Sunday 9 June 2013

News Snippets June 08 2013



FSA demands weapons to take part in Geneva peace talks - report

The Syrian opposition will not attend the proposed peace conference in Geneva unless its forces receive new supplies of weapons, said a top rebel military commander. “If we don’t receive ammunition and weapons to change the position on the ground, to change the balance on the ground, very frankly I can say we will not go to Geneva,” Free Syrian Army commander General Salim Idris said  in a telephone interview to New York Times.“There will be no Geneva.” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry after a meeting in May announced that they plan to bring together, for talks  in Geneva, the two sides of the Syrian conflict, President Bashar Assad’s government and the Syrian opposition. The aim of the conference was to facilitate a solution through a political dialogue of the ongoing civil war in Syria. The Syrian government had confirmed its participation in the talks.

Bolivia plans to shoot down all aircraft entering its airspace illegally

Bolivia will pass a law that enables the military to shoot down small aircrafts over its airspace usually used by drug traffickers to smuggle cocaine, said the country’s Defense Minister Ruben Saavedra. "The law will apply to civil, domestic and foreign aircrafts  that enter Bolivia’s  airspace (illegally),”  said Saavedra as quoted by local media. In the coming days Bolivia’s President Evo Morales plans to submit the bill to the country’s parliament. President Morales is a former cocaleros, coca leaf grower, and still heads one of the country’s unions on production of coca leaves. He is a supporter of the legalization of the coca plant ,but not its derivatives, and has spoken in the plant’s defense at various international forums. Bolivia is one of the leaders in the production of coca leaf along with Colombia and Peru.

11 killed in clashes between protesters, militia in Libya – reports

At least eleven people have been killed and over 30 injured in clashes between protesters and government affiliated Libyan militia in the eastern city of Benghazi, Reuters reports, citing a doctor at a local hospital. The protesters gathered on Saturday outside the headquarters of the Libya Shield brigade to demand the disbanding of militias who have yet to lay down their weapons nearly two years after the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi. The brigade is made up of former opposition fighters who say they are aligned with the country’s Defense Ministry.

France bans nationalist group over leftist activist murder

France has banned a far-right group, the Revolutionary Nationalist Youth (JNR), allegedly linked to the death of a left-wing student in a Paris street brawl, reports AFP. The JNR leader Serge Ayoub denied the group had anything to do with the murder of 18-year-old Clement Meric, who died after a clash on Wednesday between skinheads and left-wing activists. Five suspects aged between 19 and 32 were detained over the incident. The 20-year-old skinhead suspected of striking the fatal blow said he did not intend to kill, a police source said. Meric’s death was condemned by politicians and prompted protests in Paris and other major cities to protest. 

Russia to send $10 mln to aid Syrian refugees

Russia will contribute $10 million to help Jordan and Libya address the problems of Syrian refugees, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday. The money will be sent to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the ministry said, adding that Russia is among the 20 top world donors continuously aiding the people of the crisis-stricken country. The UN humanitarian agencies have recently made an appeal to provide billions of US dollars to help millions of Syrians inside and outside their country, including $1.4 billion for the OCHA-led humanitarian efforts inside Syria and $2.9 billion for the UNHCR-led plan to help refugees in the surrounding regions.

Sudan orders stoppage of South Sudan oil

Sudanese President Omar Hassan Bashir ordered the country’s oil minister to halt cross-border oil flows from South Sudan effective from Sunday, state radio reported. The move was prompted by the South’s alleged support for the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF), a rebel alliance seeking to oust President Bashir. In March, the two countries, which separated after decades of war, agreed to resume crude exports from the landlocked south through Sudan to the Red sea upon resolving a dispute over transit fees. Barnaba Marial Benjamin, South Sudan’s Minister of Information, told Reuters Juba had not been informed of the decision.

Russian journalists come under fire from Syrian militants

A Russian TV crew has come under fire from Syrian opposition militants at the Golan Heights on the Israel-Syria border. A correspondent for state broadcaster VGTRK and his team were ambushed while on the way to a checkpoint where UN peacekeepers are stationed and where a Syrian observation point is located. The journalists’ car was driving along with Syrian army vehicles when the column was fired at from two sides of the road. The attackers were shooting primarily at the civilians, reports Russian Vesti TV channel. Following a 15-minute battle, the journalists with the help of the Syrian military managed to get to the checkpoint.

Pakistani govt summons US envoy over renewed drone strikes

The Pakistani government summoned the US envoy to voice their protest after a US drone strike killed nine people in northwest Pakistan near the Afghan border.  The attacks “are a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the country’s foreign ministry said. The June 7 drone strike is the first since Nawaz Sharif took over as Pakistan's prime minister and demanded an immediate halt to the attacks. At the end of May, the Pakistani Taliban's second-in-command Wali-ur-Rehman and six others were killed in a similar US strike.

‘Insider attacks’ kill 4 more intl soldiers in Afghanistan

Four NATO troops were killed in two separate attacks in Afghanistan on Saturday. A man wearing an Afghan army uniform shot and killed three international soldiers working with him in the country’s east, according to AP. Another ‘insider attack’ took place in western Farah province, where an attacker with a grenade killed an Italian soldier, local officials said. Saturday’s deaths bring the number of international troops killed in Afghanistan since the beginning of June to 16. Earlier in the week, seven Georgian soldiers were killed in the country's south when a suicide bomber detonated a truck filled with explosives at a base in Helmand, where 1,500 Georgian troops are stationed.

Five dead in Iraq car blasts

Two car bombs in Iraq have killed five people and injured 20, AP reported, citing local authorities. On Saturday, an explosion rocked a Shiite Baghdad neighborhood – a commercial street in the al-Ameen district – killing four people and wounding 18 others. Another attack targeted an Iraqi police convoy in the northern city of Mosul. One policeman was killed and two others were injured in the blast. The UN warned earlier that the country was on the verge of a new sectarian war, as the death toll in May was the highest since 2008: Over 1,000 people were killed and 2,300 wounded in a single month.

French president claims eurozone crisis is over

French President Francois Hollande told Japanese business leaders that the eurozone debt crisis is over, though he admitted Europe needed to bolster its efforts to promote growth and competitiveness. His comments, delivered on the last day of his visit to Japan, were intended to boost mutual investment between the two states. When asked about China, Hollande stressed Paris should not be asked to choose between Tokyo and Beijing as they were both important regional powers. Japan has previously expressed concerns about French exports to China, which include equipment with potential military applications.

1 dead, 28 injured in Polish school bus crash in Germany

One died and 28 were injured after a school bus carrying children from Poland to France drove off the highway and turned over in the German state of Bavaria near Ingolstadt. The children's teacher died, and two sustained serious injuries and are undergoing surgery, the Polish consul-general in Munchen said on Saturday. There were 43 passengers and two drivers in the bus at the time of the accident.

US and China to join forces on cyber-security

The first stage of US-China talks on hot-button issues in bilateral relations have ended, and no landmark decisions were announced. After over two hours of talks, US President Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping said the two nations agreed to closer cooperation on issues of cyber-security, and to improve military ties. Ahead of the talks, Washington repeatedly blamed Beijing for hacking attacks against US intelligence and industries.

Airplane crash-lands in Rome, 3 injured

An Airbus A320 flying from Bucharest has crash-landed at Fiumicino International Airport in Rome, according to AFP. The plane's landing gear mechanism was broken. Three of the 165 people on board suffered minor injuries. The crash-landing has led to temporary delays in departures at Fiumicino.

US Secretary of State urges Georgia to join NATO

In a phone conversation on Saturday between John Kerry and Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, the US Secretary of State expressed hope that Tbilisi would continue to integrate into the Euro-Atlantic region and eventually become a full member of NATO. Kerry proposed to hold more talks soon to discuss the development of a strategic partnership between the US and Georgia. The US Secretary of State also expressed condolences to the Georgian people over the death of seven Georgian soldiers in a bomb blast in Afghanistan on June 6.

Ousted Egyptian President Mubarak’s trial adjourned until June 10

The second hearing in the trial of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has been adjourned until June 10. The 85-year-old is accused of inciting the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising that ousted him. He also faces corruption charges. Mubarak had previously been sentenced to life imprisonment last year, a ruling which was overturned in an appeal by the former strongman. A number of former security officials are also on trial for the killing of protesters, all of whom have pleaded 'not guilty.'

Siberia helicopter crash kills 5

Rescuers have found the wreckage of a helicopter that crashed in Russia’s Far East two days ago, killing four crew members and one passenger, the Emergency Situations Ministry has said. The Mi-8 aircraft was discovered in the Khabarovsk region. The military has opened a probe into the investigation, as the craft belonged to the flying club of an armed forces voluntary association.

Syrian govt forces claim wresting Qusayr from rebel control

Syrian regime forces have retaken control of the strategic southern city of Qusayr from rebel forces, who confirmed to Reuters that they had been routed from the city after fierce fighting with government troops supported by Lebanese Hezbollah fighters. The White House condemned the Assad government’s assault on the city for “killing untold numbers of civilians” and “depending upon Hezbollah and Iran to do its work for it in Qusayr.”

Russia sends humanitarian aid to Kenya

Russia’s Emergency Ministry has dispatched an Il-76 cargo plane carrying 31 tons of humanitarian aid to the Kenyan capital Nairobi, as part of an aid program launched by the government of the Russian Federation.

Mandela back in hospital for lung infection

Former South African President Nelson Mandela has been admitted to hospital in Pretoria and is in “serious but stable condition,” the presidential press office said. Mandela has been in and out of hospital over the past year with recurring lung infections, and was recently released from hospital in April after a 10-day stint caused by pneumonia.

France bans right-wing rally in Toulouse after Paris killing

Authorities in the city of Toulouse, France, have banned a right-wing youth parade, fearing a “serious risk to public order” following the killing of a left-wing student in Paris by skinheads. The evening march celebrates the victory of the city’s Christian army against Muslims in 721. Clement Meric, an 18-year-old student, died in hospital on Thursday after being attacked by skinheads in Paris, sparking a wave of protests and calls for the government to ban extreme right-wing organizations.

UN to send food aid to N. Korea

The UN is preparing to send 206,800 tons of food aid to North Korea, Yonhap news agency reported. Aid prepared by the World Food Program (WFP) will be directed to 2.4 million undernourished people – 1.9 million children and 500,000 pregnant women. The budget of the program is $137 million. A comprehensive assessment conducted by the aid group has found that up to 80 percent of North Korean families are suffering from undernourishment, mainly due to a lack of protein in their diets.

New setback in Brazil's Olympics preparations as stadium closes for repairs

Rio de Janeiro's Joao Havelange stadium, which is scheduled to host the athletics during the 2016 Olympic Games, is to be shut for 18 months while the roof is repaired after it was revealed that winds over 63kph could pose a risk to spectators. A committee appointed by the city told reporters on Friday that a number of issues had been found with the stadium’s roof structure, including broken and twisted supports. The stadium was built six years ago, and closed in March due to damage. This latest issue comes soon after another future Olympics stadium in northern Brazil, the Fonte Nova Arena in the state of Bahia, suffered a partial collapse of its roof. That stadium was inaugurated in April.

Bus fire kills 47 in China, dozens more hurt

A bus fire killed 47 people Friday and injured dozens more in Xiamen, a port city in southeastern China. Investigators speculated that because traces of gasoline were found on the bus, the blaze appeared to be set intentionally. Witnesses told local media that they heard explosions after the fire had been burning for ten minutes. Bombings and arson have become increasingly common in China, where people often trigger explosives as a means of settling a personal vendetta or make a political statement. 

Comrade Artemio, last of the Shining Path rebels, sentenced to life in prison

A Peruvian court sentenced Florindo Flores, also known as Comrade Artemio, to life in prison after finding him guilty of terrorism, drug trafficking and money laundering. Flores was the last of the Shining Path rebels, who waged a bloody campaign trying to convert Peru into a Communist nation. Presiding judge Clotilde Cavero said Flores “ordered the execution of a number of civilians, police and soldiers” before being apprehended last year in a drug compound. Flores denied he was a terrorist but described himself as a “revolutionary” during the six-month trial. He was also ordered to pay a $183 million fine. 


North and South Korea agree to meeting at border truce village

South Korea's Unification Ministry has announced that North Korea agreed on Saturday to Seoul's proposal to hold talks at Panmunjom, the site of a former village along the two countries' border and the location of previous discussions. The announcement comes as relations continue to thaw following months of increased military tensions between the two countries. Both Koreas have said they will explore reopening the joint industrial complex at Kaesong, where 123 South Korean factories employed 53,000 North Korean workers in an important symbol of cooperation. Kaesong was shuttered a month ago when North Korea withdrew all of its workers.

Army general suspended for ignoring sexual assault claims

A two-star US Army general commanding troops in Japan has been suspended after allegations that he failed to investigate sexual assault accusations. Maj. Gen. Michael T. Harrison was suspended by Army chief of staff Gen. Ray Odierno only months after the Pentagon announced Harrison had been selected to become deputy commander of US Central Command in Kuwait. No details regarding Harrison’s actions, or lack thereof, were made public. An Army spokesman told the Associated Press that, by suspending Harrison, the Army was leaving the possibility open that he would be reinstated to the promotion in Kuwait. Word of Harrison’s suspension comes as top military commanders have been under political pressure to crack down on the sexual assault epidemic that has plagued the Armed Forces in recent years. 

Pakistan’s new prime minister responds to first US drone strike of his term

A drone strike conducted by the US in northwest Pakistan has killed seven and wounded three, according to a security official who spoke with Reuters. In his inaugural speech to Pakistan’s parliament, newly elected prime minister Nawaz Sharif called for an immediate cessation of American drone strikes in the country. Last month, president Obama announced plans to scale back drone strikes in the region, only deploying the unmanned weapons when a threat was “continuing and imminent.” On Wednesday, NBC News presented analysis of classified documents demonstrating that the CIA did “not always know” who it was targeting in Pakistan during drone strikes.

Prosecutor fired for posing as woman, harassing witnesses on Facebook

Aaron Brockler was fired from his position as a Cleveland-area prosecutor after reportedly admitting he posed as a defendant’s ex-girlfriend in order to manipulate trial proceedings. Brockler, 35, was preparing to try Damon Dunn for aggravated murder when he decided to falsify a Facebook account and contact Dunn’s former lovers, who were to be called as trial witnesses. Brockler then initiated chat sessions with the women and tried to get them to change their story about Dunn’s alleged crime, thereby discrediting them in court. Both exes complained they were being harassed on the social network site, at which point investigators traced the fake Facebook accounts to Brockler’s office computer. 

Obama chief of staff, Senators Feinstein and McCain travel to Guantanamo Bay prison

President Obama‘s chief of staff, Denis McDonough, along with Senators Feinstein and McCain traveled to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba on Friday to review the current situation and discuss steps towards closing the detention facility. Both McCain and Feinstein have supported the closing of the prison at Guantanamo, though the House of Representatives voted on tuesday in support of keeping the detention center open. The trip comes several weeks after the president reaffirmed a 2008 campaign promise to shut down the facility. On Friday, it was revealed that the prison’s medical team is presently force-feeding 41 of the facility’s 166 prisoners, with a total of 104 detainees now participating in the ongoing hunger strike. “We intend to work, with a plan by Congress and the Administration together, to take the steps necessary to make that [closing] happen,” said the trio via statement following their tour.

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