Syria unrest: Assad forces continue onslaught in Aleppo

Battle

the second largest city of Syria intensifies as the Assad regime claims to have eradicated rebel attack in Damascus

anti-regime guerillas fought to prevent an attack by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo on Sunday as the government said it had defeated a rebel attack on Damascus.

Despite days of clashes in the south-west of the second largest city of Syria, a decisive battle is about to begin. The rebels are in control of a crescent-shaped area of ??the east, south and focused on suburban Salahedine.

The Free Syrian Army (FSA) has created a network of checkpoints in neighborhoods controlled by young activists, many of whom are very nervous. It is planted in a large part of the country, north of the city, which came on July 20, and the troops to be used against the peoples of regime in these areas reinforcements in Aleppo.

Many residents fled the city by Turkey of the rebel advance. Many of those who fled to Damascus when fighting peaked over a week back yet, the citizens most affected areas, including Qabboun and Midan told the Guardian on Sunday evening. "He is not back to normal, not even close," said a man. "This Ramadan is the worst ever. Again all afraid to rejoice."

Monday morning, reported the Reuters news agency that the regime claimed to have recovered parts of Aleppo. "Complete control was Salahedine [recovered] these mercenary killers" unidentified military officer allegedly told Syrian state television. "In a few days, security will return to the city of Aleppo."

Reuters said it could not confirm the report and the Observatory of the opposition pro-Syrian Human Rights said fighting continued in Salahuddin.

• Syrian forces were collecting weapons and troops on the outskirts of Aleppo, many parts of which are expected to remain loyal to the regime. The Foreign Minister Walid Moualem said Sunday the rebel fighters had been expelled from the suburbs of Damascus had been maintained for more than 10 days. During a visit to Iran, said rebel campaign Moualem: ".. Then they moved to Aleppo I assure their plots will fail"

The next battle is considered by both parties as a crucial step in the uprising. The rebels have progressed without heavy weapons had been begging, apparently trying to capitalize on the momentum gained during the attack in Damascus attacked a government intelligence center that killed four generals who had organized the regime's repression .

A rebel commander military province of Aleppo Boustan Alkasr said shelling continued throughout the week. The commander, who declined to be identified, was pessimistic about the chances of FSA repel repeated attacks. "The FSA has hundreds of troops stationed in Aleppo and across a major force in the area of ??about 2,000," he said. "Regime has 100 tanks, specifications, and about 400 troop carriers and other armored vehicles. they also 43 bus Shabiha [militants] were conducted in Aleppo, with about 1,500 soldiers. helicopters and the regime. "

The commander said that if the opposition could have access to heavy weapons be "two or three years" to defeat the military machine Assad. He did not believe that Damascus led a frontal attack on a large scale in Aleppo, but bomb the areas controlled by the rebels of the sky. He added that the warplanes flew over the city government, not to launch rockets, but to frighten the residents -. Tens of thousands of them fled

rebel groups in the city have difficulty communicating. They have walkie-talkies, but the regime has cut off communications with the Internet and other erratic.

In Aleppo, the dwellers FSA said support Syrian uprising, but complained of a lack of fuel and bread, and were terrified by the constant presence of helicopters.

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US pair lift off in attempt to break cluster balloon flight record

United States

Kent Couch and Iraqi winger Lafta Fareed put off Oregon in chairs attached to helium balloons

Two men sitting on chairs attached to a group of 350 helium balloons lifted skyward Oregon Saturday in an attempt to beat the Guinness world record for the longest two men in a balloon cluster .

An estimated crowd of over 1,000 spectators attended Kent Couch and his wingman Fareed Lafta in Iraq took off from the parking lot of the Stop & Go Couch Mini Mart in Bend, Oregon.

They pulled into a clear sky with light winds. Half an hour later, they were a little red dot, white and blue in the northeast of the curve, the drift towards Idaho. The couple has a parachute.

"is a pre-flight for our trip to Iraq to bring more awareness to orphans," Couch said before the flight.

Lafta said contacted him a year ago and asked him to accompany a group balloon ride to raise money for children orphaned by the war in Iraq.

Couch, who hopes to Montana on the flight Lafta asked to choose a comfortable chair and join him.

"Many people have contacted me over the years about the plane, but Fareed was by far the most sincere," said Couch.

• "I went to the orphanage with him and I saw the children there. Fareed And it also has a lot of experience skydiving. Now I have someone with whom share my experiences in flight. "

Flights Couch previous
have up to 235 miles in 2008. He hopes GO 500 miles on Saturday and save the feat with Guinness World Record.

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While Colorado burns, Washington fiddles | Bill McKibben

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George Osborne demands massive cuts to windfarm subsidies

greenest government PM "Never argue undermined by the decision of the chancellor, which adjusts the pressure Conservatives

plans to reduce public subsidies for onshore wind farms are being developed by the Treasury, in a move that seriously undermines the request of David Cameron to run "the greenest government ever" .

The

Observer

learned that George Osborne require 25% reductions of subsidies, reduction of the industry called "kill dead" development wind sites. The position of the Treasury has the Chancellor disagrees with the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey Energy Secretary, whose party supports renewable energy.

Osborne, whose reputation took a dive after his widely criticized budget and a subsequent series of U-turns, has been strong pressure from Conservative MPs to reduce the billions of dollars spent on green commitments.

In February more than 100 Conservative backbenchers wrote to the Prime Minister demanding reductions of 400 million pounds per year of public subsidies for wind farms they see as a test of Lib Dem too much influence on coalition politics. A prominent opponent of onshore wind is the Duke of Edinburgh, who had described the turbines unnecessary and I think it will never work.

Tim Yeo, Conservative chairman of the all-party energy and climate change select committee, said the Treasury and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), directed by Davey fulfill different objectives. "This is an example of attempts to stimulate renewable energy DECC are hampered by the intervention of the Treasury," he said. "The way to deal with it - and savings on the Treasury wants to achieve - is to have more renewable energy on earth, requiring subsidy levels, and the Mar Menor, which requires more We need to change balance. ".

Critics accuse the Chancellor foot please Conservatives who do not want turbines constructed in their constituencies, saying it could harm their chances of reelection. They argue that the cuts did not make economic sense, because there are alternatives, such as the location of offshore wind would be much more expensive. "This is an irresponsible act of political opportunism by a chancellor willing to increase their popularity among backbenchers," said Juliet Davenport, CEO of renewable energy electricity supplier good.

However, Chris Heaton-Harris, a Conservative MP who led the campaign for cuts without portfolio, said he was very busy. "I see a dramatic cut," he said, arguing that onshore wind was expensive compared to gas and fuel shortages increase.

However, proponents of wind energy at the point of rising gas prices and air pollution and climate change benefits of renewable energy technologies, including onshore wind is cheaper.

"cookie is dead to kill the deployment of renewable energy technologies cheaper if you are really concerned about the cost," said Gordon Edge, director of policy for the industry group RenewableUK. Sources to one of the six major energy companies in the UK, said: "It is perverse - renewable energy is obtained less for your money only makes sense that if you do not like wind farms in their neighborhood." .

• After becoming party leader in 2005, Cameron has adopted the slogan "vote blue, go green", as did the environment a central part of his campaign to modernize the Conservatives. Shortly after entering into a coalition with the Liberal Democrats who promised to lead the "greenest government ever", adding that "nowhere in the longer term decisions that really needed in the areas of energy and climate change and the environment. "
• But Osborne has made it clear he does not believe that the green agenda can remain a priority when money is short and the deficit must be reduced. With his own political fortunes in the slide, the Conservatives believe they may have to support their fight against the green countryside. This year, the government angry environmentalists by announcing plans to reduce subsidies for solar energy, a move strongly condemned the industry.

There are more than 3,000 wind turbines in the countryside in the UK and the debate has become increasingly polarized over the past two years, with a tripling of local opposition. However, a large majority of the population is in favor of wind energy, even if you put a few miles from his home.

The Treasury declined to comment, but a spokesman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change, which administers the grant program, said: "It is vital that our support for electricity renewable simultaneously stimulates investment and represents value for money for consumers. The government has published new levels of support soon. "

According to some sources, the decision was delayed by the Treasury "drag" the new rates proposed by Davey.

Decc initial proposal in October, delayed by disputes, it was for a reduction of 10% in favor of onshore wind under a program called "renewables obligation" ., but the
Observer

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