“We have undertaken ensuring that those chemicals are safely loaded onto Dutch and Norwegian container ships and safely transported while in Syrian waters. In other words, we will convoy these vessels,” Mikhail Ulyanov, head of the foreign ministry’s security and disarmament department, told RIA Novosti.

“We are not going to do this on our own, our Chinese partners will assist us,” he said. “It will be the first time when the military of Russia and China will perform their professional tasks side-by-side in a real-life crisis, not during joint drills.”

The operation to destroy the Syrian government’s arsenal of more than 1,000 metric tons of weapons-grade chemicals is due to take place in two stages. The most dangerous weapons have to be removed from Syria by the end of December and destroyed at sea by April, whereas the rest is slated for destruction by mid-2014.

Here is the mistake I believe will happen: Once consumer price inflation begins, it will not be possible to rein it in, the way Chairman Paul Volcker did in 1980 following the inflation brought by the Iranian Oil Shock of ‘79. The Fed will not want to rein it in, as they will see it as a sign that the economy is improving.

And once inflation reaches double digits — as it did just before Volcker slammed the brakes hard via 22% interest rates — the Federal Reserve under Janet Yellen will not have either the room-to-manoeuvre or the inclination to raise rates to fight inflation. Inflation can easily spiral out of control. I personally have seen it in South America — Chile, Argentina, Brazil. Once that genie is out of the bottle — and once a central bank proves itself unwilling to apply the strong medicine necessary to stop it — inflation will accelerate and blow up.

We are already seeing excessive asset price inflation due to the Federal Reserve’s QE and ZIRP policies: Equities are at historic highs while being completely divorced from fundamentals, bonds are yielding historic lows. Commodities are what you want to keep your eye on. Even as production and manufacturing slow down — as they currently are slowing to a crawl — you will see industrial commodities maintain their prices. Look at copper: $3.34 a pound, even as construction in China, the world’s largest consumer of copper, has virtually stopped.

As to precious metals, the lows we are seeing now are likely the calm before the storm. We are one good shove away from a dollar crash — and 2014 looks like it’ll be the year. The US economy is due for a recession, and the Federal Reserve will have to apply the same medicine of yore, QE. Only this time, it won’t succeed. Time to batten down the hatches, and get ready for a bumpy ride!

The Grocery Manufacturers Association has asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve their plan, which would mean any food containing GMO corn, sugar and other such ingredients could be sold as “natural.” One advocacy organization, the Environmental Working Group (EWG), blasted the food companies’ proposal.

Scott Faber, vice president of the EWG, called the association’s request “audacious.” “It’s like they’re trying to get the government to say night is day and black is white,” Faber told The New York Times. The request comes as food manufacturers are increasingly under attack from opponents of GM ingredients.

At least 65 lawsuits are pending in various courts aimed at forcing companies to stop using the word “natural” to describe products with GM elements.

David John Marotta, a Wall Street expert and financial advisor and Forbes contributor, said in a note to investors, “Firearms are the last item on the list, but they are on the list. There are some terrible people in this world. And you are safer when your trusted neighbors have firearms.” “I, along with many other economists, agree with many of the concerns expressed in these dire warnings.”

“The growing debt and deficit spending is a tax on those holding dollars. The devaluation in the US dollar risks the dollar's status as the reserve currency of the world. Obamacare was the worst legislation in the past 75 years. Socialism is on the rise and the NSA really is abrogating vast portions of the Constitution. I don't disagree with their concerns,” he wrote.

In his latest note, he said that Americans should have a survival kit to take in case of a financial or natural disaster. It should be filled with items that will help them stay alive for the first 72-hours of a crisis, including firearms.

Yet despite their be-prepared approach, BSA leaders are rooting for the change to be a non-event, comparable to another New Year's Day in 2000 when widespread fears of digital-clock chaos to start the new millennium proved unfounded. "My hope is there will be the same effect this January 1 as the Y2K scare," said Brad Haddock, a BSA national executive board member who chairs the policy implementation committee. "It's business as usual, nothing happens and we move forward."

Some churches are dropping their sponsorship of Scout units because of the new policy and some families are switching to a new conservative alternative called Trail Life USA. But massive defections haven't materialized and most major sponsors, including the Roman Catholic and Mormon churches, are maintaining ties.

The new policy was approved in May, with support from 60 percent of the 1,400 voting members of the BSA's National Council. The vote followed bitter nationwide debate, and was accompanied by an announcement that the BSA would continue to exclude openly gay adults from leadership positions.

The decision was made by US District Judge William H Pauley III shortly after US District Judge Richard Leon in Washington ruled that the NSA program “almost certainly” violated the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution against unreasonable searches. Judge Leon actually didn’t go far enough because it “most certainly” violates the Fourth Amendment. This new ruling by Judge Pauley proves without question that this man is mentally ill, a traitor, or he doesn’t know how to read and interpret the English language properly.

In his 50+ page opinion, Judge Pauley stated the following. "There is no evidence that the Government has used any of the bulk telephony metadata it collected for any purpose other than investigating and disrupting terrorist attacks.”

To conclude, US District Judge William H Pauley III is not fit to be in any position of power after making this ruling. If this world was sane he would be removed from the bench but considering how corrupt the federal government is he’ll probably be rewarded for his criminality.

There are even more Syrian refugees in Lebanon, who account for as much as 20 percent of the overall Lebanese population. According to the UN, the official number is a little under 800,000, but "Lebanese authorities say the exact number could be even higher since many of the Syrian refugees are unregistered and undocumented migrants".

A corruption scandal involving senior members of the Erdogan administration, including the Prime Minister, has led to huge protests and calls for Erdogan to step down from office. The scandal could get bigger in the coming weeks. Semih Idiz writes in, "Turkish corruption probe hurts foreign relations":

The massive corruption scandal, involving tens of millions of dollars, which has implicated four key ministers — all of whom have lost their jobs — is moving in a direction that could also involve members of Erdogan’s family, particularly his son Bilal whose name has started being bandied around in the press.

Turkey's policy towards Syria has changed since the war began three years ago, at least on the surface, with officials toning down their warmongering rhetoric, and calling for a ceasefire. Turkey still continues to harbor foreign Jihadists and provides them with medical treatment, housing, arms, and safe passage into Syria.

David Green, director-general of the Serious Fraud Office, said the agency was in the process of an “enormous” investigation into interest rate manipulation, with about a fifth of its staff now working on the inquiry. “I am sure there will be more charges against others,” said Mr Green in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph in which he also acknowledged a rift with the US over the handling of the investigation.

Three men have already been charged by the SFO over allegations they were involved in attempts to rig the benchmark index, including former Citigroup and UBS trader, Tom Hayes. The SFO currently has a team of 60 working on the investigation, out of a total staff of more than 300. US prosecutors had wanted to try Mr Hayes and two former brokers in America. But the SFO charges mean that the men will now face trial in Britain.

The first Libor-linked trials are not due in court until 2015 and are being seen as a major test of the SFO’s ability to prosecute complex banking fraud cases successfully. The Treasury is providing millions of pounds in extra funding for the investigation.

Germany's new grand coalition will take on the country's greatest problems, Chancellor Angela Merkel said at the start of her third term in office. But whoever is waiting for a political sensation will be disappointed. The key challenges of 2014 will be the same as in 2013. The country's sound economic footing will be crucial to the chancellor. Budgetary discipline, a debt ceiling and tightening tax loopholes will all be on the government's list of priorities.

Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble, a member of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), only wants to create about 6 billion euros ($8.2 billion) of new debt in 2014, which would represent the lowest amount of new debt in four decades. The country has committed to doing away with new debt in 2015. Whether the government can fulfill that promise, however, will depend on both tax income and the overall economy continuing to grow.

Stabilizing the eurozone and implementing further reforms will be tasks Merkel is likely to take on herself. Berlin wants the billions of euros it pays to the EU only to be used to bailout countries that adhere to binding austerity and competition measures. If Germany gets its way, these requirements will be written into agreements with the EU commission.

No one has been hurt, say the authorities. Anyone living in a 3km (2 mile) radius will be evacuated. Temporary shelters are being set up in the area. Civil protection authorities say that some 5,000 people live in the area, in San Miguel province. The eruption began at 10:30 local time (16:30 GMT).

The Salvadoran government says it had been monitoring the situation since 13 December, when they detected increased activity inside the volcano.

According to the CDU/SPD Coalition Agreement, the government is more determined than ever to help "shape international policy" and play "a strong autonomous role." Counting on the EU, to couple more tightly its "civilian and military instruments" to intervene globally, the German government will promote EU foreign and military policy at the summit in Brussels later this week.

Designated Foreign Minster, Frank-Walter Steinmeier (SPD), has been actively involved in Berlin's geopolitical climb since he became the Chancellery's coordinator of the German intelligence services in 1998. In 2001, he became Chief of Staff of the Federal Chancellery and played a central role in the German/American coordination in the "War on Terror," which had initially consisted of the abduction and torture of terror suspects.

As a matter of course, Berlin will continue to use humanitarian rights to justify its global hegemonic claims. As the coalition agreement remarks, "in its international missions for human rights, the credibility of the European Union is largely dependent upon how consequently it lives up to its principles and punishes violations on its own territory." The appointment of a foreign minister, who is controversial because of his role in Germany's cooperation in torture practices by the USA's services, speaks volumes.

Obama's words - promising Americans they could keep their doctors under his health care plan - didn’t match his deeds. Surprisingly, the same thing is happening on the other side of the world among Arabs in the Middle East and for the same reason.

Too often, Obama’s speeches and actions don’t match. "We are glad the Americans are here," said Ahmed al-Ibrahim, an adviser to some of Saudi Arabia's royals and officials, when I met with him recently, "but we fear that the president has lost credibility after Syria."

The Saudi official is referring to Obama’s “red line” vow of military action if the Syrian dictator Bashir Assad used chemical weapons against his own people. Assad did and Obama didn’t. Saudi officials were stunned. Next came the revelation earlier this year that Obama was secretly negotiating with Iran, the mortal enemy of both Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Officials in both nations have told me that they simply don't believe that the president can sweet-talk the mullahs out of the weapons they have coveted for years. “The bond of trust between America and Saudi Arabia has been broken in the Obama years," al-Ibrahim said. "We feel we have been stabbed in the back by Obama."

"We remain confident that PIN numbers are safe and secure," said a statement issued by Molly Snyder, a spokeswoman for the company hit by the November-December data breach.

According to the company, Target does not have access to nor does it store the encryption key within its computer systems. When a Target customer uses a debit card in one of the company's stores and enters his or her PIN, the number is encrypted at the keypad with a widely used security program known as Triple DES, the company said.

Triple DES is the common name for the Triple Data Encryption Algorithm, a standard designed to thwart efforts to crack encrypted data. The PIN data can only be decrypted when it is received by the company's external payment processor, Target said.

"What this means is that the 'key' necessary to decrypt that data has never existed within Target's system and could not have been taken during this incident," the company said, adding, "the most important thing for our guests to know is that their debit card accounts have not been compromised due to the encrypted PIN numbers being taken."

About 600 people were in the lot, fighting and jumping on cars. Many did not have movie tickets, said Jacksonville Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Lauri-Ellen Smith. Smith said 62 officers were brought in to disperse the crowd, using pepper spray and other tactics. There were no reports of gunfire or serious injuries. Among the five arrested were three juveniles, an 18-year-old, and a 19-year-old.

More than 400 crazed teens — who mistakenly thought the rapper Fabolous would perform — erupted into brawls all over Kings Plaza Shopping Center in Mill Basin on Thursday at 5 pm, sources said. The troublemakers looted and ransacked several stores as panicked shoppers ran for the exits and clerks scrambled to pull down metal gates.

“I was begging them to stop. There were a lot of kids, hundreds of kids. [Security] would chase them out one door and they would come back in another door,” said Abu Taleb, 31, a clerk at the kiosk Candy Plaza 2. “I’ve been here seven years, and I have never seen anything like this before.”

Some of the teens staged a game of “knockout” on the top floor — and one may have been carrying a gun, sources said. “They were playing the ‘knockout’ game,” said Shante, a 21-year-old perfume merchant, in reference to a violent trend in which teens try to knock out an unsuspecting victim with a single punch.