What West gets wrong about Saudi Arabia

Recent discussion in the wake of Saudi Arabia's refusal to accept a nonpermanent seat on the U.N. Security Council has prompted bewilderment – and renewed questions about the Kingdom’s foreign policy. Yet accusations of irresponsibility are inaccurate and misleading. Indeed, despite the criticisms leveled by commentators including Fareed Zakaria on these very pages, the fundamentals of Saudi foreign policy have not changed in decades, and are based on consistent and clear foundations.

As the “senior player” in the Arab world, as the Kingdom was recently described by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Saudi Arabia works to promote economic stability and political security via a moderating energy policy and careful strategic posture that is aimed at countering and neutralizing the upheaval that has been tearing the Muslim and Arab worlds apart.

This approach has been on display in recent Saudi actions.

When an insurgency sought to overthrow the Bahraini government in 2011, a Saudi-led Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) military contingent stepped in to secure the critical state infrastructure of this tiny nation. In addition, the Kingdom is also heavily engaged in attempting to stabilize Yemen, primarily through economic and security assistance based on the GCC plan that replaced former President Ali Abdullah Saleh with an interim government. This new leadership is now drawing up of a new constitution for elections next year. And in Egypt, Saudi Arabia has stepped in as a crucial player in pushing back against Muslim Brotherhood ideology, including through providing the financial resources needed to strengthen the more moderate but temporary government in Cairo.

All this is in keeping with Saudi Arabia’s role and responsibilities as the cradle of Islam. After all, the Kingdom has a unique standing vis-a-vis the more than 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide, a leadership role enhanced by the Kingdom's willingness to expend formidable financial and economic resources in assisting other nations in dire straits to maintain stability.

This approach has in turn generated a growing foreign policy assertiveness that is being transformed from primarily reactive to proactive. The fact is that the Kingdom also has global responsibilities, including trying to combat Islamic extremism. And despite the popular image in the United States that Saudi money is about funding terror, the Kingdom was actually a victim of al Qaeda-backed terrorism on its own soil several years before the tragic events of September 11, 2001. In 1995, for example, al Qaeda struck a National Guard training facility in Riyadh. This was followed by the Riyadh compound bombings in May 2003. The latter attack claimed dozens of lives and prompted the Saudis to launch a massive security upgrade to root out terrorists in their midst and overseas through hard (military and police) and soft (educative and financial) tactics.

But years before these changes, Saudi Arabia had already staked out its diplomatic position on the al Qaeda threat. Following the 1998 terrorist attacks on the U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, Saudi Arabia is said to have requested that the Taliban hand over Osama bin Laden. The former head of Saudi Arabian intelligence, Prince Turki al-Faisal, reportedly said back in 2001 that Taliban leader Mullah Omar had initially agreed to grant the request, but changed his mind and was “abusive” about the Kingdom.

Despite the failure to secure bin Laden, the Saudi counter-terrorism effort decimated al Qaeda’s infrastructure in the Kingdom, preventing attacks both at home and abroad in the process including a heavily Saudi-backed infiltration scheme that thwarted an alleged attempt to place bombs on two cargo planes in Yemen that had been destined for the United States.

But Saudi Arabia does not only have a responsibility to push for security from terrorism – as the world’s largest oil exporter, it also has a global responsibility to ensure the well-being of the world’s financial system. Serving as the undisputed leader of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, the Saudis have managed oil production in a consistent, sensible manner that has broadly kept global energy markets stable and supplied while minimizing the chance for the sudden supply disruptions seen with countries such as Iran, Iraq and Venezuela.

Despite the frustration in the West with the Kingdom, Saudi Arabia has been the most durable and unwavering ally of the United States in the Middle East since 1945, balancing its roles as a leading Muslim nation and a pivotal U.S. partner. Secretary Kerry made this very point when he said of the Kingdom that it has “the ability to be able to influence a lot of important things we also care about.”

So back to the U.N. Security Council – if Saudi Arabia wants to be a responsible player, why did it turn down a seat? The answer is that as part of its growing efforts to steer a more assertive and independent course, Saudi Arabia has found itself increasingly at odds with the U.S. and others over their handling of Syria. Just this week, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister urged the Security Council to act to “save” Syria, and it is this refusal to act that likely pushed a disillusioned Kingdom to shun the body.

If a more independent Saudi foreign policy is “irresponsible,” then Fareed Zakaria is right. But while he might be willing to pick the country for a Most Irresponsible Foreign Policy award, the facts of the Kingdom actually suggest this is a country whose foreign policy is more stable, secure and responsible than many realize.

Asia territorial tensions set to get worse before they get better

China’s more assertive posture in regional territorial disputes took a new turn at the weekend with its decision to implement an Air Defense Identification Zone. At a time when tensions in the region are already high due to a lingering territorial dispute between China and Japan, China’s action has escalated tensions in the East China Sea. Now, with Beijing apparently demonstrating a fundamental misunderstanding of diplomacy with its neighbors, the region is forced to confront provocative and potentially destabilizing behavior.

On November 23, China’s defense ministry unilaterally announced the establishment of the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone. According to the new rules for conduct in this ADIZ, any aircraft flying into China’s ADIZ is required to submit flight plans to Chinese authorities, maintain two-way radio communication, and keep radar transponders turned on. Should a plane refuse to follow these instructions, China’s military will “adopt defensive measures.”

ADIZs are, by themselves, not controversial, acting as early-warning perimeters for self-defense. But while there are no international rules concerning their size or establishment, China’s action is provocative for two reasons. First, it may be attempting to set new rules for aircraft flying above waters considered a state’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Second, it chose to establish an ADIZ that overlaps considerably with those of both Japan and Taiwan as well as a sliver of South Korea’s. Provocatively, included in China’s ADIZ are territorial disputes it maintains with Japan over the Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu in Chinese) and with South Korea over Ieodo (Suyan Rock in Chinese).

Under current U.S. and Japanese practice, ADIZ procedures are not applied to foreign aircraft if they do not intend to enter their territorial airspace. China’s move sets the stage for a dangerous situation, however, if a plane flies through a portion of its ADIZ (not intending to enter territorial airspace) and refuses to follow China’s unique protocols. This is particularly worrisome with respect to Japan – under China’s new rules, Chinese planes could be scrambled to confront Japanese planes flying in the overlapped portion of the ADIZ, which could result in an accidental collision. In the worst case scenario, a situation could arise where an order by either country is given to adopt defensive measures against what they see as intruding planes. Think of the 2001 EP-3 incident, when a Chinese fighter collided with a U.S. surveillance plane, resulting in the death of the Chinese pilot. If that happened with a Japanese plane today, Beijing would be pressured to take aggressive action to placate the virulent Chinese nationalism that is sure to erupt.

Representatives from the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan quickly expressed strong concern about China’s attempt to alter the status quo and destabilize the region. And, quick to demonstrate their refusal to be cowed by China, the United States and Japan continued scheduled exercises in the area of the Senkaku Islands. Indeed, to underscore its commitment to the status quo, the United States on Tuesday sent two B-52s directly through China’s ADIZ, refusing to follow China’s new rules.

More from GPS: Why Asia is arguing over its islands

China’s decision to establish the ADIZ demonstrates both recklessness and misunderstanding. It is reckless in that Beijing is attempting to unilaterally change the status quo via intimidation. Such behavior is escalatory and only increases tensions between neighbors and drastically reduces trust with the United States. At the same time, China’s behavior demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of both statesmanship and the commitment by the United States and its allies to uphold international norms.

China has a right to seek changes to existing rules that guide state behavior, but not through intimidation. The U.S. and China’s neighbors understand that China is rising and have worked to engage China through various dialogues that strengthen China’s voice in international affairs and benefit China’s global presence. Yet, China should not mistake their engagement for weakness. The United States and its allies stand resolute to defend the rules and norms that have underwritten peace and security for decades, upon which the prosperity of the region was built and continues to grow. Brute attempts at change will always be forcefully resisted.

Unfortunately, this problem will probably get worse before it improves. Although China’s ADIZ does not cover the South China Sea, where it is ensnarled in multiple territorial disputes, China’s Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said that China will establish additional zones after all necessary preparations are completed. This raises worries over new provocations. Should China decide to extend another expansive ADIZ in the South China Sea, backed by its threat to adopt defensive measures, this would overlap multiple ADIZs, thereby throwing down the gauntlet to all states on its periphery.

A paradox exists in that China’s behavior is both understandable and yet puzzling. China is in many ways blinded by a mixture of victimization and self-confidence that lead it to demand changes, believing its time has come after having suffered so long under the hand of foreign oppressors. At the same time, how it chooses to do so defies logic. At a time when U.S. leadership is working to build strategic trust with China, the Korean leadership is pursuing closer ties with China as part of a trustpolitk campaign and Taiwan’s leadership is maintaining a positive relationship with Beijing, China chooses to act in a way that in one broad stroke erases much of the goodwill that has been built. And at a time when Japanese leadership remains highly critical of China and is strengthening partnerships with countries similarly challenged by China, Beijing’s act further steels Tokyo’s opposition and sends a frightening message to others in the region.

China’s leadership appears to see its neighbors as conspiring to stop China’s rise. The U.S. rebalance to the region and Japan’s changing security policies are interpreted as provocative actions directed against Beijing. As such, China believes it must counterbalance these efforts. What Beijing fails to see is that efforts like those by the United States and Japan are in fact reactions against Chinese behavior. China’s more assertive posture in recent years has spooked the region, and its unilateral efforts to change international norms are viewed as part of this revanchism.

The reality is that China is not the victim, but very much part of the problem.

Iran deal risks creating another North Korea

In the early hours of Sunday morning, in Geneva, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, and foreign ministers from Russia, China, and Europe signed a deal to suspend aspects of Iranian nuclear work in exchange for some sanctions relief. “With this first step, we have created the time and the space in order to be able to pursue a comprehensive agreement…to ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon," Kerry told assembled diplomats and journalists.
President Barack Obama was triumphant. “Today, that diplomacy opened up a new path toward a world that is more secure – a future in which we can verify that Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful and that it cannot build a nuclear weapon.”
He should not be so certain. Rather than prevent Iran’s nuclear breakout, historians may mark the Geneva deal as the step that most legitimized Iran’s path to nuclear weapons capability.
Willing to deal is not synonymous with sincere desire to reach a comprehensive settlement. Key to successful reconciliation is truth, and there are many reasons to doubt Iranian intentions, none of which did the Geneva negotiators address. Iranian authorities say they seek nuclear technology to ensure domestic energy security, but as the Bipartisan Policy Center showed, Tehran could achieve that aim for a fraction of the cost and for decades, if not centuries, longer if it chose to invest instead in its pipeline and refinery infrastructure.
Neither Obama nor Kerry have demanded Tehran clarify past deception. If Iran’s nuclear program has always been peaceful as Tehran claims, then it would have had no need to hide enrichment plants and other facilities from inspectors. It is all well and good to compliment Iran on allowing inspections of key plants once discovered, but a sincere Tehran would not offer transparency only when intelligence services discover subterfuge.
Iran also walked away from previous offers – and even agreements – that would see it guaranteed reactor fuel should it agree that critical reprocessing might occur abroad.  Unfortunately, the current deal rewards Iran for its past defiance and loosens what diplomats once considered the minimum safeguards.
Fear over Iranian intentions is genuine. While Iranian officials say that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has issued a fatwa banning nuclear weapons, the collection of his fatwas on his official websites does not include it. Iranian officials and diplomats citing it have been inconsistent as to its date of issue and contents. Meanwhile, various Iranian officials have threatened to use nuclear weapons, curious statements from a regime that claims they do not seek to develop them.
Indeed, on December 14, 2001, former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the father of Iran’s post-revolutionary nuclear program, reportedly declared: “The use of an atomic bomb against Israel would totally destroy Israel, while the same against the Islamic world would only cause damage. Such a scenario is not inconceivable.” Just over three years later, Iran Emrooz quoted Ayatollah Mohammad Baqer Kharrazi, secretary general of Iranian Hezbollah, as saying, “We are able to produce atomic bombs and we will do that. We shouldn't be afraid of anyone. The U.S. is not more than a barking dog." On May 29, 2005, Hojjat ol-Islam Gholam Reza Hasani, the Supreme Leader's personal representative in the West Azerbaijan province, reportedly declared possession of nuclear weapons to be one of Iran's top goals. “An atom bomb…must be produced as well,” he said. While some academics have suggested that Iranian leaders never said they hoped to “wipe Israel off the face of the earth,” official translations and banners suggest otherwise.
Past National Intelligence Estimates have further concluded that Iran has researched and experimented with nuclear weapons components, a charge that Iranian officials have always denied. While subsequent estimates suggested that Tehran stopped such work, an Islamic Republic sincere in putting past suspicions behind it would come clean.
More from GPS: Iran deal opponents' concerns misplaced?
True, the deal signed is better than that scuttled by French officials earlier this month. Diplomats have now placed restrictions on Iranian engineers using the pause to install new centrifuges. And negotiators have addressed concern regarding the potential of Iran extracting plutonium from the Arak heavy water plant.
Does it hurt to try with the current deal? Unfortunately, still, the answer is yes.
While Iran has agreed to suspend some enrichment, every concession Tehran has granted is reversible. The legitimacy of six unanimous or near unanimous U.N. Security Council Resolutions demanding Iran cease enrichment as a result of its non-compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty’s safeguards agreement can never be restored. The billions of dollars in sanctions relief Iran receives might very well pump new life into Tehran’s nuclear program. After all, when the European Union nearly tripled trade with Iran between 2000 and 2005, the Iranian government responded by spending the preponderance of its hard currency windfall on its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Perhaps, diplomats hope that, with some pressure relieved, Iranian officials will now negotiate sincerely during the next six months to resolve its nuclear file permanently. If so, they will be disappointed. By rewarding Iran for decades of defiance, negotiators have now set a precedent by which, whenever Tehran needs cash, it can restart enrichment and then demand billions in payment for temporary suspensions. In effect, Iran has replicated North Korea’s strategy: blackmail for cash and technology.
Second term presidents always seek legacies. President Clinton pushed hard at Camp David II to end the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Palestinian chairman Yasser Arafat walked away, and violence increased exponentially. Likewise, President George W. Bush sought a comprehensive settlement with North Korea. His administration removed North Korea from its list of terror sponsors and lifted some sanctions. In response, Pyongyang redoubled its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and accelerated terrorism against South Korea.
Unfortunately, the Iranian nuclear deal appears to fall into the same pattern. Not every country must be met halfway, and not every compromise is wise. The difference between appeasement and compromise is often determined only in historical hindsight. When historians consider the Geneva deal, they likely will categorize it as the former.

Iran deal risks creating another North Korea

In the early hours of Sunday morning, in Geneva, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, and foreign ministers from Russia, China, and Europe signed a deal to suspend aspects of Iranian nuclear work in exchange for some sanctions relief. “With this first step, we have created the time and the space in order to be able to pursue a comprehensive agreement…to ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon," Kerry told assembled diplomats and journalists.
President Barack Obama was triumphant. “Today, that diplomacy opened up a new path toward a world that is more secure – a future in which we can verify that Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful and that it cannot build a nuclear weapon.”
He should not be so certain. Rather than prevent Iran’s nuclear breakout, historians may mark the Geneva deal as the step that most legitimized Iran’s path to nuclear weapons capability.
Willing to deal is not synonymous with sincere desire to reach a comprehensive settlement. Key to successful reconciliation is truth, and there are many reasons to doubt Iranian intentions, none of which did the Geneva negotiators address. Iranian authorities say they seek nuclear technology to ensure domestic energy security, but as the Bipartisan Policy Center showed, Tehran could achieve that aim for a fraction of the cost and for decades, if not centuries, longer if it chose to invest instead in its pipeline and refinery infrastructure.
Neither Obama nor Kerry have demanded Tehran clarify past deception. If Iran’s nuclear program has always been peaceful as Tehran claims, then it would have had no need to hide enrichment plants and other facilities from inspectors. It is all well and good to compliment Iran on allowing inspections of key plants once discovered, but a sincere Tehran would not offer transparency only when intelligence services discover subterfuge.
Iran also walked away from previous offers – and even agreements – that would see it guaranteed reactor fuel should it agree that critical reprocessing might occur abroad.  Unfortunately, the current deal rewards Iran for its past defiance and loosens what diplomats once considered the minimum safeguards.
Fear over Iranian intentions is genuine. While Iranian officials say that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has issued a fatwa banning nuclear weapons, the collection of his fatwas on his official websites does not include it. Iranian officials and diplomats citing it have been inconsistent as to its date of issue and contents. Meanwhile, various Iranian officials have threatened to use nuclear weapons, curious statements from a regime that claims they do not seek to develop them.
Indeed, on December 14, 2001, former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the father of Iran’s post-revolutionary nuclear program, reportedly declared: “The use of an atomic bomb against Israel would totally destroy Israel, while the same against the Islamic world would only cause damage. Such a scenario is not inconceivable.” Just over three years later, Iran Emrooz quoted Ayatollah Mohammad Baqer Kharrazi, secretary general of Iranian Hezbollah, as saying, “We are able to produce atomic bombs and we will do that. We shouldn't be afraid of anyone. The U.S. is not more than a barking dog." On May 29, 2005, Hojjat ol-Islam Gholam Reza Hasani, the Supreme Leader's personal representative in the West Azerbaijan province, reportedly declared possession of nuclear weapons to be one of Iran's top goals. “An atom bomb…must be produced as well,” he said. While some academics have suggested that Iranian leaders never said they hoped to “wipe Israel off the face of the earth,” official translations and banners suggest otherwise.
Past National Intelligence Estimates have further concluded that Iran has researched and experimented with nuclear weapons components, a charge that Iranian officials have always denied. While subsequent estimates suggested that Tehran stopped such work, an Islamic Republic sincere in putting past suspicions behind it would come clean.
More from GPS: Iran deal opponents' concerns misplaced?
True, the deal signed is better than that scuttled by French officials earlier this month. Diplomats have now placed restrictions on Iranian engineers using the pause to install new centrifuges. And negotiators have addressed concern regarding the potential of Iran extracting plutonium from the Arak heavy water plant.
Does it hurt to try with the current deal? Unfortunately, still, the answer is yes.
While Iran has agreed to suspend some enrichment, every concession Tehran has granted is reversible. The legitimacy of six unanimous or near unanimous U.N. Security Council Resolutions demanding Iran cease enrichment as a result of its non-compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty’s safeguards agreement can never be restored. The billions of dollars in sanctions relief Iran receives might very well pump new life into Tehran’s nuclear program. After all, when the European Union nearly tripled trade with Iran between 2000 and 2005, the Iranian government responded by spending the preponderance of its hard currency windfall on its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Perhaps, diplomats hope that, with some pressure relieved, Iranian officials will now negotiate sincerely during the next six months to resolve its nuclear file permanently. If so, they will be disappointed. By rewarding Iran for decades of defiance, negotiators have now set a precedent by which, whenever Tehran needs cash, it can restart enrichment and then demand billions in payment for temporary suspensions. In effect, Iran has replicated North Korea’s strategy: blackmail for cash and technology.
Second term presidents always seek legacies. President Clinton pushed hard at Camp David II to end the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Palestinian chairman Yasser Arafat walked away, and violence increased exponentially. Likewise, President George W. Bush sought a comprehensive settlement with North Korea. His administration removed North Korea from its list of terror sponsors and lifted some sanctions. In response, Pyongyang redoubled its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and accelerated terrorism against South Korea.
Unfortunately, the Iranian nuclear deal appears to fall into the same pattern. Not every country must be met halfway, and not every compromise is wise. The difference between appeasement and compromise is often determined only in historical hindsight. When historians consider the Geneva deal, they likely will categorize it as the former.

Iraq violence: Eighteen killed after being abducted Iraqis

The bodies of 18 people have been found near the Iraqi capital Baghdad, hours after they were abducted from their homes, police say.

The corpses - with gunshots in the head - were found near the town of Tarmiya. At least one army officer was among those killed.

Execution-style killings have been on the rise in Iraq, correspondents say, alongside a wave of bomb attacks.

Sectarian violence has surged across the country in recent months.

At least one tribal chief and a police officer were also among those killed on Friday.

The UN says 979 people - including 158 police and 127 military personnel - were killed in violent attacks in October. More than 6,500 civilians have died since January, the highest annual toll since 2008.

The United Nations has called on Iraq's political leaders to co-operate to end the bloodshed, which has escalated since an army raid on a Sunni Arab anti-government protest camp in April 2013.

The protesters had called for the resignation of Shia Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, who they accused of targeting the minority Sunni community.

Iraq has also seen a spill-over of violence from the conflict in Syria, where jihadist rebels linked to the Islamic State of Iraq, a Sunni militant umbrella group that includes al-Qaeda, have risen to prominence.

Thailand PM Yingluck Shinawatra rules out early election

She told the BBC the situation in Thailand was not calm enough for polls.

She also said she would not authorise the use of force against protesters occupying government ministries.

She was speaking after demonstrators forced their way into the army headquarters in Bangkok and held a demonstration there.

Ms Yingluck has been prime minister since 2011, when her Pheu Thai party won a general election.


PM Yingluck Shinawatra: "We need to protect democracy"
In an interview with the BBC's Jonathan Head on Friday, she said that if she called a new election, she was not sure the protesters would be satisfied.

"I love this country. I devote myself to this country. I need only one thing for the country: we need to protect democracy," she said.

She said the situation in Thailand was "very sensitive" and repeated her call for negotiations to resolve the crisis.

On Thursday, Ms Yingluck called for an end to the demonstrations after surviving a no-confidence vote.

However protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban has rejected her appeal.

"We will not let them work anymore," the former senior opposition lawmaker said in a speech late on Thursday.

Anti-government protesters with Thai national flags sit at the Royal Thai Army compound in Bangkok, Thailand, 29 November 2013
Protesters went inside the army HQ compound, sitting on the lawn
Anti-government protesters give roses, through razor wire, to the security personnel guarding the Defence Ministry as protesters gather outside it in Bangkok on 28 November 2013
In the last week protesters have marched on different government buildings
An anti-government protester sleeps among others sitting on the road outside the national police headquarters where they are protesting in Bangkok on 28 November 2013
On Thursday, they protested at the national police headquarters, shutting it down
Anti-government protesters gather in front of the Democracy Monument during a rally in Bangkok, Thailand, 29 November 2013
The government has asked the protesters to hold talks - but has been rejected
On Friday at least 1,000 protesters forced their way into the army headquarters compound, but did not enter any buildings.

The BBC's Jonah Fisher, who was at the scene, said protesters were massed on a lawn listening to speeches from leaders on a stage they had erected.

They urged the army to come out in support of the demonstrators. "We want to know which side the army stands on," Reuters news agency quoted one protester as saying.

Our correspondent described the atmosphere as good natured and said the authorities appeared keen to avoid confrontation. The protesters later left peacefully.

Yale Put On Lockdown Amid Reports Of Gunman

Police say a call that sparked fears of a gunman on the Yale University campus appears to have been a hoax.

Students had been urged to "shelter in place" following the security scare, but the lockdown has now been lifted.

New Haven Police Chief Dean Esserman told a news conference the campus was safe.

SWAT teams had been scrambled to the university, while students received a text message saying: "Confirmed report of person with gun on/near Old Campus. Shelter in place. This is not a test."
Police got an anonymous phone call from a phone booth at around 10am local time reporting a person on campus with a gun.

Streets close to the campus have been blockaded, and the FBI is looking at footage of the area around the phone booth to identify the caller.

Police spokesman David Harman had said: "We don't have a suspect. There's nothing tangible."

New Haven Police Department Lieutenant Jeff Hoffman said there had been no shootings and no injuries. Room-to-room searches conducted by Yale's police department found nothing untoward.

Several New Haven schools had also been placed on lockdown, as had a nearby community college.

Yale has been on November recess since Saturday, meaning many students have left to celebrate Thanksgiving.

US Slams China Over Defence Zone Declaration

The United States has slammed as "unnecessarily inflammatory" China's declaration of an air defence identification zone over much of the East China Sea, a move that has fuelled tensions with Japan.

"This announcement from the Chinese government was unnecessarily inflammatory," White House deputy spokesman Josh Earnest said.

"There are regional disputes in that part of the world and those disputes should be resolved diplomatically.

"There should be in this case plenty of overlapping common ground to reach a resolution that doesn't involve inflammatory, escalating rhetoric."

Beijing said Saturday it had established an Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) that requires all aircraft flying over an area of the East China Sea to obey its orders.

The zone covers the Tokyo-controlled Senkakus, where ships and aircraft from the two countries already shadow each other in a potentially dangerous confrontation.

Ties between the Asian powers have been strained for months by the row over the islands, which are believed to be surrounded by energy-rich waters.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told parliament he was deeply concerned "as it is a profoundly dangerous act that may cause unintended consequences".

Syria: Foreign Secretary Welcomes Peace Talks

The Foreign Secretary has said a commitment by the Syrian government and opposition groups to peace talks next year is a "welcome" step forward.

The two sides have agreed to meet in Geneva in January in an attempt to end the civil war that has ravaged the country for almost three years, killing more than 100,000 people.

Sky's Middle East Correspondent Sam Kiley said the starting point for the talks was not a ceasefire but the establishment of "rules and regulations for a political transition".

A Free Syrian Army fighter throws a homemade bomb towards forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al Assad in the old city of Aleppo
A Free Syrian Army fighter throws a homemade bomb towards Syrian forces
Britain and other countries have said President Bashar al Assad cannot be allowed to continue in power if a "roadmap" for Syria's political future, agreed at a summit in Geneva last year, is to be implemented.

Foreign Secretary William Hague said the UK would lend its "extended and sustained" support to the opposition National Coalition, which he described as "the heart and lead" of forces fighting the Assad regime.

"A negotiated political transition in Syria is the only way to end the conflict and alleviate Syria's humanitarian crisis," he said.

Damaged buildings in Deir al-Zor, eastern Syria
Many towns and cities, including Deir al-Zor, have been left in ruins
"The Syrian regime is now in the spotlight. They need to take immediate steps to alleviate humanitarian suffering across the country and stop their brutal tactics, which include besieging and attacking civilian areas.

"In the coming weeks they need to demonstrate that they will go to the Geneva II talks prepared to negotiate a political transition and end the violence."

The UN said the talks, which are due to take place on January 22, would seek to establish "a transitional governing body with full executive powers, including over military and security entities".

Arab and western foreign ministers hold the 'London 11' Friends of Syria meeting
Mr Hague and foreign ministers at a recent Friends of Syria meeting
It called on both sides to go into the meeting with a "serious intention" to end fighting in Syria, which it said had "sent tremors through the region and forced unacceptable burdens" on the country's neighbours.

Kiley said the attitude among diplomats was one of "cautious optimism" after previous attempts at negotiations failed.

He said one of the stumbling blocks had been "pre-conditions set by groups of rebels, who said they wanted Mr Assad to agree to end his rule prior to the talks".

"It would appear now that elements, at least, of the rebels have agreed to unconditional talks," he said.

In a letter to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Syria's foreign ministry said that ending support for "armed terrorist groups" in Syria is "crucial for any political solution to the crisis to succeed".

Khaled Saleh, a spokesman for the Syrian National Coalition, added: "We want to have a successful conference and we are not interested in a conference that is going to waste time.

"We are not interested in a conference that is going to justify killing more Syrians."

Typhoon Haiyan: HMS Illustrious In Philippines

The Royal Navy ship is carrying supplies including 12,500 blankets, 20,000 candles, 30,000 bags of rice and 9,800 tins of sardines.

Thousands of tins of vegetables, shelter kits, jerry cans and water carriers are also on board.

The supplies have been provided by the Government's Department for International Development (DFID).

Typhoon Haiyan - said to be the strongest ever to make landfall with winds of up to 170mph - hit the Philippines on November 7, killing thousands and leaving many more without food and shelter.

HMS Illustrious is replacing HMS Daring, which has been distributing aid in remote communities for the past week.

Seven helicopters are on board to help get the aid quickly into remote areas.

The ship was off the east coast of Africa on counter-piracy operations when it was diverted to help the relief effort.

It is expected to stay in the Philippines until early December.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: "The crew of HMS Daring have done a fantastic job in the Philippines and I am pleased that HMS Illustrious will be able to continue this good work by providing substantially increased helicopter capability, ensuring relief reaches all those stricken by Typhoon Haiyan."

The UK public has now donated more than £60m through the Disasters Emergency Committee Appeal and the Government has given more than £55m.

The death toll from the disaster has risen above 5,000, according to the Philippine government, with around four million people displaced and more than 1,600 still missing.

Afghanistan: Karzai Defiant Over US Deal Delay

Afghanistan's President has refused to sign a security deal which could see all US troops leave the country next year.

There are still 47,000 American forces in the country and there have been discussions about keeping a small residual force of about 8,000 troops there after it winds down operations in 2014.

But Hamid Karzai has told National Security Advisor Susan Rice in Kabul the US must put an immediate end to military raids on Afghan homes and demonstrate its commitment to peace talks before he would sign a bilateral security pact.

Following the meeting a White House spokesman quotes Ms Rice as saying: "Without a prompt signature, the US would have no choice but to initiate planning for a post-2014 future in which there would be no US or NATO troop presence in Afghanistan."

On Sunday an assembly of Afghan elders endorsed the security pact, but Mr Karzai suggested he might not sign it until after national elections next spring.

US troops have been in Afghanistan since leading multinational forces in ousting the Taliban regime in late 2001.

Officials, including Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, have said the bilateral security deal must be signed by the end of 2013 to begin preparations for a post-2014 presence.

Ms Rice told the Afghan president it was "not viable" to defer signing the deal until after the election.

The delay "would not provide the United States and NATO allies the clarity necessary to plan for a potential post-2014 military presence".

The Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) includes a provision allowing raids in exceptional circumstances - when an American life is directly under threat - but it would not take effect  until 2015.

Microsoft limits Xbox Live users' curse words

As Xbox players battled each other, uploading videos showcasing conquests and recording trash talking over the past couple of days, some players noticed that they lost their Xbox Live account privileges.

What gives?

Apparently, Microsoft has cracked down on the use of expletives in its Upload Studio videos.

"Excessive profanity and other Code of Conduct violations will be enforced upon. On Xbox One, we have a more sophisticated system of enforcement," a Microsoft spokesperson told CNET. "As a result, if someone misbehaves on the service, we may only suspend some of their privileges on Xbox Live such as access to certain apps or use of certain features."

"To be clear, the Xbox Live Policy & Enforcement team does not monitor direct peer-to-peer communications like Skype chats and calls," the spokesperson continued. "We take Code of Conduct moderation via Upload Studio very seriously. The team reviews every clip that is uploaded to the service to help maintain a clean, safe and fun environment for all users."

Xbox forums lit up over the weekend as some users lost control of their accounts and were unable to use Skype and other applications via their consoles. There was some confusion as to why user privileges were being yanked and the length of time the suspensions would last.

Rather than being upset at having to limit profanity, most players appeared to be more peeved at how Microsoft handled the situation -- by pulling privileges without explaining why.

"I get the message 'Choose something else to play' simply because I assume MS was not happy about a video I uploaded," a user who goes by rbevanx wrote. "I think I should have just had a warning and not to do it again (don't even know what I did wrong in the first place)."

Another user who goes by Rockettpunk wrote, "MS really does need to: a) be much clearer on their terms as to how strict they will be. b) implement a strike system or at least message people."

Iran talks reverberate through web of Mideast alliances

BEIRUT — The interim accord hammered out between Iran and global powers focuses narrowly on Tehran's nuclear ambitions but the reaction across the Middle East points to a broader significance: the prospect of a geopolitical shift with repercussions across the region.

The process is still embryonic and may go nowhere. But the Middle East is already abuzz with speculation about a thaw between Washington and Tehran emerging from the Geneva talks. Some analysts say it may turn out to be a "hinge" moment that — however gradually — alters the political landscape of the highly volatile region.

"This is already being seen as a kind of game-changer," said Paul Salem, an analyst at the Middle East Institute, a Washington-based think tank. "This is not just about how much uranium is being enriched or when. It's about a new alignment and its potential impacts in Syria, in Iraq, in Lebanon, in all the regional arrangements."

Condemnation from Israel and angry silence from Saudi Arabia — both key U.S. allies and avowed enemies of Tehran — highlight a profound disquiet about much more than the letter of the preliminary six-month nuclear accord.

Antagonism between Iran and the U.S. has been a major factor in the region's web of alliances for more than three decades.

Saudi officials view their kingdom and its allies as being engaged in a colossal struggle for regional influence between Islam's two great branches.

The Sunni-dominated Persian Gulf kingdoms accuse Shiite Iran of meddling from Syria to Lebanon to Bahrain. Riyadh plainly would prefer to see Iran consigned indefinitely to membership in an "axis of evil" than engaged in direct and seemingly amiable negotiations with the U.S. secretary of State at a five-star Geneva hotel.

"It is clear that the traditional Arab allies of the U.S. in the region, the Saudis specifically but also the Jordanians, are shocked by this American transformation," said Fahed Khitan, an Amman, Jordan-based political analyst. "The Saudis and the Israelis are, perhaps for the first time, in a camp together."

While Saudi officials have kept their ire private so far, Israeli authorities have publicly denounced the preliminary nuclear accord with Iran as a "bad deal" and "historic mistake," in the words of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

From Israel's perspective, Iran is a challenge on many fronts, including in Lebanon, which shares a tense border with Israel that is patrolled by United Nations peacekeepers. Iran's Lebanese ally, Hezbollah, has a powerful military force and tens of thousands of rockets that it can use to target Israel.

In Israel, there has been media speculation that Netanyahu would derail the latest U.S.-backed initiative for peace between Israel and the Palestinians in retaliation for the Iran nuclear accord.

Any change in U.S.-Iran relations will be gradual, diplomats say. U.S. officials have been at pains to emphasize their sensitivity to their allies' misgivings. Upon announcing the terms of the nuclear deal, Secretary of State John F. Kerry went out of his way to stress that the accord did not necessarily augur a broader reconciliation.

"It is fair to say that Iran's choices have created a very significant barrier, and huge security concerns for our friends in the region, for Israel, for gulf states and others," Kerry told reporters in Geneva. "Obviously, one would hope that Iran will make choices ... to rejoin the community of nations in full. The first step is to resolve the nuclear issue."

U.S. officials have been careful in discussing wider regional implications. They've stressed that even while opening up this new diplomatic channel, they have kept the conversation focused narrowly on the nuclear issue — both in the public multinational negotiations and a series of secret bilateral talks between U.S. and Iranian diplomats. Other thorny issues such as Iran's support for Hezbollah were not discussed, according to a senior administration official who asked not to be identified when speaking about the negotiations.

Still, Kerry publicly shot down the idea still embraced in some circles — including among Obama administration critics in Congress — that piling on more economic sanctions will lead to the collapse of the Islamic Republic.

"Some might say we should simply continue to increase pressure — just turn up the screws, continue to put sanctions on, and somehow that's going to push Iran toward capitulation or collapse," Kerry said, adding: "Not by any interpretation that we have from all the experts."

Though often described in the West as isolated, Iran has in fact cultivated a regional sphere of influence extending from Lebanon to Syria and Iraq. To the east, Iran has also sought to foster ties with the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai in contrast to its hostile relationship with the Taliban.

It is close to the Shiite-dominated government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki that emerged after the U.S.-led invasion ousted Saddam Hussein, long Tehran's nemesis. Despite criticism of what many see as Maliki's autocratic style of leadership, the Obama administration has signaled its intent to increase military aid to Baghdad to help Maliki counter Sunni militants.

The difficult case of Syria — where Iran and Saudi Arabia are major players in a proxy war — may give some indication of whether a broader reconciliation between the West and Iran is on the horizon.

Tehran has supplied large amounts of financial and military aid to help keep Syrian President Bashar Assad in power, drawing sharp criticism from Washington. Saudi Arabia and its allies, including the United States, have backed rebels fighting to oust Assad.

On Monday, United Nations officials said it was not yet clear whether Iran would be invited to U.N.-backed Syrian peace negotiations scheduled for Jan. 22. But a senior Obama administration official cast doubt on Iran's participation.

The parties at the table in the upcoming Syria talks must agree to support the transfer of power from Assad's government to a transitional executive authority, language the U.S. interprets as a call for Assad to step down. The U.S. is not expecting Iran to agree to those terms, the official said.

Iran seems unlikely to abandon Assad and let Syria slip from its orbit. But as Western goals shift to stabilizing Syria from a threat of Al Qaeda-linked Sunni militants, some observers say Tehran could help to shape a new transitional government.

"If the West can talk to Iran about such a hugely sensitive issue such as Iran's own nuclear program, then I'm sure they can talk about what a transition might look like in Syria," said Salem. "Whether the talks will work or not is another matter. But I can certainly see them talking."

Beautiful Flower

On June 15, 2010 the album, Thank Me Later, was finally released. Drake collaborated with artists; Alicia Keys, Nicki Minaj, T.I. and Lil Wayne in order to produce the album. The record was able to sell 447,000 records in its initial week,

World War II in Kodachrome: Vivid color photos paint a show of the Nineteen Forties yankee war effort

The idea of warfare II usually conjures black and white pictures, a minimum of for younger generations, of troopers march and tanks and planes barreling towards battle.
Though the image of heroes raising the flag at Iwo Jima Jima or the jubilant sailor fondling a woman in Times Square ar poignant, they lack the wealthy color we’re aware of in today’s images and somehow aren’t able to become something over history.
Not all the era’s photos, however, were monochromatic.

Vibrant: a lady in Tennessee uses a drill on the canary interior of a 'Vengeance' bomber
Shot at the time for the workplace of War data, the Library of Congress incorporates a treasure trove of wealthy, vivid Kodachrome depictions of life throughout time period for the best Generation.
Where the standard era’s image seems as a shot of a time gone, these vivacious, saturated glimpses into the amount seem like parallels of our own time.

Top gun? nonetheless the propellor Lieutenant "Mike" Hunter, Army pilot assigned  to Douglas craft Company in urban center, Calif. may are photographed in any era

She works laborious for the money: a lady in urban center is trained as AN engine mechanic

Sparks fly: A artificer works on ship boilers in Tennessee
Rather than granulose historical stocks, this assortment of photos shows deeply lifelike folks with fireplace behind their eyes and blindingly bright yellow fighter planes.

More...
The ghosts of America's conflict police work network pictured crumbling in Berlin as it's disclosed the United States intelligence agency still bugs Deutschland on an equivalent scale as mainland China
Women UN agency visited war: Gettysburg re-enactors celebrate a milestone
A Coast soldier in point of entry stands go over a war vessel. tho' the image is dated 1942, its subject seems unaltered .
A woman, therewith saturated yellow tone within the background, uses a drill within a bomber. It’s a flash wherever Rosie the Riveter moves out of the information poster and into a world we will relate to.

Up shut and personal: A Marine motor detachment in river, North geographic area. The Kodachrome provides nitty gritty detail, even of the sand to a lower place these military vehicles


Timeless: This Coast soldier watched over a war vessel in Louisiana. there's very little to point, not like if these photos were in black and white, that they are available from a special era

Modern look: Lowering AN engine in situ during assembling a transport plane in a Consolidated craft Corporation plant, Fort Worth, Texas


Hanging out on planes: Kodachrome shows the bronze glint of the heavier-than-air craft at left and therefore the blue on khaki at right is hanging and would be not possible in black and white

Sleek machine: A plane gleaming, silver plane is ready for takeoff in Corpus Christi, Texas


Serious business: a soldier handles a shiny black bomb and another checks the prop of his plane

Vivid: Ensign Noressey and trainee Thenics at the service base, Corpus Christi, Texas, look out over vivid blue horizons
In another unimaginable image, a soldier holds a bomb. wherever a black and white image would still catch the surprising moment, the Kodachrome takes it a step more and lets the viewer see however slick and deeply black the bomb along side the deep glint within the man’s eye as he holds it.
Whether they depict fighter pilots looking towards the blue skies within which they work or a try of canary-colored biplanes awaiting war, these photos enliven the past during a method black and white cannot.

Bright: Like 2 stunning yellow birds showing during a desert of gray, these biplanes ar a decent example of the vivid assortment of Kodachrome photos

Game face: A machine gunner on a WWII fighter arrange shows his game face behind the reflection in airman eyeglasses

Eighteen firefighters dead within the Yarnell Hill inferno that unfold from eight acres to a pair of,000 acres long in Northern Arizona

Eighteen fireplacefighters have died within the Yarnell Hill fire in Arizona, once the Arizona Republic reported  that twenty firefighters were concerned during a 'serious incident.'
A fire data officer had antecedently reported  that nineteen firefighters were unaccounted for. Those firefighters were members of the Prescott department of local government. One member of the Granite Mountain Hotshots created it out alive.
The fire started Friday in Northern Arizona  and was solely concerning eight acres giant on weekday. high temperatures, low wetness and windy conditions Sunday caused the hearth to spiral out of management to enwrap over a pair of,000 acres.

Tragedy: Eighteen firefighters were killed within the blaze on Sunday once nineteen were reported  missing

Departed: The firefighters killed within the incident were members of the Prescott department of local government

Long-term: Firefighters expect to be within the space battling the blaze for a minimum of per week
Two-hundred firefighters likewise as four planes ar presently trying to wrangle the hearth, however the blaze continues to be burning at zero per cent containment.
Officials expect half the town's five hundred homes to be taken out by the blaze.
Approximately 600 residents of the Peeples vale space and within the city of Yarnell ar below necessary evacuation.

The toll: native hospitals were told to expect battle-scarred residents and firefighters

Spreading fast: the hearth started Friday, and was solely eight acres huge on weekday before conditions unfold the hearth to a pair of,000 acres on Sunday

No passing: The Arizona Department of Transportation was forced to components of Route eighty nine
The Red Cross has discovered a evacuation center at the Yavapai junior college.
Local Wickenburg Community Hospital spokesperson Roxie Glover told the Associated Press that they're making ready for residents and firefighters with injuries.

More...
California city forecast to be the most well liked place within the world EVER today: Temperatures soar in West once more as wave intensifies
Texas weathermen picked up Associate in Nursing apocalyptic-like storm on their radio detection and ranging that clad to be a large cloud of dirt, bugs, spore and even birds
The Arizona Department of Transportation was forced to shut components of Route eighty nine, and aren't positive once they will be able to open it.

Goodbye house: officers expect the hearth to burn down half the town's five hundred homes

Get out: about 600 individuals ar below necessary evacuation within the Yarnell Hill space

Aid: The Red Cross has discovered a shelter at the Yavapai school in Prescott, Arizona

Backup: two hundred firefighters and four planes ar presently battling the blaze with about one hundred thirty a lot of firefighters on their means
Firefighters expect to air the scene for a minimum of per week. Crews predict rain and lighting tonight - a mixed blessing. The rain ought to facilitate place out a number of the hearth, however lightning strikes may spark a lot of fires.
The Yarnell vale has been during a drought for the last ten years, that the physical object helps the hearth move quick.

Los Angeles celebrates as town elects its youngest civil authority in additional than one hundred years and 1st ever individual leader

Eric Garcetti celebrated the beginning of his 1st term as civil authority Sunday with a promise to try to to the fundamental things right whereas obtaining Los Angeles' economy rolling once more.
The 42-year-old graduate, a veteran town councillor and son of a former attorney, took a ceremonial oath of workplace on town Hall steps as a part of inaugural festivities that includes Jimmy Kimmel and also the musician Moby.
Officially, he takes over the duty leading a sprawling town of nearly four million folks on Mon.

New mayor: l.  a.   civil authority Eric Garcetti speaks ahead of hall when being sworn in, Sunday, June 30, 2013, in l.  a.

Fresh blood: Garcetti, right, is sworn as civil authority of l.  a.   by eighth critic Kenia Castillo, left, as his partner Amy Wakeland appearance on ahead of hall, Sunday, June 30, 2013, in l.  a.
‘These times demand a back-to-basics civil authority centered in particular else on our economy and jobs. and that is what I will be,’ Garcetti same in an exceedingly speech punctuated by optimism and recognition of a troublesome job ahead.
‘I can create my share of mistakes during this job,’ he said.
He replaces fellow Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa, 60, World Health Organization exits when 2 terms throughout that he distended rail lines in an exceedingly town notoriously obstructed by cars and pushed to boost faculties over that the civil authority has no direct management.
Garcetti given associate degree agenda anchored firmly to jobs that enclosed cultivating concepts with business executives and universities, stopping the flight of Hollywood productions and reducing procedure long seen as discouraging job growth.
‘You'll have an area government that is off your back and on your aspect,’ he secure.

Waving to the crowd: Garcetti, right, waves as his partner Amy Wakeland appearance on as they're introduced before he's sworn in as civil authority

Different mix: Garcetti becomes the city's 1st nonappointive individual civil authority, and his background reflects the city's diversity: he typically refers to his Italian and Mexican roots
The new civil authority takes charge of a town with issues only too familiar: knotted freeways, associate degree percentage hovering around double digits, several troubled faculties, battered roadways.
Garcetti has long same he can target the economy ‘like a optical maser beam’ and take a look at to recover jobs lost within the recession.
His goals vary from obtaining all town staff to contribute to expensive health care to managing long-standing gripes concerning potholes and cracked sidewalks.
 
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‘We'll fill the potholes, pave the streets, fix the sidewalks and trim the trees,’ he secure.
Garcetti becomes the city's 1st nonappointive individual civil authority, and his background reflects the city's diversity: he typically refers to his Italian and Mexican roots.
Garcetti features a temperate, wonky vogue — he was a Rhodes scholar, when attending Columbia University — which will be a amendment from Villaraigosa, World Health Organization was glorious for his oversized temperament and talent to create headlines concerning his nightlife and chemical analysis.
It conjointly are going to be a people amendment. Garcetti is simply some years older than Villaraigosa's eldest female offspring.

Fresh start: Garcetti celebrated the beginning of his 1st term as civil authority Sunday with a promise to try to to the fundamental things right whereas obtaining Los Angeles' economy rolling once more
Garcetti was nonappointive with a yawn from most residents — not even one in four voters solid a ballot in his might runoff against Controller Wendy Greuel. l.  a.   is thought for principally ignoring the beginning of native politics.
That means he takes workplace with several residents having no plan World Health Organization he's.
A l.  a.   Times editorial Sunday acknowledged town government may be ‘remote’ from the folks it serves and reminded residents of the obvious: the ever-changing of the guard at hall ‘affects everybody World Health Organization lives, works, learns or outlets in l.  a.  .’
Garcetti was ready to defeat Greuel, a fellow Democrat, by portraying her as a pawn of utility union bosses in an exceedingly town long friendly to labor, associate degree outcome expected to echo on the far side American state as unions nationwide face threats to their clout.
The budget remains a central issue. He secure to create government ‘leaner and a lot of economical,’ as well as exploitation a lot of technology.
Bankrupt Francis Richard Stockton and alternative American state cities area unit in worse form, however disbursal in l.  a.   is projected to outgo revenue for years and rising pension and retired person health care bills threaten cash that would otherwise head to libraries, tree-trimming and street repairs.
He's conjointly facing a replacement spherical of labor agreement talks.

'Laser' focus: Garcetti has long same he can target the economy 'like a optical maser beam' and take a look at to recover jobs lost within the recession

Man hospitalized when blooming 'experimental' home-brewed plane into Michigan curtilage simply SIX days when the plane passed associate degree examination

A homemade, experimental airplane crash-landed into a curtilage in Michigan Sunday.
Brian Aric Cannon, the pilot and solely inhabitant of the tiny plane, was hospitalized when blooming into a tree in Grand Haven, Mich., simply six days when the airplane passed associate degree soundness examination, WWMT-TV and Muskegon Chronicle reported .
'He had gotten out of the plane by himself by the time I got there and layed down on the bottom,' witness Codi Reenders, whose curtilage Cannon crashed into, told WWMT-TV.

Investigation: Brian Aric Cannon piloted atiny low, experimental airplane that crashed into a curtilage in Grand Haven, Mich.
During the crash, one amongst the plane's wings was ripped off when putting a capitulum, in keeping with the Chronicle. It then feel close to Pottawattomie lake.
Ottawa County Sheriff’s Sgt. Kevin Allman aforementioned Cannon, 40, reported  loss of velocity associate degreed an engine downside before blooming.

More...
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Heroic 22-year-old pilot safely brings down whirlybird with four passengers throughout aircraft landing in New York's river
The accident occurred when Cannon took faraway from Grand Haven Memorial Airpark around one p.m. on Indian Trails Road close to Pottawattomie Park.

Damaged: Before blooming to the bottom, one amongst the plane's wing was ripped once it stricken a capitulum
Reenders told WWMT-TV that the engine stalled before he crashed. once she reached the yellow plane when line of work 9-1-1, he was making an attempt to use his telephone.
'He was making an attempt to decision folks along with his phone,' Reenders aforementioned. 'Because he was moving such a lot, I took it faraway from him thus he'd hold still.
'The 9-1-1 operator wished him to carry still, as a result of he was having such a lot back pain,' she continued .
Reenders aforementioned that Cannon was hurt from his mouth and nose, in keeping with the Chronicle.

Injured: Cannon, the only real inhabitant of the plane, was taken to a close-by hospital with internal and facial injuries. A witness aforementioned he was making an attempt to use his phone when the crash
Cannon, a Grand Haven area-resident, wasn't the owner of the plane.
He was taken to North Ottawa Community Hospital with internal and facial injuries, however he's believed to be okay.
The Sheriff's workplace told the Chronicle that the plane passed soundness examination beneath per week past, on June 24.
National Transportation Safety Bureau is heading up associate degree current investigation into the crash.

Scene: Six days before blooming attributable to equipment failure and loss of velocity, the plane passed associate degree soundness examination

What associate eyeful! freshly married Joanna Krupa displays some side-boob in revealing white crochet prime as she attends pool party

Marriage clearly makes Real Housewives of Miami star Joanna Krupa feel ultra-confident.
The 34-year-old model - United Nations agency recently married Romain Zago - left very little to the imagination as she hit the red carpet in urban center on Sunday.
Blonde Joanna wore a canary skirt vogue dress with a tightly fitting white crochet prime and tan wedges to point out off her full-bosomed legs.

An Eyeful: Joanna Krupa displayed ample side-boob whereas on the red carpet in urban center on Sunday
But it absolutely was once Joanna turned to the facet she displayed some ample facet boob for  photographers at the Rehab bathing costume invited that she hosted at the arduous Rock edifice.
The popular reality star looked superb although sporting her blonde hair down and straight with light-weight summer make-up and glasses perked on her head.
Joanna and Romain tied the knot during a lavish $1 million ceremony in California earlier this month and she or he definitely still has the glow of a brand new bride.

Newly married: Joanna looked refulgent in her estival outfit


Fresh faced: Joanna looked work and healthy at the arduous Rock edifice event

Summer look: Joanna dressed for the nice and cozy weather at the Rehab bathing costume invited
The combine changed vows before of a hundred and fifty guests at the exclusive Park Hyatt Aviara Resort in Carlsbad, California.
Her Bravo co-stars Lisa Hochstein, Adriana DeMoura and word blindness Echvarria, all attended the ceremony that was recorded for the viewers diversion.
The day when the observance she Tweeted: 'All i'll say is that I ne'er has such a lot fun in my life as last nite at my wedding w @romain_zago. could not be additional perfect!

Stunning: Joanna created a shocking bride once she got married earlier this month
For her massive day Joanna selected a $30,000 ruffled mullet dress by Chagoury.
It was joy for the couple United Nations agency had antecedently known as off their engagement in Nov 2012 before re-uniting a couple of weeks later.
And they definitely seemed like an image good combine after they got married at their lavish wedding.

So in love: Joanna and her husband Romain Zago looked terribly happy at their ceremony in Carlsbad, California

Fresh as a flower! Jordin Sparks shows some major curve charm in a very skin-tight orange floral dress at the BET Awards

There was no stopping Jordin Sparks from putt her curves on centre stage as she stepped on the red carpet at the BET Awards at the Nokia Theatre in downtown la on Sunday.
Embracing the ordered back sort of the event the No Air singer opted for Associate in Nursing orange floral mini dress that clung to her work figure.

All curves ahead: Jordin Sparks looked slimmer than ever in a very body-hugging dress at the BET Awards in la on Sunday
Her short skirt and straightforward white pumps left her legs trying longer than ever.
She conjointly debuted a darker honeyed brown 'do, ditching the ombre vogue she was seen sporting earlier within the week.
The 23-year-old was appointive  as a part of the solid of Sparkle, however ultimately lost the simplest Film award to assume sort of a Man.


Sending her love: The yank Idol winner flirted with the group as she 'missed her best accessory' -- fellow mythical being Derulo
But the invariably cheerful actress was something however bitter when her loss: 'Yaaaaaaay assume sort of a Man! I saw that three times in theatre!'
While at the show Jordin conceded that it had been onerous for her to listen to what was on stage while not her fellow at her facet.
'If you see Maine on tv on my phone, i am reprehension @jasonderulo. he is across the country right now! Missing my best accessory! Hey Boo!' she Tweeted as she Sat beside her mother Jodi.

Slim and sexy: The 23-year-old has been chronicling her fitness challenge on her social media accounts

Her date: Jordin brought mummy Jodi on to the show
The In My Head singer shot back a fast response as he compete a free concert at Boston's hall on Sunday: 'lol hey boo.'
He conjointly complimented on her outfit with a compendious and charming: 'Damn! *faints*'
The two are {dating|geological dating|chemical Associate in Nursingalysis|qualitative analysis} for over a year and Jordin recently claimed in an interview that the song is regarding their romance along.


Cheerful: following To You singer was all smiles at the BET Awards dinner celebration on Saturday
'When the opposite facet comes on, i purchase this massive, bum grin on my face,' she said.
'I recognize he was wondering Maine once he wrote it. we have a tendency to love having the ability to support one another in what we have a tendency to do.'
Jordin confined her own track for mythical being -- The approach -- that is sung by phonograph star city Grande and has reached to range 9 on the charts.
Since her 2007 win on yank Idol, Jordin has reached the highest ten of the sign Hot a hundred for hits like Tattoo, No Air and tract.

She's got heaps to smile for: additionally to her budding relationship, the No Air singer has conjointly debuted a slim physique
Her musical successes haven't been the sole issue driving her career as she's conjointly branched out into acting, seizing leading roles within the Broadway production of within the Heights and aboard Whitney Houston in her last film before her death, Sparkle.
And amid her meteoric rise, Jordin has reworked from a contemporary sweet-faced 17-year-old into a work and fierce pop star -- because of her recent beautiful weight loss.
'I am not attending to take my health with a pinch of salt any longer,' she recently told the nowadays Show of her call to require care of her body.
'I undoubtedly hear my body 1st.'

Sparks of love: Jordin Sparks Associate in Nursingd fellow mythical being Derulo showed off what makes them an unstoppable  couple at the 2013 BET expertise at L.A. sleep in Downtown la on Fri
Jordin's success has actually been sacred, particularly has been chronicling her fitness journey on social media.
The morning before the show she  shared a snap on her Instagram in a very teentsy orange two-piece, taking in one last outside tanning session before slithering into her beautiful outfit for the awards show.
'Soakin' up this wonderful sun before glam!! Love the sun,' she wrote.

Flaunt it: Jordin shared a snap of herself in a very two-piece before the show on Sunday

The bump wears blue! urban center Berry dons a good summer dress that accentuates her growing abdomen

Halle Berry has over simply the gift of delivering Oscar-winning acting performances.

The 46-year-old star has frequently managed to seem gorgeous throughout her second maternity.

As she took a stroll in Culver town on Friday, the thespian slipped into a daring stripy maxidress.

She makes it appear as if a breeze! Halle Berry looked aestival and gorgeous in an electrical blue maxidress whereas out searching in Culver town on Friday

But wherever some ladies would concern the curve-enchancing effects of stripes, Halle courageously took on the challenge.

The electric blue dress wrapped round her ever-growing bump in an exceedingly becoming manner.

Making it clear that she is not gaining weight elsewhere, the Monster's Ball star unclothed her skinny, toned arms.

Blue for boy! The thespian is pregnant with a baby boy, World Health Organization is due within the fall

Burgeoning bump! The 46-year-old created it apparent in her slim dress that solely her belly is growing

She wore her short locks rumpled before of her forehead and tucked behind a try of outsized eyeglasses.

Halle, who's due with a boy this fall, is additionally mother to five-year-old Nahla with ex-partner Gabriel Aubry.

Reports recommend the decision star and her ex-partner came to a custody agreement last Gregorian calendar month preventing her move to France.

Beautiful in blue! The Oscar-winning thespian radiated in her vibrant summer dress

'[Nahla's] extremely happy. shortly agone she asked God for somewhat sister, however i attempted to not get her hopes up,' Halle aforementioned of her miracle maternity.

'At 46, I did not recognize if i would be able to get pregnant once more. histrion and that i have invariably wished to be folks. however I did not need to urge my hopes up...God created the dream come back true.'

The Golden Globe winner continued: 'This maternity is sort of a miracle on behalf of me, an incredible gift, as a result of this kid was as wanted for because it was expected. It's sort of a renewal of life...Good things happen too.'

Mommy chic: together with her stormy 'do and outsized eyeglasses, Halle managed to seem glamourous for her searching trip

Smoking hot! Christina Milian risks spilling out of her too-small swimsuit as she puffs on e-cigarette at the beach

She recently wrapped photography on The Voice and Christina Milian is enjoying a well-deserved rest.

The singer turned TV presenter was noticed absorbing the sun in Miami’s South Beach on Fri.

Christina relaxed by a pool with Associate in Nursing uncommon trying e-cigarette, that was long and black in color.

Time to relax: Christina Milian was noticed absorbing the sun in South Beach in Miami on Fri

At one purpose she playfully blew water vapor into her friend’s face and her pal was little question excited it wasn’t a true cigaret.

The 31-year-old selected an easy black swimming costume for the outing however it sounded like she may have through with an even bigger size.

Curvy Christina showed some underboob within the prime of the little two-piece, that vulnerable to reveal quite she supposed to.

Getting her vasoconstrictor fix the healthy way: The singer was seen puffing on Associate in Nursing uncommon long and black e-cigarette

Fun with friends: Christina, United Nations agency wore a black swimming costume, was enjoying a vacation with 2 gal buddies

Underboob: The star risked spilling out of her too-small swimming costume prime however fortunately avoided a wardrobe malfunction

Winding down: The Social Media Correspondent is enjoying your time off once wrapping photography for The Voice

Thankfully the AM To PM singer didn’t have any wardrobe malfunctions as she relaxed within the sunshine together with her buddies.

She tied her pillarbox red tresses during a hairdo and even if she was at the beach, Christina wore a guardant of make-up.

It didn’t appear as if the star, United Nations agency sported a gold jewelry and retro rainbow glasses, had any intention of taking a dip within the pool.

Girls' weekend: Christina's friends looked additional like music video extras motion suggestively with their beautiful swimming costume bodies

Holiday! Christina looked excited to pay your time aloof from work and her three-year-old female offspring, Violet

Welcome to Miami: The flame-haired singer flaunted her curves during a deficient black swimming costume, that she later lined up with a net pencil skirt

Laid back: Milian caught some rays on a sun lounger as she texted away on her iPhone

As The Voice’s Social Media Correspondent, Christina naturally is an obsessive Twitter user and created absolute to share vacation snaps with fans.

Earlier within the day the generally role player had denote photos that showed her sporting a try of black net skirt over her swimming costume.

She conjointly shared an image of herself and her 2 gal buddies and disclosed that they were ‘still by the pool’ at 8pm.

Adjusting the girls: the one mother-of-one discreetly mounted her small prime, that may barely contain her ample assets

It's so nice to satisfy you! The 31-year-old singer sweet hugged Associate in Nursingd greeted an excited bikini-clad fan

Going all out: She might are defrayment her day by the pool however Christina wore a full face of make-up

Hole-y moly: Christina shared some photos on her Instagram that showed her in her net skirt

'Still by the pool': The mother-of-one disclosed the cluster were still quiet outside at 8pm

Christina solely landed in Miami the previous day and it appears she has wasted no time winding down and going in vacation mode.

The star recently aforementioned she felt she had learned lots from her stint on the fourth season of The Voice that was won by Danielle Bradbery.

'I want what is modified on behalf of me as Associate in Nursing creative person is that I feel that i am soaking it in. i am conjointly a learner,' Christina told The Examiner. 

'I'm sort of a kid learning everywhere once more. It's nice as a result of it simply reinstalls that keenness that I had from after I was younger and then it simply excites Maine.'

On the green: Christina conjointly joined DJ Irie for the Celebrity Golf Tournament at the metropolis Golf Club

Hole in one: The Voice star looked estival contemporary in her Army inexperienced halter frock with a comfortable ruched skirt and black T-sandals