U.K. PROPAGANDIZES RUSSIA AS NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpWNBv8VYjjxaLD9sVWxP-OXgmpDryB643KJVA163hQrngPPK2SE3D580lMcwfBBZXUyjYvAPT-NrQ7vbpRDOPHI1mVcfGxJFVRL2o07gT7H1F7ONin-Ewqx0uhrqyy99kHuCPwSA3oaI/s1600/00000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpWNBv8VYjjxaLD9sVWxP-OXgmpDryB643KJVA163hQrngPPK2SE3D580lMcwfBBZXUyjYvAPT-NrQ7vbpRDOPHI1mVcfGxJFVRL2o07gT7H1F7ONin-Ewqx0uhrqyy99kHuCPwSA3oaI/s640/00000.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Britain’s security services have published a new list of what they believe pose the greatest threat to the country. International terrorism from ISIS and the threat of returning UK jihadists from Syria are among the top concerns.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The risk of terrorism has been intensified since the ‘bombing’ of the Metrojet flightcrash in the Sinai that killed 224 passengers on board.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And Russian aggression, in particular Putin’s “willingness to display force”, has unnerved Britain’s defense network, according to the security draft.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The report, which will be released by David Cameron on 23rd November, mentioned Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and the country’s soaring military budget as cause for worry.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Britain’s defense experts are also known to be concerned over Russia’s increased involvement in the Middle East.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The risk of terrorism has been intensified since the ‘bombing’ of the Metrojet flight crash.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The report states: “The last five years have seen a range of international developments, ranging from the growth of radicalization and fundamentalism to growing concerns around our energy supply, and rising aggression from Russia.</span>

U.K. PROPAGANDIZES RUSSIA AS NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT

Britain’s security services have published a new list of what they believe pose the greatest threat to the country. International terrori...

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U.K. DEPLOYS HMS RICHMOND TO STOP MIGRANT SMUGGLING

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjB8F0NZJk4q7s9QFoLEUV1NcLmUHk1ySAU_ODt9-_QjPjj0yL0shlIlwySXzH6s-9ekHopiSacA3dwUaGfafUGt1CedtcwCQrczYAtEh6Vfgbkd1Un8j_WQo_I6LSZJ6ZA4I3ypiwYzM/s1600/00000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjB8F0NZJk4q7s9QFoLEUV1NcLmUHk1ySAU_ODt9-_QjPjj0yL0shlIlwySXzH6s-9ekHopiSacA3dwUaGfafUGt1CedtcwCQrczYAtEh6Vfgbkd1Un8j_WQo_I6LSZJ6ZA4I3ypiwYzM/s640/00000.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Oswald, sans-serif; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 5px; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Boarding and seizing boats suspected to be involved with smuggling migrants</i></span></h2> The U.K. Royal Navy's warship HMS Richmond has joined the EU's Mediterranean mission to crack down on migrant smuggling in the region.<br /> <br /> The vessel was awarded powers to stop and detain migrant smugglers, as reports come of armed attacks on asylum seekers traveling by sea from the Middle East to Europe.<br /> <br /> Richmond is lawfully able to conduct enforcement action on the high seas, including boarding and seizing boats suspected to be involved with smuggling migrants. U.K. Defense Secretary Michael Fallon says the ship's mission demonstrates's the U.K. commitment to the EU's operations in the area.<br /> <br /> "These new powers are an important step forward. We will now be able to board the boats and detain the smugglers," Fallon said in a statement. "Sending HMS Richmond to join HMS Enterprise in the Mediterranean shows Britain's determination to tackle this trade in human misery at source. We'll hit the traffickers hard."<br /> <br /> A FRONTEX liaison officer will be on board to advise the crew on legal issues, such as identification, collection, and preservation of evidence. The ship was used for a rescue mission, which recovered over 350 migrants in September.

U.K. DEPLOYS HMS RICHMOND TO STOP MIGRANT SMUGGLING

Boarding and seizing boats suspected to be involved with smuggling migrants The U.K. Royal Navy's warship HMS Richmond has joined t...

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RAF PILOTS OK'D TO SHOOT DOWN RUSSIAN JETS

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8riiZ17rxX7801vA6ZXSnx3XhdY_8zTbQKWJ9-Qye5rdBXGiFD-Fdi7olAXrPXafWkSJ1P4uzAgKsbn7QAYdhyp285ZDhmNVjDRpzDgArM0AL8h31ewh13xYXf1N881QJ9SoRGVWGn8/s1600/00000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8riiZ17rxX7801vA6ZXSnx3XhdY_8zTbQKWJ9-Qye5rdBXGiFD-Fdi7olAXrPXafWkSJ1P4uzAgKsbn7QAYdhyp285ZDhmNVjDRpzDgArM0AL8h31ewh13xYXf1N881QJ9SoRGVWGn8/s640/00000.jpg" width="640" /></a>Following a report British defense officials have instructed fighter jet pilots to shoot down Russian jets over Syria, the military attaché at the British Embassy in Moscow was summoned to provide an explanation.<br /> <br /> “He was handed a note with a request to provide official explanations on information, published in the British media, citing high-ranking sources in the Defense Ministry of the country, on alleged directives to use weapons against Russian aircraft ‘in case of threat to their lives,’ received by Royal Air Force pilots,” the statement read., according to a Press TV report.<br /> <br /> <b><i><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">UPDATE: As of the latest report that I have been hearing the British MOD (Ministry of Defense) says that these reports are false and that the MOD put out no such directive. But then again, even if it was true, I don't think they would admit it given the sensitivity of this topic. Secondly, I had a feeling the original report was nonsense anyway. For the UK to start shooting down Russian fighter jets makes no sense and they have no reason to do so. It would make more sense to arm the "rebels" with advanced surface to air missiles instead like the War Criminal John McCain had suggested on FOX News (oh yes he did, video below).</span></i></b><br /> <br /> <br /> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dx6s4jO9xNY" width="560"></iframe> <br /> On Sunday the Daily Star reported RAF fighter jets will be armed with air-to-air missiles and have been given the green light to shoot down “hostile” Russian planes.<br /> <br /> “We need to protect our pilots but at the same time we’re taking a step closer to war. It will only take one plane to be shot down in an air-to-air battle and the whole landscape will change,” a source told the tabloid.<br /> <br /> <br /> “No one knows what the Russians will do next. We don’t know how they will respond if they come into contact with a Western jet.<br /> <br /> “When planes are flying at supersonic speeds the airspace gets crowded very quickly. There could be a collision or a Russian pilot might be mistakenly shot down,” the source said.<br /> <br /> Earlier this month Russian and American aircraft came within 20 miles of each other near the Turkish border. The American pilots were able to identify the Russian aircraft with their targeting cameras.<br /> <br /> The British newspaper lauded the ability of supersonic RAF Tornado aircraft and its Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile that can reportedly fly three times the speed of sound.<br /> <br /> The Russian Ambassador in the UK Alexander Yakovenko told the UK Foreign Office to provide clarification.<br /> <br /> “We are concerned by media reports as far as they refer to senior members of the Cabinet. We urgently requested UK Foreign Office’s clarifications. At the same time, the hypothesis itself of a potential conflict between British and Russian aircraft in the skies over Iraq is incomprehensible. As it is known, the Russian jets are not involved in attacks on ISIL targets on its (Iraqi) territory,” Yakovenko said.

RAF PILOTS OK'D TO SHOOT DOWN RUSSIAN JETS

Following a report British defense officials have instructed fighter jet pilots to shoot down Russian jets over Syria, the military attaché ...

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U.K. GOVERNMENT STAKES ITS FUTURE ON AUSTERITY PLAN

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj88DfoCKAD0tJ34E7dRafZJmhUmc0qnSmwXcg36SHV4kAZrQxL1BstNgHjJwS_WeEc-1cN70TX3jkbnFojdNMAXzmRDl3sl6FQKAbWgtm5s43BWQ5nt2nKjGx5MVLWDJkJ3OOEkCIkXPY/s1600/00000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj88DfoCKAD0tJ34E7dRafZJmhUmc0qnSmwXcg36SHV4kAZrQxL1BstNgHjJwS_WeEc-1cN70TX3jkbnFojdNMAXzmRDl3sl6FQKAbWgtm5s43BWQ5nt2nKjGx5MVLWDJkJ3OOEkCIkXPY/s640/00000.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">LONDON — Britain's Treasury chief George Osborne said Wednesday that the country's government will make the largest cuts to public spending since World War II — slashing benefits and public sector jobs in a five-year austerity plan.</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Osborne confirmed he had ordered 83 billion pounds ($130 billion) in spending cuts through 2015, which he claims are necessary along with tax increases to wipe out a spending deficit that reached 156 billion pounds last year.</span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">As many as 500,000 public sector jobs will be lost, welfare payments sharply reduced and dozens of scheduled government programs halted. He said even Queen Elizabeth II would take a hit, cutting her royal household budget 14% over four years.</span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">"It is a hard road, but it leads to a better future," Osborne told lawmakers in a long anticipated statement to outline the coalition government's long-term economic plans.</span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">After spending billions bailing out indebted banks, and suffering a squeeze on tax revenue and a hike in welfare bills in the recession, he said it would take "time to turn around the debt supertanker."</span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div id="tagCrumbs" style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Osborne said a temporary levy on banks being introduced in January will be made permanent, potentially raising billions of pounds.</span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">"We will extract the maximum sustainable taxes from the banking system," he said.</span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">He said the state pension age for men and women will reach 66 by 2020 — four years earlier than planned, potentially saving 5 billion pounds ($7.8 billion) a year.</span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Osborne told lawmakers cuts will affect almost all areas of government spending.</span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">The policing budget will fall 4% each year, while the Justice Ministry must cut its budget 6% a year.</span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">But Osborne said spending on anti-terrorism would be maintained to help Britain guard against al-Qaeda and dissident Irish republicans, and to ensure the safety of the 2012 London summer Olympic Games.</span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Hundreds of London-based diplomats will lose their jobs under a 24% cut to the foreign ministry's budget, while the British Broadcasting Corp. must take on the full costs of running the World Service — previously subsidized by the Foreign Office.</span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">However, Britain will meet a U.N. target to spend 0.7% of gross domestic product on overseas aid by 2013 despite budget constraints.</span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">"Britons can hold their heads up high and say even in these difficult times we will honor the promise we made to some of the poorest people in the world," Osborne said.</span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Members of the public were watching anxiously for the details of Osborne's plans. In the southern London district of Croydon, a group of seniors discussed the cuts at a government-funded community group.</span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">The organization is already struggling with budget cuts. Eileen Dean, an 83-year-old retiree, worried what young and old alike will do if Osborne's budget trimming forces it to close.</span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">"The kids aren't going to have anything to do, it'll be back to playing football in the streets and breaking windows," she said. "I might have to join them."</span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Recent surveys and protests suggest many Britons are uneasy about the cuts. On Tuesday, hundreds of labor union members vowed to oppose Osborne's plans, marching to Parliament in a noisy rally.</span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="inside-copy" style="background-color: white;"> <span style="line-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By David Stringer, Associated Press Writer</span></span></div> <div style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"> <i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Contributing: Associated Press Writers Benjamin Timmins and Raphael G. Satter in London</span></i></div>

U.K. GOVERNMENT STAKES ITS FUTURE ON AUSTERITY PLAN

LONDON — Britain's Treasury chief George Osborne said Wednesday that the country's government will make the largest cuts to pub...

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