Thirteen Taliban militants have been killed and 15 captured in seven joint operations conducted by the Afghan army and NATO forces throughout Afghanistan, says the country’s interior ministry. The operations were conducted in the Laghman, Kandahar, Zabul, Wardak, Logar, Ghazni and Farah provinces.
Jewish settlers shoot Palestinian, set fire to West Bank field – witnesses
A group of Jewish settlers from the Yitzhar settlement in northern West Bank set alight a grain field and an olive grove in the Orif village, inhabited Palestinians, witnesses and an AFP journalist report. Some also fired at Palestinian villagers, reportedly gravely injuring one. A video uploaded to Youtube by the B’Tselem human rights group also shows settlers setting the field ablaze, and the wounded Palestinian villager being carried on a stretcher. Later the Israeli military arrived on the scene and forced the settlers to go back to Yitzhar. The area is the scene of frequent clashes between Palestinians and settlers from Yitzhar, considered to be a bastion of extremist Jewish settlement. Last week, several Palestinians from the village of Asira al-Qibliya were apparently shot by settlers from Yitzhar, while Israeli soldiers stood by without intervening. The Israeli military said that it has since begun an inquiry into the incident.
Five injured in Kenya double grenade attacks
Four people have been injured in a grenade attack at a primary school in the Ifo refugee camp in Kenya, local police report. One person was also injured in a separate grenade attack at a hotel in the town of Wajir. Police say the people injured in the Ifo attack were all casual laborers. Kenya has seen a rise in grenade attacks and bombings since it sent troops into neighboring Somalia to fight the al-Shabaab militant group.
Top Nazi war criminal dies in Germany aged 90
A Nazi war criminal who escaped from a Dutch prison after World War II has died in Germany. Klaas Carel Faber was second on the Simon Wiesenthal Centre's list of Nazi criminals, and was wanted by the Netherlands, as he had been sentenced to death for dozens of murders. Faber was a former member of the Nazi SS unit known as Silver Fir, and was originally sentenced to death in 1947, escaping from prison before he could be executed. In 1957, a German court threw out all charges against him for lack of evidence, and Bavarian authorities said the Netherlands must produce new evidence before Faber could be arrested again. The Netherlands secured a European arrest warrant for Faber in November 2010, and sought his return to Dutch custody but Bavarian officials refused to execute the warrant.
Finland shooting victim dies in hospital, bringing death toll to two
The 18-year-old gunman killed a woman and man — both aged 18 — and critically wounded a 23-year-old female police officer who arrived at the scene. Five other wounded people have been hospitalized. According to law enforcement sources, the shootings were random. The suspect, who acted alone, has been taken into custody after surrendering to police. He apparently has no criminal record.
Third-placed Egyptian presidential candidate calls for vote recount
Hamdeen Sabahi, who came third in Egypt’s presidential election last week but failed to make the runoff, is now demanding a recount of the vote. Sabahi received 21.5 per cent of the votes, while the second-placed candidate had 24.9 – a difference of 700,000 ballots. Sabahi cited numerous violations as the reason for why the recount is necessary.
27 Al-Qaeda militants killed in Yemen
At least 27 al-Qaeda militants and seven soldiers have been killed in fighting in southern Yemen, military officials said. The clashes took place near Zinjibar, the capital of the southern Abyan province, and nearby Jaar. Government troops are continuing with a 13-day offensive to retake extremist strongholds.
China counterattacks US over human rights situation
China has issued an extremely critical report on human rights in the US in response to a recent US report on human right practices in nearly 200 countries around the world. Beijing claims the report, published by the US State Department on May 24, included a number of “distortions and accusations” of the situation in China. China’s counter-report reveals the "true human rights situation" in the US in order to urge the country to “confront its own actions." It covers six topics: life, property and personal security; civil and political rights; economic, social and cultural rights; racial discrimination; the rights of women and children; and US violations of human rights in other countries.
France calls for urgent meeting of the Friends of Syria over ‘Houla massacre’
France has called for an emergency meeting of the Friends of Syria group after activists claimed 90 people were killed in a shelling of Houla city on Friday night. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has said it was a “massacre” and that he would contact the Friends of Syria working group immediately to arrange a meeting in Paris. Fabius also said he would talk about the situation in Syria with the UN peace mediator Kofi Annan directly. "UN observers need to be able to complete their mission and the UN-Arab League's joint special envoy's exit plan has to be implemented immediately," Fabius said. A UK-based Syrian opposition group claimed that government artillery killed over 90 people in Houla, including dozens of children.
Al-Qaeda-captured Saudi diplomat pleas for rescue
A Saudi diplomat, who was abducted in March in Yemen by an al-Qaeda-linked group, has appeared in an Internet video statement. Abdallah al-Khalidi pleaded to King Abdullah to meet his captors’ demand and release women prisoners held by Saudi security services.
Russia to grant Serbia $800 mln loan
Russia is set to issue Serbia an $800 mln loan. The sum was agreed upon at the meeting between Russia’s president Putin and newly elected Serbian president Tomislav Nikolic in Moscow. “Two years ago we granted Serbia $200 million loan,” reminded Putin. “And now we are ready to issue the second tranche of $800 million.” The money will be used to finance infrastructure projects Russia is ready to implement. Nikolic assured Putin he will do his best to secure the work for Moscow. Putin also congratulated Tomislav Nikolic for his presidential victory earlier in May.
Russian bikers stranded in Iraq to return home on Sunday
A group of Russian bikers, who were arrested in Iraq for entering the country without proper visas, will return home on Sunday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. They and their motorcycles are currently staying with the Russian embassy waiting for paperwork for their exit to be completed.
Afghan parliament approves pact with US
Afghanistan's parliament has approved a strategic partnership agreement with the United States. The pact clears the way for a US presence in the country for at least 10 years after NATO troops are withdrawn in 2014.The pact pledging US financial and military support was signed by the US and Afghan presidents in May during Obama’s surprise visit to Kabul. The agreement states that Washington may use“diplomatic means, political means, economic means and even military means” to help Afghanistan, with approval from Kabul. It was feared that the obstructive parliament could reject the deal because of the contentious parts of the pact such as controversial night raids on homes and prisons used to detain insurgents; issues which were later addressed and dealt with separately.
Police arrest Finnish gunman who killed 1 and wounded 8
Police say they have arrested an 18-year-old man who shot at people from a low rooftop in central Hyvinkaa, some 50 kilometers north of the capital Helsinki. An 18-year-old woman was killed in the shootings. Two people were critically injured, including a police officer who arrived at the scene soon after Hyvinkaa police received an alert.
Four dead in apparent murder-suicide in Missouri
Four people – a 23-year-old man, a 22-year-old woman and two girls aged 4 and 2 were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide at a house in Blue Springs, Missouri, local news outlet KSHB reports. Police believe one of the adults shot the other victims with a gun before killing him or herself. It is not known whether the deceased were related. The bodies were discovered by a female relative of one of the victims who stopped by after phone calls went unanswered. She then called the police, who secured a warrant to search the duplex.
US drone strike kills four militants in Pakistan
A US drone strike has killed four militants in Miramshah, a town in Pakistan’s North Waziristan tribal district, the country’s security officials said. At least two missiles are believed to have been fired at a house in which the militants were staying. The area is a stronghold of the Haqqani militant network, as well as the Taliban. Pakistan has seen its relations with Washington sour over the past year, especially after a NATO airstrike killed 24 Pakistani soldiers last November. Pakistan shut down supply routes to international troops in Afghanistan in response to the incident. Pakistan has also condemned US drone attacks, saying they are counter-productive, violate the country’s sovereignty, kill civilians and fuel anti-American sentiment.
Kansas governor signs bill accused of being anti-Islamic
Kansas Governor Sam Brownback approved a law prohibiting judges from basing their rulings on foreign and religious legal codes. Brownback signed the bill into law on Monday, but only informed the Senate Friday. Critics derided the bill for its potential to fuel intolerance towards Islam, while proponents argued that it necessary for the preservation of American values.
Indiana gunman kills self after freeing hostages
A man that held an Indiana real estate office hostage shot himself after letting all of his hostages go, police report. The suspected gunman was then taken to hospital in critical condition and died there. He is thought to have taken the office hostage because he believed someone in it owed him money. He exchanged fire with the police, but later engaged in negotiations and released his hostages.
Philadelphia woman charged with murdering her children
A Philadelphia woman has been charged with killing her twin toddlers, police report. Investigators believe Stacey Smalls strangled one of the toddlers and drowned the other. She is also believed to have tried to poison her four-year old daughter, though the girl survived and is currently in stable condition in hospital. Police say Smalls later tried to commit suicide by cutting her wrists, but was discovered by her husband, who promptly called 911.
FULL BLOG UPDATE NOON SUNDAY MAY 26th MAY
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