Thursday, April 2, 2015

Aproopto Etos News (April 2015 - B)

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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......Greece made unrealistic promises says Barroso
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132 comments:

  1. Ukraine ally of ex-President Yanukovych found dead...

    A Ukrainian opposition politician, Oleg Kalashnikov, has been found dead with gunshot wounds in Kiev - the latest ally of the former government to have died in suspicious circumstances.

    Mr Kalashnikov had been involved in the "anti-Maidan" protests in support of deposed President Viktor Yanukovych.

    It is not clear if he was murdered or committed suicide. Police say an investigation has been launched.

    At least eight Yanukovych allies have died suddenly in the last three months.

    Most of the deaths are said to have been suicides. However, officials say it was possible some were killed or forced to take their lives.

    Commentators in Ukraine have accused supporters, as well as opponents, of the current pro-Western government of involvement in the deaths.....bbc.com
    16/4/15

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  2. Yet another Russian humanitarian convoy sets off for eastern Ukraine...

    Another Russian humanitarian convoy has set off for eastern Ukraine, a spokesman for the Russian emergencies ministry’s national crisis management centre told TASS on Thursday.

    "A Russian emergencies ministry’s humanitarian convoy for Donbass set off from the Don rescue centre at 04:00 a.m. Moscow Time and now is heading for the Russian border," the spokesman said.

    The convoy consists of more than 120 trucks with more than 1,400 tonnes of humanitarian cargoes - food products, articles of daily necessity, textbooks and study aids, and building materials........tass.ru
    16/4/15

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  3. Trotz Schuldenkrise Griechenland will offenbar russische Raketen kaufen...

    Die Geldgeber machen Druck, doch für Waffen aus Russland könnte noch Geld da sein: Athen verhandelt nach Medienberichten über den Kauf von Luftabwehrraketen. Bundesfinanzminister Schäuble mahnt erneut, Zusagen einzuhalten......faz.net
    16/4/15

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  4. Grecia confirma que espera recibir de Rusia ayuda financiera..

    Grecia ha confirmado oficialmente que pide un préstamo a Rusia a cambio del permiso para construir un gasoducto para el suministro de combustible a Europa, escribe Kommersant.

    A juzgar por las declaraciones del ministro griego de Energía, Panayotis Lafazanis, se trataría de un pago por adelantado por parte de Rusia por el futuro tránsito del gas a través del tramo griego.

    Grecia está interesada en recibir ayuda financiera de Rusia a cambio de su permiso de tender el gasoducto Turk Stream por su territorio.

    "Es muy probable que al firmar el memorándum sobre la construcción del gasoducto, recibiremos dinero (de Rusia) que será devuelto a partir de 2019 cuando el gasoducto entrará en operación".

    Es la primera vez que Grecia reconozca oficialmente su interés en obtener un préstamo de Rusia...........http://sptnkne.ws/dG7
    16/4/15

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  5. Russia rejects new Yemen peace envoy for U.N. ...

    Russia has objected to appointing the new U.N. envoy in Yemen, Mauritanian Ismail Weld al-Sheikh, and said it stands beside Jamal Benomar, who resigned on Wednesday after losing support from Gulf countries for his mission in the conflict-riven nation, Al Arabiya News Channel's correspondent in New York reported.

    The correspondent said: “It is not absolute to say that the Mauritanian Ismail Wild al-Sheikh will be in place of Jamal Benomar, because Russia has objected.”

    He said four countries so far had given their approval of al-Sheikh.

    The U.N. said Benomar has resigned on Wednesday. The Moroccan diplomat had been U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s special envoy for Yemen since 2012..........alarabiya.net
    16/4/15

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  6. Russia says U.S. forced it to act on Ukraine ...

    (Reuters) - Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Thursday blamed the United States and its allies for the conflict in Ukraine, saying their drive to bring Kiev closer to the West was a threat to Moscow and had forced it to react.

    Speaking at an annual security conference, Shoigu accused Washington of seeking worldwide military and political dominance. He reiterated Moscow's line that the West orchestrates "color revolutions" to unseat rulers it dislikes.

    "Ukraine is the biggest tragedy in the chain of color revolutions. The United States and its allies have crossed all possible lines in their drive bring Kiev into their orbit. That could not have failed to trigger our reaction," Shoigu said in Moscow......reuters.com
    16/4/15

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  7. Pro-Russia journalist killed in Kiev...

    A Ukrainian journalist known for his pro-Russian views has been shot dead in the capital Kiev.

    Oles Buzyna, 45, was killed by shots fired from a car, Interior Ministry adviser Anton Herashchenko said.

    Mr Buzyna is the latest in a series of allies of Ukraine's pro-Russian former President, Victor Yanukovych, to die in suspicious circumstances.

    His killing comes a day after MP Oleg Kalashnikov, who was close to Mr Yanukovych, was shot dead in Kiev........bbc.com
    16/4/15

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    Replies
    1. Due giornalisti d’opposizione sono stati uccisi nella capitale ucraina durante l’ultima settimana...

      Nella notte tra il 12 e il 13 aprile una pallottola ha stroncato la vita di Sergey Sukhobok, cofondatore dei portali web ProUA e "Obkom". Oggi è stato ucciso il giornalista Oles' Buzina, noto per le sue critiche al regime ucraino.

      I particolari della tragedia ancora non si rivelano, da parte della polizia non c'è stato alcun commento.

      Il consigliere del ministro dell'Interno dell'Ucraina, Anton Gerashchenko, ha scritto su Facebook: "Alcuni minuti fa, da una Ford-Focus di colore blu, sono stati sparati alcuni colpi contro il noto giornalista Oles' Buzina"..........http://sptnkne.ws/dPB
      16/4/15

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  8. Immigration: Rome demande à l'UE un soutien financier aux opérations de secours...

    L'Italie demande à l'Union Européenne un soutien financier accru aux opérations de secours des migrants en Méditerranée et une "réponse claire" sur les lieux où ceux-ci, une fois secourus, doivent être conduits, a déclaré le chef de la diplomatie italienne Paolo Gentiloni.......rtbf.be
    16/4/15

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  9. IMF chief won't support Greek repayment delay....

    Greece has been given a strong warning against asking to delay its repayments to the International Monetary Fund, as concern grows that it may fail to reach an agreement with its creditors.

    IMF chief Christine Lagarde told a press conference in Washington that such a move would be unwelcome, and unprecedented.

    “It’s clearly not a course of action that would actually fit....We have never had an advanced economy ask for payment delays.”

    Lagarde also warned that such a policy would be unfair to poorer countries.

    And in an interview with Bloomberg TV, Lagarde also said she hopes “very much” that Greece does not seek a delay.........theguardian.com
    16/4/15

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  10. More than a dozen European governments have called for the labeling of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the West Bank...

    Diplomats from 16 countries, including some of Israel's closest allies, signed a letter calling on EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini to start the process. Israel's Haaretz daily published the letter Thursday.

    A European diplomat confirmed the authenticity of the letter. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was discussing internal EU affairs.

    Israel captured the West Bank from Jordan in the 1967 war. Palestinians demand the territory as part of their future state. The international community views settlements as illegitimate.

    The European Union is Israel's largest trading partner.
    AP
    dailystar.com.lb
    16/4/15

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  11. La Grèce face à une hostilité particulièrement forte du FMI et de la BCE...

    l n'y aura pas de report de paiement pour la Grèce, a indiqué la directrice générale du FMI Christine Lagarde jeudi. La situation est de plus en plus tendue entre la Grèce et ses "partenaires" européens. La Grèce risque de dominer à nouveau cette année les réunions de printemps à Washington du FMI et de la Banque mondiale, qui démarrent ce jeudi, et où Athènes fait face à des partenaires plus tendus que jamais.

    De tous les ministres des Finances et patrons de banques centrales du monde entier réunis pour trois jours dans la capitale américaine, l'un des plus en vue sera le Grec Yanis Varoufakis, alors que les inquiétudes sur un défaut de paiement se font de plus en plus vives...........rtbf.be
    16/4/15

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  12. Germany warns Greece over credit...

    Greece would struggle to find creditors outside the EU and IMF, German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has said.

    He said it would be welcome to try to find investment from Beijing or Moscow, but may have difficulties, he said.

    His warning came after fears of a Greek debt default saw its borrowing costs jump 3.5 percentage points to 27%.

    Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said his government refuses to consider leaving the EU: "Toying with Grexit... is profoundly anti-European."

    He also promised to "compromise, compromise, compromise without being compromised" to satisfy current creditors.

    Both men were speaking at talks in Washington.

    On Wednesday, ratings agency S&P downgraded Greece's credit rating.....bbc.com

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  13. More remains of human bodies found at site of MH17 crash in Ukraine...

    Remains of more human bodies have been found at the site of last year's crash of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, the chief of the international investigating mission, Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg, said on Thursday.

    Following resumption of the search in the area of the Boeing 777's crash, efforts of the first day were concentrated on two scorched land areas where the bulk of the debris had fallen out.

    Experts found new remains there, Aaldersberg said. In addition, the search experts were approached by several local residents who handed personal belongings of the jet's passengers to them.

    Aaldersberg clarified that the belongings were items of jewelry...........http://tass.ru/en/world/790023
    17/4/15

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  14. Images show rapid Chinese progress on new South China Sea airstrip...

    Recent satellite images published on Thursday show China has made rapid progress in building an airstrip suitable for military use in contested territory in the South China Sea's Spratly Islands and may be planning another, moves that have been greeted with concern in the United States and Asia.

    IHS Jane's Defense Weekly said March 23 images from Airbus Defence and Space showed work on the runway on reclaimed parts of Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratly archipelago, which China contests with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.........Reuters......todayonline.com
    17/4/15

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  15. Top Saddam aide Izzat al-Douri reportedly killed...

    Izzat al-Douri, a member of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and a key aide of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has reportedly been killed in a wide-scale military operation in Iraq, an Iraqi official told Al Arabiya News Channel on Friday

    However, a statement from Iraq's dissolved Baath party, which Douri was a high ranking member, denied his demise.

    The governer of Iraq's Salahaddin province Raed al-Jabbouri confirmed the death, saying al-Douri was a “mastermind of Islamic State in Iraq,” and that his killing is a blow to the group.

    “The security forces were able to kill the former Vice President and one of al-Baath Party commanders, Izzat al-Douri, during an operation near Aalas oil fields in Tikrit,” al-Jabbouri said.

    DNA tests would further confirm his identity, the governor added......alarabiya.net
    17/4/15

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  16. Obama, Italy's Renzi say military strikes not answer to Libya...

    U.S. President Barack Obama and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on Friday urged a political solution to the conflict in Libya, saying foreign military operations were unlikely to solve the crisis there.

    "Libya is obviously an area of great concern," Obama said. He earlier said he and Renzi did not discuss possible drone strikes during their meeting at the White House.

    "We will not be able to solve the problem with just a few drone strikes or a few military operations," he said at a joint news conference with Renzi after their talk.

    "We will combine counterterrorism efforts in cooperation with Italy and other like-minded nations with a political effort," Obama said............todayonline.com
    17/4/15

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  17. Paris empört über Schäuble: „Unerträgliche Frankreichfeindlichkeit“...

    Bundesfinanzminister Wolfgang Schäuble hat sich in Washington kritisch über den Reformwillen Frankreichs geäußert. In Paris reagieren Parteichefs von links bis rechts erbost........faz.net
    17/4/15

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  18. L’Iran présente son plan de paix pour le Yémen à Ban Ki-moon...

    Le ministre iranien des Affaires étrangères a présenté vendredi au secrétaire général de l’ONU un plan destiné à ramener la paix au Yémen. Le pays est en proie à la violence entre les partisans du président Hadi et les rebelles houthis.

    Mohammad Javad Zarif, le ministre iranien des Affaires étrangères, a présenté vendredi 17 avril au secrétaire général de l'ONU, Ban Ki-moon, un plan en quatre points qui doit avoir pour effet de ramener la paix au Yémen. L’Iran a également appelé au "dialogue immédiat" entre les belligérants, au cours d’une conversation téléphonique entre les deux hommes.

    Ce plan, annoncé la semaine dernière par Mohammad Javad Zarif, réclame un cessez-le-feu immédiat, la fin de toutes les opérations militaires, une aide humanitaire, l'ouverture d'un dialogue national et la formation d'un gouvernement d'unité nationale.

    "Il est impératif que la communauté internationale s'implique plus efficacement pour mettre fin à ces attaques aériennes insensées, établir un cessez-le-feu, garantir l'envoi d'aide humanitaire et médicale au peuple du Yémen, restaurer la paix dans le pays par le dialogue et la réconciliation nationale sans préalable", dit Mohammad Javad Zarif dans la lettre adressée au secrétaire général de l’ONU.....france24.com
    17/4/15

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  19. Obama calls on Gulf countries to contribute to Libya's stability...

    U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday urged Gulf countries to be "more cooperative" in diffusing the conflict in Libya.

    "In some cases, you've seen them fan the flames of military conflict, rather than try to reduce them," Obama told a joint news conference at the White House with visiting Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, referring to Gulf countries that have influence over factions in Libya.

    Obama said he and Renzi agreed to work together "more intensively" to encourage cooperation on threats coming from Libya.

    The president's remarks came amid a migrant crisis in the Mediterranean Sea. Sources from the United Nations said at least 218,000 migrants tried to flee conflicts in North Africa by crossing the sea last year, with some 3,500 losing their lives in the attempt.

    "Mediterranean is a sea and not a cemetery," Renzi said at the news conference. "The problem at this moment is the situation on the ground in Libya."

    Renzi underlined the importance of restoring peace and stability in Libya, adding that Italy works closely with the UN and regional partners to address the issue...Xinhua...china.org.cn
    18/4/15

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  20. Teenagers planned Australian terror attack for ANZAC centenary ...

    Teenagers inspired by the hardline Islamic State militant group planned a major terrorism attack in Melbourne to mark the centenary next week of the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli during World War I, Australian police said on Saturday.

    "This particular matter was ISIS inspired," a senior police spokesman told a news conference.
    jpost.com by Reuters
    18/4/15

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  21. Kiev Wants Global Court to Investigate War Crimes in Crimea, Eastern Ukraine...

    Ukraine wants the International Criminal Court to investigate all alleged recent war crimes in Crimea and eastern Ukraine, Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said in an interview, broadening an existing probe.

    Ukraine has already given the global court the authority to investigate crimes on its territory from Nov. 21, 2013, to Feb. 22, 2014 — the period leading up to the fall of Ukraine's former president Viktor Yanukovych.

    Russia annexed Crimea soon after, and later in 2014 fighting erupted in eastern Ukraine between Kiev's forces and pro-Russian separatists. Kiev accuses Russia of sending arms and troops to aid the rebels, which Moscow denies.

    "We are quite optimistic about more, definitely more, engagement of the ICC," Pavlo Klimkin told Reuters before meeting the court's president and prosecutor on Friday.

    An ICC referral would cover "everything under the [ICC] mandate, including crimes against humanity," he said.

    Klimkin named the attack on the strategic port of Mariupol in eastern Ukraine which killed 30 in January as an example of a crime against humanity..............Reuters.........themoscowtimes.com
    17/4/15

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  22. Gunfights and roadblocks rock Mexican city on U.S. border...

    Gunfights broke out and vehicles were set ablaze on Friday in one of Mexico's biggest cities along the U.S. border, after security forces arrested a leader of one of the main drug gangs in the area.

    Activity in parts of Reynosa, a city across the Rio Grande from McAllen, Texas, ground to a halt on Friday afternoon after vehicles were torched and shooting began, authorities said.

    Earlier in the day, federal police and marines captured "El Gafe," a leader of the Gulf Cartel, said a spokesman for police in Reynosa, a city of more than 600,000 people in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas.

    A federal government security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, identified "El Gafe" as Jose Hugo Rodriguez Sanchez.

    The official had earlier named the cartel boss as Jose Tiburcio Hernandez Fuentes. Later, he clarified that Hernandez was a different suspected gang member also captured.....Reuters....todayonline.com
    18/4/15

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  23. Turkish Stream: Griechenland und Russland stehen vor Milliarden-Deal...

    Russland will den Griechen einem Bericht zufolge bis zu fünf Milliarden Euro vorstrecken. Es handelt sich um die Transitgebühr für eine geplante russische Pipeline Richtung Europa. Das Geschäft könnte das Blatt für Griechenland wenden, wird ein griechischer Beamter zitiert........faz.net
    18/4/15

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    1. Grecia puede recibir hasta € 5.000 millones de Rusia por el Turk Stream, según medios...

      Grecia y Rusia están por firmar un acuerdo bilateral que permitirá a Atenas embolsar hasta 5.000 millones de euros en concepto de adelanto por bombear a la UE el gas del Turk Stream, gasoducto que Rusia pretende tender a través del mar Negro hasta la frontera turco-griega.

      Según la revista Spiegel, un alto representante del partido Syriza ha indicado que Moscú y Atenas tienen previsto firmar el acuerdo el martes que viene y entonces las arcas públicas griegas podrán recibir entre 3.000 y 5.000 millones de euros.

      La publicación afirma que el futuro contrato se examinó durante la reciente visita a Moscú del primer ministro griego, Alexis Tsipras, y del ministro de Energía, Panagiotis Lafazanis..................http://mundo.sputniknews.com/economia/20150418/1036540105.html#ixzz3Xedx74vM
      18/4/15

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  24. 33 killed in Afghan suicide bomb attack...

    At least 33 people have been killed and more than 100 injured in a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan.

    The attack took place outside a bank in the eastern city of Jalalabad where government workers collect salaries.

    Police are investigating whether there was a second explosion after people rushed to the scene to help, a police spokesman said.

    Taliban insurgents denied responsibility, although they have claimed earlier killings in a wave of attacks coinciding with the sharp drawdown of foreign troops.

    Police said a third blast was a controlled detonation after experts discovered another bomb close to the scene of the first explosion.
    rte.ie
    18/4/15

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  25. Greece seeks more EU aid to cope with soaring immigration...

    Greece appealed to its European Union partners Friday for more help in policing its sea borders as immigrants increasingly make dangerous journeys to escape war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa.

    Deputy Minister for Merchant Marine Thodoros Dritsas told The Associated Press it is "a matter of urgency" for EU countries to show greater solidarity with the financially struggling country.

    He advocated more ships, aircraft and personnel, increased funding and stronger operational cooperation with EU border agency Frontex, which has been assisting Greece for the past five years.......AP......dailystar.com.lb
    18/4/15

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  26. One person died on Saturday in Kashmir following an injury suffered after police opened fire to disperse stone-throwing demonstrators during a daylong protest strike over the arrest of a separatist leader...

    The unrest in the Himalayan region is a challenge for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist BJP, which this year took control of the state government in alliance with a regional partner, the first time it has been in power in the state.

    Police said around 24 people were injured in the clashes, and one of the three people injured after they opened fire died in hospital...Reuters.....english.ahram.org.eg
    18/4/15

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  27. South Africa violence: Arrests follow Johannesburg attacks...

    More than 30 people have been detained by police in South Africa after a fresh outbreak of anti-foreigner violence.

    Overnight, small groups attacked shops in several areas around Johannesburg, the country's commercial hub.

    Police used rubber bullets to disperse looters in Alexandra, a township north of the city.

    At least six people have died in anti-foreigner attacks in the eastern port city of Durban, with violence spreading to other parts of the country.

    Several thousand foreigners have fled their homes to shelter in makeshift camps, and neighbouring Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique have announced plans to evacuate citizens.

    Meanwhile, police have urged people to stop sending unverified social media messages about attacks on foreigners because they are causing panic.

    President Jacob Zuma has cancelled a trip to a summit in Indonesia because of the wave of violence against foreigners. On Saturday afternoon he is due to visit the Chatsworth refugee camp in Durban..........bbc.com
    18/4/15

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  28. Les travailleurs étrangers redoutent de nouvelles violences xénophobes...

    La police sud-africaine a déployé des renforts samedi dans Johannesburg après une nouvelle nuit de violences xénophobes perpétrées par des groupes de casseurs et de pilleurs. Les étrangers du continent présents dans ce pays restent sur le qui-vive.

    Alors que la pression diplomatique s'accentue pour éviter le bain de sang de 2008 – il y avait eu alors 62 morts dans des violences du même type –, les étrangers du continent travaillant en Afrique du Sud restent sur le qui-vive.

    Le Forum de la diaspora africaine (ADF) a demandé au gouvernement de faire appel sans attendre à l'armée, alors que le township d'Alexandra, où s'entasse 400 000 personnes au cœur de Johannesburg, était à son tour pris pour cible vendredi soir..........france24.com
    18/4/15

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    1. South Africa's Zuma vows to end attacks on migrants...

      South African President Jacob Zuma has visited a refugee camp in the port of Durban after a fresh outbreak of anti-foreigner violence.

      Mr Zuma told those who had fled the violence that it went against South African values and he would bring it to an end.

      But he was jeered by some in the crowd who accused him of acting too slowly.

      At least six people have died in xenophobic attacks in Durban, with violence spreading to other areas.

      Migrants, mostly from other African states and Asia, have moved to South Africa in large numbers since white-minority rule ended in 1994.

      Many South Africans accuse them of taking jobs in a country where the unemployment rate is 24%......bbc.com

      Delete
  29. Greece wants EU/IMF deal but impasse could bring referendum: deputy PM...

    (Reuters) - Greece aims for a deal with its creditors over a reforms package but will not retreat from its red lines, the country's deputy prime minister told the Sunday newspaper To Vima, not ruling out a referendum or early polls if talks reach an impasse.

    Athens is stuck in negotiations with its euro zone partners and the International Monetary Fund over economic reforms required by the lenders to unlock remaining bailout aid.

    Ongoing talks are not expected to produce a deal for the approval of euro zone finance ministers at their next meeting in Riga on April 24 as progress is painfully slow.

    "Our objective is a viable solution inside the euro," Yannis Dragasakis told the paper. "We will not back off from the red lines we have set.".....reuters.com

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  30. Thousands Rally in Germany Against US-EU Trade Deal ...

    Thousands of people across Germany demonstrated Saturday against a planned free-trade deal between Europe and the United States.

    The protests, billed as a "Global Day of Action," came ahead of a new round of talks on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TTIP, beginning Monday in New York.

    Opposition to the agreement centers on concerns it will lower food and other safety standards.

    In Germany, it also reflects rising anti-Americanism. The sentiments have been fueled in part by revelations of U.S. spying, including the wiretapping of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cellphone....voanews.com

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  31. Draghi: Greece crisis could push world economy into uncharted waters...

    The ECB head Mario Draghi has said a failure to resolve the Greece crisis may take the situation into "uncharted waters." International lenders are pressing Athens to present a more detailed plan for spending.

    International lenders on Sunday urged Greece to present a plan to avoid a default that could plunge the global economy into financial crisis. European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi warned that Athens had still not provided enough information on how its reforms would affect its financial reserves.

    "More work, much more work is needed now, and it's urgent," Draghi said at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) - World Bank spring meeting in Washington....DW

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  32. Mediterranean migrants: Hundreds feared dead after boat capsizes...

    Hundreds of people are feared to have drowned after a boat carrying up to 700 migrants capsized in the Mediterranean Sea, the Italian coastguard says.
    The vessel, thought to be just 20m (70ft) long, capsized at midnight local time in Libyan waters south of the Italian island of Lampedusa.
    So far only 28 people have been rescued and 24 bodies retrieved.
    Italy's PM said it was a European tragedy and called for an extraordinary EU summit on the migrants issue.
    Matteo Renzi said he could not verify the number of deaths, but that it would be a "dramatic amount".....bbc.com
    19/4/15

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  33. Drame en Méditerranée: réunion d'urgence prévue, crédibilité de l'UE en jeu...

    L'Union européenne annonce par la voix de sa responsable de la diplomatie, l'Italienne Federica Mogherini, une réunion d'urgence après un nouveau drame de la migration en Méditerranée qui aurait fait près de 700 morts. Un chalutier transportant des centaines de migrants a fait naufrage........rtbf.be

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  34. German foreign minister warns Russia against recognizing DPR, LPR independence...

    German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steimneier on Sunday warned the Russian authorities against recognizing the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) as independent states.
    "It would dramatically complicate the process of Ukrainian settlement," he told the ARD television channel.
    He called on Russia to observe Ukraine’s territorial integrity as a fundamental basis of the Minsk agreement. He said he hoped this agreement would finally be implemented. "If I had no hopes I wouldn’t be dedicating so much time and effort to this," he said, adding that the current situation was not as dramatic as it used to be some three months ago. Nonetheless, in his words, the implementation of the Minsk agreement was not satisfactory...........http://tass.ru/en/world/790380

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  35. A video purportedly made by Islamic State and posted on social media sites on Sunday appeared to show militants shooting and beheading about 30 Ethiopian Christians in Libya...

    Reuters was not able to verify the authenticity of the video but the killings resemble past violence carried out by Islamic State, an ultra-hardline group which has expanded its reach from strongholds in Iraq and Syria to conflict-ridden Libya.

    The video, in which militants call Christians "crusaders" who are out to kill Muslims, showed about 15 men being beheaded on a beach and another group of the same size, in an area of shrubland, being shot in the head.

    Both groups of men are referred to in a subtitle as "worshippers of the cross belonging to the hostile Ethiopian church".

    Libyan officials were not immediately available for comment..........todayonline.com
    19/4/15

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  36. IWF UND GRIECHENLAND: Niemand will Athen noch etwas geben...

    Für Griechenland wird die Lage von Tag zu Tag bedrohlicher. Auch beim Frühjahrstreffen des IWF findet sich niemand, der die griechische Regierung im Moment mit neuen Milliardenhilfen unterstützen will........handelsblatt.com

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  37. Poland has summoned the US ambassador and demanded an apology over comments on the Holocaust by FBI director James Comey...

    The foreign ministry said Mr Comey had suggested in a Washington Post article that some Poles were accomplices.
    After the summons US envoy Stephen Mull said he made it clear the US believed "Nazi Germany alone" was responsible.
    Six million Polish citizens were killed by the Nazis during World War Two, half of them Jewish.....bbc.com

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  38. Magnitude 6.8 earthquake strikes off Japan's Okinawa...

    School children were evacuated to higher ground on some islands and buildings swayed in Taipei after a strong earthquake struck Monday in seas east of Taiwan and south of Okinawa.
    Japan's Meteorological Agency issued an advisory for a tsunami of up to 1 metre, but it was cancelled just over an hour later. The public broadcaster NHK said there were no initial reports of damage.
    The epicenter of the magnitude 6.8 quake was at a shallow point near the Yonaguni islands, the agency said. It said no tsunami was detected.
    Television footage of the area showed calm seas, but as a precaution school children in some low-lying areas of islands in the area were evacuated to safer locations.
    In Taiwan's capital, Taipei, CCTV footage from a television broadcaster, TBS, showed signs and lights swinging from the ceiling of a newsroom, and some residents rushing into the streets after the quake struck.
    ctvnews.ca

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  39. Athener Regierung beschafft sich Geld per Erlass...

    Athen ist wieder auf Geld-Suche: Die Regierung zwingt alle staatlichen Institutionen und öffentlich-rechtlichen Betriebe per Erlass, ihre Geldeinlagen an die griechische Zentralbank (Bank of Greece) zu überweisen. Damit sollen fällige Hellas-Schulden an den Internationalen Währungsfonds und andere Verpflichtungen in den nächsten Wochen bezahlt werden. Der Erlass wurde am Montag veröffentlicht.

    Athen hofft auf Einnahmen in Höhe von rund 3 Mrd. Euro. Die Regierung braucht rund 1,1 Mrd. Euro für Gehälter, 850 Millionen für Renten und knapp eine Milliarde Euro, um bis zum 12. Mai Verpflichtungen an den Internationalen Währungsfonds (IWF) nachkommen zu können, berichtete die Athener Finanzpresse......kurier.at/
    20/4/15

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  40. Wegen Russland-Sanktionen: Opposition gewinnt Parlamentswahl in Finnland...

    Bei der Parlamentswahl am gestrigen Sonntag in Finnland durften die Oppositionskräfte mit einem Erfolg rechnen, schreibt die Zeitung "Nesawissimaja Gaseta" am Montag.
    Damit reagieren die Finnen auf die negative Wirtschaftssituation im Land, die unter anderem durch die Russland-Sanktionen der EU sowie Russlands Gegensanktionen bedingt ist..............http://sptnkne.ws/e4S
    20/4/15

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  41. Lebanon gets French weapons in $3 bln Saudi deal...

    A Saudi-funded $3 billion deal to provide Lebanon with French weapons was underway on Monday as the first shipment arrived at the Beirut International airport.

    The deal, signed last November, aims to bolster the Lebanese army's fight against militants encroaching from neighboring Syria. Saudi Arabia has already provided $1 billion in military aid to the Lebanese army.

    The arrival of the first shipment was broadcast on Lebanese news channels, showing a military plane at Beirut International airport with green boxes of weapons and missiles laid out in front.

    The ceremony was attended by French and Lebanese ministers of defense as Saudi and French flags waved..........alarabiya.net
    20/4/15

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  42. Two more migrant boats issue distress calls in Mediterranean...

    Italian and Maltese vessels respond to calls from inflatable liferaft off Libya’s coast with up to 150 people on board and another with 300 people on board as EU ministers hold meeting about recent tragedies...theguardian.com
    20/4/15

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  43. Greece asks public agencies to hand over reserve cash...

    Greece has ordered its public sector bodies to hand over any reserve cash to help it meet a payment due to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    The country is running out of cash and must repay the IMF nearly €1bn in May.

    It comes after the head of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, said that Greece needed to do much more if it wanted access to bailout funds.

    Negotiators are trying to strike a deal ahead of a meeting of eurozone finance ministers on Friday.

    There are mounting fears that Greece could default on its debts and exit the eurozone.

    Prime minister Alexis Tsipras urgently needs money to pay government salaries as well as the country's debt repayments.

    In order to get the funding, he needs to strike a deal with eurozone lenders at the European Central Bank, the European Union and the IMF, and introduce economic reforms.

    "More work, much more work is needed now and it's urgent", said Mr Draghi at the weekend.

    "We all want Greece to succeed. The answer is in the hands of the Greek government."

    Asked whether Greece could default, Mr Draghi said "I don't want to even contemplate such an event... the Greek leaders repeatedly state that they want to honour all their obligations".

    Greek public agencies have already been asked for voluntary payments, but this now looks set to be made compulsory........bbc.com
    20/4/15

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  44. Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has offered his condolences to the grandchildren of Ottoman Armenians who lost their lives during World War I...

    His comments came in a statement on Monday in which he said the deaths of Ottoman Armenians would be commemorated on April 24 in Turkey in a religious ceremony to be organized by the Armenian Patriarchate.

    Davutoglu said: "Our common responsibility as the grandsons of two different peoples who shared the same joy and sorrow, is to relieve the pain of the past century and rebuild our humanitarian bond."

    "During the last years of the Ottoman Empire, many Ottoman citizens from different ethnicities who lived together for centuries in peace, suffered great torments."

    "We commemorate the innocent Ottoman Armenians and convey our condolences to their grandchildren," Davutoglu added.

    He also reiterated a message from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the 1915 incidents last year, saying: "It would be very meaningful for Turkey and Armenia to commemorate the events.

    "We believe this can happen when history is not politicized."....aa.com.tr
    20/4/15

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  45. Turkey 'lost battle with truth' over Armenia genocide: academic...

    Turkey has lost the battle with truth over its refusal to acknowledge the mass killings of Armenians during World War I as genocide, a Turkish academic who helped break a long-standing taboo on the issue said.

    Cengiz Aktar was one of four Turkish intellectuals who in 2008 launched a campaign known as "Ozur Diliyoruz" ("I Apologise") calling for a collective apology for the "great catastrophe" inflicted on Armenians from 1915.

    Armenians in Armenia and the diaspora will on April 24 mark the 100th anniversary of what they see as the start of a campaign of genocide by Ottoman forces in World War I to wipe them out of Anatolia.

    But Turkey to this day has vehemently denied any genocide took place and the Turkish state can in theory under the penal code prosecute anyone who dares to do so.

    "I think that Turkey has lost its battle with truth," Aktar, a political scientist at the private Sabanci university in Istanbul told AFP in an interview..........AFP.....dailystar.com.lb

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  46. U.S. boosts warship fleet in Yemeni waters...

    The U.S. Navy sent on Monday two warships to waters near Yemen to conduct maritime security operations, Reuters news agency reported citing a defense official.

    The warships have no specific mission to intercept an Iranian arms shipment in the area, the official added amid reports of an Iranian convoy of eight vessels carrying arms in the area.

    The U.S. Navy sent the carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and escort cruiser USS Normandy from the Gulf into the Arabian Sea on Sunday. Army Colonel Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, denied reports the ships were on a mission to intercept Iranian arms shipments to Yemen.

    However, navy officials told the Associated Press (AP) that the American ships are prepared to intercept any Iranian vessels carrying weapons to the Houthi militias in Yemen.

    The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ship movement on the record, AP reported.........alarabiya.net

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  47. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a ritual offering to the notorious Yasukuni Shrine on the first day of its spring festival, local media reported Tuesday...

    Abe, who is scheduled to leave Tokyo later the day to attend the Asian-African Conference in Indonesia, dedicated a "masakaki" tree offering to the shrine which honors Japan's war dead, including 14 Class-A criminals of World War II.

    However, the prime minister is likely to refrain from visiting the war-linked shrine during its annual festival from Tuesday to Thursday in order to strike a balance between his conservative supporters and Japan's neighboring countries, said Japan's Kyodo News Agency.
    china.org.cn

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  48. Ukraine: des instructeurs militaires américains commencent à entraîner les soldats ...

    Quelque 300 parachutistes américains déployés dans l'ouest de l'Ukraine ont commencé lundi, en présence du président Petro Porochenko, à entraîner des soldats ukrainiens devant combattre les séparatistes prorusses, des exercices dont l'annonce avait déclenché la colère du Kremlin.

    "Chers partenaires et amis, soyez les bienvenus en Ukraine", a déclaré en anglais le président Porochenko à la cérémonie d'ouverture de ces exercices qui s'est déroulée sous une pluie battante en présence de très nombreux médias ukrainiens et occidentaux............AFP.......rtl.be
    21/4/15

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  49. Egypt’s Mursi faces death penalty ...

    An Egyptian court could sentence deposed president Mohamed Mursi to death Tuesday in the first verdict against the Islamist nearly two years after the army ousted him.

    The Cairo court will deliver its verdict on charges of inciting the killing of protesters in December 2012, when Mursi was still in office.

    A death penalty against the country's first freely elected president would be a symbolic blow against his Muslim Brotherhood movement -- target of a brutal government crackdown after then army chief and now president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi overthrew him on July 3, 2013.....AFP......alarabiya.net
    21/4/15

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    Replies
    1. Egypt's Morsi jailed for 20 years...

      An Egyptian court has sentenced former President Mohammed Morsi to 20 years in jail for ordering the arrest and torture of protesters during his rule.

      It is the first verdict he has received since his ousting and is one of several trials he faces.

      Morsi was deposed by the army in July 2013 following mass street protests against his rule.

      Since then, the authorities have banned his Muslim Brotherhood movement and arrested thousands of his supporters.

      Morsi and 14 other Brotherhood figures escaped a more serious charge of inciting the killing of protesters, which could have carried the death sentence.

      Most of the other defendants were also given 20-year prison sentences.....bbc.com
      21/4/15

      Delete
  50. Kerry ruft Griechenland zu einheitlicher Haltung gegenüber Russland auf...

    US-Außenminister John Kerry hat am Montag bei einem Treffen mit seinem griechischen Amtskollegen Nikos Kotzias Athen aufgefordert, die Haltung der USA und der EU in Bezug auf Russland zu teilen.

    „Ich hoffe sehr, Herr Minister, dass wir die Möglichkeit haben, die enge Partnerschaft zwischen den USA und Europa in Bezug auf die Ukraine zu fördern“, äußerte Kerry. Es sei notwendig, Russland durch beliebige Möglichkeiten zur Umsetzung der Minsker Vereinbarungen zu bewegen, zum Frieden in dieser Region zu verhelfen und bei der Bewältigung der langfristigen Herausforderungen, nämlich Energie, Lieferungen von Energieressourcen und Diversifizierung in der Region, zusammenzuarbeiten.

    Zuvor hatten die USA ihre Unzufriedenheit mit der Haltung der griechischen Regierung gezeigt, die sich gegen Russland-Sanktionen aussprach und sich für eine Energiekooperation mit Russland einsetzte.
    http://sptnkne.ws/eGc
    21/4/15

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  51. Ancient Treasures Help IS Finance Terrorism ...

    Islamic State militants released two videos this past month, boasting about the bombing of priceless ancient artifacts in Iraq.

    The destruction of “cultural heritage” in the Middle East is an element of the war, funding extremism and fueling sectarian violence.

    Before modern day maps of the Middle East, before the Ottomans and the Romans, and before thousands of years of kings and caliphs, were the Assyrians - one of the world’s first modern empires.

    Assyrian rule spanned what is now Iraq, across the Middle East to Egypt and into Turkey, surviving roughly 19 centuries.....voanews.com
    21/4/15

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  52. Anger mounts among Anbar’s displaced stalled at Baghdad’s gates...

    Tens of thousands of people fleeing Iraq’s western Anbar province have been stopped from entering Baghdad due to a security rule that has sparked frustration among the mostly Sunni displaced civilians.

    Over the past few days, Anbaris fleeing the latest fighting between Iraqi security forces and Islamic State (IS) group militants have been blocked at checkpoints leading into Baghdad due to a security rule requiring them to name a relative or friend inside the capital as a guarantor.

    Iraqi authorities maintain the guarantor system is necessary to ensure IS militants do not infiltrate the Iraqi capital.

    But the Sunni civilians stuck at Baghdad’s gates complain that they are being treated as foreign security threats in a deeply divided predominantly Shiite country.

    At the Bzaibiz bridge checkpoint, weary Anbaris voiced frustration over the security rule.

    "When we reached Bzaibiz bridge we found that the government had obstructed our advance in Iraq, and is discriminating between this person and that," said Ahmed Abdulrahman in an interview with Reuters........france24.com
    21/4/15

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  53. 60,000 asylum seekers expected in German state in 2015 (official) ...

    Emilia Mueller, the minister of Social Affairs of the southern German state of Bavaria, on Tuesday said several thousand asylum seekers were expected to arrive this year in the state.

    "I expect more than 60,000 people, who we will accommodate and care for in Bavaria," said Mueller during a visit to Augsburg.

    According to the 63-year-old politician, the number of asylum seekers this year will be almost double as many it was in 2014.

    So far, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in Nuremberg expects about 45,000 asylum applicants.
    globaltimes.cn - Xinhua
    21/4/15

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  54. Saudi Arabia to deploy ground troops in Yemen ...

    Saudi Arabia's King Salman Abdulaziz on Tuesday ordered the deployment of an elite ground unit in the country's ongoing campaign against Yemen's Shiite Houthi militant group, Saudi's official news agency has reported.

    King Salman has issued a royal decree to deploy National Guard Forces in its ongoing military operation against Yemen's Houthis – a campaign which, until Tuesday's announcement, had been reportedly confined to air and naval bombardments.

    Riyadh refrained, however, from providing additional details on the planned deployment......aa.com.tr
    21/4/15

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  55. Turkey must apologize for the Armenian genocide, Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai told reporters Tuesday from the Beirut airport before traveling to Yervan for a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the mass killings...

    "The ceremony which will be held [on April 24] in Armenia serves to sanctify the martyrs [of the genocide],” Rai said.

    “We pray for all the martyrs who were killed, whether they were Armenians, Assyrians or Syriac who were present in this large disaster.”

    When asked whether those responsible for the massacre should apologize to the Armenian people, the patriarch replied by saying that an apology has been the constant demand of the Armenian, Assyrian and Syriac people.

    “And this is what should happen and what should always be called for.”

    On April 28, Rai will leave Armenia for France where he is expected to meet with French President Francois Hollande.

    He is scheduled to deliver a speech on the role of the Christians in the Levant in France’s UNESCO headquarters.
    dailystar.com.lb
    21/4/15

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  56. Turkey's Kurdish party vows to be 'sultan' Erdogan's nightmare...

    Turkey's main Kurdish party on Tuesday launched their manifesto for June 7 legislative polls, saying it would be a "sultan's nightmare" for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

    "This manifesto will be the sultan's nightmare but a dream for all the people of Turkey," Figen Yuksekdag, co-chair of the the People's Democratic Party (HDP), told party supporters, as she announced the party manifesto with co-leader Selahattin Demirtas..........AFP......ahram.org.eg
    21/4/15

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  57. Moscow expects EU’s assessment following Polish lawmaker’s remarks on Maidan snipers...

    Russia expects "the international constructive pressure" with regard to Kiev to hold a genuine investigation of the events on Maidan, Russian Foreign Ministry’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law Konstantin Dolgov told the Life News TV channel on Tuesday.

    "Let’s see what kind of assessment will be heard from the European capitals," he said. "Anyway, it’s becoming more and more evident that it’s increasingly more difficult to hush up the truth and the pressure will be growing."

    "It’s important not only to maintain the international constructive pressure, but also to step it up when it comes to urging Kiev to hold genuine, not phoney investigations and to punish those guilty," the diplomat said. Dolgov noted that impunity was not conducive to national reconciliation.

    According to Polish lawmaker in the European Parliament Janusz Korwin-Mikke, the snipers who fired in Kiev during the tragic events on Maidan last February had been trained in Poland, local media report..............http://tass.ru/en/world/790826
    21/4/15

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  58. An Asian-African leaders' meeting opened in Jakarta Wednesday with the aim of carrying on the Bandung Spirit and promoting common development of the two vibrant continents...

    Chinese President Xi Jinping joined leaders and representatives from about 100 countries and international organizations at the Asian-African Summit 2015, where he is to deliver a speech and lay out Beijing's initiatives.

    Later during his Indonesia tour, Xi will travel to the heritage city of Bandung, West Java, to attend events to mark the 60th anniversary of the historic Bandung Conference, the first large-scale gathering of Asian-African countries.

    In 1955, representatives from 29 Asian and African countries and regions gathered in Bandung to discuss independence, peace and economic prosperity....china.org.cn

    ReplyDelete
  59. França não aceita imigrantes económicos dos naufrágios no mediterrâneo...

    A França quer que a União Europeia tome medidas de urgência para socorrer os imigrantes indocumentados que atravessam o Mediterrâneo, mas recusa a intenção de modificar a sua política de não aceitar imigrantes económicos.

    "A posição da França é a de não é aceitar a imigração económica" e "não vamos mudar", sublinhou, esta quarta-feira o secretário de Estado dos Assuntos Parlamentares, Jean-Marie Le Guen, em entrevista transmitida pela rádio RMC e pelo canal BFM TV.

    Le Guen insistiu que "não é possível receber imigração económica", porque "não é nem a política da França nem a de outros países europeus".

    "Há certos imigrantes que podemos acolher" desde que cumpram as condições para obter o direito de asilo, área que está a ser reformada no sentido de se agilizarem prazos, disse.....jn.pt
    22/4/15

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  60. Austria MPs symbolically recognize Armenian genocide...

    Austrian lawmakers Wednesday condemned as "genocide" for the first time the slaughter of Armenians by Ottoman forces during World War I, ahead of the massacre's 100th anniversary.

    While their statement holds no legal power, it represents nevertheless an important symbolic step.

    "April 24, 1915 marks the beginning of the persecutions, which ended in genocide," said parliament president Doris Bures, before inviting MPs to stand and observe a minute's silence for the victims.

    The leaders of the country's six major parties also issued a statement declaring that Austria, as a former ally of the Ottoman Empire, had a "duty to recognise and condemn these horrific events as genocide."

    They called on Turkey - which does not accept the highly sensitive term - to take responsibility for its role in the mass killings.

    "It is Turkey's duty to face the dark and painful chapter of its past and recognize the crimes committed against Armenians under the Ottoman empire as genocide," the statement said.........AFP......dailystar.com.lb
    22/4/15

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    Replies
    1. Türkei ruft ihren Botschafter in Wien „zu Konsultationen“ zurück...

      Nach der Annahme einer Erklärung des österreichischen Parlaments über den Genozid an Armeniern im Osmanischen Reich vor 100 Jahren hat die Türkei ihren Botschafter in Wien „zu Konsultationen“ zurückgerufen. Das teilte das türkische Außenamt am Mittwoch in Ankara mit......http://sptnkne.ws/fe3
      22/4/15

      Delete
    2. Armenier-Erklärung: Türkei sieht Beziehung zu Wien "dauerhaft beschädigt"...

      .....Die Regierung von Präsident Recep Tayyip Erdoğan berief den türkischen Botschafter in Österreich, Mehmet Hasan Gögüs, am Mittwochabend zu Konsultationen in die türkische Hauptstadt ein, wie Gögüs der "Presse“ auf dem Weg zum Flughafen mitteilte. Das türkische Außenministerium bestätigte das in seiner Erklärung.

      Am Mittwoch gedachte in Wien der Nationalrat der Opfer des Völkermords vor 100 Jahren, bei dem bis zu 1,5 Millionen Armenier aufgrund von Vertreibungen und Gräueltaten ihr Leben ließen. Nationalratspräsidentin Doris Bures (SPÖ) verwies dabei ausdrücklich auf die Erklärung der Parlamentsparteien vom Vortag und betonte, diese solle der Aussöhnung zwischen Armeniern und der Türkei dienen. Eine nachhaltige Versöhnung setze aber das Eingeständnis historischer Schuld voraus. Zur Gedenkminute und der anschließenden Präsentation der Erklärung kamen auch Vertreter der armenischen Gemeinde......http://diepresse.com
      22/4/15

      Delete
  61. The European Union launched a legal attack on Gazprom on Wednesday, stoking tensions with Moscow as it accused the Russian gas giant of overcharging buyers in Eastern Europe and hindering competition...

    European Commission antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager said Gazprom was barring EU clients from selling its gas to other states -- a particular concern in recent efforts to aid Ukraine -- and pressuring governments to back its pipeline interests.

    State-controlled Gazprom is a vital supplier of energy to Europe despite the EU’s frequent political disputes with Moscow.

    The Commission’s investigation, opened in September 2012, had initially covered Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

    Relations with Russia, and Gazprom in particular, have since been poisoned more by the East-West confrontation over Ukraine.

    “Gazprom is dominant in all these markets,” EU Competition Commissioner Vestager told a news conference. “Our preliminary view alleges that Gazprom is abusing this position.”

    “Gazprom has been able to charge higher prices in some countries without fearing that ... gas would flow in from where prices were lower,” she said of contracts with the three ex-Soviet Baltic states and formerly communist Poland and Bulgaria.....france24.com
    22/4/15

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  62. EU migration summit to consider military operation in Med: draft...

    EU leaders gathering in BrusselsThursday will consider launching a military operation against human traffickers in Libya, held responsible for deaths of hundreds of migrants this year in the Mediterranean, a draft statement showed.

    In the draft statement seen by AFP Wednesday, leaders will commit to "undertake systematic efforts to identify, capture and destroy vessels before they are used by traffickers."

    The EU's top diplomat Federica Mogherini "is invited to immediately begin preparations for a possible security and defence policy operation to this effect, in accordance with international law," the draft added.
    AFP
    dailystar.com.lb
    22/4/15

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    Replies
    1. Italienischer Vorschlag vor Flüchtlingsgipfel: EU-Asylbüros in Niger und im Sudan? ...

      Von diesem Gipfel erwartet sich Italien eine Wende in der europäischen Flüchtlingspolitik. Wenn die EU diesmal keine Antwort finde auf das, was im Mittelmeer geschehe, könne sich ein Unglück wie jenes vom Wochenende jederzeit wiederholen, sagte Ministerpräsident Matteo Renzi im Parlament. Und dann zählte er auf, worin diese Antwort seiner Meinung nach besteht: im Kampf gegen Schlepperbanden, einer stärkeren EU-Präsenz im Mittelmeer und in einem humanitären Korridor durch Afrika.

      Praktisch über Nacht machte sich die italienische Regierung diese Forderung von Flüchtlingsorganisationen zu eigen. "Internationale Organisationen müssen südlich von Libyen aktiv werden. In diesem Sinn ist unsere Zusammenarbeit mit Niger sehr wichtig", sagte Renzi.....tagesschau.de
      22/4/15

      Delete
  63. FBI warns on airline hacking threat following tweet...

    The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a formal alert telling airlines to be on the lookout for hackers.

    It follows an onboard tweet from security expert Chris Roberts, who joked about being able to hack into a United Airlines plane's wi-fi network.

    A terrorist could theoretically take over systems that fly a plane by compromising equipment at their seat.

    United Airlines has now banned Mr Roberts from all its flights.

    The FBI and the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said they had no information to support claims a plane's navigation system could be interfered via its onboard wi-fi kit, but added that they were evaluating the evidence.....bbc.com

    ReplyDelete
  64. China warns North Korea's nuclear arsenal is expanding, report says...

    Chinese experts believe their communist ally may already have an arsenal of 20 warheads and the enrichment capacity to double that figure by next year

    Chinese nuclear experts believe North Korea may already have a nuclear arsenal of 20 warheads and the uranium enrichment capacity to double that figure by next year, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

    The estimate, which the Journal said was relayed to US nuclear specialists in a closed-door meeting in February, is significantly higher than any previously known Chinese assessment.

    It also exceeds recent estimates by US experts which put the North’s current arsenal at between 10 and 16 nuclear weapons....theguardian.com

    ReplyDelete
  65. Russia 'ramping up Ukraine presence'...

    The US has accused Russia of deploying more air defence systems in eastern Ukraine in breach of a ceasefire deal.

    The state department also said Russia was involved in training separatist forces in the area and building up its forces along the border.

    The Kremlin has not yet responded to the claims.....bbc.com
    23/4/15

    ReplyDelete
  66. Ukraine: le président promet un référendum sur l’adhésion à l’Otan..

    Préoccupée par l’avancée du bloc militaire vers ses frontières, la Russie a à plusieurs reprises exigé des garanties du fait que Kiev ne serait pas intégré à l’Alliance.

    Au cours d’une visite en France, le président ukrainien Piotr Porochenko a déclaré que la question de l’adhésion du pays à l’Otan serait décidée par référendum.

    "La question de la participation de l’Ukraine à l’Otan est fondamentale. J’organiserai un référendum, et le peuple tranchera", a déclaré le chef de l’Etat cité par la chaîne iTele.....http://sptnkne.ws/fj4
    23/4/15

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  67. Putin, de Kirchner to sign statement on comprehensive strategic partnership...

    Russian President Vladimir Putin will have talks with visiting Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner in the Kremlin on Thursday. The talks are expected to yield about 20 cooperation documents. The two leaders will put their signatures under a statement on establishing comprehensive strategic partnership.

    "The document is geared to raise the level of bilateral relations, Russian president’s aide Yuri Ushakov said, adding that the new status of relations between the two countries would be confirmed by a package of documents prepared for signing. These documents include an agreement between the two countries’ defence ministers that sets parameters and basic guidelines of bilateral military cooperation; an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the area of environment protection; an agreement on cooperation in the area of the fight against illegal drug trafficking. Other documents cover such sectors as industry, agriculture, energy, culture, space research, investment and banking.............http://tass.ru/en/russia/791164
    23/4/15

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  68. Carter concerned Iran ships may carry arms for Yemen rebels...

    Defense Secretary Ash Carter said April 22he is concerned that Iranian ships heading toward Yemen may be carrying advanced weapons for the Houthi rebels, and moving a U.S. aircraft carrier to the region gives the president options.

    Making his first public remarks on the Iranian cargo ships, Carter told reporters traveling with him that he is not prepared to say whether the U.S. would be willing to forcibly stop and board one of the Iranian ships if it tries to cross into Yemen.

    "We have options," he said when asked about the boardings. "We're not at that point. We're at the point of trying to get the parties back to the table."

    Still, he said the U.S. is making it clear to Iran that "obviously fanning the flames or contributing to it by any party is not welcome to us."

    The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt is moving into the waters off Yemen, joining eight other U.S. warships, including some carrying teams capable of boarding and searching other vessels. The move comes amid reports that nine Iranian ships are heading that way, possibly carrying arms for the Shiite Houthi rebels. Such shipments would be in violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution............www.hurriyetdailynews.com
    23/4/15

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  69. Portuguese Deputy Prime Minister Paulo Portas on Wednesday accused the main opposition Socialist Party of presenting a macroeconomic plan that could plunge the country into another bailout package...

    "Your plan of promises doesn't only mean a risk of delusion, it also contains the risk of turning into another memorandum of understanding, in which each promise transforms into another," Portas said at the parliament.

    "The troika took us one time and if you are given the mandate, the troika will take us a second time," he added, referring to the 78 billion euros (about $83.5 billion) bailout package the country signed with international lenders in May 2011.

    The Socialist Party, which is leading opinion polls before the general elections due between September and October this year, revealed a range of proposals on Tuesday which it will advance if it wins the general elections.

    The country's main opposition said it will comply to cutting budget deficits, and will create more employment and boost salaries.......Xinhua.......globaltimes.cn
    23/4/15

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  70. Poland says may support Ukraine's defenses if crisis escalates...

    Poland's foreign minister Grzegorz Schetyna said on Thursday that Poland, along with other countries, may support Ukraine's defense capacities if the conflict in eastern Ukraine escalates.

    "We cannot exclude that in case of renewed escalation of military actions, we will be forced, along with other countries that assess the situation similarly to us, to take a decision on stronger support for the Ukrainian state, including its defense capacities," he said in his policy speech.

    Schetyna also said that Poland has applied to become a non-permanent member of United Nations Security Council in 2018-2019.
    REUTERS
    todayonline.com
    23/4/15

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  71. Ukraine troops shelled by pro-Russian rebels near Mariupol...

    Pro-Russian rebels have shelled Ukrainian army positions east of the key city of Mariupol in breach of a ceasefire deal, the BBC has witnessed.

    Our correspondent was with Ukrainian troops when they came under heavy fire moments after a team of international monitors left the area.

    This comes a day after the US accused Russia of sending more troops to the region. Moscow denies any involvement.

    A truce between the two sides in the conflict was brokered in February.

    But two Ukrainian soldiers told the BBC's Tom Burridge that the fighting has continued despite the agreement signed by Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian rebels in Minsk.........bbc.com
    23/4/15

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    Replies
    1. Russian defense ministry says U.S. troops in east Ukraine: Interfax...

      (Reuters) - U.S. troops are in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine and are training Ukrainian forces, Interfax news agency quoted a spokesman for Russia's Defense Ministry as saying on Thursday.

      A day earlier, Washington accused Russia of building up air defense systems inside eastern Ukraine and of involvement in training exercises of pro-Russian rebels in breach of a European-brokered truce.

      Igor Konashenkov was quoted as saying that U.S. troops were training Ukrainian forces not only in western Ukraine "as Ukrainian TV channels show, but directly in the combat zone in the area of Mariupol, Severodonetsk, Artyomovsk and Volnovakha".

      The Defense Ministry confirmed the report.

      (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska, editing by Elizabeth Piper)
      REUTERS
      23/4/15

      Delete
    2. Pentagon dismisses Moscow claim of US troops in east Ukraine...

      The Russian defense ministry said on Thursday that US troops were training Ukrainian forces in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine, but the Pentagon flatly denied it, accusing Moscow of a "ridiculous attempt" to obscure its own activity in the region.

      Interfax quoted Russian Defense Ministry spokesman major general Igor Konashenkov as saying US troops were training Ukrainian forces not only in western Ukraine "as Ukrainian TV channels show, but directly in the combat zone in the area of Mariupol, Severodonetsk, Artyomovsk and Volnovakha."

      The Russian defense ministry affirmed the report, but the Pentagon rejected it.

      "This is a ridiculous attempt to shift the focus away from what is actually happening in eastern Ukraine," said Eileen Lainez, a Pentagon spokeswoman.......REUTERS.....timesofindia.indiatimes.com

      Delete
  72. U.S. President Barack Obama says he takes "full responsibility" for a counterterrorism operation that inadvertently killed an American and an Italian hostage held by al Qaeda...

    He defended the legality of the January drone strike against an al Qaeda compound and said there had been no information suggesting the hostages were at that location.

    "Based on the intelligence that we had obtained at the time, including hundreds of hours of surveillance, we believed that this was an al Qaeda compound, that no civilians were present and that capturing these terrorists was not possible," Obama said in remarks from the White House. "And we do believe that the operation did take out dangerous members of al Qaeda.".........AP......ctvnews.ca
    23/4/15

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  73. Turkey must apologize for the Armenian genocide Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday as a delegation headed by Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil arrived in Yerevan...

    On the occasion of the centennial of the Armenian genocide, the truth of the crimes committed against the Armenian people should be revealed and “the path of confession should be taken to achieve justice and to make way for an end to impunity,” read a statement issued by Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry.

    “The perpetrators should be sanctioned in compensation for the souls of the innocent martyrs who were killed because of their religious affiliation and ethnic identity,” it added, describing those behind the genocide as the “dark forces of the teetering Ottoman Empire.” ..........dailystar.com.lb
    23/4/15

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  74. EU triples migrant rescue funding....

    European leaders are to triple funding for search-and-rescue operations aimed at migrant boats in the Mediterranean following crisis talks in Brussels.

    The EU will also look at ways to capture and destroy smugglers' boats and deploy immigration officers to non-EU countries, officials said.

    Several EU member states have promised more ships and other resources.

    The summit comes after more than 750 people died on a boat crossing from Libya on Sunday.....bbc.com

    ReplyDelete
  75. Indonesia Appears to Prepare for Drug Convict Executions ...

    Indonesia has asked foreign embassies to send representatives to a maximum-security prison on the island of Nusakambangan this weekend to visit prisoners awaiting execution for drug-trafficking convictions.

    It is not known when the nine foreign prisoners and one Indonesian will stand before firing squads, but Jakarta has not yet given a 72-hour notice for the executions, as required by law.

    “It's true, we have been told to be there on Saturday,” a foreign embassy official who asked not to be identified because she was not authorized to speak to the media told Reuters. “We still don't know when the actual date of execution will happen, but we expect that it will be in days.”..........voanews.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Eight drug convicts executed in Indonesia...

      Eight drug convicts were executed by an Indonesian firing squad this evening, but a Filipina who was on death row with the Australians, Nigerians, a Brazilian and an Indonesian was unexpectedly not among them.

      The execution of the Filipina was delayed at the last minute after one of her recruiters surrendered to police in the Philippines, the attorney general's spokesman said.

      "The execution of Mary Jane (Veloso) has been postponed because there was a request from the Philippine president related to a perpetrator suspected of human trafficking who surrendered herself in the Philippines," said Tony Spontana, spokesman for the attorney general....rte.ie
      28/4/15

      Delete
  76. Portugal swaps 4.5 billion euros in bonds expiring in 2017, 2018 for longer-maturity debt ...

    Portugal swapped around 4.5 billion euros (about 4.82 billion US dollars) in debt on Thursday, expiring in 2017 and 2018, for 4 billion euros debt expiring in 2024 and 2030, the Portuguese IGCP debt agency revealed.

    IGCP took advantage of a drop in interest rates to buy some 2.36 billion euros of debt expiring in October 2017, 4.35 percent coupon, and 2.18 billion euros in bonds expiring in June 2018 with a coupon worth 4.45 percent.

    Earlier this month, Portugal issued 1.25 billion euros in 3-month debt on at a record-low rate of 0.0007 percent.

    Portugal returned to the markets last year following years of painful austerity, that came with the 78-billion-euro bailout fund the country signed in 2011 and ended in May last year. (1 euro = 1.07 US dollars)
    globaltimes.cn - Xinhua
    24/4/15

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  77. Airstrikes pound Yemen rebel positions in Taez ...

    Saudi-led coalition air strikes hit a camp housing rebel troops in Yemen’s third city Taez on Friday, after a night of clashes and raids throughout the war-hit country, residents said.

    Warplanes struck the camp, which was being used by a rebel army unit loyal to ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh in central Taez, they said.

    The main southern city of Aden also came under coalition fire as clashes between supporters of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and rebels raged until dawn, pro-government militiamen told AFP.

    Residents in Yemen’s eastern Marib province also reported overnight air strikes and clashes between local tribesmen and rebel forces -- Shiite Houthis allied with Saleh’s loyalist troops.

    AFP could not immediately obtain a casualty toll.....alarabiya.net
    24/4/15

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    1. Saudi Warplanes Block Iran Aid Flight’s Landing in Yemen...

      An Iranian plane carrying humanitarian goods for the war-torn people of Yemen was forced to return to Tehran after Saudi Arabia’s fighter jets refused the cargo plane landing in Yemen.

      Vehid Rahmati, an official with Iran’s Red Crescent Society said the Iranian Foreign Ministry had even obtained the required permission from Saudi Arabia for the plane to enter Saudi airspace on its way to Yemen.

      However, Rahmati added, the Saudi fighter aircraft on Thursday blocked the Iranian aid plane from landing in Yemen and it flew back to Tehran.

      He said consultations are under way to get a permission again, adding that the humanitarian assistance will be airlifted to Yemen as soon as possible.......almanar.com.lb
      24/4/15

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  78. Air strikes pound Houthi positions in Yemen...

    Saudi-led coalition air strikes hit a camp housing rebel troops in Yemen's third city Taez on Friday, after a night of clashes and raids throughout the war-hit country, residents said.

    Warplanes struck the camp, which was being used by a rebel army unit loyal to ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh in central Taez, they said.

    The main southern city of Aden also came under coalition fire as clashes between supporters of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and rebels raged until dawn, pro-government militiamen told AFP........france24.com
    24/4/15

    ReplyDelete
  79. Eurozone ministers 'hammer Greece' over slow progress ...

    Exasperated Eurogroup hammer "amateur" Greek finance minister

    Eurozone finance ministers have blasted Greece for failing to make more progress towards a bailout deal, at an acrimonious eurogroup meeting in Riga today.

    Ministers laid into Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis for not having reached agreement with creditors, two months after being given a four month extension to Greece’s loan programme.

    Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem told reporters in Latvia that it was a “highly critical” meeting, given Greece has still not agreed a comprehensive list of reforms.

    Although there are positive signs, there are still “wide differences to bridge on substance”.

    We are all aware that time is running out...too much time has been lost.
    Dijsselbloem also warned that it is very hard to consider a new programme for Greece to cover its funding needs beyond June, given the lack of progress recently. And he ruled out giving Greece a slice of the €7.2bn bailout cash that is being held back until reforms are agreed.

    ECB president Mario Draghi also showed exasperation over the slow pace, and warned that the ECB could potentially impose tougher conditions in return for keeping Greek banks afloat.

    Draghi said:

    “The higher are the yields [on Greek bonds], the bigger is the volatility, the more collateral gets destroyed,”

    “Time is running out as the president of the Eurogroup said, and speed is of the essence.”..................theguardian.com
    24/4/15

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    1. Treffen in Riga: Euro-Kollegen beschimpfen Varoufakis als "Amateur"...

      Das Treffen der Euro-Gruppe in Riga sollte den Durchbruch in der Griechen-Krise bringen. Doch davon sind die Verhandlungspartner weit entfernt. Einigen Regierungsvertretern reicht es jetzt endgültig.......welt.de
      24/4/15

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  80. Syrie: l'Onu appelle à l'embargo sur les armes...

    La patronne des opérations humanitaires de l'Onu a exhorté le Conseil de sécurité à frapper d'embargo les livraisons d'armes en Syrie parmi d'autres "mesures concrètes" visant à désamorcer la crise.

    La secrétaire générale adjointe pour les Affaires humanitaires des Nations unies, Valerie Amos, a appelé vendredi le Conseil de sécurité de l'Onu à instaurer l'embargo sur les livraisons d'armes en Syrie et à exiger de Damas et de l'opposition qu'ils cessent d'attaquer les écoles et les hôpitaux.

    "Ces établissements (écoles et hôpitaux, ndlr) doivent constituer des zones de paix", a déclaré Mme Amos devant les journalistes à New York.

    La patronne des opérations humanitaires de l'Onu a annoncé avoir demandé au Conseil de sécurité de prendre des "mesures concrètes" tendant notamment à garantir le respect des pauses humanitaires, facilitant la fourniture d'aide aux personnes bloquées par les combats en Syrie sans aucun accès aux secours......http://sptnkne.ws/f8M
    24/4/15

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  81. Putin participation in Armenia’s commemorations cannot be reason behind Ankara’s reaction...

    Kremlin does not regard Russian President Vladimir Putin’s participation in commemorative events timed to coincide with centenary of the 1915 genocide of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as a reason behind Turkey’s negative reaction, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

    When asked by a TASS correspondent about the Turkish Foreign Ministry’s statement, which condemned the Russian leader’s words, Peskov replied: "We do not think that the president’s participation in the remembrance events may, in some way, be interpreted negatively by Ankara."

    Armenia is Russia’s very important partner and a participant in the Eurasian Economic Union, a great number of Armenians reside in Russia and, on the whole, relations of the two countries have deep historical roots, Peskov said.

    "It is just naturally that the president attended the commemorative events in Yerevan alongside other heads of states and one should get familiarised with President Putin’s speech," he said....
    Tass
    25/4/15

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  82. Hundreds of people are known to have died in a powerful earthquake that struck Nepal, with many more feared trapped under rubble, officials say...

    The quake measured 7.8 and struck an area between the capital Kathmandu and the city of Pokhara, the US Geological Survey said.

    Tremors were felt across the region, as far afield as Pakistan, Bangladesh and neighbouring India.

    A Nepali minister said there had been "massive damage" at the epicentre......http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32461019

    ReplyDelete
  83. Second strong quake strikes Nepal: CENC...

    Another 7.0-magnitude quake shook Nepal at 2:45 p.m. Saturday following a massive 8.1-magnitude quake at 2:11 p.m., the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) said.

    The second quake's epicenter was monitored at 28.3 degrees north latitude and 84.8 degrees east longitude, and the focus of the quake is 30 kilometers deep, according to the center.

    The U.S. Geological Survey put the magnitude of the first quake at 7.9, with a depth of 15 kilometers.

    Twelve minutes after the first 8.1-magnitude earthquake, a minor quake of 3.1 magnitude was also monitored at the Qijiang district of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, according to the CENC.

    Nepal and China are neighbors.....cntv.cn

    ReplyDelete
  84. Russian hackers read Obama's unclassified emails last year: NYT...

    (Reuters) - Russian hackers who penetrated sensitive parts of the White House computer system last year read President Barack Obama's unclassified emails, the New York Times reported on Saturday, quoting U.S. officials.

    "There is no evidence that the president's email account itself was hacked, White House officials said. Still, the fact that some of Mr. Obama's communications were among those retrieved by hackers has been one of the most closely held findings of the inquiry," the paper said.

    A White House spokeswoman declined to comment on the report but the White House earlier this month confirmed the breach, saying it took place last year and that it did not affect classified information.....Reuters

    ReplyDelete
  85. Turkey scrambles two F-16 jets on Syrian border...

    Turkey scrambled two F-16 fighter jets near its border with Syria on Saturday after a Syrian Su-24 bomber came close to the border, the Turkish army said in a statement on Sunday.

    The Syrian jet withdrew after coming within 1.2 nautical miles of the Turkish border, the statement said.

    In 2012, Syrian forces shot down a Turkish jet in the border area. Turkey and Syria were once allies, but the outbreak of civil war in its neighbor prompted Turkey to say that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had lost his legitimacy.
    REUTERS
    26/4/15

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  86. Chaos mars Nepal quake relief operations...

    Thousands of evacuees in Kathmandu angry at government's response as rescuers dig through rubble to find survivors.

    Thousands of displaced residents in the Nepali capital have expressed anger towards the government, as they face food and water shortage, a day after a magnitude 7.8 quake hit the country and killed more than 2,500 people.

    As rescuers continue to dig through the rubble on Sunday, the densely-populated capital Kathmandu faces a "chaotic situation" with hospitals running out of medical supply, and thousands of people, who are camped in open air areas, are left hungry and thirsty, according to Al Jazeera reporters on the ground.

    "A lot of people taking shelter outside in open spaces are without food or water," Al Jazeera's Subina Shrestha, who is in Kathmandu, said.....aljazeera.com
    26/4/15

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  87. Israel president marks Armenian massacre for first time...

    President Reuven Rivlin met Armenian community leaders Sunday on the centenary of the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians, the first time an Israeli head of state has marked the killings.

    Israel does not recognise the slaughter of Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman forces between 1915 and 1917 as "genocide".

    "For the first time, an Israeli president has marked the mass massacre of the Armenian people with the Armenian community of Israel," the presidency said in a statement.

    Armenia's honorary consul in Israel, Tsolag Momjian, welcomed the participation of Israeli officials in ceremonies marking the massacre, after two lawmakers travelled to Yerevan to take part in commemorations.

    But the representative of the Armenian Patriarch in Israel, Aris Shirvanian, denounced Israel for not having yet referred to the mass murder of Armenians as "genocide"......dailystar.com.lb
    26/4/15

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  88. At least 3,326 people are now known to have died in a massive earthquake which hit Nepal on Saturday, say officials...

    More than 6,500 people have been injured, according to the National Emergency Operation Centre.

    Dozens of people are also reported to have been killed in neighbouring China and India....bbc.com
    27/4/15

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  89. Griechenland kann Kreditraten nicht tilgen....Tsipras bittet Merkel am Telefon um Hilfe...

    Am Sonntag musste Premierminister Tsipras zum Hörer greifen und Kanzlerin Merkel anrufen. In dem Telefonat soll er Nothilfen gefordert haben. Die Auszahlung von Löhnen und Pensionen ist offenbar unklar.....abendzeitung-muenchen.de
    27/4/15

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  90. Uncle of Syria's Assad in French probe over 90-million-euro fortune...

    The uncle of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is under investigation in France for amassing a 90-million-euro fortune, including a stud farm and luxury apartments, despite being kicked out of Syria "with nothing" 30 years ago.

    French investigators have provided details to AFP of their year-long probe into the finances of Rifaat al-Assad, the younger brother of late dictator Hafez al-Assad.

    Rifaat has spent more than 30 luxurious years moving between homes in Paris, London and the southern Spanish city of Marbella since he was forced into exile for trying to seize power from his brother.

    His family's assets, outlined by French customs in a May 2014 report, are valued at around 90 million euros ($98 million) -- much of it held through a web of businesses based in Luxembourg.....AFP........http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/128740.aspx
    27/4/15

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  91. Fitch cuts Japan’s credit rating to ‘A’ over debt fears...

    Fitch cut its credit rating for heavily indebted Japan by one notch on Monday, saying it has not done enough to plug a budget gap left by its decision to delay the second stage of a sales tax hike.

    Fitch trimmed Japan’s credit rating to A from A+, following a similar step by rival Moody’s, which downgraded Japan several months ago.

    Moody’s cited “rising uncertainty” over the snowballing national debt and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s faltering efforts to kick-start the world’s third-largest economy.....japantimes.co.jp
    27/4/15

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  92. Italy says no 'Plan B' on Greece, need quick deal on bailout...

    Italian Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan added to calls on Greece to come up with proposals to open the way for a deal on fresh finance from international lenders, but said policy makers were not working on a scenario for Greece leaving the euro.

    "As far as I'm aware, there is no Plan B on Greece," Padoan told foreign journalists in Rome on Monday. "The aim is to get a rapid accord with Athens."

    He said the message to Greece was that much time had been wasted and the government needed to come up with detailed, concrete proposals rapidly.

    However he denied press reports that Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis had faced personal attacks at a meeting of eurozone finance ministers at the weekend by counterparts frustrated by Greece's negotiating stance........Reuters.....channelnewsasia.com
    27/4/15

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  93. ECB's Constancio says confident deal can be reached with Greece...

    The European Central Bank's Vice President said on Monday that he was confident Greece could reach a debt deal with its international lenders.

    Vitor Constancio was asked about reports of a reshuffle in Greece's negotiating team.

    "I am not familiar with that reshuffle. I will not comment on that. But it is true that I am confident that an agreement will be reached," he told journalists on the sidelines of a conference in Brussels.
    REUTERS
    todayonline.com
    27/4/15

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  94. ONU: Israel es responsable de ataques contra 7 escuelas en Gaza ...

    Israel es responsable de daños causados a siete refugios instalados por la ONU en las escuelas de la Franja de Gaza durante la campaña militar del julio y agosto del 2014, denuncia el informe de la Comisión de Investigación de las Naciones Unidas, citado este lunes por el secretario general del organismo, Ban Ki-moon.

    "Lamento el hecho de que al menos 44 palestinos murieron como resultado de las acciones israelíes y al menos 227 resultaron heridos en las instalaciones de las Naciones Unidas que estaban utilizándose como refugios de emergencia", escribió Ban Ki-moon en la carta de presentación que acompaña el reporte, citada por la agencia Reuters. "Estoy consternado, porque grupos militantes palestinos pusieron a las escuelas de la ONU en riesgo al usarlas para esconder sus armas", añadió......rt.com
    27/4/15

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    1. Israel responsible for Gaza shelter attacks - UN report...

      At least 44 Palestinians were killed by "Israeli actions" while sheltering at seven UN schools during last summer's war in Gaza, a UN inquiry has found.

      UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he deplored the deaths and stressed that UN facilities were "inviolable".

      The inquiry also found that three empty UN schools were used by Palestinian militants to store weapons, and that in two cases they likely fired from them.

      The 50-day conflict claimed the lives of more than 2,260 people......http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-32479271
      27/4/15

      Delete
  95. 'Most Nepal troops' in quake effort...

    Nine out of 10 Nepalese troops are said to be involved in search and rescue operations, as the country pleads for more foreign aid to deal with a massive earthquake that killed 4,000 people.

    Almost the entire army and police has joined the quake effort, officials say.

    China, India, the UK and US are among those sending aid from abroad. Nepal says it needs everything from blankets and helicopters to doctors and drivers.

    Some 200 climbers stranded by the quake on Mount Everest are being rescued.

    About 60 of the climbers had been brought to safety by helicopters on Monday, according to Tulsi Gautam, the chief of Nepal's tourism agency......http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32483119
    28/4/15

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  96. Frustration in Nepal over pace of rescue efforts as PM warns death toll could reach 10,000...

    Nepal's Prime Minister has said the death toll from Saturday's devastating earthquake could reach 10,000, as residents frustrated by the government's slow response used their bare hands to dig for signs of their loved ones.

    "The government is doing all it can for rescue and relief on a war footing," Prime Minister Sushil Koirala said.

    "It is a challenge and a very difficult hour for Nepal."

    International aid has finally begun arriving in the Himalayan nation of 28 million people, three days after Saturday's 7.9 magnitude quake, but disbursement is slow.

    The confirmed death toll stands at 4,349, with over 7,000 injured......rte.ie
    28/4/15

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  97. Iran 'seizes' American cargo ship...

    The Iranian navy has seized a US cargo ship and escorted it to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, media reports say.

    There has been no official confirmation of the incident from either Iranian or American officials.

    Reports say the vessel had 34 crew aboard at the time.

    Iran's semi-official Fars news agency said the vessel had been detained "for trespassing on Iran's territorial waters".
    bbc.com
    28/4/15

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  98. Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television said an Iranian "force" seized a US cargo ship in the Gulf on Tuesday and directed it to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas...

    The channel said the force had "opened fire" on the US ship, which had 34 US sailors aboard. It gave no further details. The US Fifth Fleet in the Gulf Arab kingdom of Bahrain had no immediate comment on the report.
    REUTERS

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  99. EU Commission's Juncker seeks 'fair deal' for UK...

    EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker says he wants a "fair deal" for the UK in Europe and does not rule out making minor changes to EU treaties.

    He said it was too early to decide what treaty changes might be necessary.

    "I do exclude major treaty changes as far as the freedom of movement is concerned - but other points can be mentioned," he told reporters.

    Freedom of movement is a core EU value. The UK Conservatives want EU reforms ahead of any referendum on membership.

    Many observers believe that Prime Minister David Cameron would need to get changes to the EU treaties before the in/out referendum he would like to hold in 2017, after renegotiating the UK's membership terms.

    The referendum depends on whether the Conservatives can win re-election on 7 May...bbc.com
    28/4/15

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  100. Für Griechenland wird es eng. Darauf deuten Worte von Eurogruppen-Chef Dijsselbloem: Ohne solide Einigung mit den Euro-Finanzministern erhalte Athen keinen Zugang zu den Geldtöpfen der EZB...

    Offenbar ist die griechische Regierung zu Zugeständnissen bereit.

    Der Spielraum für Griechenland bei den Verhandlungen mit den Euro-Partnern schwindet, wie eine Aussage von Eurogruppen-Chef Jeroen Dijsselbloem nahe legt. "Die griechische Regierung hat darauf gesetzt, dass die Europäische Zentralbank (EZB) ihre Kassen öffnet und ihre Regeln lockert, wenn die Regierung mit uns verhandelt", sagte Dijsselbloem dem niederländischen TV-Sender RTL Nieuws. Es gebe aber keinen einfachen Zutritt zu den Geldtöpfen der EZB, bis es keine solide Einigung mit den Euro-Finanzministern gebe. Die jüngsten Veränderungen im griechischen Verhandlungsteam reichten allein nicht aus, um die Sackgasse in den Gesprächen zu verlassen. Ohne Hilfe der Euro-Partner werde es Griechenland nicht schaffen. Die Zeit werde knapp, mahnte Dijsselbloem....tagesschau.de

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  101. Saudi-led coalition bombs Yemen runway to stop Iranian plane landing ...

    Jets of a Saudi Arabian-led coalition bombed the runway of Sanaa airport on Tuesday afternoon to prevent an Iranian plane from landing in the Yemeni capital, the coalition's spokesman said.

    Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri told Reuters the plane had not coordinated with coalition authorities and the pilot had ignored a warning to turn back. The bombing of the runway made it unusable for planned aid flights, he said.
    Reuters
    jpost.com

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  102. Syria accuses Turkey of 'direct aggression' alongside militants...

    Syria has accused Turkey of providing supporting fire and logistical help to enable "terrorist groups" to capture the Syrian city of Idlib and the strategic town of Jisr al-Shughur, state television said on Tuesday.

    "The terrorist groups' attacks on Idlib city and Jisr al-Shughur... were carried out by logistical and fire support from the Turkish army," Syrian television quoted the foreign ministry as saying.

    "This is direct Turkish aggression on Syria."

    Syria has recently stepped up its accusations that Turkey is aiding opposition fighters in its civil war and allowing thousands of foreign jihadi fighters into the country.

    Ankara has rejected such charges......Reuters.....dailystar.com.lb
    28/4/15

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  103. Evacuado un ferry que hacía la ruta Palma-Valencia con casi 160 pasajeros...

    Un ferry con casi 160 personas, entre pasajeros y tripulantes, ha sido evacuado esta tarde en altamar, a unas 17 millas de Mallorca, a causa de un incendio. Se trata de una embarcación mixta operada por la compañía Trasmediterránea Acciona, que poco antes del mediodía había zarpado desde el puerto de Palma con destino a Valencia. Cuatro miembros de la tripulación, intoxicados por humo, fueron trasladados al hospital de Son Espases en un helicóptero y tres ya han recibido el alta médica, según informa la naviera.

    Según el 112 de Baleares, además de españoles, entre los pasajeros hay personas procedentes de Alemania, Rumanía, Bulgaria, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, Albania, Australia, China, Senegal y Algeria.......elpais.com
    28/4/15

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  104. Obama accuses China of flexing muscle in disputes with neighbors...

    President Barack Obama accused China on Tuesday of "flexing its muscles" to advance its maritime claims against Asian neighbors and assured Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of the U.S. commitment to defend Japanese territory, including tiny islands in dispute with Beijing.

    Speaking at a joint news conference in the White House Rose Garden, Obama said a strong U.S.-Japan alliance should not be seen as a provocation to China, but he sought to put to rest any Japanese doubts on whether Washington would stand by Tokyo in a possible confrontation with Beijing.

    "I want to reiterate that our treaty commitment to Japan’s security is absolute," Obama said with Abe standing at his side.....Reuters....todayonline.com
    28/4/15

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  105. Nigeria's army has rescued 200 girls and 93 women during a military operation to wrest back the Sambisa Forest from the Boko Haram Islamist militant group, it said on Twitter on Tuesday...

    "Troops this afternoon rescued 200 girls and 93 women from Sambisa Forest. We cannot confirm if the Chibok girls are in this group," it said, adding Nigerian troops had also destroyed three camps run by the militants there.

    Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls near the northern village of Chibok in April 2014, causing an international outcry.

    Diplomats and intelligence officials say they believed at least some of the girls were being held in the forest about 100 km (60 miles) from Chibok, although U.S. reconnaissance drones failed to find them.

    Nigerian forces backed by warplanes invaded the vast former colonial game reserve late last week as part of a push to win back territory from the group..........REUTERS....huffingtonpost.com

    ReplyDelete
  106. Australia recalls ambassador after executions in Indonesia...

    Australia has taken the unprecedented step of recalling its ambassador to Indonesia after two of its citizens, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, were executed for drugs offences.

    They were among eight drug convicts executed by firing squad this evening, but a Filipina who was on death row with the Australians, Nigerians, a Brazilian and an Indonesian was unexpectedly not among them.

    The execution of the Filipina was delayed at the last minute after one of her recruiters surrendered to police in the Philippines, the attorney general's spokesman said....rte.ie

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  107. Strong US-Japan alliance ‘not a provocation to China’...

    United States President Barack Obama told Prime Minister Shinzo Abe he shared Japan’s concerns about China’s assertive behaviour in maritime disputes with its neighbours and assured him of the US commitment to defending Japanese territory, including tiny islands in the East China Sea that Beijing claims.

    Speaking at a joint news conference in the White House late last night, Mr Obama said a strong US-Japan alliance should not be seen as a provocation to China, but he sought to put to rest any Japanese doubts on whether Washington would stand by Tokyo in any possible confrontation with Beijing.

    “I want to reiterate that our treaty commitment to Japan’s security is absolute,” Mr Obama said with Mr Abe standing at his side......todayonline.com

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  108. Tensions rise in Nepal after 'weak' response to deadly quake...

    Nepali officials conceded they had made mistakes in their initial response to a massive earthquake that has killed more than 5,000 people, as survivors stranded in remote villages and towns waited for aid and relief to arrive on Wednesday.

    The government has yet to fully assess the devastation wrought by Saturday's 7.9 magnitude quake, unable to reach many mountainous areas despite aid supplies and personnel pouring in from around the world.

    Anger and frustration was mounting steadily, with many Nepalis sleeping out in the open under makeshift tents for a fourth night since Nepal's worst quake in more than 80 years.

    "This is a disaster on an unprecedented scale. There have been some weaknesses in managing the relief operation," Nepal's Communication Minister Minendra Rijal said late on Tuesday. .....http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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  109. Juncker will Quotensystem für Flüchtlingsauf­tei­lung...

    Die EU-Kommission will nach den Worten ihres Präsidenten Jean-Claude Juncker ein Quotensystem zur Aufteilung von Flüchtlingen in Europa vorschlagen. "Wir müssen die Aufteilung der Flüchtlinge auf ganz Europa bewerkstelligen. Das muss geschehen. Wir können es nicht nur den direkt betroffenen EU-Staaten überlassen, die Flüchtlinge neu anzusiedeln", sagte Juncker Mittwoch im EU-Parlament in Straßburg.

    Juncker betonte, es gehe um Solidarität. Die EU-Kommission werde am 13. Mai ein System zur Neuansiedlung der Flüchtlinge in der Europäischen Union vorschlagen, sagte Juncker. Der EU-Kommissionschef forderte zugleich neue EU-Regeln für die legale Zuwanderung. "Wir dürfen nicht überrascht sein, dass die Unglücklichen der Welt uns die Türen einrennen und durchs Fenster kommen. Man muss die Türen öffnen", so der Kommissionschef. "Die legale Migration muss mittelfristig ein Thema werden."...kurier.at
    29/4/15

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  110. The European Union has a duty to face up to the flood of migrants after a series of boat tragedies, the EU's foreign policy chief said Wednesday ahead of talks with top U.S. officials...

    "We know as Europeans we are living in one of the most complicated and dangerous places in the world today. We know we have a special responsibility in trying to prevent and face this crisis," EU high representative Federica Mogherini said as she met with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
    AFP
    dailystar.com.lb

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    Replies
    1. Europe seeks to reassure Libya over plans to stem migrant flow...

      (Reuters) - The European Union sought to reassure Libya on Tuesday that any action being considered by the 28-nation bloc to stem the deadly flow of migrants across the Mediterranean should not be perceived as an attack against the Libyan people.

      After up to 900 people drowned trying to reach Europe from Libya last week, EU leaders tripled a naval search mission and agreed to "undertake systematic efforts to identify, capture and destroy vessels before they are used by traffickers."

      It is unclear how that may be achieved and several leaders said they would need a U.N. Security Council mandate in the absence of a viable Libyan government. The group controlling Libya's coastal capital Tripoli said it would "confront" any unilateral EU moves to attack sites used by people-traffickers.

      "I want to make it very clear there is nothing the European Union is preparing or thinking of that is to be intended against Libyan people or the Libyan authorities in all their complexity," European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told reporters at the United Nations in New York.....reuters.com

      Delete
  111. The offices of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in eastern Ukraine have been closed down by pro-Russian rebels who accused it of spying...

    Staff working for the aid organisation were briefly detained as their office in the rebel held city of Donetsk was raided and searched by masked gunmen.

    Several employees were then put on a coach to the capital Kiev.

    The IRC - led by former British Foreign Minister David Miliband - has not so far commented on the expulsions....bbc.com

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  112. Piräus: Jetzt wollen die Griechen doch ihre Häfen verkaufen...

    Eigentlich wollte die Regierung Tsipras den Sparkurs nicht fortsetzen. Doch die Zeit läuft. Um wichtige Kredite zu bekommen, sollen wohl doch die Häfen von Piräus und Thessaloniki dran glauben....welt.de

    ReplyDelete
  113. More than 60 people have been arrested in New York City protests over the death of a 25-year-old black man who died earlier this month of injuries suffered while in custody of Baltimore police, a New York Police Department spokesman said.

    ReplyDelete
  114. International experts finish work at Boeing crash site in Ukraine...

    Work at the crash site of the Boeing passenger airliner in Ukraine is over, international experts said on Thursday.

    The Malaysia Airlines Boeing-777 passenger airliner on a flight from the Dutch city of Amsterdam to the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur crashed in the area of hostilities between local militias and Ukrainian governmental troops in east Ukraine’s Donetsk region in July last year. All 298 people aboard the airliner died in the air crash.

    Most of the air crash’s victims were Dutch nationals........http://tass.ru/en/world/792661

    ReplyDelete
  115. Iran says warships at the entrance to key Yemen strait...

    Two Iranian destroyers, sent to the Gulf of Aden to protect commercial ships, have reached the entrance of Bab el-Mandab, a strategic strait between Yemen and Djibouti, Iran's navy said Thursday.

    "We are present in the Gulf of Aden in accordance with international regulations to ensure the safety of commercial ships of our country against the threat of pirates," the head of the Iranian navy Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayari was quoted by the official IRNA news agency.

    The navy sent the Alborz and Bushehr destroyers to patrol the entrance to the strait, he added.

    Bab el-Mandeb, a narrow body of water separating Yemen and Djibouti, is the key strategic entry point into the Red Sea, through which around 4 million barrels of oil pass each day on ships headed to or from the Suez Canal.

    Last week, US officials said a US aircraft carrier and a cruiser left the waters off Yemen and headed back to the Gulf after an Iranian naval convoy also turned back from the area......AFP.....ahram.org.eg

    ReplyDelete
  116. Russia repositioning forces for new offensive in Ukraine, U.S. commander says...

    The top U.S. commander for NATO said Thursday that America needs better intelligence on the ground in Ukraine, but that it appears Russian forces have used a recent lull in fighting to reposition for another offensive.

    Gen. Philip Breedlove, commander of NATO forces in Europe, told the Senate Armed Services Committee, that the situation in Ukraine is volatile and fragile and urged Congress to bolster U.S. intelligence capabilities to better understand President Vladimir Putin's intent in the region.

    "Russian military operations over the past year in Ukraine, and the region more broadly, have underscored that there are critical gaps in our collection and analysis," Breedlove said. "Some Russian military exercises have caught us by surprise and our textured feel for Russian involvement on the ground in Ukraine has been quite limited."

    He said the number of Russia intelligence experts has dwindled since the Cold War and intelligence assets of all kind have been shifted to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

    "We cannot be fully certain what Russia will do next and we cannot fully grasp Putin's intent. What we can do is learn from his actions," Breedlove said. "What we do see suggests growing Russian capabilities, significant military modernization and an ambitious strategic intent."........ctvnews.ca
    30/4/15

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  117. 'Comfort woman' attends Abe's speech to US Congress ..

    Yong Soo Lee, an 87-year-old South Korean victim surviving the World War II, attends Japan prime minister Abe's speech before joint session of U.S. Congress in Washington D.C., capital of the United States, April 29, 2015.

    ReplyDelete
  118. China-Russia navies to hold first Mediterranean joint drills...

    The navies of China and Russia plan to hold joint drills in the Mediterranean Sea for the first time in mid-May, China's defense ministry announced on Thursday, in the latest expansion of the growing informal partnership between the two militaries.

    The exercises also illustrate China's continued engagement with Russia at a time when Moscow has been shunned by much of the international community over its support for separatist rebels in Ukraine.

    The "Joint Sea 2015" exercises will feature nine surface ships, including three from China that are currently taking part in anti-piracy patrols off the coast of Somalia, ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng told a monthly news conference.

    The drills involve rescue, resupply and other missions, including the firing of live ammunition, Geng said.....http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
    30/4/15

    ReplyDelete

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