Benghazi
consulate attack was a CIA operation – report
The US
consulate attack in Benghazi, which
claimed the life of Ambassador Chris Stevens on September 11th, was
predominantly an intelligence operation, according to a report in the Wall
Street Journal. Sources claim that two out of the four people killed in the
attack, and 23 out of the 30 evacuated, were under CIA command. The US
administration has been repeatedly challenged about the apparent lack of
security at the site, and the report claims that a mix-up between the CIA and
State Department branch of the consulate enabled militants to attain easy
access to the consulate.
Egyptian Islamists protest, demand Islamic law in new
constitution
More than a 1,000 Egyptian Islamists have protested in Tahrir
Square in central Cairo
calling for the implementation of Sharia law. Demonstrators chanted “The people
want God's rule implemented." A larger demonstration is planned next
Friday. References to Islamic law in Egypt’s
new constitution have split the nation into two rival camps. Liberals believe
that if strong language that will enshrine Islamic law is included, it would
turn Egypt to a
theocracy, putting civil freedoms in danger.
Iran must investigate female inmate abuse – Amnesty
International
Human rights group Amnesty International has called on Iran
to set up an investigation into the mistreatment of female prisoners, after
claiming that nine inmates in the country went on hunger strike. The women are
supposedly detained at Tehran’s
Evin prison, linked to a series of previous scandals and complaints of
“degrading treatment” by female guards. Amnesty says all nine are political
prisoners and has called for their release.
Japan
regulators check Ohi nuclear plant for fault line
Japanese nuclear regulators inspected ground structures at
the country’s only operating nuclear power plant on Friday to find if an
existing fault line is active. The No. 3 and No. 4 reactors of the Ohi plant in
western Japan
went back online in July, AP said. All 50 other Japanese reactors went offline
for inspection after the meltdown crisis at Fukushima
Dai-ichi nuclear plant in 2011. If a five-member team, led by regulatory
commissioner Kunihiko Shimazaki, judges the fault that cuts across the plant is
active, Ohi will be closed.
Remains of 110 Napoleonic soldiers buried in Belarus
French Ambassador Michel Raineri has attended a burial
ceremony for 110 Napoleonic soldiers in Belarus
on Friday. Tens of thousands of French troops died in November 1812. The
Russians then attacked French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte's army as it was
crossing the Berezina River
on retreat from Moscow. The remains
were excavated by a Belarusian Defense Ministry unit. On Friday, they were
buried at a cemetery in the village
of Studenka, 100km east of the
capital, Minsk, AP reported.
Belarusian authorities have buried hundreds of remains of Napoleonic soldiers
found in the same area in previous years.
Cuba
accuses US diplomats on island of subversive activities
Cuba
has denounced the US
diplomatic mission on the island over “subversive activities” designed to undermine
the government of Raul Castro. The Foreign Ministry accused the Americans of
illegal classes inside the US Interests Section, and providing internet service
without permission, AP said. Participants of the classes are trained to work
against Cuba’s
interests, the ministry said in a statement published on Friday. The US
maintains the Interests Section instead of an embassy and such services have
long been provided for Cubans.
Halloween bombing in Colombia
leaves 37 injured, 2 bombers killed
A suitcase bomb exploded near a town square in Pradera where
5,000 children were celebrating Halloween, killing two suspected bombers and
injuring 37 people, Colombian authorities said. Two boys were hospitalized in
critical condition Thursday, AP reported. The two killed were suspected members
of a drug-trafficking band allied with rebels from the leftist Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, the regional police chief, Col. Nelson
Ramirez, said. They were carrying the suitcase on a bicycle two blocks from the
central square of Pradera,
in Valle del Cauca state, as the bomb apparently went off prematurely.
Syrian TV says 16 injured in Damascus
twin blasts
Twin blasts struck a district of Damascus on Friday and have
left 16 people injured, Syrian state-TV said. The explosions occurred in the
Zahera area. Witnesses say the two explosive devices went off in swift
succession. The blasts were followed by intense shooting.
Hong Kong police arrest 119
in untaxed cigarettes crackdown
Authorities in Hong Kong announced on
Friday that they had arrested 119 people and seized 3 million untaxed
cigarettes from smugglers running home delivery services of the illicit smokes.
Smuggling groups have recently begun sending flyers to public housing estates
advertising the cut rate smokes for order by telephone, following a crackdown
on the stores. The arrests and seizures in 96 separate cases were carried out
from April to October, AP reported. The seized cigarettes were worth
US$930,000. In the first 10 months of 2012, 55 million illicit cigarettes worth
$17.4 million were seized and 208 distribution centers broken up. Buying or
selling untaxed cigarettes in Hong Kong leads to a fine
of up to $130,000 and up to two years in prison.
Four Afghan police killed in Helmand
insider attack
Four police officers have been shot dead in Afghanistan’s
southern Helmand province in an insider attack by their
colleagues, officials say. The shooting occurred at a police outpost during a
shift change, Mohammad Toryali, police chief of Grish district, said on Friday,
as cited by AP. The officers on duty were killed by four of their colleagues,
he said, adding that the killers fled.
Nigeria
‘open’ to talks with Boko Haram Islamists
Nigeria
authorities said Friday that they are willing to end the Boko Haram insurgency
through dialogue. “President Jonathan had made it clear that if the people
behind Boko Haram are ready to come forward, and table their grievances, then
government will be willing to listen,” spokesman for President Goodluck
Jonathan, Reuben Abati, told AFP. Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulaziz, a man who
identified himself as a Boko Haram representative, told reporters on Thursday
by teleconference that the group was not challenging the Nigerian state and
proposed peace talks in Saudi Arabia.
His credibility is in question and it was not clear if he was representing
Abubakar Shekau, the presumed insurgent leader who has been designated a global
terrorist by the US.
Syria
executions video by rebels evidence of ‘war crimes’ – UN
A video allegedly showing rebels executing Syrian soldiers
shows “war crimes” that could be used as evidence, the UN human rights body
said Friday. “It is very likely that this was a war crime, another one,” AFP
quoted Rupert Colville, spokesman for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Navi Pillay, as saying. He was referring to a video posted on YouTube of what
appeared to be Syrian rebels beating around 10 soldiers and executing them with
automatic rifles. “Accountability will follow,” Colville
said, calling on all parties in the conflict to respect international law.
Refusal to open criminal case over Dubrovka hostage
operation illegal – court
The Lefortovsky District Court in Moscow
on Friday called investigators’ refusal to open a criminal case against the
officials who led the operation to free hostages in the Dubrovka theater in
2002 “illegal”. “The hostages were hurt and died as a result of the negligence
and abuse of power by the officials who organized storming the center, not at
the hands of the terrorists,” Interfax quoted Igor Trunov, a lawyer for
the victims, as saying. The lawyers demanded that the Investigative Committee
open a criminal case, citing a decision by the European Court of Human Rights.
Some 130 hostages died, and families of the victims accused the authorities of
using a poisonous gas during the operation.
Russia Northern Fleet in anti-submarine warfare drill in
Barents Sea
The Russian Northern Fleet has practiced weapon employment
in an anti-submarine drill in the Barents Sea, Northern
Fleet spokesman Yevgeny Kirillov said on Friday. “The naval maneuvers
involved a task force from the Severomorsk and Admiral Chabanenko
anti-submarine warfare ships,” he told Interfax. Kamov Ka-27
anti-submarine helicopters and Tupolev Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance and
anti-submarine warfare aircraft were also taking part. Crews practiced
techniques for fighting hostile warships, repelling air attacks, performed
torpedo and antisubmarine bomb firing exercises.
Magnitude 4.5 earthquake hits south of Masset, Canada
An earthquake with magnitude 4.5 was recorded 182km south of
Masset, Canada,
the US Geological Survey said on Friday. The depth was reportedly 10km. On
October 28, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake s off the
west coast of Canada,
but there were no reports of major damage.
Nigeria
outlaws sorcery charges for kids
A law that makes it illegal to accuse children of
witchcraft and sorcery has been adopted in the Nigerian state of Akwa Ibom.
Children were branded witches in the region for many years, but the authorities
in Akwa Ibom spent large sums of money to deal with the issue. Some activists
who tackled the problem said that churches were to blame for the accusations.
World Bank resumes aid to Myanmar
after 25 years
The World Bank has approved an $80 million grant for Myanmar
to support its reforms. The first assistance after a quarter-century absence
will go for infrastructure projects in villages in poor rural areas, the bank
said on Friday. The focus will be on the most urgent needs in education, health,
infrastructure and the private sector to boost job creation, AFP reported. The
move followed the decision of the board of directors in Washington
to approve a new strategy for helping the country. The World Bank closed its Yangon
office in 1987.
Investigation of criminal case into Hermitage Capital’s
Magnitsky over
The investigation of the criminal case over Sergey
Magnitsky, the lawyer of the Hermitage Capital Foundation, who was accused of
dodging tax payments and died at a pre-trial detention center, is over. The
news was announced by investigative sources in the Russian Interior Ministry.
It was also confirmed by the foundation, which said its lawyers were unable to
further study the materials of the case. Investigative sources told RIA Novosti
they sent the case to prosecutors to bring an indictment and said the defense
lawyers were only limited in time to study the materials. The investigation was
suspended after Magnitsky died in 2009, but it was resumed later. Investigators
said he failed to receive timely medical treatment.
Ahmadinejad backs down in judiciary clashes after
Khamenei criticism
Iran's
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has backed down from a public dispute with his
country's judiciary, saying he will focus instead on alleviating pressures over
Western sanctions. The retreat comes a day after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei warned government officials and politicians against public disputes,
AP said. Ahmadinejad had publicly criticized Iran's
judiciary chief last week for rejecting his request to visit Evin prison, where
an aide is being held. In a letter to Khamenei, Ahmadinejad pledged to end the
dispute.
Russian Pacific Fleet ships leave for anti-piracy mission
in Gulf of Aden
A squadron of Russia’s
Pacific Fleet ships has left the Far-Eastern port
of Vladivostok for its anti-piracy
mission in the Gulf of Aden. The squadron includes the
destroyer Marshal Shaposhnikov, tanker Irkut and rescue boat Alatau, Itar-Tass
said on Friday, citing the fleet's press service. The ships, led by Rear
Admiral Vladimir Vdovenko, will call in at the Indian port
of Mumbai and will hold joint naval
drills with India's
Navy. The squadron, which includes an air group with two Ka-27 helicopters and
marine infantry divisions, is also expected to visit ports of Thailand,
South Korea, Djibouti
and Seychelles.
Polish paper editor resigns over article on presidential
plane crash
The editor-in-chief of Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita,
Tomasz Wrobelewski, has resigned over a controversial article on the 2010 plane
crash that killed eight crew and 88 passengers, including then Polish President
Lech Kaczynski. The article published on October 30 claimed explosives were found
at the scene of the crash, but Polish military prosecutors immediately refuted
the report. Wrobelewski said in a notice on the paper’s website that he was
stepping down to protect the newspaper’s “good name,” RIA Novosti reported.
Japan accuses US airman of assaulting young boy on
Okinawa
Tokyo suspects a
US airman of
assaulting a young boy on the southern Japanese island
of Okinawa on Friday. Authorities
said the airman, 24, is suspected of entering an apartment and punching the
13-year-old boy before breaking a TV set and trying to escape through a
third-floor window. The airman fell and was taken to a military hospital, AP
reported. The incident comes just two weeks after a curfew was imposed on all
52,000 US
troops in Japan.
The move followed the arrest of two Navy sailors for allegedly raping a local
woman.
Over 1 million face food shortages in Haiti after Sandy
More than a million people in Haiti
have been left short of food, after the country was battered by Hurricane
Sandy, a senior United Nations humanitarian official said Thursday, UN News
Centre reports. Johan Peleman, the head of the UN Office for the Coordination
of Humanitarian Affairs’ (OCHA) operation in Haiti,
said that relief workers are still consolidating data of the destruction caused
by the storm and a full picture of the situation will take some time. Between
15,000 and 20,000 people have seen their houses completely destroyed, damaged
or flooded as a result of the storm, he added.
UN chief expresses concern over Bahrain’s
ban on protests
The UN's chief has voiced concern over restrictions Bahraini
authorities have imposed on public demonstrations and other public gatherings,
UN News Centre reports. “The Secretary-General believes these restrictions
could aggravate the situation in the country and urges the Government of
Bahrain to lift them without delay,” General-Secretary Ban Ki-moon’s
spokesperson said. Ban also called on protesters to “ensure that any
demonstrations are, in fact, peaceful,” the spokesperson added, noting that
“recent violence that reportedly killed two police officers is unacceptable.”
Bahraini authorities prohibited protest gatherings and rallies on October 30, a
day after police cracked down heavily on demonstrators, once again during the
20-month fatality-riddled unrest. Meanhwile on Thursday a civil court sentenced
an online activist to six months in prison on charges of insulting the Gulf
nation's king in Twitter posts. The activist, whose name was not released, was
among four people arrested last month for allegedly defaming Bahrain's
Sunni monarch.
UN suffers `unprecedented damage' from Sandy
The UN's management chief has said the global body’s
headquarters in NYC has suffered “unprecedented damage” from Superstorm Sandy
that has battered the city, AP reports. Yukio Takasu told the General Assembly
on Thursday that the most serious damage was from flooding, which affected many
basement offices and the cooling system in the main Secretariat building. The
flooding also caused a small fire in a circuit breaker in an electrical panel
in the basement, he said. The UN was forced to shut down on Tuesday and
Wednesday due to the superstorm's aftermath, reopening on Thursday.
NYC Mayor Bloomberg endorses Obama
New York Mayor and ex-Republican Michael Bloomberg has endorsed Barack Obama
for re-election, saying Superstorm Sandy and climate change shaped his view, AP
reports. The endorsement, from the political independent and popular
politician, is seen as a major boost for Obama as the presidential campaign
enters its final days with the elections taking place November 6. Bloomberg
said Sandy had made the stakes in
the election even clearer. He said the climate is changing and that Obama has
taken major steps in the right direction. “We need leadership from the White
House, and over the past four years, President Barack Obama has taken major
steps to reduce our carbon consumption,'' Bloomberg wrote in an online opinion
piece.
Syrian rebels kill 78 soldiers in one day
Syrian rebels killed at least 78 soldiers on Thursday, AP reports. About a
half of them were killed in attacks on military checkpoints in the north of the
country that followed a wave of bombings in the Damascus
area earlier in the day, activists say. The Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights claims that at least 153 people were killed across Syria
throughout the day, inculding soldiers, rebels and civilians. Also a YouTube
video showing rebels executing soldiers appeared on Thursday – though its
authenticity could not be verified. It showed rebels beating about 10 soldiers
before lining them on the ground and executing them with automatic rifles.
Amnesty International's Ann Harrison said in a statement, "This shocking
footage depicts a potential war crime in progress and demonstrates an utter
disregard for international humanitarian law by the armed group in
question," AFP reported.
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