No Timetable On 76ers Come Back For NBA Top Pick Simmons

Gold Coin Worth £250,000 Discovered In Child’s Pirate Treasure Box

An 18th-century gold coin valued at about £250,000 ($304,025 USD) has been found in a child’s pirate treasure collection.

As a child, the anonymous owner had been handed the rare Queen Anne Vigo five guinea piece by his grandfather.

He kept it in his toy box for pirate games with no inkling of its value, until it was stored away and forgotten about.

However, he rediscovered the coin and gave it to his own son to play with when his grandad died. It was in his sons possession until experts told him it was one of 20 coins made of gold. These were taken from Spanish treasure ships in Vigo Bay, Spain, in 1702.

“My grandad travelled all over the world during his working life and collected many coins from the various countries he had been to,” the man said.

He said that his grand dad gave him bags of coins to play with during his early years. His grandfather knew he was into pirate treasure.

The coins were stored into boxes and bags and were forgotten until he rediscovered them following his grand dads death.

The man looked back at the coins, recalling the stories he made up about them when he was little. He then gave the coins to his own son to play with and put into his own treasure box. His son has been playing with it as he did all those years ago.

After suspecting the coin might be worth something, the man from Bishop’s Stortford, Essex eventually brought it to experts.

Since the coin was one of fewer than 15 known examples, Gregory Tong of Boningtons auctioneers, immediately recognized its value.

The coin is expected to draw up to £250,000 at auction next month.

The coins were made out of treasure seized by the British fleet. They were discovered in 1703 as part of a propaganda campaign to take away attention from the British failure at Cadiz the previous year.

The treasure was transferred through London and accepted at the Royal Mint by then Master of the Mint, Sir Isaac Newton.

 

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iPhone 7 Shortage to Cause Huge Profit Loss for Apple

A miscalculation for the demand of iPhone 7 Plus this Holiday Season caused Apple to lose a huge amount of profits. Apple Inc. forecasted demand of the particular model fell short this year, unaware of the number of people who intends to buy their iPhone 7 Plus.

According to Mariann Montagne, Apple’s projected value of demands for the holiday quarter fell from 38% to 38.5%, but the actual value is at 39%. Montagne is the senior investment analyst and portfolio manager at Gradient Investments.

The reason for the surge of consumers who wanted to get their hand on the newest, biggest smartphone out in the market is not yet apparent. The company is looking at the customers they gained after the failed launched of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7. These are the unanticipated numbers of consumers which they had gained over their rival company.

Luca Maestri, Apple Chief Financial Officer said in a Reuters interview that it was “impossible to know” the effect of the Galaxy Note 7 recall.

Earlier in this month, Samsung recalled all of their Galaxy Note 7 handsets because of the battery defects which caused the explosions. Based on the South Korean company investigation, Note 7s are even more vulnerable to catch fire when it is charging. The company ultimately stopped the production their Note 7s.

Holiday shopping spree

Apple’s Chief Executive, Tim Cook said on Tuesday that the company is uncertain if they can mass produce the iPhone 7 Plus. The demand is too high to furnish the remaining order in time for the Christmas shopping rush. Furthermore, Maestri added that “We cannot fulfill all the demand that is out there right now,”

Cook said that the company is overwhelmed by the imminent demand, “particularly on the iPhone 7 Plus versus our forecast going into the product launch”, as the company compares their projected assessment prior to the launch. He also added that the company will just need to manage to the smaller version of the handset model, the iPhone 7.

Disappointed Investors

In the mobile business world, “the bigger phones bring bigger profits” is the magic formula for success.

In the quarterly earnings report on Tuesday, Apple’s investors raised their concern over the company’s miscalculations on the demand. John Jackson, an IDC analyst said, “You’re not able to get that product into the hands of the person who wants it right here, right now. Those are dollars not in your hands.”

On September 7, California-based Company, Cupertino launched its newest iPhones. The iPhone 7 Plus model has a 5.5-inch (14 cm) dual camera on the back, the first kind of its breed. It features a better quality for portrait shots and can be zoomed further away.

Jan Dawson, the analyst for Jackdaw Research said, “It’s inherently tough to know how things like new finishes and features are going to affect demand for a new model”.

According to him, Apple is still learning how the consumer reacts to new features of larger and smaller phones. This was apparent when the company produced only two competitive sizes back in 2014.

Quality over quantity

For analysts, rushing mass production of the unit would be difficult if not nearly impossible. Trip Chowdhry, the managing director of Global Equities Research said that the “company cannot contract new suppliers, hire more workers and open factories overnight”.

He also added, “You can’t just shoot iPhones out of an assembly line at the speed of a bullet”. While pointing out that, “Apple does things to perfection. There is no need to rush and create an inferior product the way Samsung did.”

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Cannabis Startup Eaze Rolls Up Another $13m in Funding

Investors continue to gain confidence in the cannabis industry despite its federally illegal status. In California, where medical marijuana has been legal for two decades, the startup company Eaze has shown incredible promise since its initial launch in 2014, having already raised $25 million in seed capital and series A and B funding rounds. The recent series B round was officially closed on October 24, 2016 and tallied an impressive $13 million, a figure practically unheard of within the cannabis industry. While some consider Eaze more of a tech startup than a cannabis startup, they wouldn’t be in business were it not for the demand, plentiful supply, and socially acceptable nature of medical marijuana in the state of California.

An App That Connects Medical Marijuana Customers to Local Dispensaries for Delivery Service

With the help of a smartphone and the Eaze app, medical marijuana customers can order their choice of smokable marijuana products or choose from a selection of edibles. Eaze then connects users to a local dispensary which provides delivery service in around 15 minutes. This business model allows Eaze to avoid the legal ramifications and licensing required to directly handle marijuana. The idea seems to be catching on, as several additional startups are following in Eaze’s marketing path.

Marijuana’s “Semi Legal” Status No Longer a Deterrent to Investors

Although still federally illegal, the changing climate towards full legalization in Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska has helped soften the overall perspective towards marijuana investments. Billionaire and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel’s $75 million holding company for businesses within the cannabis industry has also drawn the attention of previously skeptical investors. Legal concerns expressed by Google and Apple (who have restricted the presence of the Eaze app within their online stores) do not seem to be deterring investors either. Eaze’s series A and B investors included Fresh VC and DCM Ventures. The rapper Snoop Dog got involved in Series A funding through his weed fund known as “Casa Verde Capital”.

An Already Expanding Industry Poised to Explode With Growth

As of October 2016, Eaze has expanded its services to almost 100 cities in the state of California. The cannabis industry as a whole is expected to expand from its current status as a $7 billion industry to $50 billion by the year 2026. Proposition 64, which would legalize recreational marijuana use for all adults over the age of 21 in California, is on the November 8th ballot. Should Proposition 64 pass, the industry is almost certain to explode at an even more dramatic rate, as California is said to contain the largest marijuana market in the country. Early investors within the cannabis industry indeed seem poised to make incredible amounts of money in a short period of time.

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Rome’s historic buildings shaken as earthquake hits central Italy

Rome’s historic center has been shaken by a strong earthquake which has struck central Italy.

One resident who lives near St Peter’s Square said she “felt the apartment shaking and the walls cracking”.

It is not yet known if there are any casualties from the earthquake which measured 5.4 on the Richter scale but there are reports of terrified residents fleeing their apartments.

Tremors were felt from Perugia to Rome, and also in the town of L’Aquila which was hit by an earthquake in 2009.

It comes just two months after an earthquake in the same area killed nearly 300 people and destroyed hilltop villages of Amatrice and a number of small towns in the region.

That more powerful quake measured 6.2 on the Richter scale.

Italy’s National Vulcanology Centre said the epicentre of today’s earthquake was close to Macerata, 50 miles south east of Perugia in central Italy and about 80 miles away from Rome.

The quake struck at 7.11pm local time and eyewitnesses reported centuries old buildings shaking in the tremors which lasted for several seconds.

The mayor of Castel Santangelo Sul Nera, close to the quake’s epicentre, said: “We’re without power, waiting for emergency crews.We can’t see anything. It’s tough. Really tough.”

Software developer Arcangelo Vicedomini, who lives outside Rome, tweeted: “Earthquake in Italy, 5.6 Richter, epicenter 66 km south of Perugia. In Nettuno chandeliers are dancing.”

Worried mother Vanda Wilcox tweeted: “Another big earthquake. Epicentre near Perugia, made the house shake hugely here, frightened us enough to get baby up & go out.”

The quake’s intensity was first measured at an intensity of 5.6 but that number was later revised to 5.4 by the US Geological Survey which said it had a ‘relatively shallow’ depth of only seven miles.

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Women Protests Against Man Who Wrote Letter to Newspaper About Yoga Pants

A male reader found that tight fitting pants were the least of his concerns. He woke up to a mass of people picketing his home and throngs chastising him on social media. This happened after he sent a letter to a Rhode Island broadsheet criticizing women who wear yoga pants in public.

Alan Sorrentino, 63, described yoga pants as ridiculous looking, tacky, and stinky in his letter to the Barrington Times. This is a small newspaper claiming a readership of 5,000.

In the letter, which was published on Wednesday, he wrote that yoga pants do nothing to compliment a woman over 20 years old.

Multitudes of netizens made their feelings clear on Twitter and Facebook on Monday when the letter was posted on news sites around the world.

In an interview with Providence radio station WPRO, Sorrentino said that he had received death threats. He said that the threats were similar to those he had received in the past as an openly gay man.

He also asked protesters to stay calm in the interview.

During Sunday’s “Yoga Pants Parade,” several people demonstrated past Sorrentino’s house waving placards that say, “love yourself” and “we wear what we want.”

Protest organizer Jamie Burke, 40, said it had a broader meaning than yoga pants.

Burke said that the protest was not about a group of ladies marching around for their right to wear yoga pants. It was men and women fighting against the policing of women’s bodies and casual sexism.

But Sorrentino looks at the protesters from a different perspective.

Letter was a satire

He told the radio station that the protesters should take a good look at themselves. Moreover, they should do a little self-contemplation, and just calm down and leave people alone. And If they have something to say, then just write it down and not terrorize people in their homes.

Sorrentino claimed the letter was a satire but Burke said she was not amused.

“The tone of the letter was just not funny,” said Burke, whose family accompanied her at the parade.

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Kevin Durant loss to Spurs: “It’s a slap in the face. It woke us up a bit”

Kevin Durant recently joined the biggest story in NBA, the Golden State Warriors. Will the Warriors set another win after Durant joined the team? Will they recover after its loss against Cleveland Cavaliers?

All questions cannot be answered in one game, but the result of the first game in the NBA regular season last Tuesday at Oracle Arena proves that the Warriors remain a work in progress.

The visiting San Antonio Spurs dominated The Golden State Warriors with a score of 100-129. Spurs won their first game without Tim Duncan in season 20. It’s still early to predict the result of the season, but the loss of the Warriors shows they need to work more to reach the championships.

2014 MVP Kevin Durant led his new team, the Warriors 27 points (11-of-18 FG, 1-of-3 3FG, 5-of-6 FT) in 37 minutes. KD showed his dominance scoring anywhere in the court and coup up with Warrior’s infamous ball movement and spacing. Durant made 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and blocks displaying his all-around skills.

Last season, the Warriors were in a hot mess, displaying poor defense especially with its last game with San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs encountered little resistance getting 20 offensive rebounds.

The new-look Spurs won with no resistance, even without its legendary player Tim Duncan. Paul Gasol was quiet with just 2 points and 4 rebounds in 18 minutes. The Spurs closed the first quarter with a huge double digit lead. They reached a 28 point lead early in the fourth quarter. The team kept Curry and Thompson on the bench for a late-game rest.

Warriors would sure hit the night’s headlines, but the Spurs definitely deserve lots of credits after its terrific win. Kawhi Leonard a top-level MVP candidate ended up with a career-high 25 points on 15-of-15 shooting from the line, 5 rebounds, 5 steals and 3 assists. LaMarcus Aldridge showed an amazing performance with 26 points and 14 rebounds.

San Antonio controlled the game any time the Golden State sat two members of their foursome star players.

Jonathan Simmons made an outstanding mark on Tuesday, finishing 6 shots with 20 points on 8-of-13 from the field. The one-time journeyman made the San Antonio roster in 2015 after the Las Vegas Summer League.

Head coach Steve Kerr did not take his first blowout loss too hard, “We weren’t energized to start the game. We took for granted that things would go well.”

Although Durrant and Curry scored 18 points in the first half, Thompson and Green had a rough start.

Blowout loss or not, the game had its thrilling moments especially with Durant’s first game with the Warriors.

The Golden State Warriors will have to prove themselves again this Friday against the New Orleans Pelicans. It’s hard to tell if Golden State’s fearsome foursome would lead the team to the championships, but surely they need to work more as a team.

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Job Position in China Lure Almost 10,000 Applicants

A job opening in China has lured close to 10,000 candidates. It’s not an important position with a famous tech company like Tencent or Alibaba. Instead, the throngs of applicants are actually enthusiastic to become an office worker for a feeble political party.

The deadline to register for China’s civil service exams was Monday. According to state media, it brought in more than 1 million applications. The entrants have to choose the jobs they’re interested in when they enlist for the annual exams.

Central government positions in China are popular because of their substantial benefits and steady income. More importantly, they can lead to admission to the Chinese Communist Party, which brings additional status. These positions are often described as the “golden rice bowl”.

However, the most coveted job among this year’s hopefuls is more unheard of. A record-breaking 9,504 people had shown interest in the position of head of the reception office of the China Democratic League in Beijing by late Monday.

Phony political parties

Aside from the ruling Communist Party, the league is one of the eight official political organizations in China. Detractors say they are bogus parties that exist only so Chinese leaders can argue the country isn’t a one-party state.

According to state media, the hoards of candidates who aspire to work for the China Democratic League likely aren’t too eager about the job’s responsibilities. Those duties involve arranging meetings, preparing for events, and working in the party’s reception service. The interest probably comes from the job’s comparatively eased requirements for a civil service position in a major city. According to the official recruitment site, applicants only need a bachelor’s degree and two years of work experience.

Chinese Academy of Governance professor Zhu Lijia told the state-run newspaper China Daily that people tend to go with the principle of economics when they make choices. They want their advantages maximized. “It is natural for them to choose jobs with better benefits, more opportunities for development and good locations.”

Even in India, civil service positions that appear to be mundane are also highly in demand. In fact, 2.3 million people in one state applied for 368 positions as night guards or tea servers last year.

 

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Philippine President Duterte Guarantees Japan; No Military Alliance with China

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has arrived in Tokyo for a three-day talk about economic and other shared interest with Japan, and also to assure Japan that his recent visit to Beijing last week was about building economic ties.

Outspoken President Duterte’s visit to Japan comes with harsh statements against its long-time ally the United States, threatening he might abrogate defense treaties.

Last week the President announced his “separation” from the United States. Nevertheless, after a few days, he explained that he was not “severing” ties. Further, he insisted he was merely pursuing independent foreign policy.

His aggressively confusing statements poses a worry for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is strengthening  ties with Washington while building security relations with Manila and other Southeast Asian countries to counter China’s military activities.

The President said in a Japanese Business Forum, “You know I went to China for a visit. And I would like to assure you that all there was, was economics. We did not talk about arms. We avoided talking about alliances…”

“We did not talk about arms. We did not talk about the stationing of troops.”
Telling Japan is a “long-standing friend and ally.”

President Duterte said he does not want to fight with his neighbors. However, he released a statement saying he is not a “dog on a leash” and added to cancel Philippines’ defense pacts with the United States.

“I have declared that I will pursue an independent foreign policy. I want, maybe in the next two years, my country free of the presence of foreign military troops. I want them out,” he added. “And if I have to revise or abrogate agreements, executive agreements, this shall be the last maneuver, war games between the United States and the Philippines military.”

For the past 2 months, the President has threatened to abrogate defense agreements with the United States.

President Duterte’s relationship with Beijing poses a threat for both Tokyo and Washington.

Former Philippine President Benigno Aquino angered China by lodging an arbitration case in The Hague. It was a formal challenge to the legitimacy of China’s maritime claim in the South China Sea. Earlier this year, a ruling came out in favor of Manila. It was immediately rejected by China, with warnings to Tokyo and Washington to stay out of the feud.

Japan an ‘old reliable friend’

The President is also expected to have bilateral talks with PM Shinzo Abe, and sought to assure that his friendship was firm despite his row with Washington.

“We would like to make the guarantee that we will also be a partner in the player of maritime safety, maritime security in the China Sea and that we would like to avoid at all costs violence because … we have to resolve it peacefully and in accordance with international law,” said President Duterte.

“Japan is an old and reliable friend of the Philippines. This is a special friendship we hope to keep and continue.”

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Trump: WWIII Possible with Clinton’s Policy on Syria

Republican candidate, Donald Trump delivered another controversial statement regarding the Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton. Trump pointed out that going with Clinton’s standpoint in Syria may possibly start World War Three.

Clinton’s foreign policy includes persuasive talks with the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down from the position and a “no-fly-zone”. The latter policy can definitely result to conflicts with the Russian jets, which in the last few weeks had been bombarding Syria with air strikes.

Catastrophic Strategy

Trump believed otherwise, he recommends that the US should concentrate on defeating the Islamic state in its entirety. He said, “You’re going to end up in World War Three over Syria if we listen to Hillary Clinton”.

The Republican candidate’s tone suggested a very catastrophic message in condemning Clinton’s strategic plan in controlling Syrian air space. Trump stated, “You’re not fighting Syria anymore. You’re fighting Syria, Russia, and Iran, all right?

Trump also deliberated the Democratic candidate’s relationship with Russia. He pointed out Clinton’s harsh criticism of the Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also said that if Clinton is made president on November 8, “how is she going to go back and negotiate with this man who she has made to be so evil”?

Adding to his disapproval of Clinton’s remarks over Russia, Trump said: “Russia is a nuclear country, but a country where the nukes work as opposed to other countries that talk.”

Furthermore, Trump also criticized his fellow Republicans who backed down from supporting his candidacy. He said in an interview with Reuters at Trump National Doral golf resort in Miami, Florida, “If we had party unity, we couldn’t lose this election to Hillary Clinton,”

“Playing to Americans’ fears”

The Democratic Party group shrugged off Trump’s criticism, rebutting that the presidential candidate received disapproval from both the Republican and Democratic national security experts to be the next head of the state.

Clinton’s camp defended their standard bearer by saying that Trump is “playing to Americans’ fears”.

Jesse Lehrich, Clinton’s spokesman sad, “Once again, he is parroting Putin’s talking points and playing to Americans’ fears, all while refusing to lay out any plans of his own for defeating ISIS or alleviating humanitarian suffering in Syria”.

No-Fly-Zone

Trump’s statement about Clinton’s proposal of the “no-fly-zone” over Syrian air space came from a conference held last month. The highest-ranking military officer in the Armed Forces believed that the suggested policy will definitely lead to war with Russia.

General Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Marine told the senate, “Right now, senator, for us to control all of the airspace in Syria it would require us to go to war, against Syria and Russia,”

He then assured the Senate Arms Services Committee, “That’s a pretty fundamental decision that certainly I’m not going to make.”

Clinton provided her approval for the policy during the debate in Nevada on October 20. She said, “A no-fly zone can save lives and hasten the end of the conflict”.

However, her leaked email circulated by Wikileaks stated the contrary. In a 2013 communication to Wall Street firm Goldman Sachs, Clinton’s was fully aware that the no-fly zone would “kill a lot of Syrians”.

Her policy over the Syrian airspace strongly contradicts the standpoint of President Barack Obama. It will also largely expand US involvement in the war-stricken country. The policy also indicates the need to take out Syrian air defenses which are strategically located in populated areas. The confrontation between the two countries will result in countless civilian lives lost.

Trump’s election dilemma

In the past few weeks, Trump had been bombarded with sexual harassment allegations. Also, he accused the media of despairingly reporting to rig the votes against him.

Nevertheless, Trump, determined as ever, said, “The people are very angry with the leadership of this party because this is an election that we will win 100% if we had support from the top. I think we’re going to win it anyway.”

With just two weeks before the On November 8 election, America will choose its 45th president. The Republican flag bearer is still behind Clinton in the recent polling surveys.

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Amazon Strengthens Paris Express Delivery Service With New Alliances

To expand the product range of its Prime Now express delivery service in Paris and its suburbs, Amazon is partnering with wine retailer Lavinia, luxury food group Fauchon, and organic food chain Bio c’Bon, the online retailer said on Wednesday.

The deal will put in 5,000 more food products to Amazon Prime Now’s selection of 18,000 products in Paris. Further, the deal comes as Carrefour aims to compete with Amazon Prime Now. The French retailer started testing this month its own express delivery service named Livraison in a number of Paris stores.

In recent years, Amazon has been intensifying its activity in France as speed delivery has turned into a new arena among retailers hoping to improve sales.

Amazon Prime Now was introduced in Paris in June 2016. Members get the benefit of faster delivery by paying a yearly subscription of 49 euros. Members then get a choice of paying 5.90 euros if they want their products delivered within one hour. They can get it for free within two hours if they order at least 20 euros worth of products.

Amazon said in a statement that the deals with Lavinia and Bio c’Bon are effective immediately. Fauchon, on the other hand, will join Prime Now in November.

This collaboration will bring a wider range of products, including fresh deli products, meat, wine, spirits, vegetables and fresh fruits to customers.

Extremely popular in Paris

Amazon.fr General Manager Frederic Duval said that the four-month-old Amazon Prime Now service had already seen “very strong demand” in Paris and was fully on course with the volumes targeted. However, it was still too early to say if Amazon would offer the same service to other big French cities.

Prime Now was first introduced on December 2014 in New York City. It has expanded to several other major U.S cities since then. Presently, customers in European cities such as London, Berlin, Madrid, and Milan can enjoy its services as well.

 

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Attorney General: No Ongoing Investigation On Singer Timberlake For Ballot Selfie

A local district attorney said on Tuesday that there is no ongoing investigation on pop star Justin Timberlake for posting a selfie in a polling station on social media. This after Tennessee officials said hours earlier that a probe was under way.

Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich said she is out of town at a conference. No one in her office is presently looking into the matter nor will be using their limited means to do so, she added.

A representative for Timberlake did not respond to requests for comment.

With the latest hullabaloo over so-called ballot selfies, the actor and singer seemed to have violated Tennessee election law when he posted the photo.

Timberlake posted the photo on Monday with a caption saying that he had traveled to his hometown of Memphis from Los Angeles to participate in early voting ahead of the November 8 election.

Part of the caption on the photo says, “Get out and VOTE! #exerciseyourrighttovote.” It was posted on Instagram, where he has more than 37 million followers.

Tennessee law forbids voters from recording or taking videos or photographs inside a polling station.

The propagation of social media and cellphone cameras has created disagreements in states that have laws against taking photos within polling booths and sharing photos of marked ballots.

The laws aim to put off voter intimidation and any slow down of the voting process. However, in some cases, the laws predate the social media age.

The Law is unconstitutional

In Michigan, a federal court on Monday sided with a man who said that the law there prohibiting voters from taking photos of their marked ballots infringed on his constitutional right to free speech. The court stopped implementation of the law.

Meanwhile, two voters in Colorado filed a complaint on Monday looking to reverse a law there that outlawed the showing of an accomplished ballot to others. They argued that the sanction was unconstitutional.

 

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NATO Calls On Allies To Help Boost Defense On Eastern Flank

NATO prepares for a long-drawn-out dispute with Moscow and will urge its allies on Wednesday to support the alliance’s most extensive military build-up on Russia’s borders since the Cold War.

Russia’s aircraft carrier is heading towards Syria in a show of force along Europe’s shores. This development raised concern among NATO leaders. Hence, the alliance plans to follow on their promise in July to deploy forces to eastern Poland and the Baltic states from early next year.

Hoping for binding assurances from Europe, the United States expects to fill four battle groups of about 4,000 troops. This is part of NATO’s response to the occupation of Crimea by Russia in 2014.

The United States, Britain, Canada and Germany’s four battle groups expects France, Italy, Denmark and other allies to join them. The allies are heading to Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia with forces consisting of armored infantry to drones.

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO’s Secretary-General, said that the commitments would send a strong message about the alliance’s transatlantic bond. Further, it would also send a similar message to US presidential candidate Donald Trump. The Republican contender has criticized European allies about not paying their way in the alliance.

The battle group would be supported by NATO’s 40,000-strong rapid reaction force. In addition, for any potential conflict, more follow-on forces could deploy into Poland and Baltic states on rotation if needed.

The US-led alliance’s plans, for Moscow, are already “overkill” in view of Russia’s tribulations at NATO’s expansion eastwards.

But Stoltenberg denied going too far. “This is a credible deterrence, not to provoke a conflict but to prevent conflict,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

Russia’s withdrawal from several nuclear disarmament agreements the past two months while sending nuclear-capable missiles to its Baltic territory in Kaliningrad have given next year’s deployments greater significance.

NATO officials refused to disclose if Russia had moved nuclear warheads to Kaliningrad. Nevertheless, the so-called Iskander-M cruise missiles can strike targets across Poland and the Baltics.

Relationship between the East and the West has been deteriorating since Crimea and the West’s resolution to carry out retaliatory sanctions. However, recent US accusations that Russia has utilized cyber attacks to unsettle the presidential elections preceded by the breakdown of a US-Russia brokered ceasefire in Syria have marked a severe decline of East-West relations.

 

 

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