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Showing posts from March 10, 2013

Iran aiding terror in Bahrain and Yemen, say Arab ministers

Source http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/iran-aiding-terror-in-bahrain-and-yemen-say-arab-ministers-1.1158251 Bahrain and Yemen hailed for dismantling cells and uncovering dangerous plots Riyadh: Arab interior ministers gathered for a security meeting in Riyadh have accused Iran of supplying “logistic help to terrorist operations” in Bahrain and Yemen. In a statement, the ministers “strongly denounced logistic aid supplied by Iran to terrorist operations in Bahrain and Yemen,” and congratulated security services in both countries for “dismantling cells and uncovering dangerous terror plots.” In February, Bahrain accused the Islamic republic across the Gulf of training, arming and financing a “terrorist cell” which the authorities had busted, an accusation Tehran denied. Sana’a in January said a ship transporting 40 tonnes of weapons from Iran and destined for Shiite rebels in the north of Yemen had been intercepted in the Gulf of Oman. Tehran also denied that charge.

Pakistan: Jirgas and courts on confrontation course

Source http://gulfnews.com/news/world/pakistan/pakistan-jirgas-and-courts-on-confrontation-course-1.1158859 Judiciary challenging quick justice handed down by gatherings of local elders ReutersPublished: 22:47 March 15, 2013 Islamabad: An assembly of village elders in Pakistan sentenced Sikander Bhutto to be put to death and fed to dogs after he said he exposed a case of a woman beaten and killed by her husband. Then the provincial high court stepped in and ordered police protection for Bhutto, a human rights activist. “ Many times people ignore the ruling of the courts but they cannot ignore the jirgas because that is the decision of their own community.” ” “They told me to pay 200,000 rupees ($2,000) to them or get ready to be killed,” Bhutto told Reuters, referring to the elders in the village of Ghotki in the southern province of Sindh. The elders accused Bhutto of having an affair with the woman. Bhutto says she was killed in December for refusing to transfer ownership

Kurd town marks 25 years since deadly gas attack

Source http://gulfnews.com/news/region/iraq/kurd-town-marks-25-years-since-deadly-gas-attack-1.1159167 Many residents are still dealing with the after-effects of the brutal attack Halabja, Iraq: Hundreds of people joined in sombre commemorations on Saturday for the 25th anniversary of Saddam Hussain’s gassing of thousands of Kurds in the town of Halabja near Iraq’s border with Iran. Residents gathered around its martyrs’ monument, some holding Kurdish flags. Others paraded photographs of some of the estimated 5,000 people who were killed, most of them women and children, in what is now thought to have been the worst gas attack ever carried out against civilians. Parked in front of the monument was a pick-up truck that residents say was hit by a rocket during the 1988 attack. Next to it were the remains of the rocket they say hit it. Leaflets were scattered around Halabja reading: “From Tears to Hope,” and: “From Hatred to Forgiveness”. With Hussain’s eight-year war with neighbo

Filipino rebel leader has fled Malaysia: reports

Source http://gulfnews.com/news/world/philippines/filipino-rebel-leader-has-fled-malaysia-reports-1.1158937 More than 200 followers of self-proclaimed Filipino sultan entered Sabah Kuala Lumpur: The leader of a band of Filipino rebels whose incursion in Malaysia has left scores dead has reportedly fled even as his own family insist he is still in the country. More than 200 followers of a self-proclaimed Filipino sultan entered Sabah on Borneo island a month ago to resurrect long-dormant land claims by Jamalul Kiram III. Malaysian forces launched a military assault on March 5 against the group, sending them fleeing from a farming village where they had been holed up. Armed Forces chief Zulkifeli Zin said intelligence reports showed that Agbimuddin Kiram, whose family says is the crown prince of the Sulu sultanate, had managed to evade security forces and slip out of Malaysia. “[He] has abandoned his men and fled to his homeland,” Zulkifeli was quoted by local media as saying

Al-Qaida jihadis replacing rebels in Syria: Russia

Source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/Al-Qaida-jihadis-replacing-rebels-in-Syria-Russia/articleshow/18998870.cms LONDON: Russia has warned that jihadi fighters connected to al-Qaida are replacing genuine opposition fighters in Syria, putting the whole world at risk. After meeting British foreign secretary William Hague on Wednesday, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said Kremlin could confirm that the dangerous group fighting in Syria in the name of being rebels was the Jabhat al-Nusra, which had direct links to al-Qaida. "The US has declared it a terrorist organisation," Lavrov said. He warned that the heavy weaponry France and Britain were planning to provide the rebels to overthrow Syrian president Bashar-al-Assad might fall into the hands of extremists. Some days ago Bouthaini Shabaan, political adviser to Assad, had said Indian-origin jihadi fighters had been found fighting along with the rebels in the Syrian civil war. Earlier, UN peace envoy

Jamaat role in economy adds to its Bangla clout

Source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Jamaat-role-in-economy-adds-to-its-Bangla-clout/articleshow/18998821.cms DHAKA: Shahbag activists have so far overcome death threats and assassinations, but their biggest obstacle isn't a bunch of radical, machete-wielding terrorists. It's economy. There are fears that the Shahbag mission's call to ban the Jamat-e-Islami and seize their property may destabilize Bangladesh financially. The Jamat and several radical Islamic groups are alleged to be the force behind Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL), one of the major private financial institutions of the country with huge stakes in privatized health, insurance, education, pharmaceuticals, transport and real estate. Shahbag activists showed TOI a bunch of newspaper clippings of the past days, reporting how thousands of people are queuing up in front of Islamic Bank to close their accounts and withdraw their investment. The Awami League government is perhaps

Maoists gear up to counter Operation Green Hunt

Source http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-03-15/ranchi/37743224_1_arvindji-jharkhand-jaguar-security-forces GUMLA: Maoists have launched a Break Operation to check Green Hunt under the command of a new military wing christened as People Liberation Jharkhand Army, according to reports reaching from Sivil forest - the Maoist bastion in the district. They also claimed to have seized some caps of the security forces during the encounter on Wednesday. The rebels have said they are not against police, but are against the system. Police are also sons of farmers and labourers like us, reports said. The hills of Jhariya - Kerakona and Luru Sakseri near Sivil area in Chainpur police station here boomed with the firings of mortars and bullets on Thursday when the security forces and Maoists were engaged in an encounter which continued till after noon. Meanwhile, security forces could take out the body of the slain jawan Manoj Bakhla and injured Brajesh Licha and Vikram Ray f

Fear grips students as Maoists destroy school wall in Jharkhand's Latehar district

Source http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2013/03/16/72-Fear-grips-students-as-Maoists-destroy-school-wall-in-Jharkhand-s-Latehar-district.html Latehar, Sat, 16 Mar 2013 ANI Latehar, Mar 16 (ANI): A feeling of fear and panic gripped students after a group of 20-25 Maoists destroyed the boundary wall of a government run school in Latehar district of Jharkhand. The students were attending their regular classes when suddenly a group of Maoists entered into a scuffle with the school authorities and broke the boundary wall which was being built. Principal of the government school, Prashad Betha, said that the Maoists hit school authorities and destroyed the boundary wall without any fear. "The work of making a school boundary wall was in progress, the president of the village education council sponsored the work. A group of around twenty to twenty five Maoists came on Tuesday around 4 and said 'with whose permission are you making this wall, this is made so that th

Haqqani group busted in east afghan

Source http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2013/03/war-in-afghanistan-news-16-march-2013.html BAGRAM, Afghanistan (March 16, 2013) - Afghan and coalition forces found and safely cleared one improvised explosive device and and discovered two weapons caches during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, March 15. Ghazni Province Afghan and coalition forces found and safely cleared an IED during operations in the Gelan District. Afghan and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache during operations in the Dehyak District. The cache consisted of 10 bags of homemade explosives, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and 11 RPG rounds. Khowst Province Afghan and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache during operations in the Shamal District. The cache consisted of multiple IED making materials and land mine components. KABUL, Afghanistan (March 15, 2013) - An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Taliban facilitator and detained one other

Muslim convert from BBC documentary pleads guilty to terrorism charges

Source http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/mar/15/muslim-convert-bbc-documentary-terrorism Richard Dart, who has changed his name to Salahuddin al Britani, featured in a BBC documentary filmed by his step-brother. Image: YouTube.com A Muslim convert who featured in a BBC3 documentary in 2011 about Islamism has pleaded guilty to terrorism charges at the Old Bailey. Richard Dart, 29, admitted plotting a terror attack in Royal Wootton Bassett and planning to target members of the security services including "M15 or M16 heads" after being trained at terrorism camps in Pakistan. Imran Mahmood and former police community support officer (PCSO) Jahangir Alom also admitted preparing for terrorism or assisting another in terrorism, between July 2010 and July 2012. As well as receiving terror training over two years, the gang gave information to other radicals about travelling to Pakistan. Dart, who converted to Islam after being radicalised by British Islamist Anjem Choudary,

Malian president plays down UN atrocities accusations

Source http://www.english.rfi.fr/africa/20130313-malian-president-plays-down-un-atrocities-accusations “I am not aware of so many abuses," Traoré said during a visit to the Senegalese capital, Dakar, on Tuesday. "The media should not be echoing statements that do not correspond to reality" and reminiscent of "imaginary abuses", he said after meeting Senegalese leader Macky Sall at the end of a two-day visit. Since French, Malian and west African troops drove armed Islamist groups out of most of northern Mali, which they had controlled for several months, ethnic groups have been targeted for reprisals, according to the preliminary findings of a UN mission to Mali last month. Members of the Peuhl, Tuareg and Arab ethnic groups were being targeted, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Kyung-wha Kang told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday. “The situation has been exacerbated by the propagation of inflammatory messages, including throug

US Resolution could revive separatism in Sri Lanka- Swamy warns Blake

Source http://www.asiantribune.com/node/61912 Washington, D.C. 10 March (Asiantribune.com): India's Janatha Party leader Subramanian Swamy had a warning to the United States: "Your resolution against Sri Lanka in Geneva could be seen as a victory of the divisive forces close to the Tamil Tigers that could revive the separatist agenda of the LTTE".Janatha Party leader Subramanian Swamy meets with President Rajapaksa Mr. Swamy, who met Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake, conveyed his point of view on the American move to introduce a resolution at the ongoing UN Human Rights Council session. Noting that this is his personal initiative, Swamy, during his nearly hour long meeting with the State Department officials in Washington, cautioned the US that the resolution should not be seen as a victory of the “divisive” forces close to ‘Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’ as that could result in revival of the LTTE, which is not in the interes

Ayrault to stay neutral on Quebec separatism during four-day Canada visit

Source http://www.english.rfi.fr/americas/20130314-ayrault-stay-neutral-quebec-separatism-during-four-day-canada-visit Ayrault arrived in Ottawa for a with his Canadian counterpart, Stephen Harper. They were to discuss a free-trade pact between Canada and the European Union and Ayrault hopes to reinforce France’s relationship with Quebec. In October French President François Hollande said France would return to its traditionally neutral policy on Quebec independence. The ni-ni (neither, nor) policy means France is officially neutral on the questionwhile leaving its options open if Quebec chooses to separate from the rest of Canada. Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy had angered separatists by attacking the independence movement. In 1967 then-president Charles de Gaulle stirred up a crisis in Franco-Canadian relations by finishing a speech in Montreal with the slogan “Vive le Québec libre!” (Long live free Quebec!), a paraphrase to the “Vive la France libre!” (Long live

Peru: Amazon natives broach separatism

Source http://www.ww4report.com/node/12076 Indigenous peoples in Peru's Amazonas region have held demonstrations over the past weeks at the site of the June 2009 massacre at Curva del Diablo, in the municipality of Bagua. The action was called to protest that 54 indigenous leaders are now facing life terms if convicted in the Bagua violence, while only two members of the National Police are behind bars in the affair, and one is to be released this month. On Feb. 26, when the road at "Devil's Curve" was blocked by hundreds of members of the Awajún and Wampis peoples, one large group of participants refused to join in the singing of Peru's national anthem that opened the gathering. Carlos Altamirano Rafael, leader of the Interests Front of Condorcanqui, said he believed that no justice is possible within Peru, and that the two peoples should declare independence or unite with Ecuador. "We are trying to see in what manner we can disengage from the country as

Basque terrorists face additional charges

Source http://m.upi.com/story/UPI-46601363178945/ SANTA POLA, Spain, March 13 (UPI) -- Two terrorists in Spain face 20 years in prison in addition to their existing 843-year sentences after being linked to two more bombings, ThinkSPAIN reported. Oscar Celerain, known as Peio, and Andoni Otegi Eraso, known as Iousu, were sentenced to 843 years in prison for the Aug. 4, 2002, bombing the Guardia Civil living quarters in Santa Pola. The 6-year-old daughter of one of the officers was killed in the explosion. The two were members of the Basque separatist group ETA, which took responsibility for the blast, ThinkSPAIN reported Wednesday. Celerain and Eraso have now been linked to two more bombings that took place shortly after the Aug. 4 incident. An explosive device caused extensive structural damage to the Queen Burger restaurant in Torrevieja Aug. 9, 2002, ThinkSpain reported. An anonymous tip led to the evacuation of the building so there were no injuries. Three days later o

French court sentences ETA ex-military chief to 20 years

Source http://www.france24.com/en/20130313-eta-ex-military-chief-sentenced-20-years-prison-france-terrorism A Paris court on Wednesday sentenced ETA ex-military chief Garikoitz Aspiazu Rubina, also known as "Txeroki," to 20 years in prison for kidnapping and holding hostage a family of Spanish holidaymakers in 2007. By News Wires (text) A Paris court on Wednesday sentenced the former military chief of the Basque separatist group ETA to 20 years in prison on charges including the 2007 kidnapping in France of a Spanish couple and their son. Three co-accused were given the same sentence as their former leader, Miguel de Garikoitz Aspiazu Rubina, also known as Txeroki. The six remaining ETA members on trial were sentenced to terms ranging from eight to 18 years. A Spanish court in 2011 sentenced Txeroki in absentia to 377 years in prison for 20 attempted assassinations. In August 2007, Txeroki and his group kidnapped a Spanish couple and their four-year-old son and s

Spanish king loses lustre but not about to abdicate

Source http://www.france24.com/en/20130315-spanish-king-loses-lustre-but-not-about-abdicate AFP - Spain's King Juan Carlos has been plagued by health problems and unprecedented family scandals that have undercut public confidence in the monarchy during a bruising recession, but analysts say he is unlikely to abdicate anytime soon. The 75-year-old monarch is credited with steering Spain to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975 but his standing has suffered due to an elephant-hunting trip he took in Africa last year at a time of record unemployment in Spain and a corruption probe implicating his son-in-law. Support for having a monarchy in Spain has fallen to a historic low of 54 percent, according to a poll published in daily newspaper El Mundo in January, with backing for the throne weakest among younger people. Another poll published on March 8 showed 56.9 percent of Spaniards felt the king should abdicate in favour of his 45-year-old son Princ

Head of US Africa command warns of threat from radical Islamic sect

Source http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Head+Africa+command+warns+threat+from+radical+Islamic+sect/8104952/story.html WASHINGTON - The chief of the U.S. Africa Command warned on Friday that threats from Islamic extremists in Africa are increasing and if unchecked could pose a greater danger to American interests and allies. Army Gen. Carter Ham faced some wary members of the House Armed Services Committee, who questioned a robust U.S. military involvement in Africa after more than a decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ham said the threats in Africa do not match al-Qaida or the Taliban in Afghanistan, "but the trend is not good." "I think we have an opportunity now to work preventive effort in concert with African forces and with allies and friends globally to suppress the threat, to reverse the trend, which is increasingly worrisome to me," Ham told the committee. "And that does not necessitate a large commitment of U.S. forces. And I do not believe th

The police worker who turned to Islamic extremism

Source http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/9932859/The-police-worker-who-turned-to-Islamic-extremism.html The 26-year-old worked as a Metropolitan Police community support officer in east London between 2007 and 2009. Though a civilian role, he dreamed of becoming a chief inspector before meeting some “brothers” who turned him to extremism. He abandoned his policing role and changed his name to Abu Khalid and uploaded videos on the internet explaining why he had stopped “implementing kuffur (non-believer) laws on the streets of London”. Just weeks before his arrest, Alom also married Ruksana Begum, whose brothers were already convicted terrorists. Begum was arrested along with her new husband and was jailed for a year in December for having two editions of the banned al-Qaeda online magazine Inspire on her mobile phone. In a worrying development for the police and security services, Alom had moved back in to the family home in Stratford in the weeks b

Former FARC political party wants to return to Colombian politics

Source http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/28554-former-farc-political-party-wants-to-return-to-colombian-politics-.html As peace talks between the Colombian government and the FARC progress, the former political party of the FARC, Patriotic Union (UP), requested the government lift its band and let the group participate in politics, something it hasn't done since 2002. The group allegedly sent a letter to negotiators of the government and the FARC in Havana, Cuba, asking that the defunct political party be included in the second round of peace talks focusing on political participation. The UP has also requested that they be reinstated as a political party in Colombia. The group has been inactive since 2002 when the National Electoral Council stripped them of their rights to practice as a political party in the country. They have been appealing that decision since January 2011. However, the political party was decimated during the 1990s with over 5,000 of their m

US and Colombia take down international money laundering ring

Source http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/28555-us-and-colombia-take-down-international-money-laundering-ring.html A money laundering ring operating between Colombia's third largest city, Cali, and New York, New York was exposed and dismantled after a three-year-long collaboration with United States authorities and Colombian national police, authorities reported Thursday. Police commander General Jose Roberto Leon Riaño on Thursday announced 21 arrests in connection with the case. There were 12 reported arrests in Colombia's third largest city, Cali, one in the country's second largest, Medellin and eight in New York, and Connecticut in the U.S. The ring apparently used prepaid gift cards and shops in a Cali mall as fronts to launder the money. Twelve of the reported arrests were made at this mall. Police say they have notified the suspects arrested in Colombia of the United State's request to extradite them, and the process is already underway. In

The SPLC and Slant

- By Patrick Brennan - The Corner - National Review Online Source http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/343115/splc-and-slant-patrick-brennan Domestic-terrorism expert J. M. Berger had an interesting piece for Foreign Policy this week in which he lays out the serious flaws with the work of the Southern Poverty Law Center, and the problems with monitoring domestic terrorism in general. He explains: The Southern Poverty Law Center released its annual “Year in Hate and Extremism” report last week, and as usual, it was terrifying. In an article for the SPLC’s Intelligence Report magazine, researchers said they had identified an “all-time high” of 1,360 antigovernment groups active during 2012 and about the same staggering number of hate groups as last year, a total of 1,007. Many news organizations, from wire services to TV networks, covered the new figures uncritically. The SPLC looms large in most discussions of American extremism, in large part because they have little or no com

Landmines major obstacle for land restitution: NGO

Source http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/28499-landmines-major-obstacle-for-land-restitution-ngo.html According to local and international experts, a significant hurdle stands between thousands of displaced Colombians and the land they seek to reclaim: landmines. "One of the biggest obstacles facing the land restitution teams is that they are all terrified of minefields," Grant Salisbury, the director of HALO Trust's mine removal program in Colombia told Colombia Reports. Since 2011, displaced Colombians have had the legal pathway to reclaim the land which they were forced to leave, often under threat of violence. The Victims and Land Restitution Law gave the victims of illegal land seizures the right to pursue their property in court. However, few victims have found success in the legal system. NGOs cite bureaucratic policy and miles of red tape as one of the main factors in the delays. Landmines, most often planted by left-wing guerrilla groups like

6,000 LANDMINE SURVIVORS REPORTED IN YEMEN

Source http://www.yementimes.com/en/1659/report/2118/6000-landmine-survivors-reported-in-Yemen.htm Although Yemen was one of the first signatories of the Landmines Ban Treaty, the weapons of war continue to claim thousands of lives every year. (Source: Yemen Association for Landmines/UXO Survivors) Yemen may have been one of the first signatories of the Landmines Ban Treaty in 1997, but victims of mines in this country number over 6,000. Since the 1960s, landmines have been used in conflicts, by both government and non-government forces. It’s unknown how many mines are still active and dangerous, scattered throughout mountains and fields. The majority of those injured by landmines are children and women, Aisha Saeed, the head of the Landmines Awareness Association, said. This is because in many rural areas—where mines are prevalent—men have immigrated to nearby cities in search of work. Women and children are left to work the land, where unexploded and active mines lay hidden

Blast in south fails to derail Thai talks

Source http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/340777/blast-fails-to-derail-talks A bomb attack which killed three police officers in Narathiwat province's Rueso district yesterday will not derail the government's deep South peace talks push, Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat says. The government is blaming itself for what it says was a security lapse. However, it says the attack - which it believes is the work of insurgents trying to derail its peace talks effort - will not deter it from the plan. The officers were travelling in a pickup truck in Ban Rueso when the bomb went off. The 90kg explosive device was buried under the road surface and detonated as the vehicle approached a canal bridge. A bomb attack kills three police officers in Narathiwat on Friday. (Photo by Wassayos Ngamkham) The pickup truck was thrown into the canal by the force of the explosion. Body parts were scattered across the road. The victims were identified as Pol Lt Col Chakkrit Wongpromm

PLA claims responsibility for Manipur blast

Source http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Manipur/PLA-claims-responsibility-for-Manipur-blast/Article1-1027288.aspx People's Liberation Army (PLA) today claimed responsibility for the twin bomb blasts that killed an Assam Rifles Havildar and injured three other personnel in interior Chandel district of Manipur. PLA is the the armed wing of insurgent outfit Revolutionary People's Front (RPF). In a statement here, PLA publicity Chief Bankim said the attack was carried out by 'special warfare group' of the outfit at Monjang near the border town of Moreh along Imphal -Moreh National Highway 39 yesterday. The personnel of 9th Assam Rifles battalion posted at Khudengtabi area on Imphal-Moreh National Highway 39 were on foot patrol when the two bombs exploded simultaneously near Hotel Point Monjang yesterday morning, the sources said. Havildar Ramar Bahadur was killed in the explosion and havildar Thakur, riflemen Nayak and Akham Jakham were seriously injured by spl

Iraq war killed 120,000, cost US$800 billion: study

Source http://www.chinapost.com.tw/international/middle-east/2013/03/16/373228/Iraq-war.htm PARIS -- At least 116,000 Iraqi civilians and more than 4,800 coalition troops died in Iraq between the outbreak of war in 2003 and the U.S. withdrawal in 2011, researchers estimated on Friday. Its involvement in Iraq has so far cost the United States US$810 billion (625 billion euros) and could eventually reach US$3 trillion, they added. The estimates come from two U.S. professors of public health, reporting in the British peer-reviewed journal The Lancet. They base the figures on published studies in journals and on reports by government agencies, international organizations and the news media. “We conclude that at least 116,903 Iraqi noncombatants and more than 4,800 coalition military personnel died over the eight-year course” of the war from 2003 to 2011, they said. “Many Iraqi civilians were injured or became ill because of damage to the health-supporting infrastructure of the c

French, Britain push EU nations to lift Syria arms embargo

Source http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-03/15/c_132236699.htm • Hollande said France and Britain had agreed on the issue but other countries would have to be convinced. • "If by chance there is a blockage...France will take its responsibilities," he said. • Germany and other EU countries are concerned that more weapons will only fuel conflicts in Syria. BRUSSELS, March 15 (Xinhua) -- French President Francois Hollande and British Prime Minister David Cameron on Friday jointly called on their EU partners to lift an arms embargo on Syria, as the Arab country marked the second anniversary of the start of its unrest. Following a two-day EU summit in Brussels, Cameron told reporters he wanted a political solution in Syria, but "that is more likely if the Syrian opposition is strengthened and is growing." London and Paris want to look at further changes in terms of the arms embargo and they have a "common analysis" of what is wrong i

Peru, UN create anti-drug center

Source http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-03/05/c_132210176.htm LIMA, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Peru and the UN office on drugs agreed Monday to jointly establish a center to stem the production and trade of illegal drugs in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Center of Excellence is aimed at boosting the government's ability to control the distribution of chemical substances by training officials to identify the methods used to funnel drugs and their base components toward illegal production, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crimes. "The Center of Excellence is to promote research and technical knowledge to prevent and control the misuse of drugs and chemical precursors that are used in the production of illicit drugs," Peru's National Committee for Development and a Drug-Free Life (Devida) said in a statement. "This effort joins other measures taken by the government," Devida's Executive President Carmen Masias said. Peru has been

Ongoing clashes mark Syrian crisis 2nd anniversary

Source http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-03/16/c_124465514.htm • 18 civilians were killed Friday due to the government troops' bombardment on Damascus' suburbs. • The Syrian crisis has started in mid-March 2011. • Over 70,000 people have been killed and millions were displaced during the two-year-old crisis. DAMASCUS, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Ongoing clashes in suburbs of Syrian capital Damascus and other hotspots nationwide between the government troops and armed rebels marked the second anniversary of the Syrian conflict on Friday. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said as many as 18 civilians were killed Friday due to the government troops' bombardment on Damascus' suburbs of Muadamieh, Douma, Hammourieh, Saqba and the resort town of Zabadani. In the northern province of Aleppo, the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, backed by other radical groups, managed to storm the Armament Battalion in the Khan Touman town after intense clashes

Local Haqqani leader captured in E. Afghan operation: ISAF

Source http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-03/16/c_132238354.htm KABUL, March 16 (Xinhua) -- A local leader with the Haqqani militant group was arrested in eastern Afghan province of Khost on Saturday, the NATO-led coalition force said. "An Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Haqqani leader during an operation in Musa Khel district, Khost province, today," the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a press release. The Taliban-linked Haqqani network carried out many high- profile attacks on security forces mostly in eastern Afghan provinces and the capital Kabul. "The leader is accused of having operational control over multiple extremist cells and has personally led fighters in attacks against Afghan and coalition forces," it added. In addition, the joint forces also captured more than two dozens of insurgents including several leaders in different operations across the country on Thursday and Friday, the release said.

Female candidate for Iraq's provincial polls killed in attack

Source http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-03/15/c_132236647.htm BAGHDAD, March 15 (Xinhua) -- A female Iraqi candidate for the upcoming provincial elections and her husband have been killed in the northern part of the country, police said Friday. Unidentified gunmen killed Kamisa Ahmed Al-Bachari and her husband late Thursday evening when they were returning from a wedding party in Al Arish village, south of Mosul, about 400 km north of Iraq's capital Baghdad, a local police source told Xinhua. Al-Bachari, a candidate from the Kurdish list, was the third victim killed in a wave of violence against provincial elections candidates in the past week. On Monday and Tuesday, gunmen have shot dead two candidates in Nineveh province. Iraq's provincial elections are scheduled to be held on April 20, with 8,099 candidates taking part in the polls across 15 out of the 18 Iraqi provinces, as the remaining three provinces are part of the autonomous region of Kurdistan. V

US Drone Strikes Putting 'Global Order At Risk', Warn European Politicians

source http://huff.to/14Bs6Rv US Drone Strikes Putting 'Global Order At Risk', Warn European Politicians The United States is putting "global stability and international order at risk" by pursuing a policy of targeted extrajudicial drone strikes against suspected terrorists, European politicians have warned. At least to 3,000 people, including a large number of civilians, are said to have been killed by controversial CIA drone strikes in Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen since 2004. This week members of the European Parliament said they were "deeply concerned about the legal basis, as well as the moral, ethical and human rights implications" of the drone attacks and urged European Union member states to "contest the US attempt to pervert international law". In a statement the MEPs said: "We cannot remain silent. The European Union and its Member States must speak up against a practice that will set a dangerous and unwelcome precedent for I

THE FORGOTTEN UPRISING

source http://huff.to/13Xfo3J Bahrain Protester Holding Explosive Bursts Into Flames As Police Guards Open Fire It looks like a self-immolation, the desperate sign of protest that has become an iconic symbol of the Arab Spring. However the moment captured in these pictures happened after police fired at an anti-government protester holding a petrol bomb in Bahrain, causing the explosive to burst into flames. The uprising in the tiny Gulf State is often described as the 'forgotten Arab Spring' The uprising in Bahrain is often described as the 'forgotten Arab Spring', with violence breaking out in a Shia revolt against the ruling Sunni al-Khalifa family in March 2011. Anti-government protesters have been burning tyres and throwing firebombs at riot police, who responded using stun grenades. Protesters have accused police of also using live ammunition and bird shot. Bahrain's home office said police had fired on "terrorists". The protester

'Deranged' Terrorists Condemned For Latest Belfast Bomb Attempt

source http://huff.to/13XdW1m Mortar Bomb Found Near Police Station In Belfast A suspected mortar bomb has been discovered close to a police station in Northern Ireland. The device was found close to New Barnsley station in north Belfast on Friday morning. Two army bomb disposal robots beside the suspected mortar bomb Army bomb disposal experts are at the scene off the Ballygomartin Road while a number of houses have been evacuated and two schools closed due to the continuing security alert. Police said they believed the suspect item was a "mortar type device". The incident comes after officers intercepted a van carrying mortars and launchers close to a police station in Londonderry earlier this month. And last weekend three police officers escaped injury when an explosive device detonated within metres of them as they patrolled a coastal path on the outskirts of Belfast. North Belfast Assembly Member William Humphrey said the latest device was found on wa

Saving Children's Lives by Stopping Illicit Weapons Worldwide

Source http://www.huffingtonpost.com/emmanuel-jal/saving-childrens-lives-by_b_2885124.html Support for U.N. Arms Treaty Urged in Talks Starting March 18 In Sudan and around the world, children are forced into warfare. Many end up as child soldiers, forced to take lives and continue the cycle of violence that they have been born into. Child soldiers are found today in as many as 20 countries. I was one of them. I was fortunate enough to have escaped to Kenya and found another life through music. But the lives of many children are cut short before they can escape. The most difficult part of this situation is that these children do not have a choice when they are introduced, often after they have been orphaned, to a perpetual war zone and raised by the harsh reality of the violence around them. The decision is not theirs to make. It is not made by the South Sudanese child holding the AK-47, the young boy fighting government forces in Colombia or a child soldier in the Democratic