The United States has imposed new sanctions on Syria, targeting the arms and financial networks of the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
US imposes new sanctions on Assad government
http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/07/21/476310/US-new-sanctions-Assad-government
The Department of the Treasury on Thursday included eight individuals and seven entities to its sanctions blacklist, which aims to cut them out of the global financial system.
The Treasury said the Syrian firm Hesco Engineering and Construction is operating energy production facilities in Syria, and added its Russia-based representatives to the sanctions list.
The Treasury also claimed that Yona Star International and T-Rubber are supplying the Syrian defense ministry, air force and other military bodies from their international offices and slapped sanctions on them.
Sanctions were also imposed on many individuals and businesses involved in international money transfers.
Adam Szubin, Treasury Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said the Assad government is engaged in “destabilizing behavior.”
Syrian forces on Friday took control of a strategic town in the Wadi Barada region near the capital Damascus amid ongoing battles against Takfiri terrorists in the country.
Syrian forces take control of key town near Damascus
http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/07/22/476430/Syria-Damascus-Wadi-Barada
The Syrian army restored security to the town of Harira, northwest of Damascus, a military source told Syria’s official news agency SANA.
The Syrian army and fighters from the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah have been engaged in fighting against Takfiri militants in the northwestern countryside of Damascus since Thursday afternoon.
Terrorists of the al-Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham are present in a number of villages and towns in Wadi Barada, SANA said.
Levi Jonathan Shirley from the US state of Nevada who fought against the Daesh terrorist group alongside the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), was killed on July 14 in Minbic, Syria.
US Citizen Killed Fighting Daesh With Kurdish Forces
http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160721/1043425985/us-ypg-kurds.html
Levi Jonathan Shirley from the US state of Nevada died last week while fighting with Kurdish fighters against the Daesh, the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) said in a Facebook message on Thursday.
"We offer our condolences to the family of martyr Agir Servan [Levi Jonathan Shirley] and to all the Martyr’s families," the message stated.
The message added that Shirley was killed on July 14 in Minbic, Syria.
The Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group with embarked Carrier Air Wing 3 began mission in the support of the US-led coalition against the Daesh from the Persian Gulf.
US Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group Begins Anti-Daesh Operations
http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160722/1043480240/us-navy-eisenhower-daesh.html
The Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group with embarked Carrier Air Wing 3 carried out its first mission in support of the US-led coalition operations against the Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh) from the Persian Gulf, the US Navy said in a press release on Friday.
Between June 28 and July 8, Carrier Air Wing 3 completed 116 sorties from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in support of coalition operations, the Navy noted.
On July 12, the Eisenhower strike group moved from the Eastern Mediterranean to the edge of the Arabian Peninsula.
The strike group is deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the US 5th Fleet area of operations.
The US-led coalition of more than 60 nations has been carrying out airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq since the summer of 2014.
France will send artillery to Iraq and its Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to assist the US-led coalition’s efforts in Syria and Iraq in the coming months, but will not deploy its troops in these countries, French President Francois Hollande said Friday.
France to Send Aircraft Carrier to Aid Coalition Fight Against Daesh
http://sputniknews.com/world/20160722/1043455266/france-charle-caulle-aircraft-fight-daesh-iraq-syria.html
France will also send artillery to Iraq in August to help the Iraqi army fight Daesh terrorists, the President added.
"The Defense Council and I made a decision this morning to provide Iraqi forces with artillery as a part of anti-Daesh efforts. The artillery will be delivered in August," Hollande said.
The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle will be sent to the region in September, the President added.
"The Charles de Gaulle airacrft carrier will arrive in the region by the end of September. It and our Rafale aircraft will allow to intensify our strikes against Islamic State positions in Syria and Iraq," Hollande said in a televised statement.
However, France "will not deploy ground troops," Hollande said.
A US-backed militant group in Syria has given Daesh jihadists 48 hours to leave the key northern city of Manbij, US media reported on Thursday.
Syrian Militant Group Gives Daesh 48 Hours to Leave Syria’s Manbij
http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160722/1043437707/daesh-manbij.html
The so-called Syria Democratic Forces said in its statement, cited by the New York Times newspaper, that Daesh fighters would be allowed to take only light weapons with them.
The ultimatum came two days after reports of civilian killings by US-led coalition airstrikes near the Daesh stronghold. On Wednesday, National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces called on the anti-Daesh coalition to halt the airstrikes amid the alleged killing of "over 125 civilians."
In a gesture reflecting the kinship felt between the diverse array of military men and women tasked with saving Syria, a Russian serviceman from the Hmeymim air base presented a Syrian soldier with Icon of the Resurrection and a ribbon with a prayer inscription, according to Sputnik Arabic.
Two Faiths, One Mission: Syrian Soldier Gets Gift From Russian Serviceman
http://sputniknews.com/world/20160722/1043473123/russia-syria-soldiers-gift.html
A Syrian soldier has received an unusual gift from a Russian serviceman stationed at Hmeymim air base in Syria:
an Icon of the Resurrection and a ribbon with an Orthodox prayer inscribed in it.
The move underscored the fraternity that often exists between Syrians determined to free their country from sadistic extremists and the Russian servicemen who have come to their assistance.
The names of the soldiers were not revealed due to security concerns, Sputnik said, adding that this is not the first example of friendly ties between enlisted men serving in the Syrian and Russian forces fighting terrorism in the region.
In late January 2016, a prominent Syrian sculptor created a bust of the late Russian pilot Oleg Peshkov, whose warplane was downed by a Turkish jet fighter over Syria last year
Eyad Albelal said that by creating the bust, he was extending his condolences to the family of the deceased pilot and expressing his gratitude to Russia for its fight against Daesh terrorists in Syria.
He told Sputnik at the time that it took him a month and a half to finalize the bust, which is made of clay and bronze.
The Pentagon removed from its manual threat of punishment for independent journalists who cover hostilities from both sides of the conflict line.
Pentagon to No Longer Label Independent Journalists as Spies
http://sputniknews.com/us/20160722/1043466258/pentagon-journalists-spies.html
The Pentagon revised its Law of War manual on Friday to remove threat of punishment for independent journalists who cover hostilities from both sides of the conflict line.
The update came a year after the US military faced a barrage of criticism from press organizations for labelling journalists as potential spies and saboteurs, in its first ever legal handbook released for personnel last June.
The Department of Defense said changes had been made to enhance protections of journalists under the law of war. The update is based on input from news media.
The Committee to Protect Journalists, a US nonprofit that advocated the review, said the revised edition allowed journalists to contact enemy forces for journalistic purposes and shifted responsibility for distinguishing between a reporter and a combatant to commanders.
The Pentagon also removed a passage on journalism and spying, which gave the military permission to capture and punish journalists for alleged spying.
Christine Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund, will have to stand trial over her potential involvement in a multimillion-euro government payment to businessman Bernard Tapie, a French court ruled Friday.
IMF Chief Lagarde Will Have to Stand Trial in Tapie Case
http://sputniknews.com/europe/20160722/1043459626/lagarde-trial-imf-court.html
Lagarde was put under investigation in August 2014 for authorizing the payment of 403 million euro ($434 million at the current exchange rate) in an out-of-court settlement to Tapie.
Lagarde is accused of failing to block an arbitration process that ended the longstanding dispute between former state-owned bank Credit Lyonnais and Bernard Tapie, a supporter of then French President Sarkozy.
It is known that the businessman walked away with an initial award of about 285 million euros ($314 million).
At the time, Lagarde served as finance minister in the government of President Nicolas Sarkozy. In December 2015, a French court ordered Lagarde to stand trial for alleged negligence in the affair.
An Indian Air Force plane (AN-32) flying from Tambaram to Port Blair has been missing for more than one hour.
Indian Air Force Jet Disappears From Radars With up to 29 on Board
http://sputniknews.com/asia/20160722/1043445591/indian-jet-off-radars.html
The plane took off at 9 am from Chennai's Tambaram air base. It was on a routine weekly flight for Air Force personnel, local media report.
The Indian Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard have all launched a search operation to locate the missing jet.
India has launched a massive search operation in the Bay of Bengal for a missing AN 32 Indian Air Force plane. A dozen ships have been launched to look for the aircraft.
Massive Search Operation Launched for Missing Indian Air Force Jet
http://sputniknews.com/asia/20160722/1043449519/india-missing-jet-rescue.html
According to the Ministry of Defense, "a full scale search and rescue operation has been launched to look for IAF AN 32, overdue [for arrival] at Port Blair since 11.30 IST."
According to an official statement, Indian Naval Ships Shayadri, Rajput, Ranvijay, Kamorta, Kirch, Karmukh, Kora, Kuthar, Shakti, Jyoti, Gharial and Sukanya have been deployed as part of the search and rescue mission.
Meanwhile, one C 130, one AN 32, two P8 I and two Dornier aircraft have been launched to look for the missing jet.
The AN 32 aircraft reportedly lost contact just 16 minutes after it took off at 8.30 hours (IST) in the morning from Tambaram in Chennai. The search area is some 200 nautical miles east of Chennai. Participants include 29 persons who were on regular courier flights, one person from the coast guard, 11 navy personnel, 3 Air Force pilots and 2 from Andaman command.
This is the second aircraft to have gone missing from Chennai in two years. Last year, the Indian Coast Guard also lost an aircraft in mysterious circumstances. 
Especially since you could actually check it yourself rather easily.
