U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton lambasted Russia and China on Friday for blocking efforts to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose much-reviled regime has endured a serious crack in its armor -- the defection of a key member of its inner circle.
Speaking at the Friends of Syria conference in Paris, Clinton called on Russia and China to "get off the sidelines" and accused them of "standing up for" al-Assad's regime. She urged the other 60 or so nations represented at the summit to "make it clear that Russia and China will pay a price" for that support.
"I ask you to reach out to Russia and China and not only ask but demand that they get off the sidelines," she said. "I don't think Russia and China believe they are paying any price at all, nothing at all, for standing with (the) Assad regime."
In video released by the IDF, a group of men is seen collecting intelligence along the Israel-Lebanon border. Photo credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit
With Israel about to mark six years since the Second Lebanon War next week, senior military officials have warned that if Israel is provoked, the next round of fighting with Lebanon will more destructive than the last.
Brig. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the commander of the Israel Defense Forces’ Galilee Division, declared that if Israel felt that Hezbollah's presence in the southern Lebanese villages warranted an attack, "the response would be very harsh, and very violent in some respects."
"The IDF's action would entail great destruction of Lebanese villages," he said. "The IDF needs to strike where the enemy is situated, and [Hezbollah] chose to hide in the heart of the [civilian] population, so that this would not be punitive destruction. But it will cause enormous damage to Lebanon; far more than the Second Lebanon War."
A scorching heat wave is gripping much of the eastern two-thirds of the nation, setting an astonishing number of temperature records.
More than 3,000 temperature records have been shattered in the U.S. this past week, from June 29-July 5, 2012, according to NOAA. The tally of record high temperatures during the time period is 2,485, and the tally of maximum low temperature records is 1,070.
From July 1-July 5 alone, 1,545 record highs have fallen, while 816 maximum low temperature records have been broken.
The temperature yesterday hit 100. And today is expected to hit 101. Tomorrow may get to 104. Add in the humidity and it'll feel a heck of a lot hotter. But today -- the ninth day of the current heatwave -- means that we've now beat out the previous record of eight consecutive days above 95 degrees.
Hand of Judgement?: Gay Pride event at Pentagon Tuesday, June 26; record heat begins on Wednesday, June 27; Supreme Court defies Constitution in Obamacare decision Thursday, June 28; 'Super Derecho' leaves 700 mile swath of devastation from Illinois to Washington Friday, June 29; more than 3000 heat records broken in the past week and Washington, DC sets all time record in nine days from June 28 - July 6, with more coming
Comprehensive study of an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear development facilities ... Iran's likely responses to an Israeli preemptive strike ... Assessment of Iran’s missile capability ... Threat to the oil and gas region in East Mediterranean: Syria, Turkey, Hezbollah and Hamas' formidable weapons ... Islamist Spring is upon us: Egypt vote marks culmination of Islamist revolution
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