World News SitRep

Israeli High Court stops army from building barrier around historic West Bank village

Israel’s High Court has ordered the Defense Ministry to stop work on a security barrier around the Palestinian village of Batir in the West Bank. Palestinian villagers and environmentalists argued the structure would damage ancient agricultural terraces that are on the shortlist to be named a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority, which sided with the villagers, suggested that instead a chain-linked fence be erected.

16:50

Indian ‘spy’ dies after being attacked in Pakistani prison

An Indian man convicted of spying and sentenced to death by a court in Pakistan has died after being attacked last week by fellow inmates. Sarabjit Singh, 49, suffered severe injuries and fell into a coma after two prisoners beat him with bricks. His body is to be flown to India from Lahore in a special aircraft sent by New Delhi. The attackers have been swiftly charged with murder after calls from New Delhi for justice. While Singh was been serving his sentence, India unsuccessfully appealed for his release or transfer to his native country. The motive remains unclear, but police point to an alleged exchange of "hot words" with Singh and fellow inmates. Singh was accused of spying and involvement in the 1990 bomb attacks in Lahore and Faisalabad in which 14 people died.

16:21

Irish Parliament backs down from Magnitsky list sanctions of Russian officials

The Irish parliamentary committee has removed its initial demand of introducing visa and financial against Russian officials included in the Magnitsky list that the US endorsed on April 12. Eighteen people from the list are now banned from entering the US. Earlier the Foreign affairs and Trade Committee passed a resolution urging Irelands leadership to express concern over the prison death of Russian lawyer Sergey Magnitsky. Parliamentarians changed the decision after Russia warned the blacklist could “have a negative influence” on the pending adoption agreement between the two countries.

15:29

Israel’s PM concedes possible referendum on peace talks

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that he would put any peace treaty with the Palestinians to a referendum. The statement has been considered as PM’s support for possible direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine. Meeting with Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter in Jerusalem, he added that would like to talk to Swiss officials “about your experiences with that.” Switzerland regularly holds referendums, while for Israel this isn’t a common practice. Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been frozen for more than two years.

15:27

At least 4 killed during coup attempt in Chad

At least four people have been killed in N'Djamena, the capital of Chad, Reuters reports citing local security forces. The African country’s authorities say it was a failed coup attempt against President Idriss Deby. "Between four and eight people were killed in fighting at a military barracks in the east of N'Djamena," according to one of the police sources said, requesting to remain unnamed. Other military sources claimed at least a dozen people were killed in separate clashes.

13:23

Two trains collide in Belgrade tunnel, Serbia, 22 injured

Two passenger trains has collided in Tosin Bunar tunnel in Belgrade, leaving 22 people slightly injured, RTS, the Serbian national broadcaster, reported. "The ambulances are on both sides of the tunnel,” ambulance spokeswoman Nada Macura was quoted as saying. Macura added that increased ambulance assistance is due to the “increased concentration of carbon monoxide and poor visibility in the tunnel." Passenger trains operated on the Belgrade-Novi Sad and Belgrade–Sid routes when collided at 1:30pm local time (11:30 GMT).

13:04

Turkish border guards wounded in clashes on Syrian border

Five Turkish border guards have been wounded in clashes with an armed group at the Syrian border. Turkish media said a total of ten people, including civilians, were wounded in the violence. The Syrians had been waiting to cross at the border gate in Akcakale and opened fire when they were refused entry, NTV reported. A Syrian opposition activist said two rebel fighters were killed in the clash, although a Turkish official said the Syrians were smugglers and the five wounded were guards. Turkey has denied previous reports that it has stopped entry to Syrians trying to cross into Turkey, saying it operates an open door policy.

12:02

Floods kill 16 in Saudi Arabia, 4 still missing

Heavy rains and floods killed 16 people, with four still missing in Saudi Arabia, AFP reports. Two more people disappeared in Oman. Heavy rains damaged houses and flooded farms, disturbing power supplies, officials said. Many residents were trapped in cars or inside their own homes. All agencies have been put on high alert. The country has not seen such heavy rainfall for 25 years.

11:44

Georgia opts not to boycott Russia’s Winter Olympics

Georgia has decided not to boycott next year’s Winter Olympics in the Southern Russian city of Sochi. Although the question of a possible withdrawal has been discussed in Georgia since the 2008 military conflict with South Ossetia, the country’s National Olympic Committee eventually unanimously voted in favor of taking part. The Games will be held near Russia’s border with Abkhazia, which Georgia claims as part of its territory. Had Georgia nonetheless chosen to boycott the Olympics, it would be the first country to do so since North Korea refused to take part in the Summer Olympics in Seoul, 1988, because of the war with South Korea.

11:42

Over 60 killed in gold mine collapse in Darfur, Sudan

More than 60 have died after a gold mine collapsed at Jabel A’mer area in Sudan’s North Darfur State, local official said, AFP reports. According to Haroun Al-Hussein, commissioner of Al-Siraif locality, "efforts are underway to rescue the trapped," local Ashrouq net reported. The commissioner also warned that gold exploration at Jabel A'mer area might be dangerous and pose a threat to the lives of the explorers.

11:36

Taliban bomb kills 8 Afghan police outside Kabul

Eight members of the Afghan Local Police (ALP) who were on joint patrol with NATO-led coalition forces in Logar province outside the capital Kabul were killed on Thursday when their vehicle hit an IED (improvised explosive device). "One of the police vehicles hit an IED in which eight local police were killed and their pick-up truck was totally destroyed," Rais Khan Sadeq, Logar provincial deputy police chief, told Agence France Presse. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP the fundamentalist group was responsible for the attack. The attack occurred four days after the insurgency began their annual "spring offensive."

11:16

Over 250,000 people killed in Somali famine

Two hundred and fifty-eight thousand people, half of them children, died in the latest food crisis in Somalia, according to UN report. UN had admitted that more needed to be done to help to alleviate the famine. The death toll surpassed even the 1992 crisis during which 220,000 people starved to death. "The report confirms we should have done more before the famine was declared," AFP quotes UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia Philippe Lazzarini as saying. "Warnings that began as far back as the drought in 2010 did not trigger sufficient early action.” Half of those affected were children under five. Somalia was hit the hardest during the drought in 2011 that affected over 13 million people across the Horn of Africa.

10:10

Bangladeshi mayor suspended as death toll rises to 430 in building collapse

The local mayor of the of the Bangladesh municipality where a factory complex collapsed, killing at least 430 people, was suspended from office for approving the construction of Rana Plaza, Reuters quotes Junior Minister for Local Government Jagangir Kabir Nanak as saying. "We won't spare anyone... actions will be taken against all who are responsible for the tragedy," Nanak said. Savar's Mayor Mohammad Refat Ullah did not refuse permission to approve a five-story building at the site, where three more floors had been added illegally, according to senior official from the state-run Capital Development Authority (CDA). So far eight people were arrested in connection with this case, including the building's owner, Mohammed Sohel Rana, and his father, Abdul Khalek.

09:24

Two dead after mine collapses in south-central Russia

A mine has collapsed in the Chelyabinsk Region of Russia’s Urals, killing two people trapped underground, the Emergency Ministry reported. The mine has collapsed at 10:45am local time in the Korkinskom district of Chelyabinsk Region. “Rescuers found the dead body of the second miner who was killed. The search and rescue operation is continuing,” a source told RIA Novosti. Six miners were underground when the mine collapsed, according to local police. An Emergencies Ministry source, however, told Itar-Tass that only the two deceased miners were in the mine at the time of the accident.

09:07

S. Korea to offer financial aid to firms locked out of N. Korea complex

South Korea’s Finance Ministry will provide more than US$270 million in emergency loans to local companies affected by the shutdown of a jointly operated factory park in North Korea, AP reported. The relief funds are to cover debts and operating costs of around 120 South Korean companies that had to stop production after the North blocked off the entry to the Kaesong industrial complex amid high tensions. The complex has been closed off since April 3.

07:37

Greece’s austerity undermines human rights – UN independent expert

Some of Greece’s austerity measures are undermining citizen’s access to jobs, health, water and energy, a UN expert stated in a news release. “More than 10 per cent of the population in Greece now lives in extreme poverty, and unemployment amongst youth has reached an unprecedented rate of 59.3 per cent,” the UN independent expert on foreign debt and human rights, Cephas Lumina, said at the end of his week-long mission to the country. Lumina advised Greece and the international bailout lenders to apply a human rights-based approach to economic reform.

07:27

US points to Ukraine as new piracy center

The US Trade Representative's office (USTR) selected Ukraine as a major center of intellectual property theft, stating that government itself was behind piracy growth, AFP reported. USTR designated Ukraine a ‘foreign priority country’, the worst label in its annual report that measures how well countries around the world protect US patents, copyrights and other forms of intellectual property rights. "This designation is the culmination of several years of growing concern over widespread IP theft, including the growing entrenchment of IPR infringement that is facilitated by government actors," the USTR said in the report. Also, China was pinpointed for rising theft of trade secrets.

07:13

US Attorney General’s Office finds Bout’s appeal groundless

The US Attorney General’s Office is saying that the New York Court of Appeals should turn down an appeal against the guilty verdict of Russian citizen Viktor Bout, who is serving a 25-year term in prison in Marion, Illinois, over a conspiracy for weapons smuggling, Itar-Tass quoted the prosecutors as saying in reply to an appeal from Bout’s lawyer Albert Dayan. The Attorney General’s Office stated that the investigation was unbiased and completely legal and that Dayan’s statements regarding US alleged pressure on the Thai government to influence the court ruling for Bout’s extradition in the US are groundless. Viktor Bout was a successful businessman specializing on cargo transportation. In March 2008 he was arrested in Thailand charged with conspiracy to murder US citizens. In April 2012 the Federal Court of New York sentenced Bout to 25 years in a top security prison.

06:07

Bangladesh’s factories reopen after building collapse disaster that killed over 400

Bangladesh’s textile factories have reopened after an eight-day shutdown caused by a collapse of a factory complex that killed at least 427 people, AFP quoted employees as saying. Millions of workers began returning to work on Thursday around the capital, Dhaka, to make clothes for Western retailers. "All factories have opened today and the workers have returned to work," Vice-President of the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association Shahidullah Azim said. "We don't have any reports of protests or violence". Workers have staged protests last week over the conditions of garment workers and there had been reported attacks on factories as well.  Seventeen more bodies were recovered from the rubble of the collapsed building overnight, raising the death toll to 427, army spokesman Major Mahmud confirmed.

02:11

Coup attempt in Chad foiled – minister

Security forces in Chad have foiled an alleged coup attempt on President Idriss Deby that had been planned for several months, according to the country’s communications minister. He revealed in a televised statement that "Today, May 1, a group of individuals with bad intentions sought to carry out an action to destabilize the institutions of the republic…They did not count on the valiant security forces who have tracked them since December 2012 and who, this morning, neutralized them," he added. The reported planners of the attack have since been apprehended and transferred to the state prosecutor. Their identities are not being revealed at this time. The West-African nation and former French colony has been a hotbed of coups and rebellions since gaining independence. President Deby himself had led troops into the capital N’Djamena in 1990, seizing power. He has been known to be a key ally of the West in the fight to eradicate al Qaeda-linked extremism in the vast region of the Sahel, and has won four elections since leading a rebellion. The president had deployed about 2,000 troops to Mali earlier in 2013, which earned him the gratitude of the French, who were in command of the military operation there.

01:40

Experts warn China's bird flu strain is 'serious concern'

The World Health Organization (WHO) is describing the current strain of H7N9, or bird flu, found in China as one of the most lethal forms of flu viruses. Of the 125 confirmed cases of H7N9 thus far, 20 per cent have died, another 20 per cent managed to recover and the remaining are still ill. Scientists have not yet found evidence that the bird flu is being transferred by humans, which would be a significant cause for concern. However, as Reuters reports, virology experts announced on Wednesday that this particular virus carries two genetic mutations that increase the chance that it will become human transmissible.

Submariners World News SitRep December 22nd '12

Pope issues Christmas pardon to 'Vatileaks' butler

Pope Benedict XVI has pardoned his former butler charged with leaking papal document to the press, the so-called 'Vatileaks' scandal, the Vatican officials said during a press briefing Saturday. Paolo Gabriele was also freed from the police barracks in the Vatican, where he had been serving an 18-month jail sentence. The Pope communicated the pardon to the ex-butler personally. Gabriele, who was taken into custody in May and convicted of aggravated theft by a Vatican tribunal in October, will not be able to resume his butler duties and will have to seek employment elsewhere.

3 Westerners kidnapped in Yemeni capital

­A Finnish couple and an Australian man have been kidnapped in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, officials said. One report alleged that gunmen seized the hostages at a shop in the city's center. The demands and the identity of the gunmen are not yet known, but kidnappings of foreigners are common in Yemen and are usually resolved peacefully. Al-Qaeda militants groups, which are very active in Yemen, sometimes claim responsibility; tribes have also been known to kidnap people as leverage to force the government to address a local grievance.

Russia, EU urge Palestinians and Israelis to enter direct talks

­Russia and the European Union have called for Palestinians and Israelis to begin direct peace negotiations with no preconditions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton said in a statement adopted at the Russia-EU summit in Brussels. The statement urged both sides of the conflict to refrain from any steps that would undermine a two-state solution, and said they should undertake “clear and resolute steps towards peace between Palestinians and Israelis.” Russia and the EU also said they are ready to cooperate with their international partners and revitalize the mediation work of the Quartet on the Middle East in order to reach “peace, stability and prosperity” in the region.

Russia calls on S. Sudan to fully investigate deadly helicopter downing

­Russia's Foreign Ministry has urged South Sudan to fully investigate the shooting down of a UN mission helicopter that led to deaths of the deaths of the four Russians and one Sudanese national on board. The African country earlier said its army had mistakenly targeted the Russian MI-8 helicopter, which was working with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Moscow has demanded that Sudan prosecute those found guilty of the Thursday incident, and prevent future such accidents.

New Japanese PM to send envoy to China in bid to bolster relations - report

­Newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has vowed to improve ties with neighboring China upon assuming office next week.. His pledge followed reports that Japan would send Masahiko Komura, the vice president of Abe's Liberal Democratic Party, to deliver a letter to Chinese authorities next month. The move comes a day after China sent naval ships into the territorial waters of disputed islands in the South China Sea.

Egyptians vote in second round constitution polls

Egyptians are making their way to polling stations to vote on a Shari-based constitution that has effectively polarized the nation. The first round of voting last week saw the new charter approved by a narrow 57 percent. The opposition has condemned the new document as too routed in Islamist doctrine and discriminatory to Egypt’s minority groups.

4 abducted S. Korean workers freed in Nigeria

­Four South Korean employees of Hyundai Heavy Industries have been freed after being kidnapped in Nigeria on December 17, officials in Seoul said. The four hostages were handed over to South Korean officials in the African country late Friday, local media reported. No information was available on the fate of the two Nigerians abducted along with the Hyundai employees. Foreign companies’ workers are often a target for kidnappers in oil-rich Nigeria, as companies are expected to pay large ransoms to secure their release.

Argentina slams UK for renaming Antarctic region after Queen

Argentina has issued an official summons to the UK ambassador to explain why part of Antarctica has been renamed for Queen Elizabeth II. UK Foreign Secretary William Hague announced the name change to ‘Queen Elizabeth Land’ on Tuesday, inciting Argentine ire and provoking a “strong rejection” to Britain's claim to the territory. Both Chile and Argentina have claimed the 169,000-square-mile section of Antarctica.

Spin Magazine halts print edition, going fully digital

­Entertainment magazine Spin has become the latest major publication to seize its print edition, after 27 years in business. The periodical, owned by Buzzmedia, will now only be available online. After Buzzmedia took over Spin in July, the company laid off a third of the magazine's staff and announced that the October and December print issues would be dropped. Spin's decision follows Newsweek's announcement that it would end print operations beginning in 2013.

Mexico: abduction capital of the world-NGO report

­Mexico has seen a 51 percent hike in the kidnapping rate with 72 people being abducted on average per day, the Council for Law and Human Rights NGO reported. The numbers vary drastically from the government’s figures. If the figures are accurate, it makes Mexico the abduction capital of the world. Federal Police suggest there were 4,671 kidnapping over the past six years, an average of about two per day.

Obama sets strict deadline for 'fiscal cliff' deal

­The US leader has called on Congress to pass the fiscal cliff agreement after Christmas so it can come into force before New Year. President Barack Obama says he's willing to look at a fiscal deal in stages or all at once to avoid dropping off the cliff and to prevent tax hikes on middle class Americans and an expiration of unemployment benefits. “Nobody can get 100% of what they want” the president states. He has also spoken with House Speaker John Boehner and the architect of the failed House bill Majority Leader Harry Reid, to enact the necessary compromise.

Four UN Peacekeepers in Sudan killed by one of their own

­Four UN peacekeepers in Sudan have been killed and one injured by shots fired by another peacekeeper in Mukjar in West Darfur, the joint UN-African Union peacekeeping mission's spokesman announced on Friday. The mission in Darfur is currently investigating the “blue-on-blue” incident which took place on Thursday. The spokesman gave no further details of the incident.

6.6 magnitude earthquakes shakes near Australia

­An earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale occurred near Vanuatu in the pacific ocean. No tsunami warning has been issued.

Activist strips to protest Egyptian constitution in Sweden

­A 22 year old female blogger has stripped down outside the Egyptian embassy in Stockholm, Sweden to protest the second round of voting on Egypt's draft constitution. Standing in sub-zero temperatures, the Egyptian Aliaa Magda Elmahdy painted  a message on her body that read "Sharia isn't a constitution," referring to the strict principles of Islamic law. Two members of the Swedish feminist organization Femen joined the action. The slogans on their posters targeted Egypt’s president Mohamed Morsi and Islamic law.

Tajikistan: Twitter, other social networks among 131 blocked sites

­The Tajik government’s communication service has ordered internet providers to block 131 websites, reports RIA Novosti. Most of the banned outlets provide access to music and video files. The Twitter micro-blogging service as well as the popular social network Vkontakte, which is a Russian version of Facebook, have been banned. Internet providers are expected to start unplugging their users from the outlets on Monday. Facebook was blacklisted in Tajikistan back in November for “spreading libel about the country’s leaders.” In early December access to the network was restored following petitions from the EU and others. However, Tajikistan still blocks over 30 websites including several Russian news outlets.

Three tourist kidnapped in Yemen

­Three foreign tourists have been kidnapped at gunpoint in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. Four gunmen drove off with them to an unknown location, according to a local security official. The nationalities of two men and a woman is not yet known. Hundreds have fallen victim to abductions in Yemen over the last 15 years, some perpetrated by members of the country's powerful tribes who use them as bargaining chips in disputes with the authorities.

Submariners World News SitRep December 21st '12

Militant commander, 2 others killed in Pakistan blast

A bomb blast has killed at least three people on Friday, including a local militant commander, in a restive Pakistani tribal region bordering Afghanistan, officials said. Four people were also injured by the explosion in the town of Wana in the South Waziristan tribal district, considered a base for Islamist militants. “A bomb at the office of local Taliban commander Maulvi Abbas's brother in the vegetable market went off, killing Abbas and two others including his son,” a local security official told AFP. Abbas reportedly had close links with the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.

Iranian suspects testify in Bangkok over alleged bomb plot against Israelis

Two Iranians arrested after a botched bomb plot allegedly targeting Israeli diplomats appeared in a Bangkok court Friday. The two men said they were innocent, and did not know about the explosives in their rented Bangkok home, which went off on Valentine's Day. Israel claimed an Iranian-backed network was preparing attacks against Israeli diplomats. The lawyer representing the two men said they were completely unaware there were bombs in their house.

28 people killed in fresh Tana clashes on Kenyan coast – reports

At least 28 people were killed in renewed clashes in the Tana Delta on the Kenyan coast on Friday morning, local media said, citing police sources. The clashes between rival farming communities in the Tana River district also injured several others. The hostilities between members of the Orma and Pokomo communities were reportedly provoked by an official order to disarm, as some believed the government was favoring one side of the dispute. Coast Provincial Police Chief Aggrey Adoli said the exact number of the dead was not immediately clear. Four months ago, more than 100 people were killed in a dispute between the Orma and Pokomo over grazing rights.

Collapsing reef could trigger tsunami near Australia

While mapping the ocean bed near the Great Barrier Reef, Australian marine geologists reportedly discovered a giant slab of collapsing seafloor that could trigger a tsunami in the future. The researchers said it is unclear when the collapse will occur, but that the eventual collapse will lead to a localized tsunami affecting the Queensland coastline. The geologists’ research was published in the November 2012 editions of the ‘Natural Hazards’ journal.

Argentina deploys troops to resort city after riots

The Argentinian government has sent police task force units to the resort city of San Carlos de Bariloche, which saw protests and looting on Thursday, Itar-Tass reported. The police of Rio Negro province had too few officers to maintain order during the demonstrations, in which participants urged authorities to increase social spending ahead of the holidays. Argentinian Prime Minister Juan Manuel Medina said in an emergency news briefing in Buenos Aires that the rioting was caused be “violence-inclined groups of outcasts,” on the 11th anniversary of protests that forced ex-President Fernando de la Rua to tender his resignation.

Chinese navy ships enter disputed waters

The Japanese coastguard reported that three Chinese maritime surveillance vessels have sailed into the territorial waters of disputed islands in the South China Sea, the first such intrusion since Japan elected its new government, AFP reported. The ships were spotted northwest of Kubajima Island, in the archipelago dubbed Senkaku by Japan and Diaoyu by China, at around 10:20am local time (0120 GMT). Chinese government ships have repeatedly entered the waters since September. Analysts believe that China is challenging Japan's de facto control of the islands for the past 40 years.

2 German tourists, Australian rescued after 2 days adrift in Philippine sea

Two German tourists and an Australian have been rescued after being adrift at sea for two days, the Philippine coast guard said Friday. Large waves capsized their small boat in the Sibuyan Sea in the central Philippines, and a passing ship found them clinging to the vessel. The Philippine skipper went missing after attempting to swim ashore for help, coast guard officer Venerando Celiz said. German national Ralph Harald Auer, his son Thomas and Australian Joshua Marsh were heading from Banton Island to nearby Marinduque Island, about 25 kilometers away. The tourists arrived Friday in Iloilo.

Student arrested for threatening to shoot in school

­A teen has been arrested in Florida after threatening to “shoot everyone" in school in a Facebook message, the local sheriff announced. Authorities say that they received a tip from a parent who saw the threat from the 13-year-old. Neither the teen nor his school has been identified. The student is charged with a single second-degree felony of making a written threat.

Weather in the US kills a least 7

­Apocalyptic weather sweeping across the Midwest of the United States has left at least seven dead, closed transportation hubs and caused havoc for air travel just days before Christmas. The deaths from the snowstorm include a woman in Utah who died trying to walk for help after her car became stuck. The states of Kansas, Iowa, Wisconsin and Nebraska also witnessed traffic related fatalities. Overall 17 states are under winter weather advisories. Further south, tornado watches are in force in Georgia and Florida.

Mosque arsonist pleads guilty

­A man accused of setting a mosque on fire has accepted a plea bargain after admitting his wrongdoing. The 52 year old Randolph Linn is to spend 20 years in prison, under the condition of his plea bargain. Sentencing has been set for April 16, 2013. Linn said that on September 30, he had drank 45 beers and was "riled up" by Fox News before heading to the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo in Perrysburg Township with a revolver, where he then set a fire in a prayer room.

Marine who urinated on dead Taliban fighter sentenced

A Marine was sentenced to 30 days jail after pleading guilty to urinating on the body of a dead Taliban soldier and posting the incident online. The judge recommended that Joseph Chamblin was to be reduced in rank by three grades and fined $2,000. But Lt. Gen. Richard Mills, who was overseeing the Chamblin case, agreed before the court-martial to limit his punishment to the loss of $500 in pay and a reduction in rank by one grade. Video footage of the offensive behaviour surfaced in January. Three other serviceman involved have already been disciplined while another is facing court martial.

S. Africa decides to support Palestinian boycott of Israel

­South Africa's governing political party, the African National Congress has decided to support the Palestinian boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel, saying it is “unapologetic in its view that the Palestinians are the victims and the oppressed in the conflict with Israel.” The BDS campaign was started by 171 Palestinian non-governmental organizations in support of the Palestinian cause. Its main objectives are to put an end to the Israeli occupation, offer equality to Palestinian citizens of Israel and promote the rights of Palestinian refugees.

Facebook allows sending messages to strangers for $1

­Facebook has begun testing a new system that allows users to send messages to people who are not in their friend list for a payment of one dollar, the company said in a statement on Thursday. “Imposing a financial cost on the sender may be the most effective way to discourage unwanted messages and facilitate delivery of messages that are relevant and useful,” the statement reads. The system will route each paid message to recipient’s inbox folder instead of the low-priority “other” folder. The new feature will only work for users in the US and the number of paid messages to a particular recipient will be limited to one per week.

UAE shuts down US think tank

­The American based policy think tank RAND Corp. has been ordered to close its Abu Dhabi office, due to licensing issues. The directive is the latest move by the United Arab Emirates to crackdown on activists. RAND has conducted research into areas of education and environment. In spring this year, the UAE shut two pro-democracy groups, the US-funded National Democratic Institute and the Germany-backed Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

UN authorizes military intervention in Mali

­The UN Security Council has unanimously approved an African-led military force to intervene in Mali  to combat hardline Islamists, terrorists and armed gangs ruling the northern part of the country. The international force will be given a one-year mandate which may later be extended. It will be allowed to use “all necessary measures.” The intervention was authorized after regional politicians failed to broker a political solution between the Islamist extremists and Tuareg rebels vying for control of northern Mali. A March 22 coup allowed Islamists, who are imposing Islamic sharia law, to take control of Mali's northern cities.

At least one dead and five injured in Benghazi police attack

­An attack on the police in Benghazi, Libya has killed one civilian and left five injured, the officials announced. Witnesses on the ground estimated the number to be higher and placed the death toll at 4 including, 2 soldiers. Authorities believe that an armed group was trying to liberate a number of detainees arrested earlier this week. The incident began at a rally demanding release of those allegedly involved in the killings of several police and military officers. The crowd became unruly when extremist elements in the began firing at the police headquarters.

Submariners World News SitRep December 20th '12

South Korean church allowed to place Christmas lights near North Korean border

­A South Korean church has been allowed to set up an annual Christmas light display near the North Korean border. A Presbyterian church in Seoul will install a giant tree-shaped steel tower close to the demilitarized zone. The Christmas lights will be turned on starting December 22 and remain on for 12 days. Earlier, the Ministry of Defense banned the traditional display over fears it would worsen the South’s already tense relations with the North, ahead of both Pyongyang’s planned satellite launch and the South Korean presidential election. After both events passed, ministers reconsidered the ban.

Russian blogger and opposition activist Navalny charged with fraud, money laundering

Russian blogger and opposition activist Aleksey Navalny has been charged with fraud and money laundering, the Investigative Committee said on Thursday. An investigation is being carried out to establish the circumstances and details surrounding the alleged crime, committee spokesperson Vladimir Markin said. Navalny is charged with fraud totaling of 55 million rubles (about $1.8 million) under the Post of Russia criminal case, Markin told Itar-Tass.

Intercontinental Exchange to buy NYSE Euronext for $8.2bln

The New York Stock Exchange will be sold to a rival exchange for $8.2 billion. The buyer of NYSE Euronext is IntercontinentalExchange, Inc., an upstart exchange based in Atlanta, Georgia. ICE will open an office in Manhattan and operate it alongside its Atlanta headquarters. NYSE CEO Duncan Niederauer will become president of the combined company and CEO of NYSE Group. The deal is expected to close in the second half of next year, as it still must be approved by regulators and the shareholders of both companies.

Chief Egyptian prosecutor retracts resignation offer

Egypt's new Public Prosecutor, Talaat Ibrahim, has reportedly retracted his offer to resign. He tendered his resignation on Monday amid protests from members of the judiciary over his appointment. Ibrahim said earlier that he submitted his resignation out of respect for his profession, not because of the judges’ protests. Ibrahim said that if the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) did not accept his resignation, he would consider his options.

Cyprus adopts austerity budget for 2013

Cypriot MPs have approved a tight austerity budget for 2013 as Nicosia attempts to secure a bailout deal. The budget, which incorporates harsh spending cuts and tax hikes agreed to in talks with a troika of international lenders, was passed late Wednesday with 51 votes in favor and two against, AFP reported. Total public expenditures for 2013 are projected at 9.5 billion euro ($12.6 billion), and the GDP will decline to 17.49 billion euro. Finance Minister Vassos Shiarly called the budget the "most crucial" in the island's history.

Yemeni president restructures army, sacks Saleh's cronies

President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi has restructured the Yemeni military to curb the influence of those linked to the country’s toppled dictator Abdullah Ali Saleh. Hadi scrapped the elite Republican Guard commanded by Saleh's oldest son Ahmed, and removed Saleh's nephew Yehya from his powerful post as deputy chief of central security, AFP reported. Hadi assumed power less than a year ago, after Saleh stepped down under a transition agreement mediated by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The GCC also supported restructuring the Yemeni army.

Lithuania passes 2013 budget, targets EU deficit limits

Lithuania's parliament passed next year’s budget on Thursday, eyeing a deficit within EU limits as the Baltic nation prepares to adopt the euro in 2015. A total of 103 lawmakers backed the 2013 spending and revenue package, which aims to shave the public deficit to 2.5 percent of gross domestic product from 3.0 percent this year, AFP reported. Eurozone rules require that countries keep their public deficits below 3.0 percent of output. The 2013 budget foresees spending of 22.1 billion Lithuanian litas ($8.48 billion), and revenues of 21.3 billion litas.

Death toll rises to 25 in Sri Lanka floods

The Sri Lankan government said Thursday that the death toll from flash floods and mudslides across the country has climbed to 25. Another 14 people are missing after flooding that followed three days of heavy rain. The floods have destroyed more than 300 homes and displaced nearly 20,000 people, the Disaster Management Center said.

S. African workers clash with security guards at Harmony mine

Mine workers at Harmony Gold's Kusasalethu mine in Carletonville, South Africa, have clashed with security guards, who retaliated with rubber bullets, the company said on Thursday. Five workers were injured following what spokesperson Henrika Basterfield described as “violent behavior and damage to the mine structure.” Some 578 employees were suspended on Thursday for taking part in an unsanctioned strike last week. Harmony's management decided to close the facility “until the labor issues have been resolved.”

Kuwait shuts down opposition-linked Al-Youm TV station

Kuwait has closed the private television station Al-Youm on Thursday, which supported the country’s opposition. The Kuwaiti information ministry said it had “scrapped the license of a satellite station for violating the terms of the license and after failing to meet a deadline to rectify its situation in line with the law.” Al-Youm chair Ahmad Al-Jabr told AFP that his channel had received orders to shut down, and the station went off the air. The station plans to seek recourse in court against the ministry’s order.

Philippines government, communist rebels agree to truce

The Philippine government and the country’s communist rebels have agreed to a nationwide truce to help restart peace talks. The Communist Party of the Philippines reportedly ordered the New People's Army to halt its attacks on military and police forces starting Thursday. The ceasefire agreement was reached following a meeting of negotiators this week in the Netherlands, where rebel leaders live in exile. The rebels had earlier declared a month-long ceasefire in a southern province following a typhoon that killed more than 1,000 people. The ceasefire will be extended to January 15, and will cover other areas where the guerrillas operate.

French national kidnapped in northern Nigeria

A group of 30 gunmen stormed a residence in northern Nigeria where expatriate workers were staying, killing two people and kidnapping a French citizen, police said on Thursday. Katsina state police chief Abdullahi Magaji confirmed that a French national was abducted, AFP reported. Engineers from French company Vergnet were staying in the residence, Magaji said. A security guard and a neighbor were shot dead in the attack, he said.

UN court sentences Rwandan ex-minister to 35-year jail term

The UN tribunal for Rwanda on Thursday sentenced the country’s former planning minister to 35 years in prison on charges of genocide. In the court's final ruling, Augustin Ngirabatware, minister at the time of the 1994 genocide, was found guilty of genocide, incitement to commit genocide and rape as a crime against humanity, AFP quoted the judge as saying. Appeals to the tribunal over the ruling are pending.

French president calls occupation of Algeria ‘brutal’           

French President Francois Hollande has acknowledged that France's occupation of Algeria for 132 years was “unjust” and “brutal.” On Thursday, the second day of his visit to the North African nation, he told the Algerian parliament that he recognizes “the suffering the colonial system has inflicted” on its people. He stopped short of apologizing as Algerians have demanded, however. Hollande earlier said that he and Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika are opening a “new era” of strategic partnership among equals.

China arrests 1,000 people in crackdown on doomsday sect

Nearly 1,000 people have been arrested in China for spreading doomsday rumors, state media reported on Thursday. A group called ‘Almighty God’ was accused of spreading rumors apparently linked to the ancient Mayan Long Count calendar. More than 350 members of the cult were detained in the southwestern province of Guizhou, and in the northwestern province of Qinghai more than 400 were held for ‘gathering unlawfully.’

Russian prosecutor asks to reduce jail term for Khodorkovsky, Lebedev

Russian prosecutor Vladimir Vedernikov has asked Thursday to reduce the jail term for former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky and his business partner, former Menatep head Platon Lebedev, by one year and nine months, to 11 years and three months total. Vedernikov made the request at a meeting of the presidium of the Moscow City Court, which is reviewing a supervisory appeal by the convicted persons, Itar-Tass reported. Khodorkovsky and Lebedev were sentenced on December 30, 2010, to 14 years in jail for theft of oil and money laundering. The term was reduced by one year on May 24, 2011.

Afghan president welcomes British pullout plan

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has welcomed the proposed withdrawal of nearly half of the UK’s troops from Afghanistan next year. The partial pullout is an “appropriate” move as NATO forces hand over the war against the Taliban to the Afghan military, a statement from the president's office said Thursday. British Prime Minister David Cameron announced on Wednesday that about 3,800 British troops would be withdrawn by the end of 2013, leaving some 5,000 into 2014. Karzai said that Afghan forces are ready to take over national security responsibilities.

33 dead in Sudan as two buses collide

Thirty-three people were killed and 24 injured when two inter-city buses collided in Sudan late Wednesday, police said. A passenger bus and a minibus crashed near the community of El Kamlien, about halfway between Khartoum and Wad Medani, AFP reported. The incident happened after the minibus tried to overtake another vehicle, police said.

9th death reported in Pakistan polio team attacks

Another victim has died from attacks on UN-backed polio vaccination teams in Pakistan, bringing the three-day toll to nine, officials said. Hilal Khan, 20, died on Thursday, a day after he was shot in the head in the northwestern city of Peshawar, health official Janbaz Afridi said. Since Monday, gunmen across Pakistan have attacked teams vaccinating children against polio. Six women were among the nine workers killed. The UN has suspended the vaccination campaign until a government investigation is completed.

Afghan officials, Taliban meet in France for secret talks

France is hosting a secretive meeting between Afghan officials, rebels and opposition groups. About 20 representatives of the government, the political opposition, Taliban envoys and militant Islamist group Hezb-e-Islami will try on Thursday and Friday to foster a conversation after 11 years of war. France is now pulling its last combat troops from Afghanistan ahead of NATO's withdrawal timetable.

Thailand to extradite Italian banker accused of mob ties

A Thai court on Thursday ordered the extradition of fugitive Italian banker Vito Roberto Palazzolo, who was found guilty of laundering money for Italy's top mobsters. Palazzolo was convicted in Italy in 2006 after the ‘Pizza Connection’ investigation, which reportedly exposed a $1.6 billion heroin and cocaine smuggling operation that used New York pizzerias as fronts from 1975 to 1984. He was sentenced to nine years in prison for links to the mafia. Palazzolo, 65, was arrested at Bangkok's airport on March 30.

India successfully test-fires nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile

India successfully test-fired the self-produced and nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile from launch complex 3 at its Integrated Test Range at about 9:21am local time Thursday, defense sources said. The test launch was conducted as a part of an exercise by India’s Strategic Force Command (SFC). The missile was randomly chosen from the production stock, and the launch was carried out by SFC and monitored by scientists at the DRDO defense agency as part of a practice drill.

UK Pirate Bay proxy shut down after legal threat by music industry

The Pirate Party UK has shut down a proxy website allowing users to access the popular file-sharing website the Pirate Bay following legal threats by the music industry. The proxy was launched earlier this year before the High Court blocked the Pirate Bay in the UK, which was one of the country’s most-visited websites. The Pirate Party UK together with the Pirate Bay created a special section on the site that allowed UK users to circumvent the ban.

UN launches $1.5 bn appeal for Syria crisis

The UN has launched an appeal for a $1.5 billion sum needed to fund relief efforts for those affected by the Syrian conflict. Officials have set targets of $1 billion to aid those expected to flee across the country’s borders by spring 2013, while more than 525,000 Syrians have already left the country. Another $500 million was requested to provide relief to those living in Syria in desperate need of aid, half of whom have been left homeless by the conflict.

Sexual assault cases in US military schools jump by 23 per cent

­Sexual assaults at American military academies increased by nearly a quarter in 2012, AP reports. The overall number of assaults rose from 65 in 2011 to 80. The data suggests that victims are hesitant to report the incidents, as nearly half of the victims involved sought confidential medical care and did not trigger an investigation. There were 41 assaults reported in 2010.

One dead, scores injured in Texan storm car pileup

­One person has been killed and at least 17 others injured in a dust storm in Texas. According to authorities, 23 vehicles were involved in a massive chain-reaction accident on Interstate 27, as storm winds reaching 55 mph hit. A man died at the scene after his car slammed into the back of a tractor-trailer. The highway was closed for six hours following the accident.

At least 31 US day care workers suspended

A probe into the into Army day care centers at Fort Myer, Virginia found several criminal convictions in employees' personal records, leading to the suspension of at least 31 of them. Some of the convictions include sexual assault and drug use. The investigation follows a scandal after two workers were arrested three month ago on charges of assaulting children at the center. On Tuesday Defense Secretary Leon Panetta ordered a worldwide review of hiring practices at all facilities that involve children.

Four State Department staff quit in wake of Benghazi attack revelation

­Four State Department officials left their jobs following criticism of the agency's work following the September 11 attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. On Tuesday, an independent panel ruled that “grossly inadequate” security at the diplomatic mission in Benghazi lead to the deaths of Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three others. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton accepted all 29 of the panel’s recommendations. Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security Eric Boswell, and Deputy Assistant Secretary responsible for embassy security Charlene Lamb, along with two other civil servants, left their posts.

Obama says gun control will be 'central issue' in second term

­US President Barack Obama is to submit a broad new gun control proposal to Congress in January, he says, as he makes curbing arms proliferation inside the US a “central issue” of his second term. The pledge comes as House Republicans remain in opposition to setting new limits on guns. It is feared that such a clash will result in furious debates over the role of the Second Amendment of the US Constitution, which many Republicans claim protects the right to use semiautomatic weapons. The announcement comes in the wake of the Newtown, Connecticut shootings, in which 26 people, mostly children, were killed.

Thousands assemble to bid Mexican-American diva Jenni Rivera farewell

­Nearly six thousand people gathered to pay their final respects to Mexican-American singer Jenni Rivera at a funeral ceremony in Los Angeles. Her family, including five children, could not resist tears as a mariachi-style band played next to the red coffin at the ceremony. Born in Long Beach, California to Mexican parents, Rivera was a star of the banda music genre, selling 15 million records and winning Billboard Latin Music awards. She and six others were killed when their small plane crashed in northern Mexico on December 9.

Facebook cans plan to advertise in apps

Facebook is to halt a test that would place ads in applications that synch to the leading social network. The social media giant will instead focus on ads in mobile news feed. The decision puts into jeopardy the company's ability to capitalize on smartphones, where Facebook's user base is continually growing. Facebook's stock price dropped slightly on the announcement.

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UN calls on Tel Aviv to cancel plans to build thousands of houses on disputed lands

­The United Nations has called on Israel to cancel plans to build thousands of new houses on the disputed territories in east Jerusalem, warning it could be "an almost fatal blow" to peace hopes. Israel has pushed through plans for 5,158 new settler homes so far. Tel Aviv announced the expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank, including east Jerusalem, since the Palestinians won a UN vote on November 29 to secure non-member state recognition.

Israel approves Givat Hamatos settlement in east Jerusalem

The Jerusalem Planning Committee has approved 2,612 housing units in the Givat Hamatos settlement on Jerusalem's southern rim, an Israeli municipal official said Wednesday. City Councilor Pepe Alalu, who voted against the project, said construction could begin in a year. The area, inhabited by a few dozen Jewish and Palestinian families, would be the first new settlement to be built in east Jerusalem since 1997. Critics claim that Givat Hamatos, along with other settlements planned for an area known as E-1, could hinder access to east Jerusalem from the West Bank. Israel’s new building plans have drawn worldwide rebuke.

4 people killed in pyrotechnics fire in Saratov, Russia

Four people have died and three were injured in a fire at a pyrotechnics shop in the Russian city of Saratov on the Volga River, the Emergency Situations Ministry said on Wednesday. The blaze erupted in the fireworks section of a two-story building, Itar-Tass reported. The 60-square-meter blaze was put out in two hours, and no fireworks explosions were reported afterwards.

Duma approves amendments banning US adoptions of Russian children

The State Duma on Wednesday passed the ‘anti-Magnitsky law’ in a second reading and backed controversial amendments that ban US citizens from adopting Russian children. The legislation also bans the work of organizations selecting children for adoption by US citizens, and terminates an agreement with the US to cooperate on adoptions of children. The Duma also backed an amendment suspending operations by ‘political NGOs’ that receive money or property from US citizens free of charge or carry out domestic activities “posing a threat to Russia's interests,” Interfax said.

Death toll in Iran mine collapse rises to 8

­The number of dead in a coal mine collapse in Iran has risen to eight, IRNA news agency said on Wednesday. Four casualties were reported earlier. Five bodies were removed from the site Tuesday night, and three more bodies were recovered on Wednesday. A mine tunnel collapsed in Iran’s central region of Tabas on Tuesday, causing a gas explosion.

Soyuz spaceship flying new crew to ISS

The Russian Soyuz TMA-07 spaceship, carrying three astronauts on board, is continuing its autonomous flight to the International Space Station (ISS) after its launch from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 1212 GMT Wednesday. Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko, NASA's Tom Marshburn and the Canadian Space Agency's Chris Hadfield have embarked on a two-day journey, and are set to dock with the ISS on December 21 and join the three astronauts already aboard.

CSTO suspends Uzbekistan's membership

The leaders of the member-states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) have suspended Uzbekistan's membership, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said on Wednesday. The decision was taken at a meeting of the CSTO collective security council in Moscow. “We agreed that there will be no easy terms when entering the Organization any more, including for this state,” Lukashenko said. The CSTO is composed of former Soviet republics Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.

UK to reduce troop levels in Afghanistan to 5,200 by end of 2013 – Cameron

UK Prime Minister David Cameron said Wednesday that Britain will reduce the number of its troops in Afghanistan to 5,200 by the end of 2013. There will be two “fairly even withdrawal steps” of troops from between now and the end of 2014, he said. No “exact decisions” have been taken yet for troop levels after 2014. The PM said earlier in the day that Britain “will not be leaving Afghanistan,” adding that London has pledged to help Afghans.

Gunmen kidnap 5 Indian sailors off coast of Nigeria

Gunmen stormed a tanker ship off the coast of Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta, ransacking the vessel and kidnapping five Indian sailors, a shipping company said Wednesday. The attackers targeted the SP Brussels tanker as it sat about 64 kilometers off the coast of Nigeria's Niger Delta Monday, Medallion Marine said in a statement. Those remaining onboard sailed the vessel safely to port in Lagos. Nigerian navy officials have not commented on the attack.

VP Biden to oversee policy changes to tackle US gun violence

President Barack Obama is tasking Vice President Joe Biden with spearheading an effort to curb US gun violence. The administration-wide push to tighten gun restrictions comes in the wake of the shooting massacre at a Connecticut elementary school. The attack has prompted several congressional gun rights supporters to consider new legislation to control firearms. Biden has been a longtime advocate for gun control.

Medvedev urges United Russia to draft plan supporting orphans

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has said that United Russia should develop a party program to support orphans. Speaking at an expanded session of the party’s Supreme and General Councils on Wednesday, he said that “foreign adoptions are the result of the lack of attention given to orphans by the state and society… the consequence of our indifference.” Medvedev urged that Russians are capable of coping with the problem themselves. The parliament soon plans to ban US citizens from adopting Russian children.

27 killed in northern Nigeria truck crash

Nigerian police have reported Wednesday that 27 people riding atop a truck carrying livestock were killed when it tipped over and crashed in the country’s northwest. The crash happened Monday when the truck, heading to Nigeria’s Delta state, took a corner too fast on a major road in Sokoto state, local police spokesperson Sani Salisu said. Some of those riding atop the truck survived the crash.

Instagram backtracks on new terms of use

Instagram has backtracked on its new terms of use amid angry reactions from the photo-sharing app’s users. Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom admitted in a blog post that “the language we proposed ... raised question about whether your photos can be part of an advertisement.” The company will remove the language, Systrom said, adding that the intent of the new terms “was interpreted by many that we were going to sell your photos to others without any compensation. … To be clear: it is not our intention to sell your photos. We are working on updated language in the terms.”

Turkey blasts Israel settlement plans

The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned on Wednesday plans by Israeli authorities to expand settlements in the Palestinian territories. The ministry’s statement accused Israel of policies that undermine the foundations of peace in the region, despite warnings by the international community. Policies to change the cultural and religious identity of the Palestinian territories will not yield results, the ministry said, calling on other states to oppose Israel’s plans.

French court upholds Strauss-Kahn pimping charges

A French court ruled on Wednesday to uphold the aggravated pimping charges against former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, his lawyers said. The defense team plans to appeal this decision. The ruling means the continuation of a judicial investigation into allegations that Strauss-Kahn and associates arranged sex parties with prostitutes, AFP reported. The case concerns a suspected luxury prostitution ring in northern France.

$152 bln illegally siphoned out of Russia over decade – report

Russia was among five biggest exporters of illicit financial flows over the last decade, according to a report by Global Financial Integrity (GFI), a Washington-based research and advocacy organization. About $152 billion was transferred out of Russia between 2001 and 2010, the study said. The four other nations are China at $2.74 trillion, Mexico at $476 billion, Malaysia at $285 billion and Saudi Arabia at $210 billion.

2 killed in new attacks on polio workers in Pakistan

Gunmen in Pakistan staged more attacks Wednesday on UN-backed polio vaccination teams, reportedly killing at least two workers. A vaccination campaign supervisor and her driver were killed in Charsadda, officials said. Another polio worker in Peshawar was wounded in the head and is in critical condition, senior health official Janbaz Afridi said. Wednesday's attacks also took place in the city of Nowshera. The previous day, five female polio workers were killed in southern and northwestern Pakistan. The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the Tuesday attacks.

UBS to pay $1.5bln to settle interest rate case

Swiss banking giant UBS AG announced Wednesday it admitted to fraud and has agreed to pay about $1.5 billion to US, British and Swiss authorities. UBS is one of several banks under investigation over allegations of manipulating the benchmark London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) interest rate. UBS revealed that some of its employees tried to rig the LIBOR in several currencies. The bank’s Japanese unit, where much of this manipulation took place, entered a plea to one count of wire fraud in its proposed agreement with the US Justice Department.

Vietnam bans blogger from traveling to US

Vietnamese authorities have prevented blogger Huynh Trong Hieu from flying to the US to pick up a human rights award on behalf of his father and sister, Huynh said Wednesday. Police detained the blogger at Ho Chi Minh City Airport on Sunday night, questioned him for two hours and confiscated his passport, which had a valid American visa, the AP said. He was later released. Hieu was flying to the US to receive the Hellman-Hammett award from Human Rights Watch on behalf of his father Huynh Ngoc Tuan and sister Huynh Thuc Vy, both prominent bloggers, as they are not allowed to leave the country.

Mexico launches new security force

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has announced the creation of a 10,000-member security force to tackle crime and violence in the country’s troubled regions. The new gendarmerie is expected to fulfill basic law enforcement duties, while the federal police will focus on investigations. The military will continue to patrol the streets until the new force is in place. President Peña Nieto, who took office on December 1, pledged during his election campaign to create the new force. Former President Felipe Calderon’s war against drug-trafficking organizations has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths.

UK sets guidelines for social media prosecution

UK government prosecutors published new guidelines on Wednesday that could make it harder to bring legal cases against people who send offensive messages on Twitter and Facebook. “These interim guidelines are intended to strike the right balance between freedom of expression and the need to uphold the criminal law,” said Keir Starmer, the director of public prosecutions. The guidelines come amid increasing criminal prosecutions against people who post online messages deemed indecent or menacing.

Nine dead and over three thousand homeless in Sri Lanka landslides

Nine people have died and over 3,000 have been displaced in landslides and floods in Sri Lanka after two days of bad weather, officials have announced. Those left homeless have taken shelter in temples and schools. The extreme weather conditions also gave rise to the unique phenomenon of fish falling from the sky in the town of Matara. Authorities believe a mini-tornado was responsible for sucking the fish out of the sea before depositing them on the ground.

Washington slams Israel for pursuing new settlement construction

­The US State Department has accused Israel of engaging in a “provocative action" with their continued building of settlements at a time of fragile peace with Palestine. The Department’s spokeswoman Victoria Nuland also accused Tel Aviv of hypocrisy, as Israel's leaders “continually say that they support a path towards a two-state solution, yet these actions only put that goal further at risk.” The statement brings Washington's opposition to Israeli settlements to a new level.

Ireland to legalize some abortions following woman’s death

­Ireland is set to legalize abortions in a move that defies the Catholic Churches’ grip on ethical values in the country. The operations will be allowed when a mother's life is at risk or if she is deemed to be suicidal. The country’s cabinet made the decision after massive public pressure following the death of a pregnant woman in October who died after her abortion requests were refused as she was suffering a miscarriage.

Ontario teachers walk out of classrooms in record breaking numbers

­More than twenty thousand teachers abandoned their classrooms to march in Ontario’s biggest labour strike. The "Super Tuesday" strike involved eight school districts which left over 400,000 students without instructors. The protest was an attempt by the unions to force collective bargaining on the authorities. Earlier this year, the provincial assembly adopted Bill 115, which allows the Ontario government to impose a contract if none has been negotiated by December 31. More strikes are expected through Thursday.

National Rifle Association promises “meaningful contributions” after Newtown shootings

­The US National Rifle Association is to hold a major news conference on Friday following the massacre of 26 people, mostly children, in Newtown. In its first statement since the tragedy, the powerful gun lobby promises to make “meaningful contributions to help make sure this never happens again,” as its members were “shocked, saddened and heartbroken by the news of the horrific and senseless murders”. The statement comes after days of silence by the NRA and after increased pressure from the public and lawmakers to pursue harsher gun control policies.

Six Chinese officials fired following elementary school stabbing

­Two school principals, two local police officers, one safety official and one county education official have been fired in China’s Henan province after a man burst into an elementary school last Friday stabbing 23 students with a knife, Xinhua reports. The perpetrator of the attack, Min Yongjun, was arrested for attacking the children and jeopardizing public security. According to the authorities Min was strongly affected by “doomsday rumours,” that according to the Mayan calendar will bring the end of the world this Friday.

Standard & Poor’s agency upgrades Greece’s credit rating

­Standard & Poor's agency has raised Greece's sovereign credit rating by 6 notches to B-minus, which pulls the country out of default, but still keeps its devalued bonds at junk status. This is the highest grade the agency has given Greece since June 2011, and reflects the intent of the other 16 members of the Eurozone to keep Greece inside the currency union. The agency gives the country a stable outlook, suggesting it won’t make another change to its credit rating in the near future.