China said it sent warplanes into its newly declared maritime air defense zone days after the U.S., South Korea and Japan all sent flights through the airspace in broadening defiance of rules Beijing says it has imposed over the East China Sea. ● China's air force on Thursday sent several fighter jets and an early warning aircraft on normal air patrols in the zone, the Xinhua agency reported, citing air force spokesman Shen Jinke. The report did not specify exactly when the flights were sent or whether they had encountered foreign military aircraft. The United States, Japan and South Korea have said they have sent military or coast guard flights through the zone without encountering any Chinese response since Beijing announced its creation last week. Shen described Thursday's flights as "a defensive measure and in line with international common practices." He said China's air force would remain on high alert and will take measures to protect the country's airspace. Chinese officials have said commercial flights are unaffected by the new rules.

Japan is ‘prime target’ in China's new air zone: state media

Mark Valencia: Time to regulate air defence zones to prevent conflict ■ From China's perspective, it was simply "levelling the playing field". China has a "right" by international precedent and practice to declare an air defence identification zone to protect its sovereignty over territory and the maritime areas it claims. Moreover, China said the zone rules would not affect normal commercial air traffic, implying that it applies to military aircraft only. [...] The US has five air defence identification zones around North America, including a large one off Alaska and the Aleutian Islands extending several hundreds of kilometres out to sea. In this zone, both foreign civilian and military aircraft are monitored and interrogated. The US zone is jointly administered by civilian air traffic control authorities and the North American Aerospace Defence Command. The US requires any aircraft entering its zone to radio its planned course and destination. Any aircraft in this zone without authorisation may be treated as a threat, potentially leading to interception by fighter aircraft.

John Chan: Tensions escalate over Chinese air defence zone ■ China’s declaration of an ADIZ last weekend was a calculated attempt to challenge Japanese control over the disputed islets, as well as Washington’s backing for Tokyo. It was also aimed against the frequent US military reconnaissance in waters and airspace just off the Chinese mainland. Asia in 2013 is increasingly resembling Europe in 1913. The global crisis of capitalism is greatly exacerbating the tensions between the rival powers that erupted in the barbarism of World War I.

China has sent warplanes to its newly declared air defence zone in the East China Sea, state media reports. ● The vast zone, announced last week, covers territory claimed by China, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. China has said all planes transiting the zone must file flight plans and identify themselves, or face "defensive emergency measures". But Japan, South Korea and the US have all since flown military aircraft through the area. The new dispute in an already tense region has raised concerns it could escalate into an unplanned military incident. China's state news agency Xinhua quoted air force spokesman Col Shen Jinke as saying several fighter jets and an early warning aircraft had been deployed to carry out routine patrols as "a defensive measure and in line with international common practices". He said the country's air force would remain on high alert and would take measures to deal with all air threats to protect national security. In Xinhua's Chinese language version of the article, the colonel said the aircraft would "strengthen the monitoring of targets in the air defence zone and do their duty".

South China Morning Post: Seoul and Tokyo defy China’s air zone as Beijing insists it is in ‘full control’
South China Morning Post: China tells Japan it would ‘consider cancelling air zone in 44 years’
Russia Today: Defiant flights: Japan, S. Korea military planes fly into China's air defense zone
China Daily: Air zone 'not aimed at civilian flights'

Just last night the superstar Israeli hoopster helped the Rockets soar to victory over the growling Grizzlies | Superstar Israeli hoopster Omri Casspi is about to claim another remarkable honor in his stellar career: The White House has invited the Houston Rockets small forward to participate in the Hanukkah candle-lighting ceremony on December 5. Each year, the Obama family has held a reception in honor of Hanukkah at an event featuring kosher food and a long list of dignitaries. Last year's featured members of Cabinet, Congress, two Supreme Court Justices, and other Jewish community leaders: this year will feature, among others, Casspi. Just last night, one day before Hanukkah starts, Casspi brought gratification to the people of Israel and presumably to fans of the Rockets by playing a central role in defeating the Memphis Grizzlies. Casspi's 16 points led the Rockets to soar from a double-digit deficit to a victory of 93-86. Casspi, 25 and towering at 6"9, scored 11 points in the last quarter.

David Duke: The Jewish War on Christmas! ■ Christmas traditions banned—Jewish symbols erected! Every year, the world’s biggest Menorah stands right across from the White House on government property. During the Christmas season Menorahs are displayed on prime public property across the United States. Thousands of Menorahs are placed in front of town halls, federal buildings and schools. The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that Jewish Menorahs are allowed, but Christian-themed scenes and deco-rated crosses must be banned. Even beautiful Christmas carols that have been sung since the earliest days of America are now banned in most schools. Although it may come as a surprise to some Americans, the effort to destroy Christmas traditions has been led by the organized Jewish community. The American Jewish Committee, the American Jewish Congress, the ADL and a host of powerful Jewish groups have led the attack against Christmas. [...] At the same time symbols of the birth of Jesus are torn down, symbols of anti-Christian Judaism are erected. A manger scene of a child being born in the name of love and joy; for peace on earth and goodwill toward men — is banned. And what is it replaced by? A symbol of Hanukkah celebrating the annihilation of Jewish enemies and fostering Jewish resistance to assimilation.

Over the last three years Cafe Palestine Freiburg has been harassed by both major and minor institutions in the City of Freiburg. We took the mayor and also the University of Freiburg, influenced by Holocaust scholar Dr. Schwendemann, to court and won both cases and we also easily survived Henryk M. Broder (infamous German Hasbara-Islamophobe), German Israeli Society and Antideutsche’s attempts to destroy the Cafe’s reputation. But apparently, Zionists and supporters of Israel, still determined to stop us, are now reverting to terror. Yesterday, we hosted Israeli filmmaker Yotam Feldman and his latest documentary " The Lab" – a film that discloses the Israeli military industry and presents Israel, its weapon dealers and death merchants in a very dark light. However, as soon as the screening commenced, we learned that alarm clocks had been planted in the hall, set to go off during the screening in order to evoke panic. Despite this shocking attempt at disruption we decided to continue with the screening. However, once the Q&A session with filmmaker Yotam Feldman was over we found a threatening note attached to one clock: Antisemitismus bleibt nicht ungestört (Anti-semitism will not go unchallenged). This incident has, of course, been reported to the Freiburg police and today it will be decided whether it will be forwarded to a government agency, passed onto the prosecuting authorities or buried in a filing cabinet. But whatever the outcome, it seems that in the light of the current growing affinity between the United Nations and Iran and the downfall of Israeli Hasbara, we are already encountering a new and vile wave of Zionist intimidation.

South Africa's former president claims that his country was asked to help Britain topple Robert Mugabe.
● Tony Blair’s Government asked South Africa to help Britain invadeZimbabwe and topple Robert Mugabe by force, Thabo Mbeki, the former president, has disclosed. When Zimbabwe began sinking into economic collapse and political repression in 2000, South Africa and Britain held starkly different views over how to respond to the crisis. Mr Mbeki favoured a negotiated settlement; Mr Blair wanted Mr Mugabe to go, by force if necessary. “The problem was, we were speaking from different positions,” said Mr Mbeki, who served as South Africa’s president from 1999 until 2008. “There were other people saying ‘yes indeed there are political problems, economic problems, the best way to solve them is regime change. So Mugabe must go’. This was the difference. So they said ‘Mugabe must go’. But we said ‘Mugabe is part of the solution to this problem’.” Mr Mbeki recalled an interview given by Lord Guthrie, who was Chief of the Defence Staff and Britain’s most senior soldier throughout Mr Blair’s first government. In 2007, Lord Guthrie disclosed that “people were always trying to get me to look at” toppling Mr Mugabe by force.

The world's leading Scientists, Physicians, Attorneys, Politicians and Environmental Activists expose the corruption and dangers surrounding the widespread use of Genetically Modified Organisms in the new feature length documentary, "Seeds of Death: Unveiling the Lies of GMOs".

In case you missed this absurd joke, the latest from yarmulke-wearing Rand Paul. On November 12, 2013 Rand Addressed Cadets at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C and gave these incredible comments:

"Amidst the chaos of the Middle East we have always had one friend that never leaves our side-Israel. As an ally, Israel has never wavered. One thing you can know for sure is you will never see an Israeli burning the American flag. America has never backed down from a fight-but we should never be a nation that is eager to get involved in nations' conflicts that work against our own national security. President Eisenhower said: "I have one yardstick by which I test every major problem - and that yardstick is: Is it good for America?" Is our current foreign policy good for America? Is our involvement in Egypt, Syria and Pakistan to our benefit-or our detriment?"

Randy also babbled about "When we finally caught Osama Bin Laden, it was in Pakistan..." The same day Rand gave the speech, Robert Wenzel of EconomicPolicyJournal.com reported that Rand "goes on an insane pro-Israel, militaristic tweeting binge." Last summer, Rand admitted that he visits with Israeli groups daily. As for the claims about 'never burning the American flag,' I guess Rand has never heard of the USS Liberty.