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Use of chemical weapons “red line” for US, Obama warns Syria

US President Barack Obama has issued the toughest warning to his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad, saying the use of chemical or biological weapons by Damascus would be a "red line" that would change his calculus significantly and provoke a foreign military intervention.

"We cannot have a situation where chemical or biologicalweapons are falling into the hands of the wrong people," Obama toldreporters at the White House yesterday.

"We have been very clear to the Assad regime -- butalso to other players on the ground -- that a red line for us is we startseeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilised,"Obama said, outlining for the first time the point at which his administrationcould feel forced to intervene militarily in the Arab country's ragingconflict.

Obama, who has not ordered any armed US intervention yet,said: "We have communicated in no uncertain terms with every player in theregion, that that's a red line for us, and that there would be enormousconsequences if we start seeing movement on the chemical weapons front, or theuse of chemical weapons. That would change my calculations significantly."

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Assange row: hackers attack UK websites

As a diplomatic impasse over the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange continues, a computer hacking group has attacked government websites in protest against Britain's handling of the issue.

PTI
Published Aug 22, 2012, 7:03 AM IST
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Britain says nothing has changed in its commitment toextradite Assange to Sweden to face allegations of sexual offences.Assange, who was granted diplomatic asylum by Ecuador lastweek, addressed his supporters on Sunday and continues to function from itsembassy here.Anonymous, the computer hacking group, is reported to havehacked into the websites of 10 Downing Street, Home Office and the Ministry ofJustice yesterday.However, the websites were working as normal today.The…

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