Military
US fighter jets intercept Russian bombers near Alaska thehill
The official noted that TU-95s are capable of carrying nuclear weapons, but the planes involved in Monday’s incident did not appear armed. The interception was conducted in a “safe and professional” manner, the official added, as the bombers did not violate U.S. airspace or break international norms.
Israel
Prime Minister cuts funding to UN israelnationalnews
Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the Foreign Ministry to cut $2 million from Israel's payments to the UN, in light of the hostile proposals adopted by the UN Human Rights Council last week.
Paganism
Iceland's pagans enjoy dramatic rise bbc
National Statistics Bureau figures show that followers of the Asatru Association still lag far behind the established Lutheran Church, which accounts for 237,938 or almost 70% of the population and has remained stable for decades. But the total of Icelanders who revere Odin, Thor and the Goddess Freyja has leapt 50% since 2014 to 3,583, with more than twice as many male as female faithful...
Society
It’s Time for Every Brand to Pick a Side time w!
Five weeks into Donald Trump's Administration, and at a time when expressing cultural values can end decades-long relationships in the time it takes to post 140 characters, consumers and employees are looking for new ways to be heard, represented and served. They’re increasingly voting with their voices, their choices and their wallets. Brands need to take heed, or pay the consequences.
Israel
Accept Palestine or face ‘sea of hatred,’ Jordanian king warns Israel timesofisrael
Mentioning only the Christian and Muslim connection to Jerusalem holy sites, Abdullah accused Israel of attempting to alter the identity of the city.
North Korea
North Korean missile lands perilously close to Japan washingtonpost
In flight time, that meant the missile was only 20 or 30 seconds from Japan itself, said Euan Graham, who served as a British diplomat in Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
Environmental
Trembling tundra - the latest weird phenomenon in Siberia's land of craters siberiantimes v
This extraordinary sight - in a video filmed of the tundra on remote Belyy Island in the Kara Sea off the Yamal Peninsula coastline - was witnessed by a scientific research expedition. Researchers Alexander Sokolov and Dorothee Ehrich spotted 15 patches of trembling or bubbling grass-covered ground.
Israel
Israel to UNESCO: ‘We’re not ISIS, don’t sever our ties to the Temple Mount’ jpost
UNESCO unesco.org called on Israel to halt all its archeological and restoration work in and around the Old City, as it submits its latest draft resolution on Jerusalem that ignores Jewish ties to the Temple Mount.
Russia
Russia expels US diplomats in tit-for-tat row bbc v
On Friday, the US State Department said their move came after a Russian policeman attacked a US diplomat near the US embassy in Moscow.
Censorship
Google, Facebook quietly move toward automatic blocking of extremist videos reuters
The move is a major step forward for internet companies that are eager to eradicate violent propaganda from their sites and are under pressure to do so from governments around the world as attacks by extremists proliferate, from Syria to Belgium and the United States.
The technology was originally developed to identify and remove copyright-protected content on video sites. It looks for "hashes," a type of unique digital fingerprint that internet companies automatically assign to specific videos, allowing all content with matching fingerprints to be removed rapidly.
Society
President Obama Designates Stonewall a National Monument nbcnews
As the NYPD attempted to enforce a law making it illegal to serve alcohol to "homosexuals," the resistance of the bar patrons turned into an uprising - the Stonewall Uprising - an event now widely credited with sparking the modern LGBTQ rights movement in the U.S.
See also NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton predicts 2016 Gay Pride Parade to be largest in NYC history
North Korea
North Korea’s Latest Missile Test Shows Signs of Progress, Analysts Say nytimes
Although the missile fell far short of its estimated full range of more than 2,000 miles — far enough to reach American military bases in the Pacific — the test is the first for the Musudan that was not immediately dismissed as a failure by the United States or South Korea.
See also North Korea missiles 'a serious threat' after new tests and North Korea leader says missile gives ability to attack U.S. in Pacific
Israel
Backing French peace push, EU ministers add carrots to sweeten deal timesofisrael
“The EU is determined, alongside other international and regional partners, to bring a concrete and substantial contribution to a global set of incentives for the parties to make peace with a view to an international conference planned to be held before the end of the year,” the foreign ministers said in a statement.
Syria
In Syria's Aleppo, divided locals share fear of total siege foxnews
As government forces mount attacks to close the only road to the opposition-held areas in the east of the city, rebels outside Aleppo are slowly constricting the passage to the western, government-held side. International relief organizations have warned that the city of Aleppo is "effectively cut off from humanitarian aid.
Also see Russia says 48-hour truce reached in Syria's Aleppo
War
Nervous Baltics on war footing as NATO tries to deter Russia reuters
Leaders in the Baltic countries and Poland fear the force NATO plans to deploy on their territory is too small and symbolic to deter an attack by Russia, whose 2014 annexation of Crimea is fresh in the memories of the former Soviet-bloc states.
They will this week press other ministers of the western military alliance to help them build an air defense system against Russian aircraft and missiles. But that would be a highly sensitive step, likely to be condemned by Moscow as yet more evidence of a NATO strategy threatening its borders.
Israel
Israeli Ex-Officers Issue Peace Plan, Condemn Gov't Inaction abcnews.go
It calls for a freeze on settlement building, the acceptance in principle of the Arab Peace Initiative and the recognition that east Jerusalem should be part of a future Palestinian state "when established as part of a future agreement." The Israeli opposition and much of the international community have long argued for these proposals.
This is an interesting, developing story that has been brewing (at least publicly) the last week or so with evidences of a split occurring between Israel's military and politicians on a 2-state solution. Only time will tell how deep this will go, but it's something to keep an eye on, particularly in light of France's 2-state solution peace talks coming up next month. It seems to be promoting much of what the “world” wants for a 2-state solution. Here's the proposed plan: PDF
