southfront--2020-12-02--Azerbaijan Declared November 10 A National ‘Victory Day’

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an executive order to establish a “ Victory Day ” which will be celebrated in the country on November 10 of every year .
The new Azerbaijani national holiday is meant to celebrate the “ victory ” over Armenian forces in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh .
Azerbaijan launched an attack on Nagorno-Karabakh on September 27 .
The heated battle ended on November 9 with a Russian-brokered peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia .
The deal , which will see most of the region returning to Azerbaijan ’ s control , became active on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Armenia ’ s latest provocations and military aggression , the Azerbaijani people waged a Patriotic War in order to put an end to the occupation of our lands , force Armenia to peace , implement the requirements of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions , return IDPs to their native lands and restore justice .
All the Azerbaijani people were mobilized and united for this sacred cause .
After 44 days of military operations , the victorious Azerbaijani Army liberated from occupation the cities of Jabrayil , Fuzuli , Zangilan , Gubadli , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minjivan , Aghband , Bartaz settlements of Zangilan district , Hadrut settlement and many villages of Khojavand district , including Sugovushan village of Tartar district , several villages of Khojaly and Lachin districts , as well as important strategic hills in the direction of Aghdara , Murovdagh and Zangilan .
We have liberated our lands at the expense of the lives and blood of the Azerbaijani people , our hero martyrs , soldiers and officers , ” the presidential order , which was signed on December 2 reads .
While Azerbaijan is attempting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a complete victory , the truth is that Baku made several major concessions .
The capital of Nagorno-Karabakh and the region ’ s largest city , Stepanakert , is still under the control of Armenian forces .
Furthermore , the peace deal provided for the deployment of thousands of Russian peacekeepers in the region .
Azerbaijan is rewriting history , taking advantage of Armenia ’ s crisis and the incompetence of its government .
This is yet another failure for Yerevan .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Protests In Armenia As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To Power , Baku And Yerevan Prepare For Prisoner Exchange

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UPDATE: The Victory Day was rescheduled for November 8, according to the Azerbaijani leadership.
***
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an executive order to establish a “Victory Day” which will be celebrated in the country on November 10 of every year.
The new Azerbaijani national holiday is meant to celebrate the “victory” over Armenian forces in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Azerbaijan launched an attack on Nagorno-Karabakh on September 27. The heated battle ended on November 9 with a Russian-brokered peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The deal, which will see most of the region returning to Azerbaijan’s control, became active on November 10.
“In response to Armenia’s latest provocations and military aggression, the Azerbaijani people waged a Patriotic War in order to put an end to the occupation of our lands, force Armenia to peace, implement the requirements of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, return IDPs to their native lands and restore justice. All the Azerbaijani people were mobilized and united for this sacred cause. After 44 days of military operations, the victorious Azerbaijani Army liberated from occupation the cities of Jabrayil, Fuzuli, Zangilan, Gubadli, Shusha – the crown of Karabakh, Minjivan, Aghband, Bartaz settlements of Zangilan district, Hadrut settlement and many villages of Khojavand district, including Sugovushan village of Tartar district, several villages of Khojaly and Lachin districts, as well as important strategic hills in the direction of Aghdara, Murovdagh and Zangilan. We have liberated our lands at the expense of the lives and blood of the Azerbaijani people, our hero martyrs, soldiers and officers,” the presidential order, which was signed on December 2 reads.
While Azerbaijan is attempting to present the recent battle in Nagorno-Karabakh as a complete victory, the truth is that Baku made several major concessions.
The capital of Nagorno-Karabakh and the region’s largest city, Stepanakert, is still under the control of Armenian forces. Furthermore, the peace deal provided for the deployment of thousands of Russian peacekeepers in the region.
Azerbaijan is rewriting history, taking advantage of Armenia’s crisis and the incompetence of its government. This is yet another failure for Yerevan.
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southfront--2020-12-02--Military Situation In Syria On December 2, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria : • On December 2 , Russia reported that Idlib militants violated the ceasefire regime in Greater Idlib 31 times : 20 – in Idlib province , 2 – in Aleppo province , 5 – in Latakia province , 4 – in Hama province ; • On December 1 , Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Khatib Zadeh denied reported about the assassination of an IRGC commander in an airstrike in al-Bukamal ; • On December 1 , during the meeting of the Syrian constitutional committee in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sides reached an understanding on the humanitarian file and the issue of sanctions imposed on Syria ; • On December 2 , clashes between the Syrian Democratic Forces ( SDF ) and Turkish-backed forces were reported in the Tal Tamar area ; • On December 1 , clashes between SDF and Turkish-backed forces were reported north of Arimah ; • On December 1 , artillery of Turkish-backed forces shelled SDF positions in the Ain Isaa area ; • On December 2 , Syrian Arab Army ( SAA ) artillery shelled positions of Turkish-backed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ON THE TOPIC : • In Video : Kurdish Rebels Burn Positions Of Turkish Proxies In Northern Syria

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A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria:
On December 2, Russia reported that Idlib militants violated the ceasefire regime in Greater Idlib 31 times: 20 – in Idlib province, 2 – in Aleppo province, 5 – in Latakia province, 4 – in Hama province;
On December 1, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Khatib Zadeh denied reported about the assassination of an IRGC commander in an airstrike in al-Bukamal;
On December 1, during the meeting of the Syrian constitutional committee in Geneva (4th round), the sides reached an understanding on the humanitarian file and the issue of sanctions imposed on Syria;
On December 2, clashes between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Turkish-backed forces were reported in the Tal Tamar area;
On December 1, clashes between SDF and Turkish-backed forces were reported north of Arimah;
On December 1, artillery of Turkish-backed forces shelled SDF positions in the Ain Isaa area;
On December 2, Syrian Arab Army (SAA) artillery shelled positions of Turkish-backed forces in al-Barah and Baylun.
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southfront--2020-12-02--Doctored Indignation: Australia-China Relations

Clay foot diplomacy is all the rage in Canberra , and the Australian government has become a solid practitioner .
Having stuck its neck out across continents and seas to proclaim the need to investigate China over the origins of the novel coronavirus , the Morrison government now finds itself in the tightest of corners .
Very much one to bite the hand that feeds it , Australia is trying to prove in international relations that you can , from behind the curtain , provoke your largest trading partner while still hoping to trade with it .
China is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s policy towards it in recent years as a log of disagreeable actions .
The Chinese tech giant Huawei was excluded from its 5G network .
Ten investment deals across a range of industries have also been blocked , including animal husbandry , infrastructure and agriculture .
They have seen Australia strident on what China regards as matters of domestic concern : Hong Kong and Xinjiang .
Australia is also finding itself ever more comfortable in relationships such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue , where it keeps company with the United States , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is well on the way to becoming “ openly anti-China ” .
The ones to endure the “ deep reflexion ” demanded of Australia by Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian have not been politicians .
It has fallen to the importers and exporters to receive Beijing ’ s directed fury .
In May , the Australia-China barley trade was all but eliminated by tariffs in the order of 80.5 percent .
In November , tariffs ranging from 107 to 200 percent were imposed on Australian wine , a sorry blow for Australian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million wine drinkers in the PRC .
Australia ’ s largest wine company , Treasury Wine Estates , claimed to have received a tariff rate of 169.3 percent .
As the managing director of Clare Valley ’ s Taylor Wines , Mitchell Taylor , explained , “ A tariff of this scale will basically kill the industry overnight.
” Winemakers in neighbouring New Zealand , and those in France and Chile , will be happy to see a rival in the Chinese market so dramatically shrunk .
Australian farmers and traders are baffled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canberra has misjudged the situation .
Feeble suggestions occupy ministerial briefs about whether China can be taken to the World Trade Organisation .
Trade minister Simon Birmingham has been unable to secure a line with his Chinese counterparts .
There is not much by way of tea and conversation being had by the two sides .
Then came a doctored image from Chinese political computer graphic artist Fu Yu .
It ’ s in the old image of propaganda accounts : use a murdering , invading soldier as a prop .
Find a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case , the picture centres upon what is supposed to be an Australian soldier and an Afghan child .
The soldier has his blood smeared knife pressed against the child ’ s throat .
The child is holding a lamb .
The picture is helpfully captioned : “ Don ’ t be afraid , we are coming to bring you peace.
” Provocative and apt enough : the Australian effort in Afghanistan , along with those of other forces , has been marked by an irregular war of relentless savagery that has tended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s own role has been distinguished by a lengthy spell of action by special forces that were found by the recently released Brereton war crimes inquiry to have committed a goodly number of civilian killings .
China ’ s foreign ministry sensed an opportunity .
On November 30 , Zhao Lijian tweeted the image .
“ Shocked by murder of Afghan civilians & prisoners by Australian soldiers , ” he chided .
“ We strongly condemn such acts & call for holding them accountable.
” Prime Minister Scott Morrison , instead of ignoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attached , was all indignant and promptly fell for the hook .
“ The post made today , the repugnant post made today of a falsified image of an Australian soldier threatening a young child with a knife , a post made on an official Chinese government account , posted by the deputy director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , is truly repugnant.
” In making such a statement , Morrison gave the coverage on Australian atrocities and misdeeds in Afghanistan even more air .
He returned to hollow notions of noble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kindly things , ignoring their nastier missions .
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Frances Adamson called upon the Chinese ambassador Cheng Jingye to lodge an official complaint .
Pleas were made to Twitter to take down the image but on this occasion , the social media platform has not been for turning .
An apology from China ’ s ministry of foreign affairs is also being sought .
Such moves have led to a cycle of mocking and rebuke .
“ On what grounds does Morrison feel angry over the use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FM ?
” asked Hu Xijin , editor-in-chief of , a state-owned publication .
For his part , Fu felt didactic , telling Morrison “ to make sure his Government ’ s military force becomes more disciplined to avoid any similar international tragedy ” .
Having found himself in full righteous gear , Morrison has unconvincingly called “ on China to re-engage in … dialogue .
This is how countries must deal with each other to ensure we can deal with any issues in our relationship , consistent with our national interests and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Not engaging in deplorable behaviour.
” Unfortunately for the prime minister , international relations is very much about deplorable behaviour , something which Australia has not been exempt from .
Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College , Cambridge .
He lectures at RMIT University , Melbourne .
Email : bkampmark @ gmail.com MORE ON THE TOPIC : • U.S .
Reportedly Harassed Chinese Shipping And Airliner Crews , As Beijing Vows Countermeasures • U.S. Sanctions Chinese Tech Company Working In Venezuela , Beijing Urges It To Reconsider Its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World ’ s First 6G Satellite Amid Raging Tech War

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Submitted by Dr. Binoy Kampmark
Clay foot diplomacy is all the rage in Canberra, and the Australian government has become a solid practitioner. Having stuck its neck out across continents and seas to proclaim the need to investigate China over the origins of the novel coronavirus, the Morrison government now finds itself in the tightest of corners. Very much one to bite the hand that feeds it, Australia is trying to prove in international relations that you can, from behind the curtain, provoke your largest trading partner while still hoping to trade with it.
China is not of that view, seeing Australia’s policy towards it in recent years as a log of disagreeable actions. The Chinese tech giant Huawei was excluded from its 5G network. Ten investment deals across a range of industries have also been blocked, including animal husbandry, infrastructure and agriculture. They have seen Australia strident on what China regards as matters of domestic concern: Hong Kong and Xinjiang. Australia is also finding itself ever more comfortable in relationships such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, where it keeps company with the United States, Japan and India in an arrangement that is well on the way to becoming “openly anti-China”.
The ones to endure the “deep reflexion” demanded of Australia by Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian have not been politicians. It has fallen to the importers and exporters to receive Beijing’s directed fury. In May, the Australia-China barley trade was all but eliminated by tariffs in the order of 80.5 percent. In November, tariffs ranging from 107 to 200 percent were imposed on Australian wine, a sorry blow for Australian wine makers salivating at courting some 52 million wine drinkers in the PRC. Australia’s largest wine company, Treasury Wine Estates, claimed to have received a tariff rate of 169.3 percent. As the managing director of Clare Valley’s Taylor Wines, Mitchell Taylor, explained, “A tariff of this scale will basically kill the industry overnight.” Winemakers in neighbouring New Zealand, and those in France and Chile, will be happy to see a rival in the Chinese market so dramatically shrunk.
Australian farmers and traders are baffled and more than a touch concerned that Canberra has misjudged the situation. Feeble suggestions occupy ministerial briefs about whether China can be taken to the World Trade Organisation. Trade minister Simon Birmingham has been unable to secure a line with his Chinese counterparts. There is not much by way of tea and conversation being had by the two sides.
Then came a doctored image from Chinese political computer graphic artist Fu Yu. It’s in the old image of propaganda accounts: use a murdering, invading soldier as a prop. Find a suitable, vulnerable civilian. In this case, the picture centres upon what is supposed to be an Australian soldier and an Afghan child. The soldier has his blood smeared knife pressed against the child’s throat. The child is holding a lamb. The picture is helpfully captioned: “Don’t be afraid, we are coming to bring you peace.”
Provocative and apt enough: the Australian effort in Afghanistan, along with those of other forces, has been marked by an irregular war of relentless savagery that has tended to elude domestic understanding. Australia’s own role has been distinguished by a lengthy spell of action by special forces that were found by the recently released Brereton war crimes inquiry to have committed a goodly number of civilian killings.
China’s foreign ministry sensed an opportunity. On November 30, Zhao Lijian tweeted the image. “Shocked by murder of Afghan civilians & prisoners by Australian soldiers,” he chided. “We strongly condemn such acts & call for holding them accountable.” Prime Minister Scott Morrison, instead of ignoring it as a provocative prod with hook attached, was all indignant and promptly fell for the hook. “The post made today, the repugnant post made today of a falsified image of an Australian soldier threatening a young child with a knife, a post made on an official Chinese government account, posted by the deputy director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is truly repugnant.”
In making such a statement, Morrison gave the coverage on Australian atrocities and misdeeds in Afghanistan even more air. He returned to hollow notions of noble soldiers in uniform sent overseas to do kindly things, ignoring their nastier missions. Australian Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Frances Adamson called upon the Chinese ambassador Cheng Jingye to lodge an official complaint. Pleas were made to Twitter to take down the image but on this occasion, the social media platform has not been for turning. An apology from China’s ministry of foreign affairs is also being sought.
Such moves have led to a cycle of mocking and rebuke. “On what grounds does Morrison feel angry over the use of this cartoon by the spokesperson of Chinese FM?” asked Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of Global Times, a state-owned publication. For his part, Fu felt didactic, telling Morrison “to make sure his Government’s military force becomes more disciplined to avoid any similar international tragedy”.
Having found himself in full righteous gear, Morrison has unconvincingly called “on China to re-engage in … dialogue. This is how countries must deal with each other to ensure we can deal with any issues in our relationship, consistent with our national interests and respect for each other’s sovereignty. Not engaging in deplorable behaviour.” Unfortunately for the prime minister, international relations is very much about deplorable behaviour, something which Australia has not been exempt from.
Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He lectures at RMIT University, Melbourne. Email: bkampmark@gmail.com
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southfront--2020-12-02--Azerbaijan Releases Videos Showing Sotk Gold Mine And Lachin District

On December 2 , the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense published a video showing gits forces on the territory of the @ @ @ @ @ district in the Nagorno-Karabakh region .
The gold mine is located just on the Armenian-Azerbaijani @ @ @ @ @ the gold mine is on the territory of Azerbaijan , while another one is on @ @ @ @ @ MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Azerbaijani Troops Are In Lachin , But Unresolved Karabakh @ @ @ @ @

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On December 2, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense published a video showing gits forces on the territory of the Sotk gold mine in Kelbajar district in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. The gold mine is located just on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. A part of the gold mine is on the territory of Azerbaijan, while another one is on the territory of Armenia.
Another video shows Garygyshlag village in Lachin district.
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southfront--2020-12-02--Biden’s Choice For Secretary Of Homeland Security Accused Of Selling Green Cards To Chinese Citizens

Even before entering office , US president-elect Joe Biden is getting one of its first “ Biden Administration ” scandals .
Biden ’ s nomination for US Department of Homeland Security ( DHS ) – Alejandro Mayorkas raises some eyebrows .
With appointing a Cuban-American at the post , Biden hopes to send a conciliatory message to Latinos , and Latino immigrants , who have endured four years of a Trump-controlled DHS .
Mayorkas will , after all , be responsible for border security , immigration and customs .
US Senator Tom Cotton accused Mayorkas of selling green cards to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donors .
Cotton condemned Mayorkas ’ appointment in an interview on Fox News , saying he is “ disqualified ” from serving because of a 2015 controversy in which Mayorkas , then serving as deputy DHS secretary , helped Democrats get visas for their favored foreign companies .
Mayorkas would be the first ever Latino and immigrant to serve as DHS secretary , was the deputy secretary of homeland security in the Obama administration from 2013 to 2016 .
Prior to that , he was the director of U.S .
Citizenship and Immigration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to took place back in 2015 .
Back then , the DHS inspector general testified to Congress that Mayorkas intervened on three separate decisions on whether to grant visas for certain foreign investors on behalf of Sen. Harry Reid ( D-Nev. ) , Virginia Gov .
Terry McAuliffe ( D ) , and Anthony Rodham , Hillary Clinton ’ s brother , respectively .
The inspector general ’ s report said Mayorkas created the appearance of “ favoritism and special access , ” but then-DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson did not pursue disciplinary action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t the only one being scrutinized , according to Cotton , the incoming Biden administration appears to be a “ return of the Obama administration foreign policy ” that “ had disastrous consequences for our nation.
” On December 1st , Joe Biden dismissed these claims , saying that this was not a “ third Obama term.
” This is not a third Obama term because we face a totally different world than we faced in the Obama-Biden administration.
” “ President Trump has changed the landscape , ” he added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign policy .
“ It ’ s become ‘ America First , ’ which meant America alone.
” “ We find ourselves in a position where our alliances are being frayed , ” he also said .
“ It ’ s a totally different — that ’ s why I found people who joined the administration and key points that represent the spectrum of the American people as well as the spectrum of the Democratic Party.
” Following the release of the Inspector General report , Mayorkas issued a statement saying that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s findings .
Mayorkas claimed that he had ‘ improved the program through hands-on administration.
’ In his statement , Mayorkas said : “ While I disagree with the Inspector General ’ s report , I will certainly learn from it and from this process .
I appreciate and embrace Secretary Johnson ’ s decision to create a new protocol to ensure the EB5 program is free from the reality or perception of improper outside influence.
” “ As the leader of US Citizenship and Immigration Services , I had the responsibility to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are the focus of the report , were decided as the law required and that agency errors were corrected .
I fulfilled that responsibility and I also took steps to ensure that my involvement was understood by those around me , ” Mayorkas added .
While he was Director of USCIS , Mayorkas described the EB5 visa program as ‘ badly broken ’ when he arrived .
He claimed that decision-making was ‘ erroneous ’ and that there was ‘ insufficient security ’ .
Joe Biden appears to have chosen some interesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Press Secretary Jen Psaki .
More accusations and claims of incompetence of his chosen cabinet members are quite likely to begin popping up from various Republican senators and congressmen .
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Even before entering office, US president-elect Joe Biden is getting one of its first “Biden Administration” scandals.
Biden’s nomination for US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – Alejandro Mayorkas raises some eyebrows.
With appointing a Cuban-American at the post, Biden hopes to send a conciliatory message to Latinos, and Latino immigrants, who have endured four years of a Trump-controlled DHS. Mayorkas will, after all, be responsible for border security, immigration and customs.
US Senator Tom Cotton accused Mayorkas of selling green cards to Chinese nationals on behalf of wealthy Democratic donors.
Alejandro Mayorkas was found by Barack Obama’s Inspector General to be guilty of selling Green Cards to Chinese nationals on behalf of rich, democratic donors. He is disqualified from leading the Department of Homeland Security. pic.twitter.com/8XsPdvn30G — Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) November 25, 2020
Cotton condemned Mayorkas’ appointment in an interview on Fox News, saying he is “disqualified” from serving because of a 2015 controversy in which Mayorkas, then serving as deputy DHS secretary, helped Democrats get visas for their favored foreign companies.
“Alejandro Mayorkas was found by Barack Obama’s Inspector General to be guilty of selling Green Cards to Chinese nationals on behalf of rich, democratic donors,” Cotton said in a tweet sharing video from his interview. “He is disqualified from leading the Department of Homeland Security.”
Mayorkas would be the first ever Latino and immigrant to serve as DHS secretary, was the deputy secretary of homeland security in the Obama administration from 2013 to 2016. Prior to that, he was the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The story Senator Cotton refers to took place back in 2015. Back then, the DHS inspector general testified to Congress that Mayorkas intervened on three separate decisions on whether to grant visas for certain foreign investors on behalf of Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), and Anthony Rodham, Hillary Clinton’s brother, respectively.
The inspector general’s report said Mayorkas created the appearance of “favoritism and special access,” but then-DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson did not pursue disciplinary action against Mayorkas.
Of course, Mayorkas isn’t the only one being scrutinized, according to Cotton, the incoming Biden administration appears to be a “return of the Obama administration foreign policy” that “had disastrous consequences for our nation.”
On December 1st, Joe Biden dismissed these claims, saying that this was not a “third Obama term.”
This is not a third Obama term because we face a totally different world than we faced in the Obama-Biden administration.”
“President Trump has changed the landscape,” he added before criticizing President Donald Trump’s foreign policy. “It’s become ‘America First,’ which meant America alone.” “We find ourselves in a position where our alliances are being frayed,” he also said. “It’s a totally different — that’s why I found people who joined the administration and key points that represent the spectrum of the American people as well as the spectrum of the Democratic Party.”
Following the release of the Inspector General report, Mayorkas issued a statement saying that he ‘disagreed’ with the report’s findings. Mayorkas claimed that he had ‘improved the program through hands-on administration.’
In his statement, Mayorkas said: “While I disagree with the Inspector General’s report, I will certainly learn from it and from this process. I appreciate and embrace Secretary Johnson’s decision to create a new protocol to ensure the EB5 program is free from the reality or perception of improper outside influence.”
“As the leader of US Citizenship and Immigration Services, I had the responsibility to ensure that cases, including the three that are the focus of the report, were decided as the law required and that agency errors were corrected. I fulfilled that responsibility and I also took steps to ensure that my involvement was understood by those around me,” Mayorkas added.
While he was Director of USCIS, Mayorkas described the EB5 visa program as ‘badly broken’ when he arrived. He claimed that decision-making was ‘erroneous’ and that there was ‘insufficient security’.
He said: “I could not and did not turn my back on my responsibility to address those grave problems. I made improving the program a priority and I did so in a hands-on manner, through cases, policies, and sweeping personnel and organizational changes.”
Joe Biden appears to have chosen some interesting personalities in addition to new White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki. More accusations and claims of incompetence of his chosen cabinet members are quite likely to begin popping up from various Republican senators and congressmen.
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southfront--2020-12-02--Naval Breakthrough: Russia Delivers First Serially-Produced Diesel-Gas Turbine Unit

In November 2020 , Russia ’ s United Engine Corporation of Rostec State Corporation shipped the first serial diesel-gas turbine unit М55Р with М90ФР engines to PJSC Shipyard Severnaya Verf .
This was announced at a press conference by Viktor Polyakov , Deputy General Director – Managing Director of the UEC enterprise .
The brand-new equipment is to be used on the frigate of project 22350 “ Admiral Golovko ” which is currently under construction .
The second unit is planned to be shipped in December .
The potential of the new segment for ship power plants is reportedly quite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivery of several sets of M55R units , MA3 units for the in-development corvettes of project 20386 .
Such engines are also expected for the Zubr and Murena air-cushion landing ships .
Plus , there are possible export orders and civilian use of the M90FR engines and its modifications .
Project 22350 frigates became the first large surface combatants designed and built in Russia in the post-Soviet period .
With a standard displacement of 4550 tons and a length of 135 meters , the ships carry powerful missile , anti-submarine and anti-aircraft weapons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 29 knots .
Its endurance is approximately 30 days .
Achievement of this high performance became possible thanks to the use of the M55R diesel-gas turbine unit , which includes an M90FR afterburner gas turbine engine , a 10D49 cruise diesel engine , a PO55 gearbox and a transmission .
Two units are installed on the ship , driving fixed-pitch propellers .
The lead ship of the project “ Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov ” was laid down on February 1 , 2006 , launched at the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completed only in mid-2018 .
The second ship of the project the “ Admiral of the Fleet Kasatonov ” was laid down at the end of November 2009 and entered service in July 2020 .
The third and fourth ships , laid down in 2012 and 2013 , are under construction .
Initially , gas turbines and gearboxes for frigates were supplied by the Ukrainian enterprise Zorya-Mashproekt , while the main contractor for the manufacture of M55R units , their delivery , installation on the ship and commissioning was the Russian-Ukrainian joint venture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ background of the complication of the foreign policy situation , a ban was imposed on the military-technical cooperation of Ukrainian enterprises with Russia , which also extended to the supply of gas turbines and gearboxes for frigates of Project 22350 .
Only the first two ships of the project received Imported gas turbine engines .
Against this background , an import substitution project was urgently launched , within the framework of which the UEC JSC became the main contractor and supplier of diesel-gas turbine units М55Р .
The main milestones of the project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ M90FR engines at the UEC enterprise , the development of the production of PO55 gearboxes in St. Petersburg at the facilities of the Zvezda enterprise , the construction and commissioning of an assembly and test complex for ship units at the UEC enterprise .
The delivery of the first M55P unit , which took place in November , means that the import substitution project has been successfully implemented .
“ Rostec is consistently implementing programs for the development of modern engines of all types .
The creation of offshore gas turbine power plants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Only a few manufacturers in the world have such competencies .
We are ready to meet the needs of Russian shipbuilders in new gas turbine units .
The second unit of this series is planned to be delivered to December 2020 “ , – said Vladimir Artyakov , First Deputy General Director of Rostec State Corporation .
“ Since 2014 , we have carried out development work , built a special test bench .
Today I state that we are serially producing marine gas turbine engines and units based on them , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – Managing Director of the UEC enterprise , described the event .
Speaking in general about a new competence for the United Engine Corporation , V. Polyakov emphasized that “ today the United Engine Corporation is capable of developing , producing , testing , installing on ships and supporting in operation all gas turbine units ” , meaning not only М55Р , but and other products are also in development .
The task set for the UEC enterprise in terms of the M90FR engines was reduced to the development of serial production , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously developed engine , for which the enterprise had a set of documentation .
According to Roman Khramin , general designer of the UEC enterprise , no significant additional work was carried out to improve the characteristics of the engine : the flow path was made without changes .
However , due to the use of modern technological processes , the use of high-precision equipment in the production of parts , it was possible to increase the engine efficiency by about 2-2.5 % .
Also , Ivan Belyaev , Deputy Managing Director for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the UEC enterprise , noted that during the development of the engine , a number of design changes were made to improve reliability .
According to the top managers of the UEC enterprise , the development of the engine production in Russia made it possible to keep the cost of products at a competitive level .
In comparison with the cost of imported engines , domestic products benefit , not least because of the impact of exchange rate differences .
UEC also sees the possibility of creating a new 25 MW engine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of the press conference , Viktor Polyakov answered the questions of the AviaPort correspondent regarding the development of the corporation ’ s new competence .
– How did you master the production of these new products ?
– The competencies we received allowed us to quickly master the production of offshore installations .
The production of gas turbine engines is a familiar thing for us .
The challenge was to configure the entire ship assembly .
But the competence of our people , with the involvement of specialized institutions , allowed us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also said that much depends on good cooperation between the various Russian companies that are jointly working on the ships and engines , specifically .
He also said that it is necessary for all of this to be developed in Russia , so as it does not depend on outside help .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Russian Frigate Admiral Passes Suez Canal In Its First Long-Range Operational Voyage

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In November 2020, Russia’s United Engine Corporation of Rostec State Corporation shipped the first serial diesel-gas turbine unit М55Р with М90ФР engines to PJSC Shipyard Severnaya Verf.
This was announced at a press conference by Viktor Polyakov, Deputy General Director – Managing Director of the UEC enterprise.
The brand-new equipment is to be used on the frigate of project 22350 “Admiral Golovko” which is currently under construction.
The second unit is planned to be shipped in December. The potential of the new segment for ship power plants is reportedly quite high: in the near future, delivery of several sets of M55R units, MA3 units for the in-development corvettes of project 20386. Such engines are also expected for the Zubr and Murena air-cushion landing ships.
Plus, there are possible export orders and civilian use of the M90FR engines and its modifications.
Project 22350 frigates became the first large surface combatants designed and built in Russia in the post-Soviet period.
With a standard displacement of 4550 tons and a length of 135 meters, the ships carry powerful missile, anti-submarine and anti-aircraft weapons.
The maximum speed is up to 29 knots. Its endurance is approximately 30 days.
Achievement of this high performance became possible thanks to the use of the M55R diesel-gas turbine unit, which includes an M90FR afterburner gas turbine engine, a 10D49 cruise diesel engine, a PO55 gearbox and a transmission. Two units are installed on the ship, driving fixed-pitch propellers.
The lead ship of the project “Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov” was laid down on February 1, 2006, launched at the end of October 2010, and its tests were completed only in mid-2018.
The second ship of the project the “Admiral of the Fleet Kasatonov” was laid down at the end of November 2009 and entered service in July 2020. The third and fourth ships, laid down in 2012 and 2013, are under construction.
Initially, gas turbines and gearboxes for frigates were supplied by the Ukrainian enterprise Zorya-Mashproekt, while the main contractor for the manufacture of M55R units, their delivery, installation on the ship and commissioning was the Russian-Ukrainian joint venture CJSC Turborus.
However, against the background of the complication of the foreign policy situation, a ban was imposed on the military-technical cooperation of Ukrainian enterprises with Russia, which also extended to the supply of gas turbines and gearboxes for frigates of Project 22350.
Only the first two ships of the project received Imported gas turbine engines. Against this background, an import substitution project was urgently launched, within the framework of which the UEC JSC became the main contractor and supplier of diesel-gas turbine units М55Р.
The main milestones of the project were the development of serial production of M90FR engines at the UEC enterprise, the development of the production of PO55 gearboxes in St. Petersburg at the facilities of the Zvezda enterprise, the construction and commissioning of an assembly and test complex for ship units at the UEC enterprise.
The delivery of the first M55P unit, which took place in November, means that the import substitution project has been successfully implemented.
“Rostec is consistently implementing programs for the development of modern engines of all types. The creation of offshore gas turbine power plants and units is a high-tech high-tech process. Only a few manufacturers in the world have such competencies. We are ready to meet the needs of Russian shipbuilders in new gas turbine units. The second unit of this series is planned to be delivered to December 2020 “, – said Vladimir Artyakov, First Deputy General Director of Rostec State Corporation. “Since 2014, we have carried out development work, built a special test bench. Today I state that we are serially producing marine gas turbine engines and units based on them,” Viktor Polyakov, Deputy General Director – Managing Director of the UEC enterprise, described the event. Speaking in general about a new competence for the United Engine Corporation, V. Polyakov emphasized that “today the United Engine Corporation is capable of developing, producing, testing, installing on ships and supporting in operation all gas turbine units”, meaning not only М55Р, but and other products are also in development.
The task set for the UEC enterprise in terms of the M90FR engines was reduced to the development of serial production, repair and maintenance in operation of a previously developed engine, for which the enterprise had a set of documentation.
According to Roman Khramin, general designer of the UEC enterprise, no significant additional work was carried out to improve the characteristics of the engine: the flow path was made without changes. However, due to the use of modern technological processes, the use of high-precision equipment in the production of parts, it was possible to increase the engine efficiency by about 2-2.5%.
“This is more precise manufacturing, smaller radial clearances along the flow path, due to which increased efficiency is achieved,” Roman Khramin specified.
Also, Ivan Belyaev, Deputy Managing Director for Industrial and Marine Gas Turbine Engines Programs at the UEC enterprise, noted that during the development of the engine, a number of design changes were made to improve reliability.
According to the top managers of the UEC enterprise, the development of the engine production in Russia made it possible to keep the cost of products at a competitive level.
In comparison with the cost of imported engines, domestic products benefit, not least because of the impact of exchange rate differences.
“Taking into account the current rate, our units gain in price. But I will transfer the issue to another plane. You yourself saw the enterprise, you saw new modern technologies. This is a completely different production culture, and therefore high quality,” Polyakov noted.
UEC also sees the possibility of creating a new 25 MW engine based on the M90FR.
“Regarding the further development on the basis of this engine of the GTE family of greater power, we know how to do this, and we can bring this machine from 20 to 25 MW. We have such proposals, we have come out with them to interested organizations and government agencies. time, these proposals are being considered,” the corporation stressed.
At the end of the press conference, Viktor Polyakov answered the questions of the AviaPort correspondent regarding the development of the corporation’s new competence.
– How did you master the production of these new products?
– The competencies we received allowed us to quickly master the production of offshore installations. The production of gas turbine engines is a familiar thing for us. The challenge was to configure the entire ship assembly. But the competence of our people, with the involvement of specialized institutions, allowed us to quickly complete the project.
He also said that much depends on good cooperation between the various Russian companies that are jointly working on the ships and engines, specifically.
He also said that it is necessary for all of this to be developed in Russia, so as it does not depend on outside help.
“We are destined to be a maritime power, Russia cannot exist without a fleet,” he concluded.
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southfront--2020-12-02--U.S. Reportedly Harassed Chinese Shipping And Airliner Crews, As Beijing Vows Countermeasures

In the last week of November , and the beginning of December 2020 , Chinese-US tensions appeared to be growing .
This notably included the US Treasury sanctioning Chinese company CEIEC for operating in Venezuela , and Beijing urging it to reconsider its “ mistake ” and lift the sanctions .
On November 30th , in a regular press briefing Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying answered the following question from a report from the South China Morning Post : The answer was the following : “ Indeed , over a period of time , law enforcement officials of relevant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Chinese ships , questioned and inspected the crew of many Chinese flights to the United States , repeatedly fixating on their CPC membership .
Such actions incite ideological antagonism and undermine normal personnel exchanges between China and the United States .
This is a serious political provocation against the Chinese side .
It is also another manifestation of the resurgence of McCarthyism and the full-on containment and suppression against China by the U.S. anti-China forces .
It runs counter to the historical trend and does not conform to the aspirations of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who want friendly exchanges .
The Chinese side has made solemn representations to the U.S. side in this regard .
We urge the U.S. side to immediately stop the erroneous acts , stop stoking ideological antagonism , and stop unjustified crack-down on China .
If the U.S. side insists on escalating its provocative actions , China will certainly take countermeasures.
” According to Beijing , the US is not only harassing Chinese shipping crews , but also Airline crews .
U.S. law-enforcement personnel have recently conducted alleged surprise raids on sailors aboard arriving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crews to ascertain whether they are members of the Communist Party .
Hua Chunying said that the US needs to stop these “ erroneous acts ” or China will find itself forced to implement due countermeasures .
This took place in late October and mid-November according to China Daily .
China Daily said that U.S. law-enforcement officers and plainclothes personnel had boarded 21 ships owned by two Chinese state enterprises , Cosco Shipping Holdings Co. and Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co. , including 16 vessels that were inspected over the course of 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affected ships were boarded immediately after they berthed , according to China Daily , which said U.S. officials conducted extensive questioning of Chinese personnel that focused on Communist Party membership and sometimes lasted several hours .
“ The US side ’ s extensive questioning of Chinese personnel sometimes lasted for several hours , repeatedly fixating on their CPC membership and even asking about reasons for joining the Party , ” the sources said .
“ They also asked about things like the crew ’ s links with the Chinese government , the current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in China , and the crew ’ s views on the candidates in the US presidential election , ” the sources added .
In addition to Chinese ships , US law enforcement agencies launched surprise raids on arriving Chinese airliners on 16 occasions and questioned in detail the cabin crews .
On three of these occasions , the questioning involved Party membership , the sources said .
Another point of contention is Taiwan , and China strongly opposes the US selling weapons to Taiwan .
“ The first thing I ’ d like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. arms sales to Taiwan .
Our position is consistent and clear .
I read reports that Taiwan has spent $ 11.8 billion , or NT $ 342.2 billion in purchasing American weapons this year , equaling the per capita spending of NT $ 14,500 .
I don ’ t know how our Taiwan compatriots feel when they know their wealth gained through hard work is spent on buying second-hand American weapons and used like it came from an automated teller machine for interest groups in the United States .
We once again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side : China will resolutely fight back against all attempts that undermine China ’ s core interests and interfere in China ’ s internal affairs .
We urge the US to strictly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques , stop selling arms to Taiwan or having military links with Taiwan , deal with Taiwan-related issues properly and with caution , and promptly halt its steps down the wrong and dangerous path .
We also once again give the stern message to the Taiwan authorities that “ Taiwan independence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and actions to seek external interference and use weaponry to deny reunification are doomed to fail.
” It is possible that in addition to pushing policy more rapidly regarding the Middle East and in support of Israel , the Trump Administration is also attempting to push relations with China even further apart in the last days in office .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • U.S. Sanctions Chinese Tech Company Working In Venezuela , Beijing Urges It To Reconsider Its “ Mistake ” • Leapfrogs US With World ’ s First 6G Satellite @ @ @ @

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In the last week of November, and the beginning of December 2020, Chinese-US tensions appeared to be growing.
This notably included the US Treasury sanctioning Chinese company CEIEC for operating in Venezuela, and Beijing urging it to reconsider its “mistake” and lift the sanctions.
On November 30th, in a regular press briefing Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying answered the following question from a report from the South China Morning Post:
“According to China Daily, U.S. law enforcement officers recently have asked questions to employees of China’s shipping companies about their Party membership in several raids. In addition to Chinese ships, U.S. law enforcement agencies launched surprise raids on arriving Chinese airliners. Do you have more information on that? Can you confirm these details?”
The answer was the following:
“Indeed, over a period of time, law enforcement officials of relevant U.S. departments have repeatedly raided the crew of Chinese ships, questioned and inspected the crew of many Chinese flights to the United States, repeatedly fixating on their CPC membership. Such actions incite ideological antagonism and undermine normal personnel exchanges between China and the United States. This is a serious political provocation against the Chinese side. It is also another manifestation of the resurgence of McCarthyism and the full-on containment and suppression against China by the U.S. anti-China forces. It runs counter to the historical trend and does not conform to the aspirations of the people of China and the United States who want friendly exchanges. The Chinese side has made solemn representations to the U.S. side in this regard. We urge the U.S. side to immediately stop the erroneous acts, stop stoking ideological antagonism, and stop unjustified crack-down on China. If the U.S. side insists on escalating its provocative actions, China will certainly take countermeasures.”
According to Beijing, the US is not only harassing Chinese shipping crews, but also Airline crews.
U.S. law-enforcement personnel have recently conducted alleged surprise raids on sailors aboard arriving Chinese ships and questioned arriving Chinese airline crews to ascertain whether they are members of the Communist Party.
Hua Chunying said that the US needs to stop these “erroneous acts” or China will find itself forced to implement due countermeasures.
This took place in late October and mid-November according to China Daily.
China Daily said that U.S. law-enforcement officers and plainclothes personnel had boarded 21 ships owned by two Chinese state enterprises, Cosco Shipping Holdings Co. and Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., including 16 vessels that were inspected over the course of 25 days in October.
Most of the affected ships were boarded immediately after they berthed, according to China Daily, which said U.S. officials conducted extensive questioning of Chinese personnel that focused on Communist Party membership and sometimes lasted several hours.
“The US side’s extensive questioning of Chinese personnel sometimes lasted for several hours, repeatedly fixating on their CPC membership and even asking about reasons for joining the Party,” the sources said. “They also asked about things like the crew’s links with the Chinese government, the current situation of (COVID-19) epidemic prevention in China, and the crew’s views on the candidates in the US presidential election,” the sources added.
In addition to Chinese ships, US law enforcement agencies launched surprise raids on arriving Chinese airliners on 16 occasions and questioned in detail the cabin crews. On three of these occasions, the questioning involved Party membership, the sources said.
“Such practices of the US side raise suspicion of discriminatory enforcement of the (US) laws and of attempts to provoke ideological confrontation, disrupt regular exchanges of visits between China and the US, and deliberately create trouble and obstacles, giving people the impression that McCarthyism is resurging in the US,” the sources said.
Another point of contention is Taiwan, and China strongly opposes the US selling weapons to Taiwan.
“The first thing I’d like to stress is that China firmly opposes U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. Our position is consistent and clear. I read reports that Taiwan has spent $11.8 billion, or NT$342.2 billion in purchasing American weapons this year, equaling the per capita spending of NT$14,500. I don’t know how our Taiwan compatriots feel when they know their wealth gained through hard work is spent on buying second-hand American weapons and used like it came from an automated teller machine for interest groups in the United States. We once again send this stern message to the U.S. side: China will resolutely fight back against all attempts that undermine China’s core interests and interfere in China’s internal affairs. We urge the US to strictly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, stop selling arms to Taiwan or having military links with Taiwan, deal with Taiwan-related issues properly and with caution, and promptly halt its steps down the wrong and dangerous path. We also once again give the stern message to the Taiwan authorities that “Taiwan independence” is a dead end. Attempts and actions to seek external interference and use weaponry to deny reunification are doomed to fail.”
It is possible that in addition to pushing policy more rapidly regarding the Middle East and in support of Israel, the Trump Administration is also attempting to push relations with China even further apart in the last days in office.
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southfront--2020-12-02--Russian Diplomatic Vehicle Hit By IED In Afghanistan’s Kabul

On December 1st , a vehicle belonging to the Russian diplomatic mission in Afghanistan has been hit by the detonation of an improvised explosive device ( IED ) in Kabul , Russia ’ s Foreign Ministry said .
There were no casualties .
The explosion took place near the Russian Embassy in the Afghan capital .
The car did not suffer a direct hit , with its passengers suffering only minor concussions as a result .
“ We demand that the Afghan authorities conduct a thorough investigation of the incident and take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Afghanistan .
The Russian Embassy in Kabul is introducing additional security measures to defend the personnel and the facilities of the diplomatic mission ” , the Russian Foreign Ministry stated .
The ministry also noted that the car may not have been the target of the IED , and according to preliminary investigations was aimed to hit an Afghan Security Force military pickup that was driving in front of the Russian Embassy ’ s vehicle .
There is , however , a possibility that the Russian diplomatic staff was targeted .
Attacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian diplomats in Afghanistan , it is much more frequent that attacks take place against Afghan Security Forces , or Taliban .
Prior to the US-Taliban deal , US forces were also being frequently targeted .
Currently , the only faction that targets all parties indiscriminately are ISIS militants cells that carry out attacks in various regions .
The situation remains tense in Afghanistan even after the US and the Taliban signed a truce earlier in 2020 .
Under the conditions of the agreement , the Taliban has vowed to stop attacks on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it from turning into a safe haven for terrorist organizations , and to engage in dialogue with the government in Kabul .
In return , the US promised to withdraw its forces from the country after 19 years of war .
Earlier , in November , Washington announced a partial withdrawal of its forces from the country , even though occasional attacks continue to take place , some of them purportedly carried out by the Taliban itself .
In addition , the group and the Afghan government have still not engaged in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the conflict , which has been ravaging the country for decades .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • More Than 30 Killed In New Suicide Attack In ’ s Ghazni ( Video )

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On December 1st, a vehicle belonging to the Russian diplomatic mission in Afghanistan has been hit by the detonation of an improvised explosive device (IED) in Kabul, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said.
There were no casualties.
The explosion took place near the Russian Embassy in the Afghan capital. The car did not suffer a direct hit, with its passengers suffering only minor concussions as a result.
“We demand that the Afghan authorities conduct a thorough investigation of the incident and take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of the personnel of the Russian diplomatic buildings in Afghanistan. The Russian Embassy in Kabul is introducing additional security measures to defend the personnel and the facilities of the diplomatic mission”, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated.
The ministry also noted that the car may not have been the target of the IED, and according to preliminary investigations was aimed to hit an Afghan Security Force military pickup that was driving in front of the Russian Embassy’s vehicle.
There is, however, a possibility that the Russian diplomatic staff was targeted.
Attacks such as these are rare regarding any Russian diplomats in Afghanistan, it is much more frequent that attacks take place against Afghan Security Forces, or Taliban. Prior to the US-Taliban deal, US forces were also being frequently targeted.
Currently, the only faction that targets all parties indiscriminately are ISIS militants cells that carry out attacks in various regions.
The situation remains tense in Afghanistan even after the US and the Taliban signed a truce earlier in 2020. Under the conditions of the agreement, the Taliban has vowed to stop attacks on American forces in the country, prevent it from turning into a safe haven for terrorist organizations, and to engage in dialogue with the government in Kabul. In return, the US promised to withdraw its forces from the country after 19 years of war.
Earlier, in November, Washington announced a partial withdrawal of its forces from the country, even though occasional attacks continue to take place, some of them purportedly carried out by the Taliban itself. In addition, the group and the Afghan government have still not engaged in the expected dialogue to reach a political solution to the conflict, which has been ravaging the country for decades.
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southfront--2020-12-02--Protests In Armenia As Nikol “The Basement” Pashinyan Clings To Power, Baku And Yerevan Prepare For

Protests In Armenia As Nikol “The Basement” Pashinyan Clings To Power, Baku And Yerevan Prepare For Prisoner Exchange

On December 1st , protests in Armenia ramped up , together with an increase in detentions of protesters and opposition figures .
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a few meetings in the previous days to set the stage for not giving up power and not resigning .
On November 30th , he held a consultation with Armenia ’ s senior law enforcement officers , including National Security Service Director Armen Abazyan , Chief of Police Vahe Ghazaryan , Minister of Justice Rustam Badasyan , Chairman of National Assembly Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs Vladimir Vardanyan , Prosecutor General @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sasun Khachatryan , Investigative Committee Chairman Hayk Grigoryan , Supreme Judicial Council members , candidate for President of the Court of Cassation Lilit Tadevosyan , President of the Administrative Court of Appeals Hovsep Bedevyan , President of the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction Arthur Mkrtchyan and other officials .
All of these experts were briefed that people expected the institutions to be strong and effective in dealing with the same people who are protesting against Pashinyan .
“ I especially refer to the law enforcement system and the enforcement of public order .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ we exchanged views and shared our assessments of how well the law enforcement institutions are functioning today , what is our common approach in terms of interaction and the rule of law .
I want to cite a specific example .
You know that the night of November 10 was marked by acts of violence ; in fact , the Speaker of the National Assembly came under attack .
50 people have been charged under criminal proceedings , of which 42 were remanded in custody .
20 motions were rejected , 18 were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ custody in the case of the attack on the NA Speaker , while the arrest of one person was rejected .
The main question arising from the statistics I provided is whether an adequate response was given to what happened , and if we consider it adequate , let us take note of it , but if we do not consider it adequate , we should understand where the problem is , and why do we have such a situation ?
” Nikol Pashinyan said .
The leader of the “ Republic ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook , in particular , referring to the regional realities and the internal political situation in Armenia .
“ How to overcome the internal political crisis ?
The resignation of the Prime Minister now , in my opinion , will not solve the problem , but will rather cause new problems in the governing and legislative system .
Actually , any new Prime Minister will have to implement the unpopular provisions of the document , which has already been signed and the new Prime Minister will be discredited very quickly , not justifying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we will lose another valuable person .
In my opinion , we do not have the right to such luxury .
Therefore , I consider that the incumbent Prime Minister should present a timetable for resolving the internal political crisis and announce the deadline for the early parliamentary elections for a reasonable period .
Only then can the appointment of new members of the government yield results and be perceptible.
” Armenian President Armen Sargsyan maintains that the current Armenian government is dead and should simply be buried .
“ After such a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government that has let it happen must resign , ” he said at a meeting with delegates from the Armenian diaspora during his private visit to Russia , commenting on the outcome of the outbreak of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh .
“ If a politician is strong enough he may be back again later .
The previous elections took place two and a half years ago , when the country was absolutely different .
Now we are living in a different country.
” “ There is a civilized way – early elections , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It doesn ’ t mean that each party is not have a minister , it means that a politician who enjoys general respect forms a government , preferably , a technocratic one , ” he said , adding that a government of national accord should work for six to twelve months , until new elections , after which a new cabinet will be formed by the winning political force .
The Armenian president said also that it would be necessary to organize a constitutional referendum before the new elections .
“ Any constitution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a parliamentary system , must have checks and balances , mechanisms of containment , ” he said .
He stressed that neither the president nor the prime minister should be allowed to take decisions on vital matters at their own discretion .
“ These things should be balanced .
Our constitution is not .
There should be balance between the parliament , the government and the presidential authority , ” Sarkissian said .
He said that there should be elections for both President , in addition to a General Election .
Regarding the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Russian Defense Ministry Igor Konashenkov presented a report on the deployment and work of the Russian peacekeeping forces in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone .
He also spoke about the joint Turkish-Russian monitoring center , which will be set in Azerbaijan .
“ The Russian peacekeeping force continues to monitor the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh .
The ceasefire is maintained along the entire line of contact .
According to the trilateral statement of the Presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan and the RA Prime Minister , on December 1 , the Lachin region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Azerbaijani side under the control of the Russian peacekeeping forces .
Russian peacekeepers control the 5 km wide corridor in Lachin .
It ensures Nagorno-Karabakh ’ s connection with Armenia , the safe return of people to their homes and the movement of civilian transport .
Russian peacekeepers cleared Zorge Street in Stepanakert and the area along the power lines and gas pipeline in the Shushi-Lisagor direction from explosive devices .
During the day more than 5 hectares of land were cleared , 2 km of road , 109 explosive devices were found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equipped place and destroyed .
In total , Nagorno-Karabakh engineering units demined more than 34 hectares of land , about 12 km of roads , inspected more than 110 houses and social facilities , found and defused 1,077 explosive devices .
In one day , more than 2.5 km of cabels , 1.5 km of gas pipelines , 1 km of power piplines , 4 power poles and 1 transformer substation .
The Russian brigade of military medical specialists of the special medical unit of the RF Ministry of Defense held consultations and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Khnapat , including 11 children .
According to the Russian peacekeeping force and the ICRC , the search and exchange of bodies continues .
According to a memorandum signed between the Russian and Turkish Ministries of Defense on November 11 , 2020 , an agreement was reached on the deployment and operation of a joint Russian-Turkish military control center .
The center will be located in Azerbaijan .
The number of Russian and Turkish staff in the organizational structure of the joint center will be equal.
” The process of delivering logistic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deployed in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan continues .
The logistic support assets brought for the Russian peacekeepers were delivered to their destination point through a designated route on December 1st .
Azerbaijan insists on trading all prisoners of war with Armenia , on an all-for-all principle .
“ Azerbaijan supports the exchange of prisoners and hostages on the principle of ‘ all for all ’ , ” a statement by the State Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan on prisoners of war , hostages and missing persons noted .
The Ministry stressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ command of Russian peacekeepers on issues related to the missing soldiers in the combat zone .
The principle of “ all for all ” means that Baku also wants to get those citizens of Azerbaijan who in different years entered the territory of Artsakh and committed serious crimes .
They are not participants in the last war .
Just criminals serving their sentences in a prison in Artsakh .
About 40 civilians and more than 60 military personnel are being held by the Azerbaijani side , Artsakh Ombudsman Artak Beglaryan said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizations for their return .
Russia does not observe any actions aimed at deliberately delaying the exchange of prisoners of war and bodies of the dead on the part of the participants in the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh , but there are objective difficulties for progress in this process .
This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at a press conference following a meeting of the Council of Foreign Minister of the Collective Security Treaty Organization ( CSTO ) member states in an online format .

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On December 1st, protests in Armenia ramped up, together with an increase in detentions of protesters and opposition figures.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a few meetings in the previous days to set the stage for not giving up power and not resigning.
On November 30th, he held a consultation with Armenia’s senior law enforcement officers, including National Security Service Director Armen Abazyan, Chief of Police Vahe Ghazaryan, Minister of Justice Rustam Badasyan, Chairman of National Assembly Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs Vladimir Vardanyan, Prosecutor General Arthur Davtyan, Special Investigation Service Head Sasun Khachatryan, Investigative Committee Chairman Hayk Grigoryan, Supreme Judicial Council members, candidate for President of the Court of Cassation Lilit Tadevosyan, President of the Administrative Court of Appeals Hovsep Bedevyan, President of the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction Arthur Mkrtchyan and other officials.
All of these experts were briefed that people expected the institutions to be strong and effective in dealing with the same people who are protesting against Pashinyan.
“I especially refer to the law enforcement system and the enforcement of public order. I would like that during this discussion we exchanged views and shared our assessments of how well the law enforcement institutions are functioning today, what is our common approach in terms of interaction and the rule of law. I want to cite a specific example. You know that the night of November 10 was marked by acts of violence; in fact, the Speaker of the National Assembly came under attack. 50 people have been charged under criminal proceedings, of which 42 were remanded in custody. 20 motions were rejected, 18 were complied with; 2 people remain in custody in the case of the attack on the NA Speaker, while the arrest of one person was rejected. The main question arising from the statistics I provided is whether an adequate response was given to what happened, and if we consider it adequate, let us take note of it, but if we do not consider it adequate, we should understand where the problem is, and why do we have such a situation?” Nikol Pashinyan said.
The leader of the “Republic” party Aram Sargsyan made a post on Facebook, in particular, referring to the regional realities and the internal political situation in Armenia.
“How to overcome the internal political crisis? The resignation of the Prime Minister now, in my opinion, will not solve the problem, but will rather cause new problems in the governing and legislative system. Actually, any new Prime Minister will have to implement the unpopular provisions of the document, which has already been signed and the new Prime Minister will be discredited very quickly, not justifying public expectations. As a result, we will lose another valuable person. In my opinion, we do not have the right to such luxury. Therefore, I consider that the incumbent Prime Minister should present a timetable for resolving the internal political crisis and announce the deadline for the early parliamentary elections for a reasonable period. Only then can the appointment of new members of the government yield results and be perceptible.”
Armenian President Armen Sargsyan maintains that the current Armenian government is dead and should simply be buried.
“After such a bog tragedy, any country decides that the government that has let it happen must resign,” he said at a meeting with delegates from the Armenian diaspora during his private visit to Russia, commenting on the outcome of the outbreak of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh. “If a politician is strong enough he may be back again later. The previous elections took place two and a half years ago, when the country was absolutely different. Now we are living in a different country.” “There is a civilized way – early elections, an interim government of national accord. It doesn’t mean that each party is not have a minister, it means that a politician who enjoys general respect forms a government, preferably, a technocratic one,” he said, adding that a government of national accord should work for six to twelve months, until new elections, after which a new cabinet will be formed by the winning political force. The Armenian president said also that it would be necessary to organize a constitutional referendum before the new elections. “Any constitution, both in a presidential and in a parliamentary system, must have checks and balances, mechanisms of containment,” he said.
He stressed that neither the president nor the prime minister should be allowed to take decisions on vital matters at their own discretion. “These things should be balanced. Our constitution is not. There should be balance between the parliament, the government and the presidential authority,” Sarkissian said.
He said that there should be elections for both President, in addition to a General Election.
Regarding the Russian peacekeeping mission, the official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry Igor Konashenkov presented a report on the deployment and work of the Russian peacekeeping forces in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone. He also spoke about the joint Turkish-Russian monitoring center, which will be set in Azerbaijan.
“The Russian peacekeeping force continues to monitor the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. The ceasefire is maintained along the entire line of contact. According to the trilateral statement of the Presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan and the RA Prime Minister, on December 1, the Lachin region of Nagorno Karabakh was transferred to the Azerbaijani side under the control of the Russian peacekeeping forces. Russian peacekeepers control the 5 km wide corridor in Lachin. It ensures Nagorno-Karabakh’s connection with Armenia, the safe return of people to their homes and the movement of civilian transport. Russian peacekeepers cleared Zorge Street in Stepanakert and the area along the power lines and gas pipeline in the Shushi-Lisagor direction from explosive devices. During the day more than 5 hectares of land were cleared, 2 km of road, 109 explosive devices were found, which were taken to a specially equipped place and destroyed. In total, Nagorno-Karabakh engineering units demined more than 34 hectares of land, about 12 km of roads, inspected more than 110 houses and social facilities, found and defused 1,077 explosive devices. Russian peacekeepers help repair crews re-establish vital engineering communications in Nagorno-Karabakh. In one day, more than 2.5 km of cabels, 1.5 km of gas pipelines, 1 km of power piplines, 4 power poles and 1 transformer substation. The Russian brigade of military medical specialists of the special medical unit of the RF Ministry of Defense held consultations and provided specialized medical care to 67 residents of Khnapat, including 11 children. According to the Russian peacekeeping force and the ICRC, the search and exchange of bodies continues. According to a memorandum signed between the Russian and Turkish Ministries of Defense on November 11, 2020, an agreement was reached on the deployment and operation of a joint Russian-Turkish military control center. The center will be located in Azerbaijan. The number of Russian and Turkish staff in the organizational structure of the joint center will be equal.”
The process of delivering logistic support assets for the Russian peacekeeping contingent deployed in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan continues.
The logistic support assets brought for the Russian peacekeepers were delivered to their destination point through a designated route on December 1st.
Azerbaijan insists on trading all prisoners of war with Armenia, on an all-for-all principle.
“Azerbaijan supports the exchange of prisoners and hostages on the principle of ‘all for all’,” a statement by the State Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan on prisoners of war, hostages and missing persons noted.
The Ministry stressed that they are in contact with the command of Russian peacekeepers on issues related to the missing soldiers in the combat zone.
The principle of “all for all” means that Baku also wants to get those citizens of Azerbaijan who in different years entered the territory of Artsakh and committed serious crimes. They are not participants in the last war. Just criminals serving their sentences in a prison in Artsakh.
About 40 civilians and more than 60 military personnel are being held by the Azerbaijani side, Artsakh Ombudsman Artak Beglaryan said.
The hostages ‘ data was transferred to international organizations for their return.
Russia does not observe any actions aimed at deliberately delaying the exchange of prisoners of war and bodies of the dead on the part of the participants in the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, but there are objective difficulties for progress in this process. This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at a press conference following a meeting of the Council of Foreign Minister of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states in an online format.
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southfront--2020-12-02--In Video: Kurdish Rebels Burn Positions Of Turkish Proxies In Northern Syria

The Afrin Liberation Forces ( affiliated with the Kurdish People ’ s Protection Units ( YPG ) announced that on @ @ @ @ @ at least 2 anti-tank guided missiles at positions of Turkish proxies in northern Syria .
@ @ @ @ @ place near the village of Basuti , allegedly resulted in the killing of 5 Turkish-backed @ @ @ @ @ the full-size image MORE ON THE TOPIC :

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The Afrin Liberation Forces (affiliated with the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) announced that on November 27 their units launched at least 2 anti-tank guided missiles at positions of Turkish proxies in northern Syria. The attack, which took place near the village of Basuti, allegedly resulted in the killing of 5 Turkish-backed fighters.
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southfront--2020-12-02--In Photos: Russian Peacekeepers Fortify Their Positions In Nagorno-Karabakh

A closer look at one of the checkpoints of the Russian peacekeeping force in the Nagorno-Karabakh region : Click to @ @ @ @ @ to see the full-size image Click to see the full-size image Click to see the @ @ @ @ @ TOPIC : • Azerbaijani Troops Are In Lachin , But Unresolved Karabakh Status Remains Source @ @

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A closer look at one of the checkpoints of the Russian peacekeeping force in the Nagorno-Karabakh region:
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southfront--2020-12-02--Military Situation In Afghanistan On December 1, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Afghanistan : • On December 1 @ @ @ @ @ killed or wounded near the Khwaja Umari area by airstrikes of the Afghan Air Force @ @ @ @ @ , Taliban artillery shelled positions of the Afghan army in the Panjawiy area ; • @ @ @ @ @ reportedly blown up the Khwaja Sabz Posh bridge in Faryab ; • On December 1 @ @ @ @ @ in the city of Kabul ; • On November 30 , Taliban artillery shelled positions @ @ @ @ @ Chaki district ; • On November 30 , Minister of Foreign Affairs Haneef Atmar met @ @ @ @ @ Ben Zayed in Abu Dhabi ; • On November 30 , two people were wounded @ @ @ @ @ Kabul ’ s PD7 .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • More Than 30 Killed @ @ @ @ @ Afghanistan ’ s Ghazni ( Video ) • The Pentagon Has Closed Ten Bases In @ @ @ @ @

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A brief overview of the recent developments in Afghanistan:
On December 1, 6 civilians were allegedly killed or wounded near the Khwaja Umari area by airstrikes of the Afghan Air Force;
On December 1, Taliban artillery shelled positions of the Afghan army in the Panjawiy area;
On December 1, Taliban reportedly blown up the Khwaja Sabz Posh bridge in Faryab;
On December 1, an IED explosion erupted in the city of Kabul;
On November 30, Taliban artillery shelled positions of the Afghan army in Chaki district;
On November 30, Minister of Foreign Affairs Haneef Atmar met with his UAE counterpart Abdullah Ben Zayed in Abu Dhabi;
On November 30, two people were wounded in an IED explosion in Kabul’s PD7.
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southfront--2020-12-02--U.S.-led Coalition Warplanes Carried Out Training Sorties in Syria’s Al-Tanf (Video)

The U.S.-led coalition announced on December 2 that its warplanes had carried out training airstrikes in the Syrian region of al-Tanaf .
The coalition ’ s local proxy group , the Revolutionary Commando Army ( MaT ) , released a video of the airstrikes , which were apparently carried out by F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets .
In a brief statement , the MaT said the exercise was meant to prove the U.S.-led coalition ’ s willingness to protected al-Tanf from any threat .
“ We will continue to work with our partners to protect our gains against ISIS and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesman , Col. Wayne Marotto , said on Twitter .
“ We remain committed to the enduring Defeat of Daesh [ ISIS ] in designated areas of Iraq and Syria.
” On June 13 and July 17 , U.S.-led coalition F-15 fighter jets carried out similar exercises over the 55 km zone around al-Tanf garrison .
A small detachment of U.S. troops is present in al-Tanf garrison with dozens of MaT fighters , who are being trained and equipped by the coalition .
The garrison blocks a vital highway linking the Syrian capital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iraq , Baghdad .
Recent reports revealed that the U.S. was in talks with Damascus over a possible withdrawal from al-Tanaf in exchange for information on U.S. citizens missing in Syria , namely freelance journalist Austin Tice .
The talks are yet to bear any fruit .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Hundreds Of Syrian Mercenaries Have Returned From Karabakh : Monitoring Group

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The U.S.-led coalition announced on December 2 that its warplanes had carried out training airstrikes in the Syrian region of al-Tanaf.
The coalition’s local proxy group, the Revolutionary Commando Army (MaT), released a video of the airstrikes, which were apparently carried out by F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets.
In a brief statement, the MaT said the exercise was meant to prove the U.S.-led coalition’s willingness to protected al-Tanf from any threat.
“We will continue to work with our partners to protect our gains against ISIS and deter any future aggression,” coalition spokesman, Col. Wayne Marotto, said on Twitter. “We remain committed to the enduring Defeat of Daesh [ISIS] in designated areas of Iraq and Syria.”
On June 13 and July 17, U.S.-led coalition F-15 fighter jets carried out similar exercises over the 55 km zone around al-Tanf garrison.
A small detachment of U.S. troops is present in al-Tanf garrison with dozens of MaT fighters, who are being trained and equipped by the coalition. The garrison blocks a vital highway linking the Syrian capital, Damascus, with the capital of Iraq, Baghdad.
Recent reports revealed that the U.S. was in talks with Damascus over a possible withdrawal from al-Tanaf in exchange for information on U.S. citizens missing in Syria, namely freelance journalist Austin Tice. The talks are yet to bear any fruit.
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southfront--2020-12-02--Brazilian Bank Robbers Left Cash Scattered On Road After Battle With Police (Videos)

Early on December 2 , more than 20 robbers armed with high-caliber weapons stormed a bank in the small Brazilian town of Cametá .
The gunmen took several hostages while robbing a branch of Banco do Brasil .
They exchanged gunfire with police in the streets before fleeing in a convoy of vehicles .
The Para state security ministry said the gunmen killed one hostage during the heist .
Another local resident was shot in the leg and is now in a stable condition .
Following the clashes , the police found an abandoned getaway vehicle outside Cametá with explosives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the situation in the town is now calm and reinforcements are being deployed .
A day earlier , a similar heist took place in the southern city of Criciúma .
Around 30 heavily-armed robbers stormed a local bank and clashed with the police before fleeing in a fleet of cars , leaving loads of cash scattered on the roads behind them .
The Police said two people , one of them a police officer , were injured in the clashes .
Authorities have located 810,000 reais [ $ 152,660 ] of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heists , which may be linked , are yet to be identified .
Brazil has a long history of bank heists .
Organized crime pose a serious challenge to the country ’ s authorities .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Dalio : The United States Is At A Tipping Point That Could Lead To Revolution Or Civil War

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Early on December 2, more than 20 robbers armed with high-caliber weapons stormed a bank in the small Brazilian town of Cametá.
The gunmen took several hostages while robbing a branch of Banco do Brasil. They exchanged gunfire with police in the streets before fleeing in a convoy of vehicles.
The Para state security ministry said the gunmen killed one hostage during the heist. Another local resident was shot in the leg and is now in a stable condition.
Following the clashes, the police found an abandoned getaway vehicle outside Cametá with explosives inside. According to the security ministry, the situation in the town is now calm and reinforcements are being deployed.
A day earlier, a similar heist took place in the southern city of Criciúma. Around 30 heavily-armed robbers stormed a local bank and clashed with the police before fleeing in a fleet of cars, leaving loads of cash scattered on the roads behind them.
The Police said two people, one of them a police officer, were injured in the clashes. Authorities have located 810,000 reais [$152,660] of the stolen money.
The perpetrators of both heists, which may be linked, are yet to be identified. Brazil has a long history of bank heists. Organized crime pose a serious challenge to the country’s authorities.
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southfront--2020-12-02--New Turkish Observation Post Established In Syria’s Al-Zawiya Mount

On December 2 , the Turkish Armed Forces established yet another post in the al-Zawiya Mount in the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib .
The new post was established in an advanced position south of the town of al-Bara , along the frontline with the Syrian Arab Army ( SAA ) .
Last month , the Turkish military established two similar posts in the al-Zawiya Mount in southern Idlib .
The mountains region is located south of the M4 highway , which links the port city of Lattakia with Aleppo city .
A recent report by Enab Baladi revealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patrols in the al-Zawiya Mount .
The SAA was reportedly eyeing the region .
The military buildup in the al-Zawiya Mount coincided with a Turkish withdrawal from four posts besieged by the SAA in northern Hama , southern Idlib and western Aleppo .
According to a report by the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights , Turkey is not planning to withdraw its troops from any other post besieged by the SAA as for now due to disagreements with Russia .
Turkey is yet to honor its commitments under the March 5 agreement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a new military escalation in Greater Idlib , where Turkish forces maintain more than 60 posts .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC : • Hundreds Of Syrian Mercenaries Have Returned From Karabakh : Monitoring Group

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On December 2, the Turkish Armed Forces established yet another post in the al-Zawiya Mount in the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib.
The new post was established in an advanced position south of the town of al-Bara, along the frontline with the Syrian Arab Army (SAA).
Last month, the Turkish military established two similar posts in the al-Zawiya Mount in southern Idlib. The mountains region is located south of the M4 highway, which links the port city of Lattakia with Aleppo city.
A recent report by Enab Baladi revealed that Turkish forces are planning to conduct patrols in the al-Zawiya Mount. The SAA was reportedly eyeing the region.
The military buildup in the al-Zawiya Mount coincided with a Turkish withdrawal from four posts besieged by the SAA in northern Hama, southern Idlib and western Aleppo.
According to a report by the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Turkey is not planning to withdraw its troops from any other post besieged by the SAA as for now due to disagreements with Russia.
Turkey is yet to honor its commitments under the March 5 agreement with Russia. This may eventually lead to a new military escalation in Greater Idlib, where Turkish forces maintain more than 60 posts.
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southfront--2020-12-02--Security Forces Eliminated 4 ISIS Militants In Egypt’s North Sinai

The Egyptian Army and pro-government tribe forces eliminated 4 ISIS militants in the North Sinai region in late November .
@ @ @ @ @ the village of Qasruit , which is located west of the town of Bir al-Abd @ @ @ @ @ , government forces have conducted a series of successful combing operations hunting down ISIS cells @ @ @ @ @ undermined capabilities of the terrorist group to stage large-scale attacks army positions and civilian targets @ @ @ @ @ , ISIS cells were not fully eliminated .
They shifted tactics staging more individual attacks @ @ @ @ @ planting IEDs .
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The Egyptian Army and pro-government tribe forces eliminated 4 ISIS militants in the North Sinai region in late November. The militants were eliminated near the village of Qasruit, which is located west of the town of Bir al-Abd.
Over the past year, government forces have conducted a series of successful combing operations hunting down ISIS cells in the region. This undermined capabilities of the terrorist group to stage large-scale attacks army positions and civilian targets in the region. Nonetheless, ISIS cells were not fully eliminated. They shifted tactics staging more individual attacks, deploying snipers, and planting IEDs.
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southfront--2020-12-02--Iran Approved Bill To Intensify Nuclear Activities, Identified Those Behind Fakhrizadeh’s Assassinat

Iran Approved Bill To Intensify Nuclear Activities, Identified Those Behind Fakhrizadeh’s Assassination

A bill obliging the government to increase the level of uranium enrichment has been approved in Iran .
On December 1 , the Iranian Majlis ( Parliament ) approved the draft “ Strategic measure to lift sanctions ” , by which it obliged the authorities to abandon the IAEA Additional Protocol on verification of nuclear activities .
They will be obliged to do it , if within two months from the entry into force of the bill , the parties of the Nuclear Deal do not fulfill their commitments and above all do not “ eliminate the barriers to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Initially , the authorities were given a month , but later the term was extended .
On December 2 , the bill was approved by the Guardian Council that is composed of 12 members – 6 faqihs ( experts in Islamic Law ) and 6 jurists specialized in different law areas .
The Council has the authority to examine the compatibility of the legislation passed by Majlis with the criteria of the Constitution .
Now the law is entering into power and must be handed over to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rouhani is opposite to a bill approved by parliament , saying it would be harmful to diplomatic efforts aimed at restoring the 2015 nuclear deal and easing U.S. sanctions .
Rouhani expressed his belief that the situation will be different next year , once this war and maximum pressure is over .
The law obliges the authorities to produce at least 120 kg of uranium enriched to 20 % per year .
Iran will have to put into operation one thousand additional centrifuges at the Natanz and Fordo nuclear facilities within a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Arak nuclear reactor .
The consideration of the document was made after the assassination of top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh on November 27 .
On December 2 , Spokesperson of the Government of Iran , Ali Rabei , stated that Iranian intelligence services had identified the people who organized the assassination of Iranian top nuclear physicist .
He added that the attack will be met with Iran ’ s proportionate response .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Iran To Boost Nuclear Activity In Response To Top Scientist ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Of Nuclear Scientists In Iran

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A bill obliging the government to increase the level of uranium enrichment has been approved in Iran.
On December 1, the Iranian Majlis (Parliament) approved the draft “Strategic measure to lift sanctions”, by which it obliged the authorities to abandon the IAEA Additional Protocol on verification of nuclear activities. They will be obliged to do it, if within two months from the entry into force of the bill, the parties of the Nuclear Deal do not fulfill their commitments and above all do not “eliminate the barriers to the export of oil and oil products”.
Initially, the authorities were given a month, but later the term was extended.
On December 2, the bill was approved by the Guardian Council that is composed of 12 members – 6 faqihs (experts in Islamic Law) and 6 jurists specialized in different law areas. The Council has the authority to examine the compatibility of the legislation passed by Majlis with the criteria of the Constitution. Now the law is entering into power and must be handed over to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani for implementation.
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani is opposite to a bill approved by parliament, saying it would be harmful to diplomatic efforts aimed at restoring the 2015 nuclear deal and easing U.S. sanctions.
“The government does not agree with the bill passed by the Parliament yesterday, and considers it to be detrimental to diplomatic efforts,” Rouhani said in a weekly cabinet session on December 2.
Rouhani expressed his belief that the situation will be different next year, once this war and maximum pressure is over.
The law obliges the authorities to produce at least 120 kg of uranium enriched to 20% per year. Iran will have to put into operation one thousand additional centrifuges at the Natanz and Fordo nuclear facilities within a year. The bill also supposes the reconstruction of the Arak nuclear reactor.
The consideration of the document was made after the assassination of top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh on November 27.
On December 2, Spokesperson of the Government of Iran, Ali Rabei, stated that Iranian intelligence services had identified the people who organized the assassination of Iranian top nuclear physicist.
“The Intelligence Ministry has identified individuals linked with the assassination of Martyr Fakhrizadeh and all aspects of the case are under investigation,” Rabiei said, according to Mehr.
He added that the attack will be met with Iran’s proportionate response.
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