Some Shocking Picture of Justin Bieber (photos)

Some Shocking Picture of Justin Bieber (photos)

Justin Bieber has posed nude ...
This thing he has not done before any files or any study but has done to his grandmother's house.
Justin appears nude pictures when covered with a guitar and made ​​a year ago when he celebrated Thanksgiving Day in his grandmother's house

SHOCKING !!! GIRL RAPED AND BEATEN TO DEATH +18

SHOCKING !!! GIRL RAPED AND BEATEN TO DEATH +18

Tthis  girl in the picture was coming fron the club in western cape .. so as she got seperated from her friends she meet a gang of guys on the way home.they approached her she was drunk she didn’t respond well and they started insulting her then she slaped one of the guys and they god angry and ganged raped her while others were beating her …so she was dumped on that spot dead…..what a sad event

"I want to do with 100 thousand men"

"I want to do with 100 thousand men"

A Polish girl has decided to travel around the world with an amazing mission, seeking to have sex with one hundred thousand men. Under the 'Huffington Post', Ania from Warsaw Lisewska initiated the mission last month in her hometown and so far the number of men has reached 284.

Needless to say that her boyfriend does not like the idea of partner, but it seems that is tolerant because ultimately still has not completed the connection.

"I want men from Poland, Europe and around the world. I love sex and I love men. In Poland it is still a taboo subject and it requires to fulfill your needs call mentally ill or k ... ", says Lisewska for 'Austrian Times, which added that it plans to spend about 20 minutes with each partners.

But this plan has to think that this is a trick after 21-year-old, to complete the mission, will need around 4 years of non-stop for food or sleep.

Given that it has added that the days of "mission" will be only Saturday and Sunday, ladies have to do with 16 different partners in each of these days and the mission will be complete when you fill 81 years.

Horoscope: Pisces,2 SEP, 2013.

Horoscope: Pisces
This is a period when your business and financial interests continue to fly high. You may feel disoriented at times, as everything seems to be happening at once, Pisces. Yet all you can do is go with the flow. You're on a roll! Matters involving friendship and love also are changing rapidly, mostly for the better, though you might leave some longtime companions behind.

Horoscope: Aquarius,2 SEP, 2013.

Horoscope: Aquarius
A group you're affiliated with could meet somewhere in your neighborhood, Aquarius. Though you're usually more sensitive and intuitive than others, today you could be feeling especially so. Expect a lot of phone calls and visitors. Don't be surprised if you can read their minds! Artistic and creative interests could also be important to you now.

Horoscope: Capricorn,2 SEP, 2013.

Horoscope: Capricorn
You might put a lot of effort into the appearance of your house. Some people you'd like to impress could visit your home tonight, Capricorn. You should be especially intuitive now, so don't be surprised if you anticipate what they'll say before they say it. Make it work for you! Success through entertaining and the astute use of intuition are highly indicated.

Horoscope: Sagittarius, 2 SEP, 2013.

Horoscope: Sagittarius
Ingenuity and practicality lead to success now. Something may be accomplished that has meant a lot to you, Sagittarius, and you should feel particularly satisfied with yourself and maybe even a little excited. A lot of comings and goings could take place in the home today, with visitors and family members popping in and out. Stay centered

Horoscope: Scorpio, 2 SEP, 2013.

Horoscope: Scorpio
Physically, Scorpio, you feel strong and energetic. This is a good day to look into expanding your horizons. All signs point to personal and career success. Some surprising communications from friends or neighbors could bring fascinating information your way. You'll know just what to do with it. Follow your instincts!

Horoscope: Libra,2 SEP , 2013.

Horoscope: Libra
Some paperwork might need attention today, Libra. You may also be on the phone a lot. Communication should be clear, open, and honest, so you'll accomplish exactly what you need to. An intimate and loving conversation could take place between you and a close friend or lover who might follow up with a visit to your home.

Horoscope: Virgo,2 SEP, 2013.

Horoscope: Virgo
If you've been expecting a settlement of some kind, today it might finally come or show signs of coming soon, Virgo. This is a great day to invest in a home, land, or property. It's especially necessary to read the fine print before signing anything. Your mind might be a little foggy. Anything you have to do could require a little more concentration than usual.

Horoscope: Leo,2 SEP, 2013.

Horoscope: Leo
This should be a fortunate day, Leo, including love, career, money, and health. Plans for a trip might finally materialize, and a long-awaited solution for a niggling health concern could manifest. You should feel very enthusiastic and optimistic about your future. You might even be daring enough to take a few more chances than usual. Go for the gold, and don't be surprised if you actually get it!

Horoscope: Cancer,2 SEP, 2013.

Horoscope: Cancer
Everyone is likely to be making demands on you right now, which can have you in a dither. A career success could be offset by an upset with a partner over a miscommunication. This should be worked out, but it might take the wind out of your sails if you let it, Cancer. It would be a good idea to derail any upset before it runs you down. Invite your partner out to celebrate!

Horoscope: Gemini,2 SEP, 2013.

Horoscope: Gemini
The execution of contracts and other legal documents looks favorable now, Gemini. You might consider going into business, perhaps in a partnership with some friends. This looks good, but there's a chance that one of them has been keeping things from you, and this might make you angry. Honest communication is necessary in order to succeed at a new enterprise.

Horoscope: Taurus,2 SEP, 2013/

Horoscope: Taurus
Your ESP continues to expand, Taurus, and you sense what friends are feeling without their saying anything. Don't be surprised if one is hiding some repressed anger! The chance to travel may come up unexpectedly, and you could be in a quandary about going. Consider it carefully. If it's feasible, go for it. This isn't the time to hold back.

Horoscope: Aries,2 SEP, 2013.

Horoscope: Aries
As career and money matters continue to advance, your self-confidence is high and your mind is very positive. You should continue to attract good fortune. Expect more pleasant surprises and sudden breaks this month, Aries. You'll attract new friendships based on shared spiritual values, and old friendships should solidify even more. Life is treating you well.

For individual allies to decide their response to Syria – NATO chief

NATO’s secretary-general has stated that it is for “individual allies to decide how they will respond” to the Syrian crisis, adding he does not foresee the bloc’s further role except in deploying Patriot missiles to Turkey.

Price of a third Greek bailout? Merkel remains ambiguous

Price of a third Greek bailout? Merkel remains ambiguousGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel (AFP Photo / WDR / RTL / Max Kohr)

In a television debate Merkel danced around a third Greek bailout. She is largely expected to stick to a cautious stance on the issue ahead of the September 22 general election. Any additional packages for Greece are very unpopular with German taxpayers.

“It’s possible that there will be a new aid package for Greece. Nobody knows how big,” Merkel said in the televised debate on Sunday.

Though the size of a third bailout to Greece remains in question, the very issue of providing further financial aid to Athens seems to be a decided deal. Last week Merkel repeated Greece might need another money injection in 2014, though denying a further debt write-down. 

Angela Merkel is selling herself as the person who led Germany out of the economic crisis that Greece initiated. The chancellor blamed her predecessor Gerhard Schroeder for letting Greece into the euro zone. However, since within the currency union, Greece’s chances of receiving more financial aid from Germany are high. Merkel insists she will keep on pushing for reform in return.

“My job as chancellor is to ensure that the reform pressure on Greece doesn’t let up,” Merkel said in the televised debate with opponent Peer Steinbrueck, who served as Merkel’s first-term finance minister.

Steinbrueck said Germany needs a ‘new beginning’, however, Merkel’s last few months in office have hinted a new economic beginning may have already arrived, as GDP expanded and manufacturing data hinted at sustained growth.

On Monday manufacturing figures for August showed an overall growth in Central Europe was again driven by Germany. HSBC Purchasing Manager Index (PMI)  -  a snapshot of business activity – was up to its highest reading in almost two years -  to 51.8. On a 100 – point scale a reading above 50 points to expansion.

German taxpayers have grown tired of financing the debt problems of their southern neighbors, and most strongly oppose a third restructuring of Greek debt.

“We can ensure the economy continues to move upwards,” Merkel said. “Naturally the job isn’t over. Naturally there are many worries and problems, but we have demonstrated that we can cope in a difficult period.”

Any concrete statement from Angela Merkel will likely come after September 22. Merkel continues to lead the polls, and in a Forsa poll conducted immediately after the debate, she had 44 percent to her challenger’s 43 percent.

Steinbrueck appeals to Germans who oppose continuing helping the troubled Greek economy out of a deep 6-year recession. Germany, Europe’s largest economy, has been the largest creditor for economic crisis aid.

The International Monetary Fund has estimated Greece’s third bailout package at roughly $14.7 billion (EUR11 billion) over the next two years.

Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble announced on August 20 Greece’s sovereign debt restructuring will require more EU aid in possibly a third bailout package. 

Greece has so far relied on two bailouts from the Eurozone and the International Monetary Fund: the May 2010 loans worth 110 billion euros (US$147 billion), and the February 2012 bailout worth 140 billion euros (US$187 billion).

Russia’s anti-gay Crusader seeks tougher punishment for illegal abortions - report

After stirring Russian society with the controversial act banning non-traditional sex propaganda, the head of State Duma’s committee for the family wants to introduce fines for illegal abortions and prescription for morning-after pills.

MP Yelena Mizulina of the Fair Russia parliamentary caucus said in an interview with the Izvestia daily that she considered bringing order to Russian law on abortions her primary task in the coming Lower House session.

The MP explained that although Russia has certain regulations on the termination of pregnancies, they do not contain any responsibility for violation. The only exception is performing abortions without medical training which is considered a criminal offence.

The rules concerning abortions are covered by the Law on Basics of Healthcare and they are fairly extensive. The act requires informed consent from the patient, there is a 12-week limit on pregnancy term (prolonged to 22 weeks for cases of rape and cancelled completely if an abortion is necessary for medical reasons) and there is an obligatory “silence period” during which patients must think about the decision without external pressure. 

However, the law provides for no sanctions for violators and according to MP Mizulina abuse is rife. Parliamentarians suggest introducing fines for medical personnel who break the law. Mizulina also emphasized in the interview that no one would punish the women who have to go through abortions, and any contrary statements in the mass media were lies. 

Mizulina also reported that the State Duma wanted to make emergency contraception pills prescription drugs. The MP said it was extremely important that the women who purchased and used morning-after pills were fully informed of all the consequences and contra-indications. She added that the problem was very acute as statistics showed a 20 percent annual growth in sales of these drugs. 

In addition, the parliamentarian noted that when the United States introduced laws that regulated the sale of morning-after pills, the birth rate in this country grew by 20 percent , which was doubtlessly an achievement.

Mizulina also told the newspaper that her counter-abortion campaign has already become a target of certain mass-media that used distortion and direct lies to ensure its failure. She explained that this was caused by the journalists’ ignorance and unwillingness to study the problems they were writing on, but sometimes personal grudges could be behind scandals.

The MP mentioned the recently started criminal case against the yet unidentified people who slandered her on the Internet and said that she had received no apologies from LGBT activist Nikolai Alekseyev or former state official Alfred Kokh (both have been questioned as witnesses as they reportedly distributed slanderous materials via social networks).

Moreover, Mizulina reminded the reporters that in 1995, when Alfred Kokh was chairing the Russian State Property Committee, she prevented the privatization of the major defense industry enterprise Rybinsk Motors, suggesting that the current interest to her activities could be caused by these old offences.

Mizulina refused to talk more about the slander case quoting the secret investigation.

NSA spied on Brazil, Mexico presidents - Greenwald

The NSA's spy program allegedly targeted the communications of the Brazilian and Mexican presidents, US journalist Glenn Greenwald, who first published secrets leaked by Edward Snowden, has reported. It's not clear whether the spying still goes on.

Guardian reporter Greenwald, who lives in Rio de Janeiro, told Globo's news program ‘Fantastico’ that a document dated June 2012 shows that Mexican President's emails were being read through a month before Enrique Pena Nieto was elected. In his communications the then-presidential candidate indicated who he would like to appoint to some government posts.

Meanwhile, as for Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff, the document Greenwald refers to "doesn't include any of Dilma's specific intercepted messages, the way it does for Nieto…But it is clear in several ways that her communications were intercepted, including the use of DNI Presenter, which is a program used by NSA to open and read emails and online chats," the journalist told AP in an email. 

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto (L) with his Brazilian counterpart Dilma Rousseff (AFP Photo)

According to the document, the US not only targeted the aides with whom the Brazilian leader communicated, but also allegedly scrutinized schemes of how those aides communicated with each other and third parties.

Neither Mexico's Foreign Ministry nor the Brazilian president's office have made official comments so far. Brazilian Justice Minister Eduardo Cardozo, however, told O Globo newspaper that "if the facts of the report are confirmed, they would be considered very serious and would constitute a clear violation of Brazil's sovereignty." 
"This is completely outside the standard of confidence expected of a strategic partnership, as the US and Brazil have," he added.

The Brazilian government decried the NSA activities revealed in the earlier reports. In July, Greenwald co-wrote articles, published in O Globo, claiming that some of the documents leaked by Snowden indicated that Brazil was the largest target for the NSA program in Latin America. According to Greenwald, the NSA collected its data through an undefined association between US and Brazilian telecommunications companies. However, the journalist said he couldn't verify which Brazilian companies had been involved or if they were even aware that their networks were being used to collect the data for the NSA.

Last month Greenwald's domestic partner, 28-year-old Brazilian citizen David Miranda, was detained for nine hours under Schedule 7 of the UK’s terrorism act when he arrived at Heathrow Airport in transit to Berlin, on his way to Rio de Janeiro. Electronic materials, including computers and memory sticks, were seized from him and he was threatened with prison if he did not cooperate. Miranda was traveling after visiting a US filmmaker Lauro Poitras, who has been working on the Snowden files with Greenwald and The Guardian. 

A picture dated August 19, 2013 shows David Miranda (L) -- the Brazilian partner of Glenn Greenwald, a US journalist with Britain's Guardian newspaper who worked with intelligence leaker Edward Snowden to expose US mass surveillance programmes -- is pictured at Rio de Janeiro's Tom Jobim international airport upon his arrival. (AFP Photo / Marcelo Piu)

A security source told Reuters that Miranda’s detention was meant to send a message to those who received Snowden’s classified documents about how serious the UK is in trying to prevent further leaks. After the incident, Greenwald pledged he was going "to write much more aggressively than before"about government snooping. The US released a statement saying that British officials warned them about their decision to detain Miranda, although Washington denied its own involvement.

Deputy national security adviser in the UK Cabinet Office Oliver Robbins said that one file seized from Miranda included 58,000 "highly-classified UK intelligence documents," some of them "highly likely to describe techniques crucial in life saving counter-terrorist operations." Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger dismissed the statement as containing "unsubstantiated and inaccurate claims."

"The detention of Miranda has rightly caused international dismay because it feeds into a perception that the US and UK governments – while claiming to welcome the debate around state surveillance started by Snowden – are also intent on stemming the tide of leaks and on pursuing the whistleblower with a vengeance. That perception is right," Rusbridger wrote in his article on August 19.

He also revealed that intelligence officials from the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) demanded the return or destruction of files leaked by Snowden. UK authorities reportedly raided the Guardian’s office in London to destroy hard drives to stop future publications of leaks from the former NSA contractor. After Rusbridger refused to hand over the documents, government officials watched as computers which contained classified information passed on by Snowden were physically destroyed in one of the newspaper building’s basements. 

Japan promises 'prompt' measures amid reports of deadly radiation levels at Fukushima

Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshimitsu Motegi inspecting contamination water tanks at TEPCO's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in the town of Okuma, Fukushima prefecture. (AFP Photo)

Following revelations that radiation levels around the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant are enough to kill an exposed person, the Japanese prime minister said he will take immediate steps to improve the cleanup efforts.

The Japanese government will initiate “prompt, comprehensive steps” to clean up the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant amid lingering doubts over the plant owner's ability to handle the crisis, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters on Monday.

The pledge follows a weekend of negative news concerning the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant that was devastated by the 2011 9.0 earthquake and tsunami.

Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), the beleaguered owners of the facility, said on Saturday that radiation levels of 1,800 millisieverts per hour near a leaking tank holding contaminated water was 18-times worse than previously believed - a level that could prove fatal within four hours of exposure.

TEPCO managers, however, remain confident they can guarantee safety for workers on the ground at Fukushima.

"We will find out the cause of this issue and make proper countermeasures immediately, and continue to make every effort to secure safety of workers," the company said in a statement released Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA), Japan’s nuclear watchdog, announced on Monday it may release water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant that contains radiation levels below the maximum threshold level into the ocean.

Vast amounts of water are being pumped continuously into the damaged facility to cool the melted fuel rods and prevent further radioactive contamination. This procedure requires TEPCO to store the contaminated water in an ever-growing number of holding tanks, some of which are leaking their radioactive contents into the ground.

Experts have said the scale of water leakage may be worse than nuclear industry engineers and government officials are willing to admit. 

This handout picture taken by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) on August 26, 2013 and received on September 1, 2013 shows Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshimitsu Motegi (C-red helmet) inspecting TEPCO's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in the town of Okuma, Fukushima prefecture. (AFP Photo)

Abe pledged that his government will take all necessary measures to handle the emergency cleanup efforts of the world's worst nuclear disaster since the Chernobyl disaster of 1986, adding it will draw up a plan of action on the measures "quickly."

The Fukushima nuclear disaster, combined with the perplexity of the cleanup efforts, has triggered a public backlash against nuclear energy in the country.

Of the 17 nuclear plants prior to the Fukushima catastrophe that provided Japan with about one-third of its energy needs, only two facilities remain operational. However, those plants are scheduled to be completely shut down on Monday with “no restarts in sight,” AFP reported.

Engineers will switch off one of Japan's two working reactors Monday, with the other set for shutdown on September 15.

Japan has been forced to revert back to using expensive and less efficient fossil-fuels to fill the demand for energy in the resource-deficient country. 

Fukushima, however, represents more than just an environmental and energy disaster for Japan. Government officials also fear the nuclear crisis could dash Tokyo's hopes for hosting the 2020 Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee will elect the host city – a contest between Istanbul, Madrid and Tokyo - on September 7 in Buenos Aires.

Meanwhile, Tokyo is going to great lengths to ensure the world that the Japanese capital has not been adversely affected by the events in Fukushima. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government, for example, now publishes the latest information on radiation levels on its website, demonstrating that radiation levels in Tokyo, which is situated some 230 km (140 miles) from the disabled plant, are on par with or lower than those of other major cities, including London and New York. 

Evidence of chemical weapons use in Syria should not be kept secret - Lavrov

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that a 'regime of secrecy' by the West is unacceptable with regard to Syria and evidence of the use of chemical weapons there. Information sharing is a must.

The Foreign Minister spoke during an address to the students of the Moscow State University of International Relations. 

"If there truly is top secret information available, the veil should be lifted. This is a question of war and peace. To continue this game of secrecy is simply inappropriate." 

Samples collected by first responders after the August 21 chemical attack in a Damascus suburb have tested positive for the sarin nerve agent, US Secretary of State John Kerry told US media as he sought build support for a military strike. No knowledge of who was behind it has yet come to light. 

In a later appearance on CNN, Kerry said that the evidence, which was gathered independently of the UN, strengthened Obama's call for military action against the regime of President Bashar Assad, which the US accuses of being responsible for the chemical weapons attack.

"Each day that goes by, this case is even stronger," Kerry said, calling the case 'overwhelming.' 

Minister Lavrov has called the information provided to Russia by the US 'inconclusive'.

"We were shown some sketches, but there was nothing concrete, no geographical coordinates or details... and no proof the test was done by professionals... there were no comments anywhere regarding the experts' doubt about the footage circulating all over the internet," Lavrov said. 

He added that "what our American, British and French partners have shown us before - as well as now - does not convince us at all. There are no supporting facts, there is only repetitive talk in the vein of 'we know for sure.' And when we ask for further clarification, we receive the following response: 'You are aware that this is classified information, therefore we cannot show it to you.' So there are still no facts." 

Shortly before Minister Lavrov's Q&A session took place, the United States ordered  its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, along with four destroyers and a cruiser, to move west in the Arabian Sea toward the Red Sea, in preparation for a possible strike, according to a US official's words to Reuters. 

Later on Monday at another press conference with his South-African counterpart, the minister continued the line of reasoning that the upcoming peace talks are under a grave threat of being derailed completely if the American strike takes place. Already, Lavrov said, we can hear those that side with the strike pushing "not for a surgical tactic, but a wider and deeper strike on the country."

The Minister explained that every effort was made to bring the Syrian rebels to the negotiating table and that the Geneva framework was in place. However, it appeared that Russia's partners in the matter - especially those who back the rebels - were less interested in the conference than in creating"controlled chaos", as Lavrov put it. 

Finally, he warned that a strike on Syria would lead to a huge increase in extremism and have the opposite effect to what the backers desire. 

The Geneva II conference, as it is known, was proposed by the UN and is due to take place in Switzerland in late 2013, as part of the attempts to end the Syrian war. It was initially proposed for the end of May and meant to include the Syrian government of President Bashar Assad, the Syrian National Coalition, Russia and the United States. However, international partners were not able to bring the opposition to the table. The US in June ended up postponing the talks. 

Syria urges UN to prevent ‘US-led foreign aggression’

The UN is under growing pressure from Syria to do its job and prevent an American “war of aggression,” and the Arab League demanding punishment for “war criminals” in the Syrian government.

The two identical letters delivered to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and President of the UN Security Council, Maria Cristina Perceval call on the international body to maintain its role of protector of international legitimacy and prevent US-led aggression against Damascus, Syria's permanent representative to the UN Bashar al-Jaafari told Sana.

The Syrian government continues to deny any use of chemical weapons on the civilian population, with Jaafari reminding of Syria’s cooperation with the UN on this issue, which was often downplayed and twisted in the western media.

“The Syrian government is the first side who asked the UN Secretary General to form an objective investigation team to investigate the use of chemical weapons in Khan al-Assal in Aleppo,” Bashar al-Jaafari said, adding that they warned, “more than a year ago, against the serious risks of the possibility of using chemical materials by the armed terrorist groups in Syria.” 
Despite the Syrian government’s swift permission for the UN investigation team to probe the site of the alleged attack on August 21, some “foreign countries” launched an anti-Assad campaign accusing government forces of slaughtering their own people, Jaafari said.

“Syria has informed, in official letters, the UN Secretary General and the UNSC about the activities of these groups, which coincided with a political, diplomatic and media campaign led by some countries which are directly responsible for shedding the blood in Syria and preventing the peaceful solution in order to accuse the Syrian government of using chemical weapon,” he added.

A handout picture released by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on August 24, 2013 shows bags and containers of what the Syrian government claims to be materials used to make chemical weapons discovered in Jobar on the outskirts of the capital Damascus (AFP Photo / HO / SANA)

Traces of sarin nerve agent were found in samples “provided to the US,” US Secretary of State John Kerry told US media on Sunday in an apparent move to build support for a military strike on Syria. Russian President Vladimir Putin called on the US earlier to present its supposed evidence to the UN Security Council, if there was any. 

Meanwhile, the legitimate samples that UN investigators gathered at the site of the attack near Damascus are undergoing a series of tests with final results expected to be released in up to three weeks. Ban Ki-moon asked the head of the investigation team to expedite the testing and report back to him as soon as possible, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said.

Arab League: Syrian officials should face trial as ‘war criminals’

In a resolution adopted by Arab League foreign ministers on Sunday, the body is calling on the UN and the international community to “take the deterrent and necessary measures against the culprits of this crime that the Syrian regime bears responsibility for.”

Any opposition to a foreign intervention was no longer acceptable, said Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal. "Any opposition to any international action would only encourage Damascus to move forward with committing its crimes and using all weapons of mass destruction," he said.

Yet, Lebanon, Iraq and Algeria voted against the resolution, while Egypt – which has been promised $5 billion in Saudi Arabian investments – supported it, however voicing concerns about direct military intervention in the crisis.

‘Ready for any external aggression’

Earlier on Sunday, Syria’s president Bashar Assad reaffirmed that his country will stand up to foreign intervention. “Syria... is capable of facing up to any external aggression just as it faces up to internal aggression every day, in the form of terrorist groups and those who support them,” SANA quoted the President as saying.

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad told reporters in Damascus on Sunday, “It is clear there was a sense of hesitation and disappointment in what was said by President Barack Obama yesterday. And it is also clear there was a sense of confusion as well."

Iran, Syria’s close ally warned that only the UN can sanction military action in Syria “only the UN Security Council – under special conditions – can issue authorization” for the use of force to restore international peace, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted by AFP. 

A Free Syrian Army fighter walks with his weapon in front of a damaged building in Aleppo's Al-Ezaa neighbourhood, September 1, 2013 (Reuters / Malek Alshemali)

With the US preparing to attack Syria over its alleged use of chemical weapons, Israel fears Damascus may respond by firing missiles at Israel. Over the weekend, the Israeli Defense Force deployed Iron Dome anti-missile batteries in the Tel Aviv area while reservists are being called up and gas masks being distributed among the population. 

The US President has already decided a limited military strike is necessary to teach Syria a lesson and prevent possible further use of chemical weapons against the Syrian population and US allies in the region. A formal request seeking authorization from legislators to launch a military campaign was filed on Saturday, and the Senate is expected to vote on the motion no later than the week of September 9. 

Awaiting congressional approval, the White House now has at least one extra week to try and shift public opinion towards a strike on Syria, Brian Becker, Director of Answer Coalition, told RT.

“They are going to wage a campaign using the corporate media in the United States, which really functions as the fourth branch of government in times of crises, particularly war crises. They are going to try and convince people in the United States that there is a justification,” he said.

“The United States does not have the authority, it’s not the cop of the world to be able to go in and attack any country,” Becker added. “And Syria has not threatened and cannot threaten the United States, so such a war would be a crime against peace.”

USS Nimitz aircraft carrier group rerouted to help US strike on Syria, if needed - report

Guided Missile Destroyer USS Barry (DDG 52) sails alongside the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (AFP Photo / US NAVY / Andrea Decanini)

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz along with four destroyers and a cruiser have been ordered to move west in the Arabian Sea toward the Red Sea, so that it can help support a US strike on Syria if requested, a US official told Reuters.

“It's about leveraging the assets to have them in place should the capabilities of the carrier strike group and the presence be needed,” the official told Reuters, adding that it was not clear when the ships would enter the Red Sea. 

The Nimitz carrier group was supporting the US war in Afghanistan and was due to return to its home port in Everett, Washington, after being released from duty by the USS Harry S. Truman strike group.

Considering the volatile situation and a looming decision on a Syria strike, US military officials have decided to send the Nimitz toward the Red Sea, and possibly the Mediterranean, the source said.

Another US official told Reuters that so far there was not a final decision to reposition the carrier group to the Mediterranean, and that the Navy is trying to “reduce the physics of time and space” to be ready for a possible call to arms. 

Over the weekend a US amphibious transport ship USS San Antonio was also deployed to the Mediterranean. Although it has “received no specific tasking” it was rerouted to a US naval base on the Greek island of Crete. 

The US Navy already has five destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean carrying an estimated load of 200 Tomahawk missiles. The naval presence was boosted over the past week in anticipation of an imminent US attack.

In the coming week, while US lawmakers will be discussing the prospects of a “limited military strike” requested by the commander-in-chief, military officials are expected to use the delay in military action to decide on the location of other US ships in the region. 

The US President has already decided a limited military strike is necessary to teach Syria a lesson and prevent possible further use of chemical weapons against the Syrian population and US allies in the region. A formal request seeking authorization from legislators to launch a military campaign was filed on Saturday, and the Senate is expected to vote on the motion no later than the week of September 9. 

'Addicted man of Europe': Study says drug, alcohol addiction a crisis in UK

The UK is the addiction capital of Europe, with some of the highest rates of opiate and alcohol dependency as well as a worldwide hub for so-called ‘legal highs’.

A new report by the think-tank the Centre for Social Justice (the CSJ) found that the UK has become“the addicted man of Europe” with alcohol and drug abuse costing the tax payer 21 billion and 15 billion pounds respectively.

The addiction crisis is further fueling the breakdown of society, while the number of alcohol related hospital admissions has doubled in a decade, in what the CSJ warns is “an epidemic of drink-related conditions”.

A quarter of adults in the UK were found to drink to dangerous levels, with one in 20 found to be“dependent drinkers”. Liver disease is now one of the big killers in the UK alongside heart disease, strokes and cancer.

Alcohol dependence was second highest among men in Western Europe and seventh overall worldwide, while there are more female alcoholics in the UK than anywhere else in Europe. 

“We’ve had an unhealthy relationship with it for some time. While the general public is drinking less at the acute end the problem is getting worse, people who work in Accident and Emergency say it’s a revolving door,” Alex Burghart, the director for policy at the CSJ, told RT.

Reuters / Nigel Roddis

He believes the government should introduce a tax on alcohol, which could then be used for treatment.

“The government has backed away from an alcohol pricing strategy; there should be an additional tax for alcohol, which could then be used for treatment for alcoholics. Our intervention is rubbish; the number of alcoholics in treatment is considerably lower than the number of heroin addicts,” Burghart told RT.

“While our addiction problem damages the economy, it is the human consequences that represent the real tragedy. Drug and alcohol abuse fuels poverty and deprivation, leading to family breakdown and child neglect, homelessness, crime, debt and long-term worklessness,” said Christian Guy, the director of the CSJ.

Methadone, a substitute for heroin

The report, which is called No Quick Fix, also criticized the government for its “inadequate response to heroin addiction”. More than 40,000 heroin addicts in England have been stuck on methadone, which is used but is rarely effective, to try and wean them off heroin.

More than a third of people prescribed methadone in Britain have been on it for more than four years, with one in 25 for more than a decade; this is a rise of 40 percent since the coalition took office in 2010.

As local government feels the pinch of austerity, 55 percent of local councils in England have had their funding cut for residential drug treatment, what is known as rehab or rehabilitation, despite Cameron arguing that he wants to see more residential drug programs. Sending a heroin addict to rehab is regarded by doctors working in the field as the only possible way of getting them off the drug, and even then there are no guarantees. 

Reuters / Darren Staples

“Methadone can be a way of stabilizing chaotic drug users, but we found evidence that it is being used to keep a lid on problems. Large amounts of addicts are stranded on this state-supplied substitute and forgotten. This broken system is no different to taxpayers supporting an alcoholic by prescribing them vodka instead of them drinking gin,” said Guy.

This view was echoed by Burghart, “Initially methadone was used to keep the public safe from drug related crime and to stop the spread of HIV but the majority of people on methadone are stuck on it, out of mainstream society.”

Britain was also top of the list in life time users of amphetamines, cocaine and ecstasy, with the Baltic countries, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in second place.

Legal highs

Also known as new psychoactive substances (NPS), the CSJ found that one in 12 or 670,000 15-24 year olds had tried them, an increase of 39 percent since 2005/06. 52 people died of legal highs last year.

The report attacked the government for failing to deal with the problem, calling their response“bureaucratic and inadequate”.  While ministers had used temporary banning orders to try and control substances, since 2010 150 new legal highs have come on to the market and were available online and in shops.

Both legal and illegal drugs are now widely brought over the internet. By using Bit Coin and a website called the Silk Road, the authorities are practically powerless to find out the drugs origin, and the postal service is acting as an unwilling drugs courier. 

Reuters / Darren Staples

Drug and alcohol dependency was also found to reflect the north/south divide with 26 of the 30 local authorities with the highest rate of alcohol related hospital admissions in the north of England.

“The problem is not spread evenly; it’s an enormous problem facing some parts of the UK. In Middlesbrough one person in 40 is using crack cocaine,”Burghart told RT.

Breaking free

Noreen Oliver, chairman of the CSJ review had stark words of warning and said much more must be done if Britain as a country is to get to grips with the problem.

“Alcohol is taking an increasing toll across all services in the UK and new emerging drugs are causing more harm – all the while funding to rehabilitation centers is being dramatically cut and methadone prescribing is being protected,” said Oliver.

“Despite some slow progress in this last three years, much more needs to be done to tackle the root causes of addiction so that people have a better chance of breaking free,” she added.

Burghart, however, disagreed; saying that it was misleading to say the problem is getting better.

While there has been a slight decrease in the number of people drinking every day and the number of heroin addicts has dropped slightly, those who are dependent on other substances has continued to rise. He cited a disturbing rise in the use of Skunk cannabis, which has caused a significant increase in the number of people presenting with serious psychological disorders.

Only ‘diplomatic support’: UK Foreign Secretary says Syria military action ruled out

Protesters shout slogans and wave the Syrian flag as they demonstrate against military intervention in Syria in central London on August 31, 2013 (AFP Photo / Carl Court)

William Hague, the UK’s foreign secretary, has ruled out military intervention in Syria stating Britain will only be offering diplomatic support in the light of PM Cameron’s defeat on the parliament vote. The UK Chancellor slammed Labour “opportunists.”

“Parliament has spoken. I don't think it is realistic to think that we can go back to parliament every week with the same question having received no for an answer,” Hague said on the Murnaghan Show on Sky News on Sunday. It was his first major interview since the House of Commons defeat late on Thursday.

Hague said that Labour would need to be “less partisan” in order to reverse the Commons vote, and even in the event that more chemical strikes were alleged within Syria, UK intervention would still be unlikely.

“Anybody looking objectively at this would see that, in order for parliament in any circumstances to come to a different conclusion, people would have to be more persuaded by the evidence. There is a great deal of evidence there but I'm not sure that the extra evidence that the United States presented would have made a difference to those doubting the evidence in the House of Commons,” said Hague.

“We will have another discussion with Russia to see if we can find a diplomatic and peaceful solution to the crisis in Syria,” Hague also commented.  

UN inspectors are yet to publically provide the results of their analysis, after having departed Syria on Saturday.

US Secretary of State John Kerry stated on the same day that the US has its own evidence of sarin gas having been used in Syria, telling NBC that “hair samples and blood samples have tested positive” for the neurotoxic gas’ signature. The UN stated that it would take some three weeks for the results of their investigation to be processed. 

A video grab from footage broadcast by the UK Parliament’s Parliamentary Recording Unit (PRU) via Parliament TV on August 29, 2013 shows British Prime Minister David Cameron (L) speaking at the dispatch box during the debate about a response to the situation in Syria in the Houses of Parliament in central London on August 29, 2013 (AFP Photo)

The UK’s ruling Conservative party has been strongly in favor of military intervention, forcing its leader, UK Prime Minister David Cameron to concede “it is clear to me that the British parliament... does not want to see British military action.” 

Ongoing protests against UK military intervention Syria have been taking place, the most recent of which fell on Sunday. Thousands gathered in London’s Trafalgar Square, marching under banners stating that “war solves nothing.”

The vote was defeated by a 285 to 272 margin, constituting what was deemed a “major blow” to the party. The war vote was the first lost by a British prime minister since 1782.

The UK’s Conservative Chancellor, George Osborne, confirmed that the UK would not seek a further vote on action in Syria.  He made comments along the same vein as Hague in an almost concurrent interview on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show. “Parliament has spoken,” he declared with an air of finality on Sunday. “I don't think another UN report, or whatever, would make the difference.”

Osborne went on to state continuing support for the move, despite full knowledge that it would be unlikely.

“Of course I wanted us to be part of a potential military response. Now that is just not going to be open to us,” he said. Osborne added that his party’s opposition rivals, Labour, played the vote opportunistically, in his opinion, saying that the move against the government’s desire for military action by Labour made the party leader, Ed Miliband, look less like a future prime minister. 

AFP Photo / Abo Al-Nur Sadk

Former Prime Minister, Tony Blair, renowned for his unwavering support of the joint UK/US invasion of Iraq in 2003, labeled the outcome of the Commons vote “shocking” in a Sunday Times column.

Obama announced on Sunday that he would be seeking Congressional approval for a strike on Syria, adding that the strike was not “time-sensitive.”

“In consultation with the President, we expect the House to consider a measure the week of September ninth,” House Speaker John Boehner said in a statement released on the same day.

French President Francois Hollande also said on Sunday that he would wait for a parliamentary vote before committing France to a military attack on Syria.

Russia has warned that Washington’s apparent plans for military intervention in Syria would only serve to increase the violence now gripping the country.

“Any unilateral use of force without the authorization of the UN Security Council, no matter how 'limited' it is, will be a clear violation of international law, will undermine prospects for a political and diplomatic resolution of the conflict in Syria and will lead to a new round of confrontation and new casualties,”Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Aleksandr Lukashevich said. There is currently a lack of proof that the Syrian government used chemical weapons, he added. 

Kerry: ‘US tests show sarin used in Syria chemical attack’

Samples collected by first responders after the Aug. 21 chemical attack in a Damascus suburb have tested positive for the Sarin nerve agent, US Secretary of State John Kerry told US media as he sought build support for a military strike.

Kerry made his comments as part of a series of nine TV appearances to persuade the US public opinion of the need for military retaliation on Syria, following Saturday’s announcement by Barack Obama that he will seek approval for the use of force in Congress.

“In the last 24 hours, we have learned through samples that were provided to the US that have now been tested from first responders in east Damascus and hair samples and blood samples have tested positive for signatures of sarin," Kerry said on NBC's Meet The Press.
 
In a later appearance on CNN, Kerry said that the evidence, which was gathered independently of the UN, strengthened Obama's call for military action against the regime of President Bashar Assad, which the US accuses of being responsible for the chemical weapons attack.

"Each day that goes by, this case is even stronger," Kerry said, calling the case “overwhelming.”

Sarin is a man-made chemical warfare agent, considered the most toxic and fast-acting of its kind. The odorless, colorless nerve agent interferes with an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase that controls nerve signals to the muscles.

The US lawmakers are to return from recess on September 9. Kerry said he believed there are “good people in the Congress” who would support intervention.

In his interviews, Kerry avoided answering the question whether Obama would still act if the Congress voted against strikes on the Syrian targets. 

A United Nations (UN) arms expert collects samples on August 29, 2013, as they inspect the site where rockets had fallen in Damascus' eastern Ghouta suburb during an investigation into a suspected chemical weapons strike near the capital (AFP Photo)

Meanwhile, in an interview with ABC, Kerry expressed the hope that Russia would realize that Assad crossed the line by using chemical weapons against civilians, and join the US in their effort to hold the Syrian regime accountable. 

The head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Russian Duma, Aleksey Pushkov, believes that Kerry’s claims of discovered sarin traces doesn’t in any way prove that the chemical weapons were used by the Syrian government.

“The traces of sarin near Damascus prove nothing. It could’ve been used by the militants. Like one British MP said: ‘You don’t have to be Einstein’ to do that,” Pushkov wrote on his Twitter page.

Russia has been calling for a full investigation into the allegations surrounding the Aug. 21 attack which reportedly killed hundreds of people. On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Washington to present its evidence to the UN Security Council before beginning the attack, saying doing otherwise would be “a violation of international law.” 
Putin labeled as “utter nonsense” the idea that the Syrian government would use chemical weapons on its own people when UN inspectors were in Damascus, calling the whole affair a “provocation” by Syrian rebels hoping to embroil Western powers in the conflict.

Meanwhile, the samples that UN investigators gathered at the site of the attack near Damascus are yet to be sent to European laboratories, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said.

According to Nesirky, “two Syrian officials” will be monitoring the testing to ensure transparency. 

Earlier, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said it may be two weeks before the final results of the analysis are ready.