January 1, 2014

Split Over Tactics As Jonathan Pollard Drive Heats Up

Link convicted spy to peace talks? Leaders divided on way forward after clemency fails.

12/31/13 Stewart Ain

After President Barack Obama again refused to include imprisoned Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard on his Christmas clemency list, supporters of Pollard’s release are conflicted on how best to proceed.

There are some who believe Pollard, who has already served 28 years of a life sentence, should be freed in light of recent revelations that the U.S. spied on the e-mails of senior Israeli leaders, including the prime minister and defense minister.

“Is this how friends treat each other?” asked Israeli Transportation and Road Safety Minister Israel Katz. “Pollard was arrested for much less.”

Others believe Israel should demand Pollard’s release in return for making concessions in the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

“I do think that in the context of negotiations with the Palestinians something could be done that would provide the basis for his release,” said Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. “I have always said and I do believe that this is the option that would make a difference. …”

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http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/international-news/split-over-tactics-pollard-drive-heats-up

January 1, 2014

Putin Triumphs In 2013 Yet Tough Challenges Loom

Displaying the killer instincts of a chess grandmaster, Vladimir Putin rang out 2013 with an exceptional list of accomplishments.

The Russian president humiliated the United States by sheltering NSA leaker Edward Snowden, brokered a Syrian chemical weapons deal that averted a seemingly inevitable U.S. military strike and outmaneuvered the 28-nation European Union in the wrestling match for influence over Ukraine.

Putin also surprised both his own people and the world by pardoning his old foe, former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and allowing an amnesty that got two Pussy Riot punk band members and over two dozen Greenpeace anti-oil drilling activists out of prison.

"It's Putin's moment. He should feel quite happy," said Gleb Pavlovsky, a political strategist and onetime adviser to the Kremlin.

But as the 61-year-old leader prepares for his pet project _ the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi _ to begin in February, dark clouds are hovering. Two terrorist attacks in the southern city of Volgograd this week raised the specter of continuing violence in the run-up to the games. In addition, the Sochi Olympics are still dogged by fierce criticism over the Russian law signed by Putin that bans so-called "gay propaganda" for minors.

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http://rapidcityjournal.com/sports/olympics/putin-triumphs-in-yet-tough-challenges-loom/article_33d02336-a6ee-5c0b-9a2d-45bc6b98aa82.html

January 1, 2014

Poll: United States Seen As Greatest Threat To World Peace In 2013

Once again the United States has topped the list in a world opinion poll as the biggest threat to world peace. Apparently the War On Terror has succeeded in making people terrified of us. The disclosures of NSA’s plan for global information awareness by whistleblower Edward Snowden probably did not help things much either.
The poll was conducted by Win/Gallup International which started the global survey in 1977, this year national probability samples of around 1,000 people were surveyed in each of the 65 countries polled, a total of 66,806 respondents.

The survey of opinions across 65 countries by pollster Win/Gallup International recorded some of the strongest anti-American sentiment, predictably, in countries widely regarded as rivals, led by Russia (where 54 percent of respondents said the U.S. was the greatest threat to peace) and China (49 percent).

But the view that the U.S. poses the greatest threat to peace was also strongly held in some purported U.S. allies – such as NATO partners Greece and Turkey (45 percent each), and Pakistan (44 percent), which is also a top recipient of U.S. aid.

Pakistan was listed as a distant second among country’s posing the greatest threat to peace overall though it did win top spot among those surveyed in India.

The US also doesn’t have many fans in Latin America and a very mixed impression in the European Union.

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http://news.firedoglake.com/2013/12/31/united-states-seen-as-greatest-threat-to-world-peace-in-2013/

January 1, 2014

Russian President Vladimir Putin Vows To Destroy Terrorists After Volgograd Suicide Bombings

By: Reuters Published on Tue Dec 31 2013

VOLGOGRAD, RUSSIA—Eerily empty buses lumbered through the streets, police weighed down with body armour warily watched pedestrians near a fast-food restaurant, and members of Cossack units stood guard at bus stops. Volgograd was an ominous and jittery city on Tuesday, after two suicide bombings in two days that killed 34 people.

--CLIP
Police reinforcements and Interior Ministry troops have been sent into Volgograd, regional police official Andrei Pilipchuk was quoted as telling the Interfax news agency. He said more than 5,200 security forces are deployed in the city of 1 million, but did not say how much of an increase that was from normal levels.

Officers and security guards carefully searched the purses of young women entering a shopping centre and waved metal detectors over both males and females.

The Cossacks guarding some bus stops added an unsettling note. Although these units are officially authorized volunteer patrols, they are descendants of the fierce horsemen who protected the czars and launched raids on Muslims in the Russian Caucasus, where the Islamist insurgency is now centred.

Volgograd authorities have cancelled mass events for New Year’s Eve, one of Russia’s most popular holidays, and asked residents not to set off fireworks. In addition, all movie theatres have been closed until Thursday. In Moscow, festivities were to go ahead, but authorities said security would be increased.

President Vladimir Putin, in his New Year’s Eve address to the nation, vowed that the fight against terrorists will continue “until their destruction is complete,” Russian news agencies reported.

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http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/12/31/russian_police_round_up_dozens_after_volgograd_suicide_bombings.html

January 1, 2014

Return Of Popular Downton Abbey PBS Series Is Reason For A Fancy Tea Party

Are you counting down the days until "Downton Abbey" is back on the air? Been watching reruns so often you've practically memorized the dialogue? Well, Season 4 premieres Sunday, and what better way to celebrate the return of the Crawleys than to throw a tea party?

"We are huge fans of the show," said Diane Wisdom, who owns Wisdom Tea House in Monument with her husband, Tom. "Last year, with the start of Season 3, we had customers order cream scones, house cream and lemon curd from us because they had been watching the series and duplicating tea at home."

Wisdom has plenty of fun ideas to share as Season 4 kicks off.

"I want to offer customers a package of some kind along the lines of afternoon tea with a 'Downton Abbey' flair," Wisdom said.

She gets inspiration for her teatime menus from several sources, including Tea Time magazine. And, fittingly, the January issue's feature story is "A Downton Abbey Tea." The magazine menu hones in on the classic British tea favorites: cucumber tea sandwiches and Victoria Sponge Cake. But then it tosses in a show-stopper: Chocolate Biscuit Cake.


Read more at http://gazette.com/return-of-popular-downton-abbey-pbs-series-is-reason-for-a-fancy-tea-party/article/1511831#hMShMYgj1vvoRfJK.99