 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 by Ed Adamczyk Washington DC (UPI) Dec 21, 2020
The guided-missile submarine USS Georgia passed through the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command said Monday in a rare disclosure. The submarine, which can carry up to 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles, was escorted by the guided missile cruisers USS Port Royal and USS Philippine Sea through the strait as it entered the Persian Gulf. The U.S. military rarely announces the movements of its submarines, and the disclosure comes as U.S. officials are on alert for heightened tensions in the Middle East. Jan. 3 marks the first anniversary of the assassination of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who died in a U. S. drone strike in Iraq. "We are prepared to defend ourselves, our friends and partners in the region, and we're prepared to react, if necessary," U.S. Central Command chief Gen. Frank McKenzie recently told reporters of potential Iranian or proxy reprisals coinciding with the anniversary. The statement by the Central Command on Monday did not mention the possibility of combating potential threats. It added, though that the "[USS] Georgia's presence in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations demonstrates the U.S. Navy's ability to sail and operate wherever international law allows." On Sunday, rockets were fired into Baghdad's International Zone, causing minor damage but only one casualty, an Iraqi citizen, at the U.S. Embassy. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blamed Iran for the attack, saying in a statement Sunday: "As Iraq struggles with COVID-19 and an increasingly dire economic crisis, Iran-backed militias are the most serious impediment to helping Iraq return to peace and prosperity. The same militias targeting diplomatic facilities are stealing Iraqi state resources on a massive scale."
Iraqis protest after currency value slashed Baghdad (AFP) Dec 21, 2020 Hundreds of angry Iraqis protested Monday in several cities against a currency devaluation that has slashed their purchasing power amid a pandemic-fuelled economic crisis. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) at the weekend devalued the currency by over a fifth against the US dollar, officially re-pegging the dinar at a bank rate of 1,460 to the greenback. On Monday, hundreds gathered in Baghdad's Tahrir Square, demanding the government change tack, furious at the first devaluation in a half-decade. ... read more
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us. |
del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Google
