extremists,” Justice Minister Tzipi Livni said, referring to the turmoil in Egypt and the Syrian conflict.

Livni, speaking after meeting with visiting UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon declined to say whether any progress at the talks had been made.

The caricature peace negotiation between Israel and Palestine has been going on for decades with both sides always accusing each other of breaking the agreements or sabotaging the negotiations. Israel has been releasing Palestinian prisoners she can always easily get any time while constructing settlements she cannot easily dismantle.

Washington has told Palestinians not to be worried over the settlements for the sake of the peace negotiation which John Kerry brokered but it seems the Israeli citizens and the triads - Israeli authorities, Palestinian authorities and the United States' officials - are not on the same page. The Israeli citizens already have the intuition owing from past experiences.

Nearly 80 percent of Israel’s Jewish population believe a peace deal with the Palestinians is impossible, an opinion poll said. Asked whether “a final agreement” would be reached “that will put an end to the conflict,” 79.7 percent of respondents said no, and only 6.2 percent said yes. The poll was carried out by Israeli research institute Hagal Hahadash among a representative sample of 500 people, AFP reported.

Of all respondents, 77.5 percent said they opposed the Israeli government's decision to release long-serving Palestinian prisoners alongside the resumed peace talks. Just 14.2 percent said they were in favor of the prisoner release.

Israel to Recruit Students to Serve as Undercover Agents to Monitor Social Media

It is becoming extremely precarious to air views on Social Media or in any other platform like the mainstream medium of mobile phones with the continuous espionage network hovering around the earth surface massively coming from Washington and Tel Aviv. First it was Julian Assange in collaboration with Bradley Manning that revealed our vulnerability. Later, Edward Snowden came. This was even closely followed by the action of the Israeli students against perceived 'anti-semitism' in France in which twitter was sued.

Israel is set to recruit students to work undercover in "covert units" at universities. The students will post messages on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube on the Israeli government’s behalf – without identifying themselves as government agents. The students participating in the project will be part of the public diplomacy arm of Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu’s office. Leaders of the “covert units” will receive full scholarships in return for their online public diplomacy (hasbara).

The Prime Minister’s Office is looking to invest up to 3 million shekels ($840,000) to recruit, organize and fund the activities of hundreds of university students, Haaretz reported. Sources in the Prime Minister’s Office told the newspaper that the main subjects that the campus-based units will deal with are diplomatic- and security-related issues, efforts to combat boycotts of Israel, anti-Semitism and the de-legitimization of Israel. The students will focus on Israel’s democratic values, freedom of religion, pluralism and “other subjects that give expression to the Israeli government’s public diplomacy policy.”

A member of the Israeli Knesset, Dov Lipman, and the Prime Minister’s Office’s director for interactive media, Danny Seaman, revealed the new initiative during a meeting of the Knesset’s Diaspora Affairs Committee last month.

The Prime Minister’s Office is planning to have Israel's student union recruit up to 550 students with knowledge of foreign languages from Israel’s seven universities. The student union is to publicize the project among tens of thousands of students, and is to provide computers and work space for a project headquarters at all university campuses. “With social media, you can’t wait,” an unnamed official involved in the effort told the Jerusalem Post.

“We will get authoritative information out and make sure it goes viral,” the official said. “We won’t leave negative stories out there online without a response, and we will spread positive messages. What we are doing is revolutionary. We are putting public diplomacy in the hands of the public. The covert units will be set up at each university and structured in a semi-military fashion. While groups will take directions from staff at the Prime Minister’s Office, the government says that officially they will be politically independent.

“The idea requires that the state’s role not be highlighted and therefore it is necessary to insist on major involvement by the students themselves without any political link [or] affiliation,” Seaman said. Leaders of covert units will receive full scholarships from the Prime Minister’s Office, which will fund a total of 2.78 million shekels ($780,000) in scholarships for the program in the upcoming academic year, Haaretz reported.

“The national public diplomacy unit in the PMO places an emphasis on social network activity,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. “As part of this, a new pro-Israel public diplomacy infrastructure of students on Israeli campuses is being established that will assist in advancing and disseminating content on the social networks, particularly to international audiences.” According to details provided to Israeli media, a government liaison officer for Israel advocacy will oversee the dissemination of “rapid responses” from Israeli officials to respond to news events, and coordinate with other government bodies that deal with public diplomacy, including the Israeli Defense Force.

The IDF has recently asserted a stronger, at times controversial presence on social media with mixed results. The new program may well seek to address perceived deficiencies in the way that Israel communicates with the world online. "The perception dominating the online discourse was that the IDF had embarked on an unjustified attack,” said Tomer Simon, an Israeli researcher who studied social networking activity during the conflict.

Last year, during Israel’s eight-day Operation Pillar of Defense, an incursion launched into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip in response to rocket attacks, the Palestinian group was widely seen as having won the war of words on online media. Haaretz reported that in the fallout of the military operation, the hashtag #GazaUnderAttack with 170,000 mentions easily surpassed Israel’s own #IsraelUnderFire, with a comparably meager 25,000 mentions.

RT

Asia as the New Theatre of War?: United States boosts Military Presence in the Philippines

If  the theory of 'imperial overstretch' means anything in the historical analysis of international relations, then the United States will have to and must definitely watch her acts. She has been putting her talons on many lands; overtly and covertly and has been the bane of many agonies. Though she does all for her survival but the pains and repercussions are felt mostly among innocents; the poor people. The Middle East is almost gone, the Shia'a-Sunni divide now has become an institutionalised phenomenon. Thanks to Washington's gunboat diplomacy.

Africa is already a tool in her hand as always since the 60s and centrally since the demise of the Soviet Union. The Obama administration once opined that America will now concentrate her efforts in the Asia-Pacific. Which means she will bolster her military presence as wars in the Mideast are becoming queasy, nauseous and tiresome. Now, the United States after holding on firmly to South Korea and Japan wants to really prove her commitment to choking China.

US forces are set for an “increased rotational presence” in the Philippines, following negotiations in Manila. The two countries aim to counter China’s growing ambitions in the region. The Pentagon currently conducts a regular joint exercise and has a rotating force of 500 troops in the Southern Philippines, but may send more soldiers and advanced equipment, or upgrade local facilities.  Officials say that no specifics have been laid out in the first round of a four-stage negotiation.

“There should be a focus on high-impact, high-value training exercises and activities that would focus on maritime security, maritime domain awareness and our perennial problem with disasters,” said Defence Undersecretary Pio Batino, who was present at the discussion. The Philippines was a US colony between 1898 and 1946, and the presence of American troops remains a controversial issue. The US abandoned its last base in the South Asian country in 1992.

But tensions in the region have escalated as in the past decade Beijing began to lay forceful claims to almost the entirety of the South China Sea (which the Philippines calls West Philippine Sea), that rounds the coastlines of most of the states in the region. As disputes over potentially lucrative sea lanes and underground mineral resources have grown more bitter, Manila has made diplomatic appeals to the UN over what it calls “excessive claims”, and has sought greater assistance from the United States.

After years of being bogged down in Afghanistan and Iraq, Washington has also re-directed its foreign policy towards Asia, signing a docking agreement for its warships with Singapore, and bolstering its troop numbers in Australia. Officials say that even when finalized, the new agreement will not specify exact troop numbers, and those will have to be negotiated on an annual basis.

Philippine officials have also sought to reassure the domestic audience that the increased presence will only be allowed with strict stipulations. Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Carlos Sorreta, who led the talks on his country’s side, told Reuters that the specific areas where the US troops will be stationed were to be listed, as well as their the activities and exercises. “But not the number of troops, not the operational details," he added.

Sorreta emphasized that no US facilities could be off-limits to Philippine officials (some have previously been denied access), and insisted that the country will not host nuclear weapons, and will not be used as a platform for “acts of aggression”. Not everyone is placated. Some politicians have objected both to the substance of the agreement, and the fact that it is likely to be signed only by the executive branch, without any input from lawmakers.

“Any policy that the government wants to implement as regards our security or military should undergo close scrutiny,” said Senator Gregorio Honasan. “It poses a lot of danger now that military troops and their equipment will soon arrive in the country.  It might create an impression of hostility and just add to the on-going tensions in our troubled waters.” A heightened US military presence in the region to offset Chinese influence will only increase tensions, argues author and journalist Afshin Rattansi.

“The idea that the United States is protecting the interests of the world against Chinese influence is clearly absurd,” Rattansi told RT. “All the United States is doing is ratcheting up military tension and pressure at a time when the world doesn’t need it.” Several dozen anti-American supporters also staged a protest outside the main army base where the talks took place. The next round of negotiations will take place in Washington before the end of the month.

Military, Democracy and the Muslim Brotherhood: Counting the Cost in Egypt

When Morsi was first ousted, many who supported his ouster thought it would be for  a period of time in which the Muslim Brotherhood will be made to dialogue and a real third way will be worked out for Egypt. Abdel Fattah El Sisi, as a good Field Marshal ought to know better that killing one's own citizens or allowing citizens to kill one another in a country where the military is reputed to be the most patriotic in the world is the hallmark of barbarism.

Continuous dialogue is the only panacea. Although Muslim Brotherhood was defiant, the interim government should and must know it has the right to. Its mandate was stolen. To the Brotherhood, Egypt has been taken back to where it was 18 months ago. It has every right to. El Sisi's act was to calm the tension many believed and as a good Egyptian, he should have avoided taken sides and encourage dialogue.

This left many with no doubt that he was indirectly responding to the Washington's cash oiling the engine of the Egyptian military. He is covertly protecting the interest of Tel Aviv which Washington is paying the military for not the interest of Egyptians unlike what many thought when Morsi was removed from the centre stage.

Four journalists died in violent clashes which swept the land of the Pharoahs. With a number of the press core suffering serious injuries in the clashes. At least 238 civilians died in total as security forces brutally broke up pro-Morsi rallies. The country has been swept by horrific street violence, showers of gunfire, blazing fires and tear gas as relentless clashes have shaken cities in government attempts to break up the demonstrations.

Among the 238 protesters killed were children, including the 17-year old daughter of a prominent Muslim Brotherhood official, Mohamed Al Beltagy. Police stations were torched or stormed by pro-Morsi groups amid the ruthless government suppression. The violence also took the lives of Sky News cameraman Mick Deane and Dubai-based XPRESS journalist Habeeba Abdelaziz.

Both had been covering the pro-Morsi protests in Egypt’s capital which security forces began to ‘disperse’ earlier in the day. Deane, 61, was shot as he was documenting the turmoil in Cairo. Despite receiving medical treatment for his injuries he died shortly afterwards, according to a statement from Sky. Habeeba Abdelaziz was a 26 year old Egyptian reporter from Dubai, who worked for XPRESS – a ‘sister’ publication to the country’s Gulf News.

“It’s hard to believe she’s gone. She was passionate about her work and had a promising career ahead,” XPRESS Deputy Editor Mazhar Farooqui told Gulf News, commenting that the entire team was in a state of shock. Abdelaziz had been covering protests near Cairo’s Rabaa al-Adawiya Mosque, which has been the site of one of the largest protests for over a month, and a subsequently heavy-handed crackdown by governmental security forces. Security forces later reclaimed the area.

The third journalist killed was Egyptian Ahmed Abdel Gawad of Al Akhbar newspaper. He died while covering the clashes  at Rabaah al-Adawiya. The Egyptian Press Syndicate, a journalist union, confirmed Gawad's death, but did not provide any details.

The fourth reporter to have been confirmed killed is photojournalist Mosab El-Shami Rassd of the news website (RNN), an alternative pro-Islamist media network, Ahram online reports. The agency wrote that he “was killed by the hand of betrayal while covering the Rabaa massacre at the hands of those who executed the coup,” wrote the network on its Facebook page.

Reuters photojournalist Asmaa Waguih also suffered serious injuries after being shot in the leg during protests. Shortly afterwards, she was moved to the international medical center to receive treatment. The Committee to Protect Journalists has released a statement on the issue, saying that the group condemned the killing of Sky News cameraman Mick Deane, prior to hearing of the second death.

“We call on Egyptian authorities to issue clear orders to security forces to respect the right of journalists to work freely and safely while covering events in Cairo and the rest of the country,” said CPJ Deputy Director Robert Mahoney. “The killing of Mick Deane underscores the urgent need for such action and for all sides to show restraint and allow the media to do their job. The authorities must investigate all attacks on journalists and hold those responsible to account,” he said.

Other journalist were also treated for wounds. An AP photographer was hit in the back of the neck by two birdshot pellets, while Al Jazeera claims its cameraman Mohammed al-Zaki was shot in the arm. In addition, Paris-based Reporters Without Borders says that Tarek Abbas — a reporter for local Al-Watan newspaper sustained gunshot wounds to his leg and eye; and photographer Ahmad Najjar was wounded in the arm.

Approximately a dozen other journalists were arrested or threatened as they tried to document the mayhem: Reuters’ Tom Finn tweeted his own arrest. Daily Beast reporter Mike Giglio also said on Twitter he was arrested alongside two photographers named Mahmoud Abou Zeid and Louis Jammes, stating they had been beaten too.

A month-long state of emergency has been declared after Egyptian security forces violently broke up the sit-in camps of Muslim Brotherhood supporters in Cairo. Health Ministry officials say that over 2000 were injured in the nationwide violence, alongside the 278 who were killed including policemen. “The dead are both from police and civilians,” said the ministry's spokesman, Hamdi Abdel Karim. However, Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Gehad El-Haddad claimed that as many as 2,000 people had been killed and 10,000 injured in the police operation.

Security forces succeeded in gaining control of the protest camps by the end of the day after turning the capital into what journalists called “a war zone”. A state of emergency has been declared and curfew imposed in major cities including Cairo, Alexandria and Suez. The curfew is set to last for the next month – or until further notice. @beltrew tweeted: "I've never seen such a bloody fight in Egypt.The security forces kept us ducking behind cars,under a barrage of bullets for 8 hours straight" as well as "If the massive bloodshed today wasn't bad enough, the Coptic Christians are under attack as well. Oh Egypt, Egypt, Egypt. Why?

APC and the Kindergarten President: A Valid Description of Nigeria and its Leaders

The All Progressives Congress has just given Nigeria a valid description of the land. A notable figure of the party, Chief Bisi Akande called the President of about 160 million people a kindergarten president and has so far been defended by the members of his party. This automatically means 160 million people are kindergarten pupils; at least, a people deserve their leader.

APC is simply telling us that we are not mature in Nigeria yet. The youths who are always joyous just because the presumed party of 'messiahs' has come, hence, support every single statement coming out of APC are those I shake my head for. What is the party's plan for your future? How best has it deployed its machinery using the media, social media and other avenues to commence discussions on the kind of future it wants to give you and Nigerians? What do we have so far? Insults! Abuses!! Aspersions!!!

If APC continues to devalue the office of the President as being 'worthless' then it is not 'worthy' to occupy same. The party that did not even thank those campaigning, making noises that it must be registered but expressly visited IBB by all standards cannot be trusted too. Akande's men in and from Osun and ACN members also voted for our dearly beloved 'Kindergarten President' anyway. Reverence is extremely taken seriously in Africa or has Akande and APC suddenly forgotten that?

Some of us who wanted PDP out as at then before the birth of APC and clamoured for an alternative wanted a party that will give PDP a good show for its dollars. APC has refused to start addressing issues on the myriads of problems facing Nigeria and lying Mohammed thinks he can continue to slap our intelligence by bamboozling us with grammars. Abati's response was by far better, full of courtesy and reverence than Akande's attack.

If you have written two letters to the President with no reply, why not make them public letters, let people decipher the ineptitude of the President and decide on him? Why groaning, moaning and writhing in pains like a political jobber that you are? I see a monster replacing a devil anyway. Hian Nigeria!!!

South Sudan: Independence or Avenue for Tribal Carnage?

South Sudan is the youngest nation, not only on the African continent, but on earth. It is a nation that many in Africa had hoped will be able to get its onus right and move away from the Sudan experience of wars and carnage.

No sooner had South Sudan became independent than numerous crises began. First it was oil bout with Sudan which almost led to war over Abyei. Then, tribal conflicts began and now becoming a major quagmire for the newest African nation.

Officials in South Sudan revealed that more than 300 people were killed and thousands sent fleeing into bush during two weeks of fighting between the army, rebels and rival tribes in the east of the country in July. The east is the major flash-point in South Sudan.

The army is grappling with a rebellion led by politician David Yau Yau in vast Jonglei state and new clashes have broken out between the Lou Nuer and Murle tribes. More than 1,600 people have been killed in a cycle of tribal violence in Jonglei since the break-up of Africa's largest country.

According to Reuters, a team of local chiefs travelling around Pibor County in Jonglei had reported 328 deaths so far - all Murle members and some of them women and children, according to Jodi Jonglei Boyoris, a senior state representative. The number of Lou Nuer killed and wounded remained unknown.

The death toll is expected to rise although the fighting had died down this month. Representatives of the South Sudan army and humanitarian groups said they were not able to confirm the figures. Boyoris said the fighting ended nearly three weeks ago but local officials were only now able to count the number of killed and wounded as people had started returning to their homes.

The United Nations has said thousands of people are hiding in the bush outside Pibor town in Jonglei to avoid the conflict between the army and Yau Yau, who says he is fighting corruption, army abuses and one-party rule in South Sudan.

The United Nations estimates 100,000 people have been affected by the conflict, with many fleeing to the bush and cut off from humanitarian access. To boost security, the UN recently advocated for drones and gunships to be deployed.

The situation in South Sudan could degenerate into cataclysmic civil war in the fashion of another Sudan or Somalia. In fact, Africa has two Somalias to currently contend with. One is South Sudan, the other is Central African Republic.

House of Representatives Member (APC) Escapes Attack in Lagos

Tragedy was averted on Wednesday in Lagos when a member of the House of Representatives, Chief Michael Ogunnusi, narrowly escaped being attacked by some aggrieved members of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria in Ifako-Ijaye Local Government, Lagos, during the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress in the council.

Trouble started when the lawmaker, who represents the council in the National Assembly while making a speech at the event announced a donation of N200,000 to augment efforts of the members and leaders across the ward levels in the council...

The lawmaker’s gesture angered many of the APC members, who rejected the money and disrupted the ceremony for what they termed “insult on them by the Reps member as if we are beggars.’’ The atmosphere was tense as Ogunnusi’s security aides made frantic efforts to whisk him away from the venue to save him from being attacked.

As they guarded him out of the vicinity, he was pelted with sachets of pure water by the rampaging youths. In the melee, chairs were broken and some party members and passers-by fled the area in different directions. One of the aggrieved APC members, who spoke with our correspondent(punch) shortly after normalcy returned to the venue, said it was not the amount of the money that angered the members but the manner it was offered.

He said, ‘‘Since election ended in 2011, Ogunnusi has refused to attend meetings in the local government, claiming he was busy with state matters in Abuja. He was avoiding us like a plague and now he came to woo us with N200,000 when election is approaching. He thinks we are beggars.’’

Another member, who gave her name as Kafayat, said, ‘‘What happened today is a proof that the electorate will no longer tolerate any member of the political class, who uses them during election and abandons them when he or she gets to position.”

Soji Akodu Asiwaju

Nigeria: Ogun State woos United States on Investment

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun has called on the United States to partner with his administration in its ongoing rebuilding agenda. Amosun made the call in Abeokuta when he received a delegation of the US Congress, led by Mr Jeffrey Hawkins, the US Consular-General to Nigeria.

The governor particularly requested the US to invest in the non-oil sector in Ogun state. He said that the state was blessed with many mineral deposits in commercial quantities, and that such resources include bitumen, kaolin phosphate, granite and limestone.

Amosun, who urged the US Government to take advantage of the business opportunities in the state, said that Ogun was open to genuine investors.

The governor described the state as the investment destination of choice, and assured the team of a conducive business climate and encouraging returns on investment.

Hawkins had earlier said the team was on a mission to know more about Nigeria, adding that the delegation was in Ogun to witness the ongoing infrastructure development in the state.

The United States and the European Union Express Worry over Egypt

The United States and the European Union said they remain concerned over the land of the Pharoah’s lack of political stability. Egypt has been embroiled in political turmoil since the ousting of President Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The US Secretary of State John Kerry and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said in a joint statement: "While further violent confrontations have thus far been avoided, we remain concerned and troubled that government and opposition leaders have not yet found a way to break a dangerous stalemate and agree to implement tangible confidence building measures."

Apparently, the US and EU envoys have failed in Cairo to facilitate peace in the political crisis, which has led to bloodshed since Egypt’s armed forces ousted President Morsi and essentially removed the Muslim Brotherhood from all positions of political influence. President Obama had said that any political calculation in Egypt must carry the Brotherhood along.

Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have also sent representatives to the Egyptian capital, aiming to reach some form of settlement. All parties are said to have been working intensively to bring both the armed forces and the political opposition together.

Egyptian leader, Adly Mansour has warned foreigners not to dabble and meddle unnecessarily in Egyptian affairs. The Muslim Brotherhood has also lambasted the US over its role and acts. Muslim Brotherhood told John Kerry that he will never accept the military ousting a President in Washington, hence, he goofed and gaffed by saying the military wanted to restore democracy through the ousting of Morsi.

Zimbabwe's Ruling Party Plans to Transform Economy by Transferring more Wealth to Citizens

The ruling party in Zimbabwe said it plans to transform the economy by transferring more wealth to its citizens. Mugabe and his Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front will boost the economy through its policies of indigenization and economic empowerment, ZANU-PF officials revealed.

“Over the next five years, Zimbabwe is going to witness a unique wealth-transfer model that will see ordinary people take charge of their economy,” it said. “The people of Zimbabwe have given President Robert Mugabe and ZANU-PF a clear mandate to transform the economy through indigenization and economic empowerment.”

Robert Mugabe recently won the just concluded election which his rival Morgan Tsvangirai described as a 'huge farce' and 'null and void'. Many wondered how Mugabe could have won again though Western nations and Botswana are in doubt of his victory but his victory is hinged on the fact that he has created a niche for Tsvangirai as a western tool.

Mugabe with his appellation of Tsvangirai will always defeat him because Zimbabweans are scared of losing their lands again not when they can remember the notorious Ian Smith Rhodesia regime and the White supremacists. Mugabe received the applause of meaningful African leaders from Nigeria to South Africa much to the chagrin of his rival Morgan Tsvangirai.

Mugabe, 89, extended his 33-year rule of the Southern African nation with 61 percent of the vote in the July 31 election and his party secured a two-thirds majority in parliament. Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who won 34 percent, called on the African Union and the 15-nation Southern African Development Community to back his demand for a rerun.

With its indigenization policy, Mugabe and ZANU-PF have forced mining companies such as Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd. (IMP) and Anglo American Platinum Ltd. (AMS) to cede majority stakes in their local assets to black Zimbabweans or the government. The Southern African nation has the world’s second-biggest platinum and chrome reserves, as well as diamond, gold and coal deposits.

Tsvangirai had promised to repeal the indigenization measure. Mugabe has also redistributed majority of the lands which were held by the minutest white population. This was the beginning of his fisticuffs with the West who wanted the status quo just as it is in Namibia where the Black population has no say on the economy as well as in South Africa where almost the entire wealth is concentrated in the hands of the whites.

European Union and China end their largest trade row over Solar Panel

The European Union has approved a plan that will improve the position of European solar panel producers and simultaneously leave Chinese manufactures spared sky-high duties after about two years of price disputes.

The agreement signed by the European Commission (EC), the European Union’s (EU) executive arm in Brussels, sets a minimum price for the panels, as well as the volume limit on EU imports until the end of 2015.

Under the agreement, a minimum price would stand at 56 euro cents a watt for annual imports from China up to as much as 7 gigawatts, according to a European trade official speaking last weekend, when the commission announced that a deal had been reached. And the provisional levies would range between 37.3 percent to 67.9 percent, depending on the company.

The agreement’s main target is to limit competition with European solar – panels producers, who’ve been complaining the Chinese sold at below – cost price, a practice known as dumping.

The agreement will be officially published on Saturday and takes effect on August 6. Those Chinese manufactures who agree to the terms will avoid duties the 28-nation EU had planned to impose.

Karel De Gucht, EU Trade Commissioner announced the settlement with China on July 27 after weeks of what he called “intensive” talks.

Earlier in  June, the EC decided to apply a 11.8 percent levy on Chinese  solar panels for two months before rising the charge to 67.9 percent.

RT