World AM News Briefs For Friday, 28 April 2017

Hello Australia!! - A xenophobe is caught planning a false flag attack to frame Syrian refugees - United Airlines settles with the abused elderly passenger - Israel hints it struck Hezbollah - And more in your CareerSpot Global News Briefs:

Israel shot down "a target" flying from Syria over the Golan heights.  Patriot missile batteries went into action against what some sources describe as a drone aircraft after an earlier (apparent) Israeli missile strike on what Syrian rebels said was an arms depot run by Lebanon's Hezbollah movement.  Israel rarely confirms these things, however a spokesman said that the events were "consistent" with its policies.  Syria's state news agency confirmed "material losses" after the missile strike on a military target near Damascus international airport.

Two US troops were killed in a raid against the so-called Islamic state in Afghanistan.  A third was wounded, and local officials said that around 40 IS fighters died and 13 were captured.  This happened in Nangarhar province, where the US earlier this month dropped "the mother of all bombs" to destroy a tunnel network that had been taken over by IS.

Germany arrested a soldier for plotting to pose as a Syrian refugee and commit a shooting.  The 28-year old registered as a refugee at a shelter in central Germany in December 2015 - receiving hundreds of dollars in refugee benefits - and later officially requested political asylum in Bavaria.  This is all despite clearly being a Bundeswehr soldier and speaking no Arabic.  He was first arrested by Austrian police for trying to retrieve a handgun he had hidden in a toilet at Vienna airport.  "These findings, and indications of a xenophobic background of the Bundeswehr soldier, suggest that the accused was planning a serious crime endangering state security with the weapon that was earlier deposited at Vienna airport," said prosecutors.

For a second time this year, Russian opposition leader Alexy Nalvany has been attacked with green chemical dye, this time winding up in hospital with a chemical burn to his eye.  "Zelyonka" is commonly used as an antiseptic in Russia, but has more often been thrown at politicians - usually the ones who oppose Vladimir Putin. 

"It looks funny but it hurts like hell," Mr. Navalny tweeted. 

After the first attack his followers painted their faces green in solidarity.  Nalvany is running for president against Putin, although he may not be able to stand in an election because of a corruption conviction - which Nalvany and Western rights groups say was trumped up to knock him out of politics.

A Russian Navy intelligence ship sank after colliding with a Togo-flagged livestock carrier in the Black Sea.  All 78 Russian sailors were able to get off before it went glug glug glug.  This apparently happened in foggy conditions, although it's not really clear why a surveillance ship didn't freaking detect another boat.  A spokesman for Hammami Livestock which owns the livestock freighter said there had been no loss of life on board the vessel:  "It is considered a slight hit, for us."  So the next time someone tries to tell you that the Russians are a mighty military force, remind them of the time their spy ship was sunk BY A COW.

Embattled Venezuela is preparing to leave the Organization of American States (OAS) which frequently criticizes its handling of anti-government protests that have been growing by size and in violence as fast as the right wing can write checks.  Dozens of people have died in the violence, and government officials have been assassinated - something the Western media seems loathe to tell you.  The Socialist government accuses the OAS of being too subservient to US foreign policy.  The move would make Venezuela the only Western Hemisphere nation to leave the OAS.

United Airlines has rather quickly reached a financial settlement with Dr. David Dao, the 69-year old man who was beaten bloody and dragged off of a passenger jet because he refused to be bumped to a later flight. 

"United has taken full responsibility for what happened on Flight 3411, without attempting to blame others, including the city of Chicago," said attorney Thomas Demetrio, who is pretty much the guy you want if you're ever injured in Chicago. 

"For this acceptance of corporate responsibility, United is to be applauded," he added.  Passenger-shot video of the foul treatment of Dr. Dao at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport went viral within hours after it happened on 9 April, stoking international outrage.  United's handling of the situation - which appeared to go from indifference to smearing the victim's reputation to a sort of panicked contrition - damaged its share price.  United has since changed its policy to offer up to US$10k to people who give up their seats on overbooked flights.

Baby Monkey.