US military document reveals how the West opposed a democratic Syria
by Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed
US military documents from 2011 and 2016 reveal that although officials wanted a Syrian regime change in theory, they thought it was highly unlikely to actually happen — and hoped that if President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown, he would not be replaced by an opposition-led Syrian democracy but, rather, the same Alawite-Baathist ruling structure would continue. The end result was to be the decimation of the democratic opposition, the consolidation of Islamist forces and regime preservation.
‘The US has given up on the overthrow of Assad in Syria’, wroteRobert Fisk this summer. Indeed, as the Russian-backed Syrian army prepared to execute its final offensive on Idlib, western governments appeared to signal their acceptance of a bloody victory for Assad, despite the ritual denunciations.
Fan Bingbing's disappearance shows no one is safe from Beijing
By Michael Caster
We know that China often disappears and abuses human rights defenders but when it can disappear even one of its most famous celebrities, the threat of enforced disappearance looms over anyone China claims within its jurisdiction.
Fan Bingbing, one of China's most famous actresses, known internationally for films such as "X-Men: Days of Future Past", has not been seen in public since June.
Though the details of her disappearance remain unknown, it seems most likely that Fan Bingbing is now the highest profile victim of China's newest system for enforced disappearances, known as liuzhi, under the powerful National Supervision Commission (NSC)established by the Chinese Communist Party in early 2018.
THE UNITED NATIONS accidentally published passwords, internal documents, and technical details about websites when it misconfigured popular project management service Trello, issue tracking app Jira, and office suite Google Docs.
The mistakes made sensitive material available online to anyone with the proper link, rather than only to specific users who should have access. Affected data included credentials for a U.N. file server, the video conferencing system at the U.N.’s language school, and a web development environment for the U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Security researcher Kushagra Pathak discovered the accidental leak and notified the U.N. about what he found a little over a month ago. As of today, much of the material appears to have been taken down.
Retaliation for Potential Syrian Chemical AttackGermany Faces New Pressure to Take Military Role
Under pressure from the United States, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her defense minister have signaled an increased willingness to take military action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in case of a chemical weapons attack. But their options are limited by domestic reality.
Richard Grenell is a man of many faces. The new American ambassador in Berlin mostly comes across as the imperious proconsul of a superpower, and sometimes as Donald Trump's loyal mouthpiece, but rarely as a diplomat.
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On Thursday morning, the American decided to take on a new role. At a breakfast hosted by the Middle East Peace Forum breakfast, he opted for the role of placating politician.
On Thursday morning, the American decided to take on a new role. At a breakfast hosted by the Middle East Peace Forum breakfast, he opted for the role of placating politician.
The Bodyguard's female Muslim bomber character stirs debate
Around 11 million watched The Bodyguard finale, the latest UK show to draw criticism over inclusion and representation.
by Aina Khan
Representing characters from minority backgrounds as complex, humanised beings has long been a contentious issue within the British arts landscape.
The season finale on Sunday of The Bodyguard, a BBC drama, is the latest television show to be criticised for how it represented characters from ethnic minority backgrounds.
According to the public broadcaster, 11 million people tuned in to the last five minutes of the episode - the highest ratings since 2008, when Brits were hooked on Doctor Who.
Hiroshima High Court signs off on restart of reactor at Shikoku Electric’s Ikata nuclear power plant
KYODO
The Hiroshima High Court on Tuesday accepted an appeal by Shikoku Electric Power Co. allowing it to restart a halted reactor at its Ikata nuclear power plant in Ehime Prefecture, saying worries over a volcanic eruption damaging the plant are “groundless.”
The decision is an about-face from its earlier provisional injunction that demanded the utility halt the No. 3 unit at the plant until the end of this month, citing safety risks associated with potential volcanic activity in a nearby prefecture.
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