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Geopolitics

Syria: Monday Morning Wrap-Up

SANA (Syria), AL ARABIYA (UAE), FARS (Iran), BBC (UK)

Worldcrunch

Here are the latest developments on the Syrian conflict:

→Syrian state-run TV announced Monday morning that Prime Minister Riad Hijab had been sacked, amid rumors that he has defected to Jordan.

#Syria is controlled by security & army apparatus, PM is just a tool, yet his defection is good news indeed.

— Majd Arar (@MajdArar) August 6, 2012

→A bomb targeted Syria's state television and radio headquarters in Damascus Monday morning.

State-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that Omran al-Zoubi, Minister of Information, said that there were no fatal injuries and that employees were safe.

"We know politically speaking who stands behind these terrorist operations and who funds them and who wants to silence the voice of the people's conscience…We know who wants destruction for this country and who wants to block the truth," said al-Zoubi.

Al-Zoubi has insisted that the pro-government television networks will continue to operate. A pro-government TV station, Al-Ikhrabiya, published a video showing workers inspecting the material damage in the third floor of the broadcasting center.

Al Arabiya published a video Saturday showing Syrian rebels who have kidnapped 48 Iranians, who they report are members of Iran"s Revolutionary Guard.

In the video, Free Syrian Army fighters announce that the men captured in Damascus were on a reconnaissance mission in the capital, whilst Iran's Fars News Agency has insisted that the Iranian captives are pilgrims.

→Tensions are high in Aleppo as 20,000 Syrian military troops are said to be preparing for an offensive on the country's largest city, the BBC reports.

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Green

Moose In Our Midst: How Poland's Wildlife Preservation Worked A Bit Too Well

Wild moose have been spotted on Polish beaches and even near cities. They're a rare example of successful conservation efforts, but they're increasingly coming into contact with people.

Photo of a moose crossing a road

Moose seen in Poland

Joanna Wisniowska

GDANSK — Images of wild moose roaming the streets and beaches of Poland’s Baltic coast have been cropping up online more frequently. What should someone do if they encounter one? According to Mateusz Ciechanowski, a biologist at the University of Gdansk, the best option is to leave them alone.

“This is the result of the consistent protection that has been provided to this species of moose,” said Ciechanowski. “As the numbers increase, so does the animals’ range”.

Various media outlets have been publishing reports about spotted wild moose in the cities of Gdansk, Gdynia, and Sopot with increasing frequency. Perhaps more surprising is that these moose have been seen on beaches as well.

Centuries ago, moose could be found all over the European continent. But, like the European bison, they were often hunted for their value as an attractive game animal.

Aside from population declines due to hunting, the drainage of European wetlands also decreased the number of viable moose habitats. The animals, which prefer marshy areas, dwindled without the proper natural environment to flourish in.

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