Saturday, March 21, 2015

Aprosdokito Global News in brief (April 2015 - A)

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At least 142 people were killed when four suicide bombers blew themselves up in two mosques in the Yemeni capital Sanaa during Friday prayers in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group, AFP reported.

Both mosques are known to be used mainly by supporters of the Shiite Muslim Houthi group which has seized control of the government..............ISIS group claims deadly twin blasts in Yemeni capital

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157 comments:

  1. Iran, powers to resume nuclear talks on Wednesday at level of political directors...

    Nuclear talks between six world powers and Iran will resume on Wednesday morning at the level of political directors, said Catherine Ray, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.

    Ray said foreign ministers from Iran and the so-called P5+1 - the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany - had finished their meeting in the Swiss city of Lausanne. The negotiations on Tehran's nuclear program were expected to continue at the level of political directors early in the morning, she said, noting that another ministerial meeting would follow.

    Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters that he hoped to finalise on Wednesday a framework nuclear agreement with world powers.

    "I hope that we can finalise the [preliminary] work and start the process of drafting [a final accord]," Zarif said, adding that negotiators needed to get some rest and would resume their work early in the morning.
    http://tass.ru/en/world/786332
    1/4/15

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  2. Prosecutors push again to investigate Argentine leader in bombing case...

    Argentine prosecutors pushed for a conspiracy investigation against President Cristina Fernandez on Tuesday in the second appeal of a court decision that cleared her of trying to block the inquiry into a deadly 1994 bombing.

    The accusation, that Fernandez conspired to cover up Iran's alleged role in a truck bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, threw her administration into turmoil when the claim was leveled on Jan. 14 by state prosecutor Alberto Nisman.

    It turned into a full-blown political scandal when Nisman was shot dead under murky circumstances four days later.

    Nisman said Fernandez had worked behind the scenes to clear Iran and normalize relations in order to clinch a grains-for-oil deal with Tehran............http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/01/us-argentina-prosecutor-idUSKBN0MS2YW20150401?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews

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  3. International court welcomes Palestinians as 123rd member...

    The Palestinian Authority has become a member of the International Criminal Court and is marking the momentous occasion with a low-key ceremony at the court's headquarters.

    Palestinians signed the court's founding treaty in January and it came into force Wednesday, an event welcomed by activists who see it as an opportunity to bring accountability to years of conflict between Palestinians and Israel.

    Israel is not a member of the ICC, but the country's military and civilian leaders could now face charges if they are believed to have committed crimes on Palestinian territory.

    The court's chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, opened a preliminary investigation in mid-January after the Palestinians formally accepted the court's jurisdiction dating back to just before last year's Gaza conflict.
    AP
    http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/International-court-welcomes-Palestinians-as-123rd-member/articleshow/46768182.cms
    1/4/15

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  4. Islamic State (IS) militants have entered the Palestinian refugee camp Yarmouk in Damascus, activists and Palestinian officials say...

    Clashes erupted between the militants and groups inside the camp, with IS seizing control of large parts of the camp, reports said.

    The UN says about 18,000 Palestinian refugees are inside the camp...........http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-32147888
    1/4/15

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  5. Jordan shuts border crossing with Syria after fighting...

    (Reuters) - Jordan said it had temporarily closed its border crossing with Syria on Wednesday because of violence on the other side of the frontier, a move it described as a precautionary measure.

    The monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights had reported heavy clashes between insurgents and Syrian government forces near the Nasib crossing earlier on Wednesday after insurgents encircled the area.

    Syria's state news agency SANA, citing a source in the foreign ministry, said Syria held Jordan responsible for the social and economic impact of the closure, which had blocked traffic. It was not the first time the crossing had been closed since the start of the Syrian crisis in 2011.............http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/01/us-mideast-crisis-syria-jordan-idUSKBN0MS47F20150401?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews
    1/4/15

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  6. Israel advances plans for largest Palestinian housing project...

    An Israeli committee has approved controversial plans for eventual construction of 2,200 Palestinian homes in occupied east Jerusalem, a spokeswoman said Wednesday, in the largest such project since 1967.

    NGO Ir Amim described the plan to develop the Arab Al-Sawahra neighborhood as the largest planning procedure for east Jerusalem Palestinians since Israel seized the territory in the Six-Day War..............http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2015/Apr-01/292971-israel-advances-plans-for-largest-palestinian-housing-project.ashx
    1/4/15

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  7. Yemeni Houthi fighters and army allies advanced in a column of tanks into central Aden, the main foothold of loyalists of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, witnesses said...

    The advance into the Khor Maksar district came despite a week of Saudi-led air strikes against the Houthis aimed at reversing their gains on the battlefield.
    http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/126672.aspx
    1/4/15

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  8. Koalition verweigert russischem Flugzeug Landung in Jemens Hauptstadt Sanaa....

    Die internationale Koalition, die gegen die Huthi-Milizen in Jemen kämpft, hat einem russischen Flugzeug die Landung in Jemens Hauptstadt Sanaa verweigert. Das teilte Flughafendirektor Khalid Al-Shaif am Mittwoch RIA Novosti mit.............Weiterlesen: http://de.sputniknews.com/panorama/20150401/301741761.html#ixzz3W5W9ARwD

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    1. The coalition of Arab states which is carrying out a military operation against Houthi fighters in Yemen has banned a Russian plane to evacuate Russian nationals from the conflict-stricken country despite preliminary permission to do that, the Al Mayadeen TV channel said on its website on Wednesday...

      The website gives no further comments or explanations.
      http://tass.ru/en/world/786569
      1/4/15

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  9. Fehlende Reformliste: Griechenlands riskantes Versteckspiel um EU-Hilfen ..

    Die Reformliste aus Athen ist offenbar immer noch nicht vollständig. Zugleich stiften Regierungsvertreter Verwirrung um einen IWF-Kredit. Wird er nicht beglichen, ist Griechenland sofort pleite......http://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/article139026496/Griechenlands-riskantes-Versteckspiel-um-EU-Hilfen.html
    1/4/15

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  10. US Secretary of State John Kerry will stay in Lausanne until at least Thursday morning to continue negotiations with Iran over its disputed nuclear program, his spokeswoman Marie Harf said on Wednesday...

    "We continue to make progress but have not reached a political understanding," she said. "Therefore, Secretary Kerry will remain in Lausanne until at least Thursday morning to continue the negotiations."
    http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/John-Kerry-to-stay-in-Switzerland-extra-day-to-continue-Iran-talks-395883

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  11. Nine British citizens and a French citizen were detained Wednesday in Turkey’s southern provinces of Hatay and Gaziantep as authorities foiled their alleged attempts to enter Syria illegally to join a militant group, Turkish officials said...

    The nine British suspects were detained at the Hatay Ogulpinar Patrol border post, the Turkish Armed Forces said in an official statement online.

    "Turkey has foiled an attempt of nine British citizens to enter Syria and detained them," the statement said.

    Separately, security officials also detained an Algerian-born French citizen in southeastern Turkey’s Gaziantep province, the provincial governor’s office said in a statement............http://www.aa.com.tr/en/rss/487316--turkey-detains-9-british-one-french-near-syrian-border
    1/4/15

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  12. Gulf countries are locked in tough negotiations with Russia on a UN draft resolution to impose an arms embargo and sanctions on Yemen, diplomats said Wednesday...

    The resolution would seek to re-launch a political dialogue that broke down after Yemen's Shiite Houthi rebels pressed ahead with an offensive, forcing President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi to flee to Saudi Arabia.

    The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has been negotiating with the five permanent Security Council members and Jordan on a text after Saudi Arabia launched an air campaign on Yemen on March 23, without a UN mandate.

    The GCC is no longer seeking a resolution that supports Saudi-led military action in Yemen, which it argues is legal because it is being carried out at Hadi's request, diplomats said.............http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/126682/World/Region/Gulf-countries-in-tough-UN-talks-with-Russia-on-Ye.aspx
    1/4/15

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  13. Russian trawler with 132 on board sinks, at least 43 dead...

    A freezer trawler with an international crew of 132 sank on Wednesday in the Sea of Okhotsk off of the Kamchatka Peninsula and at least 43 crew members were killed, rescue workers said.

    The emergency services in Kamchatka, citing the head of the rescue operation, said 63 crew members were rescued and the fate of the remaining 26 from the Dalny Vostok trawler was unknown.

    More than 25 fishing boats in the area were helping to rescue the crew members, the emergency services said in a statement on their website.

    No cause for the sinking was given. The Interfax news agency said shifting ice in the waters may have played a role...............AP.............http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Russian-trawler-with-132-on-board-sinks-at-least-43-dead/articleshow/46778691.cms

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  14. 4 dead, 30 injured in fiery blast at Mexico oil rig ...

    An explosion and a fire erupted on an offshore oil platform operated by Mexico's biggest oil company, Pemex on Wednesday, killing at least four workers, injuring 30 and forcing 300 to be evacuated.

    Eight firefighting vessels were battling the pre-dawn blaze at the Abkatun A-Permanente platform on the Gulf of Mexico's Campeche Sound.

    Some 300 workers were taken to other platforms in the area while the injured were transported to Pemex's general hospital. Two were in serious condition.

    The company has not indicated whether the accident caused any oil spill...........http://www.china.org.cn/world/2015-04/02/content_35224097.htm

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  15. Yémen: Al-Qaïda attaque une prison, libère 300 détenus dont un de ses chefs...

    Al-Qaïda dans la Péninsule arabique (Aqpa) a attaqué jeudi la prison centrale de Moukalla, dans le sud-est du Yémen, et libéré plus de 300 détenus dont l'un de ses chefs, en profitant visiblement du chaos provoqué par le conflit dans le pays, a indiqué une source sécuritaire.

    "Un dirigeant d'Aqpa, Khaled Batarfi, détenu depuis plus de quatre ans, figure parmi plus de 300 prisonniers qui ont réussi à s'échapper de la prison centrale de Moukalla", dans la province de Hadramout, attaquée avant l'aube par des combattants du réseau extrémiste, a déclaré à l'AFP cette source.

    Un accrochage qui a suivi l'attaque s'est soldé par la mort de deux gardiens de prison et de cinq détenus, selon la même source..........http://www.rtbf.be/info/monde/detail_yemen-al-qaida-attaque-une-prison-libere-300-detenus-dont-un-de-ses-chefs?id=8947135
    2/4/15

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  16. Houthi militants broke into the Consulate General of Russia in the Yemeni seaport of Aden and looted it, according to reports in local media...

    The Wednesday attack was said to have been staged by both Houthis and supporters of former President of Yemen Ali Abdullah Saleh, local media Huna Aden informed.

    According to reports, armed men broke down doors and entered the building, seizing equipment and documents, loaded it in cars before driving off.

    Earlier on Wednesday, the Consulate General of Russia in Aden was damaged as a result of bombings conducted by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition against the Houthis...........http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20150402/1020354784.html#ixzz3W8r9asD9
    2/4/15

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  17. Greece made unrealistic promises says Barroso,,,

    The Greek government made “completely unrealistic promises” to voters that it cannot now fulfil, the former European Commission president has said.

    Jose Manuel Barroso, who left the key post last October, said that Alexis Tsipras’s Syriza-led administration lacked experience.

    Greece’s demands were “completely unacceptable to other countries”, he told the BBC’s Business Live programme.

    “It is not helpful if Greece attacks countries that are trying to help it.”

    Mr Barroso added: “We should remember that there are poorer countries that are lending money to Greece, so to propose a cut to their debt would be certain to receive a no from their partners.”
    He called on Greece to take responsibility for its financial plight and implement structural reforms, which was now the most important issue for the country.

    “It was not Germany or any other member of the EU that created the problems in Greece, the problems in Greece are structural: low productivity and previous governments.”..................http://www.parikiaki.com/2015/04/greece-made-unrealistic-promises-says-barroso/
    2/4/15

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  18. Ambushes by armed men in the restive northern Sinai Peninsula have killed at least 15 soldiers and two civilians, according to Egyptian security officials...

    The attacks early on Thursday, that also wounded at least 19 other soldiers and several more civilians, came as Egypt continues its battle against armed groups operating in the northern Sinai, which borders Israel and the Gaza Strip.

    Gunmen opened fire on soldiers with automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades at separate checkpoints in Sheikh Zuweid, east of the provincial capital of al-Arish, the Agence France-Press news agency reported..................http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/04/soldiers-killed-attacks-egypt-sinai-150402063034141.html
    2/4/15

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  19. Syrian Rebels Capture Border Crossing With Jordan ...

    Syrian rebels and fighters from the al-Qaida-affiliated Nusra Front have captured the only functioning border crossing with Jordan and three nearby military posts, prompting government bombing raids on the area, activists said Thursday.

    The capture of the Nasib crossing - a crucial gateway for the Syrian government - is the latest in a series of setbacks for President Bashar Assad's forces in the past week. Fighters led by the Nusra Front seized the government-held city of Idlib in northwestern Syria and a major town, Busra Sham, in the south.

    The Jordanian government closed the Nasib crossing Tuesday night for security reasons, as rebels clashed with Syrian forces on the other side. The rebels seized the crossing within 24 hours........AP......http://www.voanews.com/content/syrian-rebels-nusra-front-capture-jordan-border-crossing/2703815.html
    2/4/15

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  20. Greece has told its creditors it will run out of money on April 9, making an appeal for more loans before reforms on which new disbursements hinge are agreed and implemented, but the request was rejected, eurozone officials said...

    The appeal was made by Athens at a teleconference of eurozone deputy finance ministers Wednesday organized to assess how far Athens still was from meeting the conditions for unlocking new financial aid.

    Greece's appeal echoed remarks by Interior Minister Nikos Voutsis Wednesday that the country would have to choose whether to pay back 450 million euros to the International Monetary Fund on April 9th or pay salaries and pensions. He said it would choose the latter.

    A government spokesman later denied that Greece would miss the IMF repayment deadline. But the choice Athens said it would face was repeated at the closed teleconference with creditors............Reuters.............http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Business/International/2015/Apr-02/293106-greece-tells-creditors-it-will-run-out-of-cash-on-april-9.ashx
    2/4/15

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  21. At least 70 students killed in Kenya university attack...

    At least 70 students were killed when Somalia's al-Shabaab Islamist group attacked a university in Kenya, the interior minister said.

    Four of the gunmen were killed after Kenyan troops launched an assault on a building where the insurgents had holed out for over 12 hours.

    At least 79 people were injured in the university attack, nine of them critically.

    Militants say they are still holding many hostages inside the campus, nearly two hours after Interior Minster Joseph Nkaiserry said that the siege, the deadliest attack in Kenya since the US embassy bombings in 1998, was almost over.

    "We still control the scene and have many hostages," Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab's military operations spokesman, said without giving exact figures.

    "Lying around us are also dead bodies, many more than the dead bodies that were carried out," Mr Musab added.

    Earlier Mr Nkaiserry said about 500 out of 815 students were accounted for.

    Kenya has issued a dusk to dawn curfew for four regions near the Somalia border as a security precaution, according to police.

    Gunmen had stormed the university and seized hostages............http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0402/691527-kenya/
    2/4/15

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    1. Death toll from al Shabaab attack rises to 147...

      Militants from Somalia's al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group killed at least 147 people after storming a university campus in northeast Kenya on Thursday, the country’s disaster response agency said.

      The Kenya National Disaster Operation Centre wrote on its official Twitter feed: “147 fatalities confirmed in the Garissa Attack. Plans are under way to evacuate students and other affected persons.”

      The interior ministry said that most of those killed were students but two police officers, one soldier and two guards also died in the siege.................http://www.france24.com/en/20150402-gunmen-storm-kenyan-university-campus/
      3/4/15

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  22. 519 dead in two weeks of Yemen fighting: UN...

    Some 519 people have been killed and nearly 1,700 injured in two weeks of fighting in Yemen, the UN aid chief has said, raising alarm over the fate of civilians.

    Valerie Amos yesterday said she was "extremely concerned" for the safety of civilians trapped in the fierce fighting and appealed to armed factions to do their utmost to protect ordinary Yemenis.

    The violence has sharply escalated in Yemen following a Saudi-led air campaign launched on March 26 to stop an advance by Shia Huthi rebels that forced President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi to flee to Saudi Arabia............http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/519-dead-in-two-weeks-of-Yemen-fighting-UN/articleshow/46791591.cms
    3/4/15

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  23. Le possible allègement des sanctions contre l’Iran et l’accroissement de la part de ce pays sur le marché pétrolier pourraient provoquer un effondrement des cours du brut, estime le directeur de l’agence PetroleumWorld Elio Ohep...

    "Les Iraniens ont accumulé suffisamment de pétrole produit selon les quotas de l’OPEP, qu’ils ne pouvaient pas vendre auparavant. Si on ouvre cette vanne, le marché sera inondé et les prix peuvent chuter", a-t-il indiqué à RIA Novosti.

    Selon lui, l’évolution de la situation dépendra de l’offre et de la demande. "Il n’y a pas de boule de cristal pour prévoir les prix. Cependant, l’intérêt des pays consommateurs est d’acheter le pétrole au prix le plus bas possible, et un des principaux acteurs qui y a intérêt est la Chine", a-t-il indiqué.................Lire la suite: http://fr.sputniknews.com/economie/20150403/1015471614.html#ixzz3WES9U6Et
    3/4/15

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  24. Russian ships in old Arctic NATO base set alarms bells ringing...

    Russian ships docked at what was once a secret Norwegian naval base in the Arctic have prompted concern from the NATO country's former top military leaders, anxious about its resurgent eastern neighbour roaming nearby.

    Norway's jagged Arctic coastline has regained its strategic importance since tensions between Russia and NATO members have spiked to levels not seen since the fall of the Soviet Union.

    The rocky relations have led some to criticise the shutting down of Olavsvern Naval Base, a massive complex burrowed into a mountain near the northern town of Tromsoe, that has been closed since 2009.

    Shuttering it was driven by the then seemingly reduced threat from Moscow and its massive Northern Fleet based on Russia's nearby Kola Peninsula............http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/russian-ships-in-old-arctic-nato-base-set-alarms-bells-ringing.aspx?pageID=238&nID=80530&NewsCatID=359
    3/4/15

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  25. China evacuates foreign nationals from Yemen in unprecedented move...

    A Chinese naval frigate has evacuated 225 foreign citizens from strife-torn Yemen, its foreign ministry said, marking the first time that China's military has helped other countries evacuate their people during an international crisis.

    Ten different nationalities were among the evacuees picked up Thursday afternoon from Aden, Yemen's second city, and transported to Djibouti, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on its website late Thursday.

    The ministry said foreign governments - Pakistan, Ethiopia, Singapore, Italy, Germany, Poland, Ireland, Britain, Canada and Yemen - had requested China's help. A spokeswoman said it was the first time China had carried out a specific evacuation of foreign nationals from a danger zone.

    A diplomatic source familiar with the operation said it was "very risky" and that fighting had come close to the Chinese warship................Reuters..........http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2015/Apr-03/293238-china-evacuates-foreign-nationals-from-yemen-in-unprecedented-move.ashx
    3/4/15

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  26. Germanwings crash: Co-pilot Lubitz 'accelerated descent'...

    Data from the second 'black box' flight recorder belonging to the Germanwings plane that crashed in the French Alps confirms that the co-pilot acted deliberately, investigators say.

    The French BEA crash investigation agency said Andreas Lubitz repeatedly accelerated the plane's descent.

    The second flight recorder from the plane was recovered on Thursday..........http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32173632
    3/4/15

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  27. Russia, Greece to discuss EU sanctions, economy in Moscow...

    Russian President Vladimir Putin and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras plan to discuss economic ties and the European Union's sanctions against Moscow when they meet for talks next week, a Kremlin spokesman said on Friday.

    Russia wants the EU to lift the sanctions imposed over Moscow's role in the turmoil in Ukraine and hopes to get support from some EU member states, notably Hungary and Greece.

    The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said it was too early to talk about any possibility of Moscow providing financial help to the cash-strapped Greece before the talks............http://www.todayonline.com/world/russia-greece-discuss-eu-sanctions-economy-moscow
    3/4/15

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  28. Erneute Spannungen in Südostasien: Nordkorea schießt Raketen in Gelbes Meer...

    Nordkorea hat am Freitag weitere vier Kurzstreckenraketen gestartet, wie die südkoreanische Agentur Yonhap unter Berufung auf inoffizielle Informationen aus Militärkreisen meldet.

    Die Raketen seien in der Provinz P’yongan-pukto in Richtung Gelbes Meere abgefeuert worden, hieß es.

    Laut früheren Berichten wurden die Raketen in Richtung Japanisches Meer gestartet. Die Raketen hätten eine Reichweite von 140 Kilometern, hieß es.
    Yonhap berichtet ferner über den Start einer Kurzstreckenrakete am Donnerstag. Laut dem südkoreanischen Militär handelt es sich vermutlich um den Test einer KN-02-Rakete............http://de.sputniknews.com/politik/20150403/301768283.html#ixzz3WHKPh5Y2
    3/4/15

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  29. Pakistan PM stands by Saudi on Yemen crisis...

    Pakistan is concerned by the overthrow of Yemen’s internationally-recognized government by “non-state actors” and will stand by Saudi Arabia as it leads a campaign against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels there, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Friday.

    “We have agreed to extend all possible support in the defense of Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Sharif said while on an official visit in Turkey’s capital Ankara, Reuters reported.

    Sharif called on Thursday for a joint session of Pakistan’s parliament to decide whether to join the Saudi-led military coalition..........http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/03/Pakistan-PM-concerned-by-overthrow-of-Yemen-govt-stands-by-Saudi-Arabia.html
    3/4/15

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  30. Fighting intensifies in the streets of Yemen's Aden...

    Rebels have engaged in intense street battles with forces loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi in Yemen's southern port city of Aden.

    As the country continued to spiral into chaos on Friday, officials said the UN Security Council would meet on Saturday to discuss a Russian proposal for "humanitarian pauses" in Saudi-led air strikes, which have targeted Houthi rebels over the past nine days.

    In fighting on Friday, Houthi fighters and their allies withdrew from Aden's Crater neighbourhood, as well as one of Aden's presidential residences which they had seized a day earlier, residents and a local official said.

    Their withdrawal followed clashes and an air strike on the presidential palace at Ma'ashiq, overlooking Crater. At least one Houthi tank was destroyed and another taken over by Hadi's loyalists, they said.

    Around 12 Houthi fighters were killed in the clashes in Aden, but there has been no word on casualties suffered by forces loyal to Hadi..............http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/04/fighting-intensifies-streets-aden-150403221148819.html
    4/4/15

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  31. Athènes confiant dans sa capacité à payer tout son dû la semaine prochaine...

    La Grèce devrait être en mesure de faire face à toutes ses obligations financières la semaine prochaine, qu'il s'agisse d'une échéance de paiement au FMI ou des salaires et retraites des fonctionnaires, a assuré vendredi soir une source gouvernementale à l'AFP.

    "Tout ce qui doit être payé la semaine prochaine, le FMI, les salaires, les retraites, le sera", a déclaré cette source, alors que la situation financière de la Grèce fait l'objet d'une incroyable cacophonie ces derniers jours.

    Cette source ne s'est pas prononcée spécifiquement cependant sur le paiement de quelque 250 millions d'intérêts sur obligations restant à payer plus tard dans le mois, et sur le renouvellement de 2,4 milliards d'euros de bons du Trésor arrivant à échéance les 13 et 17 avril, mais une autre source, très au courant de ces questions, a indiqué à l'AFP n'avoir pas d'inquiétude sur le bon déroulement de ces autres opérations...............http://www.rtbf.be/info/economie/detail_athenes-confiant-dans-sa-capacite-a-payer-tout-son-du-la-semaine-prochaine?id=8948796
    4/4/15

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  32. EU-Parlamentspräsident Martin Schulz (SPD) hat vor der Reise des griechischen Regierungschefs Alexis Tsipras nach Russland vor einer Spaltung der EU gewarnt...

    Schulz forderte Tsipras in der „Hannoverschen Allgemeinen Zeitung“ auf, seine europäischen Partner nicht zu verprellen. Es sei „nicht akzeptabel“, wenn er damit spekuliere, dass als Gegenleistung für russische Hilfe „die einheitliche Haltung Europas etwa in der Russland-Politik aufs Spiel gesetzt wird“.

    Ähnlich äußerte sich der Vorsitzende des Bundestags-Europaausschusses, Gunther Krichbaum (CDU). Wenn die griechische Regierung glaube, ihr „Seelenheil“ nun in Moskau finden zu können, dann setzte sie „aufs falsche Pferd“, sagte er der der Zeitung. Moskau teile nicht die europäischen Werten wie Frieden, Freiheit, Demokratie und Rechtsstaatlichkeit. „Wer deshalb weiterhin europäische Hilfen möchte, dessen Kompass muss nach Brüssel zeigen und nicht nach Moskau“, verlangte der CDU-Politiker...............http://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/ausland/europa/griechenland-scharfe-warnungen-an-tsipras-vor-russland-reise-13521683.html
    4/4/15

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  33. Russland-Reise: EU-Parlamentspräsident Schulz warnt Tsipras...

    In vier Tagen reist Griechenlands Premier Alexis Tsipras nach Russland - er sucht in der Krise die Unterstützung Moskaus. In Brüssel wird scharfe Kritik laut: EU-Parlamentspräsident Martin Schulz warnt bereits vor einer Spaltung der Union.

    Griechenland baut nun auf die Hilfe Moskaus - am 9. April muss Athen eigentlich eine fällige Kreditrate an den Internationalen Währungsfonds (IWF) überweisen. Noch ist nicht klar, ob die Regierung das Geld zahlt. Wie der SPEGEL in seiner aktuellen Ausgabe berichtet, hat der IWF aus Ärger über die anhaltende Reformverweigerung Griechenlands seine Fachleute vorübergehend aus Athen zurückbeordert.

    Am Mittwoch - einen Tag vor Ablauf der IWF-Frist - will der griechische Regierungschef Alexis Tsipras nach Russland reisen. EU-Parlamentspräsident Martin Schulz (SPD) warnt den Premier bereits vier Tage vor seiner Abreise eindringlich vor einer Spaltung der EU. Schulz fordert in der "Hannoverschen Allgemeinen Zeitung" Tsipras auf, seine europäischen Partner nicht "zu verprellen".

    Mit seiner Reformliste und seinem Besuch in Berlin habe Tsipras begonnen, wieder Verlässlichkeit und Vertrauen zu schaffen. Es sei "nicht akzeptabel", wenn der Regierungschef damit spekuliere, dass als Gegenleistung für russische Hilfe "die einheitliche Haltung Europas etwa in der Russland-Politik aufs Spiel gesetzt wird", so Schulz. Auch EU-Währungskommissar Pierre Moscovici hatte Tsipras zuvor vor übergroßer Nähe zu Moskau gewarnt.

    "Seelenheil" in Moskau?

    Der Vorsitzende des Bundestags-Europaausschusses, Gunther Krichbaum (CDU), kritisierte ebenfalls die Visite in Russland. Wenn die griechische Regierung glaube, ihr "Seelenheil" nun in Moskau finden zu können, dann setzte sie "aufs falsche Pferd", sagte er der Zeitung....................http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/moskau-reise-eu-parlamentspraesident-schulz-warnt-tsipras-a-1027069.html
    4/4/15

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  34. Philippines: 24 000 évacuations à l'approche du typhon Maysak...

    Quelque 24.000 personnes ont été évacuées aux Philippines en prévision du typhon Maysak qui doit frapper dimanche les côtes du nord-est de l'archipel en pleines célébrations du week-end de Pâques, a-t-on appris de sources officielles.

    "Nous prévoyons de déplacer les gens loin des villages côtiers", a indiqué à l'AFP un haut responsable de la défense civile. Soit au total 24 000 personnes dans la province d'Aurora, où le typhon doit frapper dimanche, ajoute-t-on.

    Les trombes d'eau, les crues subites et les glissements de terrain figurent toujours parmi les risques potentiels même si Maysak a perdu un peu de sa vigueur avec des vents d'une vitesse maximale de 160 kilomètres/heure, indique-t-on.

    Venant de l'Océan Pacifique, Maysak doit perdre en intensité au fur et à mesure qu'il traversera l'île principale de Luzon dimanche, d'après le météorologue Alcazar Aurelio, qui prévoit tout de même des vagues pouvant atteindre deux mètres de haut.

    Maysak a fait au moins cinq morts et des milliers de sans-abris en balayant la Micronésie dans le Pacifique ouest............http://www.rtbf.be/info/monde/detail_philippines-24-000-evacuations-a-l-approche-du-typhon-maysak?id=8948883
    4/4/15

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  35. Finnlands Finanzminister sagt „Wir lassen uns von Griechenland nicht erpressen“...

    Als einziges EU-Mitglied verfügt Finnland über Sicherheiten für den Fa
    ll, dass Griechenland die schon gewährten Kredite nicht zurückzahlen kann. Der finnische Finanzminister Antti Rinne sieht sich im Kurs seiner Regierung bestätigt. Für Athen hat er eine simple Botschaft.

    In dem seit dem Jahr 2010 andauernden Streit über Kredithilfen der Eurostaaten an Griechenland hat Finnland schon immer eine Sonderrolle gespielt. Nirgendwo im Euroraum war die Skepsis gegenüber der Hilfe für Athen so groß wie in Helsinki, und meistens war es Finnland – und nicht, wie manche denken, Deutschland –, das den einschlägigen Auszahlungs- und Verlängerungsbeschlüssen der Eurogruppe als letztes Land zustimmte. Und: Als einziges Land verfügt Finnland über Sicherheiten für den Fall, dass Griechenland die schon gewährten Kredite nicht zurückzahlen kann. 2011 setzte die resolute Finanzministerin Jutta Urpilainen gegenüber den anderen Eurostaaten das „Finnenpfand“ durch: Als Gegenleistung für ihre Beteiligung am Euro-Krisenfonds EFSF forderte die finnische Regierung von Athen eine Sicherheit.

    „Wir sind froh, dass wir das Pfand haben“, sagt Urpilainens Nachfolger Antti Rinne nun im Gespräch mit dieser Zeitung und nennt Zahlen: Seit dem Jahr 2011 seien aus Griechenland 930 Millionen Euro auf ein eigens für diesen Zweck eingerichtetes Treuhandkonto eingegangen, berichtet der Minister. Der Betrag deckt zwar nicht ganz die finnische Beteiligung an der Griechenland-Hilfe ab, aber doch einen großen Teil. Darüber, ob Athen die Kredite an die Eurostaaten zurückzahlen kann, will Rinne nicht spekulieren. Er ist aber jedenfalls zufrieden damit, dass ihm die Spekulationen auch erspart bleiben, weil seinem Land das Pfand sicher ist...............http://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/eurokrise/griechenland/vor-parlamentswahl-finnland-laesst-sich-von-griechenland-nicht-erpressen-13520983.html
    4/4/15

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  36. Can Germany's past pay for Greece's future? ...

    As Greece is trying to renegotiate its $260bn bailout, the country has reignited the debate over reparations and compensations for atrocities committed during World War II.

    Berlin says the matter is closed and it owes nothing, but Athens wants it taken seriously. They are asking for 160bn euros (around $172bn) of war time reparations, plus 50bn euros for loans taken from the Greek Central Bank back in 1943.

    In addition, Athens demands $30m for the Distomo massacre. In June 1944, Nazi troops descended on the village in central Greece. They were executing resistance fighters, when they were attacked from the hills. What followed is one of the most infamous Nazi atrocities in Greece, soldiers went from house to house, killing 214 people.

    Germany has done a great deal to acknowledge its past, and as Europe's economic powerhouse it has contributed billions into the EU budget - $17bn every year. That is just one of many reasons used to dismiss the reparations claims...............http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/countingthecost/2015/04/germany-pay-greece-future-150403162541834.html
    4/4/15

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  37. Solar Impulse 2: un mois en Chine avant de traverser le Pacifique

    L'avion solaire Solar Impulse 2 a atterri en Chine où les pilotes passeront un mois avant d'affronter le Pacifique.

    Les pilotes de l'avion solaire Solar Impulse 2 passeront un mois en Chine avant d'entamer un vol de cinq jours à travers l'océan Pacifique.

    "Voler pendant cinq jours et cinq nuits, c'est ce que nous n'avons jamais fait jusqu'à présent. L'avion doit avoir la possibilité de recharger ses batteries", a déclaré le pilote suisse André Borschberg cité par le South China Morning Post.

    M. Borschberg a avoué être légèrement nerveux, car le vol le plus prolongé de sa vie n'a duré que 29 heures. Selon lui, lors de la traversée du Pacifique, toute possibilité d'atterrir est exclue.

    "J'utiliserai au pire un parachute et un petit radeau pneumatique. Je sais comment survivre dans l'océan", a déclaré le pilote..............http://fr.sputniknews.com/sci_tech/20150404/1015496906.html#ixzz3WMR9DGv2
    4/4/15

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  38. Militants blow up natural gas pipeline in Nigeria's delta state...

    (Reuters) - Militants of the Urhobo minority ethnic group blew up a natural gas pipeline in Nigeria's Delta state in the early hours on Friday, a Nigerian official said on Saturday.

    "The Urhobo militants who carried out the attack have claimed responsibility," said Isa Ado, spokesman for the Pulo Shield taskforce, made up of members of various Nigerian security forces investigating oil theft in Nigeria's oil-producing delta region.

    Ado added that the militants were trying to draw attention to their exclusion from lucrative pipeline protection contracts with the state oil company.
    http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/04/us-nigeria-violence-pipeline-idUSKBN0MV0NV20150404?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews
    45/4/15

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  39. Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture authorities have spoken against the relocation of US Futenma Air Base to the Henoko coastal area on Sunday. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga arrived in Okinawa to hold talks with Governor Takeshi Onaga to discuss the planned relocation...

    Onaga said that relocating the base to Henoko is totally unacceptable. He said the base should be relocated to an area outside the prefecture. Suga stressed that relocation to Henoko is "the sole solution" to maintain the Japanese-American alliance.

    The Okinawa governor expressed his desire to discuss the matter personally with Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.............http://tass.ru/en/world/787295

    ReplyDelete
  40. Four police officers were killed in possible insurgent attacks in Colombia on Saturday, local media reported...

    One of the attacks, in which three officers were killed, took place in the Norte de Santander region near Venezuela, while the other deadly attack took place in Meta, according to El Heraldo.

    Another officer sustained injuries, the news outlet reported, citing police authorities.

    It is yet unknown who carried out the attacks, according to local law enforcement. El Heraldo noted that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN), as well as drug smugglers operate near the Venezuelan border where one of the killings took place................http://sputniknews.com/latam/20150405/1020488336.html#ixzz3WPCOGwPz
    5/4/15

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  41. Eroglu: If an agreement is not reached in the Cyprus problem, we will draw our own way...

    Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (03.04.15) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu has said that this is the last chance for the solution of the Cyprus problem and if an agreement is not reached during this process, they will draw their way together with the “people”. In statements during a visit to occupied Keryneia within the framework of his “pre-election” campaign, Eroglu referred to the Cyprus problem and alleged:
    “During the process which will follow the people’s expectations will be at the table. This is the last chance. If it does not happen, we will draw our way together with our people. I assume that as the UN Secretary – General said, the forthcoming period will be the last game. This game should be played well and we should reach an agreement which we believe will be lasting in Cyprus. You realize that this agreement cannot be unilateral. The other side should also take the same step”.

    Eroglu alleged that if the Greek Cypriots continue what he called as their insincere stance within the next period, in a few years he will discuss the issue with the Turkish Cypriot “people” and if necessary, the Turkish Cypriot side will hold a referendum alone. Eroglu reiterated the view that a time limit should be put in the negotiations and alleged that the sincerity of the Greek Cypriots will be seen from whether they will accept a time limit or not.
    http://www.parikiaki.com/2015/04/eroglu-if-an-agreement-is-not-reached-in-the-cyprus-problem-we-will-draw-our-own-way/
    5/4/15

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  42. USA testen ihre stärkste Anti-Bunkerbombe – Signal an Iran?

    Mit dem Test ihrer stärksten bunkerbrechenden Bombe haben die USA nach der Einschätzung des russischen Außenpolitikers Alexej Puschkow ein Signal an den Iran gesendet. Trotz der Einigung im Atomstreit sieht Puschkow keine Anzeichen einer Annäherung zwischen Washington und Teheran.

    Nach Informationen der US-Zeitung Wall Street Journal hat das Pentagon vor der Hintergrund der Atomgespräche mit dem Iran seine stärkste Bunkerbombe modernisiert und getestet. Die Waffe soll in der Lage sein, jede Atomanlage im Iran zu zerstören.............http://de.sputniknews.com/politik/20150405/301778882.html#ixzz3WSHRb3EA
    5/4/15

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  43. Mosca ritiene assurde le accuse di aver fornito armi ai ribelli yemeniti...

    Il portavoce del ministero degli Esteri russo Alexander Lukashevich ha dichiarato che Mosca non interferisce nella crisi interna dello Yemen. In precedenza i media avevano riferito che gli aerei per l'evacuazione dei cittadini russi dallo Yemen avrebbero trasportato armi da consegnare ai ribelli Huthi.

    La diplomazia russa ha bollato come assurde le affermazioni secondo cui gli aerei russi avrebbero trasportato armi nello Yemen per i ribelli Huthi, ha commentato il portavoce del ministero degli Esteri russo Alexander Lukashevich.

    "Ha attirato l'attenzione la notizia diffusa dai media relativa alle dichiarazioni del ministro degli Esteri yemenita Riyad Yassin, secondo cui gli aerei russi predisposti all'evacuazione dei nostri cittadini dal conflitto di questo Paese avrebbero trasportato le armi per i ribelli Huthi e avrebbero portato via l'ex presidente Saleh,".....http://it.sputniknews.com/politica/20150405/212574.html#ixzz3WSKRnLVE
    5/4/15

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  44. Houthis strike civilian homes in Yemen’s Aden...

    Yemeni Houthi rebels striked civilian homes in Aden's port district of Mualla using army tanks, residents told Al Arabiya News Channel on Saturday night.

    The strikes killed many, including children, the residents said, adding that parts of the southern port city have been without water or electricity for two days, according to Reuters news agency.

    Residents said life was becoming unbearable. “How long can people live without water or electricity?" said Mohammad Fara’a.

    Another resident, Hassan Abdallah, said people were using a long-disused well at one of the mosques to get water.

    Meanwhile, in the southern city of Dalea, Houthis have reportedly executed seven civilians the group was holding as captives........http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/04/05/Civilian-houses-shelled-by-Houthi-rebels-in-Aden-.html
    5/4/15

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  45. Abbas rejects Israel's partial transfer of Palestinian tax revenues...

    Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said on Sunday Israel had released frozen tax revenues to the Authority but that he had ordered the funds to be returned because money had been deducted to cover debts to Israeli utility companies.

    Israel started withholding around $130 million (87 million pounds) a month in tax and customs revenues in December. The move came after the Palestinians announced that they were joining the International Criminal Court (ICC), a move finalised on April 1.

    Under international pressure, Israel agreed last week to resume the transfers, saying it would immediately pay around $400 million -- the withheld revenues minus the amount owed by the Palestinians for utilities supplied by Israel.

    Abbas said those deductions amounted to a third of the total sum that Israel owed the Palestinians.............http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/05/us-israel-palestinians-idUSKBN0MW0JU20150405?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews
    5/4/15

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  46. Netanyahu once again blasts Iran nuclear deal...

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday again denounced the agreement between Tehran and world powers as a "bad deal" that will strengthen Iran's military and leave it with a large nuclear infrastructure.

    An outline deal agreed in Switzerland on Thursday paves the way for Tehran to curtail its nuclear activity in exchange for relief from punishing economic sanctions.

    "It doesn't roll back Iran's nuclear program," Netanyahu told CNN, one of several US networks he appeared on to slam the deal.

    "It keeps a vast nuclear infrastructure in place. Not a single centrifuge is destroyed. Not a single nuclear facility is shut down including the underground facilities that they built illicitly. Thousands of centrifuges will keep spinning enriching uranium. That's a bad deal." .............http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Netanyahu-once-again-blasts-Iran-nuclear-deal/articleshow/46815436.cms

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  47. US Senator Feinstein: Framework nuclear agreement with Iran doesn't threaten Israel ...

    A nuclear framework agreement reached between world powers and Iran does not threaten the survival of Israel, US Senator Dianne Feinstein said on Sunday.

    Feinstein, a leading Democratic voice on foreign affairs as vice chairman of the Senate select committee on intelligence, was responding to comments by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticizing the deal. Netanyahu has rejected the framework agreement reached on Thursday, saying it risks Israel's security and would make it easier for Iran to obtain an atomic bomb.
    http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/US-Senator-Feinstein-Framework-nuclear-agreement-with-Iran-doesnt-threaten-Israel-396234
    5/4/15

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  48. North Korea declares no-sail zone, missile launch seen as possible: reports...

    (Reuters) - North Korea has declared a no-sail zone for its ships off its east coast, South Korean media reported on Monday, suggesting more missile launches are possible before the U.S. defense chief visits Seoul this week.

    Pyongyang fired four short-range missiles off its west coast on Friday in what South Korea called a bid to stoke tension during its annual joint military drills with the United States............http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/06/us-northkorea-missles-idUSKBN0MX04820150406?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews

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  49. As many as 2,000 residents from a main camp for Palestinian refugees south of Damascus fled to nearby areas over the past few days, escaping the ferocious attack by the Islamic State (IS) militants, a monitor group and local press reported Sunday...

    Hundreds of the Yarmouk Camp residents reached the rebel-held areas of Yalda, Babila and Beit Sahm in the southern edge of Damascus over the past two days, as a result of the clashes there between the Aknaf Beit al-Maqdes rebel group and the IS militants, who unleashed a wide-scale offensive against the camp since the beginning of this month, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights...............http://www.china.org.cn/world/2015-04/05/content_35249462.htm

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  50. Kenya bombs Somalia al-Shabab bases after Garissa attack...

    Kenyan fighter jets have bombed positions of militant Islamist group al-Shabab in neighbouring Somalia, a military spokesman has told the BBC.

    The warplanes had targeted two camps in the Gedo region, used by al-Shabab to cross into Kenya, the spokesman added.

    This is Kenya's first response to an al-Shabab assault which left 148 people dead at Garissa University last week.

    President Uhuru Kenyatta had vowed to respond to the attack "in the severest way possible".

    Kenyan army spokesman David Obonyo told the BBC that the military had responded to "threats" by launching the air strike on Sunday night in the remote region.

    No further details of the operation were available at this stage, he said.
    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-32194722
    6/4/15

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  51. Gorbatchev: Washington pas en mesure de dominer le monde...

    Les Etats-Unis, comme tout autre pays, ne sont pas en mesure de gérer le monde entier de manière unilatérale, estime l'ancien président de l'URSS Mikhaïl Gorbatchev............http://fr.sputniknews.com/international/20150406/1015514978.html#ixzz3WWXWyBja
    6/4/15

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  52. A second round of intra-Syrian talks will again bring together officials from the current government of President Bashar Assad and Syrian opposition figures...

    Qadri Jamil is heading the delegation of the Popular Front for Change and Liberation, a minor coalition in the Syrian parliament.

    Hassan Abdel Azim, chairman of the left-wing bloc titled The National Coordination Committee for the Forces of Democratic Change, is also expected to attend the talks.

    On Sunday, members of the Syrian opposition asked Russian authorities to assist in the arrival of Louay Hussin, president of the Building the Syrian State political movement, who is banned from traveling outside Syria........http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20150406/1020518114.html#ixzz3WWZ4o6A2
    6/4/15

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  53. Jordan's military says a training propeller airplane has crashed during a routine flight, killing two pilots on board...

    Army spokesman Col. Mamdouh Al-Amiri said the Firefly training plane crashed Monday in a dedicated area for pilot training.

    Al-Amiri identified the dead as Jordanian Lt. Col. Ibrahim Hasouneh and Iraqi trainee pilot Laith Nasser. He did not offer a cause for the crash.

    Jordan's military suffered a similar incident in 2013 when another Firefly crashed, killing the two pilots on board.

    Jordan is currently part of a U.S.-led coalition launching airstrikes against ISIS, which controls a third of Iraq and neighboring Syria.
    http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2015/Apr-06/293444-jordan-military-training-plane-crashes-killing-2-pilots.ashx

    ReplyDelete
  54. Saudi Arabia has asked Pakistan for military aircraft, warships and soldiers, Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Monday, at the start of a parliamentary debate on whether Pakistan should get involved in a Saudi-led campaign in Yemen...

    Saudi Arabia, the Gulf's main Sunni Muslim power, has asked Sunni-majority Pakistan to join a Saudi-led military coalition that began conducting air strikes last month against largely Shi'ite Houthi forces in Yemen.

    Sharif has hedged his bets. He has repeatedly said he will defend any threat to Saudi Arabia's "territorial integrity" without defining what threat, or what action.

    "Saudi Arabia has asked for combat planes, warships and soldiers," Asif said, without specifying where Saudi wanted them deployed...............http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/pakistan-says-saudi-asked/1769226.html
    6/4/15

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  55. Obama to ’Gulf States’: Biggest Threat is from inside own Countries, not Iran...

    The Gulf states face a greater threat from within their own countries than from outside forces such as Iran or ISIL (acronym of the so-called 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant' takfiri group), US President Barack Obama has said in an interview explaining the nuclear deal struck with Iran last week.

    Speaking to the New York Times, Obama insisted the US was committed to GCC security but “a tough conversation” needed to be had with Gulf leaders over their internal issues.

    The Arab states faced more pressing threats such as “populations that, in some cases, are alienated, youth that are underemployed, an ideology that is destructive and nihilistic, and in some cases, just a belief that there are no legitimate political outlets for grievances,” Obama said........http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?eid=204686&cid=31&fromval=1
    6/4/15

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  56. Les USA se préparent à des opérations militaires dans l'Espace...

    Washington s'oppose à tout accord international visant à prévenir le déploiement d'armes spatiales, car il souhaite éliminer tout obstacle susceptible de gêner ses velléités militaristes, estime un analyste américain.

    De "La Guerre des étoiles" aux "Gardiens de la galaxie", les batailles spatiales ont toujours inspiré les réalisateurs de cinéma. Cependant, ces batailles pourraient devenir réalité plus vite qu'on ne le pense..............http://fr.sputniknews.com/international/20150406/1015526718.html#ixzz3WYAcz7nj
    6/4/15

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  57. Funcionarios de la UE discuten organizar un golpe de Estado en Atenas, cree un experto...

    Funcionarios de la Unión Europea discuten abiertamente organizar un golpe de Estado en Grecia, cree el columnista de Sputnik en inglés, Alexander Mercouris, basándose en un artículo publicado por the Financial Times el mismo día en que Varoufakis confirma que Grecia pagará la próxima cuota de su préstamo del FMI.

    "El artículo es tan detallado y con tan buenas fuentes que no me cabe duda de que efectivamente existe la intención de derrocar al actual Gobierno democráticamente elegido de Grecia", lamenta Mercouris...........http://mundo.sputniknews.com/europa/20150406/1036107642.html#ixzz3WYCIXW4Y
    6/4/15

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  58. UK sends military trainers to Syria...

    On March 26, as Britain’s general election campaign began, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon announced that Britain would send 75 military trainers and staff to aid the so-called “moderate” opposition forces in Syria.

    The announcement marked an expansion of Britain’s aggressive role in the United States-led intervention, which is targeting not only the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), but also the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

    Britain is the second largest contributor to the coalition campaign in Iraq against ISIS, providing arms to the Kurdish Peshmerga forces and reconnaissance and operational support for air strikes in Iraq, along with military advisers and several hundred combat-ready troops to train local forces..............http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2015/04/06/uksy-a06.html
    6/4/15

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  59. Spanien: Gebt uns Arbeit!...

    Viele junge und hoch qualifizierte Spanier ziehen zurück zu ihren Eltern. Jetzt suchen sie Hilfe bei einer radikalen Partei.............http://www.zeit.de/2015/12/spanien-arbeitslosigkeit-podemos
    6/4/15

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  60. US efforts to ease embargo 'insufficient', Cuban trade minister says...

    Cuba's trade minister said Monday that US President Barack Obama's moves to ease the five-decade embargo on the communist island are "incomplete and insufficient."

    With Obama heading toward a potentially historic meeting with Cuban President Raul Castro this week, Trade and Foreign Investment Minister Rodrigo Malmierca criticized the US leader's limited steps to ease the crippling trade and financial embargo the United States has maintained on Cuba since 1962.

    After the old Cold War foes announced a historic rapprochement on December 17, Obama loosened several components of the embargo, allowing more travel from the United States to Cuba, raising the limit on cash remittances to the island and easing restrictions on certain kinds of trade, among other measures.

    "The measures Obama ordered are incomplete and insufficient, and do not change the essence of this unilateral measure taken by the US government against Cuba," Malmierca told state newspaper Granma.

    He said the measures were a "step in the right direction" but did not go far enough toward ending the embargo...........http://www.france24.com/en/20150406-cuba-trade-minister-says-usa-efforts-ease-embargo-insufficient/
    6/3/15

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  61. Jihadists release 200 kidnapped Syrian Kurds in Idlib ...

    An array of jihadist groups released over 200 Syrian Kurds kidnapped recently in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib, a monitor group reported on Monday.

    The Kurds were kidnapped on Sunday and Monday on checkpoints manned by jihadists in Idlib, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

    The UK-based watchdog group added that the Kurds were traveling back to the predominantly Kurdish city of Afrin in the northern province of Aleppo from the capital Damascus, the coastal city of Latakia and Lebanon as well, before their capture.

    The Kurdish authorities in Afrin released three men of the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front in exchange for the kidnapped Kurds, according to the Observatory...........http://www.china.org.cn/world/2015-04/07/content_35252883.htm

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  62. La Turque et l'Iran doivent jouer un rôle de médiateurs dans les conflits qui se déroulent en Syrie et en Irak, a déclaré le président turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan à l'issue de négociations avec son homologue iranien Hassan Rohani...

    La Turquie et l'Iran doivent servir de médiateurs dans les conflits en Syrie et en Irak afin d'arrêter l'effusion de sang dans ces pays, a déclaré mardi le président turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan lors d'une conférence de presse conjointe avec son homologue iranien Hassan Rohani à Téhéran.

    "Plus de 100.000 personnes ont péri en Irak et au moins 300.000 autres en Syrie. Je ne divise pas ces victimes en sunnites et chiites. Ce qui importe, c'est que des gens – des musulmans – y sont tués. L'Iran et la Turquie doivent servir de médiateurs entre les parties belligérantes", a indiqué M. Erdogan..........http://fr.sputniknews.com/international/20150407/1015555263.html#ixzz3We7mg5x4
    7/4/15

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  63. Americans Still Believe 1945 Nuclear Bombing of Japan Was Justified – Poll...

    Over a half of Americans polled still believe that the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that claimed the lives of about 200,000 peaceful civilians in August 1945 was justified, the Pew Research Center has revealed Tuesday.

    According to the latest survey carried out by the Pew Research Center, a US nonpartisan fact tank, 56 percent of Americans still believe that the act of dropping atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was justified, while only 34 percent of respondents thought it was not.

    Remarkably, the poll has also revealed a large generation gap in the Americans to the use of nuclear weapons against Hiroshima and Nagasaki. About 70 percent of the US elderly (65 years of age and older) believe that bombing of the two Japanese cities was warranted, while only 47 percent of American youths (18- to 29 years of age) share the same stance.

    In addition, 29 percent of American respondents claimed that "Japan has not apologized sufficiently for its actions during the war."........http://sputniknews.com/us/20150407/1020583730.html#ixzz3WeGsYZAv
    7/4/15

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  64. Gabriel kritisiert griechische Reparationsforderungen...

    Bundeswirtschaftsminister Sigmar Gabriel hat die griechische Forderungen nach deutschen Reparationszahlung im Zuge der Debatte über eine Lösung des griechischen Schuldenproblems kritisiert. „Ich finde das ehrlich gesagt dumm“, sagte Gabriel am Dienstag bei einer Diskussion in seinem Ministerium. Schließlich habe Griechenland ein Interesse daran, dass die Euro-Partner ihm bei der Lösung ihrer Finanzprobleme Spielräume geben. „Und diese Spielräume haben mit dem Zweiten Weltkrieg und Reparationszahlungen gar nichts zu tun“, sagte der Vize-Kanzler. Wenn man dies dennoch zusammen thematisiere, mache man es denen einfach, die einen solchen Weg ablehnten.

    Gabriel machte aber auch deutlich, dass Deutschland sich immer wieder der Debatte über seine Verantwortung für Ereignisse des Zweiten Weltkriegs stellen müsse.
    In der aktuellen Schuldenkrise dürfe zudem nicht der Eindruck entstehen, Deutschland sei in der EU der große Lastesel. „Die Wahrheit ist natürlich, dass wir unglaublich viel Geld mit der Währungsunion verdient haben“. Es sei mutig gewesen, die Täter von gestern zur Teilnahme am Projekt Europa einzuladen.

    Es gebe heute auch ein Stück weit eine ökonomische Verantwortung. „Das hat auch etwas mit Fairness zu tun“, betonte Gabriel. „Wir müssen verdammt viel Respekt davor haben, was die Menschen in Griechenland schultern.“ Sie müssten die Opfer bringen für das Versagen der Eliten: „Sie haben das Land ausgeplündert.“.............http://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/article139215840/Athen-veroeffentlicht-Themenliste-fuer-Putin-Treffen.html
    7/4/15

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  65. U.S. could recommend taking Cuba off state terrorism list in days -official...

    The U.S. State Department could recommend within a few days that Cuba be removed from its list of countries accused of sponsoring terrorism, a U.S. official said on Tuesday, a major move toward rapprochement ahead of a hemispheric summit this week.

    President Barack Obama ordered the review after announcing a diplomatic breakthrough with Havana on Dec. 17, and he has vowed to act quickly once he receives the State Department's recommendation..............http://www.todayonline.com/world/us-recommend-taking-cuba-state-sponsored-terrorism-list-days-cnn
    7/4/15

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    Replies
    1. The U.S. State Department is expected to recommend within a day or two that Cuba be removed from its list of countries accused of sponsoring terrorism, CNN reported on Tuesday...

      President Barack Obama ordered the review of Cuba's inclusion on the list after announcing a diplomatic breakthrough with Havana on Dec. 17.

      Obama leaves on Wednesday for a trip to Jamaica and Panama, where he will participate in a summit of the Americas and come face-to-face with Cuban President Raul Castro.

      Ben Rhodes, White House deputy national security adviser, said earlier the State Department's review was nearing its conclusion but he could not predict the timing. Cuba's continued presence on the U.S. blacklist is a major sticking point in the country's efforts to restore relations and re-open embassies.............REUTERS......http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/World/2015/Apr-07/293630-us-to-recommend-taking-cuba-off-state-sponsored-terrorism-list-in-days-cnn.ashx
      7/4/15

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  66. The United States is speeding up arms supplies to the Saudi-led coalition against Houthi fighters opposed to US-allied Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday...

    Speaking to reporters on a visit to Riyadh, Blinken called for all political parties to commit to what he called a consensus political solution, and said Washington was stepping up intelligence sharing with the anti-Houthi alliance.

    "Saudi Arabia is sending a strong message to the Houthis and their allies that they cannot overrun Yemen by force," he said, referring to Riyadh's leadership of a military campaign by several Arab countries to prevent Iranian-allied Houthis from ruling over the whole of Yemen.................http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/US-expediting-weapon-supplies-to-Saudis-in-fight-against-Yemens-Houthis-396462
    7/4/15

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  67. 100 paratroopers from Russia, Belarus, Tajikistan air dropped to North Pole...

    Paratroopers of the Ivanovo and Pskov airborne troops units jointly with contingents of the rapid deployment forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organization /CSTO/ member states were successfully air dropped on drifting ice floe in the Arctic Ocean, for the first time in history, Commander of the Russian Airborne Troops Colonel General Vladimir Shamanov told TASS on Tuesday.

    He said 100 paratroopers from Russia, Belarus and Tajikistan were drilling skills as part of the traning humanitarian rescue and search programme................http://tass.ru/en/russia/787823
    7/4/15

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  68. Selon le ministre russe de l'Agriculture, Moscou peut retirer la Grèce de la liste des pays frappés par son embargo alimentaire, mais il est peu probable que cela arrive lors de la prochaine visite du premier ministre grec en Russie...

    Le gouvernement russe peut exclure certains pays dont la Grèce, la Hongrie et Chypre de la liste des Etats frappés par son embargo sur les importations de produits agricoles, a annoncé mardi à Moscou le ministre russe de l'Agriculture Nikolaï Fedorov.

    "La liste des Etats est déterminée par un décret du président russe. Dans ce contexte, le gouvernement peut présenter des propositions sur le retrait de certains pays de cette liste (…). Rien n'empêche les autorités russes d'étudier ces possibilités", a indiqué M.Fedorov devant les journalistes à la veille d'une visite du premier ministre grec Alexis Tsipras à Moscou...............http://fr.sputniknews.com/economie/20150407/1015557171.html#ixzz3Wge07PVS

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  69. Russia may offer Greece a discount on gas deliveries and new loans when Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras visits Moscow this week, the Kommersant business daily reported on Tuesday, citing one source in the Russian government...

    A Kremlin spokesman said last week that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tsipras planned to discuss economic ties and EU sanctions on Moscow when they meet for talks, which Kommersant said would take place on Thursday.

    "We are ready to consider the issue of a gas price discount for Greece," the newspaper said quoting an unnamed Russian government source.

    Russia's state-controlled producer Gazprom declined to comment. The Energy Ministry also declined to comment..............http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/518715.html

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  70. Japan emperor heads for WW2 battlefield as war memories haunt Asia...

    (Reuters) - Japanese Emperor Akihito heads on Wednesday for the island nation of Palau where he will visit a World War Two battlefield, the latest journey in his efforts to soothe the wounds of a conflict that haunts Asia 70 years after its end.

    Some 10,000 Japanese defenders, fighting in the name of Akihito's father, Emperor Hirohito, died in a two-month battle in 1944 on Palau's tiny Peleliu island along with about 1,600 American troops. Unaware Japan had surrendered on Aug. 15, 1945, 34 Japanese soldiers hid in the jungle until April 1947.

    "By going to these old battlefields and praying for those who lost their lives in that war, he is not trying to glorify the war," Yoshitaka Shindo, a former member of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet, told Reuters recently.

    "(But) if those who died had not lived, we would not exist now," said Shindo, whose grandfather commanded Japanese troops in the bloody battle of Iwo Jima.

    "So we must never forget our ancestors." ..............http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/08/us-japan-emperor-idUSKBN0MZ02Z20150408?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews

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  71. Syria said Tuesday it is ready to offer Palestinians its firepower to support their battle with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in a refugee camp devastated by clashes and aerial attacks...

    The deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Yarmuk camp has pushed the UN Security Council to demand greater access to residents trapped between the encroaching ISIL jihadists and besieging government forces.

    The fierce clashes that began on April 1 have ceased, but regime forces continue to drop barrel bombs on the camp, which lies six kilometres (3.5 miles) from central Damascus.

    In the capital, Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Meqdad met with a delegation from the Palestine Liberation Organisation headed by Ahmad Majdalani.

    "Syrian authorities are ready to support the Palestinian fighters in a number of ways, including militarily, to push ISIL out of the camp," said PLO official Anwar Abdul Hadi, who was at the meetings..................http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/syria-offers-palestinians-its-firepower-in-yarmuk-battle-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=80736&NewsCatID=352
    8/4/15

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  72. A Saudi-led military coalition trying to beat back an advance by Shiite rebels in Yemen denied on Tuesday that it has launched naval combat operations...

    "We did not at any time mention that we have a sea operation, other than the control of the ports and the movement in the maritime zone around Yemen," Brigadier General Ahmed Assiri told reporters, referring to a maritime blockade.

    Witnesses reported earlier that coalition naval forces shelled rebel positions in the southern port city of Aden.............AFP

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  73. Freed Syrian says he saw, fed two Japanese hostages and Jordanian pilot killed by Islamic State...

    A Syrian man who had been held in a facility in northern Syria by Islamic State has revealed he stayed with the two Japanese hostages killed by the militants and delivered food to them in a cell for foreign captives.

    In an interview, the 45-year-old man, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue, also said Jordanian pilot Lt. Mu’ath al-Kaseasbeh, who was burned to death by Islamic State, was detained in the same facility...............Kyodo
    8/4/15

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  74. Spot report by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine: “DPR” member opened fire towards an SMM patrol on the outskirts of Shyrokyne, 7 April 2015...

    On 7 April, while traveling east on road E58 toward a “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”) checkpoint in Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol, 99km south of Donetsk), the SMM was halted by an improvised “DPR” roadblock, located on the northern edge of Shyrokyne (“DPR”-controlled). As the SMM approached the checkpoint on foot, a patrol member immediately encountered warning shots of heavy machine gun fire to his right, and semi-automatic rifle fire to his left.

    The SMM proceeded to make contact with a “DPR” member, emerging from a nearby trench, to negotiate passage through the roadblock. After some discussion, and a search of SMM vehicles by “DPR” members, the SMM patrol was allowed to proceed. Prior to departing the scene, the SMM saw two cars enter Shyrokyne at high speed and four cars depart at high speed. The cars, with “DPR” members on board, had no number plates. “DPR” members at the scene told the SMM that Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel had been targeting the stretch of the E58 highway directly east of Shyrokyne in the past two weeks........osce.org
    8/4/15

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  75. Kudrin: Grecia debe elegir entre cumplir con sus acreedores o salir de la eurozona...

    Las autoridades de Grecia tienen que elegir entre acatar las demandas de los acreedores o salir de la eurozona, considera el exministro ruso de Finanzas Alexéi Kudrin.

    "Grecia debe optar entre el cumplimiento de las demandas de los acreedores internacionales o la salida de la zona de euro", escribió en su cuenta de Twitter......http://sptnkne.ws/cpv
    8/4/15

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  76. Greek PM gets support, not money from Putin...

    (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin offered Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras moral support and long-term cooperation but no financial aid on Wednesday, leaving Athens to fend for itself in resolving urgent debt problems with Western creditors.

    The leftist-led Greek government, at loggerheads with its euro zone and International Monetary Fund creditors, risks running out of money within weeks unless it can reach a new cash-for-reform deal.

    "The Greek side has not addressed us with any requests for aid," Putin told a joint news conference after Kremlin talks. "We discussed cooperation in various sectors of the economy, including the possibility of developing major energy projects."

    Tsipras added: "Greece is not a beggar going around to countries asking them to solve its economic problem, an economic crisis that doesn't only concern Greece but is a European crisis." ...............Reuters
    8/4/15

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  77. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and his Polish counterpart Bronislaw Komorowski met in Kiev on Wednesday to discuss a number of issues, including anti-Russian sanctions, military cooperation and joint actions to invite a peacekeeping mission to Ukraine, the Ukrainian president’s press service reported.
    tass.ru
    8/4/15

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  78. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Iran will be able to swiftly get nuclear weapons after the emerging deal expires, echoing similar remarks by U.S. President Barack Obama...

    Netanyahu said Wednesday that "Israel shares the view" that when the deal expires "the breakout time for Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon will be zero." Breakout time refers to how long it takes to build a bomb if allowed to go ahead full speed.

    Obama has said that under last week's framework deal between world powers and Iran, the breakout time would be at least a year.

    On Tuesday, Obama told NPR News that the fear is that soon after that expiration date, Iran's breakout time "would have shrunk almost down to zero." Nonetheless, he defended the deal.
    AP
    dailystar.com.lb
    8/4/15

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  79. 'Summary killings' of Ukraine soldiers in east - Amnesty...

    Amnesty International has said it has evidence pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine summarily killed four Ukrainian soldiers in their captivity.

    Witnesses told the group that one government soldier was shot at point-blank range by a separatist commander.

    Amnesty also said it had videos of three others shown alive in captivity, then dead in a morgue with bullet wounds to their heads and upper bodies..............bbc.com
    9/4/15

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  80. North Korea fires missiles into sea as U.S. defense chief visits region...

    (Reuters) - North Korea has fired two surface-to-air missiles off its west coast, South Korea said on Thursday, with the latest in a string of short-range firings by the North coming during a visit to the region by the U.S. defense secretary.

    "The range of these is not that long," Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok told a briefing, referring to the surface-to-air missiles fired on Wednesday.

    "The North occasionally fires these," Kim said.

    U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter was in Japan on Wednesday and was due to travel to South Korea on Thursday, where he is expected to discuss a response to North Korea's growing missile and nuclear threat.

    North Korea fired four short-range missiles off its west coast on Friday from a major missile station used previously to launch a long-range rocket that is believed to have put an object into space.

    (Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Robert Birsel)
    Reutrs
    8/4/15

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  81. Griechischer Besuch in Moskau: Für Putin war Tsipras zweite Wahl...

    Der Besuch des griechischen Ministerpräsidenten Alexis Tsipras im Kreml hat keine direkten Folgen für die EU, aber Signalwirkung. Das Treffen mit Präsident Wladimir Putin hinterlässt gemischte Gefühle.

    Der russische Präsident Wladimir Putin bemühte sich um die Rolle des guten Gastgebers, als er den griechischen Premierminister Alexis Tsipras im Kreml empfing. Gleich zu Beginn lobte er die "besonderen Beziehungen" zwischen Russland und Griechenland. Die beiden Länder würden "gemeinsame geistige Wurzeln" teilen, erklärte Putin und betonte die Rolle des orthodoxen Glaubens............n24.de
    9/4/15

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  82. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter confirmed Wednesday that the U.S. is resupplying arms and equipment to a Saudi coalition striking Houthi rebels in Yemen, following conflicting remarks from the State Department. ...

    "We're providing them with some logistics information and we're providing them with some resupply of equipment and munitions," Carter said during a press conference in Tokyo with his Japanese counterpart Gen Nakatani.

    Carter’s comments supported those of Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken who said Tuesday that the U.S. was providing intelligence and weapons to the coalition. ....aa.com.tr
    8/4/15

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  83. The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has conducted its first airstrike on the positions of the Islamic State militant group in Syria, Canadian Defense Minister Jason Kenney said Wednesday...

    Last week, Canadian Parliament voted to approve the government's plan to carry out airstrikes in Syria and extend Canada's participation in the US-led coalition until March 2016.............http://sptnkne.ws/cs9
    9/4/15

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  84. Kerry warns Iran over Houthi rebel 'support'...

    US Secretary of State John Kerry has warned Iran over its alleged support for Houthi rebels in Yemen.

    He said the US would support any state in the Middle East that felt threatened by Iran, and would not "stand by" if Iran destabilised the region.

    The US is backing a Saudi-led coalition seeking to drive back the rebels and restore President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, who fled the country last month.

    Iran has denied accusations it is providing military aid to the Houthis............bbc.com
    9/4/15

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  85. La Grèce honore son paiement d'avril au FMI mais grand flou sur la suite...

    Après plusieurs jours de suspense, la Grèce a honoré jeudi son versement d'avril au Fonds monétaire international (FMI) mais l'incertitude règne toujours sur sa capacité à payer ses dettes à partir du mois prochain, faute d'accord avec ses créanciers. Le premier ministre grec Alexis Tsipras poursuit sa tournée en Russie. Depuis plusieurs jours, les autorités grecques laissaient planer le suspens sur ce remboursement, naviguant entre menaces et promesses..........rtbf.be
    9/4/15

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  86. US Senator: Airstrikes Could Eliminate Iran Nuke Sites ...

    A Republican U.S. senator, who authored an open letter to Iran asserting Congress’ ability to override a nuclear accord, now says a military strike against Tehran’s atomic facilities, could be achieved quickly through a bombing campaign lasting only “several days.”

    Tom Cotton of Arkansas has been a senator for barely four months, but has made a name for himself as the most outspoken member of a Republican faction that is not just skeptical of a nuclear agreement with Iran, but openly scornful of it.

    President Barack Obama has never ruled out U.S. military action against Iran, but sees it as a final option, as he made clear in his State of the Union address in January..............voanews.com
    9/4/15

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  87. A Kiev court has ruled to arrest the Aliot ship for "violation of entering Crimea," the press service of Ukraine’s prosecutor office said on Thursday...

    Investigators obtained "irrefutable evidence that the ship’s captain, citizen of Ukraine, committed a crime - organizing illegal transportation of individuals across the state border." The captain may face from 3 to 5 years in prison..............tass.ru
    9/4/15

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  88. North Korea on Thursday vowed to continue its push to develop nuclear weapons as well as ease chronic food and energy shortages during a rare parliamentary session that was closely watched by observers...

    The announcement made following the meeting stuck closely to a New Year's speech by leader Kim Jong-un which stressed the need to improve people's living standards.

    According to the official KCNA news agency, Prime Minister Pak Pong-ju told the legislative assembly that 2014 was "a year of shining victories as the foundation for winning a final victory in all fields of building a thriving nation was consolidated."....AFP.....globaltimes.cn
    9/4/15

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  89. Houthi fighters, backed by supporters of former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, have entered the provincial capital of the Shabwa province in eastern Yemen, despite intense Saudi-led air strikes against the group...

    Residents said local tribal chiefs and security officials facilitated the entry of the Houthi forces to the city of Ataq on Thursday, where they took control of the offices of the local government and security forces compounds.

    It was the first time that the Houthis and their allies had entered the city, bringing them closer to the country's most prized economic asset, the Belhaf natural gas facility and export terminal, on the Arabian Sea about 160 km to the southeast.......aljazeera.com
    9/4/15

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  90. Egypt has launched its first airstrikes against positions belonging to the Shiite Houthi group in Yemen, a Saudi-led coalition said Thursday...

    "An Egyptian warplane has carried out a raid against a Houthi target," coalition spokesman Ahmed al-Asiri said in a daily briefing.

    Since March 25, warplanes from Saudi Arabia and several Arab allies have pounded Houthi positions across Yemen.

    Al-Asiri said that Houthi militias had been "cut off from their leadership."..........http://www.aa.com.tr/en/news/491341--egypt-launches-1st-strike-against-yemens-houthis-coalition
    9/4/15

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  91. The United States and Cuban foreign ministers met in Panama on Thursday night, a US official said, in the highest-level meeting between the two sides since the earliest days of the Cuban revolution more than half a century ago...

    The discussions between US Secretary of State John Kerry and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez marked the first time the two nations' chief diplomats have met since a historic opening by President Barack Obama and his Cuban counterpart, Raul Castro, that was announced on Dec. 17 last year.

    The closed-door meeting took place at a Panama City hotel on the eve of a Western Hemisphere summit where Obama and Castro will cross paths. The State Department had said earlier that Kerry and Rodriguez had planned to meet on Thursday.
    jpost.com by Reuters
    10/4/15

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  92. First Red Cross medical aid plane lands in Sanaa...

    The first Red Cross plane carrying medical aid into Yemen landed in Sanaa airport on Friday, marking their first delivery of medical supplies since the beginning of the Saudi-led military campaign against Houthi militias.

    “This is the first ICRC plane to have landed in Sanaa. It is loaded with 16 tons of medical aid,” Marie-Claire Feghali, spokeswoman in Yemen for the International Committee of the Red Cross, said in a tweet.

    The shipment was made up of “drugs and surgical instruments,” the spokeswoman told AFP via telephone from Sanaa airport after the arrival of the plane.

    “Tomorrow, a second plane will be carrying 32 tonnes of medical supplies, generators and water purification equipment for hospitals in Sanaa,” she added..............alarabiya.net
    10/4/15

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  93. Pakistan's parliament passed a resolution requesting the government stay neutral in the ongoing Yemen conflict....

    Pakistan has been requested by Saudi Arabia to join military operations against the Shia Houthi rebels in Yemen but Pakistan's parliament called on the government to focus on assisting in resolving the conflict through diplomatic means.

    Both the lower and upper houses of the parliament have spent five days debating the issue.

    "The parliament desires that Pakistan should maintain neutrality in the Yemen conflict so as to be able to play a proactive diplomatic role to end the crisis," the draft resolution read.....................[aa.com.tr]
    10/4/15

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  94. Head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic /DPR/ Alexander Zakharchenko said on Friday Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko’s statements about Donbass’ reintegration into the unitary Ukraine were mere "wish-wash."...

    "Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko has made another notorious statement. He said that Ukrainian would be the only state language and the country would remain a unitary state. With all that, Ukraine would reintegrate Donbass peacefully, through a political process, by means of elections in Donetsk and Lugansk," the Donetsk News Agency quoted him as saying.

    Poroshenko, according to the DPR head, "is uttering words for their own sake." "Direct talks with Donbass, a constitutional reform in Ukraine, decentralization of power, disarming of illegal paramilitary groups - that’s what is provided by the Minsk agreements. But it looks like Poroshenko is interpreting them in the light of the Nazi doctrine: one nation, one language, one country," Zakharchenko said.

    Since there was no Poroshenko’s signature under the Minsk accords, his words were mere "wish-wash," Zakharchenko added.....http://tass.ru
    11/4/15

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  95. Obama and Castro meeting for talks at Summit...

    US President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro are holding talks at the Summit of the Americas in Panama today.

    President Obama is expected to raise the issue of political reforms in Cuba.

    President Castor is seeking an end to the US trade embargo and the removal of Cuba from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism.

    ReplyDelete
  96. La justice égyptienne confirme la peine de mort pour le chef des Frères musulmans...

    La peine de mort prononcée à l'encontre du guide suprême des Frères musulmans, Mohamed Badie a été confirmée samedi. La décision concerne aussi d'autres membres de la confrérie, accusés comme lui d'avoir cherché à déstabiliser le pouvoir égyptien.

    La justice égyptienne a confirmé, samedi 11 avril, la peine de mort pour Mohamed Badie, le guide suprême des Frères musulmans, accusé d'avoir cherché à déstabiliser l'État et planifié des attaques.

    Le tribunal a également confirmé la peine capitale, pour les mêmes chefs d'accusation, pour treize autres responsables de l'organisation, dont deux étaient jugés par contumace.....france24.com

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  97. Barack Obama promet de ne plus s'ingérer dans les affaires intérieures des pays d'Amérique latine...

    Le temps où les Etats-Unis s'ingéraient dans les affaires intérieures des pays d'Amérique latine est révolu, a assuré le président américain Barack Obama lors du septième Sommet des Amériques qui s'est ouvert vendredi à Panama.

    "Les jours où nos projets dans cet hémisphère partaient du principe que les Etats-Unis pouvaient interférer librement sont révolus", a déclaré le locataire de la Maison Blanche vendredi, à la veille d'une rencontre avec son homologue cubain Raul Castro.........http://sptnkne.ws/cMZ

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  98. Two Iranian Revolutionary Guards Allegedly Captured in Yemeni City of Aden...

    Fighters in the Yemeni port city of Aden claim to have captured two military officers from Iran's elite Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution, also known as Revolutionary Guards.

    They say the officers assisted the Houthis in an advisory capacity.

    The Islamic Republic has repeatedly denied Tehran provides military support to the Houthis...............http://sptnkne.ws/cNx
    11/4/15

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  99. U.S. expands intelligence sharing with Saudi...

    The United States is expanding its intelligence-sharing with Saudi Arabia to provide more information about potential targets in the kingdom’s air campaign against Houthi militias in Yemen, U.S. officials told Reuters news agency on Saturday.

    The U.S. officials said the expanded assistance includes sensitive intelligence data that will allow the Saudis to better review the kingdom’s targets.

    “We have opened up the aperture a bit wider with what we are sharing with our Saudi partners,” said one U.S. official.

    “We are helping them get a better sense of the battlefield and the state of play with the Houthi forces. We are also helping identify ‘no strike’ areas they should avoid” to minimize any civilian casualties, the official said............alarabiya.net
    11/4/15

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  100. Russia’s Su -27 fighter jet forced US spy plane to alter course - Defence Ministry...

    US reconnaissance plane RC-135U was heading towards Russia’s state border and Russian Su-27 fighter jet made it change its course, the Russian Defense Ministry’s official spokesman told reporters on Saturday.

    The incident occurred on April 7 when the Russian air defense forces on duty found an unknown air target over the Baltic sea that was moving towards the Russian state border, Gen. Maj. Igor Konashenkov said.

    The Su-27 fighter jet approached the unknown plane and flew around it several times and identified it as the RC-135U reconnaissance plane of the US Air Force and reported to the command about the incident, he said.

    The US plane changed its course and flew away from the Russian border, Konashenkov said. He stressed that during the spy plane’s flight the transponder was turned off.

    "No extraordinary situations occurred when the [fighter jet] flew around the US reconnaissance plane," Konashenkov said.

    "As for the assessment of professional qualities of our pilots, this is up to the Russian command. And US reconnaissance planes can perform routine flights only along the US borders," he added.

    The Pentagon earlier claimed that the RC-135U was performing a routine flight in the international airspace on April 7 when it was intercepted by Russia’s Su-27 in an "unsafe and unprofessional manner.".
    tass.ru
    11/4/15

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  101. Euro zone officials shocked by Greece's stance: Germany's FAS paper...

    (Reuters) - Euro zone officials were shocked at Greece's failure to outline plans for structural reforms at last week's talks in Brussels, a German newspaper on Saturday cited participants as saying, adding the Greek representative behaved like a "taxi driver".

    A meeting of deputy finance ministers on Thursday gave Athens a six working day deadline to present revised economic reform plans before euro zone finance ministers meet on April 24 to consider unlocking emergency funding to keep Greece afloat.

    Euro zone sources told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung that they were disappointed and shocked at Athens' lack of movement in its plans, and in particular its reluctance to talk about cutting civil servants' pensions...............reuters.com
    11/4/15

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  102. Iranian presence in Yemen not ‘ruled out’: spokesman...

    Saudi Arabia has not “ruled out” the possibility of an Iranian presence in Yemen, the spokesman of the Saudi-led coalition striking Houthi militias in the country said on Saturday, the same day two Iranian military officers were reportedly captured in the southern city of Aden.

    Speaking at a daily press briefing in the Saudi capital Riyadh, Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asiri said the coalition found evidence of Iranian support to the Houthis and did not dismiss the possibility of Iranian forces fighting in Yemen.

    Earlier two Iranian military officers advising Houthi rebels were captured in Yemen’s southern city of Aden during fighting on Friday evening, Al Arabiya News Channel reported..... Al Arabiya News
    11/4/15

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  103. Yemeni govt bans entry into territorial waters...

    Yemeni Foreign Minister Riyadh Yassin said Saturday his country has banned entry into its territorial waters and has delegated countries participating in the Saudi-led coalition against Houthi militias to implement the decision.

    The step came after monitoring several Iranian attempts to smuggle aid to Houthi rebels and militias loyal to deposed leader Ali Abdullah Saleh, the minister told al-Hadath, Al Arabiya’s sister channel.

    Yassin stressed that ships carrying relief aid, food or medicine will be allowed to enter the territorial waters after passing inspection.

    The Yemeni foreign ministry also issued a statement earlier in the day which states that the ban has been imposed on the country’s maritime zones.......Al Arabiya News
    11/4/15

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  104. La plus grande raffinerie irakienne attaquée par l'organisation de l'État islamique...

    Des djihadistes de l'organisation de l'État islamique ont lancé une attaque suicide contre la raffinerie de Biaji, la plus grande en Irak. Alors que l'armée a réussi à garder le contrôle du site, une vingtaine d'assaillants auraient été tués.

    La plus grande raffinerie irakienne a fait l’objet d’une attaque suicide samedi 11 avril de djihadistes de l'organisation de l'État islamique (EI). "Aujourd'hui Daesh (l'acronyme arabe pour EI) a lancé une attaque contre la raffinerie de pétrole de Baïji", a ainsi déclaré à l’AFP un général de la province de Salaheddin, où se trouve le site, à 200 kilomètres au nord de Bagdad.

    Selon lui, l’armée a réussi à maintenir le contrôle de ce site qui est devenue la cible d’attaques répétées des djihadistes. "Trois kamikazes ont pu atteindre l'entrée de la raffinerie. Deux ont été tués, mais un troisième a réussi à se faire exploser", a-t-il détaillé, tout en précisant qu’au total 20 djihadistes ont été tués.....france24.com
    12/4/15

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  105. Turkish army says five Kurdish rebels killed in clashes...

    Five rebels from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) were killed and four Turkish soldiers wounded in a day of clashes on Saturday, the army said, in a blow to a fragile peace process to end a decades-long insurgency.

    The army said Turkish troops had been dispatched to the district of Diaydin in the Agri region of southeast Turkey after receiving intelligence of a planned "festival" to promote the "separatist terror organisation".

    This is official shorthand for the PKK, banned as a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and EU and whose actual name is never used by the authorities......AFP......http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
    12/4/15

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  106. Hospital in rebel-held east Ukraine shelled despite cease-fire...

    A hospital in the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk was hit by artillery fire Sunday, Orthodox Easter, despite a cease-fire, but caused no casualties, local authorities said.

    "Four mortar shells hit hospital No 21 Sunday morning. Three exploded in the hospital grounds and one fell on the roof but did not explode," said Ivan Prikhodko, administrative head of the Kuybishevski district in Donetsk, quoted on the official separatist website.

    He said the shelling originated in Piski, which is controlled by the Ukrainian army and is located near the now razed Donetsk airport, under rebel control since January.

    "The damage is insignificant and there are no casualties," Iuliana Bedilo, a rebel spokeswoman, told AFP..............dailystar.com.lb
    12/4/15

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    Replies
    1. Donetsk hospital works as normal after Ukraine army’s shelling — health officials...

      Donetsk City Clinical Hospital No. 21 works in the normal regime after it was shelled by the Ukrainian army, Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Health Minister Viktor Kuchkovoi said on Sunday.

      "The mines flew into the building where there were no patients. As a result of the explosion, only the building’s roof was damaged. The hospital is working in the normal regime. All patients are receiving comprehensive and necessary medical assistance. There were no casualties among the medical personnel or patients as a result of the morning shelling," the DPR health minister said.

      Head of administration of the Kievsky and Kuibyshevsky districts in Donetsk Ivan Prikhodko said earlier on Sunday that four mines had landed on the hospital’s territory as a result of the hospital’s shelling. Three of them exploded near the hospital and one hit the building’s roof but did not explode.
      tass.ru
      12/4/15

      Delete
  107. Militant bomb attack in Egypt's North Sinai kills six soldiers - army...

    (Reuters) - Egypt's military said a bomb detonated by militants killed six soldiers and wounded two others in Egypt's North Sinai on Sunday, a region beset by Islamist insurgents.

    The army said in a statement that "terrorist and extremist elements" were behind the roadside attack on an armored military vehicle in the town of Sheikh Zuweid. Two of those killed were officers, it said.

    A Twitter feed that describes itself as the official account for Sinai Province, a militant group that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State, claimed responsibility for the attack.

    North Sinai is the epicenter of an insurgency that has killed hundreds of members of the security services since mid-2013, when then-army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ousted Islamist president Mohamed Mursi after mass protests against his rule. Sisi was overwhelmingly elected president last year.

    Sinai Province, previously known as Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, has claimed other deadly attacks on soldiers in the Sinai...........reuters.com
    12/4/15

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  108. Saudi Arabia dismissed Iranian calls for an end to its airstrikes on neighboring Yemen Sunday, saying Tehran should not interfere in the conflict...

    Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies began airstrikes against Iranian-allied Houthi militia fighters in Yemen more than two weeks ago, to try and prevent them making further advances.

    "How can Iran call for us to stop the fighting in Yemen ... We came to Yemen to help the legitimate authority, and Iran is not in charge of Yemen," Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said in the Saudi capital Riyadh at a press conference with French counterpart Laurent Fabius.
    REUTERS
    dailystar.com.lb
    12/4/15

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  109. Ex-Blackwater Guards Face Sentencing in Iraq Case ...

    A yearslong legal fight over a deadly shooting of civilians in an Iraq war zone reaches its reckoning point with the sentencing this week of four former Blackwater security guards.

    Dustin Heard, Evan Liberty and Paul Slough face mandatory, decades-long sentences because of firearms convictions. A fourth defendant, Nicholas Slatten, faces life in prison after being found guilty of first-degree murder.

    At the hearing Monday in U.S. District Court, defense lawyers intend to appeal for mercy by arguing that their clients acted in self-defense during a chaotic firefight in Baghdad.......voanews.com
    12/4/15

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  110. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday urged US lawmakers to allow talks with Iran on curbing its nuclear program to be completed without interference, amid threats of new sanctions....

    Kerry told CBS's "Face the Nation" he would brief lawmakers on Monday and Tuesday about the outlines of the Iran deal reached in Lausanne on April 2, saying: "I think people need to hold their fire and let us negotiate without interference and be able to complete the job over the course of the two-and-a-half months."
    AFP
    ahram.org.eg
    12/4/15

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  111. Cuban security forces escorted out an American journalist crew from a news conference with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez in Panama...

    Reporter Karen Caballero and cameraman Rudy Hernandez of U.S. government-funded broadcaster TV Martí were credentialed to cover the events at the Summit of the Americas Saturday that would include the historic meeting between U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro.

    Cuban officials insisted they were within their rights to choose who could cover the news conference, and that they wanted "unbiased, serious press" to question the Cuban delegation............voanews.com
    12/4/15

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  112. Moskau äußert Besorgnis über eine zunehmende Tendenz der Annäherung Finnlands und Schwedens, die offiziell eine Politik der Nichtbeteiligung an Militärbündnissen betreiben, an die Nato, wie das russische Außenministerium am Sonntag auf seiner Webseite berichtet...

    Das Außenamt nimmt damit Stellung zu einer Publikation in der norwegischen Zeitung „Aftenposten“, laut der die Verteidigungsminister Dänemarks, Norwegens, Finnlands und Schwedens sowie der Außenminister Islands ihre Absicht bekundet haben, die militärische und die bilaterale Zusammenarbeit auszubauen..............http://sptnkne.ws/cYP
    12/4/15

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  113. A bomb exploded at the gate of the Moroccan embassy in the Libyan capital early on Monday, causing some damage but hurting nobody, a security official said, only hours after gunmen attacked South Korea's mission in Tripoli...

    Militants claiming loyalty to ISIS said on twitter they were responsible for both attacks, the latest strikes against foreigners, embassies or oilfields in Libya. It was not possible to verify the authenticity of the claims.....alarabiya.net

    ReplyDelete
  114. US suspects Iran trying to deliver surface-to-air missiles to Houthis..

    American destroyer boards ship in Red Sea believed to be carrying game-changing weapons which could threaten Saudi-led airstrikes, WSJ reports

    ReplyDelete
  115. China is to stop issuing multiple entry Hong Kong visas to residents of Shenzhen, state media reports...

    Shenzhen residents will now only be able to enter Hong Kong once per week, and stay for no longer than a week.

    The move is an attempt by Beijing to ease tensions in Hong Kong over shopping trips by mainlanders taking advantage of Hong Kong's lower taxes.

    Some 47 million visits were made by mainland Chinese to Hong Kong last year, a rise of 16%.

    There have been angry protests in recent months over the so-called parallel trading.

    There is huge demand in China for household items, in particular milk powder, from Hong Kong, which is perceived as being both cheaper and better quality

    But Hong Kongers say the trade pushes up costs and causes overcrowding in shopping areas, while also complaining about poor behaviour from mainlanders.....bbc.com
    13/4/15

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  116. More than 1,100 U.S. marines began arriving in Darwin on Monday for a six month rotation to train with Australian troops in the far north of the country, local media reported...

    They are the fourth rotation of U.S. marines to arrive in Darwin after Australia and the U.S. struck a deal in 2011 to raise the number of U.S. troops based in Australia.

    The goal is to have 2,500 marines serving in Australia at Darwin - by 2017.

    They will live in the Australian defense base in Darwin and train in the harsh outback areas of the Northern Territory.

    Meanwhile 70 Australian defense personal continue to participate in the Exercise Balikatan war games with the U.S. and Philippines on the Filipino islands of Luzon and Palawan which run until April 30.
    china.org.cn - Xinhua

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  117. Tsipras soll über Neuwahlen nachdenken...

    Was ist der nächste Trumpf in den Verhandlungen um neue Hilfsgelder zwischen Athen und den Institutionen? Offenbar erwägt der Regierungschef Alexis Tsipras Neuwahlen in Griechenland......welt.de
    13/4/15

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  118. The United States and European powers pressed Libya's rival factions to set an "unconditional" ceasefire at talks restarting on Monday in Algiers on forming a unity government, as two attacks on foreign embassies were linked to extremist militants...

    A bomb exploded outside the Moroccan embassy in Tripoli, causing no casualties but damaging nearby cars, a security official. Like many others in the Libyan capital, the embassy is currently inactive...........afp
    13/4/15

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  119. Guenter Grass, German Nobel literature prize winner and author of The Tin Drum, has died aged 87...

    His publisher said he passed away at a clinic in the city of Luebeck.

    Born in what was then Danzig, Grass served in the German military in World War Two and published his breakthrough anti-Nazi novel, The Tin Drum, in 1959.

    Later in life he became a vocal opponent of German reunification in 1990, and argued afterwards that it had been carried out too hastily.

    Grass's home town became the Polish city of Gdansk after the war; he spent much of his later life living near Luebeck.

    Many of his writings focussed on the Nazi era, the horrors of the war, and the destruction and guilt that remained after Germany's defeat..........bbc.com
    13/4/15

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  120. Time running out on Greek debt talks, says top EU official...

    (Reuters) - Greece is not moving fast enough to draw up and implement structural reforms and there is limited time to prevent it running out of cash, European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said on Monday.

    The mood between Greece's newly-elected leftist government and its euro zone partners has been tense during negotiations that will determine whether the cash-strapped country gets further, much-needed financial aid from its EU/IMF lenders.

    "Talks are very complicated. Time is running out," Dombrovskis told Reuters in an interview. "Greece should come up with an ambitious reform list in line with its bailout program and also start to implement it," he said.

    A meeting of deputy finance ministers - called the Euro Working Group - on Thursday gave Athens a six working day deadline to present a revised economic reform plan before euro zone finance ministers meet on April 24 to decide whether to unlock emergency funding to keep Greece afloat............reuters.com
    13/4/15

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  121. China, South Korea and Japan on Monday agreed to strengthen trilateral cooperation on water policy innovation during the 7th World Water Forum held in South Korea's southeastern cities of Daegu and Gyeongju...

    The three countries held a trilateral ministerial meeting during the forum on Monday, bringing together China's Vice Minister of Water Resources Jiao Yong, South Korea's Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Yoo Il-ho and Japan's Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ohta Akihiro.

    The three sides signed a joint statement to strengthen trilateral cooperation on water-related issues under the topic " Water Policy Innovation in Response to Persistent and Emerging Water Challenges".

    "We share the recognition that water policy innovation and reform should be promoted by each country in order to strengthen the core role of water resource in sustainable development, improve synergy among relevant government agencies and relevant stakeholders, enhance the resilience of water infrastructure and attract more financial investment into the water sector," the statement said.

    They also decided to share the knowledge and experience learned in above water policy innovation initiatives for improved water security in three countries............Xinhua.......china.org.cn
    13/4/15

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  122. Iran has suspended pilgrims flights to Saudi Arabia following alleged "abuse" of two Iranian teenage boys at Jeddah airport, official IRNA news agency reported on Monday...

    "Since today, the Iranian pilgrim flights to Saudi Arabia are suspended," IRNA quoted Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister Ali Jannati as saying.

    Iran awaits Saudi Arabia's urgent measures to arrest and punish the Saudi airport guards who attempted to "abuse" the Iranian teenagers, the minister said.

    Through diplomatic channels, Saudi officials had informed Iran about their seriousness in dealing with the guards, but nothing has been done so far, Jannati said.

    "The disgrace made us to make such a decision," Jannati said, referring to the alleged abuse of the teenagers.

    The minister also spoke of Saudi airport authorities' "improper" attitudes toward Iranian clergymen and pilgrims in the past.

    On Saturday, hundreds of Iranians gathered in front of the Saudi embassy in Tehran, chanting slogans and trying to pull down the Saudi flag. They were stopped by police...Xinhua...china.org.cn
    13/4/15

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  123. European Central Bank policymakers gathering on Wednesday will examine possible further emergency funding for Greece's banks as they take stock of a wider economic picture showing early signs of improvement...

    With falling prices in the euro zone beginning to stabilize, ECB President Mario Draghi will be able to claim an early success for the quantitative easing scheme - money printing to buy chiefly government bonds - launched by the bank in March.

    The ECB's borrowing rates are all but certain to be held at record lows, but continued wrangling between Greece and the euro zone over reforms and aid is casting a cloud of uncertainty over the 19-country currency bloc.............channelnewsasia.com
    13/4/15

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  124. World oil prices rose on Monday, extending last week's gains, but the persistent global supply glut will likely cap advances, analysts said...

    US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for delivery in May won 68 cents to $52.32 a barrel.

    Brent North Sea crude for May gained 79 cents to $58.66 around midday in London.......AFP.....almanar.com.lb
    13/4/15

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  125. French Parliament Debates Bill To Give Spies More Powers...

    PARIS, April 13 (Reuters) - French spies could get more power to bug and track would-be Islamist attackers inside the country and require Internet companies to monitor suspicious behavior under a bill to be debated in parliament on Monday.

    Web hosting companies say the legislation could frighten away clients. Civil liberties advocates say it lacks adequate privacy protections -- concerns dismissed by the government.

    "The bill as it stands is vague, risks abuse, and casts the net of surveillance disproportionately wide," said Gauri van Gulik, a deputy director at Amnesty International, urging Paris to rethink the bill before taking a step "towards a surveillance state.".......huffingtonpost.com
    13/4/15

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  126. Abe to avoid controversial Yasukuni Shrine visit during spring festival...

    Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has decided not to visit war-linked Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo during its annual spring festival from April 21 to 23, a government source said Monday.

    Abe, who will be in Indonesia attending the Asian-African Conference in Bandung on April 22 and 23, plans to again send a ritual Shinto offering to the shrine, the source said, a move nevertheless expected to infuriate China and South Korea, which suffered from Japan’s wartime aggression and view the shrine as a symbol of Japanese militarism.

    Abe has apparently decided against another Yasukuni visit because his behavior is likely to be under close scrutiny this year, which marks the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. Still, by dedicating a “masakaki” tree offering, he also hopes to appease conservative supporters who want him to pay homage to Yasukuni.....Kyodo
    13/4/15

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  127. Iraqi forces launch counter-attack against Islamic State in Anbar...

    (Reuters) - Iraqi security forces launched a counter-attack on Islamic State in the western province of Anbar on Monday, seeking to reverse an early setback in a new campaign to recapture the country's Sunni heartland.

    Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the new Anbar offensive last week, but Islamic State then overran two districts on the northern outskirts of the provincial capital Ramadi.

    A policeman in one of those districts, Albu Faraj, said security forces had recaptured around 40 percent of it on Monday, but were facing stiff resistance from the militants.

    Islamic State has reinforced its ranks with fighters from elsewhere in the province and planted bombs to hinder the advance, Anbar provincial council member, Athal al-Fahdawi, said.

    The new offensive in Anbar was supposed to build on a victory in the city of Tikrit, which Iraqi forces, including Shi'ite paramilitaries, retook this month, but the militants have struck back elsewhere, including at the country's largest refinery in Baiji......reuters.com
    13/4/15

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  128. Selon la chaîne allemande Deutsche Welle, l'ouverture du marché iranien suite à la levée des sanctions entraînera une forte concurrence entre les investisseurs étrangers, mais la Russie n'aura pas d'égal dans le nucléaire civil et l'industrie militaire...

    La Chine sera le concurrent numéro un de la Russie sur le marché iranien, mais Moscou se retrouvera dans une position prioritaire, affirme la chaîne de télévision allemande Deutsche Welle.

    "Les discussions sur l'accord sur le programme nucléaire iranien, qui prévoit une réduction notable par Téhéran du nombre des installations d'enrichissement d'uranium en échange de la levée des sanctions américaines et européennes, ne sont pas encore achevées (…). Mais des sociétés russes ont déjà commencé à sonder le terrain en vue de nouer des liens avec l'Iran en cas de levée des sanctions", a indiqué DW......http://sptnkne.ws/dkm
    13/4/15

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  129. Violence escalates in east Ukraine ahead of talks...

    (Reuters) - Ukraine's military accused pro-Russian rebels on Monday of using heavy weapons that were meant to have been withdrawn under a ceasefire deal, after one Ukrainian serviceman was killed and six wounded in rebel-held territories.

    With fighting intensifying once more, the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany were due to meet in Berlin later on Monday to discuss the next steps in implementing a ceasefire agreement signed in the Belarusian capital Minsk in February.

    "The rebels have not stopped firing at Ukrainian positions ... Over the past day, the enemy has used weapons banned under the Minsk agreements," Ukrainian military spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said in a televised briefing.

    Under the deal, weapons bigger than 100 mm caliber, including heavy artillery and powerful rocket systems, are meant to have been withdrawn from the front line....reuters.com
    13/4/15

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  130. Eide’s remarks on EEZ not correct, expert on Law of the Sea Convention tells CNA...

    Andreas Jacovides, Cyprus` former Ambassador to Washington, who negotiated and signed on behalf of the government of the Republic of Cyprus the UN Law of the Sea Convention, believes that references by the top UN envoy on the Cyprus problem to the sovereignty of states in their exclusive economic zone do not reflect the provisions of the said Convention.

    Invited by CNA to comment on Espen Barth Eide`s remarks in an interview with CNA, Jacovides points out that “the correct position is not as stated by Eide,” who said “It is a question of how much a violation has actually happened because many countries do not see seismic exploration as a violation as long as they don`t lead to exploitation. Because the Economic Zone is not sovereign territory, anybody can basically do anything there but for taking out the resources. But that`s a very technical issue.”

    Jacovides also said that Eide`s reference to “a hijack state” in Cyprus, with regard to the legal government of the Republic of Cyprus, is not correct either, noting that this is an allegation adopted by the Turkish side in the early 1960s......parikiaki.com

    ReplyDelete
  131. A Japanese court will rule on Tuesday (Apr 14) whether to block the restart of nuclear reactors in western Japan on safety grounds, in a case that could complicate Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's push to return to atomic energy after the 2011 Fukushima disaster...

    Local residents have sought an injunction against Kansai Electric Power Co, arguing that restart plans underestimate earthquake risks, fail to meet tougher safety standards and lack credible evacuation measures.

    Four years after a quake and tsunami wrecked the Fukushima plant, leading to meltdowns and mass evacuations, four reactors at two power stations in south and west Japan have cleared all major technical hurdles. Opponents see the courts as their last hope to block the revival of unpopular nuclear power.

    A three-judge panel is to rule on the injunction request against Kansai Electric's Takahama reactors west of Tokyo at 0500 GMT (1pm Singapore time)......channelnewsasia.com
    14/4/15

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    Replies
    1. Japan court bars restart of Takahama nuclear reactors...

      A Japanese court has blocked the restarting of two nuclear reactors in the western city of Takahama, after local people raised safety concerns.

      The plant had already obtained approval from the country's nuclear watchdog.

      But locals had petitioned the court in Fukui prefecture, where Takahama is located, to intervene, saying it would not withstand a strong earthquake.

      All 48 commercial reactors in Japan remain offline following 2011's Fukushima disaster......bbc.com/
      14/4/15

      Delete
  132. S. Korea, Japan to hold security talks in Seoul ...

    Senior diplomatic and defense officials from South Korea and Japan are set to hold a so-called Two-Plus-Two dialogue on security affairs on Tuesday in Seoul, the South Korean foreign ministry said.

    The first such talks in about five years will be led by Lee Sang-deok, chief of the South Korean Foreign Ministry's Northeast Asian Affairs Bureau, and Junichi Ihara, chief of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau.

    Deputy director-general-level officials from defense ministries of both countries will join the meeting, the last of which was held in December 2009.

    The diplomatic security dialogue came amid renewed tensions between Seoul and Tokyo after Japan approved 18 textbooks last week for middle school students, which distorted history and laid territorial claims to Dokdo islets, called Takeshima in Japan, that lie halfway between the two nations.

    Japan has claimed that the rocky outcroppings have been illegally occupied by South Korea, but Seoul said that the islets were the first victim of Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945...........Xinhua......china.org.cn
    14/4/15

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  133. Iraq 'retakes 25% of IS territory'...

    Islamic State (IS) has lost more than a quarter of its territory in Iraq since the US-led coalition air campaign began in August, a Pentagon spokesman says.

    Col Steve Warren said it was too early to say the tide was turning, but that air strikes and Iraqi ground forces had "unquestionably inflicted some damage".

    IS took over large swathes of northern and western Iraq last June....bbc.com

    ReplyDelete
  134. Don't Underestimate NATO, German Minister Says on Baltic Visit ...

    Germany's defense minister said on Tuesday that nobody should underestimate NATO's rapid response capacity, which has been ratcheted up in response to worries about Russia's military ambitions after its actions in Ukraine.

    Germany's Ursula von der Leyen said in Russia's neighbor Estonia, whose president fears the Baltic state could be overrun in hours, that the Western military alliance has demonstrated its determination to defend its eastern flank in recent months.

    “Of course the issue of speed and of an adequate response to potential threats plays a major role and I can only recommend that NATO's reaction capacity should not be underestimated. It is high,” she told reporters in Tallinn.........Reuters......voanews.com

    ReplyDelete
  135. Oil Market Makes Fresh Gains...

    World oil prices rose further Tuesday on forecasts that US shale oil production will decline and hopes the Chinese government will roll out a stimulus package for the slowing economy.

    US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for delivery in May won 44 cents to $52.35 a barrel.

    Brent North Sea crude for May gained 32 cents to $58.25 per barrel at about midday in London.....almanar.com.lb
    14/4/15

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  136. Obama says foreign fighters in Iraq must respect its sovereignty...

    In a warning to Iran, U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday said foreign fighters in Iraq must respect its sovereignty when assisting in the fight against Islamic State militants.

    Obama, speaking in the Oval Office with Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi, said the two men had discussed Iran's role in Iraq at length.

    The president announced $200 million in additional U.S. humanitarian aid to Iraq but declined to say whether Washington would provide Apache helicopters and other arms to Baghdad.
    Reuters
    14/4/15

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  137. Russian navy ships in English Channel...

    Russian navy vessels entered the English Channel on Tuesday on their way to the northern Atlantic for anti-aircraft and anti-submarine defence drills, the Northern Fleet said.

    The squadron, led by the Severomorsk anti-submarine ship, had carried out drills in the Bay of Biscay and will later head for the northeastern Atlantic, a spokesman for the Northern Fleet said in a statement.

    Russia’s Interfax news agency had reported that the squadron would hold drills in the English Channel but the fleet’s statement did not confirm this.

    It is not unusual to have Russian warships in the Channel. NATO dismissed in November a Russian media report that a squadron of Russian warships had conducted military exercises there.

    Relations between Russia and the West have sunk to post-Cold War lows since the start of the crisis in Ukraine.
    Reuters
    parikiaki.com
    14/4/15

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  138. Moscou peut refuser de payer ses dettes aux pays ayant adopté les sanctions...

    Le parti communiste russe propose d'accorder au président le droit de suspendre les accords internationaux signés avec les pays qui ont adopté les sanctions contre Moscou.

    Le texte de l'amendement, soumis par le député communiste Viatcheslav Tetekine, a été publié mardi dans la base des données électroniques de la chambre basse. Si le parlement adopte ce projet, la loi amendée entrera en vigueur le 15 juin prochain......http://sptnkne.ws/dz8
    14/4/15

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  139. Syria said on Tuesday only 6,000 residents remain in the war-battered Palestinian camp Yarmouk on the edge of Damascus that has seen intensified fighting since Islamic State launched an offensive to seize it from rival insurgents...

    U.N. and Syrian officials had earlier put at 18,000 the number of inhabitants when Islamic State launched its attack earlier this month. Many have moved to areas mostly southeast of the camp.

    "The number of those in the camp is less than 6,000 ... and the exit of people is continuing," Information Minister Omran Zoabi told state media.......REUTERS....todayonline.com

    ReplyDelete
  140. Obama to remove Cuba from state terror list...

    US President Barack Obama has agreed to take Cuba off a list of state sponsors of terrorism, the White House said Tuesday, a key step toward normalizing ties.

    Obama submitted a report to Congress indicating his “intent to rescind” Cuba’s inclusion on the list, which had been a major barrier to establishing embassies in Washington and Havana.

    “The government of Cuba has not provided any support for international terrorism during the preceding six-month period,” Obama said in a notification to Congress.

    Lawmakers now have 45 days in which they can oppose the decision.

    Obama’s ally, Senator Dick Durbin, welcomed the move.....france24.com

    ReplyDelete
  141. China calls on Dalai Lama to 'put aside illusions' about talks...

    China on Wednesday urged the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to "put aside his illusions" about talks on Tibet's future, and accused him of insincerity and covertly pushing for independence, rather than autonomy.

    China has ruled Tibet with an iron fist since troops "peacefully liberated" the region in 1950. The Dalai Lama fled into exile in India in 1959 after an abortive uprising against Chinese rule.

    Representatives of the Nobel Peace laureate held rounds of talks with China until 2010, but formal dialogue has stalled amid leadership changes in Beijing and a crackdown in Tibet.

    In a lengthy white paper released by the official Xinhua news agency, the government said that having failed to use violence to achieve their goals, the Dalai Lama and his supporters had little understanding of modern Tibet and "a sentimental attachment to the old theocratic feudal serfdom".

    "The only sensible alternative is for the Dalai Lama and his supporters to accept that Tibet has been part of China since antiquity, to abandon their goals of dividing China and seeking independence for Tibet," it said............Reuters....channelnewsasia.com
    15/5/15

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  142. Saudi Arabia boosts security on Yemen border...

    The Saudi military is boosting security along the Yemeni border, moving in tanks, artillery units and border guards to counter the threat posed by Houthi fighters.

    The extra troops and equipment have been dispatched to the country's southwestern border adjacent to the northern Yemeni province of Saada, the main stronghold of Houthi fighters.......aljazeera.com
    15/4/15

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  143. Kerry 'confident' after US Senate compromise on Iran deal...

    U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday welcomed a compromise with Congress on giving lawmakers a say on any final deal on Iran's nuclear program.

    Kerry said the measure approved Tuesday by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which raises the threshold for critics in Congress to block any accord with Tehran, made him "confident" ahead of a June 30 deadline.

    "Yesterday there was a compromise reached in Washington regarding congressional input," he told reporters in Germany at a G7 foreign ministers' meeting.

    "We are confident about our ability for the president to negotiate an agreement and to do so with ability to make the world safer."....AFP.....dailystar.com.lb
    15/4/15

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  144. L'Europe est la proie des lobbies, selon Transparency International...

    Les gouvernements et les institutions de l'UE sont minés par les lobbies qui s'acharnent à influencer les propositions de loi, pointe le rapport de l'ONG. Elle milite pour un encadrement de ces activités afin d'éviter la corruption.

    Dans son sixième rapport consacré au lobbying en Europe ("Lobbying in Europe: Hidden influence, privileged access”, lire le rapport en anglais ) l'organisation non gouvernementale Transparency International dresse un tableau sans concession des pratiques en vigueur à Bruxelles comme dans les pays des Vingt-Huit. Son verdict : les gouvernements et les institutions de l'Union européenne sont minés par les lobbies acharnés à influencer les propositions de loi.

    "A ce jour, aucun pays et aucune institution de l'UE ne s'est doté d'un cadre satisfaisant en matière de traçabilité de la décision publique, d'intégrité des échanges et d'équité d'accès aux processus de décision publique", déplore l'organisation dans un rapport. "Les pratiques opaques de lobbying constituent un des principaux risques de corruption pour l'Europe", ajoute-t-elle..........http://www.lesechos.fr/monde/europe/0218052591-leurope-est-la-proie-des-lobbies-selon-transparency-international-1111507.php?kEVtMJqksb35LUWl.99#xtor=RSS37
    15/4/15

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  145. Iraqis flee as ISIS captures three villages in Ramadi...

    Residents began fleeing three villages in Ramadi, capital of the Iraqi western province of Anbar, after they were captured by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants on Wednesday.

    Earlier, an advisor for Anbar’s mayor, described “fierce battles” taking place between Iraqi security forces and tribal volunteers against ISIS, calling for an “urgent” need airstrikes from the U.S.-led coaltion and more military enforcement............alarabiya.net

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  146. Japan jets scramble at Cold-War levels as Chinese and Russian incursions increase...

    (Reuters) - Japan's air force said on Wednesday said jet fighter scrambles have reached a level not seen since the height of the Cold War three decades ago as Russian bombers probe its northern skies and Chinese combat aircraft intrude into its southern air space.

    In the year ending March 31, Japanese fighters scrambled 944 times, 16 percent more than the same period the previous year, the country's Self Defence Force said.

    That is the second highest number of encounters ever recorded over the 12-month period since records began in 1958 and only one less than a record 944 scrambles in 1984.

    "It represents a sharp increase," an SDF spokesman said at a press briefing. While not a direct measure of Russian and Chinese military activity, the numbers nonetheless point to an increase in operations by Japan's two big neighbors.........reuters.com
    15/4/15

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  147. Griechenland: Bundesregierung arbeitet an Pleiteplänen ohne Euro-Aus..

    Wie könnte ein Staatsbankrott verlaufen, ohne dass Griechenland aus der Währungsunion ausscheiden müsste? Nach Informationen der ZEIT wird dafür ein Szenario entwickelt...........zeit.de
    15/4/15

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  148. Iran says nuclear deal depends on lifting of sanctions ...

    (Reuters) - Iran said on Wednesday it would only accept a deal over its contested nuclear program if world powers simultaneously lifted all sanctions imposed on it.

    The comments by President Hassan Rouhani came the day after U.S. President Barack Obama was forced to give Congress a say in any future accord -- including the right to veto the lifting of sanctions imposed by U.S. lawmakers.

    Bolstering the role of a highly assertive Congress injects an element of uncertainty into the crucial final stages of negotiations between major powers and Iran aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief.

    "If there is no end to sanctions, there will not be an agreement," Rouhani said in a televised speech in the northern Iranian city of Rasht, echoing remarks made last week by Iran's most powerful authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

    "The end of these negotiations and a signed deal must include a declaration of cancelling the oppressive sanctions on the great nation of Iran," said Rouhani, who is widely viewed as a pragmatist.........reuters.com
    15/4/15

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  149. Turkey does not recognize Armenian genocide allegations — Turkish president..

    Turkey does not recognize the Armenian Genocide accusations against it, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday. According to him, the country should not defend itself against such accusations, as it’s senseless.

    "Why should our nation defend itself? Our country is home to about 100,000 Armenians, and my country is not taking any action against them. We used state budget funds to restore the Armenian church in Akdamar where divine services are held," said the Turkish leader.

    The European Parliament plans to discuss on Wednesday a resolution on the 1915 events in the Ottoman Empire. "Whatever decision the European Parliament announces, we’ll disregard it. Because Turkey cannot accept such accusations," Erdogan said.......tass.ru

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  150. Europa verzweifelt an Griechenland: Auf der Suche nach kompetenten Ansprechspartnern...

    Beim Treffen der Euro-Finanzminister werden wohl keine weiteren Griechen-Kredite freigegeben. Schuld sei Athen selbst. Dort wird wegen der drohenden Pleite schon über Volksabstimmungen nachgedacht.

    Die Entscheidung über weitere Finanzhilfen für das pleitebedrohte Griechenland muss möglicherweise erneut verschoben werden. Nach Angaben aus EU-Kreisen sind die Verhandlungen über das als Voraussetzung verlangte Reformprogramm so mühsam, dass eine Einigung beim EU-Finanzminister-Treffen am 24. April im lettischen Riga nicht gesetzt ist. Die Geldgeber müssten zuvor ausreichend Gelegenheit haben, die Pläne Athens zu prüfen, hieß es. Dies wiederum erfordere, dass die laufenden Gespräche auf Expertenebene bis zum Wochenende abgeschlossen werden........n24.de
    15/4/15

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  151. Athen will russische Raketen für Luftabwehrsysteme S-300 kaufen...

    Griechenland verhandelt derzeit mit Russland über den Kauf neuer Raketen für Luftabwehrsysteme S-300 und über die Wartung früher bezogener Luftabwehrkomplexe. Das teilte der griechische Verteidigungsminister Panos Kammenos am Mittwoch in Moskau mit.

    „Es handelt sich um die technische Wartung der Systeme S-300, Tor M-1, Kornet und einiger anderer. Zudem ist die Lieferung neuer Raketen für S-300-Anlagen nötig“, sagte der Minister in einem Journalistengespräch.

    Kammenos hält sich seit Mittwoch zur 4. Internationalen Sicherheitskonferenz in Moskau auf. Das Forum „Globale Sicherheit: Herausforderungen und Perspektiven“ findet am 16./17. April im Hotel „Ukraine“ statt.
    http://sptnkne.ws/dEA
    15/4/15

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  152. Greece in talks with Russia to buy missiles for S-300 systems: RIA...

    (Reuters) - Greece is negotiating with Russia for the purchase of missiles for its S-300 anti-missile systems and for their maintenance, Russia's RIA news agency quoted Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos as saying on Wednesday.

    The report followed a visit by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras last week to Moscow, where he won pledges of Russian moral support and long-term cooperation but no fresh funds to help avert bankruptcy for his heavily indebted nation.

    NATO member Greece has been in possession of the Russian-made S-300 air defense systems since the late 1990s.

    "We are limiting ourselves to replacement of missiles (for the systems)," RIA quoted Kammenos, who is in Moscow for a security conference, as saying.

    "There are negotiations between Russia and Greece on the maintenance of the systems ... as well as for the purchase of new missiles for the S-300 systems," he said....reuters.com

    ReplyDelete

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