War crimes court opens probe into Palestinian territories

January 17, 2015

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court launched a preliminary probe Friday that could clear the way for a full-scale investigation into possible war crimes in Palestinian territories — plunging the court into the most politically charged conflict it has ever tackled.

Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said in a statement she will conduct the preliminary examination with "full independence and impartiality." Potential cases Bensouda could take on include allegations of war crimes by Israel during last summer's Gaza war where the Palestinians suffered heavy civilian casualties. Israel's settlement construction on occupied Palestinian lands could also be examined.

The cases could also include alleged war crimes by Hamas, which controls Gaza, including the firing of thousands of rockets at Israeli residential areas from crowded neighborhoods. The prosecutor's announcement comes after the Palestinian Authority acceded to The Hague-based court's founding treaty and recognized its jurisdiction dating back to July, the eve of the last Gaza war. That move opened the door to an ICC investigation that could target possible crimes by both Israel, which is not a member of the court, and Palestinians.

A preliminary examination is not an investigation, but weighs information about possible crimes and jurisdiction issues to establish whether a full investigation is merited. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki welcomed the move and said the Palestinian Authority would cooperate.

"The Palestinian people called upon us to go to court and ask for an investigation and therefore we consider the announcement today as a historic event," he said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed the decision and its timing.

"It is scandalous that just a few days after terrorists slaughtered Jews in France, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court opens a probe against the state of Israel because we protected our citizens against Hamas, a terror organization that is in a covenant with the Palestinian Authority, and whose war criminals fired thousands of rockets at civilians in Israel," Netanyahu said. "Unfortunately it turns the International Criminal Court into part of the problem and not part of the solution."

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman criticized the probe as stemming "entirely from political and anti-Israel considerations" and said he would recommend not cooperating. Israel has accused Hamas, the Islamic militant group sworn to Israel's destruction that rules Gaza, of using Palestinian civilians as human shields by launching rockets and carrying out other attacks from within crowded neighborhoods, while purposely attacking civilians in Israel.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas signed documents to join the ICC a day after the U.N. Security Council rejected a resolution Dec. 30 that would have set a three-year deadline for the establishment of a Palestinian state on lands occupied by Israel.

Joining the ICC is part of a broader Palestinian strategy to pressure Israel into withdrawing from the occupied territories and agreeing to Palestinian statehood. Abbas had been under heavy domestic pressure to take stronger action against Israel after the 50-day war between the Jewish state and militants in Gaza over the summer, tensions over holy sites in Jerusalem and the failure of the last round of U.S.-led peace talks.

Israel retaliated to the Palestinian move to join the ICC by freezing the transfer of more than $100 million a month in taxes it collects for the Palestinians. In Washington, the U.S. State Department said the court's action as "counterproductive to the cause of peace."

"It is a tragic irony that Israel, which has withstood thousands of terrorist rockets fired at its civilians and its neighborhoods, is now being scrutinized by the ICC. The place to resolve the differences between the parties is through direct negotiations, not unilateral actions by either side," Jeff Rathke, the director of the State Department's office of press relations, said in the statement.

Bensouda cast the decision to open a preliminary probe as procedural following the Palestinians' recognition of the court. It is unclear how long the preliminary examination might take. Bensouda said "there are no timelines" set in the court's founding treaty.

The prosecutor is currently conducting eight preliminary examinations in Honduras, Ukraine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Colombia, Georgia, Guinea and Nigeria. Some have been going on for years. Judges at the court must approve any request by the prosecution office for a full investigation.

Richard Dicker, head of the international justice program at Human Rights Watch, said the preliminary probe, "is potentially a step toward reducing impunity in a conflict that has left thousands of victims without justice. As the prosecutor's office determines whether a formal investigation is warranted, we expect that it will scrutinize alleged crimes impartially regardless of the perpetrators. Other countries should refrain from politicizing the examination, and let the prosecutor do her job."

Established in 2002, the court has struggled to live up to high expectations that it would end impunity for high-ranking perpetrators of atrocities in conflicts around the globe. It has completed only three trials, ending in two convictions and an acquittal, all of rebel leaders from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The court has no police force to secure crime scenes, gather evidence and arrest suspects and has repeatedly had trouble gaining custody of indicted suspects such as Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who has been charged with genocide in the conflict-torn Darfur region of his country.

Associated Press writers Ian Deitch in Jerusalem, Mohammed Daraghmeh in Ramallah and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed.

Hamas: US criticism of Meshaal's visit to Turkey 'shameless'

Saturday, 10 January 2015

Palestine's Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, described on Friday the American criticism of the visit by its top leader Khalid Meshaal to Turkey as "shameless position."

Anadolu News Agency reported Hamas Spokesman in Gaza Sami Abu-Zuhri saying in a press release: "The United States is a real enemy of the Palestinian cause."

Abu-Zhuri reiterated that Turkey would not be affected with such a "shamefully racist position."

Meshaal visited Turkey at the end of the last week and attended the annual conference of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party.

On Thursday, US State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters that Washington was concerned about relations between Hamas and Turkey.

"We have urged the Government of Turkey to press Hamas to reduce tensions and prevent violence," Psaki said. She added that Washington's position toward Hamas has not changed and classifies the Palestinian group as a "designated foreign terrorist organization that continues to engage in terrorist activity."

Source: Middle East Monitor.
Link: https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/16263-hamas-us-criticism-of-meshaals-visit-to-turkey-shameless.

Hezbollah sends message to Israel 'conflict is over'

2015-01-29

By John Davison and Laurent Lozano
Jerusalem

Israel on Thursday buried two soldiers killed in a Hezbollah missile strike that triggered Israeli fire on southern Lebanon, raising tensions between the bitter enemies to their highest in years.

But the Israeli-Lebanese border was calm, as officials in the Jewish state played down the threat of a new war with Lebanon's Iran-backed Shiite militant group.

In a rare such declaration, Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said Hezbollah had passed on a message through the United Nations peacekeeping mission in south Lebanon, UNIFIL, saying it did not want a further escalation.

"We have received a message... that, from their point of view, the incident is over," he told public radio.

Analysts say neither side seems keen for a repeat of the devastating Israel-Hezbollah conflict of 2006 and that any response is likely to be limited.

The two soldiers were killed Wednesday when Hezbollah fired anti-tank missiles at a convoy in an Israeli-occupied area on the border with Lebanon.

Israeli forces responded to the attack -- which came in retaliation for an Israeli strike on the Golan Heights that killed senior Hezbollah members -- with artillery, tank and air fire on several villages in southern Lebanon.

There were no reports of Lebanese casualties, but a 36-year-old Spanish peacekeeper with UNIFIL was killed in the exchange of fire.

- Mourners gather in Jerusalem -

In Israel, schools reopened on Thursday, as did Mount Hermon ski resort in the Israeli-occupied portion of the Golan Heights.

In the Lebanese border village of Majidiya, residents collected spent artillery shells from Wednesday's strikes.

At the local UN base a blackened concrete tower could be seen with part of its wall blown out, and a Spanish flag flew at half-mast.

Hundreds of mourners gathered at Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem for the burial of 25-year-old Captain Yochai Kalangel.

Sobbing relatives greeted mourners, many wearing the purple beret of Kalangel's Givati (Highland) Brigade.

There was a similar turnout for the other soldier killed, 20-year-old Staff Sergeant Dor Chaim Nini, buried in the town of Shtulim in south-central Israel.

Questions have been raised in Israel about why they were travelling in unarmored vehicles in the volatile area.

Israel said it considered Wednesday's attack the "most severe" since 2006, when war with Hezbollah killed more than 1,200 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and some 160 Israelis, most of them soldiers.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed the attack on Iran.

"This is the same Iran that is now trying to achieve an agreement, via the major powers, that would leave it with the ability to develop nuclear weapons," he said.

Israel has threatened military action to stop arch-foe Iran obtaining atomic weapons. Tehran insists its program is only for civilian purposes.

Netanyahu held talks with top security brass late Wednesday, warning afterwards: "Those behind today's attack will pay the full price."

- Chances of war 'very slim' -

Still, analysts said Israel, fresh from a summer war with Hamas in Gaza and heading for a general election in March, was not eager for a full-scale conflict.

"Hezbollah has 100,000 rockets, compared with the 10,000 of Hamas," the Palestinian Islamist group which controls Gaza, said analyst Boaz Ganor of the Herzliya Interdisciplinary Center.

"The human cost of such a war would be enormous, and no Israeli leader will be pro-active in this direction," he said.

As for Hezbollah, it is deeply involved in Syria's civil war, fighting with President Bashar al-Assad's forces against mostly Sunni rebels.

"Hezbollah is very busy in Syria; the last thing that it needs is a second front," Yaakov Amidror, a former major general, said.

On the Lebanese side, Labor Minister Sejaan Azzi said the government had "received assurances from major countries that Israel won't escalate the military situation, and that yesterday's response was enough... for the time being."

Tension in the area had been building since an Israeli air strike on the Syrian-controlled sector of the Golan killed six Hezbollah fighters and an Iranian general on January 18.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah -- who is to deliver an address on Friday -- had earlier threatened retaliation for Israel's repeated strikes inside Syria.

Source: Middle East Online.
Link: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=69940.

Jordan launches new airstrikes after vowing harsh war on IS

February 05, 2015

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Dozens of Jordanian fighter jets bombed Islamic State training centers and weapons storage sites Thursday, intensifying attacks after the militants burned to death a captured Jordanian pilot.

As part of the new campaign, Jordan is also attacking targets in Iraq, said Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh. Up to now, Jordan had struck IS targets in Syria, but not Iraq, as part of a U.S.-led military coalition.

"We said we are going to take this all the way, we are going to go after them wherever they are and we're doing that," Judeh told Fox News. Asked if Jordan was now carrying out attacks in both countries, he said: "That's right. Today more Syria than Iraq, but like I said it's an ongoing effort."

"They're in Iraq and they are in Syria and therefore you have to target them wherever they are," he added. The militant group controls about one-third of each Syria and Iraq, both neighbors of Jordan. In September, Jordan joined the U.S.-led military alliance that has been carrying out air strikes against the militants.

The Jordanian military said dozens of fighter jets were involved in Thursday's strikes on training centers and weapons storage sites. State TV showed footage of the attacks, including fighter jets taking off from an air base and bombs setting of large balls of fire and smoke after impact. It showed Jordanian troops scribble messages in chalk on the missiles. "For you, the enemies of Islam," read one message.

The military's statement, read on state TV, was entitled, "This is the beginning and you will get to know the Jordanians" — an apparent warning to IS. It said the strikes will continue "until we eliminate them."

Jordan's King Abdullah II was paying a condolence visit to the family of the pilot, Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh, in southern Jordan when the fighter jets roared overhead. The king pointed upward, toward the planes, as he sat next to the pilot's father, Safi al-Kaseasbeh.

Al-Kaseasbeh told the assembled mourners that the planes had returned from strikes over Raqqa, the de facto capital of the militants' self-declared caliphate. His son had been captured near Raqqa when his F-16 fighter plane went down in December.

Earlier this week, Islamic State displayed the video of the killing of the pilot on outdoor screens in Raqqa, to chants of "God is Great" from some in the audience, according to another video posted by the militants.

Also Thursday, Jordan released an influential jihadi cleric, Abu Mohammed al-Maqdesi, who was detained in October after speaking out against Jordan's participation in the anti-IS coalition, according to his lawyer, Moussa al-Abdallat.

Jordan's Islamic militants are split between supporters of Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra, the branch of al-Qaida in Syria. Last year, al-Maqdesi had criticized Islamic State militants for attacking fellow Muslims. However, after Jordan joined the military coalition, he called on his website for Muslim unity against a "crusader war," a reference to coalition airstrikes.

Jordan says IS can be defeated; uproar over burn video

February 04, 2015

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Jordan called Wednesday for a decisive battle against the Islamic State group, declaring "this evil can and should be defeated," after the militants burned a Jordanian pilot to death in a cage and gleefully broadcast the horrific images on outdoor screens in their stronghold.

Waves of revulsion over the killing washed across the Middle East, a region long accustomed to violence. In mosques, streets and coffee shops, Muslims denounced the militants' brutality and distanced themselves from their violent version of Islam.

Even a prominent preacher with close links to jihadi groups said Islamic State militants miscalculated if they hoped the images of the pilot's agony would galvanize greater opposition to a U.S.-led military coalition that has been bombing targets of the group.

"After millions of Muslims were cursing every pilot (in the coalition), with this act, they (IS) have made the burned one into a symbol," Abdullah al-Muhaysni, a Saudi sheik, wrote on his Twitter account.

The Islamic State group, which controls large areas of Iraq and Syria, has killed captives in the past, posting videos of beheadings and sparking widespread condemnation. However, the killing of Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh, who crashed over Syria in December, also highlighted the vulnerability of Jordan, a key Western ally in the region, to threats from extremists.

Jordan was long considered an island of relative stability in a turbulent region, but in recent years had to absorb hundreds of thousands of war refugees, first from Iraq and then Syria, at a time of a sharp economic downturn.

Jordan receives hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign aid a year, but grinding social problems persist, including high unemployment among young men, a reservoir of potential IS recruits. Experts estimate Islamic State and other jihadi groups have thousands of supporters in the kingdom, with an upswing last year after the militants declared a caliphate in the areas they control.

The United States and Israel are particularly concerned about any signs of turmoil. Israel views Jordan as an important land buffer and the two countries share intelligence. In Washington, congressional support built Wednesday for increased U.S. military assistance to the kingdom. Currently, the United States is providing Jordan with $1 billion annually in economic and military assistance.

Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Jordan's King Abdullah II — who met with lawmakers and President Barack Obama on Tuesday — must be given "all of the military equipment" he needs to combat the group. He said Abdullah did not ask for ground troops.

At the White House, spokesman Josh Earnest said the administration would consider any aid package put forward by Congress, but that the White House would be looking for a specific request from Jordan's government.

Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he expected his panel to swiftly approve legislation. He repeated his criticism that the Obama administration has "no strategy" for dealing with the Islamic State group, and said he hoped the video of al-Kaseasbeh's death will galvanize not only U.S. leadership but "the Arab world."

Abdullah rushed home after his Washington meetings, cutting short his U.S. trip, to rally domestic support for an even tougher line against the militants. In September, Jordan joined the U.S.-led military coalition that began bombing Islamic State group targets in Syria and Iraq.

The decision was not popular in Jordan, with the bombing campaign widely seen as serving Western, not Jordanian interests. During weeks of uncertainty about the fate of the airman, some of his relatives and supporters chanted against Jordan's role in the coalition.

On Wednesday, Hammam Saeed, the leader of Jordan's branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, visited relatives of the pilot in the southern tribal town of Karak, and called on Jordan to pull out of the anti-IS coalition, saying that "we have no relations with this war."

Jordanian government spokesman Mohammed al-Momani on Wednesday urged the international community to work together and deliver a decisive blow to Islamic State militants. Jordan believes that "this evil can and should be defeated," he said.

In an initial response, Jordan executed two Iraqi al-Qaida prisoners, Sajida al-Rishawi and Zaid al-Karbouly, before sunrise Wednesday. Over the past week, Jordan had offered to trade al-Rishawi, a failed female suicide bomber, for the pilot, but insisted on proof of life it never received. Al-Momani said Wednesday that Jordan now believes the pilot was killed in early January.

Dozens more suspected Islamic State sympathizers are in detention in Jordan, most rounded up during a crackdown in recent months. Public outrage over the pilot's death and calls for revenge against IS could help Abdullah broaden support for the coalition, said Scott Stewart, vice president of tactical analysis at Stratfor, a global intelligence and advisory firm in Austin, Texas.

"Sentiments (about the airstrikes) are going to start changing across the Middle East after people see the video, especially the Jordanian people," he said. Stewart said a similar shift occurred a decade ago in Iraq after Sunni Muslim tribes turned away from a local branch of al-Qaida, a precursor of the Islamic State group, over its brutality.

Marwan Shehadeh, a Jordanian expert on jihadi groups, said he expects the opposite outcome. "Public opinion rejected the IS behavior, but at the same time, more voices are questioning the participation of Jordan in the international coalition," he said. "The killing (of the pilot) will drive more people to question that."

The Islamic State militants appeared to be goading Jordan. In the northern Syrian city of Raqaa, the Islamic State group's de facto capital, the militants showed graphic footage of al-Kaseasbeh's slaying on outdoor screens, with some chanting "God is great!" according to militant video posted online Wednesday that conformed to Associated Press reporting of the event.

In the 20-minute video of the killing, the pilot displayed signs of having been beaten, including a black eye. Toward the end of the clip, he stood in the outdoor cage in an orange jumpsuit and a masked militant lit a line of fuel leading to him. The AP could not independently confirm the authenticity of the video.

A senior Iraqi Kurdish official, meanwhile, echoed Jordan's appeal for a decisive campaign against the militants. Fouad Hussein, chief of staff to Kurdish President Massoud Barzani, said U.S.-led coalition airstrikes are helpful, but "to finish ISIS ... you need to finish it on the ground," he said, using an alternate acronym for the militant group.

"And on the ground, we are most of the time alone. So we need partners," he said. "It means advisers. It means special forces. It means a collective fight against ISIS. It means equipment, it means munitions."

Though Islamic State fighters have been forced to retreat from Kobani, a strategic town on Syria's border with Turkey, the battlefield picture suggests they are far from beaten in northern Iraq, where harsh winter weather and thick mud underfoot hampers military moves.

The Kurdish peshmerga fighters have struggled for months to inch ahead, backed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes.

Associated Press writers Omar Akour in Amman, Hamza Hendawi in Cairo, Zeina Karam and Diaa Hadid in Beirut and Mohammed Daraghmeh in Ramallah, West Bank, contributed to the report.

Report designates Tunisia the first 'free' Arab country in decades

Eric Reidy
February 8, 2015

TUNIS, Tunisia — Tunisia’s largely peaceful transition toward democracy following its 2011 revolution stands in stark contrast to the conflict, repression and return of dictatorship seen in other countries that experienced Arab Spring protests. The Washington-based nongovernmental organization Freedom House acknowledged Tunisia’s progress in its annual Freedom in the World report, released Jan. 28, by singling it out as a "notable exception" in a year that otherwise saw the state of freedom worsen in virtually every region.

Based on a rubric drawn from international human rights norms that examines political rights and civil liberties, the report categorizes countries as "not free," "partly free" or "free." After jumping from "not free" to "partly free" following the overthrow of longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, Tunisia became the first Arab country since the outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War in 1975 to be rated as "free" in the report.

Tunisia received perfect scores on indices related to the electoral process and political participation, and the highest overall score for the general category of political rights. For civil liberties, however, the country received a three out of seven, the same as in 2014.

The completion of free and transparent parliamentary and presidential elections at the end of 2014, as well as the adoption of a new constitution, the practice of dialogue and compromise among political leaders and strong civil society engagement were the primary reasons for the upgrade, according to Sarah Repucci, director of the Freedom in the World project.

Despite the progress, and as suggested by the lower rating on civil liberties, challenges persist in Tunisia, particularly those related to corruption and the rule of law. Local human rights activists also see much more work that needs to be done to expand and preserve the space of freedom within the country, and average Tunisians struggling in a stagnant economy are waiting to feel the tangible dividends of their newfound freedoms.

Tunisia is still grappling with the legacy of a political, economic and social system that was engineered over the course of decades to concentrate business and political power within a small handful of elites, according to a World Bank report released last year. These practices embedded nepotism and bribery as part of the culture. “When you have a corrupt society, that’s not going to change quickly with a new government, a new political system or a new constitution. It takes time for those institutions to take effect,” Repucci told Al-Monitor.

The country also has yet to undertake serious legal reform, leading to continued concerns about the independence of the judiciary, functioning of the court system and legal codes dating from the era of dictatorship, according to Repucci.

In a recent case highlighting the need for legal reform, a military court tried and sentenced controversial blogger Yassine Ayari in absentia to three years in prison on charges of defaming the military for blog posts he wrote in August 2014. Following an appeal, Ayari’s sentence was reduced to one year. “We can’t speak about freedom in a country like Tunisia when we have a blogger in jail because he is writing on his Facebook [page] about the army,” Henda Chennaoui, a prominent Tunisian human rights activist, told Al-Monitor.

Chennaoui also said that international organizations and reports tend to focus on major cities where conditions are generally better. Police repression of social movements in the interior of Tunisia, which is underdeveloped and politically marginalized compared to the coast, is often overlooked even by local organizations, Chennaoui added. Repucci did, however, acknowledge the persistence of regional inequalities in the application of law as an area of weakness for Tunisia.

Aside from freedom of speech, Chennaoui still feels that it is too early to speak of Tunisia being a free country. “Before the revolution we didn’t have any rights or any freedom to speak,” she said. “Now, we have a lot more space to move and to speak and to have political activities, but it’s not enough.”

Chennaoui is also concerned that the fear of terrorism that emerged after the revolution is giving authorities an excuse to curtail rights and freedoms. “The fight against terrorism is the most dangerous problem now about the freedom of expression and human rights,” she said. “The regime uses this argument to repress people, to put people in jail, and it is very, very dangerous.”

Student Adam Najmoui, 21, also thinks it is too early to consider Tunisia a free country. “I would say we are on our way. It’s going to take some time,” he said, emphasizing the limitations on social freedoms when it comes to personal beliefs and sexuality.

Sabrine Cherif, 27, who volunteered as an observer in the last elections, said that religion places some limitations on how far Tunisians can push their freedoms. But, she still viewed the country as being free. “Yes, absolutely, it’s a free country. I can say that and I'm proud,” she told Al-Monitor.

The persistence of economic difficulties, which were an underlying cause of the revolution, has led some in Tunisian society to question why they rose up in the first place. “Prices are getting higher and we are getting nowhere. … There is no democracy,” a Tunisian man, 55, who gave his name only as Abdallah, told Al-Monitor, highlighting that many people have yet to sense any real benefit despite the improvement of political freedoms.

In comparison to the rest of the Arab world, however, Tunisia’s progress stands out as exceptional. “It’s still operating in a very tough region,” Repucci said. “I think it is especially important for it not to slip back, both for Tunisians, but also to be an example in the region because it really is the shining example right now.”

But, Tunisia’s shining example is still a work in progress. Scratching at the surface of the democratic transition reveals that the old system inherited from the era of dictatorship is still largely intact when it comes to the security forces, the internal workings of government ministries, the economy and even people’s mentalities.

Tunisia’s upgrade to being a "free" country is deserved for the progress it has made on the political front. But, the long-term sustainability of the country’s transition is dependent on how willing political leaders will be to undertake the deep reforms necessary to transform the lingering structures of autocracy into a system that supports freedoms.

Source: al-Monitor.
Link: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/02/tunisia-free-arab-judiciary-political-challenges.html.

Peace in Ukraine is goal of four-nation talks in Minsk

February 08, 2015

BERLIN (AP) — As Russian-backed separatists gain ground in eastern Ukraine, efforts to broker peace appeared to gain momentum Sunday, with leaders of Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine announcing plans for four-way talks this week.

The proposed meeting Wednesday in the Belorussian capital of Minsk emerged from a phone call between German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

The aim is to revive the much-violated peace plan both sides agreed to in Minsk last September, and end a war that has now killed more than 5,300 people according to United Nations estimates. Although the United States won't be at the negotiating table, a growing clamor in Washington to arm Ukraine will be on the minds of those present in Minsk. U.S. officials have said President Barack Obama is rethinking his previous opposition to sending weapons to Ukraine, despite fears of triggering a proxy war between Washington and Moscow.

While senior diplomats from the four countries meet in Berlin to prepare for the summit, Merkel is expected to brief U.S. officials in Washington on Monday during a previously scheduled trip. "It's a fortuitous coincidence that Merkel is going to Washington and whatever she does, Obama will be informed," said Volker Perthes, director of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. The threat of U.S. arms shipments won't harm the talks, he added, although "if the diplomatic efforts fail then the option to ship arms becomes more likely."

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was keen Sunday to dispel the notion of a trans-Atlantic rift, saying U.S. and its European allies are "united in our diplomacy" on Ukraine. Speaking at an international security conference in Munich, he said the U.S. supports the efforts by France and Germany.

"There is no division, there is no split," Kerry said. "I keep hearing people trying to create one. We are united, we are working closely together." German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, speaking alongside Kerry, said he considers delivering weapons "not just highly risky but counterproductive."

But Republican Sen. John McCain, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, insisted in Munich that "we must provide defensive arms to Ukraine." "If we help Ukrainians increase the military cost to the Russian forces that have invaded their country, how long can Putin sustain a war that he tells his people is not happening?"

Aside from the military cost, Russia has also been struggling with the economic impact of western sanctions and low global oil prices. While Ukraine's Poroshenko raised the possibility that Wednesday's summit could provide a breakthrough after months of futile diplomacy, Putin insisted Sunday that the four-way meeting would only happen if they agree on key points beforehand.

"We will be aiming for Wednesday, if by that time we are able to agree on a number of the positions that we recently have been discussing intensely," he told journalists in Sochi during a meeting with the president of Belarus.

Details of the proposals have not been revealed, but the main sticking points have emerged in the leaders' recent comments. One is enforcing a peace deal. In Munich, Poroshenko expressed opposition to any peacekeeper force, apparently reflecting concern that sending Russian peacekeeping troops into eastern Ukraine could result in a de-facto occupation.

However, key to a real settlement is some mechanism for monitoring the Ukraine-Russia border to ensure that Russia is not sending troops or equipment to the separatists. Ukrainian officials would have the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe conduct such monitoring.

The status of the eastern regions remains contentious. Ukraine passed a law last year proposing what it called significant autonomy for the east, but rebels dismissed it as vague and meaningless. Russia has pushed for "federalization" of Ukraine, which would presumably give the east significant independence, but Ukrainian authorities oppose any federalization.

How to separate the belligerents also remains unclear. The Minsk agreement in September foresaw each side pulling back its heavy weapons 15 kilometers (more than 9 miles) from the lines of engagement. But the rebels have taken control of more territory since then, implying that a new buffer zone would have to be mapped.

Greek premier proclaims end to austerity in policy statement

February 09, 2015

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece's new Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras set his leftist government on a collision course with Greece's creditors Sunday, proclaiming an end to the era of austerity and "five years of bailout barbarity."

Tsipras presented his government's policy statement to Greek lawmakers which included, as he had forewarned, all the promises made by his radical left party, Syriza, in its manifesto before last month's election.

The government "has taken the irrevocable decision to stick fully to its pre-election commitments," Tsipras said, indicating that he would not compromise on his party's positions. By demanding a "bridge agreement" that would give Greece and its creditors time to negotiate a new debt deal much more favorable to the country by June, Tsipras appeared to stick to an approach that got short shrift from European Union partners in a series of meetings that Tsipras and his finance minister had with European officials this past week.

"If our (EU) partners are willing, we can agree (on a bridge agreement) tomorrow morning," Tsipras said. But this would mean the rest of the EU abandoning its declared policies and giving in to Syriza's demands.

"The (bailout deal) has been abolished by popular mandate," Tsipras said, referring to the two deals that have kept debt-ridden-Greece solvent and provided a historically unprecedented 240 billion euros ($271.4 billion) in assistance.

This aid also went with austerity policies that shrank Greece's economy by a quarter and resulted in record unemployment, with more than a quarter of the workforce jobless. Having come to power as a result of a popular backlash against these measures, Tsipras geared his speech completely toward a domestic audience, insisting that it is the EU that must return to its "founding principles of solidarity, social cohesion, growth and democracy."

"We declare categorically, we will not negotiate our history. We will not negotiate this people's pride and dignity," said an emotional Tsipras as he concluded his speech. The current bailout deal runs until the end of February, but Tsipras said the government is "not entitled to ask for an extension," while blasting the previous government for purposely rejecting an EU proposal to extend the deal to June so that a Syriza-led government would face tight deadlines.

"They burned the crops and blew the bridges," Tsipras said of the previous conservative-socialist coalition government. Syriza's own program includes measures to provide relief for the poor, such as free meals, free electricity and free health care; relief for the middle class by abolishing an unpopular property tax and replacing it with a tax on very large property; and sops to his supporters, such as the abolition of university reform and a re-establishment of the state TV and radio broadcaster that was shut down in 2013 and replaced by a slimmed-down version. But a pledge to raise the minimum wage to pre-crisis levels, once promised as the first measure to be implemented by the government, will be done in two stages and not realized until 2016.

Tsipras insisted that his government's budgets would be balanced, save for the debt servicing needs. On the debt, while his original demand for a minimum 60 percent "haircut," or write-off, has been rejected by Greece's creditors, he has presented other proposals, such as issuance of low-interest "perpetual bonds," maturity extensions and deferrals of payments that would have the same effect. He said the EU should have no problem accepting his pledges to tackle corruption and tax evasion and reform the state administration.

Greek lawmakers will debate the policy statement and hold a confidence vote at midnight Tuesday. Greece faces three crucial European Union meetings in the coming days: an emergency meeting of Eurozone finance ministers on Wednesday, a summit of EU leaders Thursday, and another Eurozone finance ministers meeting on Feb. 16. It has been given a virtual ultimatum to present a program compatible with the bailout deal by that latter meeting; the European Central Bank has applied additional pressure by refusing to accept Greek bonds as collateral after Feb. 11, forcing Greek banks to seek funds from a, more expensive, emergency liquidity mechanism.

Socialist calls win in France's 1st vote since Paris attacks

February 08, 2015

PARIS (AP) — The candidate of the governing Socialist Party won a narrow victory in Sunday's critical election to fill a vacant parliamentary seat, and denounced the far-right National Front party of his opponent as a "peril for our democracy."

All eyes were on the vote in France's eastern Doubs region which served as an electoral test after the Jan. 7-9 terror attacks in France that killed 17 victims and the three radical Islamic gunmen. Winner Frederic Barbier said his victory over National Front candidate Sophie Montel was helped in part by French leaders' "perfect handling (after) the acts of war against the citizens of our country."

But he, above all, castigated his opponent's National Front party, "which distills intolerance, hate, racism, anti-Semitism ... (and) is becoming a real threat to our country." Such harsh condemnation has become rare in France even among opposition politicians as the National Front raises its profile.

Barbier won with 51.4 percent of the vote, compared to Montel's nearly 48.6 percent. With such a narrow victory, Montel claimed her National Front was the election's "big winner." The National Front candidate took a slight lead in last week's first-round vote, and was hoping to capitalize on a perceived climate of fear since the attacks. Montel, a well-known local politician, had warned against the "Islamic peril" during her campaign, while Barbier looked for the unity vote.

National Front leader Marine Le Pen denounces "massive immigration" and links it to the rise of Islamic extremists. The trauma wrought by three radical Muslims boosted the sagging profile of President Francois Hollande. Since then, he has worked to limit a backlash against France's 5 million-strong Muslim population and ensure that youth living on society's margins become active members of French society.

The vote was to fill the parliamentary seat of long-time Socialist Party figure Pierre Moscovici who resigned to become a European commissioner. But it had a national significance, and Prime Minister Manuel Valls visited the region to campaign on Barbier's behalf, as did Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve. Both men were key players during the attacks and are at the center of handling the aftermath, from cracking down on extremist networks to limiting an anti-Muslim backlash.

Both Barbier and Montel were vying for the votes of the once-powerful conservative UMP party of former President Nicolas Sarkozy — whose candidate was eliminated in first-round voting. That loss laid bare new divisions in the party, which failed to agree on whether or not to advise Doubs voters to join the rival Socialist candidate — and lock out the far right.

Barbier used his victory speech to warn the nation against the National Front, saying "year after year, election after election it progresses ... and is becoming a peril for our democracy." He said his win, while narrow, shows the left can rebound despite a string of defeats since Hollande took office in 2012 — but only if it regains the confidence of citizens.

France's first vote since Paris attacks raises tensions

February 08, 2015

PARIS (AP) — France's resurgent far right is vying for a shining moment this weekend, when the National Front is facing the Socialists in an election for a vacant seat in parliament.

Sunday's vote in the Doubs region is the first electoral test since the January terror attacks. It has raised political tensions as the nation waits to see whether the party's anti-immigration message captures more hearts than the message of unity the French government is trying to preserve.

The National Front's candidate for the seat, Sophie Montrel, warns against the "Islamic peril" in France, while her Socialist opponent, Frederic Barbier, hopes to capitalize on the unity that bound the nation after the attacks on the satiric Charlie Hebdo newspaper and a Kosher grocery store that killed 17. The trauma wrought by three radical Muslims boosted the sagging profile of Socialist President Francois Hollande. Since then, he has worked to limit a backlash against France's 5 million-strong Muslim population and ensure that youth living on society's margins become active members of French society.

The race in Doubs speaks to a nation still shaken and trying to find its mark, and to politicians in the conservative opposition uncertain about what direction to take now — back the rival government, or throw their weight behind the far right. Both Montrel and Barbier are vying for the votes of the once-powerful conservative UMP party of former President Nicolas Sarkozy — whose candidate was eliminated in last week's first round of voting. That loss laid bare new divisions in the party, which failed to agree on whether or not to advise Doubs voters to join the rival Socialist candidate — and lock out the far right.

Montrel won the first-round vote with a four-point lead over Barbier, who had been expected to handily take the seat of long-time Socialist party figure Pierre Moscovici who resigned to become a European commissioner.

A poll published last week suggests the Socialist candidate would defeat his far-right opponent. National Front chief Marine Le Pen, while calling on voters to mobilize, conceded on Friday that the result is "very open."

Le Pen has grown into one of France's leading political voices after a series of electoral victories last year. It now has three seats in parliament and has increased the number of seats it occupies in the European Parliament, from three to 24 — more than any other French party.

Now, Le Pen's eye is trained on the 2017 presidential vote. Her goal has been to give the party the grassroots presence it lacked under its former chief, her father Jean-Marie Le Pen. For that, she has softened the party message to make it more digestible to French outside the far right orbit and replaced hard-line, old guard figures with young strategists.

Departmental elections in March and regional voting in December offer chances for the National Front to multiply its local networks that are critical in a presidential vote. Her high profile got her an invitation to speak Thursday evening at the prestigious Oxford Union debating society, despite student protests. Still, she has not managed to assure herself a spot in the mainstream. Le Pen was a rare French politician who did not attend the Jan. 11 post-attacks unity march in Paris that drew dozens of world leaders. She claimed she wasn't invited.

Montrel, a local politician who has stood in numerous elections, has waived the "Islamic peril" in her campaign. The French press has dug up a 1996 remark she made in defense of Jean-Marie Le Pen referring to the "evident inequality of races."

Prime Minister Manuel Valls and Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve — central figures in guiding France through the post-attack period — have rushed to the Doubs region to support the Socialist candidate.

During a news conference Thursday, President Hollande, without referring directly to the Doubs vote, recalled the 2002 presidential election when his Socialist Party joined with conservatives to assure a win for conservative Jacques Chirac, against Jean-Marie Le Pen.

"Are all parties within the values of the Republic? Non," Hollande said. "Choices must be made."

Floods uproot many in Albania; snow in Croatia, Slovenia

February 06, 2015

AP - Floods have forced hundreds of people from their homes in Albania and Macedonia, while heavy snow and strong winds caused traffic havoc Friday in Croatia, Bosnia and Slovenia.

On the holiday island of Mallorca, six German tourists were stranded by deep snow and were rescued by a helicopter. A 38-year old woman drowned in Albania after she was swept away from the yard of her home by floodwaters near Pogradec, 120 kilometers (75 miles) east of the capital Tirana, police spokeswoman Esmerina Gurishta said Friday.

Some 600 families have been evacuated in four southern districts in Albania after flooding covered more than 17,000 hectares (42,000 acres) and killed about 3,500 sheep and cattle, authorities said. Torrential rains in eastern and southern parts of Macedonia have flooded more than 5,000 hectares and hundreds of houses since the beginning of this week. Army teams were helping local people in southern region of Pelagonia reinforce banks to hold back swollen rivers.

The Macedonian Red Cross said Friday it had delivered food, blankets and drinking water to some 400 families in seven municipalities that have been most affecte. Travel throughout Croatia was snarled Friday following a massive all-night snowfall. Trucks have been banned from all roads connecting Croatia's mainland with the Adriatic coast, where strong winds have disrupted ferry lines.

In Slovenia, dozens of schools have closed and most border crossings have banned entry for trucks. Still, several trucks slid off a highway in the southeast, temporarily blocking traffic. Slovenia's Adriatic port of Koper closed down because of gale-force winds.

Heavy snowfall forced authorities in the west of Bosnia to close schools Friday; they are expected to remain closed all next week. Several thousands of homes lost electricity because trees overloaded with snow fell and cut power lines.

Authorities reported the blizzard that hit the north-western town of Bosanska Gradiska on Friday covered the town with five centimeters of snow within just five minutes. Blizzards have hit much of northern Spain in recent days. Spanish police and military services say they have rescued hundreds of stranded motorists this week.

Europe to launch experimental wingless space plane

09 Feb 2015

Europe is set to launch an experimental "space plane", a car-sized, wingless vessel whose 100-minute unmanned mission will inform the design of reusable spacecraft of the future.

The European Space Agency's two-tonne, 5m-long Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle (IXV) is scheduled to be blasted into space on a Vega rocket from a space pad in Kourou, French Guiana, at 13:00 GMT on Wednesday.

It will separate from the launcher about 18 minutes later, some 320km above Earth, and then climb to a height of about 450km before starting its descent at several times the speed of sound, recording valuable data along the way.

A parachute will deploy to slow the descent, and balloons will keep the craft afloat after splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, where it will be recovered by a ship for analysis.

Re-entry is a major challenge for the aerospace industry - as illustrated when Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated in Earth's atmosphere in February 2003, killing all seven crew.

Friction with the Earth's atmosphere slows the returning craft, but also heats the outside to scorching temperatures.

If the re-entry angle is too steep the craft will burn up, too shallow and it may bounce off the atmosphere or pierce through but completely miss its landing target.

"We are able to go [to space], we are able to stay in orbit, what we want to learn today is to close the loop, to return from orbit, and this is one of the most complex disciplines in space activity," IXV program manager Giorgio Tumino told the AFP news agency.

Since NASA retired its Space Shuttle, Russia's Soyuz is the only spacecraft that can ferry astronauts to and from the orbiting International Space Station. Private company Space X's Dragon is the only re-entry cargo craft.

Boeing and SpaceX are developing reusable astronaut carriers for NASA, which is also working on the Orion craft it hopes will take humans to Mars. All are based on the capsule design.

"Today we have our astronauts flying in Russian capsules, if one day we want them with the capability to fly back with European technology, this is fundamental," Tumino said of the IXV mission.

Source: al-Jazeera.
Link: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/02/europe-launch-experimental-wingless-space-plane-150209044049437.html.

Iran launches fourth satellite into orbit

Tehran, Iran (XNA)
Feb 09, 2015

Iran launched its fourth satellite into orbit on Monday, state IRIB TV reported. Equipped with GPS navigation system, the home-made satellite, named Fajr (Dawn), was put into orbit using home-made Safir-e Fajr satellite carrier.

Fajr satellite is technically characterized by an orbit which could promote from 250 to 450 kilometers through a thruster or an engine, Press TV reported, stressing that it is capable of staying in the space for 1.5 years while taking and transmitting high-quality pictures to the stations on earth.

The launch came as Iran started the 10-day celebrations marking the 36th anniversary of the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution that put an end to the monarchy of the U.S.-backed Shah regime in the country.

On Monday, President Hassan Rouhani congratulated the nation on the successful launch of Fajr satellite and said the Iranian scientists have entered a new phase in space sciences.

The Iranian government is determined to press ahead with its national space program, he said, adding that "we will proceed with this path until a phase that we will be able to meet our national needs in space by all (the Iranian) scientists and through local technology."

The Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said that the satellite, the new generation of Omid (Hope) satellite, was completely designed and built by Iranian experts in Aerospace Industries Organization of Defense Ministry and Iran's Electronic Industries Company.

Designing and building Fajr satellite showed the continuation of Iran's scientific progress in the field of advanced technologies, Dehqan said.

Iran, a founding member of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, launched its first domestically-made data-processing satellite, Omid, into space in 2009.

Its second satellite, dubbed Rassad (Observation), was launched into orbit in June 2011, whose mission was to take and transmit images of the earth along with telemetry information to ground stations.

The country launched its third domestically-built Navid-e Elm-o Sanat (Harbinger of Science and Industry) satellite into orbit in February 2012.

In January 2013, Iran sent a monkey into space aboard an indigenous bio-capsule code-named Pishgam (Pioneer).

Later in December 2013, the country sent a monkey, called "Fargam" or Auspicious, into space aboard Pajoheshan (Research) indigenous rocket. It returned the live monkey back to earth safely.

Source: Space Daily.
Link: http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Iran_launches_fourth_satellite_into_orbit_999.html.

US Issuing Licenses for Mineral Mining on Moon

Washington DC (Sputnik)
Feb 09, 2015

The United States government is taking a new and early approach to spur commercial development of space. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has started issuing companies licenses to own land on the moon.

In a letter to space technology company, Bigelow Aerospace, the FAA says it intends to modify its licensing regulations to "encourage private sector investments in space systems by ensuring that commercial activities can be conducted on a non-interference basis," according to Reuters.

Under such license, the company that develops inflatable space habitats, will have exclusive rights to a territory and related areas on the moon, where it can set up an inflatable habitat and perform mining and exploration.

However, this initiative was met with hesitation by the US State Department, which reminded the FAA that the US is a signatory to the 1967 United Nations treaty, which governs activities on the moon.

The UN Outer Space treaty requires countries to authorize and supervise non-government entities operating in space.

"We didn't give (Bigelow Aerospace) a license to land on the moon. We're talking about a payload review that would potentially be part of a future launch license request. But it served a purpose of documenting a serious proposal for a US company to engage in this activity that has high-level policy implications," George Nield, associate administrator for the FAA's Office of Commercial Transportation who wrote the letter told Reuters.

The letter was written in coordination with US departments of State, Defense, Commerce, as well as NASA and other agencies involved in space operations.

Bigelow Aerospace plans to test a space habitat at the International Space Station this year, and then operate free-flying orbital outposts for customers, including government agencies, research organizations, businesses and even tourists. In 2025, it intends to launch a $12 billion project of a series of bases on the moon.

Source: Moon Daily.
Link: http://www.moondaily.com/reports/US_Issuing_Licenses_for_Mineral_Mining_on_Moon_999.html.

SpaceX calls off launch of space-weather satellite

By Kerry Sheridan
Miami (AFP)
Feb 8, 2015

SpaceX's launch of a $340 million sun-observing spacecraft that was initially dreamed up by former US vice president Al Gore was postponed Sunday for at least 24 hours after a late problem.

The unmanned Deep Space Climate Observatory had been scheduled to blast off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 6:10 pm (2310 GMT) from Cape Canaveral, Florida but a range-tracking issue scuttled it with about two-and-a-half minutes left in the countdown.

DSCOVR's goal is to help space weather forecasters by collecting data on solar wind and geomagnetic storms that can cause damage to electrical systems on Earth.

"Air Force tracking radar went down. Launch postponed to same time tomorrow," tweeted Elon Musk, the billionaire SpaceX founder.

He added: "Prob good though. Will give us time to replace 1st stage video transmitter (not needed for launch, but nice to have)."

SpaceX was expected to try again at 6:07 pm on Monday.

After the launch, SpaceX will make another attempt to guide the first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket back to a controlled landing on an ocean platform, as part of the California-based company's goal of making rockets one day as reusable as airplanes.

In January, the rocket attempted a controlled maneuver to land on a powered-barge in the Atlantic, but collided with it instead and broke into pieces...

Source: Space Daily.
Link: http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/SpaceX_poised_to_launch_resurrected_space_weather_satellite_999.html.

NASA's Kepler Reborn, Makes First Exoplanet Find of New Mission

Pasadena CA (JPL)
Dec 19, 2014

NASA's planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft makes a comeback with the discovery of the first exoplanet found using its new mission -- K2. The discovery was made when astronomers and engineers devised an ingenious way to repurpose Kepler for the K2 mission and continue its search of the cosmos for other worlds.

"Last summer, the possibility of a scientifically productive mission for Kepler after its reaction wheel failure in its extended mission was not part of the conversation," said Paul Hertz, NASA's astrophysics division director at the agency's headquarters in Washington.

"Today, thanks to an innovative idea and lots of hard work by the NASA and Ball Aerospace team, Kepler may well deliver the first candidates for follow-up study by the James Webb Space Telescope to characterize the atmospheres of distant worlds and search for signatures of life."

Lead researcher Andrew Vanderburg, a graduate student at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, studied publicly available data collected by the spacecraft during a test of K2 in February 2014. The discovery was confirmed with measurements taken by the HARPS-North spectrograph of the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo in the Canary Islands, which captured the wobble of the star caused by the planet's gravitational tug as it orbits.

The newly confirmed planet, HIP 116454b, is 2.5 times the diameter of Earth and follows a close, nine-day orbit around a star that is smaller and cooler than our sun, making the planet too hot for life as we know it. HIP 116454b and its star are 180 light-years from Earth, toward the constellation Pisces.

Kepler's onboard camera detects planets by looking for transits -- when a distant star dims slightly as a planet crosses in front of it. The smaller the planet, the weaker the dimming, so brightness measurements must be exquisitely precise.

To enable that precision, the spacecraft must maintain steady pointing. In May 2013, data collection during Kepler's extended prime mission came to an end with the failure of the second of four reaction wheels, which are used to stabilize the spacecraft.

Rather than giving up on the stalwart spacecraft, a team of scientists and engineers crafted a resourceful strategy to use pressure from sunlight as a "virtual reaction wheel" to help control the spacecraft.

The resulting K2 mission promises to not only continue Kepler's planet hunt, but also to expand the search to bright nearby stars that harbor planets that can be studied in detail, to help scientists better understand their composition. K2 also will introduce new opportunities to observe star clusters, active galaxies and supernovae.

Small planets like HIP 116454b, orbiting nearby bright stars, are a scientific sweet spot for K2 as they are good prospects for follow-up ground studies to obtain mass measurements. Using K2's size measurements and ground-based mass measurements, astronomers can calculate the density of a planet to determine whether it is likely a rocky, watery or gaseous world.

"The Kepler mission showed us that planets larger in size than Earth and smaller than Neptune are common in the galaxy, yet they are absent in our solar system," said Steve Howell, Kepler/K2 project scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California.

"K2 is uniquely positioned to dramatically refine our understanding of these alien worlds and further define the boundary between rocky worlds like Earth and ice giants like Neptune."

Since the K2 mission officially began in May 2014, it has observed more than 35,000 stars and collected data on star clusters, dense star-forming regions, and several planetary objects within our own solar system. It is currently in its third campaign...

Source: Space Daily.
Link: http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/NASAs_Kepler_Reborn_Makes_First_Exoplanet_Find_of_New_Mission_999.html.

SpaceX delays resupply flight to ISS

by Danielle Haynes
Cape Canaveral, Fla. (UPI)
Dec 18, 2014

SpaceX's fifth commercial launch to provide supplies to the International Space Station was delayed due to problems experienced during an engine fire test, the company and NASA said Thursday.

The Falcon 9 rocket was scheduled to take off with the Dragon cargo ship Friday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket is now scheduled to launch the morning of Jan. 6.

A news release from NASA said the delay was to allow "SpaceX engineers time to investigate further issues that arose from a static fire test of the Falcon 9 rocket" on Tuesday.

"While the recent static fire test accomplished nearly all of our goals, the test did not run the full duration," SpaceX spokesman John Taylor said in email sent to multiple media sources. "The data suggests we could push forward without a second attempt, but out of an abundance of caution, we are opting to execute a second static fire test prior to launch."

"Given the extra time needed for data review and testing, coupled with the limited launch date availability due to the holidays and other restrictions, our earliest launch opportunity is now Jan. 6 with Jan. 7 as a backup," he added.

The postponement won't negatively affect the ISS crew's food, fuel or other supplies, the NASA release said.

This is the second delay of this particular resupply launch.

The rocket was first scheduled to take off Tuesday, but it was delayed to allow "SpaceX to take extra time to ensure they do everything possible on the ground to prepare for a successful launch," NASA said in a statement released Dec. 12.

This particular rocket launch is expected to be groundbreaking for SpaceX. The private spaceflight company was planning to land the rocket's first stage on a platform in the Atlantic Ocean.

Reusable rocket technology is key to the company's growth, CEO Elon Musk has repeatedly said. Being able to reuse vital components of its rocket could shave costs by a factor of 1,000.

"There are a lot of launches that will occur over the next year," Musk said at an aerospace conference earlier this fall. "I think it's quite likely that one of those flights, we'll be able to land and refly, so I think we're quite close."

The new resupply launch is scheduled to take place at approximately 6:18 a.m. EST Jan. 6, with coverage beginning on NASA Television at 5 a.m.

Brooks Hays contributed to this report.

Source: Space Daily.
Link: http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/SpaceX_delays_resupply_flight_to_ISS_999.html.

2015 to be a busy year, says ISRO chief

New Delhi (IANS)
Dec 17, 2014

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will also launch a heavy communication satellite, GSAT-15, with around 40 transponders - automatic receivers and transmitters for communication and broadcast of signals using the Ariane rocket of Arianespace from French Guiana.

"We will be completing the IRNSS (Indian Regional Satellite Navigation System) constellation by launching four more satellites and operationalise the navigation system. The geosynchronous satellite launch vehicle (GSLV) rocket is getting ready to launch GSAT-6 communication satellite," ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan said here.

He said astronomy satellite Astrosat will be launched in 2015.

Referring to commercial launches, he said India will next year launch five foreign satellites, including three from Britain. India has also signed up contracts to launch two Indonesian satellites.

Radhakrishnan said 2015 will see ISRO enhancing the space applications for the central and state governments.

Asked whether ISRO was dispersing its resources looking at human space mission when the focus should be on developing GSLV rockets to carry heavy communication satellites, Radhakrishnan said: "ISRO's projects are not mutually exclusive. The cryogenic engine for the heavy rocket is under development and will take two years for the rocket to be flight ready."

The space agency will test-fly its heaviest rocket GSLV-Mark III designed to carry satellites weighing around four tonnes.

While the rocket's cryogenic engine is under development, ISRO decided to test the atmospheric flight stability of the rocket, with the two engines carrying a giant cup-cake like crew module.

The crew module will not carry any living being and is only for learning the atmospheric re-entry characteristics of the module.

The main objective of the crew module is to demonstrate its re-entry flight and aero braking, end-to-end parachute system validation.

The 630-tonne rocket will go up to 126km. The crew capsule will get detached and fall into the Bay of Bengal 20 minutes after blastoff.

The descent speed of the crew module will be controlled by three parachutes.

Source: Space Daily.
Link: http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/2015_to_be_a_busy_year_says_ISRO_chief_999.html.