Posts

Showing posts from March 21, 2021

Mali: 6 civilians killed in French airstrike

  LOME, Togo  At least six civilians were killed in an airstrike Thursday in the locality of Talataye in Mali, while the French military said it targeted armed terrorist groups. “On 25 March 2021, in the late morning, the Barkhane force carried out a strike neutralizing an armed terrorist group 60 km [37 miles] north of In Deliman,” the French military reported Thursday night in a statement. The release came after several alerts were issued during the day by local sources on civilians’ death. “The strike was carried out based on erroneous information,” reported IdakSahak, a community group of northern tribes in Mali. In a statement, the group rejected France’s claims and named five people it said died in the strike. According to the local notables’ version, they were six young people, four under 16 and two between 18 and 20. They had decided “to spend the day outside the village of Talataye on three motorbikes and armed with a hunting rifle to shoot rabbits and partridge

Militancy ended with people’s help: Manipur CM

IMPHAL: The BJP led alliance government under N Biren Singh recently completed four years in a “peaceful” Manipur, the state once known for all wrong reasons like militancy and social unrest pushing governments on the tenterhooks handling the law and order, which subsequently used to take a toll on development and welfare of the people. Celebrating four years of “citizen centric governance”, the state recently organised various events for month long, culminating into a grand ceremony “Emerging Manipur” at City Convention Centre here, where chief minister N Biren Singh and his ministerial colleagues inaugurated and unveiled multiple projects worth hundreds of crores. Vying for another stint as state will have polls next year, the chief minister said that restoring peace was the biggest challenge, which has been accomplished with support of the people and centre playing a pivotal role in mitigating the influence of the ultra outfits, who were operating from Manipur as wel

Urgent International support needed to support the Government of Mozambique to Combat Terror in Cabo Delgado

 The terror attacks on Palma are not simply targets of opportunity. They are strategic targets. The goal is to destroy Mozambique’s government’s ability to produce, export gas, fight poverty, create jobs and to make it clear that the government cannot protect oil company personnel or assets. This is terrorism and must be condemned in all forms. These terrorist attacks if not taken seriously will cost the Mozambican government billions of dollars in lost investment and LNG earnings. The African Energy Chamber is encouraged by the response of the President Nyusi and the Mozambique government. We continue to closely monitor the situation in close co-ordination with authorities in Mozambique and the energy companies. “The international community is slowly realizing that the issue of terrorism is not only a Mozambique problem but a global problem. A swift and coordinated global response is needed to confront these band of terrorist, whose only goal is to inflict pain

Colombia accuses FARC dissidents of car bomb that injured dozens

Image
Bombing in Corinto on Friday injured 43 people, including several public officials, defence minister says. The government of Colombia has accused dissidents of the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) of detonating a car bomb on Friday that injured dozens of people including several public officials. Defence Minister Diego Molano said early on Saturday that 43 people were injured in the bombing in the town of Corinto, about 60km (37 miles) south of Cali in western Colombia. Six people were seriously hurt, while 20 others suffered minor injuries, Molano said. “We express our solidarity with all those affected by this indiscriminate terrorist attack that took place … with a car bomb in front of the mayor’s office in Corinto,” he said in a recorded video statement. He blamed the attack on the Dagoberto Ramos Mobile Column, a dissident group of the FARC. Debris is seen as emergency crew work in the aftermath of a blast outside the mayor’s office and city ha

Boris Johnson condemns 'disgraceful' attacks on police at Bristol protest

Image
  (CNN) UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has condemned protests in the city of Bristol that saw demonstrators clash with police over a controversial policing bill for a second weekend in a row. Critics say the bill would curtail the right to demonstrate in the UK. In a tweet Saturday, Johnson said the protests saw "disgraceful attacks against police officers in Bristol." "Our officers should not have to face having bricks, bottles and fireworks being thrown at them by a mob intent on violence and causing damage to property," he said. People took to the streets on Friday evening -- the third protest in a week -- to voice their opposition to the bill, with more protests expected across the UK over the weekend. Demonstrators hold placards on Friday during a protest against the policing bill in Bristol. Crowds walked through Bristol city center -- past the site of the site of the now-toppled statue of slave trader Edward Colston -- and ended up outside Bridew

Darfur displaced say security worse after peace deal, peacekeeper pullout

  ATTASH CAMP, Sudan (Reuters) - Months after Sudan signed a peace deal with Darfur rebels, and international peacekeepers stopped their patrols, Ihsan Mohamed is still waiting for any sign of peace and stability in her own daily life. If anything, things have got worse, the 37-year-old resident of Darfur’s Attash displacement camp said with tears in her eyes. “There is no peace as far as we are concerned. The camp has become a scary place with looting and attacks.” The Juba Peace Agreement, signed in October, was hailed in Sudan as a breakthrough in the festering conflict that pitted pro-government militias and troops against mostly non-Arab rebels in the mid-2000s. But not all the rebel groups signed. And the banditry and lawlessness that plagued the region throughout the conflict has persisted and, in some areas, increased. A committee representing displaced Darfuris told Reuters armed men had attacked the nearby Kalma camp several times over the past month. In the pas

3 PKK terrorists neutralized by Turkish intel in N.Iraq

  ANKARA Three PKK terrorists were neutralized by Turkish intelligence forces in northern Iraq last month, security sources said on Saturday. Huseyin Inal, a senior member of the terror group codenamed Karker Kurecik, was neutralized along with two more terrorists in an operation by Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization in Iraq’s Metina region on Feb. 22, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media. The terrorists were neutralized after information was received that they were gathering for a meeting to plan attacks in Turkey, according to the sources. Turkish intelligence also found out that Inal was trained at a PKK training camp in Laurium, southeastern Greece, before joining the terror group’s ranks in northern Iraq in 2018, the sources added. Turkish authorities use the word “neutralized” in statements to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured. PKK terrorists often hide out in northern

Upcoming Yezdi Scrambler: A detailed breakdown

  Classic Legends revived the 'Jawa' brand back in 2018, and announced that it is also looking forward to reintroducing the 'Yezdi' brand in India. Now, since Jawa bikes have already picked up well, chances are that Classic Legends is in the mood to focus on the more sturdy and off-road capable technical cousin, Yezdi. The reason why talks are starting to pick up is that a prototype of what appears to be a Yezdi scrambler bike has been spotted recently which is the first sighting of the bike. Anupam Thareja, founder, Classic Legends, has also confirmed to a publication that the brand is working on a “new-generation Yezdi" which will be more than just a rebadged Jawa. (Also Read:  Jawa bikes now costlier in India. Here are the new prices ) While there is no official confirmation as to which engine will be used inside the upcoming Yedi, the spy shots (above) hint that the radiator and engine head design seem to have taken inspiration from the Jawa powertrain. Thus, t

2 dead, 8 injured in Virginia Beach oceanfront shootings

VIRGINIA: Two people are dead and at least eight people were injured in shootings along Virginia Beach 's oceanfront, police said early Saturday. An estimated eight people were shot around 11 pm Friday, Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate told reporters. While officers were investigating, a report of shots fired came in nearby, the chief said. An officer confronted an individual there and a shooting broke out. The officer shot the individual, and the person died. The officer was not shot. A second person, who Neudigate said was possibly involved in an unrelated shooting, was pronounced dead near the scene. The chief called it “a separate shooting incident that we're still trying to piece together.” An officer was also struck by a vehicle during the investigation and taken to a hospital. The officer's injuries were not considered to be life-threatening. Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/2-dead-8-injured-in-virginia-beach-oceanfront-shootin

At least 50 protesters killed in Myanmar on 'day of shame for armed forces'

  Myanmar's security forces shot and killed at least 50 protesters on Saturday, news reports and witnesses said, a brutal crackdown on dissent that came as the leader of the ruling junta said the military will protect the people and strive for democracy. Protesters against the Feb. 1 military coup came out on the streets of Yangon, Mandalay and other towns, defying a warning that they could be shot "in the head and back", while the country's generals celebrated Armed Forces Day. "Today is a day of shame for the armed forces," Dr. Sasa, a spokesman for CRPH, an anti-junta group set up by deposed lawmakers, told an online forum. "The military generals are celebrating Armed Forces Day after they just killed more than 300 innocent civilians," he said, giving a rough estimate of the toll since protests first erupted weeks ago. At least four people were killed when security forces opened fire at a crowd protesting outside a police st

Mozambique: Over 180 people trapped in a hotel after insurgents launch attack

  As militants launched an attack on Mozambique's Palma, on Wednesday, more than 180 people, including expatriate workers have been trapped at the Aramula hotel. An operation is underway to rescue the workers, an AFP report reads. The military, on Thursday launched an offensive against the insurgents. The attackers are said to be fighters affiliated with the armed group ISIL (ISIS). The military have been trying to airlift the workers to safety. Some people have been reportedly killed in the attack that took place near a liquified natural gas site in Cabo Delgado province. Workers from the LNG site have sought refuge in another hotel nearby.” Almost the entire town was destroyed. Many people are dead. As locals fled to the bush, workers from LNG companies, including foreigners, took refuge in hotel Amarula where they are waiting to be rescued,” a worker told the AFP. The Ministry of Defence spokesman Colonel Omar Saranga said, military forces are “working ti

Beleaguered Syria suffers also due to Suez Canal closure

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea test-launched what it called a newly developed tactical guided missile ​Thursday, violating international sanctions. It was the country’s first ballistic missile test in a year and its first provocation to the Biden administration, prompting President Joe Biden to warn that there will be “responses” if North Korea continues to escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula. A senior North Korean official, Ri Pyong Chol, replied defiantly Saturday, warning that if the United States keeps making “thoughtless remarks without thinking of the consequences, it may be faced with something that is not good.” Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times The United States has tried both sanctions and dialogue to persuade North Korea to ​give up its ​nuclear ​weapons programs. Neither has worked. Instead, North Korea​ has rapidly expanded its nuclear program and modernized its missile fleet under Kim Jong Un, the country’s young leader.  The

Iraq: Attack leaves 27 IS fighters dead, 120 IS locations demolished

  (MENAFN) On Wednesday, Mar. 24 the Iraqi military stated that an attack aiming IS sites in a mountainous area in northern Iraq left 27 militants of the extremist Islamic State (IS) outfit as a minimum dead. According to a report by Yahia Rasoul, spokesperson of the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi forces, Iraqi security forces, supported by U.S.-led coalition and Iraqi aircraft, conducted the attack on March 9 and lasted for 14 days in the Makhmour mountain range in southeast of Nineveh's provincial capital Mosul. The report noted that the attack comprised 312 airstrikes that demolished 120 IS locations and caves utilized by the extremist rebels, killing an unidentified number of IS fighters inside the bombarded positions, while snipers from the security forces found and killed 27 of those who ran away from the hit locations. The mountains and enormous rocky places in the north of Iraq's capital Baghdad have seen extreme activities of the IS rebels in the pa

Kachin Rebels Seize Myanmar Military's Strategic Outpost near Chinese Border

  Yangon — The Kachin Independence Army (KIA), a major ethnic armed group based in Kachin State, has occupied a strategically important hill in Bhamo District held by Myanmar’s military, KIA information officer Colonel Naw Bu told The Irrawaddy. KIA Battalion 30 attacked the military outpost on Alaw Hill on Wednesday at 5pm and had taken control of the hill by around 4am on Thursday, said Col. Naw Bu. “Alaw Hill is relatively close to the Chinese border. From the military point of view, it is relatively strategic. British troops deployed there during World War II. The reports that we have occupied three outposts are untrue. The rest were just groups of sentries guarding the outpost,” said Col. Naw Bu. The attack was made in retaliation to the military’s attacks on KIA outposts near Laiza, which are under the control of KIA headquarters, he said. “The troops of the military regime fired at our outposts on Hpalap Hill [near Laiza] with artillery throughout the night on Ma

‘Islamo-leftism’: France enters its McCarthyist era

  In recent weeks, another wave of political polarisation hit France, as the concept of “Islamo-leftism” occupied centre stage in a heated cultural debate. In an interview with CNews, the French equivalent of Fox News, Higher Education and Research Minister Frédérique Vidal was asked whether or not she agreed that “Islamo-leftism is plaguing universities”. Her response was instant and shocking: “Islamo-leftism is plaguing the entire society,” she declared. She went on to say: “I am going to call for an investigation into all the currents of research on these subjects in the universities, so we can distinguish proper academic research from activism and opinion.” Vidal’s statement on “Islamo-leftism” is the latest in a string of similar pronouncements by elected officials in France. In June, President Emmanuel Macron told journalists: “The academic world has its share of blame. It has encouraged the ethnicisation of the social question, thinking this was a good line of rese

Yemen relief groups concerned UN experts report may hurt aid work

Image
Local grassroots charities in Yemen are disconcerted by revelations in the 2021 United Nations Security Council Panel of Experts report that threaten humanitarian workflow in the war-ravaged nation. The Trump administration’s decision a month before the report was released to impose the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designation on the Iran-aligned Houthis did not help either. But this was swiftly reversed when US President Joe Biden assumed power. Key accusations in the UN report include: Yemeni multinational Hayel Saeed Anam (HSA) Group made a profit of about $194m between mid-2018 and August 2020 from the letter of credit mechanism alone (an instrument used in international trade guaranteeing security to both buyers and sellers); the Central Bank of Yemen (CBY) misused Saudi deposits worth nearly $2bn and engaged in money laundering and foreign currency rate manipulation. Both the HSA Group and the CBY denied the allegations. Muna Luqman, the founder of Taiz-ba

Religious Persecution: Indian woman engineer alleges workplace bias at Apple over her 'Hindu ancestry in Pakistan'

  San Francisco: Apple Inc. lost an early round in a discrimination lawsuit brought in the U.S. by a female engineer from India who says her two managers — one from her country, the other from Pakistan — treated her as they would in their own countries: as a subservient. The woman’s case in California state court is the latest to allege workplace bias in Silicon Valley that arises from the prevalent cultural prejudices of tech workers from South Asia. Cisco Systems Inc. is fighting a suit brought by California’s civil rights agency alleging bias against a member of India’s Dalit caste, formerly referred to as the “untouchables.” Anita Nariani Schulze said she was forced to resign her job as a technical engineer at Apple in 2019 after tolerating years of discriminatory treatment at the hands of her senior and direct managers. She said the two consistently excluded her from meetings while inviting her male counterparts, criticized her, micromanaged her work, and deprive

Freedom of expression: UK teacher suspended after showing 'inappropriate' cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed in class

  LONDON: A school teacher was suspended on Friday after reportedly showing an "inappropriate" cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed at a school in the Midlands region of England. The image was used in a lesson at Batley Grammar School in West Yorkshire earlier this week and triggered protests outside the school. The teacher in question has since been suspended pending an investigation, with Head Teacher Gary Kibble apologising "unequivocally". "It is never acceptable to threaten or intimidate teachers. We encourage dialogue between parents and schools when issues emerge. "However, the nature of protest we have seen, including issuing threats and in violation of coronavirus restrictions are completely unacceptable and must be brought to an end," a Department for Education (DfE) spokesperson said. "Schools are free to include a full range of issues, ideas and materials in their curriculum, including where they are challenging or con

4 killed in Bangladesh as Islamic fundamentalist group, students protest against Modi’s visit

  New Delhi: At least four persons were killed in Bangladesh’s Chittagong and dozens severely injured when activists from Hefazat-e-Islam, an Islamic fundamentalist group, as well as students affiliated with Left parties clashed with the police during their protest against the ongoing visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi there. The protests, which were already going on across the country against Modi’s scheduled visit, intensified after the prime minister landed in Dhaka to take part in Bangladesh’s National Day celebrations.  Just as the Friday prayers got over, protesters gathered at Dhaka’s Baitul Mukarram mosque where Hefazat activists clashed with police and Awami League supporters, sources in Bangladesh told ThePrint. When PM Modi was participating in the National Day celebrations in Dhaka along with his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina, massive clashes erupted near the mosque where as many as 60 people, including two journalists, were injured, reported Dai

Xinjiang cotton: Western clothes brands vanish as backlash grows

Image
  China is targeting more Western clothes retailers as international backlash grows over claims of abuses in the cotton-growing Xinjiang region. Several major brands have expressed concern over allegations that members of the mostly Muslim Uighur minority group are being used as forced labour. Some companies' online shops are blocked and their stores have vanished from some digital maps. China initially targeted H&M and Nike but that has widened to include Burberry, Adidas and Converse, among others. While H&M's physical stores in China remain, it is no longer possible to hail a taxi to the shops using an app and consumers can't shop online. Instead China is championing local brands. China is accused of committing serious human rights violations against Uighurs in Xinjiang. image copyright Getty Images image caption It is alleged that Uighur people are forced to pick cotton that supplies the global market Beijing denies this, and has hit back with retaliator