POLITICS & POLICY

Israel Makes Diplomatic Push to Stall ‘Bad’ Iran Nuclear Deal

Israel is making an all out effort among world powers to ensure, a deal on the nuclear issue that it considers bad, is not reached with Iran. Reports say Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken to leaders from the U.S., Russian, French, German and British leaders in a attempt to convince them that the deal under discussion in Geneva is a bad deal. Israeli officials are also seeking to lobby with the U.S. Congress in a attempt to block efforts to ease sanctions against Iran.

Geneva Talks Fail to Convince Iran to Suspend Enrichment

After growing hopes that a deal on Iran’s nuclear programme seemed plausible, the talks in Geneva have ended without an agreement on convincing Iran to suspend its nuclear enrichment programme in exchange for temporary relief from sanctions. Earlier, on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had cut-short his Middle East trip to attend the Geneva Conference. With Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reaching Geneva on Saturday, speculation grew that a deal with Iran might be imminent.

Indonesia Rejected Australia’s Request on Boat People, Twice

The Indonesian government denied Australia’s requests to send asylum seeking boat people back to Indonesia on two occasions since the launch of Operation Sovereign Borders, according to Australian government reports. Australian Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said on Sunday that his government had made four requests to Indonesia to accept asylum seekers whom the coastal patrol had found in Indonesia's search and rescue region.
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Command and Control of U.S. Drone Operations Remains with CIA, Says Report

Since March 2013, news has been going around that the Obama administration was planning to shift its lethal targeted killing drone programme from the CIA to a more transparent Department of Defence (DoD). But as it turns out now, the shift of operational control has been stalled, at least for the time-being. Reports say it is not expected to happen any time soon. The reasons: operational efficiency and flexibility to carry out covert deployment.

Congo: Battered and Defeated, M23 Announces End of Rebellion

M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which at one point occupied a regional capital of Goma, have announced an end to its almost 2 years of insurgent struggle stating that they are ready to search for a political solution to the root causes which led to its creation. The end of the rebellion, however, came just hours after the government forces claimed total victory after driving the rebels from their last two strongholds.

U.S. Agencies Ordered Medical Staff to Sidestep Ethics in Terror-related Interrogation, says Task Force Report

The U.S. military and intelligence agencies directed doctors and psychologists working in U.S. military detention centres violated their ethical agreements when dealing with terror detainees. These charges have been made in a taskforce report released by the Institute on Medicine as a Profession. The independent taskforce included a panel of military, ethics, medical, public health, and legal experts.

Brazil Spied on U.S. Russia, Iran and Iraq, says Report

Brazil’s government on Monday admitted that its top intelligence agency spied on diplomatic targets from countries including the U.S., Iran and Russia. Brazil’s Institutional Security Cabinet, however, clarified that the spying operation conducted a decade ago, were relatively basic and “in absolute compliance” with the country’s legislation.

Japan Launches Largest 70MW Solar Power Plant

Japan has launched its largest 70 megawatt (MW) capable solar power plant, two years after radiation problems have gone overboard at the Fukushima power plant which was crippled by a tsunami in March 2011, following a magnitude 9 earthquake.

Just How Do Kids React Really to Gay Marriage? Video Shows You Their Reactions

They might just be kids but there is no mistaking that these young children provide the most honest and truthful reactions and opinions to just about any subject matter presented to them under the sun. In the latest installment from the Kids React series, American filmmakers Benny and Rafi Fine delved on gay equality and same-sex marriage. The reactions they got from the kids were, basically, overwhelmingly positive.

New Zealand Passes Telecoms Interception Bill for Spying on Email, Texts, Calls

The New Zealand Parliament has passed a new law, requiring telecommunication companies to allow intelligence agencies to access their subscriber's emails, calls and texts. Under the Telecommunications Interceptions and Security Capability Bill, companies will need to consult with the spy agency doing the eavesdropping.

Doomsday WW3 Rising? China Warns Japan of War if Latter Blasts Down Drone

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's rhetoric of blasting Chinese drones should these cross over the former's boundaries has upped the anxiety levels between two countries. A retired Chinese military commander has warned Japan ought to be prepared executing and defending should its rhetorics escalate to war.

New Zealand Parliament to Pass New Cyber Bullying Bill After Roast Busters Expose

The New Zealand Parliament is set to introduce a bill to put an end to cyber bullying of groups like Roast Busters. Authorities investigating the group said Roast Busters has bragged of having sex with drunk and young girls since 2011. After doing the deeds, the group will then post the names on a Facebook page and shame them.

Turkey’s Abdullah Gul: Syria 'Dying', No Hope Left

Lending credence to the argument that the U.S. and Europe allowed the situation in Syria to deteriorate, Turkey's President Abdullah Gul said Syria is dying and threatens to become an "Afghanistan on the shores of the Mediterranean."

Pakistan Begins Talks with Pakistan Taliban

Pakistan has announced that it has begun talks with the Pakistan Taliban in an effort to find a peaceful solution to end the years of violence that has plagued the country. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif revealed this at a meeting with British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in London on Thursday. Mr. Sharif, however, did not give any further details of the discussions and neither did he reveal what was on the agenda.

OPCW Crosses Key Milestone, Syria’s Chemical Weapon Production Capability Destroyed

Syria no longer has the capability to produce chemical weapons, at least as far as their disclosed facilities are concerned. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) tasked with the job of destroying Syria’s chemical weapon stockpile has said that it has overseen the destruction of equipment used for producing, mixing and filling chemical weapons. This achievement comes a day before the Nov 1 deadline.

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