Saturday, March 19, 2016

Συναντήσεις με τους έλληνες της Αυλώνας του Πρέσβη της Ελλάδος και του Γενικού Προέδρου της Ομόνοιας

ομονοια αυλώνα 3ομονοια αυλώνα 5ομονοια αυλώνα 2

Μαρτίου 18, 2016 ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΕΙΣ, ΓΡΑΦΕΙΟ ΤΥΠΟΥ, ΔΕΛΤΙΑ ΤΥΠΟΥ, ΔΡΑΣΕΙΣ, ΕΠΙΚΑΙΡΟΤΗΤΑ Σχολιάστε


ΔΕΛΤΙΟ ΤΥΠΟΥ

ομονοια αυλώνα 2Ο Πρέσβης της Ελλάδος στα Τίρανα, κ. Λεωνίδας Ροκανάς και ο Γενικός Πρόεδρος της Ομόνοιας, κ. Λεωνίδας Παππάς πραγματοποίησαν δύο σημαντικές συναντήσεις με τους Έλληνες κατοίκους της Αυλώνας.

Η κωμόπολη της Νάρτας μαζί με το διπλανό χωριό Ζβερνέτσι έχουν εγγεγραμμένους περισσότερους από 5.000 κατοίκους που έχουν ως μητρική γλώσσα την ελληνική, αλλά ποτέ δεν αναγνωρίστηκαν από το αλβανικό κράτος ως ελληνική μειονότητα. Οι ίδιοι εκφράζουν την περηφάνια τους για την ελληνικής τους καταγωγή και εξέφρασαν αίτημα για στενότερη επικοινωνία με τους θεσμούς της Ελληνικής Μειονότητας, αλλά και του εθνικού μας κέντρου. Στις τοποθετήσεις τους, τόσο ο κ, Ροκανάς όσο και ο κ. Παππάς, εξέφρασαν την ευγνωμοσύνη και το θαυμασμό τους προς αυτήν την κοινότητα, αλλά και την δέσμευση τους για περισσότερη στήριξη. Στην Νάρτα λειτουργεί φροντιστήριο εκμάθησης της ελληνικής γλώσσας με δύο τμήματα υπό την ενίσχυση της Ελληνικής Πρεσβείας και άλλων φορέων. Διαπιστώθηκε στη συζήτηση πως είναι απαραίτητη μία πιο συντονισμένη προσπάθεια για την επίλυση οικονομικών, υλικοτεχνικών και άλλων ζητημάτων, κάτι που αποφασίστηκε να γίνει για όλα τα φροντιστήρια που λειτουργούν σε όλη την επικράτεια.

Πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα και εποικοδομητική ήταν επίσης η συνάντηση που έγινε με τους Έλληνες της Αυλώνας σε κεντρικό ξενοδοχείο της πόλης. Ο Πρέσβης της Ελλάδος στα Τίρανα μίλησε για τον σπουδαίο γεωπολιτικό ρόλο που διαδραματίζει η Ελλάδα, παρόλο που την βαραίνει μια πολυετή οικονομική κρίση. Μίλησε για τις ελληνοαλβανικές σχέσεις, τις οποίες χαρακτήρισε με ανοδική δυναμική. Διαβεβαίωσε τους παραβρισκόμενους για το αμείωτο ενδιαφέρον της Ελληνικής Κυβέρνησης για την Εθνική Ελληνική Μειονότητα στην Αλβανία.

Στην τοποθέτηση του ο Γενικός Πρόεδρος της Ομόνοιας έκανε την αυτοκριτική του: «Για λόγους που δικαιολογούνται αλλά και όχι, η «Ομόνοια» δεν επέδειξε την δέουσα προσοχή στην Αυλώνα. Ο ελληνισμός στην πόλη σας είναι μια μικρογραφία του βορειοηπειρωτικού ελληνισμού, καθώς σε αυτήν έχουμε πολλούς από τη Χειμάρρα, από τη Νάρτα, από τη Δρόπολη, από τα Ριζά, από το Πωγώνι, από το Βούρκο, αλλά και πολλούς Ελληνόβλαχους. Μετά τα Τίρανα είναι ίσως το δεύτερο αστικό κέντρο της Αλβανίας με τον περισσότερο απόδημο ελληνισμό. Η συνάντηση αυτή που τιμάται ιδιαίτερα με την παρουσία του Έλληνα Πρέσβη, θα είναι η αρχή για ένα νέο ξεκίνημα της Ομόνοιας στην Αυλώνα», είπε μεταξύ άλλων ο Γενικός Πρόεδρος ανακοινώνοντας ότι στο άμεσο μέλλον θα υπάρξουν και άλλες συναντήσεις. Οι παραβρισκόμενοι αφού εξέφρασαν τη ευχαρίστησή τους για την χωρίς προηγούμενο συνάντηση, συμμετείχαν σε μία πολύωρη εποικοδομητική συζήτηση.


Αυλώνα 18/03/2016

‘Suicidal’: Italian Politician Slams EU-Turkey Migrant Deal

 An informal refugee camp (File)
© AFP 2016/ GIANLUIGI GUERCIA
EUROPE
11:21 19.03.2016(updated 11:26 19.03.2016) Get short URL
Topic: Major Migrant Crisis in Europe (1231)
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Matteo Salvini, leader of the anti-immigrant Northern League (Lega Nord), was angered by the outcome of Sunday's EU summit which anticipates giving 3 billion euros in aid for Syrian refugees in Turkey, while re-energizing Turkey's EU acceleration.

“Europe [of German Chancellor Angela] and [Italian Prime Minister Matteo] Renzi has bent under Turkish blackmail. With a threat to inundate us with migrants the Turks are taking home 3 billion euros and our promise to accept them into Europe. This is a suicidal decision, devoid of any common sense,” Matteo Salvini wrote on his Facebook page Friday.

He accused Europe of financing Turkey, which “is financing the Islamic State terrorist group.”

“I don’t want to see Turkey in Europe,” Salvini wrote.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu poses with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (L) and European Council President Donald Tusk (R) during a European Union leaders summit on migration in Brussels, Belgium, March 18, 2016.

The EU and Turkey have reached an agreement on limiting migration to Europe during the talks in Brussels on Friday, various officials said.
Earlier in March, Europe and Ankara agreed on a deal under which Turkey pledged to take back all undocumented migrants that had arrived to the European Union in exchange for Syrian refugees on a one-for-one basis.

In return, the European Union pledged to accelerate Turkey's EU accession process and introduce a visa-free regime between Turkey and Europe, as well as to provide a total of 3 billion euros to Turkey for dealing with the refugees.

The European Union also promised to help Turkey improve the humanitarian situation in parts of neighboring Syria.

REQUEST FOR THE RETURN OF CHURCHES, MONASTERIES AND SACRED OBJECTS



 
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Source: Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania

March 12, 2016


   
The Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania

Clergy-Laity Assembly (Attended by over 300 participants, including the clergy of Albania, laymen, and the youth of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania)

To State Authorities in Charge

Request for the Return of Churches, Monasteries and Sacred Objects

Photos that show young girls advertising wedding dresses on the despotic throne, or in front of the Beautiful Gate and iconostasis icons, specifically inside the historic Orthodox churches of Berati and Elbasan are a great insult to the Orthodox Church.

This is obviously a sacrilege and an insult to religious feelings. Certainly, such occurrences spoil the religious harmony for which our country boasts. Also, we highlight that such repeated offensive actions do not "promote" the cultural heritage of our country. It is worth mentioning the fact that such sacrilegious acts have not been committed towards any cult objects of the other religious communities in Albania. Therefore we protest because the state bodies, which still hold possession of the sacred sites and objects, even after twenty-five years of democracy in the country, give permission to desecrate the holy and gracious objects of the Orthodox Church.

We ask for the law nr. 10057 Article 22/2 dated on 22/01/2009 on the "Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Albania and the Albanian Orthodox Church” to be finally applied and all the holy churches, monasteries, holy relics, icons and sacred objects of worship to be returned with no delay or excuses to the Orthodox Church. They are highly respected, honored and are sacred to all the Orthodox people around the world but also to the faithful in Albania.

The New Monastery of St. Vlasios, Durres

March 12, 2016

Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania

17 / 03 / 2016

EU Commissioner: We were unprepared for refugee crisis


Europe was facing a problem like no other, says EU's Commissioner for Migration
EU Commissioner: We were unprepared for refugee crisis
EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos delivers a speech during a joint press conference with Albanian Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri (R) at the Albanian Interior Ministry in Tirana, Albania on March 18, 2016. ( Olsi Shehu - Anadolu Agency )

The European Union Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos has said EU countries were not prepared to deal with the refugee crisis.
Avramopoulos was speaking during an official visit to the Albanian capital Tirana on Friday.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri, Avramopoulos said that:
"Europe was unprepared and facing a problem like no other. EU countries were not prepared to deal with the refugee crisis."
Avramopoulos also announced that if Albania becomes a transit country for refugees, the EU is to help to deal with the influx.
During the visit Avramopoulos also met President Bujar Nishani, Prime Minister Edi Rama and the Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati.

Thursday, March 17, 2016

"Turkey won't be ready to join EU even in 10 years"


European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker says there is no chance Turkey would join the EU in the next ten years.
Source: Tanjug
(Tanjug, file)
(Tanjug, file)
Turkey started its accession talks in 2005. The country and the EU recently provisionally agreed to speed up membership and visa liberalization negotiations in exchange for Ankara helping Europe in tackling the migrant crisis.
"Turkey is currently not ready for accession. I think that won’t be the case in 10 years either," Juncker told German Handelsblatt newspaper.

The European Council will hold a two-day meeting to consider the EU-Turkey action plan that envisions "a one-for-one exchange of undocumented migrants for approved refugees," Sputnik is reporting.

"In the coming days, we will conclude a binding agreement with Turkey, which we had already prepared during the last summit," Juncker said, adding he was "cautiously optimistic."

Prince Charles tours monastery, nature reserve


Britain's Prince Charles on Thursday visited the Serbian Orthodox Monastery in Kovilj, in the province of Vojvodina.
Source: Beta
(Tanjug)
(Tanjug)
The monks there produce organic honey and brandy, Beta agency has reported.
He also toured a rehabilitation project dubbed "The Land of the Living," and took a boat ride the Kovilj-Petrovaradin Marsh - a special nature reserve - while his wife Camilla visited the "Food is Great" event in the town of Sremski Karlovci, and a beekeeping museum and winery.

Earlier in the day they visited the Catholic Port in Novi Sad and unveiled a memorial plaque dedicated to British humanitarian workers, and later met with curators and children taking part in a Matica Srpska Gallery project organized by the British Council.
(Tanjug)
(Tanjug)
The British royals will return to Belgrade this evening, Beta reported, where Prince Charles will be the guest of honor at a reception organized in the Serbian National Assembly.

This will conclude the two-day visit during which he met with Serbia's top officials, religious leaders, the Karadjordjevic family, and representatives of the culture scene and the diplomatic corps.

Beta noted that the British royal couple arrived in Belgrade from Croatia, and will be in Montenegro and in Kosovo starting tomorrow.

Syrian Kurds Ready to Present Federalization Project to Int'l Community

Kurdish people carry flags as they march during a protest in the city of al-Derbasiyah, on the Syrian-Turkish border, against what the protesters said were the operations launched in Turkey by government security forces against the Kurds, February 9, 2016

© REUTERS/ Rodi Said
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The Syrian Kurds are seeking to finalize the federalization project as soon as possible to present it to the United Nations and to other countries, the head of the Syrian Kurds representative office in Moscow told Sputnik Thursday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, Kurds have announced the creation of a federal region in northern Syria.
“The two people who will represent the [federal system] project have been appointed today. When the project is finalized, we will present it to any state and to the United Nations. This an ideal project for Syria and for settling the conflict,” Rodi Osman said.
On Tuesday, reports appeared citing the plans of the Kurds to declare a "federation" in Northern Syria, which would remain a part of the country.
The Syrian government responded saying that the Kurds’ decision had no legal impact.

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Simitis warns that Greece may be faced with a fait accompli


The government must call the EU to make a stament on its Decemeber 1999 decision regarding border disputes

Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Simitis warns that Greece may be faced with a fait accompli
The former Prime Minister Kostas Simitis has commented on the risk of Greece being faced with a a ‘fait accompli’, in relation to the upcoming European Council summit meeting on the 17th of March.
Mr. Simitis argued that the Greek government must be especially careful in the negotiations for Turkey's accession to the European Union, which begin on Thursday. The former PM notes that the EU decided in 1999 that each prospect state must bring forward its border disputes with a member-state before the International Courts.
As such, the former PM argues, the Greek government must demand that the European Union makes a statement on this decision, since Turkey may later claim that the rule was never enforced. Turkey may then set a precedent and make demands against Greek interests.
 “If we want peace, cooperation and international support we must insist upon regulations that exclude future conflicts. Otherwise, we will be at the mercy of momentary problems, such as the refugee crisis today” he concluded.

UN Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie visits Piraeus and Idomeni


The famous actress and human rights activist was initially expected to visit the refugee camp on Lesvos

Wednesday, March 16, 2016
UN Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie visits Piraeus and Idomeni
1
Hollywood actress and UN Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie has visited gate E1 at the port of Piraeus, where thousands of refugees have found shelter. Mrs. Jolie will then travel to Idomeni, where she is expected at 3pm.
Initially the famous actress was expected to travel from Lebanon to Lesvos on Tuesday evening, however her flight was postponed for Wednesday. Sources from the  UNHCR and Ministry of Migration Policy later revealed that her trip to Lesvos has been cancelled.

RTS "postpones" documentary to protect Croats who made it


The documentary "15 Minutes - The Massacre in Dvor" was not broadcast again on Serbia's state TV RTS due to pressure from Croatia.
Source: RTS
"Although tonight (Tuesday) we should have re-broadcast the Danish documentary film which deals with crimes committed during (Croatia's) Operation Storm, we are postponing the broadcast. RTS has been asked to do this by producers from Denmark, for the sake of the safety of Croatian team that participated in the making of the film," RTS said in a statement.
They added that the film has been shown at festivals and TV stations around the world, and will be screened next week at a festival in The Hague.

21 years have gone by without an answer about the crime in Dvor-na-Uni, and last night in Serbia went without another reminder of it. Nine disabled and elderly people were executed during the massacre, eight Serbs and a Croat.

"Due to the current situation in Croatia, it is not convenient to show the film, because it could lead to an escalation of the situation while we are trying to solve it," said the Serbian state TV, and added: "It would be very dangerous for a part of the Croatian team. The accusations against the film are unjustified, but until it reaches the Croatian audience, it is best to wait."

Croatians believe that the film is "directed against them" and "tendentious and superficial." They also dispute the participation of General Mile Novakovic, the consulting of Savo Strbac, as well as the fact one tenth of its financing came from the Croatian Audio-Visual Center.

"Some people emerged who have tried to find what's national in a film that is anational, so they declared it to be anti-Croatian propaganda made in Serbia. All that without checking, (without) a healthy basis," said RTS journalist Vladimir Banic.

Due to the bombing, on the first day of Croatia's Operation Storm, August 4, 1995, residents from a nursery home and patients from a psychiatric ward were evacuated from Petrinja to Dvor-na-Uni.

They were transferred to a school surrounded by UN peacekeepers, UNPROFOR. It was considered to be the safest place. The film primarily deals with the responsibility of a Danish battalion that could have prevented the crime. The Danes justified the fact they did not react by asserting they had no mandate to act.

The film also mentions that on the day of the killings, August 8, there was "another army" in this town except the Serb one - but does not state who killed the civilians.

"We do not know who they were, nor does the film show who they were, the film only shows footage of the Croatian army being in the vicinity that day. It could have been done by Serbs or by Croats because they both were there. Why would Serbs kill Serbs?," asked Savo Strbac from the Documentation and Information Center Veritas.

Croats deny that they were in Dvor and attribute the crime to Serbs. However, the recordings made by Danish soldiers and the official note of their commander show that Croatian soldiers were "only 50 meters away from the crime scene" during the massacre.

Thaci wants Serbia to "recognize Kosovo"


Hashim Thaci has said that Belgrade and Pristina "need a compromise that will allow a better future."
Source: Tanjug
(Tanjug/AP)
(Tanjug/AP)
Thaci, who was recently elected Kosovo's president in the Kosovo Assembly and will assume that office in April, also said that Serbia should "recognize Kosovo and not prevent its international integration," Tanjug is quoting a report in Pristina-based Albanian language daily Koha Ditore.
Ethnic Albanians unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo in 2008. Serbia considers the proclamation a violation of its Constitution and territorial integrity.

Speaking at the Institute for Global Justice in The Hague, Thaci presented his "four points", which, according to him, will help "establish peace and cooperation" between Belgrade and Pristina.

The first is "the necessity of establishing cooperation in the fight against crime and trafficking, as well as religious extremism."

"Vigilance is also necessary about the influence of Russia," said Thaci, who also believes that Belgrade and Pristina should reach "long-term agreements in order to strengthen the economy and create jobs."

The daily further quoted him as saying that Serbia "should recognize Kosovo as a neighbor, and not prevent its international integration."

"However, we have to make a compromise that will allow for a better future," said Thaci.

According to him, "spurring regional cooperation is important for normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina," as well as "finally continuing to improve the rule of law in order to achieve justice for victims."

"Many allegations are published in Dick Marty's report. Kosovo is conducting a transparent, international judicial process to establish the truth. We have nothing to hide," said Thaci.

Albania Hopes to Tempt Russian Travelers Who Have Turned Away From Turkey

Ksamil - Albania

© Flickr/ Artur Malinowski
World

Albanian tour operators have decided to approach the country's government for help in attracting Russian tourists to the country, according to RT.

It seems that Albania is eager to re-invent itself as something of a new Turkey for Russian tourists, RT reported, referring to local tour operators who have turned to the Albanian government for help in implementing promotion-related tasks. In an interview with RT, Dmitry Gorin, Vice-President of the Russian Tour Operators, said reeling in Russian tourists will be a rather tricky task for the Albanians, given that many have already finalized plans for the upcoming tourist season and the small Muslim country has to compete with neighboring Montenegro and Greece as well as Bulgaria, Cyprus and Russia's own Black Sea resorts.
First and foremost, Albanian tour operators will have to motivate  Russians to visit Albania, Gorin said, recalling that there are no direct flights between Moscow and Tirana and that it would take a Russian tourist about eight hours to reach the destination.
A photo taken on July 23, 2015 shows a general view of a crowded beach of the Adriatic Sea in the Albanian city of Durres
© AFP 2016/ GENT SHKULLAKU
A photo taken on July 23, 2015 shows a general view of a crowded beach of the Adriatic Sea in the Albanian city of Durres
Be ready to pay at least 20,000 rubles (about 300 dollars) per plane ticket, he said, adding that a tiresome flight to Albania is certainly not the main problem. 
"There are 230 resort hotels in the country that can accommodate a total of 8,000 people [but lack the] Turkish-style 'all inclusive' format that was so popular among Russian tourists," Gorin said.
Albania's most picturesque resorts include Saranda, Dhermi, Himara, Durres, Shengjin, Ksamil and Vlore, located on the Adriatic and Ionian Sea coasts. In July, the water warms up to a tepid 26 Celsius; a double room in a small hotel in Vlore typically costs about 700 dollars per week, including breakfasts.
The Albanian town of Kruja
The Albanian town of Kruja
The Albanian resorts are known abroad for their low cost (restaurant bills average 10-15 dollars) and unspoiled, eye-catching environment, according to Gorin, who mentioned the internationally renowned Ksamil Beach. Beach season begins in May in Albania and lasts until the first week of September, he added.
Separately, he noted that there were some security-related risks. "Speaking of safety, we can only be guided by references to the recommendations by the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Russian Federal Tourist Agency Rostourism," Gorin said. According to him, foraying into the Russian tourism market is most likely a long-term prospect for Albania, which currently receives about 4 million tourists a year and which has yet to be included in the top-50 preferences among Russian tourists.

Albania Calls In Italian Military As Migrants Scramble To Open New Balkans Route



The Italian Military are negotiating a deal to help Albania secure its border with Greece, fearing smugglers are poised to transport migrants and Jihadist by boat, straight to Italy.

Albania has already increased patrols (pictured above) along its border with Greece, as migrants desperately search to reopen the ‘Balkans route’ to the Welfare states of Northern Europe after Macedonia to closed its borders on the 2oth of February.
With Macedonia now returning thousands of migrants to Greece when they find ways around their new fence, and Bulgaria using their military to patrol the fence, Albania is the next obvious target.
The agreement will be finalised when Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano visits Albania next week. Speaking in Brussels last week,  Mr. Alfano said Italy would work with Albania to “do everything possible to prevent terrorism and illegal migration”.
Italy is reported to be concerned about Islamist militants slipping through undetected if crowds of migrants were to enter Albania and ultimately reach Italy, security sources told Reuters.
Albanian smugglers were notorious for using speedboats to ferry would-be migrants, guns and narcotics across the Adriatic Sea to Italy, as close as 62 nautical miles (115 km) away, in the 1990s. Some drug smuggling, especially of cannabis, still goes on today.
There remains upwards of 40,000 migrants trapped in Greece. The Greek government has offered them free buses back to Athens, the Greek capital, where they will be sent on to brand new registration centres that can comfortably house 50,000 people.
However, the majority are refusing to register as they plan to travel on to Northern Europe illegally.
Under the deal being worked out, Italy would help Albania to record the biometric data of refugees entering the country and to electronically share information on their identities and the route they had taken with EU border agency Frontex and possibly Greece, the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.
Meanwhile, to the north and west, migrants are redoubling their efforts to get through Bulgaria and Serbia.
A Serbian customs spokeswoman said Tuesday that 33 migrants trying to cross into Serbia from Macedonia had been found in an empty cargo train. The group, aged between 18 and 26, were mainly Afghans, but also included Syrians and Libyans. All but one were men.
“Coming in through Bulgaria – it’s an old smuggling route and it’ll be used more often”, an Afghans migrant in Turkey told the BBC. “It’s cheaper to come that way [than the sea crossing from Turkey to Greece] and anyway we can’t swim”, he said.
(Reuters contributed to this report)

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Washington Capitol Hill; Albanian Opposition Leader Lulezim Basha with R Congressman Gus Bilarakis and Himarioton Society President Kosmas Karavellas



Anonymous Declares Total War on Republican Frontrunner Donald Trump… Again

Anonymous called the Vineland police officers' fatal attack on Philip White absolute grotesque behavior.
POLITICS
22:31 15.03.2016
The group declared war on Trump in December 2015, to no effect as the Republican frontrunner looks to secure the nomination today.


​On March 4, the loose-knit hacktivist organization Anonymous declared “total war” on Donald Trump, calling on hackers around the world to shut down the Republican frontrunner’s websites and “investigate and expose what he doesn’t want the world to know.” The organization said their objective in engaging in online war with Trump is “to dismantle his campaign and sabotage his brand.”


American Political Chaos: Trump Victory Imminent Despite Chicago Violence
The opening narration of the video states “Dear Donald Trump, we have been watching you for a long time, and what we see is deeply disturbing.” The video then breaks away to a series of uncouth statements by the real estate mogul, including those regarding Megyn Kelly, mocking a disabled reporter, and sexual comments about his daughter, Ivanka.

The Anonymous “call to arms” invites anyone with a computer to spread the word and/or participate in “Operation Trump” or “#OpTrump.” The video closes with an invitation for “everyone to target” the website for the candidate’s luxury hotel in Chicago, trumpchicago.com, on April 1.


Trump, Clinton Hold Solid Leads Ahead of Tuesday Primaries
Officials are unable to confirm attribution to the cyber activist group because the video was posted from a different YouTube channel than previous Anonymous releases. However, a well-known Twitter account traced to the group — @YourAnonNews – has frequently posted anti-Trump messages since the release of the video.

This isn’t the first time that the hacktivist group has called for the takedown of the Republican frontrunner on the basis of the candidate’s xenophobic, racist, and misogynistic statements. In December 2015, Anonymous declared war on Trump to no

Monday, March 14, 2016

"Missiles found at Belgrade airport were used for training"

(Getty Images, file, illustration puposes)
Media reports on Monday said that two guided missiles have been found by Serbian authorities at Belgrade's Nikola Tesla Airport.

SOURCE: BETA, REUTERS, TANJUG MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2016

According to Reuters, the U.S.-made guided Hellfire missiles were found wooden crates at the airport and were "bound for Portland, Oregon, in the United States" having arrived on an Air Serbia flight from Beirut, "and due to be transferred to another plane."

The agency reported this quoting "a source at the prosecutor's office" who spoke on Monday, adding that Serbian authorities are now "investigating them." At the same time, Air Serbia said it was "helping with the investigation" and that "security and safety were its main priorities."

Reacting to these reports, the Lebanese military said on Monday that the missiles found in a passenger airplane on the Beirut-Belgrade route were used for training, "and contained no explosives," adding the objects were being "shipped back to the American company that manufactures them, in line with administrative and legal measures after the training has been performed."

It was reported late on Sunday that two missiles with explosive charges were found at Nikola Tesla Airport as they were being transported from Beirut to Portland, via Belgrade and London.

The missiles were packaged as training mockups and were accompanied by appropriate documentation, but trained dogs sensed the presence of explosives, and after the packaging was opened, warheads were discovered, and an investigation launched.

"Experts are determining whether the missiles were equipped with live or training warheads. They were packed in proper transportation crates and supplied with paperwork which is also being scrutinized," Reuters quoted its source in Belgrade as saying earlier in the day on Monday.

A Lebanese security source in Beirut, meanwhile, said these were "training missiles used by the Lebanese army and were being sent back to the United States," and adding:

"The Lebanese and U.S. authorities were aware of the shipment and the missiles posed no threat to the public."

The agency noted in its report that the AGM 114 Hellfire is manufactured by Lockheed Martin in two versions: as "a high-explosive warhead and a practice weapon."

"An inert AGM 114 Hellfire missile that had arrived in Cuba by mistake in 2014 was retrieved last month by U.S. officials and Lockheed Martin representatives," Reuters quoted a statement made at the time by the Cuban Foreign Ministry said.

Putin Orders Start of Withdrawal From Syria Starting Tuesday

President Putin holds meeting on economic issues

© Sputnik/ Alexei Druzhinin
Middle East

Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed that Moscow will begin withdrawal of Russian forces from Syria.

On Monday, President Putin indicated that the Kremlin will start withdrawing its main forces in Syria, saying that the military has largely achieved its objectives.
"I think that the task that was assigned to the Ministry of Defense and the armed forces as a whole has achieved its goal, and so I order the defense minister to start tomorrow withdrawing the main part of our military factions from the Syrian Arab Republic," President Putin said during a meeting with the Russian Defense and Foreign Ministries, according to RIA Novosti.
The withdrawal will begin on Tuesday.
Putin expressed hope that this decision will encourage all parties involved in the Syrian conflict to pursue a peaceful resolution.
"I ask the ministry of foreign affairs to intensify the participation of the Russian Federation in the organization of the peace process towards a solution to the Syrian crisis," Putin said.
Moscow will, however, maintain a military presence in Syria, and a deadline for complete withdrawal has not yet been announced.
According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has informed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of the decision.
During the phone call, both Assad and Putin agreed that the ceasefire has led to significant reduction in bloodshed, and the humanitarian situation has improved. Assad also expressed hope that peace talks in Geneva will lead to concrete results, and stressed the need for a political process in Syria.
Earlier on Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow's anti-terrorist air campaign created the conditions for political process on Syrian reconciliation.

Over 2,000 Migrants Trying to Enter Macedonia From Greece - Reports

Migrants wade across a river near the Greek-Macedonian border, west of the the village of Idomeni, Greece, March 14, 2016

© REUTERS/ Alexandros Avramidis
Europe

The refugees, who have been making their way through Greece under police supervision, were met by Macedonia's law enforcement personnel at the border, according to local media.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Over 2,000 migrants arrived on Monday at a Macedonian border crossing point with no protective fence set up in a bid to enter the country from the Greek territory, local media reported. The migrants reportedly left the refugee camp in the Greek town of Idomeni near Macedonia earlier on Monday to find a spot on the border between the two countries where it would be possible to cross over.
According to the Macedonian Media news outlet, the refugees, who have been making their way through Greece under police supervision, were met by Macedonia's law enforcement personnel at the border. Greek police officers have reportedly warned the group of refugees that if they cross the border to Macedonia, they will be arrested by the authorities of the neighboring country.
The reports come after the closure of borders along the so-called Western Balkan migrant route, what has resulted in more than 10,000 refugees being stranded in Greece at its border with Macedonia. Undocumented migrants have been growing in numbers in Greece since February after European countries started adopting restrictive measures, such as daily limits on the number of people entering their territory, to curb the refugee influx.
Some 880,000 migrants used the Balkan route in 2015 to enter the European Union and 128,000 migrants entered the bloc through the Balkans in the first two months of 2016, according to European Council President Donald Tusk.

Reality Check: No Matter Who Wins the White House, the New Boss Will Be the Same as the Old Boss





By John W. Whitehead
February 29, 2016

“The main problem in any democracy is that crowd-pleasers are generally brainless swine who can go out on a stage & whup their supporters into an orgiastic frenzy—then go back to the office & sell every one of the poor bastards down the tube for a nickel apiece.” ― Hunter S. Thompson
 Moscow International Business Center

 LINK
Politics today is not about Republicans and Democrats.
Nor is it about healthcare, abortion, higher taxes, free college tuition, or any of the other buzzwords that have become campaign slogans for individuals who have mastered the art of telling Americans exactly what they want to hear.
Politics today is about one thing and one thing only: maintaining the status quo between the Controllers (the politicians, the bureaucrats, and the corporate elite) and the Controlled (the taxpayers).
Hillary will not save the nation. Nor will Bernie, Trump, Rubio, or Cruz.
The only ones who can save the nation are “we the people,” and yet the American people remain eager to be persuaded that a new president in the White House can solve the problems that plague us.
No matter who wins this next presidential election, you can rest assured that the new boss will be the same as the old boss, and we—the permanent underclass in America—will continue to be forced to march in lockstep with the police state in all matters, public and private.
Indeed, as I point out in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People, it really doesn’t matter what you call them—the 1%, the elite, the controllers, the masterminds, the shadow government, the police state, the surveillance state, the military industrial complex—so long as you understand that no matter which party occupies the White House in 2017, the unelected bureaucracy that actually calls the shots will continue to do so.
Consider the following a much-needed reality check, an antidote if you will, against an overdose of overhyped campaign announcements, lofty electoral promises and meaningless patriotic sentiments that land us right back in the same prison cell.
FACT: According to a scientific study by Princeton researchers, the United States of America is not the democracy that it purports to be, but rather an oligarchy, in which “economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy.”
FACT: Despite the fact that the number of violent crimes in the country is down substantially, the lowest rate in forty years, the number of Americans being jailed for nonviolent crimes such as driving with a suspended license is skyrocketing.
FACT: Thanks to an overabundance of 4,500-plus federal crimes and 400,000-plus rules and regulations, it is estimated that the average American actually commits three felonies a day without knowing it. In fact, according to law professor John Baker, “There is no one in the United States over the age of 18 who cannot be indicted for some federal crime. That is not an exaggeration.”
FACT: Despite the fact that we have 46 million Americans living at or below the poverty line, 16 million children living in households without adequate access to food, and at least 900,000 veterans relying on food stamps, enormous sums of taxpayer money continue to be doled out for presidential vacations ($16 million for trips to Africa and Hawaii), overtime fraud at the Department of Homeland Security (nearly $9 million in improper overtime claims, and that’s just in six of the DHS’ many offices)HurricaHur, and Hollywood movie productions ($10 million in taxpayer money was spent by the Army National Guard on Superman movie tie-ins aimed at increasing awareness about the National Guard).
FACT: Since 2001 Americans have spent $10.5 million every hour for numerous foreign military occupations, including in Iraq and Afghanistan. There’s also the $2.2 million spent every hour on maintaining the United States’ nuclear stockpile, and the $35,000 spent every hour to produce and maintain our collection of Tomahawk missiles. And then there’s the money the government exports to other countries to support their arsenals, at the cost of $1.61 million every hour for the American taxpayers.
FACT: It is estimated that 2.7 million children in the United States have at least one parent in prison, whether it be a local jail or a state or federal penitentiary, due to a wide range of factors ranging from overcriminalization and surprise raids at family homes to roadside traffic stops.
FACT: According to a Gallup poll, Americans place greater faith in the military and the police than in any of the three branches of government.
FACT: “Today, 17,000 local police forces are equipped with such military equipment as Blackhawk helicopters, machine guns, grenade launchers, battering rams, explosives, chemical sprays, body armor, night vision, rappelling gear and armored vehicles,” reports Paul Craig Roberts, former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. “Some have tanks.”
FACT: At least 400 to 500 innocent people are killed by police officers every year. Indeed, Americans are now eight times more likely to die in a police confrontation than they are to be killed by a terrorist. Americans are 110 times more likely to die of foodborne illness than in a terrorist attack.
FACT: Police officers are more likely to be struck by lightning than be made financially liable for their wrongdoing.
FACT: On an average day in America, over 100 Americans have their homes raided by SWAT teams. Most of those SWAT team raids are for a mere warrant service. There has been a notable buildup in recent years of heavily armed SWAT teams within non-security-related federal agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, the Railroad Retirement Board, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Office of Personnel Management, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Education Department.
FACT: The FBI’s Next Generation Identification (NGI) facial recognition system, which is set to hold data on millions of Americans, will include a variety of biometric data, including palm prints, iris scans, and face recognition data. The NGI will be capable of uploading 55,000 images a day, and conducting tens of thousands of photo searches daily.
FACT: Comprising an $82 billion industry, at least 30,000 drones are expected to occupy U.S. airspace by 2020.
FACT: Everything we do will eventually be connected to the Internet. By 2030 it is estimated there will be 100 trillion sensor devices connecting human electronic devices (cell phones, laptops, etc.) to the Internet. Much, if not all, of our electronic devices will be connected to Google, which openly works with government intelligence agencies. Virtually everything we do now—no matter how innocent—is being collected by the spying American police state.
FACT: Americans know virtually nothing about their history or how their government works. In fact, according to a study by the National Constitution Center, 41 percent of Americans “are not aware that there are three branches of government, and 62 percent couldn’t name them; 33 percent couldn’t even name one.”
FACT: Only six out of every one hundred Americans know that they actually have a constitutional right to hold the government accountable for wrongdoing, as guaranteed by the right to petition clause of the First Amendment.
Perhaps the most troubling fact of all is this: we have handed over control of our government and our lives to faceless bureaucrats who view us as little more than cattle to be bred, branded, butchered and sold for profit.
If there is to be any hope of restoring our freedoms and reclaiming control over our government, it will rest not with the politicians but with the people themselves.
When all is said and done, each American will have to decide for themselves whether they prefer dangerous freedom to peaceful slavery. One thing is for sure: the reassurance ritual of voting is not going to advance freedom one iota.

Turkey at war with ISIS, PKK and its own people


Debra Killalea and wires  
 news.com.auA SPATE of deadly terror attacks on two fronts and a government desperate to hold on to power as it fights a war with itself.
This is a war Turkey is slowly losing.
That is the view of Deakin University terror expert Greg Barton who said the regional powerhouse is battling with internal dissent as well as attacks by Islamic State militants and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
However, according to Prof Barton the problem is only going to get worse with President Tayyip Erdogan desperate to maintain control at the expense of security and democracy.
His comments follow a deadly terror attack in the capital Ankara overnight which killed 34 people after a bomb-laden car exploded at a crowded transport hub.
More than 125 people were being treated at various hospitals in Ankara, with several others critically injured.
The PKK, which has waged a three-decade insurgency for Kurdish autonomy, has been blamed for the attacks but have not yet claimed responsibility.
President Erdogan said the latest attacks “threatened our country’s integrity and our nation’s unity and solidarity, but do not weaken our resolve in fighting terrorism but bolster our determination.”
It also follows several others to hit the country in recent months and has prompted warnings about travelling to the country in the lead up to the annual Gallipoli celebrations.
Prof Barton said security was tight last year and given the spate of recent terror attacks across the country, is urging Australians to think twice about travelling there.
The Ankara attack is the latest wave of violence to rock Turkey.
The Ankara attack is the latest wave of violence to rock Turkey.Source:AP
UNDER ATTACK
Turkey is a county under attack on several fronts and the overnight bombing is the latest in a string of violence to rock the troubled country.
Last month, 28 people were killed and more than 60 were injured after a car bomb exploded near vehicles carrying military personnel in the capital.
Buses carrying military personnel were attacked while waiting at traffic lights at an intersection, hitting the convoy near military headquarters and parliament buildings.
Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag called it an “act of terrorism”.
Ankara governor Mehmet Kiliclar said authorities believe the explosion was caused by a “bomb-laden vehicle.”
A Syrian national with links to Syrian Kurdish militia carried out the bombing.
However Kurdish rebels, the Islamic State group and a leftist extremist group have also carried out attacks in the country recently.
Turkey is a nation struggling to cope with a wave of violent and deadly terror attacks.
Turkey is a nation struggling to cope with a wave of violent and deadly terror attacks.Source:AFP
In January, 11 German tourists were killed after a suicide bomber affiliated with the IS detonated a bomb in Istanbul’s historic Sultanahmet district.
In October, suicide bombings blamed on IS targeted a peace rally outside the main train station in Ankara, killing 102 people in Turkey’s deadliest attack in years.
More than 30 people were killed in a suicide attack in the town of Suruc, near Turkey’s border with Syria, in July.
It comes after Turkish authorities claimed they foiled a Paris-style terror attack in October last year.
Authorities claimed a high-profile British jihadist may have been planning attacks in Istanbul similar to those in Paris, while eight other people suspected of links to Islamic State were also detained in Ankara, Reuters reports.
ERDOGAN LOSING CONTROL
The Turkish leader is a man under pressure.
Prof Barton said he is also intent on keeping power and influence and has “fallen back on Islamist policies”, sacking more moderate advisers and politicians and suppressing dissent among people and its media.
In short he does not want to be undermined by anyone, but it has come at a huge cost and risk to his country’s national security.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has cracked down on dissidents and media.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has cracked down on dissidents and media.Source:AFP
“Erdogan has pushed out his best advisers at a time when he needs them the most,” he said.
“His best and brightest have either been sacked or posted to remote places and now he’s too proud to bring them back.”
The government also imposed a gag order which bans media organisations from broadcasting or printing graphic images of the dead or injured from the scene of the explosion. Turkey has imposed similar bans after previous attacks.
TENSE TIMES
The Turkish government is facing an array of challenges.
Turkey has also been helping efforts led by the United States to combat the Islamic State group in neighbouring Syria on top of several deadly bombings.
The Syrian war is raging along Turkey’s southern border and recent air strikes by Russian and Syrian forces have prompted tens of thousands of Syrian refugees to flee to Turkey’s border.
PKK
The Turkish government has been battling the PKK for decades.
The group, which was launched in the 1970s and took up arms against the Turkish government in 1984 with more than 40,000 having been killed since the conflict began, the BCC reported.
In recent years it has instead called for more autonomy for the Kurdish people.
In 2013 a fragile ceasefire was formed but was all but destroyed in 2015 when Turkey bombed PKK bases in northern Iraq.
The process with the Kurdish rebels collapsed and security forces have since been engaged in large-scale operations against Kurdish militants in the southeast since December.
This has seen icontroversial curfews imposed in flashpoint areas, with the fighting displacing tens of thousands of civilians.
Protesters stand next to a fire during clashes between Turkish forces and Kurdish people in the centre of Diyarbakir, as they protest against the curfew earlier this month.
Protesters stand next to a fire during clashes between Turkish forces and Kurdish people in the centre of Diyarbakir, as they protest against the curfew earlier this month.Source:AFP
TRAVEL WARNINGS
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the government condemned the Ankara attack and would work with Turkish authorities in the lead up to Anzac Day to ensure “people are as safe as they can be.”
Australia’s Ambassador to Turkey, James Larsen, was just 20m away when the bomb went off, Ms Bishop said.
“Last year, when it was the Centenary of Anzac, there was a very heightened security level of support around Gallipoli and I’m sure that will continue again this year,” she said.
Ms Bishop told Sky news the attack was a reminder of why Australia was part of a Coalition to defeat terror.
However Prof Barton said with many Australians using the trip to travel around the country, he didn’t think it was advisable to visit in the current circumstances and ongoing tension.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Smartraveller advisory service has urged Australians to exercise a high degree of caution in Turkey.
Istanbul remains one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, with more than 10 million people visiting its attractions each, Reuters reports.
Syrian Kurds effectively control some 400km of the Syrian-Turkish border that has been a conduit for foreign fighters joining Islamic State.
Syrian Kurds effectively control some 400km of the Syrian-Turkish border that has been a conduit for foreign fighters joining Islamic State.Source:Supplied
IS TURKEY TO BLAME?
The short answer according to Prof Barton is yes and no.
He said Turkey opened up its borders to vast networks of IS supporters who now have vast support networks there.
He said a grudge and souring of relations between Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since the Syrian civil war meant Turkey never stopped the flow of foreign fighters using its border to cross.
This inadvertently added to the number of IS fighters travelling from abroad with attacks then launched back at Turkey.
THE FUTURE
Prof Barton said Turkey faced a grim and complex future as it needed to solve its own internal problems while fighting a war on terror it was losing control of.
However, according to private-intelligence firm Stratfor, which successfully predicted Europe’s inability to cope with the financial crisis and the US-jihadi war, Turkey will have to step up and take control whether it likes it or not.
Turkey, whose southern border is close to the conflict in the Middle East, will be slowly drawn into the fighting, emerging as both a major regional power and an increasing competitor with Iran, it warns in its Decade Forecastreport.
“Whatever its reluctance, Turkey cannot withstand years of chaos across its border, and there will be no other country to carry the burden,” Stratfor reveal.
It also predicts Turkey will be forced to step in and act as the region’s stabilising force as other Middle East states struggle.

Sunday, March 13, 2016

Turkish PM Convenes Urgent Security Council Meeting Over Ankara Blast

 Emergency workers work at the explosion site in Ankara, Turkey March 13, 2016

© REUTERS/ Tumay Berkin
MIDDLE EAST
21:42 13.03.2016
Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu convenes an urgent meeting of the Security Council after a major blast hit Guven Park in central Ankara.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu convenes an urgent meeting of the Security Council on Sunday over the deadly explosion in central Ankara, the NTV broadcast reported, citing a source in the prime minister's office.

Earlier in the day, a major blast hit Guven Park in central Ankara. Local authorities confirmed that some 27 people were killed and 75 injured in the explosion.

According to preliminary police data, the blast was caused by a car bomb, which exploded while the car was parked in between two buses.

Merkel's Nightmare: Cyprus Threatens to Block EU-Ankara Migration Deal

Cyprus flag

© Flickr/ Kasi Metcalfe
POLITICS
17:46 12.03.2016
Cyprus will not lift the veto on Turkey’s admission to the European Union unless an agreement on Cyprus reunification is signed.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel delivers her keynote speech during the Christain Democratic Union (CDU) politial Ash Wednesday meeting in Volkmarsen, Germany February 29, 2016.

Full Obedience: ‘Turkey Is Keeping Europe on a Leash'
Brussels has agreed a deal with Ankara, according to which the EU would double its financial aid to Turkey (from €3 billion to €6 billion) and consider imposing a visa-free regime for Turks coming to the Schengen zone.
In addition, Ankara has demanded from Brussels to open five new negotiating chapters and accelerate talks on Turkey’s accession to the bloc if an agreement on Cyprus reunification is sealed.

"We will not lift our veto on those chapters," Cyprus Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides told Politico.

The diplomat underscored that his priority is the negotiations over the reunification of the Greek and Turkish halves of the island.

"When we resolve the problem, everything will be lifted," he added.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan exchange gifts before their talks

Brussels Negotiating With Turkey Proves EU is 'Morally Bankrupt'
Cyprus has frozen six negotiating chapters in the migration deal between Ankara and Brussels, including the five that Turkey has insisted on.
EU leaders are due to approve the agreement during a meeting on March 17-18 in Brussels.

A couple walk through the buffer zone as they cross from the Turkish-controlled northern Nicosia to the Greek side of the Cypriot capital via Paphos Gate pedestrian border crossing on June 28, 2012.

So Close and Yet So Far: How Realistic Is Cyprus Reunification?
At the same time, there is still a chance that Ankara and Nicosia will be able to agree on Cyprus reunification. One of the thorniest issues includes whether Turkey will withdraw its 30,000 troops from the north. Only when the issue is resolved will an agreement be put to a referendum.
In 2004, Cypriot Greeks rejected reunification at a referendum.

Nicosia fears that if it lifts its veto on admission talks with Turkey Greek Cypriots reject the decision.

"If the president says yes [to talks with Turkey], without advancements on the talks, the domestic front will be weakened and the chances for a referendum for a yes will be far less," the minister said. "Why don’t they leave us alone to negotiate and finish the issue of Cyprus first? And then everything will fall into place."

At Least 34 People Killed After Major Explosion in Ankara

 A man stands next to a burnt out bus after a blast in Ankara on March 13, 2016

© AFP 2016/ EROL UCEM
MIDDLE EAST
20:06 13.03.2016

An explosion that hit the center of Ankara on Sunday killed at least 34 people, 130 injured.

An explosion at a bus stop in Ankara caused at least 34 people killed and multiple wounded, according to reports.

Some 34 people were killed and 130 injured in an explosion that struck the Turkish capital on Sunday evening, the office of the mayor of Ankara confirmed.

According to reports, a bus laden with explosives blew up near a bus stop, leaving dozens of cars ablaze.

An explosion that hit the center of Ankara was a terrorist attack, which has been caused by a car bomb, the NTV broadcast reported Sunday, citing a police source.

The police have cordoned the scene of the explosion, where several ambulance cars had arrived.

The Russian embassy in Turkey has not yet received any information on whether Russian citizens have been injured in an explosion in central Ankara on Sunday, an embassy representative said.

"We have not received any information so far," the representative told RIA Novosti, adding that the embassy was checking whether any Russian citizens were injured in the blast.

Earlier in the day, a major explosion hit central Ankara, reportedly leaving multiple casualties.