Headlines:

• US Spy Leak 'Most Important Ever'
• Egyptian Warning Over Ethiopia Nile Dam
• Jordan War Games: Patriot Batteries, F-16s and 4,500 US Troops Near Syrian Border
• Saudi Prince Sues Forbes for Undervaluing His Wealth by $9.6 Billion
• America's Agent Zardari: Militancy and Terrorism are Greatest Threat to Pakistan
  
  

Details:

US Spy Leak 'Most Important Ever':

The Daily Mail describes him as one of a new breed of whistle blower. Traditionally, spies who have leaked government secrets have remained in the shadows, the paper says. But "not this 29-year-old geek," it says. Far from waiting for the dust to settle on his stunning revelations, he jumped into the limelight.  Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon Papers in 1971, writes in the Guardian that there has not been in US history a more important leak than Snowden's - and that, Ellsberg adds, certainly includes his own. The Daily Telegraph reports that the United States is bracing itself for a drawn-out effort to extradite Mr Snowden.  According to the Times, the US has an extradition treaty with Hong Kong - where he has taken refuge - but Beijing has the power of veto. Rupert Cornwell in the Independent asks whether China, which has been accused of stealing US electronic secrets, has the ultimate say in whether the leaker is extradited to face the justice of the US cyber-intruder.

Egyptian Warning Over Ethiopia Nile Dam:

Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has said "all options are open" to deal with any threat to his country's water supply posed by an Ethiopian dam. Mr Morsi said he was not "calling for war", but that he would not allow Egypt's water supply to be endangered. Egypt was apparently caught by surprise when Ethiopia started diverting the Blue Nile last month, amid works to construct a hydroelectric dam. The river is a tributary of the Nile, on which Egypt is heavily dependent. The Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is a $4.7bn (£3.1bn) project that Ethiopia says will eventually provide 6,000 megawatts of power. It says the Blue Nile will be slightly diverted but will then be able to follow its natural course. "Egypt's water security cannot be violated at all," Mr Morsi said on Monday. "As president of the state, I confirm to you that all options are open. If Egypt is the Nile's gift, then the Nile is a gift to Egypt,'' he said, quoting popular sayings about the river in an emotive televised speech. "The lives of the Egyptians are connected around it... as one great people. If it diminishes by one drop then our blood is the alternative." Analysts say Mr Morsi could be using the issue to distract attention from severe domestic political and economic challenges. Egypt is particularly dependant on water supply from the Nile, and its growing population has been placing that supply under increasing strain. Sudan is also reliant on Nile waters.

Jordan War Games: Patriot Batteries, F-16s and 4,500 US Troops Near Syrian Border:

Multinational military exercise ‘Eager Lion' has been launched in Jordan amid condemnation from neighbouring Syria and its ally Russia. The US brings Patriot missile batteries to the Syrian border, which could remain deployed afterwards. The exercises will last for 12 days, bringing together about 8,000 personnel from 19 countries, mostly Arabic, but also including the US and Europe. The manoeuvres will also involve some 3,000 Jordanian and 500 British troops. ‘Eager Lion' - which is being conducted only 120km from the Jordan-Syria border - is aimed at training personnel for the possibility of the Syrian civil war spilling into neighboring countries. Russia has raised concerns over the deployment of US Patriot missile batteries and F-16 fighter jets to Jordan: "We have more than once stated our opinion on this - foreign weapons are being pumped into an explosive region," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aleksandr Lukashevich said last week. "This is happening very close to Syria, where for more than two years the flames of a devastating conflict are burning that Russia and its American partners are trying to stop by proposing to hold an international peace conference as soon as possible," Lukashevich said. The organizers of ‘Eager Lion' say that the troops involved will also train for the possibility of a chemical attack, as Syria's neighbours fear that Damascus may lose control of its chemical weapons arsenal, which could then fall into the wrong hands. "We all have chemical training from any activity, so we continue to build those objectives into any exercise that we do," said US Major General Robert Catalanotti, the Director of Exercises and Training. Last week the US military revealed it may indefinitely leave behind the Patriot batteries and F-16s deployed in Jordan due to the threat of the violence in Syria crossing into Jordanian territory. Jordanian Army Major General Awni el-Edwan, Operation Chief of Staff, told reporters on Sunday that no US troops, Patriot missile complexes or F-16s would remain in Jordan after the exercises conclude: "The drills have nothing to do with any objective related to what is happening in Syria."

Saudi Prince Sues Forbes for Undervaluing His Wealth by $9.6 Billion:

Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is suing Forbes Magazine for undervaluing his wealth by $9.6 billion. Forbes annual "Rich List" gave bin Talal a net worth of $20 billion, listing him as No. 26th in terms of the world's wealthiest men. The prince, however, insists that he is worth as much as $30 million and Forbes' mistake can only be due to a bias towards Saudis. If Forbes is actually wrong about his worth (which they rarely are), it's not because of the prince's race. It's because the majority of his wealthy is spread through a plethora of investments all over the world, which of course means that exchange rates and fluctuating stock markets and other capitalist B.S. must be factored into the equation. Unable to obtain all the necessary information to figure out an exact net worth, Forbes probably just made an estimation based on all they knew about the prince's business endeavors. He owns large stakes in Apple, Twitter and News Corporation, not to mention huge and luxurious properties like the Savoy Hotel in London. He's also got a gold throne in the center of his private Boeing 747 jet. Even worse for Forbes is the fact that Alwaleed is suing in England, one of the several countries that publishes an edition of the magazine. There is no first amendment in England so it's incredibly easy to win a defamation or libel case there. Forbes is claiming that it has been the target of "intermittent lobbying, cajoling and threatening" by advisers to Alwaleed who want the prince's ranking changed either in a statement or a new version of the issue. Alwaleed believes he is being discriminated against because of his race.

America's Agent Zardari: Militancy and Terrorism are Greatest Threat to Pakistan:

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari reiterated Monday that militancy and terrorism pose "the greatest threat" to his country. Addressing a joint session of Pakistan's parliament at the beginning of its first year, President Asif Ali Zardari urged the newly elected government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to work toward finding solutions to economic challenges, a nation-wide deepening energy crisis and a Taliban militancy threatening the stability of Pakistan. "Militancy, extremism and terrorism pose the greatest threat to our national security.  The nation is united against militants.  We need strong leadership to overcome the threat," said Zardari.  After elections last month, and becoming the country's chief executive for a third time, Prime Minister Sharif promised to seek an end to the militancy through peaceful talks, rather than relying on military force. But President Zardari cautioned Monday against such attempts.  "We are ready to make peace with those willing to give up violence.  But we should also be ready to use force against those who challenge the writ of the state," he said.

 

Abu Hashim