Submariners World News SitRep

Metro train crashes in Melbourne, 1 dead

­A Metro passenger train collided with a truck, causing three of its carriages to derail at a level crossing in Melbourne’s south-east suburb of Dandenong. A man in his 30s was found among the rumble in a critical condition and died at the scene. Eight other people had to be hospitalized, including the train driver, who was trapped in his cabin for an hour before a rescue team managed to cut its way through to him. The man was extracted from debris in a serious condition. The driver of the truck remained unhurt despite the rear of his vehicle being destroyed altogether. Police say it was fortunate the train was not operating in rush hour, otherwise the number of victims would have been much greater.

Egypt shelves unpopular curfew for 1 week

The Egyptian government has postponed plans on imposing a nationwide curfew on shops and restaurants by one week, mainly due to public pressure. Many questioned the benefits of the 10pm curfew, supposed to commence Saturday, which was devised to help save energy and ‘bring order to the street’, and has since sparked a broad backlash.

Syrian rebels kill Kurdish militia leader

Syrian rebels have killed a female Kurdish militia leader, in the restive city of Aleppo, AFP reports. The killing of Shaha Ali Abdu stresses growing tensions between rebel fighters and the Kurds in the north of the country. "Shaha Ali Abdu, also known as Nujeen Dirik, was killed early on Friday.  She headed a Kurdish popular defense unit that is part of the Democratic Union Party (PYD)," said the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. PYD is Syria's branch of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). "She was killed a week after she was captured by rebels," the monitoring group added.

US renews sanctions against Sudan

The US government has renewed its economic sanctions on Sudan citing unresolved conflicts, such as Darfur. The US State Department noted that Khartoum has made progress in resolving a number of outstanding issues with South Sudan but stressed other ongoing conflicts pose a threat to regional stability and hamper relations with the US. “The ongoing conflict in Southern Kordofan, Blue Nile, and Darfur continue to threaten regional stability and the human rights and humanitarian crises there – including the lack of humanitarian access – are very serious. Outstanding issues with South Sudan, such as the final status of Abyei, also pose such a threat.” In response Sudan slammed US President Barack Obama for the decision, claiming that Washington intended to "harm the vital interests of the people of Sudan.”

6.1 quake hits Philippines

A 6.1 magnitude earthquake hit the Philippines island of Mindanao early on Saturday, the US Geological Survey reports. The epicenter of the tremor was located at a depth of 38.1 km, 7 km from the city of Burgos. There has been no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

Northern Malian separatists send peace delegation

One of Mali’s most powerful factions has sent diplomatic teams to Algeria and Burkina Faso to negotiate with official Malian representatives, AFP reports. “Currently we have a delegation on its way to Ouagadougou and a second on its way to Algiers,” an aide to Ansar Dine leader Iyad Ag Ghaly said on condition of anonymity. Ansar Dine is one of the three groups that has controlled Northern Mali since the country virtually broke up after a failed coup last March. The rebel factions have imposed strict Islamic law on the region, which includes stonings and whippings.

Egyptian President heads "shocking dictatorial force" – senior Israeli official

A highly-placed aide to Israeli defense minister Ehud Barak has lashed out at the Islamist forces which came to power in Egypt following last year’s Arab Spring. "From this democracy what has sprung is a shocking dictatorial force," Amos Gilad said during a security conference. "Where are all the young people who were demonstrating in Tahrir Square?They have vanished." The Defense Ministry has issued a statement distancing itself from the comments. The election of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt after decades of secularist rule has inflamed rhetoric against neighboring Israel, with whom the country has a long-standing peace treaty.