Friday, April 7, 2017

Clinton called for strikes against Syrian airfields - ABC News

Clinton called for strikes against Syrian airfields
* By ADAM KELSEY
Apr 6, 2017, 7:44 PM ET

Hours before the U.S. launched airstrikes against Syria, former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clintonspoke out Thursday about how she would respond to Tuesday's chemical attack in Syria, promoting U.S. action to prevent further attacks with civilian casualties.
Speaking at the Women in the World summit in New York City, Clinton said that the U.S. "should have been more willing to confront [Syrian President Bashar al-Assad]," before Russia got involved in the country's civil war and with Iran's participation limited to ground-based assistance.

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"Assad had an air force and that air force is the cause of most of the civilian deaths as we’ve seen over the years and as we saw again in the last few days," said Clinton. "I really believe we should have and still should take out his airfields and prevent him from being able to use them to bomb innocent people and drop sarin gas on them."
ABC News' Liz Kreutz contributed to this report.

Darth Vader was on Air Force One's TV as President Trump moved to bomb Syria - Independent

Darth Vader was on Air Force One's TV as President Trump moved to bomb Syria
* Christopher Hooton
* @christophhooton
* Friday 7 April 2017 11:13 BST


A photo has been taken on Air Force One of President Donald Trump next to Darth Vader, with Rogue One being shown on one of the plane's screens as Trump travelled to his "Winter White House" Mar-a-Lago, where he announced a missile strike on Syria.
The POTUS spoke briefly to press, who had presumably put on the Star Wars film while waiting - an interesting choice of film which sees Vader plotting to dominate the universe with powerful superweapons.
Syrian troops were killed last night in the US missile strikes on a government airbase thought to be the source of a devastating chemical attack.
Trump ordered the firing of 59 cruise missiles, leading Russia to suspend a memorandum with the US that prevented incidents and ensured flight safety.
Under the memorandum, signed after Russia launched an air campaign in Syria in September 2015, Russia and the US had exchanged information about their flights to avoid incidents in the crowded skies over Syria - where Russia has several dozen warplanes and batteries of air-defense missiles.
A statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry read: "The very presence of US troops and other countries on the territory of Syria, without the consent of the Government or the decision of the UN Security Council is a gross, obvious and unwarranted violation of international law.
"If before it was due to the task of combating terrorism, now there is a clear act of aggression against a sovereign Syria. US Actions taken today further destroy the Russian-American relations."


Rupert Murdoch’s Sky takeover reportedly gets EU approval - Independent

Rupert Murdoch’s Sky takeover reportedly gets EU approval
Last month, Culture Secretary Karen Bradley said that she had concerns relating to media plurality and the combined company’s commitment to broadcasting standards
* Josie Cox Business Editor
* Friday 7 April 2017 13:17 BST
Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox has reportedly been given the green light to take over European broadcaster Sky, paving the way for the creation of a media empire that will span two continents and take on major emerging rivals.
The former struck a preliminary deal to snap up the 61 per cent of Sky that it does not already own in December last year.


The offer of £10.75 a share in cash, valuing the deal at £11.7bn, was at the time backed by Sky’s independent directors but became subject to intense scrutiny on concerns that a deal might breach competition rules.
Speaking in March, Culture Secretary Karen Bradley said that she had concerns relating to media plurality and the combined company’s commitment to broadcasting standards. The deal has been referred to regulator Ofcom.
If it goes ahead, the takeover would come five years after Mr Murdoch's last tilt at taking full control of the business through News Corporation and will likely strengthen the position of James Murdoch – who is both chief executive of Fox and chairman of Sky – in his father’s media empire.