News Stories

[ganbaru]

Iranian boats fire shots at Singapore-flagged vessel in Gulf: CNN
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0NZ1C520150514

Sanctions-scarred banks may hold back Iran's economic relief
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0NZ0BE20150514

U.S. Marines look to nurture integrated Asia-Pacific amphibious forces, China excluded
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0NZ07J20150514

[Solace]

Originally Posted by risingstar3110

I know it's old, but what do you guys think about the news regarding Osama killing:

Seymour Hersh: US version of Bin Laden raid is 'full of lies'


Honestly, i'm not in conspiracy that much, but at this moment i'm leaning more on Hersh's side here. Simply because it's just that his version was so detail, and was so easy to debunk, that the US government can take it apart with a short censored video or picture (if it was untrue). I means would you bet your very successful life career reputation on a lie that can be so easily debunked? It make little sense for Hersh to do so.

There's always three sides to a story: your side, my side, and what really happened. There were questions raised about the nature of the operation even back when it was first announced. To be honest, it's not as conspiracy theory as it looks if you think about the history of US flag operations. The problem is that it's not really investigative journalism if you can't prove it. That's the difference between a conspiracy theory and actual investigative reporting.

It's a bit like the 9/11 truther stuff. There probably is a hidden angle to the official story, but to prove it with incontrovertible evidence is another matter entirely.

If you're someone like me, you're not interested in conspiracy theory, you're interested in conspiracy fact: the details, or absence of details, that don't quite fit the established narrative. There's always room for questions in every event, but a story like this is just a story until there's some fact to work with.

Originally Posted by Mr Hat and Clogs

That's terrible news.

The show will not be the same without him. So.. What will they do, get a new voice, kill off the characters, just fade the characters out...?

Probably a mix of all three. They'll keep making episodes as long as it makes them money, it seems. I love the Simpsons, but it's a stale formula now, and it rarely hits the notes it used to.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by ganbaru

Iranian boats fire shots at Singapore-flagged vessel in Gulf: CNN
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0NZ1C520150514

Can we start Praying Mantis II already. First they hijack a Marshall Islands flagged ship, now they start shooting one of their trade partners'. Obviously this group of political retards don't care for the law of the sea.

Put IRGC on the terrorist list and start sinking their boats. Let's see how their Islamic Revolution fare in the face of an OTO Melara gun.

[RRW]

DENMARK is on track to become the world’s first cashless nation, with its government pushing to free some stores, restaurants and petrol stations from accepting cash payments.
The proposal to scrap cash transactions is part of a package of cost-saving measures being introduced ahead of the Danish election in September, the Independent reports.
It is understood the government is hoping to get rid of the option to pay by cash by as early as 2016.

http://www.news.com.au/finance/econo...-1227346193452

[JokerD]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

Can we start Praying Mantis II already. First they hijack a Marshall Islands flagged ship, now they start shooting one of their trade partners'. Obviously this group of political retards don't care for the law of the sea.

Put IRGC on the terrorist list and start sinking their boats. Let's see how their Islamic Revolution fare in the face of an OTO Melara gun.

AFP has the following:

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessels tried to intercept the Singapore-flagged ship, the Alpine Eternity, "in order to settle a legal dispute stemming from an incident on March 22, 2015, when the Alpine Eternity reportedly hit an Iranian-owned oil platform," a US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP.

"Iran claims that the vessel is liable for damages to the oil platform," the official said.

Following the money, maybe Iran is so strapped for cash that they need to do things like this to get money?

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by JokerD

AFP has the following:


Following the money, maybe Iran is so strapped for cash that they need to do things like this to get money?

Claims are to be made through the international court. It is not like MPA won't force the shipowner to pay up to maintain their international political image.

And besides. they can claim with interest. And finally, if the rig is non-national, they can sue on a private corporate basis rather than having to find a way around the sanctions.

[Ithekro]

I am thinking the Iranian oil platforms might be nationalized.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Ithekro

I am thinking the Iranian oil platforms might be nationalized.

The IRGC does own a few oil platforms and businesses - think of it as a form of cronyism in the face of politics. Think of it as a paramilitary with its own power to influence politics on behalf of the Ayatollah, with a half national and half private status.

[JokerD]

Still, this brings up an interesting scenario where a threatened ship can steer towards UAE waters to escape Iran naval units

[ganbaru]

In U.S. cities, Republicans are looking for a few good losers for 2016
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0O00BZ20150515

Migrants land in Indonesia, but hundreds pushed back to sea
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0O008S20150515

California Senate votes to end beliefs waiver for school vaccinations
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0O003320150515

[Heep]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0O00FU20150515
Sad day for music lovers

[Solace]

Originally Posted by Ithekro

I am thinking the Iranian oil platforms might be nationalized.

The last time Iran tried to nationalize their oil, it didn't work out too well for them.

[Ithekro]

California Senate votes to end beliefs waiver for school vaccinations
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0O003320150515

I wonder if that will cause a backlash of any sort here? Those that have the waiver already will still have it, but only until I think seventh grade. Otherwise, unless you have a medical condition, a child needs to be vaccinated before Kindergarten (or at least the ones that are need by then, I recall getting some others as I got older).

[SaintessHeart]

[ganbaru]

Philadelphia train may have been hit by projectile before wreck
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0NZ18Z20150516

Boston Marathon bomber Tsarnaev sentenced to death for 2013 attack
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0O012G20150516

Burundian protesters back on the streets after failed coup
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0O10D920150516

[SaintessHeart]

Singapore slams Iran for firing warning shots at commercial ship

Singapore on Monday condemned Iranian forces for firing warning shots in the Gulf at a commercial ship registered in the Asian city-state, calling it a "serious violation of international law".

The Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) also urged Tehran to investigate Thursday's incident involving the Singapore-flagged Alpine Eternity which it said was in international waters.

"With regard to the reported shooting incident on 14 May 2015, involving a Singapore-registered tanker 'Alpine Eternity' that took place in international waters, Singapore is deeply concerned with such actions," the MPA said in a statement.

"Such interference with navigational rights is a serious violation of international law," it said.

"The freedom of navigation and free flow of commerce are of critical importance to Singapore and other maritime and trading nations," it added.

The MPA said it had "requested the Iranian maritime authorities to investigate the incident and prevent future recurrences".

In the incident, Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces fired warning shots across the bow of the Singapore-flagged tanker before vessels from the United Arab Emirates came to the ship's aid, according to US officials.

After hearing a radio call for help, the United Arab Emirates dispatched coastguard vessels to aid the tanker and the Iranian boats then left the area.

The Iranian vessels had apparently tried to intercept the ship to settle a legal dispute over an Iranian oil rig that was damaged on March 22.

An Iranian official on Friday said the Alpine Eternity, which is operated by Norway's Transpetrol TM AS, had hit the rig in the Gulf after drifting off course.

Habib Jadidi, a director of Iran's giant South Pars gas field operations, said Transpetrol was informed of the $300 million damage to the oil rig but had not taken steps to pay compensation, according to a report by Shana, a news outlet belonging to Tehran's oil ministry.

The MPA said it was investigating the oil rig incident after receiving a report from Transpetrol.

Observers have said Iran's firing of warning shots reflects rising tensions in the Gulf, exacerbated by the conflict in Yemen in which Tehran-backed Shiite rebels are engaged in a conflict against a Saudi-led coalition of Sunni Arab states and pro-Yemeni government forces.

[RRW]

A memorandum of cooperation among various enterprises on the construction of Kra Canal in Thailand has been signed in Guangzhou China.

The canal, located at Kra Isthmus, will enable ships to bypass the Malacca Strait so as to shorten their voyage by 1,200 km.

It is an important project of China’s 21st century maritime Silk Road.

http://chinadailymail.com/2015/05/17...l-in-thailand/

[Ithekro]

Well that would take their trade routes a little farther away from the Philippines. But I doubt Singapore will be happy about this. Perhaps Vietnam as well since that get the Chinese even closer.

[MrTerrorist]

Can't believe how corrupt Chicken companies are to the Farmers who raise their livestock.

[hawkeyesvn]

Originally Posted by Ithekro

Well that would take their trade routes a little farther away from the Philippines. But I doubt Singapore will be happy about this. Perhaps Vietnam as well since that get the Chinese even closer.

It's part of their "Divide and Conquer" strategy. It's a known fact that not all Asean countries have the same standing when it comes to Territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Aside Vietnam, Phillipines and Malaysia, the rest of Asean don't care that much. Some are actually on the side of China like : Laos ( Can't blame them since they don't even have sea border ), Cambodia. IMO, Thailand and Singapore has always remain neutral but with their recent political disturbance, Thais probably decide to side with China for extra profit from this project.

China never want to solve the South China Sea problem with all Asean, it's easier to deal with just 1 or 2 countries.