Posts

Showing posts from November 4, 2012

New Report Highlights Link Between Climate Change, National Security

WASHINGTON — The U.S. National Research Council released a report Friday on the link between global climate change and national security. The scientific study details how global warming is putting new social and political stresses on societies around the world and how the United States and other counties can anticipate and respond to these climate-driven security risks. The report by the congressionally-chartered research group begins with an assertion that global warming is real, and that the mainstream scientific community believes that heat-trapping gases such as carbon dioxide and methane are being added to the atmosphere faster today than they were before the rise of human societies. And it says the consequences of climate change -- including rising sea levels, more frequent and severe floods, droughts, forest fires, and insect infestations -- present security threats similar to and in many cases greater than those posed by terrorist attacks. John Steinbruner,

Ex-Communist Nations Nudge Obama Amid Feelings of Neglect

Image
U.S. President Barack Obama celebrates after winning the U.S. presidential election in Chicago, Illinois, November 7, 2012. BUDAPEST — Ex-communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe are closely watching how the re-election of U.S. President Barack Obama will impact them amid uncertainty about their economic future. Hungary's deputy prime minister said there is concern that American foreign policy has shifted away from the former Soviet satellite states. The Hungarian Airforce Band played American classics as Hungarians, U.S. citizens and others gathered in Budapest for what was dubbed Europe's largest election-night event. Roughly 1,500 invited people crowded a ballroom and adjacent areas decorated with balloons, life-size pictures of the presidential candidates and a replica of the White House Oval Office in one of the Hungarian capital's most luxurious hotels. Residents from Hungary, a still young democracy,

Vietnam Jails Musicians Over 'Anti-State Propaganda'

HANOI — Two prominent Vietnamese musicians have become the latest activists to be jailed for spreading songs that are critical of the Chinese government. Despite strict censorship spanning decades, composers in Vietnam have rarely been prosecuted for the content of their music. However the work of Vo Minh Tri, better known under his pen name Viet Khang, and Tran Vu Anh Binh crossed the line. At a court in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday, activists say the two became the first musicians in recent memory to be given jail terms for their music. Khang was sentenced to four years in jail and two under house arrest, while Binh was jailed for six years, also with two years house arrest. Phil Robertson, deputy Asia Director of Human Rights Watch said an overseas opposition group had claimed Binh was a member. He said the group claimed Binh wrote songs supporting dissidents and supporting the anti-China protests. “We haven’t actually been able to get to the bottom of that, whe

Unrest in Burma Clouds View of Government Reforms

RANGOON — After a second round of communal violence between Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims broke out in Burma's Rakhine state last month, there are worries that the instability could spread. Observers say the conflict threatens the government's heralded political and economic reforms. The United Nations says there are now 110,000 people who have been displaced by fighting in Rakhine state since violence first started in June. Aid groups are still scrambling to treat the wounded and displaced but their workers say they continue to face intimidation and threats for aiding those in need. United Nations authorities were granted access in late October to the affected areas to assess the situation. Ashok Nigam is the Resident Coordinator of the local U.N. mission. "They were certainly very fearful and they were also very uncertain of what their future was, so we have tried to calm them down and immediate for these people is also the humanitarian as

Anti-Putin Protester Given Four-Year Prison Term

Image
Russian police detain an opposition activist, with the white ribbon as a symbol of protest, during an anti-Kremlin protest in Moscow, May 31, 2012. The first of 19 Russians arrested during a massive protest rally against President Vladimir Putin's re-election has pleaded guilty to criminal charges and was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison Friday. Human-rights activists said they were surprised at the severity of the sentence handed down to Maxim Luzyanin, a 36-year-old businessman. He had pleaded guilty to using violence against riot police who broke up the demonstration six months ago (on May 6), on the eve of Mr. Putin's inauguration to a third term as president. Nearly 20 other activists are facing criminal charges arising from the protest in central Moscow's Bolotnaya Square - one in a series of anti-Putin demonstrations since December. The massive rally broke up into clashes between police and demonstrators, with injuries on both side

Uganda Efforts to Capture Warlord 'Destined to Fail'

Image
Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord's Resistance Army during a meeting with a delegation of Ugandan officials and lawmakers and representatives of non-governmental organizations, July 31, 2006, near the Sudan border. An advocacy group says the Ugandan Army's quest to apprehend Joseph Kony and other senior leaders of the Lord's Resistance Army, or LRA, is destined to fail unless the number of troops deployed increases and they are provided with better logistical and intelligence information. The U.S.-based Enough Project says in a report released Friday the Ugandan Army's trekking teams can "roam around" in the jungle for weeks "without any clear trace of the LRA."  It says direct encounters with the LRA are "rare." The group says U.S. aerial reconnaissance has not given an anticipated "intelligence breakthrough" because it could not see through the triple canopy forest where the LRA

Tibetans release video to protest Chinese repression

Youtube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxxEo6lEC_U MCLEODGANJ: A group of Tibetan youth has released a video portraying Chinese president Hu Jintao's successor, Xi Jinping, a cruel person, whose only response to the Tibetan resistance is to order arrests and torture of protestors. The video titled 'Tibetans challenge Jinping - Gangnam style' features song and dance portraying Jinping to protest China's occupation of Tibet and repression there. "We had launched this parody video on the eve of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s 18th congress. We have used Korean pop-star Psy's famous Gangnam style and the video features China's heir Xi Jinping whose only response to Tibetans' growing resistance is to arrest, beat and torture protestors," said McLeodganj-based Students for Free Tibet national director Dorjee Tsenten (29). "We have used the song of Psy and his popular Gangnam style to show what is going on insid

Zimbabwe MP Wants to Ease Strict Media Laws

Image
HARARE — A Zimbabwean member of parliament wants to introduce a bill that would change the country’s strict media laws. Some Zimbabwe journalists say the initiative might not yield the freedom of press they want. Zimbabwe has at least six laws that curtail the operations of media and have resulted in journalists being arrested, deported or denied operating licenses. New governemnt, old repressive laws Member of parliament Settlement Chikwinya said little has changed in the past four years, despite formation of the unity government which promised to repeal all repressive laws. “It is still prohibitive for freedom of expression, and that is why we have come up with a bill that tries to promote freedom of expression and transparency," Chikwinya said. "In actual terms it remains draconian, in the fact that it criminalizes journalistic practice - when yet the world over, journalistic practices, if there is any alleged offens

Questions Linger about Iranian Blogger's Death

Image
Undated photo of Iranian blogger Sattar Beheshti posted on the Iranian opposition website Kaleme.com. (photo credit: www.kaleme.com) The U.S. State Department demanded Iranian authorities investigate the apparent murder of Sattar Beheshti, an Iranian blogger who died while in custody earlier this week. "We are appalled by reports that Iranian authorities tortured and killed blogger and activist Sattar Beheshti during a prison interrogation," said State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland in a statement released Friday. "Besheshti had been arrested for a crime no greater than expressing his political opinion online." France and Britain are calling on Iran to explain the death in detention of an anti-government blogger who opposition activists say had been tortured. "We join the international community in demanding the Iranian government investigate this murder, hold accountable those responsible for Beheshti's arrest, torture, and k

Zambia Cracks Down on Harassing Journalists

Image
Zambia's new President Michael Sata, right, takes the oath of office on the steps of the supreme court in Lusaka, September 23, 2011. Zambia’s government has ordered police to arrest individuals or groups of people who intimidate or harass journalists or prevent them from doing their job. Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Kennedy Sakeni said President Michael Sata’s government wants to make sure journalists are protected following reports that some supporters of political parties have been beating journalists they believe are critical of their party’s leaders.      Sakeni says the new directive to police is aimed at ensuring that journalists can practice their profession without fear of intimidation or harassment as enshrined in the constitution. “We don’t want journalists to be harassed by anybody from any political party [because] information to us is very critical to our development,” said Sakeni

Hunting the LRA in Central Africa

Image
Ugandan forces prepare to search for the Lord's Resistance Army. Credit: Enough Project A new report says military operations to hunt down LRA rebels in Central Africa face many logistical and intelligence-gathering challenges. In the meantime, the rebels continue to attack civilians. About 1500 Ugandan soldiers make up the bulk of the forces pursing the Lord’s Resistance Army. And all those troops may not be deployed in the field at the same time. A field report by the Enough Project says the Ugandan army can roam the jungles for weeks or months before making contact with the rebels. Kasper Agger, who wrote the report, was embedded with the Ugandan army in August as it traveled from South Sudan to Central African Republic. “It was a unique opportunity to be able to actually go deep into the jungle and spend several days with the soldiers on the ground, who are actually chasing and looking for the LRA, to really get an insider’

Turkish Government Allows Kurdish Language Classes

Image
A man reads a Kurdish newspaper in southeastern city of Diyarbakir, Turkey, March 22, 2009. DIYARBAKIR — Years of Turkish state policies of assimilation have put the Kurdish language under threat. But now the government is allowing Kurdish classes as part of the government's policy to ease restrictions on the use of the Kurdish language. Halil Cecem is giving an elementary lesson in Kurdish to university medical students at Diyarbakir's Dicle University. Until the late 1980s, the Kurdish language did not officially exist and speaking it was a serious offense. But Kurdish classes are part of the government's policy to ease restrictions on its use. 'Groundbreaking move' Cecem welcomes the move. He says it is a beautiful feeling because the people had so many expectations, and the government responded. He says unfortunately it has taken many years - 50 to 60 - and it is only just being implemented. Deputy Rector

No foreign observers amid Tibet protests

China has ruled out allowing foreign observers into Tibetan areas amid continuing self-immolation protests, with officials on Friday blaming "exiled separatist forces" for the recent unrest. On Friday, hundreds of Tibetan students protested in the monastery town of Rebkong (Tongren in Chinese) in north-western Qinghai province. This followed self-immolation protests by an 18-year-old Tibetan, Kalsang Jinpa and a 23-year-old mother, Tamding Tso, in the town earlier this week. At least six Tibetans have set themselves on fire over the past week, with three teenage monks on Wednesday carrying out protests in the Ngoshul Monastery in Aba, a county in south-western Sichuan that has witnessed most of the at least 68 self-immolations seen in Tibetan areas. Overseas groups said a Tibetan man had also carried out a protest in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) earlier this week. The immolations have brought a tight security clampdown across Tibetan areas, not only i

SDLP should consider 'going into some form of opposition'

The SDLP has opened up the possibility of exiting from the powersharing Northern Executive and becoming part of a formal opposition at Stormont. Deputy leader Dolores Kelly yesterday accused the DUP and Sinn Féin of “carve-up” politics. She said in order to save the SDLP’s “soul” consideration should be given to quitting the Executive and handing over its regional development ministry held by West Belfast Assembly member Alex Attwood. “Shouldn’t we be thinking about going into some form of opposition,” she asked on the opening day of the annual SDLP conference in the Armagh City Hotel yesterday. “I’m not saying we should walk out of government next week or next month, and I know there is no formal provision for opposition – but shouldn’t we be thinking about where all this is going?” she added. Delegates at the conference today will be watching to see if party leader Dr Alasdair McDonnell in his keynote speech endorses her suggestion or offers more concrete prop

Pipe bombs discovered in Antrim

Image
Three pipe bombs were discovered by police in Co Antrim last night. The devices were found near the Mullaghglass Road, near Lisburn. British army technical officers were called to the scene and made the items safe. Police said the bombs were discovered after officers acted on information received. Source: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/1110/breaking6.html

Protests in Tibet amid key Cong: Rights groups

Beijing: Tibet has been witnessing stepped up anti-government protests, including self-immolations, coinciding with the once-in-a-decade leadership change at the ruling CPC Congress here, according to rights groups. A video report by the Voice of America, which also has a Tibetan Radio service said hundreds of Tibetans took part in a demonstration in front of government offices in Rebkong, a town in the western Qinghai Province, shouting anti-government slogans. Estimates ranged from hundreds to thousands of protesters who began gathering on the streets. Many said they were speaking out against China's education system. "Our sources have confirmed that many of the students have been calling for freedom of language and for the return of his Holiness, the Dalai Lama," Stephanie Brigden, executive director of rights group Free Tibet told VOA. Besides protest demonstrations, six self-immolation cases have been reported from Tibetan areas durin

India hopes to get voice samples of 26/11 handlers

New Delhi, Nov 10 (PTI) Government today said it was hopeful of getting voice samples of Pakistan-based handlers of 26/11 Mumbai attackers and speedy trial of the seven prime accused including LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi there. Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said he has asked his Pakistani counterpart Rehman Malik to hand over the voice samples of those Pakistanis who were giving directions to the 10 terrorists during the audacious terror attack in 2008 that claimed 166 lives. Source: http://www.ptinews.com/news/3124324_India-hopes-to-get-nbsp-voice-samples-of-26-11-handlers-

UN Designates Malala Day, Honoring Pakistani School Girl

Image
A member of a provincial assembly offers a prayer on Malala Day in Peshawar, Pakistan, November 10, 2012. The United Nations has designated November 10 as Malala Day, in honor of 15-year-old Pakistani school girl Malala Yousafzai who was shot in the head by the Taliban a month ago. She was targeted by the group for promoting the right of girls to attend school and for speaking out against militants. Still, the French news agency reports that as the world observes Malala Day Saturday, security fears in Mingora, Malala's hometown, have prevented her classmates from honoring her in public. Malala is recovering from her wounds at a hospital in Britain where doctors say she is expected to make a good recovery. Former British prime minister Gordon Brown is in Pakistan Saturday to deliver a petition with over a million signatures to President Asif Zardari calling on the country’s government to make education a reality for all Pakistani children. Brown, who is the U.

Blasts in Syria kill dozens of troops

Twin explosions set off by a pair of suicide bombers shook a southern Syrian city on Saturday, killing and wounding dozens of regime forces, an activist group said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the early morning blasts in Daraa targeted an encampment for government troops in the city. The Observatory said the explosions were followed by clashes between regime forces and rebels fighting to topple President Bashar Assad. The state-run news agency SANA said the blasts caused multiple casualties and heavy material damage, but did not provide further details. The southern city of Daraa was the birthplace of the uprising against Assad, which erupted in March 2011. The conflict began largely with peaceful protests against Assad’s rule but turned bloody after rebels took up arms in response to the regime’s crackdown. “I heard two very loud explosions and a third smaller one followed by bursts of gunfire,” said Mohammad Abu Houran, an act

Radio anchor shot dead in Luzon

Authorities enforce a gun ban in the region Manila: An anchor for a radio station in Central Luzon was shot dead yesterday even as authorities enforced a gun ban in connection with local plebiscite scheduled on December 1. Julius Causon, 51, of radio station dzJJ, was shot several times by a gunman he was riding his motorcycle to work in Cabanatuan City, reports said. He was rushed to the hospital by two concerned citizens but was declared dead by doctors at the Good Samaritan General Hospital in the city. Reports said Causon was cruising along the village of Aguas Norte around 8:30 am when another motorcycle rider slipped to his side before firing several shots with an automatic pistol. Causon sustained three bullet wounds in the back as his motorcycle crashed, radio station dzMM reported citing information from a local police officer, PO2 Fernando Cacayurin. Article continues below Jaime “Nonoy” Espina, director of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NU

Abu Hamza extradition to US backed by Europe rights court

Britain vowed Monday to hand over radical Muslim preacher Abu Hamza to the United States on terrorism charges, and it could be within weeks London: Britain vowed Monday to hand over radical Muslim preacher Abu Hamza to the United States on terrorism charges as soon as possible after the European Court of Human Rights rejected his final appeal. The extradition could be within weeks. The court upheld an April 10 ruling against the hook-handed terror suspect and four others which had approved their extradition by London. The suspects had argued that they would face degrading treatment because they would be sent to the notorious ADX supermax prison in Florence, Colorado and would face possible multiple life sentences. Article continues below But the Grand Chamber of the court unanimously decided there would be "no violation" of the European Convention of Human Rights if they were sent to the United States. "Today the Grand Chamber Panel decided to reject the r

More than 5,000 child brides in Saudi Arabia

Poor families marry off their daughters to rich older men Dubai: More than 5,000 girls below the age of 14 are married off in Saudi Arabia, according to media reports. There have been 5,622 marriages where the bride is under the age of 14 in Saudi Arabia, said Ali Abdul Rahman Al Roumi, a social services academic at Imam Mohammad Bin Saud Islamic University, adding that specifying a legal age would not solve the problem, and may lead to “even bigger problems”. A number of families from “rural areas” have been marrying their daughters off to older, rich men, according to the Saudi owned Al Hayat newspaper. “We must solve this, by at least looking at the difference in age in cases where the bride is young, in which case it can be deceptive” he said. He did not specify what period of time that figure represents. Article continues below He added however that it was “not a trend”. Al Roumi disagreed with those who opposed imposing a legal age for marriage, saying it was a nec

Bihar police use Amitabh posters to dismantle Maoists

Innovative idea to help unemployed youth be winners in life Patna: In an innovative idea, the police in Bihar are using the mass appeal of Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan to make the unguided, unemployed youths know the power of knowledge and be a “winner” in life. Police officials in south-western Kaimur district have put up several big hoardings featuring large-than-life images of Big B to encourage the youths join their innovative programme “Audhaura Super 30” and have their life changed for better. The programme which has brought out a sort of revolution in the rural areas of Bihar is aimed at giving free coaching, free lodging and free food to the poor talented youths settled in far-off backward villages to help them get jobs in state police as well as paramilitary forces. The police believe the job opportunities will slowly dismantle the Maoist networks in the region which may ultimately lead to the creation of a peaceful environment. “It’s better to protect than kil

MILF congratulates Obama, militants not too impressed

November 9, 2012 The Moro Islamic Liberation Front on Thursday congratulated US President Barack Obama for his re-election this week. MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim said the MILF and the Bangsamoro share the US' vision for peace, progress and development Mindanao. “The MILF warmly welcomes the successful holding of the recent elections in the United States and the decisive victory of President Obama over Mitt Romney, the Republican challenger. The Bangsamoro and the United States share a common vision for better Mindanao where just peace, progress, and development are in the pipeline after the signing of the celebrated Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro," he said, according to an article on the MILF website. He added the MILF is particularly grateful for the Obama administration's expression of support for the framework peace agreement between the government and the MILF. The Philippine government and the MILF had signed a framework peace agreement last

Council condemns ambush-slay of soldiers

THE Davao City Council unanimously passed in its special session Friday a resolution condemning the killing of four soldiers by communist rebels in sitio Cinco, Barangay Mapula, Paquibato District last Sunday. Another resolution expressing condolences to the families of Private First Class (Pfc.) Ahian Dolero, Pfc. Marvin Lauronal, Pfc. Noel Sigan and Private Marcelo Himaya, all members of the Army's 69th Infantry Battalion, was also passed under suspended rules. "The condemnation is necessary because the victims are soldiers of the Filipino people," Councilor Karlo Bello said in a privilege speech on Tuesday. Meanwhile, military officials are set to file charges against members of the Pulang Bagani Command, under the leadership of Leoncio Pitao, alias Kumander Parago, of the New People's Army. Lieutenant Colonel Innocencio Pasaporte, commander of the 69th Infantry Battalion, was quoted as saying they will file murder charges against the group. Investigatio

Anti-terrorism experts say lone white supremacists are the biggest threat in Canada

John Bain conducts an anti-terrorism seminar as part of a four-day Advanced Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design course offered to the public by the Edmonton Police Service at the Kingsway AMA branch in Edmonton, Alberta, on November 7, 2012. When Const. Curtis Rind pulled over a man without a valid driver’s licence during a routine traffic stop, he didn’t expect the man to start arguing that it was his god-given right to use the road. But the man was part of an emerging group of domestic terrorists that police have been notified to be on the look out for because of their anti-government beliefs. They’re called “freeman” or “sovereign citizens,” and basically believe the law doesn’t apply to them, and they shouldn’t have to pay taxes, Rind said. Rind, an officer in southwest division, first learned about freeman citizens a few years ago through notices and information bulletins circulating throughout the police service. In the last six months, Rind said freeman citizen

Federal crackdown targets Aryan prison gang across state

Federal agents are arresting dozens of Texas members of the white supremacist Aryan Brotherhood gang on federal racketeering charges for crimes including murder, kidnapping, arson, gambling and trafficking in methamphetamine and cocaine. In all, 34 members of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas are named in a lengthy federal indictment unsealed today by Justice Department prosecutors in Houston, described as an effort to deal a major blow against a racist gang known for its violence. FBI agent Shauna Dunlap confirmed the multi-agency operation continues today to track down gang members who have been charged in the investigation spearheaded by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives. "It's an ATF and FBI and multi-agency investigation, and four alleged top officials and 13 gang leaders are among those charged," Dunlap said. "The arrests are ongoing, and the operation is ongoing." Of the 34 charged, 15 have been taken into custody by law enforcem

Woman charged over neo-Nazi murders in Germany

BERLIN: German prosecutors have brought murder charges against the woman believed to be at the heart of a neo-Nazi cell accused of killing 10 victims in seven years. In a case that stunned Germany a year ago, the federal prosecutor Harald Range said on Thursday his office had finally filed the charges against Beate Zschaepe, 37, and four alleged accomplices with a court in Munich. Ms Zschaepe is suspected of involvement in 10 murders, including the killing of nine men of Turkish or Greek origin between 2000 and 2006 and a German policewoman in 2007, as well as 15 armed robberies, arson and attempted murder. She is the sole survivor of the far-right trio of militants that called itself the National Socialist Underground, which prosecutors have classed as a terrorist organisation. Advertisement Two of the other four suspects are accused of accessory to murder, and the others of lesser charges related to crimes allegedly committed by the group. ''The NSU members saw t

A neo-Nazi spotted among Keystone XL pipeline workers

Environmentalists often call their opponents "fascists" -- one construction supervisor seemed to suit the label BY NATASHA LENNARD Construction worker's helmet features a Swastika and a Confederate flag It is not uncommon for environmental activists to refer to their big business opponents as “fascists.” It is, however, less common for an environmentalist’s bête noire to actively own the term. Yet according to photo and video evidence captured during a protest against Keystone XL pipeline construction in Texas last week, there appears to be an actual neo-Nazi among the ranks of construction workers (see image above). “[A] Keystone XL construction supervisor was on scene directing workers and police while wearing a helmet covered questionable symbols: a Swastika and confederate flag,” noted the Tar Sands Blockade group, which is spearheading resistance to the TransCanada-owned pipeline — a project that threatens water supplies and ecosystems, expands U.S. relianc

China clamps down on Internet during key Party Congress

BEIJING: Web users in China are having a harrowing time specially to use search engine Google and login into its mail service 'Gmail' as Internet speed has been drastically reduced coinciding with a key week-long meet of the ruling Communist Party. Demonstrating their complete control on the web with a host of firewalls, Chinese authorities have clamped down on net usage making it a distressing experience for millions of web users, specially media which gathered here in large numbers to cover the once-in-a-decade leadership change. Many email users switched over from Gmail to Hotmail and Yahoo services both of which were also blocked today. It is still not clear why Chinese authorities have to restrict the speeds of the net while they already have effective firewalls to curtail access to Facebook, Twitter and other banned political websites run by Tibetan activists. The number of Internet users has jumped to 538 million from 20 million in 2001. To keep a tab on mushroo

Pakistan MP survives shoe bomb attack: Official

QUETTA: A Pakistan MP escaped an assassination attempt on Friday when a bomb planted in his shoe exploded as he put them on outside a mosque after prayers, officials said. The blast in Dera Bugti, about 500 kilometres (300 miles) east of Quetta, capital of the restive province of Baluchistan, wounded 12 people, but their injuries were not life-threatening, police and local officials said. Ahmedan Bugti, a lawmaker with the Pakistan Muslim League-Q party, which is part of the ruling national coalition, left his shoes outside the mosque while he was offering Friday prayers, provincial home secretary Akbar Durrani told AFP. Someone planted an explosive device in one of them which detonated as he put the shoe back on. "Bugti's leg was badly wounded, a helicopter has been arranged to fly him to Quetta," Durrani said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Baluchistan is plagued by Islamist militancy, sectarian violence between majority Sunnis and minorit

Maoists ambush Jharkhand jail van, kill 4 and free eight comrades

DHANBAD: In a carefully-planned and deftly executed operation, about 100 Maoists, including armed women, ambushed a police van carrying 32 prisoners from Giridih court to the divisional jail on Friday. They freed eight of their comrades and three cops and one prisoner were killed in the attack during which more than two dozen ordinary prisoners escaped. District SP Amol V Honkar said among those who escaped were two Maoists arrested for the Chilkhari massacre in 2009, when 20 people, including son of the former chief minister Babulal Marandi, were killed by the Maoists during a cultural programme. On Friday, the attackers first blocked the crowded Giridih-Tundi road near the jail and then chucked bombs at a truck that was just ahead of the prison van. The Maoists then hurled bombs at the van and started firing from AK-47s and SLRs. The three policemen killed in the attack were identified as assistant sub-inspector Prabhunath Singh, havildar Rajkumar Das and constable Sadanand Ga

At least 11 inmates killed in Sri Lanka prison clashes

COLOMBO: At least 11 inmates of a Sri Lankan prison were killed in a shootout on Friday with security forces and 24 were wounded, a doctor said, as rioting prisoners appeared to take control of at least part of the facility. Police spokesman Prishantha Jayakody said the fighting began when police commandos went to Welikada prison in the capital, Colombo, to conduct a search and were attacked by inmates hurling stones. He declined to provide more information. Officials often conduct raids for narcotics and communication devices. An Associated Press photographer saw prisoners waving rifles atop the roof on Friday night. Other prisoners piled into a three-wheeled vehicle and began driving toward a main city road before security forces outside the prison opened fire. The vehicle stopped, and three unmoving bodies could be seen. Dozens of security officers then entered the prison, and volleys of gunfire rang out. Prisoners could be heard screaming, "Stop shooting!" Ar

Serbia will fulfill all EU conditions, won’t recognize Kosovo – President Nikolić

Nov 9, 2012 16:21 Moscow Time Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić has vowed that Belgrade will fulfill all conditions required to join the European Union but it will never recognize Kosovo’s independence. The announcement came today during Mr. Nikolić’s meeting with his Greek counterpart Karolos Papoulias in Athens. The Serbian president stressed that protection of Serbia’s sovereignty was its greatest national interest. He also thanked Mr. Papoulias for Greece’s staunch support of his country’s integrity and said Athens could always count on Belgrade. Source http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_11_09/Serbia-will-fulfill-all-EU-conditions-won-t-recognize-Kosovo-President-Nikoli/