Russia’s MiG, Sukhoi agree to
joint drone development
Russian
aerospace corporation MiG and holding company Sukhoi have signed an agreement
to cooperate in the development of remote-controlled unmanned aircraft. The
Sukhoi design bureau won the Russian Defense Ministry’s contest for drones,
under which the MiG will also work, MiG chief Sergey Korotkov said on Thursday.
“We have signed an agreement on the issue,” Itar-Tass quoted him as saying. The
two companies were commissioned to bring their respective strengths to the
project, Korotkov said.
BP representatives on Rosneft
board will provide extra transparency – Putin
The
presence of BP representatives on the board of directors of Rosneft will
provide extra transparency for the Russian oil company, President Vladimir
Putin said on Thursday. “If there is a representative of a major shareholder
there on the board of directors, that will provide additional transparency to
the activities of our largest oil company,” Interfax quoted him as saying. He
made the statement at a meeting with members of the Valday international
discussion club.
56 killed in ethnic clashes in
Myanmar
Myanmar
authorities said on Thursday that 56 people were killed and almost 2,000 homes
burned down in a new outbreak of ethnic violence. The 25 men and 31 women were
reported dead in four townships in western Myanmar after violence flared again
on Sunday, Rakhine state spokesperson Win Myaing said. Some 1,900 homes were
burned down in clashes between the Buddhist Rakhine and Muslim Rohingya
communities, the AP reported. UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in
Myanmar Ashok Nigam called for calm in the country. In June, ethnic violence
was responsible for at least 90 deaths and the destruction of more than 3,000
homes.
US did not ship SAMs to Syria
rebels, but coordinates supplies – Moscow
The US
is not supplying Syrian rebels with shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles
(SAMs) directly, but is coordinating such supplies and logistics, Russian
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aleksandr Lukashevich said on Thursday. He was
commenting on a Wednesday statement by Russian armed forces Chief of Staff
General Nikolay Makarov on the matter, and Washington’s reaction to the
statement. Makarov called for an investigation into how the rebels acquired US-made
SAMs.
Russian govt plans to sell 6% of
Rosneft stock in 2013
The
Russian government may sell off some of the state’s holding in oil giant
Rosneft next year. During a meeting on Thursday, Economic Development Minister
Andrey Belousov described Rosneft as one of seven companies in which the
government plans to sell its stock next year. The funds from the sale will be
put back into the federal budget, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said. “We
have envisaged selling a part of the Rosneft stake, and among the revenues we
should receive from privatization, these amounts are in the three-year budget,”
Interfax quoted Siluanov as saying.
Billionaire Ivanishvili endorsed
as Georgia’s prime minister
Georgia’s
parliament approved billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili as the country's new prime
minister in a 88-54 vote on Thursday. His coalition party won the country’s
October 1 parliamentary elections. Maya Pandzhikidze was appointed the foreign
minister, Irakli Alasania as defense minister, Nodar Khaduri as finance
minister and Irakli Garibashvili as interior minister. The new government will
have to work with Mikhail Saakashvili, as he remains president until October
2013. After that time, many of the president's powers will be transferred to
the prime minister, as per the new Georgian constitution.
Russian-manned Soyuz spacecraft
docks with ISS
A
Russian-manned Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft brought a new long-duration expedition
crew to the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday. Soyuz docked on
schedule at 12:29 PM GMT, bringing the station’s crew back up to six people.
The spaceship, which launched from Baikonur on Tuesday, delivered Russian
cosmonauts Oleg Novitsky and Yevgeny Tarelkin, and NASA astronaut Kevin Ford to
the ISS. The crew will spend about six months aboard the station doing
scientific research, and will receive a commercial resupply spacecraft in
orbit.
Papal butler Gabriele to be
imprisoned in Vatican police cell
Papal
butler Paolo Gabriele will be locked up in a Vatican police cell Thursday, the
Church announced. Gabriele had been under house arrest since he was found
guilty on October 6 of stealing documents from Pope Benedict XIV's apartments,
and the prosecution in the trial decided not to appeal against his 18-month
prison sentence, AFP reported. A judicial source said he would not appeal the
verdict.
Father of teen Pakistani activist
says Malala will return home
The
father of 15-year-old Pakistani activist Malala Yousufzai said she will return
home after medical treatment abroad. Ziauddin Yousufzai is expected to fly to
Britain to see his daughter soon, the AP said. He made the remarks in a recent
interview on Pakistani state television – the first time he has spoken publicly
since October 9, when Malala was shot and wounded by a Taliban militant in
northwestern Pakistan. She was airlifted to a hospital in Britain on October 15
for surgery. Many have questioned whether she would be safe after returning.
Egypt should go further in Sinai
military action – Israeli official
Israeli
cabinet minister Moshe Yaalon expressed rare public criticism on Thursday of
Egypt’s action against Islamist militants in the Sinai desert. Yaalon, a former
army chief of staff, told Israel Radio that the country is cooperating on
security with Egypt’s new government. “To say that we are satisfied with
Egyptian activity in Sinai, I can’t say we are satisfied yet,” the AP quoted
him as saying. The region borders both Israel and the Hamas-run Gaza Strip.
Iraqi PM intends to reinstate
disbanded army officers
Iraqi
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has called for the reinstatement of officers from
the country’s majority Sunni northern and western regions who served under
Saddam Hussein. The move, which concerns those who “have no Iraqi blood on
their hands,” could help boost security and support for the PM ahead of the
country’s upcoming elections, AFP said. Baghdad is expected to finalize
procedures soon to reinstate 209 former army officers in Nineveh province. In
Diyala province north of Baghdad, more than 950 ex-officers applied to be
reinstated.
UN’s del Ponte vows to
investigate Syria 'war crimes'
On
Thursday, a four-person UN team of human rights investigators said they will
work to identify those behind alleged war crimes in Syria and will seek a
meeting with President Bashar al-Assad. Carla del Ponte, a former war crimes
prosecutor and a new member of the team, said in Geneva that without a doubt
“crimes against humanity and war crimes” were being committed in Syria, AFP
reported. Paulo Pinheiro, the Brazilian head of the commission, said the
investigators sent a letter to Assad requesting access to the country. The
investigators said that if allowed to enter Syria, they would go without
preconditions. The commission was created just over a year ago, but has not yet
been allowed to set foot in the country.
Operation in Russia’s Tatarstan
averted terrorist act at Eid holiday – FSB
A
special police operation in Tatarstan’s capital Kazan averted a major terrorist
act planned for the Eid al-Adha (Kurban Bairam) Muslim holiday, the Public
Relations Center of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said on
Thursday. Two alleged members of a terrorist group, Robert Valeyev and Ruslan
Kashapov, were killed after putting up fierce armed resistance during the
Wednesday operation. Both men were reportedly behind a July attack in which
Tatarstan's chief mufti was wounded and his deputy killed.
China police offer cash for tips
on Tibetan immolators
Police
in China’s majority Tibetan far western region have offered tipsters a reward
of $7,700 for information about planned self-immolations. A string of recent self-immolations
in Gansu province's Gannan prefecture “seriously impacted social stability and
harmony,” police said. Two more local Tibetans died after setting themselves on
fire near the Labrang Monastery in Gannan since the notice was issued on Sunday,
the AP reported. At least seven people have died from self-immolation in Gannan
since March, according to human rights groups.
Fraud investigators search
Russian Defense Ministry company
Investigators
reportedly searched Oboronservice, a company of the Russian Defense Ministry,
as part of a criminal fraud case. The Investigative Committee suspects that 3
billion rubles ($95.8 million) in fraud was committed in the federal budget,
committee’s spokesperson Vladimir Markin told Interfax on Thursday. “Searches
and seizures of documents are under way at Oboronservice controlled by the
Defense Ministry, including at the office of Yelena Vasilyeva, a former chief
of the Defense Ministry’s property relations department,” Markin said.
Oboronservice General Director Sergey Khursevich confirmed an ongoing
investigation at the company’s central office, RIA-Novosti reported. Khursevich
said it was “premature” to speak about the alleged financial fraud.
IDF official calls Sudan
‘terrorist state’ after missile strike accusations
A top
Israeli defense official called Sudan a “dangerous terrorist state” on Thursday
after the Sudanese government accused Israel of conducting a missile strike on
a military factory in Khartoum. “To know exactly what happened [there], it will
take some time to understand,” Amos Gilad told Israel’s army radio station.
When asked if Israel was involved in the attack, the director of policy and
political-military affairs at the defense ministry refused to give a direct
answer. Sudan claimed the attack on the Yarmouk facility south of Khartoum at
midnight on Tuesday killed two people, AFP reported. The attack was carried out
by four stealth aircraft, Sudanese officials said.
S&P may upgrade Russia’s
Rosneft after BP deal
Ratings
agency Standard and Poor's indicated it may upgrade its rating on Russian oil
giant Rosneft following the company's deal to acquire TNK-BP. S&P said in a
statement Wednesday night that it had revised its status on the company from
negative to positive, the AP reported. The move means that a rating upgrade is
likely. S&P will boost Rosneft’s rating if it sees a “likelihood of
extraordinary government support” offsetting the higher debt burden required
for the buyout. Earlier, Moody’s rating agency put Rosneft and TNK-BP on review
for a downgrade over the deal. TNK-BP is Russia’s third-largest oil producer.
China names new army chief of
staff, top officers
China
has appointed a new army chief of staff and other top officers in the run-up to
next month’s leadership transition. Fang Fenghui will take over as chief
administrator of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), the Defense Ministry
announced Thursday. He will supervise recruiting, training and other key
functions, the AP said. The former commander of the military region covering
Beijing is now also on track for a position on the Central Military Commission
overseeing the 2.3-million-member PLA. Zhao Keshi was named head of logistics,
Zhang Youxia as head of armaments and Zhang Yang as director of the political
department. The next Communist Party congress begins November 8.
Hurricane Sandy makes landfall in
southern Cuba
Hurricane
Sandy has made landfall just west of Santiago de Cuba in southern Cuba. The
storm reportedly had maximum sustained winds of 183 kph, forecasters at the US
National Hurricane Center in Miami said on Thursday. The previous day, the
hurricane roared across Jamaica, lashing the area with heavy winds and rain and
killing at least two people, the AP reported. Hurricane Sandy is expected to
collide in the Caribbean with an early winter storm from the West and arctic
air from the North. US forecasters predicted heavy rain or snow, persistent
winds and a storm surge from this unusual hurricane-winter storm hybrid in the
eastern US next week.
Tokyo and Beijing at odds as
Chinese warships near disputed islands
Tokyo
has protested the presence of Chinese warships near disputed islands in the
East China Sea. On Thursday morning, the Japanese Coast Guard spotted four
Chinese surveillance ships within 12 nautical miles of the islands, the first
such incident since October 3. Japan and China both consider the uninhabited islands
to be part of their territory, dubbing them Senkaku and Diaoyu, respectively.
Japan nationalized the islands last month, triggering mass protest across
China.
Israel and Hamas reach verbal
truce - reports
Egypt
has brokered an unofficial truce between Gaza and Israel as hostility between
the two neighbors reaches a boiling point, Israeli media report. The ceasefire
took effect at midnight Wednesday. But the Israeli military says it is
"unfamiliar" with the agreement, as a barrage of 79 rockets descended
on Israel throughout Wednesday, Ynetnews.com reports. Palestinian sources say
Hamas agreed to the ceasefire and has instructed its forces to patrol the Gaza
border to block any fire by rogue militants. Meanwhile, Egyptian intelligence officials
are trying to convince smaller extremist cells not to violate the deal.
Dutch warship sinks pirate boat
off Somalia
A
pirate vessel off the coast of Somalia has been attacked and sunk by a Dutch
warship. The HNMLS Rotterdam, a flagship of NATO 'Ocean Shield' counter piracy
mission off the African coast, came under heavy fire from a suspected pirate
frigate while conducting routine surveillance. The Dutch flagman returned fire,
killing one pirate and sinking the vessel. The Rotterdam continued to face
engagement from AK-47s from the shoreline as it rescued 25 people from the
water.
North Korean army minister
executed by mortar shot for misbehavior - reports
The
vice minister of the North Korean army, Kim Chol, was reportedly executed with
a mortar round for drinking alcohol and celebrating during the mourning period
after Kim Jong-il's death. The minister was reportedly taken into custody
earlier this year on the orders of North korea’s new leader, Kim Jong-un, who
ordered to leave "no trace of him behind, down to his hair,"
according to South Korean media. According to some reports Kim Jong-un used the
excuse of misbehavior in order to remove any potential opponents to his
consolidation of power.
12,000 miners could be fired in
South Africa
Twelve
thousands miners could lose their jobs in South Africa for striking. Only half
of AngloGold’s 24,000 striking employees had returned to the job by a midday
Wednesday deadline, said the company’s spokesman. The announcement comes as
gold mine operators in South Africa are expected to sign a fresh pay deal with
unions Thursday. The measures will try to end months of violent unrest in the
country.
Four killed in Gaza, three
wounded in Israel in cross-border barrage
Almost
80 rockets have been fired into Israel from Gaza strip as an Israeli strike
kills three Palestinians. The rockets wounded three Thai migrant workers and
destroyed houses, according to the Israeli military. In retaliation, Israel
carried out several airstrikes against alleged militant squads, killing four
people, Palestinian officials said. Three of the four were members of Hamas.
The exchange comes a day after the Emir of Qatar became the first head of state
to visit Gaza in five years.
Two Britons killed in Afghanistan
Two
British serviceman have been killed in Afghanistan while they were on patrol
mission in the Helmand province, the Ministry of Defence has said. The Royal
Marine and British soldier were from the 40th Commando Royal Marines and 3rd
Medical Regiment. An investigation is ongoing, and their families have been
notified. A total of 435 British serviceman have been killed in Afghanistan since
2001.
Ex-Goldman exec gets two years in
prison
Rajat
Gupta, a former director at Goldman Sachs, has been sentenced to two years in
prison. He was convicted in June of securities fraud and conspiracy, and was
also fined $5 million. Prosecutors were pushing for a 10-year sentence, but
Gupta requested probation and community service. In his sentencing order, Judge
Jed Rakoff called Gupta’s actions "the functional equivalent of stabbing
Goldman in the back."
Three killed, 12 injured in
grenade attack on Colombian supermarket
Three
people, including a 6-year-old girl, have been killed and 12 injured in a
grenade attack on a supermarket in the northern Colombian city of Santa Marta.
Police say the 17-year-old suspect who hurled the grenade was immediately
captured. Local residents grabbed the assailant right outside the store and
tried to lynch him, before police interfered.
African Union gives North and
South Sudan six weeks to reach border deal
Sudan
and South Sudan have six weeks to reach a deal on the troublesome border state
of Abyei, according to an African Union Security Council resolution announced
Wednesday. The AU provided both states with two weeks to come to an agreement
on five other disputed border areas. Considered a historical bridge between
northern and southern Sudan, Abyei is claimed by South Sudan but currently
controlled by the Sudanese government. The neighboring states have failed to
reach a consensus on contested border regions following prolonged talks in
September, though both sides signed agreements on oil and the creation of a
secure buffer zone along the border.
Tunisian arrested in connection
with Benghazi attack
Tunisia
says it has arrested a man linked to the attack on the US Consulate in Libya in
September that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others. The suspect,
identified by the Tunisian Interior Ministry as Ali Harzi, has been charged
with "membership in a terrorist organization in a time of peace in another
country," his lawyer, Ouled Ali Anwar, told the press. It is alleged that
Harzi is one of two Tunisians arrested October 3 in Turkey when they tried to
enter the country with fake passports. They have been repatriated to Tunisia.
Anwar says there is no proof that his client "is implicated in the
Benghazi attacks." The defense also claims that Harzi was not using fake
identification documents at the time of his arrest, declaring he was used as a
“scapegoat to satisfy the Americans.”
At least 2 dead, 5 wounded in LA
shooting
Two
people have been confirmed dead and five wounded in a gunfire that erupted in
Los Angeles at Downey business complex. It was unclear exactly which business
was targeted but investigators are focusing on a fire protection company. Those
wounded have been taken to nearby hospital. It is alleged that the suspect
walked into the business and opened fire, then went down the street to a home
that appeared to be a residence of either the business owner or relatives. Law
enforcement officers are searching for the suspect, possibly driving a 2010
Black Camaro registered to one of the victims and associated with the business,
according to police at the scene.
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