US to give Syria additional humanitarian aid
The Obama administration approved $12 million in humanitarian aid for Syrian civilians, officials say. The new package brings total US humanitarian relief to the country to $76 million since the uprising began last year. The funds will go to the UN refugee agency, the international Red Cross, UNICEF and other organizations providing assistance to Syrian civilians, the AP reports. More than 200,000 Syrians have reportedly fled to neighboring Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. Hundreds of thousands more have been displaced within the country.
Egyptian security forces use tear gas to disperse clashes at Nile City Towers
At least two people are reported dead in clashes that erupted outside Cairo, Egypt's Nile City Towers Thursday afternoon. Residents of the nearby Boulaq slum smashed windows at the luxury complex and cars were set ablaze outside the towers, media reports say. Witnesses reported seeing molotov cocktails being thrown at the building. The cause of the fighting was not immediately clear. Security forces deployed tear gas and bird shot to disperse the crowd. Both local developers and the state want the shack-dwellers of Boulaq evicted from the valuable Nile-front real-estate.
North Korea needs ‘immediate food aid’ - UN
North Korea needs immediate food assistance after heavy rain caused dozens of deaths, a UN office said Thursday. The assessment was released by the UN coordinator's office in Pyongyang after visits to flood-ravaged areas. Flooding in the wake of a severe drought last month killed at least 119 people, and left tens of thousands homeless. The worst-hit areas are Anju city and Songchon County in South Phyongan Province, as well as Chonnae County in Kangwon Province. Officials in Pyongyang are requesting food, fuel, medicine, water and purification supplies, and farmers are requesting seeds and fertilizer for the next growing season.
Iraq rejects US demand for extradition of terror suspect
An Iraqi court has rejected a US request to extradite an alleged terrorist commander for trial. Washington described Ali Mussa Daqduq as a top threat to US forces in the Middle East. The US requested that Baghdad extradite him, shortly before two Iraqi courts found him not guilty of masterminding the killings of five American soldiers during a 2007 raid on an American military base in the city of Karbala. Iraq's central criminal court ordered that Daqduq be freed immediately, the AP reports. The move ends the Obama administration's legal efforts to prosecute Daqduq.
Greece resumes talks with debt inspectors
Greece's government has resumed austerity negotiations with international debt inspectors. Representatives of the EU, European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund held talks on Thursday at Greece's Finance Ministry on a proposed 11.5-billion Euro austerity package for 2013-14, the AP reports. The documents are to be finalized later this month. The three parties in the six-weeks-old coalition agreed on Wednesday not to delay any of the proposed cuts. Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras said the agreement on the cuts was a “necessary condition” for Greece to remain in the Eurozone.
Panetta, King of Jordan say Assad must step down – spokesperson
The Pentagon chief and Jordan's King Abdullah agree that Syrian leader Bashar Assad must give up power, according to Leon Panetta’s spokesperson. George Little made the statement after Panetta met with the king in Amman on Thursday, the AP said. The two men discussed prospects for a post-Assad political transition, and the problem of Syrian refugees entering Jordan. Amman was the final stop in Panetta's five-day, four-country trip to the Middle East and North Africa.
Magnitude 6.3 earthquake hits near Papua New Guinea
A 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Papua New Guinea on Thursday, the US Geological Survey said. The quake hit the remote New Ireland region at 0956 GMT at a depth of 70 kilometers – 128 kilometers from Rabaul, New Britain, and 850 kilometers from the capital of Port Moresby. Papua New Guinea is located on the Pacific's so-called 'Ring of Fire,' a hotspot for seismic activity.
Syrian rebels use captured tank against government forces in Aleppo fighting
Syrian rebels have used a tank against government forces for the first time in the battle for Aleppo. Rebels shelled a military airbase on Thursday expected to be used as a staging post for army reinforcement. The Menakh airbase is located 35 km north of the city. “We hit the airport using a tank that we captured from the Assad army,” Reuters quoted a rebel fighter as saying. “We attacked the airport a few times but we have decided to retreat at this time.” The pro-rebel Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed government forces at the airbase had used artillery and rocket launchers to bombard the town of Tel Rifaat.
Egyptian Field Marshal Tantawi keeps Defense Ministry post
Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi will keep his post as Defense Minister in Egypt's first Muslim Brotherhood-led government. The news was announced by Prime Minister-designate Hisham Kandil on Thursday, Reuters said. Tantawi was Hosni Mubarak's Defense Minister for two decades, until the military seized power from the former president in February 2011.
Turkish military aircraft strike Kurdish rebel positions
Turkish warplanes and attack helicopters pounded rebel Kurdish positions in the country's southeast on Thursday. Ankara says Kurdish rebels had been allegedly planning to seize the town of Semdinli. The town is located in the region where the borders of Turkey, Iran and Iraq converge. Semdinli mayor Sedat Tore said he saw Turkish military aircraft flying toward nearby Mount Goman, the AP reports. Many villagers were forced to flee their homes after clashes began when rebels established a roadblock near Semdinli on July 23.
Spanish police arrest three suspected Al-Qaeda members
Three suspected Al-Qaeda members in possession of explosives and poison have been arrested in southern Spain. The suspects, including a Chechen and a Turk, were detained in La Linea de la Concepcion and Valdepenas, media reports say. Spanish police believe the men were planning an attack in the country. This is the first time terror suspects have been found with explosives. At least one of the men attended training camps in Pakistan, police say.
Chinese teenager kills eight in knife attack – reports
A Chinese teenager has been arrested after killing eight people and wounding five others in a knife attack, state media reported on Thursday. Police took the teenager into custody following the Wednesday night incident, Xinhua news agency said. The stabbings took place in the northeastern province of Liaoning.
Three million Syrians need food – UN
Three million Syrians need food, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Thursday. Crop and livestock assistance is also needed, the agency said, citing a survey by the UN and the Syrian government. That figure included 1.5 million Syrians who “need urgent and immediate food assistance over the next three to six months,” AFP reports. Areas that have seen the greatest conflict and population displacement are the regions most in need of help.
Eight killed in attacks on Iraq checkpoints
Three attacks on separate checkpoints north of Baghdad killed eight people on Thursday, Iraqi officials said. Those killed include four policemen and three anti-Al-Qaeda militiamen. Unidentified gunmen killed four policemen in an attack on a checkpoint on a road near Tikrit, 160 kilometers of Baghdad, AFP reports. Three anti-Al-Qaeda Sahwa militiamen were killed by a bomb planted in a caravan at a checkpoint near Balad, 70 kilometers from the Iraqi capital. Gunmen also attacked an army checkpoint in Dujail, 60 kilometers from Baghdad, killing a soldier and kidnapping four others, an Iraqi army officer said.
Inferno at Tulsa, Oklahoma's Sinclair Holly refinery ‘seen for miles’
The local Fire Department was put on standby as crews battled a blaze at Tulsa's Sinclair Holly refinery. A tanker fire began at 2:30am on Thursday, and flames could be seen from several miles away at sunrise. Neighbors in the area, just west of the Arkansas River, stood outside their homes and watched the flames, KRMG radio said. There were no reported injuries.
Turkey, Iraqi Kurds agree to act against Kurdish rebels
Turkey and Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region have issued in a rare joint statement committing to tackle threats from any group that attempts to exploit the current power vacuum in Syria. Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu met with the president of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, Massoud Barzani, late Wednesday. “Our message has been well received,” the AP quoted Davutoglu as saying. The two sides have agreed “to jointly address” any attempt to exploit the situation in Syria.
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Moscow court evacuated after bomb scare at Pussy Riot hearing
Moscow's Khamovnichesky District Court was evacuated Thursday due to a bomb scare. The court is currently hearing the case of punk band Pussy Riot. The evacuation was declared after an anonymous call reported a bomb, the group’s defense lawyer Mark Feigin said. Bailiffs ushered people out of the court after presiding Judge Marina Syrova had recessed to resolve the question of her disqualification, Interfax reports. About 40 people, including journalists and spectators, were evacuated.
Australia signs nuclear supply treaty with UAE
Australia has signed a nuclear supply treaty with the United Arab Emirates, making the Gulf state Canberra's first Middle Eastern importer of uranium. Australia’s Foreign Minister Bob Carr and his UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyam inked the deal in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. Strict safeguards will apply “restrictions on re-export and guarantees of use for peaceful purposes,” AFP cited Carr as saying. No further details were provided on the import deal's volume or cost. The UAE will begin building two of four planned 1,400-megawatt nuclear power plants in partnership with a South Korean consortium.
Afghans kill 7 insurgents ‘planning to attack Kabul’
Afghan forces killed seven insurgents who were reportedly planning to attack the capital of Kabul, officials say. Intelligence agents ambushed the men at a compound east of the city Thursday morning, the AP reports. Five of the insurgents blew themselves up with explosives in the gunbattle, according to intelligence agency spokesperson Latifullah Mashal. Police then shot and killed the remaining men, he said. The agents found three cars full of explosives and ammunition in the compound, as well as rocket launchers and machine guns. The militants had allegedly planned to attack a neighborhood near parliament and areas that house embassies and businesses.
Thousands in Quebec march against premier
Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Montreal, banging pots and pans in a so-called casserole protest. The demonstrators demand the cancelation of a planned university tuition hike. In addition, they're calling for Bill 78, which curtailed the right to hold spontaneous demonstrations, to be revoked. The march was declared illegal because students didn't provide their route to the authorities in advance, as stipulated by the bill. At least one clash with riot police has been reported. The protest follows Quebec Premier Jean Charest’s announcement of an early election on September 4. Some see the move as an attempt by the premier to overcome months of social unrest and win a fourth term.
US lawmaker introduces bill to waive taxes for Olympic medals
US Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced a bill Wednesday to eliminate federal income taxes levied on medals and honorariums won by Olympic medalists. Rubio called the existing tax code “a complicated and burdensome mess.” Athletes are awarded a $25,000 honorarium for first place, $15,000 for second and $10,000 for third. The US Olympic team has so far won 12 gold, eight silver and nine bronze medals this year in London.
US Congress approves new Iran sanctions
Congress has approved a new package of sanctions targeting banks, insurance companies and shippers that help Iran sell its oil. The House overwhelmingly voted 421-6, while the Senate approved the bill by voice vote. The bill is now headed to President Obama, who is expected to sign it into law. On Tuesday, Obama announced new sanctions against foreign banks that help Tehran with its oil trade, specifically citing China’s Bank of Kunlun and the Elaf Islamic Bank of Iraq.
Sixteen wounded in Muslim attack on Coptic village in Egypt
Sixteen people were wounded after a group of Muslims attacked the Coptic Christian village of Dahshur, near Cairo. Police fired tear gas to prevent the mob from setting fire to a church, but the crowd returned and torched several homes, as well as three police cars, an official said. The assault was provoked by the death of a Muslim man injured in an earlier clash between Christians and Muslims. That skirmish started after the Muslim man accused a Christian laundry worker of burning a shirt. The violence is the first of its kind since President Mohammed Morsi took office on June 30. Morsi, a leading figure of the Muslim Brotherhood, vowed to respect the rights of the Christians, who make up around ten per cent of the population. Dozens of Christians have been killed in sectarian violence since the ouster of President Mubarak last year.
France to outline Security Council's Syria action plan
The French Foreign Ministry said the details of a UN Security Council action on Syria will be presented shortly. The statement came as France assumed the Security Council Presidency, a position that rotates amongst its members on a monthly basis. The French government also said it will call by the end of the week an urgent meeting of the United Nations’ Council, most likely on a ministerial level. The UN General Assembly is also set to vote on a new draft resolution on Syria Thursday. The resolution would voice concern over the ongoing violence in Syria, where rebels and government troops continue to battle over Aleppo, the country’s economic capital.
Pigs' heads dumped at France mosque
Two pigs’ heads have been dumped at a mosque in the French town of Montauban, where an Islamist gunman killed two paratroopers in March. The heads were hung on a gate at the entrance to the mosque shortly before morning prayers. The “racist and xenophobic provocation” has raised an outrage among French Muslim and Jewish groups. “For this to occur during the holy month of Ramadan, it's unspeakable,” said the chairman of France's Islamophobia Observatory, Abdallah Zekri. The first-of-its-kind incident in the area led to speculation that it is a response to the shooting spree of self-proclaimed al-Qaeda gunman Mohamed Merah, who also killed three Jewish schoolchildren, a rabbi and another soldier in nearby Toulouse in March. The defilement of the mosque happened as Muslims observe the holy month of Ramadan.
Olympic bus kills bicyclist
An Olympics bus has hit and killed a bicyclist on Ruckholt Road in East London, about 1.5 kilometers north of the Olympic Stadium. Ambulance units tried to save the man, but he died about 30 minutes after the accident, which happened at around 7:45 pm. No one aboard the bus was reported injured. Authorities had to halt bus transportation in and out of the park. Police have launched an investigation into the accident.
US Federal Reserve says economy has slowed; takes no action
The US Federal Reserve said economic growth slowed to an annual rate of 1.5 per cent in the second quarter of the year, down from 2 per cent in the first quarter. In a statement adopted on a 11-1 vote at the end of a two-day policy meeting, the Fed noted that while the domestic housing market was improving, global economic problems still posed a significant risk to the US economy. No corrective actions were announced, though some analysts predict the Fed may launch a new bond-buying program in an effort to lower interest rates and boost borrowing and spending. The Federal Reserve has already implemented Operation Twist, a program that aims to buy long-term Treasuries in order to drive long-term interest rates down.
San Antonio airport evacuated after bomb threat
San Antonio International Airport, in California, has been evacuated after airport staff received a phone call with a "very specific" threat, said airport spokesman Rich Johnson. About 1,000 passengers and employees from the terminal were evacuated to the tarmac after an order made at 2:35 pm CST. No flights were diverted, but arriving planes are currently staying away from the gates. Airport officials did not comment on how many flights or passengers were affected. Local police and federal agencies are investigating the threat.
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