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After Aleppo's fall, Hamas finds itself resisting Tehran as well as Tel Aviv

Wednesday 28 December 2016

The fall of Aleppo to Iran-backed pro-government forces has brought a bubbling conflict between Iran and Hamas to the boil, with the former making thinly-veiled threats to cut off the Palestinian group.

The threats came from Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, a member of the Iranian Foreign Affairs and National Security Committee, in the wake of increasing solidarity from Hamas to Aleppo.

In an interview last week with the reformist Qanun newspaper, Falahatpisheh made clear there would be material consequences if Hamas did not change its position on Iran’s role in the region, not least its intervention in Syria.

If Hamas does not reconsider the “inconsistent positions by its leaders,” Tehran will be forced to turn to “the most detested of available options” – turning to other Palestinian factions such as the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, said Falahatpisheh on 21 December.

The tensions between Hamas, the most renowned anti-Israel movement in the region, and Iran are significant, as Tehran legitimizes its foreign policy through its "Axis of Resistance" against Israel and the United States, which includes Hamas, Lebanon's Hezbollah and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

“Currently, the sphere of influence of the resistance extends from the Indian subcontinent to the borders of Israel,” Falahatpisheh said.

The harshness of the senior Iranian official's tone underlines the depth of the crisis in relations. Falahatpisheh accused Hamas of continuing to “support terrorist groups working under the umbrella of the Syrian opposition”.

He described Hamas’ current stance as “hostile,” and saw the group as moving out of Iran’s sphere of influence.

Falahatpisheh demanded Hamas not forget that Syria was, in his words, “a leader in the resistance, and much of its misfortunes are now due to this position”.

Hamas' support for Aleppo

“We are following with great pain what is happening in Aleppo and the horrific massacres, murders and genocide its people are going through, and condemn it entirely,” read a statement from Hamas at the height of the bombardment of Aleppo.

The movement asked those whom it described as “wise, free and responsible in the ummah (global Islamic community) to act promptly to protect civilians in Aleppo and save those who are still alive”.

It also called on international, human rights and humanitarian institutions around the world to intervene immediately to “stop these dreadful massacres, stand by the children, women and elderly of Aleppo and save them from death and destruction”.

Ahmed Youssef, a senior Hamas figure and former foreign relations head, told al-Khaleej Online that his group would not change course – not least after what happened in Aleppo.

Youssef said the group’s position reflected that of the Palestinian public, who themselves have suffered similar brutality during Israel’s repeated assaults on the Gaza Strip.

He was adamant that Hamas would continue to stand in solidarity with Syria and condemn the killing of civilians there.

During Hamas’ recent parade commemorating the movement’s 29th anniversary, civilian Gazans and Qassam Brigade soldiers alike were seen carrying banners in solidarity with the people of Aleppo.

Hamas-Iran tensions

On the issue of Iranian-Hamas relations, the Iranian outlet Qanun threw in its own two cents: “It seems that Hamas moved away from Iran a long time ago."

“This can be clearly seen from what is taking place in Syria. All of this is occurring at a time when leaders of the movement deny the existence of any differences of opinion between Tehran and the movement.

“In reality, however, their actions contradict their words.”

“Its financial relations with the Arabs are the reason behind the incoherent positions among the movement’s leaders,” Falahatpisheh said, going as far as to add that the “Israeli lobby” was influencing the group’s position.

He accused a “current” within Hamas of “seeking to save Daesh under the label of the Syrian opposition”.

There are also tensions within Hamas's leadership over Iran's influence on the group's direction, which were made public through information leaked to the London-based pan-Arab al-Sharq al-Awsat daily.

The leaks came from a meeting of senior Hamas leaders, where a leading commander of Hamas's military wing expressed his concern over growing Iranian influence due to its financial and military support for the group.

Salah al-Arouri is a founding commander of Hamas’ military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, and the movement’s preeminent figure in the West Bank.

According to the leaks, he accused Qassem Soleimani – leader of the Quds Force, the elite branch of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) – of trying to weaken the Qassam Brigade’s allegiance to Hamas and attempting to absorb them into the Quds Force.

Arouri also protested in the meeting against the pressure Soleimani was putting on the group to pledge complete loyalty to Tehran in the same way Islamic Jihad had done when their general secretary, Ramadan Shalah, led a delegation to Tehran and pledged an oath of allegiance to the Iranian regime.

Relations between Hamas and Iran deteriorated sharply following the outbreak of the Syrian revolution in 2011. The following year, the group’s leadership left Damascus after being based there for more than a decade. Their funding was reduced drastically shortly thereafter.

“Our position on Syria affected relations with Iran. Its support for us never stopped, but the amounts [of money] were significantly reduced,” a senior Hamas official said in 2013.

In response to this turn of events, Iran ramped up funding for other Palestinian groups, most notably the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Islamic Jihad moves closer to Iran

Islamic Jihad has staged its own show of force in Gaza in recent months in a rally including its military wing – the al-Quds Brigades.

Shalah, quoted in the al-Sharq al-Awsat leaks as criticizing Iranian influence, spoke via video link at the October rally, saying: "[Iran] is the only country which commits to the unending support of the Palestinian cause”.

Islamic Jihad has had their own tensions with Iran over Syria for the past two years, but have recently changed tune and become one of Iran’s most vociferous Palestinian proxies.

Earlier this year, Shalah led a Palestinian Islamic Jihad delegation to Tehran and met with Soleimani.

“The defense of Palestine amounts to a defense of Islam,” Shalah said, adding: “The Arab states did not support the popular uprising in Palestine and will never support it since it contradicts their leaders’ agendas. Iran is the only state that supports the intifada and the martyrs’ families.”

Soleimani pledged to provide $70m in annual assistance to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad after the visit, which could explain their change in direction.

JPost reported that the move could be seen as a snub to Hamas following the 2015 visit by the movement's political chief Khaled Meshaal to Iran’s arch-rival Saudi Arabia, which appeared to mark a significant warming of relations with the Gulf state.

At the end of his interview, Falahatpisheh said that Tehran “does not see Hamas as the whole of the resistance.

“If Hamas continues its current political direction in obstructing things, then Iran will develop new relations with other Palestinian groups without seriously harming the resistance.”

Source: Middle East Eye.
Link: http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/after-aleppo-s-fall-hamas-finds-itself-resisting-tehran-well-tel-aviv-1017030317.

Being Gaza's first international student

December 15, 2016

While I was studying my bachelor’s degree in the Islamic University of Malaysia I told my Palestinian friends that I want to do my master’s in the Islamic University of Gaza (IUG), they told me this is impossible. They said they were unable to enter the Strip even though they are Palestinians.

I kept this childhood dream in the deepest part of my heart; it was my ambition to complete my master’s in IUG. After my bachelor’s degree I returned to Turkey and began work. A couple of years later I felt ready to continue my studies.

I was eager to complete a master’s degree which I could really enjoy and sink my teeth into, not just study for the sake of saying I have obtained this new certificate. I knew I would not be able to find what I was looking for in Turkey and Europe was too cold for me, America’s approach to studies also ruled it out.

It was then that I received a letter from a friend in Gaza, when I explained my dream of studying in Gaza the only response I received was “why not?”. So I applied. I also got in touch with a member of the faculty of IUG who had studied in Turkey and had a love for the country.

My application reached the university rector and he replied: “Turks are our brothers, they were with us throughout our struggles; send her acceptance letter.” The university’s plan to have a program for international students started with me.

Before I applied for a visa to Egypt I asked the Turkish Embassy in Cairo to obtain permission for me to enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing. They told me that I had a 50 per cent chance of being accepted because this was the first case of its kind. I kept my faith in God and, two months later, I received a call telling me that I was permitted to travel.

The permission given to me meant I could pass through the Rafah crossing when it was open, so when I applied for a visa to Egypt and heard the crossing was to be opened I rushed to make it on time. I arrived in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, and headed to Arish. The journey was difficult but once I arrived in Gaza that didn’t matter.

The weather in Gaza was different to that in Egypt; by just crossing the border I sensed a change. Gaza hugs you with a warm welcome. Its people were wonderful and made me forget the terrifying journey I’d made to get there.

A group from the university and a friend came to pick me up from the border crossing and we headed straight to the campus.

People were surprised that I’d come from abroad to study at their university and I heard time and again: “You’ve honored us.” Everyone made me feel at home in my new surroundings.

When I enrolled in my courses lecturers were very accommodating going through the subject matter in both English and Arabic to ensure I understood. They also help me improve my Arabic language skills. I struggled at first, at home I’d learnt Quranic Arabic, here they used a more colloquial dialect which I didn’t fully comprehend at times.

People’s hospitality means I am never worried about what I was going to eat, I am regularly invited to people’s houses, everyone is so hospitable and generous. Occasionally I find a restaurant and enjoy eating out. The food throughout the Strip, from Rafah, in the south, to Jabalia, in the north, is great.

I am now staying in Jabalia, approximately 20 mins from Gaza City which was home to my university. Unfortunately, I don’t drive so it wasn’t a short trip for me. I had to use three modes of transport to get to university including a shared minicab.

I had been warned about the cost of rent and the high cost of living which had been compared to prices in Istanbul, but I am finding life in Gaza is cheaper than that in Turkey. The area looks dated, like my hometown of Diyarbakir looked in the 1990s. But this is an amazing feat for a city that has survived three wars. The beauty of Khan Yunis and Rafah made me reminisce about life in Turkey but the Gaza air and the olive, lemon, date and palm gardens all brought me back to appreciating the beauty of my surroundings.

The beautiful fields weren’t the only relaxing aspect of life in Gaza. During my free time I often go to the beach to enjoy the sea breeze and watch the waves crash onto the shore. There are also a large number of charities and organisations that support the community, orphans and victims of war. Sports complexes are numerous in the Strip so there is always something to do but nothing beats running along the beach.

Things were different for me the first time I experienced the bombardments. On my first night in Gaza there were two rocket attacks. I could feel my body freeze. By morning I had recovered and when I told my friends about my experience they laughed, it was nothing they told me, they’d experienced 76 in one night!

I quickly learnt to do as Gazans do when there’s a bombing.

Once I was in class and 35 rockets attacked the area. I had had plans to have dinner with my friend’s family and these were plans I didn’t cancel. We ate under bombardment. This is daily life in Gaza and even babies are getting used to the sounds and situation.

When I’d call to check on my friends following the bombings they’d reply with surprise: “This is normal, we are used to this, don’t worry.”

I have now been in Gaza for more than 40 days, my Arab language skills have improved significantly, and because of the delicious food on offer my waistline has also been affected!

Every day I love Gaza more and am thankful I’m here.

I’ve never felt so much peace in all my life.

Source: Middle East Monitor.
Link: https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20161215-gazas-first-international-student/.

New Cabinet in Lebanon vows to 'preserve stability'

December 18, 2016

BEIRUT (AP) — A new 30-member national unity Cabinet headed by Prime minister Saad Hariri was announced Sunday in Lebanon nearly two months after a new president was elected, and the premier vowed that his top priority would be to protect the country from the effects of the civil war in neighboring Syria.

The Cabinet includes most of the country's political groups, including the Shiite militant Hezbollah, which holds two seats. It was to hold its first meeting on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters shortly after the Cabinet was announced, Hariri said his government's priority would be to "preserve the stability that is prevailing in Lebanon amid fires that are spreading around the region."

He said his government would work to "isolate our country from the negative effects of the Syrian war" and would seek international help in dealing with the hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees who have fled into Lebanon.

Lebanon is home to some 1.2 million Syrian refugees, or a quarter of the country's population. The Syrian war has spilled over into Lebanon on several occasions over the past five years, with clashes and bombings that killed scores.

Lebanese are sharply divided over Syria's war. Hariri has been a harsh critic of President Bashar Assad's government, while Hezbollah has sent thousands of its fighters to back the Syrian leader. Hariri, who served as prime minister for 14 months until early 2011, began working to form the new Cabinet in early November, days after the country's newly elected president, Michel Aoun, asked him to do so. The new government must still be approved by parliament.

A Christian leader and strong ally of the Shiite Hezbollah group, Aoun was elected president by parliament on Oct. 31, ending a 29-month presidential vacuum in Lebanon. His election was made possible after Hariri endorsed him for president, based on an understanding that Aoun would then appoint him as prime minister.

According to Lebanon's sectarian-based power-sharing system, the president must be a Maronite Christian, the prime minister a Muslim Sunni and the parliament speaker a Shiite Muslim. Hariri is the son of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a billionaire businessman and influential politician who was assassinated in 2005 in Beirut. Several Hezbollah members are being tried in absentia for the killing by a U.N.-backed tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands.

Jordan praises 'historic' UN Israel settlement vote

24 December 2016 Saturday

Jordan on Saturday welcomed the "historic" UN Security Council resolution demanding a halt to Israeli settlements, saying the momentous vote paved a way for a two-state solution.

"This historic decision expresses the consensus of the international community on the illegality of Israeli settlements and reaffirms the Palestinian people's historic right (to live) in Jerusalem and its historic lands," Jordan's information minister Mohammad al-Momani said Saturday.

Some 430,000 Israeli settlers currently live in the West Bank and a further 200,000 Israelis live in east Jerusalem, which Palestinians see as the capital of their future state.

The resolution demands that "Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem."

It states that Israeli settlements have "no legal validity" and are "dangerously imperiling the viability of the two-state solution."

Momani said the resolution reinforced the historic position of Jordan -- one of the few Arab states to have diplomatic ties with Israel -- on the need for a two state solution.

The Middle East peace process has been comatose since a US initiative to re-launch peace talks collapsed in April 2014.

Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/todays-news/182180/jordan-praises-historic-un-israel-settlement-vote.

Death toll in Karak attacks rises to 14, including four terrorists

By Rana Husseini
Dec 19,2016

AMMAN — Four terrorists were killed in a security operation in the southern governorate of Karak on Sunday after 10 people were killed in attacks, including four police officers and three gendarmes.

Two civilians and a Canadian citizen were killed, while 22 other civilians and police officers were injured when four gunmen stormed the southern city and fired at security and civilians before heading to the Karak Castle, official sources said.

Government Spokesperson Mohammad Momani told The Jordan Times that the Kingdom will remain resilient against attempts to disturb its stability and security, extending Jordan's condolences to the Canadian government over the loss of the Canadian national.

Momani and the Public Security Department (PSD) said all the civilians who were trapped in the Karak Castle when the terrorists withdrew there were freed following a five-hour rescue operation.

Security forces evacuated people who were residing near the Karak castle, a resident who preferred anonymity, told The Jordan Times.

“The forces closed all main entries to the town and asked residents to stay at home and follow security instructions,” the resident said.

Several videos that circulated on social media on Sunday purported dozens of residents carrying armed weapons and “pledging to help security forces to fight the terrorists.”

Other video clips captured armored vehicles and gendarmerie forces as they entered the city heading to the castle.

A second witness, a 23-year-old accountant, said four men entered the city with a vehicle and clashed with police.

“They were firing randomly and many people were injured,” the eyewitness told The Jordan Times over the phone.

“I hid under a vehicle to avoid the flying bullets but several people were injured from the fire exchange between the suspects and the security forces,” the eyewitness, who preferred anonymity, said.

He added that the suspects then headed to the castle and took hostages there. Momani said there were no hostage taking, but rather people were trapped and then freed.

“Several security forces and sharp shooters surrounded the castle, while helicopters hovered over the ancient ruins,” he added.

The PSD issued a statement earlier in the day saying that the incident occurred when a police unit responded to a fire alert that erupted in a house in Qatraneh to the north of Karak.

“Unidentified assailants fired at the officers, injuring two of them then fled in a vehicle,” the PSD statement said.

Shortly afterwards, the statement added, the terrorists shot at a police patrol in the Karak governorate followed by more shots at a police station when they took refuge in the castle.

He said Special Forces have surrounded an area in the southern city where 10 of the suspected attackers were entrenched in.

Addressing a Parliament session earlier in the day, Prime Minister Hani Mulki said there was no information on the attackers, describing them as “outlaws”.

He said the incident started in Qatraneh town, north of Karak, when the unknown assailants opened fire from a cafe’s rooftop at a police patrol. Later on, he said, they targeted other patrols in the governorate.

Source: The Jordan Times.
Link: http://jordantimes.com/news/local/death-toll-karak-attacks-rises-14-including-four-terrorists.

Tunisians protest against the return of jihadis like Amri

December 24, 2016

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — About 200 people have protested in the Tunisian capital against the return of Tunisian jihadis who have fought abroad. The gathering Saturday was prompted by the deadly truck attack in a Berlin Christmas market by Tunisian Anis Amri, who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group and was killed Friday in a police shootout. Amri, 24, was slated to be deported home from Germany.

Banners at the protest in front of Parliament in Tunis read "Close the doors to terrorism" and "No tolerance, no return." Protesters waved Tunisian flags and sang the national anthem. Protester Faten Mejri said "for us, they are not Tunisians. They are awful people."

Tunisia says at least 800 Tunisian jihadis are under surveillance since returning home after fighting in Syria, Iraq and Libya.

Omanis vote in municipal elections

25 December 2016 Sunday

Voters in Oman headed to the polls Sunday to choose municipal councilors in only the second local election held in the Gulf sultanate.

In 1994 it became the first Gulf monarchy to give the vote to women and in 2011 Qaboos decreed that elections be held for municipal councils.

More than 620,000 voters were registered to take part in Sunday's polls, which will choose councilors for 11 municipalities including the capital Muscat.

The councilors will have limited powers, as authorities will designate chairmen and deputy chairmen for the municipalities from outside those elected.

"I voted for the person who will best represent me," Jawhara al-Zadjali said as she left a polling station in Muscat.

Voters across the country are choosing 202 councilors from among 731 candidates, including 23 women, for the four-year posts.

At the national level, Oman has a consultative council with limited powers, the 85-member Majlis al-Shura.

In 2011 Qaboos slightly expanded the powers of the Majlis al-Shura after unprecedented social unrest when the normally quiet nation became caught up in protests which swept the Arab world.

Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/todays-news/182209/omanis-vote-in-municipal-elections.

Madrid to lift unprecedented car restrictions as smog eases

December 29, 2016

MADRID (AP) — Madrid's town hall says smog levels have dropped enough to allow the city to end unprecedented restrictions it had announced on vehicle circulation. City environment councilor Ines Sabanes said Thursday's ban on vehicles with plates ending in an even number will not be extended. Other measures, including a ban on street parking for non-residents and reduced speed limits, will continue.

Madrid ordered the traffic limits, a first for a Spanish city, due to excess levels of nitrogen dioxide in the air. Sabanes said weather conditions continued to be bad, mainly due to a lack of rain and wind, and authorities would continue to monitor the situation.

Spain: Labor unions march against government policies

December 18, 2016

MADRID (AP) — Several thousand workers took to the streets of Madrid Sunday to protest the Spanish government's labor policies of recent years as the country emerges from a long economic downturn. Spain's two main labor unions, UGT and CCOO, organized the march in the capital under the theme "People and their rights first." The march follows more than 60 smaller protests held by unions in recent days across the country.

Unions claim that the cuts to public spending and labor reforms carried out by Spain's conservative government to deal with the country's five-year economic crisis hurt workers' rights and their purchasing power.

"We won't allow the government to maintain the cuts of recent years." said UGT leader Jose Maria Alvarez. The march was backed by leaders of Spain's Socialists and far-left Podemos (We Can) parties. The conservative-led government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy overhauled Spain's labor laws in 2012 to make it cheaper for companies to fire workers.

Spain's slowdown began to ease in 2013. Steady job growth has brought the unemployment rate down from 27 percent in 2013 to under 20 percent, yet that is still the second highest percentage of the 28 European Union member states.

Rajoy's government now rules in minority following recent elections. Its most pressing task is finding support in parliament to pass a budget that meets the EU's deficit targets. CCOO leader Ignacio Fernandez Toxo said that after years of trying to limit the government's reforms, unions want to go on the offensive.

"It's a key moment. Now is when the policies that will mark the budget for next year are being decided," Fernandez Toxo said. Spanish Labor Minister Fatima Banez said that the unions should negotiate with the government instead of marching.

"If the unions want a change, then they should agree to one with employers and we will consider it," Banez told Cope radio.

Venezuela extends use of 100-bolivar bill following protests

December 18, 2016

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela's government on Saturday extended the use of its 100-bolivar bill until Jan. 2, after its decision to pull the banknote out of circulation left the country largely without cash, and sparked protests and looting.

President Nicolas Maduro said the decision to put Venezuela's most widely used note back in use came after the promised higher-denomination replacement bills were still unavailable because three planes transporting them were "victims of sabotage." He did not give details of the alleged sabotage.

The "new logistics" of rolling out the banknotes, including the 500-bolivar bill, meant that their launch would have to wait, Maduro said in a televised address. Venezuela is plagued by the world's highest inflation, and Maduro made the surprise announcement that the 100-bolivar bill would be replaced a week ago. The note had been the country's largest denomination but its value against the U.S. dollar has dropped to about 2 cents, down from 10 cents at the start of the year.

All week, Venezuelans waited in long lines to deposit their soon-to-be-worthless 100-bolivar notes in banks. When the bill went out of circulation on Friday and the replacement bills had not yet arrived at banks or ATMs, people were forced to rely on credit cards or bank transfers, or to try to make purchases with bundles of hard-to-find smaller bills often worth less than a penny each.

Anger at having to deal with an economy even more paralyzed than usual exploded in social unrest. "Our children are going hungry," said Lucrecia Morales in Caracas. "We are parents who earn money with the sweat off our brows. And now they say it is worthless? We need a solution."

Authorities said there were protests and looting on Friday and early Saturday in at least six cities, including Maracaibo, where police put down looting near a bank building, and the eastern state of Bolivar, where mobs sacked several businesses. Young men waved their 100-bolivar bills in the air and chanted "they're useless," then turned and ran as police fired tear gas canisters. Dozens of people were arrested.

In Caracas, people banged on pots and cursed the government's apparent lack of planning. There was no cash to be seen changing hands on the street or inside shops. On Saturday, hundreds of government supporters and ruling party members dressed in red shirts marched in Caracas to back Maduro and protest the "economic war" against Venezuela.

In addition to putting the old currency back in circulation, Maduro said he would extend the closure of the border with Colombia and Brazil until Jan. 2. He has said the move aims to thwart "mafias" who hoard bolivars, leading critics to mock the notion that gangsters would choose to keep their wealth in the world's fastest-devaluing currency.

Only foot traffic for family visits will be allowed, he said. Despite the closure, dozens of Venezuelans knocked down barricades set up on the bridge between Urena, Venezuela and Cucuta, Colombia to cross over and buy food.

The currency chaos comes as the oil-rich nation struggles with a contracting economy and empty store shelves. Venezuela has maintained strict currency controls since 2003.

Powerful earthquake shakes Chile, no deaths reported

December 25, 2016

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — A powerful earthquake shook southern Chile on Sunday, but there were no immediate reports of deaths and only minor known damage. The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 7.6 quake struck at 11:22 a.m. local time (9:22 a.m. EST; 1422 GMT) near the southern tip of Chiloe Island, about 25 miles (39 kilometers) south-southwest of Puerto Quello and at a depth of 22 miles (35 kilometers). The area, some 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) south of the capital of Santiago, is relatively sparsely populated.

National emergency director Ricardo Toro told a news conference that some 4,000 people were evacuated for fear of a possible tsunami following the quake, but the alert was eased about 90 minutes after the temblor.

"There is no information of loss of life," Toro said, though he said some highways were damaged. The local electric company reported that power was cut to about 22,000 customers. Taxi driver Luis Ramirez told The Associated Press by telephone from the town of Ancud that he was washing his car when the quake hit. "I'm 48 years old and I've never felt anything so strong," he said.

Ramirez said cars equipped with loudspeakers roamed the streets urging people to evacuate beach areas. A much stronger magnitude 8.8 earthquake in February 2010 generated a tsunami and killed 524 people in Chile.

At least 56 inmates killed in prison riot in northern Brazil

January 03, 2017

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — An attack by members of one crime gang on rival inmates touched off a riot at a prison in the northern state of Amazonas, leaving at least 56 dead, including several who were beheaded or dismembered in the worst bloodshed at a Brazilian prison since 1992.

Authorities said the riot that raged from Sunday afternoon into Monday morning grew out of a fight between two of the country's biggest crime gangs over control of prisons and drug routes in northern Brazil.

In a separate incident Monday evening, four inmates were killed at another Amazonas prison. Police were investigating whether there was a connection between the mass killings at the Anisio Jobim Penitentiary Complex and the later ones at Unidade Prisional do Puraquequara.

Amazonas authorities initially reported 60 dead in the Anisio Jobim prison in Manaus, but the state public security secretary's office later reduced that figure to 56. Officials also said 112 inmates escaped during the riot.

There were 1,224 inmates in the prison, which was built to hold 592, Amazonas state public security's office said. The prison is run by a private company that is paid according to the number of inmates.

Twelve prison guards were held hostage by the inmates during the riot, though none was injured. "This is the biggest prison massacre in our state's history," Public Security Secretary Sergio Fontes said at a news conference. "What happened here is another chapter of the war that narcos are waging on this country and it shows that this problem cannot be tackled only by state governments."

Fontes confirmed that many of the dead had been beheaded. Judge Luis Carlos Valois, who negotiated the end of the riot with inmates, said he saw many bodies that had been quartered. "I never saw anything like that in my life. All those bodies, the blood," Valois wrote on Facebook.

It was the largest death toll during a Brazilian prison riot since the killing of 111 inmates by police officers in the Carandiru penitentiary in Sao Paulo in 1992. Police said they acted in self-defense then.

Two other prisons in Manaus also reported riots since Sunday. At one, 72 prisoners escaped, including an inmate who posted a picture of himself on Facebook as he left. Amazonas police were also looking for any links between those two incidents and the riot at Anisio Jobim.

Authorities said that of the 184 inmates who escaped Amazonas prisons the last two days, only 40 had been recaptured. Fontes said the inmates at Anisio Jobim made few demands to end the riot, saying that hinted at a killing spree organized by members of a local gang, the Family of the North, against those of the First Command of the Capital that is based in Sao Paulo.

Valois said that during the negotiations at Anisio Jobim, inmates asked only "that we did not transfer them, made sure they were not attacked and kept their visitation" rights. Authorities said officers found a hole in a prison wall through which weapons entered the building. A policeman was wounded in exchange of gunfire with the inmates. Several firearms were found when police searched the prison after the riot.

Jose Vicente da Silva, a former national public security secretary, said the incidents in Manaus were a result of Brazil's severe recession and poor management of the prison system. "Since 2014 homicides in prisons of Amazonas are double the national average, and last year they cut their public security budget by 50 percent due to austerity measures. This incident is a repetition in a bigger scale," Da Silva told The Associated Press. "Every year 500 inmates die in Brazilian prisons. With the current economic crisis and the budget cuts, the gangs get even bolder."

The First Command, nationally known as PCC, is the most powerful drug and prison gang in Brazil and it has been trying to extend its reach to northern prisons dominated by the Family of the North. To counter, Family of the North associated with the Red Commando of Rio de Janeiro, the second biggest crime gang in Brazil.

To avoid another wave of killings of PCC members, Amazonas authorities said they had relocated 130 inmates to a prison that was opened in 1907 but deactivated in October because of substandard conditions.

Scotland seeks own future in EU despite UK's departure

December 20, 2016

LONDON (AP) — Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon offered proposals Tuesday to protect Scotland's place in Europe after Britain leaves the European Union, saying it's possible to keep Scotland in Europe's single market even after Brexit.

But Prime Minister Theresa May played down the prospect of Scotland getting a separate Brexit deal, saying that her government will be negotiating a "United Kingdom approach" with Brussels. Britain voted to leave the EU in June but 62 percent of voters in Scotland backed remaining in the 28-nation bloc. Sturgeon, who backs Scottish independence, said Britain's departure should be "flexible" to address the needs of the U.K.'s different constituents — England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Launching a document titled "Scotland's Place in Europe," Sturgeon said it was best for Scotland — and the rest of Britain — to remain in the European single market and customs union. Leaving the EU single market, she argues, would be a blow to many Scottish — and British — businesses that would face new tariffs on trade. Staying in the single market though would require signing up to EU rules on the freedom of movement — regaining control of borders was one of the main reasons behind the vote to leave the EU.

Sturgeon argued that the EU referendum did not give a mandate to take any part of Britain out of the European single market. Nonetheless, she conceded it was unlikely that Britain will choose to stay in the free trade bloc.

In that event, Sturgeon proposed that Scotland could stay in the European Economic Area by means of special arrangements like those that apply to the Channel Islands and the Faroe Islands. She also proposed a substantial transfer of new powers to the Scottish Parliament — including over immigration and import and export control — in order for Scotland to pursue its own relationship with the EU.

May's office at Downing Street said the British government would look closely at Sturgeon's proposals, which are expected to be discussed in detail in January. But May said it was "not right" to accept "differential relationships" for separate parts of Britain with Brussels. She said she has promised to seriously consider any plans, but "there may be proposals that are impractical."

"What we will be negotiating is a United Kingdom approach and a United Kingdom relationship with the European Union," she told lawmakers.

German rail giant steps up 'Silk Road' freight line to China

Berlin (AFP)
Dec 29, 2016

German state rail operator Deutsche Bahn said Thursday it planned to significantly ramp up cargo transport to China following a record year, using the world's longest train line in a modern-day revival of the Silk Road route.

More than 40,000 containers were transported between the two countries in 2016, up from 35,000 a year earlier and "the largest volume of goods" moved on the iron link so far, Deutsche Bahn (DB) said in a statement.

"This is a good basis from which to increase the number of containers to about 100,000 by 2020," DB board member Ronald Pofalla said.

The trans-Eurasian rail stretch spans a distance of 10,000 to 12,000 kilometers (6,000-7,000 miles), passing through Poland, Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia before stopping at several Chinese cities.

The journey takes 12 to 16 days, around half the time it would take for the goods to arrive by sea.

Air travel would be fastest but considerably more expensive.

The freight train service has proved especially popular with clients who require urgent but cost-efficient deliveries such as manufacturers of clothing, electronics and car parts, according to DB.

The Germany-China rail line began operating in 2008. Deutsche Bahn now has some 5,000 employees working in China through its freight subsidiary DB Schenker.

Source: Terra Daily.
Link: http://www.terradaily.com/reports/German_rail_giant_steps_up_Silk_Road_freight_line_to_China_999.html.

France's Holland starts official visit to Iraq

January 02, 2017

BAGHDAD (AP) — French President Francois Hollande arrived in Iraq on Monday amid a fierce fight against the Islamic State group. During his one-day visit, Hollande is scheduled to meet with Iraqi President Fuad Masum and Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in the capital, Baghdad. Later, he'll travel to the country's self-governing northern Kurdish region to meet French troops and local officials.

The visit comes as Iraqi troops, backed by a U.S.-led coalition, are fighting IS in a massive operation to retake the northern city of Mosul. Iraqi state TV said Holland will discuss "increasing support to Iraq and the latest developments in the fight against Daesh," the Arabic acronym for IS.

In quotes published by the Elysee official Twitter account, Holland promised that France would remain a long-term ally of Iraq and called for coordination between intelligence services "in a spirit of great responsibility."

France is part of the U.S.-led international coalition formed in late 2014 to fight IS after the extremist group seized large areas in Iraq and neighboring Syria and declared an Islamic "caliphate." France has suffered multiple terrorist attacks claimed by IS.

Hollande, on Twitter, said Iraq was in a precarious position two years ago, when IS made its blitz. But now the tide has turned. "The results are there: Daesh is in retreat and the battle of Mosul is engaged."

Since the Mosul operation started on Oct. 17, Iraqi forces have seized around a quarter of the city. Last week, the troops resumed fighting after a two-week lull due to stiff resistance by the militants, bad weather and thousands of civilians trapped in their houses.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Sunday, the senior U.S. military commander, Brig. Gen. Rick Uribe, praised the Iraqi forces fighting mainly on the eastern side of the city, saying they were "at their peak." Uribe agreed with al-Abadi's assessment that it would take another three months to liberate Mosul.

He predicted the troops would face a different fight when they cross to the west bank of the Tigris River, saying it will mostly be a "dismounted" battle fought in part on narrow streets, some of which were not wide enough for a vehicle to pass.

Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city is located about 360 kilometers (225 miles) northwest of Baghdad. While the Syrian city of Raqqa is considered the caliphate's de facto capital, Mosul is the largest city under its control. It is the last major IS urban stronghold in Iraq.

Associated Press writer Lori Hinnant in Paris contributed to this report.

McCain calls for permanent US troops in Baltics

Vilnius (AFP)
Dec 29, 2016

Republican Senator John McCain on Thursday called for US troops to be permanently stationed in the Baltic states as a deterrent against Russia amid regional concerns over President-elect Donald Trump's pro-Moscow rhetoric.

"I think that permanency is important, that there will always be some American troops here," McCain told reporters in Lithuania, an EU and NATO member bordering Russia's highly militarized Kaliningrad exclave.

"Maintaining that presence is necessary to make sure that our friends here understand the United States is always with them," he added, wrapping up a three-day tour of the Baltics with fellow Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democrat Amy Klobuchar.

Mentioning Trump's pick for Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, McCain expressed concern over his "relationship with (Russian president) Vladimir Putin" but said he will be given an "opportunity to make his case about why he is qualified".

McCain and Graham also called for increased sanctions against Russia over its cyber-meddling in the US election.

"I think the sanctions need to go beyond what it is today, they need to name Putin as an individual and his inner circle because nothing happens in Russia without his knowledge and approval," Graham said.

The US deployed around 150 troops in each of the Baltic states and Poland in 2014 after tensions in the region flared over Russia's annexation of Crimea.

The outgoing administration also pledged to deploy an additional armored brigade in eastern Europe from early next year on a rotational basis.

Linas Kojala, who heads the Vilnius-based Eastern Europe Studies Center, said the senators' visit was reassuring after Trump's "worrisome" comments.

"For the Baltics, NATO and the presence of American soldiers in the region are key factors which distinguish us from war-torn Ukraine," he told AFP...

Source: Space War.
Link: http://www.spacewar.com/reports/McCain_calls_for_permanent_US_troops_in_Baltics_999.html.

Congo president to leave after 2017 vote under new deal

January 01, 2017

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Political parties in Congo signed a deal late Saturday that calls for President Joseph Kabila to leave power after an election that now will be held by the end of next year instead of mid-2018 as his party originally proposed.

The New Year's Eve agreement comes after months of unrest that left dozens dead and threatened to further destabilize the vast Central African nation with a painful history of dictatorship and civil war.

Catholic church officials had mediated talks to reach a compromise and initially imposed a Christmas deadline. The negotiations reached a stalemate, though, and resumed again Thursday under mounting pressure to avoid major violence amid opposition calls for Kabila to step down.

Officials announced that a deal had been reached Saturday evening on the major issues though representatives did not sign it until around 11 p.m. local time on New Year's Eve. Monsignor Marcel Utembi, president of the church body known as CENCO, hailed the progress but acknowledged the challenges still ahead with implementation.

"It's one thing to have a political compromise but putting it into place is another," he said. Neither Kabila nor opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi was to personally sign the agreement Saturday. And even before the night was over, some members of Kabila's party already were casting doubt on the feasibility of the electoral deadline.

"Elections in 2017 — yes. But not to lie, the questions (about the dates) are highly technical. If they won't work, there will be an evaluation. It's why we have adopted a council to follow up on the agreement," said Ramazani Shadari, the deputy prime minister of the interior and a member of Kabila's party.

Kabila became president in 2001 after the assassination of his father, and was constitutionally barred from seeking another term after his mandate expired Dec. 19. However, no presidential election was held in November and a court ruled he could stay in office until such a ballot could be organized.

The president's party said that wasn't possible before mid-2018 because of logistical challenges in organizing the ballot. An angry opposition took to the streets demanding that the vote be held as soon as possible.

In his New Year's message to the Congolese people, Kabila reasserted his commitment to democracy even as opponents accused him of prolonging his rule through a technicality. "The source of legitimacy is only through the people at the ballot box," he said Saturday.

Under the deal, the vote will be organized by the end of 2017 though some details still need to be finalized. That process could reveal other disputes, and opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi already has signaled that his supporters "will only be satisfied the day the transfer of power will happen."

Still, the agreement to not modify the constitution effectively blocks Kabila from rewriting it so that he can seek a third term, a major victory for the opposition. Another point of conflict in the ongoing negotiations had been who would serve as prime minister until the elections. Kabila already had gone ahead and appointed someone this month who is from the opposition, but he came from the minority of opposition politicians who had taken part in negotiations back in October. The coalition of opposition parties that boycotted those talks wanted the prime minister to come from their group instead. It was not immediately clear late Saturday who would take the position.

The opposition also had demanded the release of political prisoners, and the dropping of criminal charges against opposition leader Moise Katumbi that they believe were politically motivated. Katumbi fled abroad as prosecutors announced their intent to try him on charges of hiring mercenaries, which he denied. Before going into exile and the canceling of the election, he was seen as a leading contender for the presidency.

Under Saturday's deal, mediating group CENCO will examine Katumbi's case. Human Rights Watch has said that at least 34 people were killed in violence during demonstrations after Kabila's mandate expired. Earlier this year, more than 50 others died in protests that took place when the electoral commission failed to schedule the November election, according to the U.N.

Larson reported from Dakar, Senegal.

New UN chief aims to make 2017 'a year for peace'

01 January 2017 Sunday

The new United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said Sunday he would like to make 2017 a year to "put peace first," in a message heralding the new year and marking his first day as the world body's chief.

"How can we help the millions of people caught up in conflict, suffering massively in wars with no end in sight?" Guterres said.

"Civilians are pounded with deadly force. Women, children and men are killed and injured, forced from their homes, dispossessed and destitute.

"No one wins these wars; everyone loses."

Ushering in 2017, Guterres asked the world to make "one shared New Year's resolution: Let us resolve to put peace first.

"Let us make 2017 a year in which we all -- citizens, governments, leaders -- strive to overcome our differences."

The unanimous election of Guterres -- who fought for migrants' rights as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees for a decade -- has energized UN diplomats who see him as a skilled politician who may be able to overcome the divisions crippling the international organization.

"Peace must be our goal and our guide," he said. "All that we strive for as a human family -- dignity and hope, progress and prosperity -- depends on peace."

"But peace depends on us."

Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=182531.

2 Russian Navy ships arrive in Manila for goodwill visit

January 03, 2017

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Russian Navy anti-submarine ship and a sea tanker have arrived in Manila for a goodwill visit amid President Rodrigo Duterte's moves to bolster ties with Moscow, including a possible weapons deal.

Rear Adm. Eduard Mikhailov, deputy commander of Russia's Pacific Fleet, said Tuesday that a wide range of equipment was brought to demonstrate to the Philippine military during the five-day visit. It is the third such Russian visit to the Philippines but is the first under Duterte's administration. It will include meetings between naval officials, as well as the opening of the ships to the public and Russian tours of historical places in Manila.

The Philippines has heavily depended on the U.S., its treaty ally, for weapons, ships and aircraft for years.

Russia to double number of space launches in 2017

Moscow (Sputnik)
Jan 01, 2017

Director-General Igor Komarov said that Russia's state space corporation Roscosmos plans to launch twice as many rockets into space in 2017 as in the outgoing year.

Russia's state space corporation Roscosmos plans to launch twice as many rockets into space in 2017 as in the outgoing year, its Director-General Igor Komarov said Wednesday.

"The launch program for the next year comes with a considerable increase [in space launches]. Next year, we will effectively see the number of launches double," Komarov announced.

The first launches of 2017 are scheduled for January at Kazakhstan's Baikonur and Guiana space ports. The new Plesetsk cosmodrome in Russia will enter the active phase of operation in February, with the Vostochny space port about to be completed...

Source: Space Daily.
Link: http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Russia_to_Double_Number_of_Space_Launches_in_2017_999.html.

Beijing's space program soars in 2016

Moscow (Sputnik)
Jan 01, 2017

In 2016, the Chinese government launched a whole array of major space-related projects which proved to be successful, Russian military expert Vasily Kashin told Sputnik China.

In 2016, China started tests of its first heavy-lift Long March-5 rocket. The successful completion of the launch vehicle will pave the way for the construction of a Chinese space station, Kashin told Sputnik China. He also cited tests of the country's solid-propellant rockets.

Earlier this year, China was the first to launch a quantum communication satellite into orbit, as well as a satellite for conducting EmDrive engine tests, according to Kashin. 2016 also saw a manned mission on board the Chinese orbital module Tiangong-2, where a cold atom interferometer was installed for possible scientific purposes, including those related to detecting submarines.

This year, China ranked second after Russia in terms of its number of successful space launches, while the number of Chinese satellites in orbit outstripped Russia in 2014. Since then, it has been strengthening its position, Kashin said.

In 2016, it was confirmed that China had created its first experimental missile early warning satellite, according to him.

"These satellites are equipped with sensitive infrared sensors to register the missile launches. Presumably, the satellite was launched in late 2015," Kashin said. He also cited China's efforts to put new types of reconnaissance satellites into orbit and test new anti-satellite weapons and the regular testing of such systems. According to the US, statements are expected in the near future.

"So it's safe to say that 2016 proved to be a successful year for the Chinese space industry, which will be developed further, in 2017," Kashin pointed out.

Next year may see the launch of a lunar mission of the Chinese automatic station Chang'e-5 and the first automatic cargo ship Tianzhou, as well as the continuation of construction of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System and the expansion of the network of Chinese reconnaissance satellites, he said.

"The Chinese space program gradually comes to the fore in the world. China's shift to new generations of rockets will help reduce the use of a toxic rocket fuel called heptyl. It should be noted in this context that the second stage of the Long March-5 rocket uses an innovative and environmentally friendly hydrogen fuel, Kashin said.

In order to be considered a superpower, it's necessary for China to develop an innovative economy and the growing military and political rivalry with the United States will add to the rapid development of China's space program, even in the face of stalled economic growth, he said.

Russia, for its part, should expand bilateral space cooperation with China in order to give an additional impetus to its own space industry. In this vein, Moscow should benefit from the production technology of powerful engines for liquid-propellant missiles, and vast experience in the design of various space vehicles, Kashin concluded.

Source: Space Daily.
Link: http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Chinese_Rockets_Beijings_Space_Program_Soars_Into_the_Air_in_2016_999.html.