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Showing posts from September 29, 2019

UN calls on Greece to end overcrowding of refugee camps

U.N. refugee agency on Oct. 1 called on  Greece  to urgently move thousands of  refugees  and asylum-seekers out of "dangerously overcrowded" reception centers on Greek islands in the Aegean.       The Greek islands now host 30,000 refugees and 10,258 of them arrived in September 2019, the highest monthly level since 2016, according to a statement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).       At the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, 12,600 people took refuge which is five times over its capacity, the statement said.       "At a nearby informal settlement, 100 people share a single toilet. Tensions remain high at Moria where a fire on Sunday in a container used to house people killed one woman.  An ensuing riot by frustrated asylum-seekers led to clashes with police," the UNHCR said.       "Urgent steps are needed and we urge the Greek authorities to fast-track plans to transfer over 5,000 asylum-seekers already au

Safe zone in N Syria should be established fast: Defense Minister Akar

The  safe zone  in northern  Syria  should be established and finalized as soon as possible as  Turkey  does not have time to waste, the Turkish defense minister has said, elaborating on Turkey’s expectation from the United States on the talks for the zone. “We are closely following developments in the east of the [River] Euphrates and our army is ready in all aspects,”  Hulusi Akar  told reporters on Oct. 1. “This is not a joke. This should be known and understood by everyone,” he said, implying a unilateral military action to set up a safe zone if talks with the U.S. fail to yield success. Turkey wants to act in line with the spirit of the NATO alliance and strategic partnership, said Akar, noting that they are trying to take the process in peace. When asked if there is a deadline for this, Akar said, “We follow actions rather than time” “Our demand is purely humanitarian, there is a tragedy in Syria. We want people to return to their home in peace and security. This can

MINE THE GAP What are the Angola landmines and where else in the world are landmines found?

But what are landmines and where else can they be found in the world? Landmines are explosives. They are triggered by contact and are usually buried either under the ground or above it What are landmines? Landmines are explosives. They are triggered by contact and are usually buried either under the ground or above it. There are two main types of landmines: anti-personnel landmines, aimed at killing or injuring a person, and anti-tank mines, designed to destroy or incapacitate vehicles. Mines were used in World War One, but their use increased since 1960s. Angola is known as one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. More than 100million square metres of land is contaminated in Angola and has more than 1,200 known and suspected minefields. Millions of landmines and other unexploded bombs are still scattered throughout the country - the legacy of over 40 years of conflict. Landmines still contaminate large swathes of Angola, which can end in death in some p

Mali reels after militant raids on military camps

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Malian troops backed by foreign allies on Wednesday launched a hunt for scores of comrades listed as missing after one of the deadliest attacks in a seven-year-old insurgency. At least 25 troops were killed after militants aboard heavily-armed vehicles raided two military camps at Boulkessy and Mondoro near the border with Burkina Faso, according to a provisional toll. Fifteen militants, according to government figures, were killed in the raids, which began early Monday and were only quelled on Tuesday. But around 60 soldiers are listed as missing -- 78, according to a security source -- with no details as to whether they have been killed or captured. "Operations to secure the area are under way with Mali's partners," a Malian military source said. "Our objective is to consolidate our presence in Boulkessy and to focus on soldiers of whom we are currently without news." The losses are a crushing blow to Mali's armed forces, which are flailing in

Trapped in the middle of a minefield in Iraq

The conflict between Iraq and Iran in the 1980s saw the Iraqi army lay landmines across the Kurdistan region of Iraq, along the border with Iran. Many of these minefields remain and continue to have a devastating effect on communities almost 40 years later. Soran Sabir Kareem, a 37-year-old farmer, was reminded of the very real threat landmines still pose when he found himself trapped inside a minefield. Soran, who buys and sells livestock, lives in Shams Awa, a small village in the Sulaymaniah Governorate. His Wednesday had started like any other—which, as a farmer, was early. It was 8am when he received a call from Muhammed, one of the cattle herders he tasks with caring for his livestock. It wasn't good news. Muhammed told Soran how his cows had been attacked by a wolf. Muhammed had kept his cool and protected the majority of the herd but the wolf had managed to separate off some of the cows. The animals are Soran's livelihood. He asked Muhammed to guide him to

Three Saudi bases, over 150 square kilometers taken in 2nd phase of Najran offensive: Yemen Army

The spokesman for Yemeni Armed Forces says three Saudi military bases and more than 150 square kilometers of land have been taken during the second phase of a recent large-scale military offensive carried out by Yemeni Army troops and allied fighters from Popular Committees in the kingdom’s southern border region of Najran. Speaking at a press conference in the capital Sana’a on Tuesday evening, Brigadier General Yahya Saree said video footage recorded by Yemeni forces on the second phase of Victory from God Almighty Operation attests to their full control over the Saudi military sites and seizure of considerable amounts of munitions. The offensive also resulted in the death and injury of at least 200 Saudi-led coalition soldiers. Saree added that the second phase of the operation was launched on September 3, and that more than 150 square kilometers were purged from the presence of Saudi troopers and Saudi-sponsored Yemeni militiamen loyal to Yemen's former pro-Saudi president

Taliban, US negotiator both in Islamabad for talks with Pakistan

The Taliban delegation led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, one of the group's founders, was due to discuss "important issues" with Pakistani officials in the capital, Islamabad. Afghan Taliban officials were due in Pakistan on Wednesday, the insurgent group said, as the top U.S. diplomat involved in talks with the militants also met government officials there, although it was not known if the Taliban and U.S. official would meet. The Taliban delegation led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, one of the group’s founders, was due to discuss “important issues” with Pakistani officials in the capital, Islamabad, Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said on Twitter. The Taliban visit, the latest stop on a tour of regional powers, comes after efforts by the militants and the United States to reach a deal allowing for the withdrawal of U.S.-led foreign forces broke down last month. The top U.S. negotiator in the talks, Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, met Pa

15 Militants Arrested in Malaysian Police Raids

09/30/2019 Malaysia (International Christian Concern) – Malaysia has been highly agitated over the past few years, following a terrorist assault on the capital, Jakarta, in January of 2016. Malaysian police have arrested 15 people over the last two months alone for alleged connections to the Islamic State. Many of them are foreigners to the country, mostly native to Indonesia, although one was an Indian, and a few were native Malays. Those arrested have been accused of a number of actions in support of radical Muslim extremism in the country. Three of the arrested allegedly have channeled monetary aid to such gunmen, while others have been thought to have helped spread the radical ideology and fundamentalism among locals and the Muslim backcountry men as recruiters. Two of the arrested are believed to have acted as facilitators for a suicide attack on a church in Jolo, Philippines in December 2018. Regardless, Malaysia’s actions have landed hundreds of individuals behind ba

Austria is about to re-empower a far-right party the US intelligence community doesn't trust. It's a sign that European ultra-nationalist movements are made of teflon.

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Austria is about to re-empower a far-right party the US intelligence community doesn't trust. It's a sign that European ultra-nationalist movements are made of teflon. Eliza Relman Sep 28, 2019, 15:31 IST Herbert Kickl, Austria's former interior minister who was fired by former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, speaks at a far-right Freedom Party rally in September in Traisen, Austria. Eliza Relman/Insider In Austria, the far-right has emerged from a Russia scandal largely intact and is poised to perform well in snap elections on Sunday just four months after the country's government collapsed. The 2015 migrant crisis and deep anti-immigrant sentiment have empowered far-right parties across Europe. In Austria, the wave of nationalism brought the far-right into a governing coalition with the conservatives in 2017. The coalition between the conservative party and the far-right cemented former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz's popularity and the far right

Alleged NPA commander nabbed in Agusan del Sur

Davao City (CNN Philippines, October 1) — Police operatives in Davao del Sur and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines have captured an alleged commander of the New People’s Army (NPA) commander in Agusan del Sur, officials said. Police Regional Office 11 director Brig. Gen. Marcelo Morales identified the supposed high-ranking official as Rachel Cortez Daguman, also known as Kumander Jasmin, 44, a resident of Barangay Coronon, Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur. Daguman was nabbed during a joint law enforcement operation on September 28 at San Francisco Public Market in San Fernando, Agusan del Sur, Morales said. He said military records showed that Daguman was designated as secretary of Front Committee 51, Southern Regional Committee 111, and was the head of Regional Peasant Bureau. Daguman was arrested over a robbery with homicide charge. Davao del Sur Regional Trial Court Branch 19 Presiding Judge Carmelita Sarno-Davin issued a warrant for her arrest and did not recommend

Yemen rebels free 290 detainees, reviving hopes for talks

Yemen’s rebels on Monday released scores of detainees they had rounded up and held for years in rebel-controlled territory, a development that raised hopes of reviving stalled peace talks between the warring sides. The International Committee of the Red Cross said the Iran-aligned rebels, known as Houthis, freed 290 detainees. Franz Rauchenstein, the ICRC’s chief in Yemen, said the Red Cross facilitated the release following a request from the Houthis. He expressed hope this would open the door to “further releases to bring comfort to families awaiting reunification with their loved ones.” Most of the prisoners were taken in raids since 2014, when the rebels overran the capital Source:  https://www.dailypioneer.com/2019/world/yemen-rebels-free-290-detainees--reviving-hopes-for-talks.html

Dreaded female Maoist gunned down in Kawardha

A woman who was member of ‘Maoist expansion team’ was gunned down in an encounter with security forces in Kabirdham district on Sunday, police informed. The skirmish took place near Suratiya village around 1 pm when a team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) was out on a counter-insurgency operation, Deputy Inspector General (anti-Naxal operations) Sundarraj P said. Acting on inputs about the presence of ultras in Taregaon area of the district adjoining Madhya Pradesh, the DRG launched the operation in the area, located around 160 km away from Raipur, he said. When the security men were advancing through a forest in Suratiya, a gun-battle broke out between the two sides. However, soon ultras disappeared into the dense forest, he said. During search of the spot, the body of a woman Naxal and a huge cache of Maoist literature and other material were recovered, he said. The killed ultra was identified as Jugni, a member of 'vistaar platoon' no. 3 (expansion team) of Ma

On anniversary of banned referendum, Catalan separatists keep up their fight

ARCELONA, Spain (Reuters) - Separatist leaders in Catalonia on Tuesday pledged to keep up their struggle for independence on the second anniversary of an ill-fated independence referendum, prompting Spain’s acting prime minister to warn them “not to play with fire”. Pro-separatist supporters attend a protest to mark the second anniversary of the October 1st referendum on independence in Girona, Spain, October 1, 2019.  The banned referendum and the short-lived declaration of independence that followed plunged Spain into its biggest political crisis in decades. Madrid responded by imposing direct rule on the region for months, sidelining regional authorities. “The road towards the Catalan republic is inevitable,” Pere Aragones, Catalonia’s deputy head of government, said in a ceremony in Barcelona. “We want to build it peacefully and for everybody.” Yellow balloons marked voting stations used in the referendum, held on Oct 1, 2017 despite being deemed illegal by Madrid. “

Maoists declare Kanha and Bhoramdeo sanctuary new ‘division’

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The MMC zone was created by Maoists in 2016-17. It includes districts situated at the tri-junction of three states and has seen the presence of Vistaar Dalam, which has around 200 armed cadre in its ranks. Kanha national park comes under Mandala and Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh while Bhoramdeo comes under Kawardha district of Chhattisgarh.(HT image) A document recovered from an encounter spot on the border of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh suggest that Maoists have declared a new division comprising Kanha national park and Bhoramdeo wildlife sanctuary and named it as ‘KB’. Kanha national park comes under Mandala and Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh while Bhoramdeo comes under Kawardha district of Chhattisgarh. Police believe that because of the dense forest and tough terrain the Maoists have declared this area as a division. ‘KB’ is now the second division under newly formed MMC zone (Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and C

Human rights activist Gulalai Ismail exposes Pakistan Army atrocities on minorities

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The 32-year old rights activist managed to slip through the dragnet last month and is now staying with her sister in Brooklyn in New York. She has also applied for political asylum in the US. Image of Pakistan Army for representational purpose (File Photo | AFP) By ANI NEW YORK: Gulalai Ismail, Pakistan human rights activist who was forced to flee after being accused of treason by Islamabad, on Friday (local time) said that thousands of people from minority communities in the country were killed in Pakistan in the name of eradicating terrorism. "Innocent Pashtuns were killed in Pakistan in the name of eradicating terrorism. Thousands of people are jailed in internment centres and torture cells of the Pakistani Army," she said during a protest against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in New York. A few days ago, the activist, in an interview with Afghan journalist Bashir Ahmad Gwakh of Mashaal Radio, said s