Barcelona and Cambrils attacks:14 dead, 100 wounded Van hits crowds on Las Ramblas in Barcelona in terror attack
Spain: (17 Aug 2017) Five terrorists wearing fake suicide belts have been shot dead by police after ramming civilians with a car in a Spanish seaside town in a second vehicle attack, as police named a man being hunted as the suspected Barcelona van driver.One woman died and six other people, including a police officer, were injured in Cambrils – hours after a rampaging van driver left 14 people dead and more than 100 wounded around 70 miles away in Barcelona. Police have named the suspected Barcelona van driver they are hunting as 18-year-old MoussaOukabir. He is the brother of DrissOukabir, a 28-year-old Moroccan who is alleged to have rented the vehicle. Investigators revealed that a 12-strong terror cell thought to have been behind the two Spanish attacks is believed to have been planning an atrocity with gas canisters. In Cambrils, holidaymakers ran for their lives as gunfire broke out close to the coastal town’s beachfront promenade early on Friday. A British tourist told how families and residents were ordered to take cover as bullets tore through the air in a scene he described as being like “watching a horror film”.
The attackers’ Audi A3 overturned and the men were fired upon by police when they got out. One was reportedly brandishing a knife. Police said the attackers had been wearing explosive belts, which experts later concluded were fake.Investigators are working on the theory that the attacks in Cambrils and Barcelona are linked to a gas explosion at a house in the town of Alcanar.
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AFGHAN TALIBAN ASKS US TO WITHDRAW ITS FORCES FROM AFGHANISTAN
Afghan Taliban have sent an “open letter” to US President Donald Trump, reiterating their calls for withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan. In a note sent to journalists, Taliban spokesman ZabihullahMujahid said President Trump should not hand over control of the US, Afghan policy to the military but announce withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan.
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Blackwater Founder Pushes Privatization of US War in Afghanistan
As the White House reviews its policy in Afghanistan, President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a proposal to privatize a large portion of the U.S. war there. The plan is being pushed by Erik Prince, who founded of the controversial Blackwater private military company. As VOA’s Bill Gallo reports, although the plan has been criticized in Kabul and Washington, Prince is optimistic about getting enough support to move forward.
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Failure in Afghanistan will invite terror attacks on our homelands
By: ANI | Kabul | August 13, 2017
General John Nicholson, commander-in-chief of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan said that it is imperative for NATO to win the war against the insurgents in Afghanistan because failure in Afghanistan will embolden extremist groups in the West. “Failure will embolden terrorists and jihadists globally to include those already inside our own countries. That is why we are here and that is why we must win,” said Nicholson. As United States President Donald Trump is set to unveil its new military policy in Afghanistan, Nicholson said that they should and will defeat the insurgents to safeguard their own homeland. “If we fail in Afghanistan, we will invite terror attacks on our homelands. Failure with unleash millions of migrants out of this region and the rest of the world,” Nicholson said on Saturday at a gathering in Kabul held to mark the sacrifices of by Afghan and foreign soldiers. The sacrifices of the Afghan and foreign soldiers who have injured in the war against insurgents were appreciated by NATO chief in Kabul.
“The country has a right to rely on us and you, if we sacrifice our lives for the country, that is still not enough,” Nasir Ahmad, a former Afghan National Army officer said.
Meanwhile, President Ashraf Ghani also admired the bravery of the Afghan forces in defending their homeland. “I thank our new generation, for their bravery and sacrifices they make in the Afghanistan’s defense and security forces,” said Ghani. The United States President recently said he had inherited a mess in Afghanistan and that announcing his strategy on Afghanistan’s war is a big decision for him. Since they launched their spring offensive in late April, Taliban fighters have been mounting deadly assaults on the Afghan army and police outposts in Helmand. There are currently 8,400 American troops in Afghanistan and another 5,000 from NATO allies.’Courtesy Financial Express’
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SAUDI ARABIA, IRAQ TO OPEN ARAR BORDER CROSSING AFTER 27 YEARS
14-Aug-2017: Saudi Arabia and Iraq have planned to open the Arar border crossing between the two countries for trade after twenty-seven years. The Governor of Iraq’s southwestern Anbar province, Sohaib al-Rawi said the Iraqi government had deployed troops to protect the desert route leading to Arar and called its opening a significant move to boost ties. He said this is a great start for future cooperation between Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The announcement followed a decision by the Saudi cabinet on Monday to establish a joint trade commission with Iraq. The Arar border crossing between Saudi Arabia and Iraq was closed in 1990 when the two countries cut their ties following Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait.
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Iraqi forces begin operation to retake town ‘ Tal Afar’ from Islamic State
20 Aug, 2017: An operation to retake the town of Tal Afar, west of Mosul, from the Islamic State group has begun, Iraq’s prime minister said. Tal Afar and the surrounding area is one of the last pockets of IS-held territory in Iraq after victory was declared in July in Mosul, the country’s second-largest city. The town, about 150 kilometres (93 miles) east of the Syrian border, sits along a major road that was once a key IS supply route.
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Egypt: At least 44 people killed, 180 injured in train collision
11-8-2017: The deadly collision took place on Friday after a train travelling to Alexandria from Cairo, crashed into the back of another train coming from the Canal city of Port Said, which was waiting at a small station in the district of Khorshid, east of Alexandria, the Egyptian Railways Authority said in a statement.
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Qatar Ends Visa Requirements For 80 Nations, Calling Itself ‘Most Open’ In Region
BY :BILL CHAPPELL : “Qatar is now visa-free for over 80 countries around the world,” says Group Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker of state-owned Qatar Airways, as the small nation announced that it will issue waivers rather than visas and won’t be charging for the service. The change, which is effective immediately, means that people from the U.S. and other countries are now able to enter Qatar “with no paperwork, no payment and no visas,” Baker said. Visitors from 33 countries would be able to stay for up to 90 days. Middle East, where Qatar has been isolated by its neighbors since June. Qatar’s visa change could help the Persian Gulf country reach its target of hosting 7 million tourists annually by 2030. It could also provide some relief from the blockade led by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates and which Baker on Wednesday called an “illegal violation of international law.” Despite the diplomatic standoff, Qatar noted that citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates and of Turkey don’t need visas to enter Qatar.
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IRANIAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES OVER HALF A BILLION-DOLLAR FUNDING FOR MISSILE PROGRAMME
12-Aug-17: Iran’s parliament has overwhelmingly approved more than half a billion dollars in funding for the country’s missile programme and foreign operations of the elite Revolutionary Guards. The Parliament took the step in response to United States sanctions. A total of 240 parliamentarians out of 244 present voted for the bill. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the bill doesn’t violate the nuclear deal. The move follows a spike in tensions between Tehran and Washington since US President Donald Trump took office with a vow to get tough on Iran.
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Yemen records over 500,000 cholera cases, nearly 2,000 deaths
GENEVA (Reuters) – More than half a million people in Yemen have been infected with cholera since the epidemic began four months ago and 1,975 people have died, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.Each day there are more than 5,000 new cases of the waterborne disease, which causes acute diarrhoea and dehydration, in the country where the health system has collapsed after more than two years of war, it said. “The spread of cholera has slowed significantly in some areas compared to peak levels but the disease is still spreading fast in more recently affected districts, which are recording large numbers of cases,” it said, reporting a total of 503,484 cases.The disease, spread by ingestion of food or water tainted with human faeces, can kill within hours if untreated. It has been largely eradicated in developed countries equipped with sanitation systems and water treatment.
Millions of Yemenis remain cut off from clean water and waste collection has ceased in major cities, the WHO added Yemen’s 30,000 critical health workers have not been paid salaries in nearly a year and critical medicines are lacking, the WHO said.
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Strong Quake Hits China’s Sichuan Province, 13 Dead
By : ASSOCIATED PRESS: BEIJING A strong earthquake shook a mountainous region in southwestern China near a famous national park, killing 13 people, injuring 175 others and knocking out power and phone networks.
At least five of the dead were tourists, China’s official Xinhua News Agency said. The magnitude-6.5 quake struck a region bordered by the provinces of Sichuan and Gansu at a depth of just 9 kilometers (5.5 miles), according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Shallow earthquakes tend to cause more damage than deeper ones. The China Earthquake Networks Center measured the earthquake at magnitude-7.0 and said it struck at a depth of 20 kilometers (12 miles).
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North Korea threatens US airbase in Guam, as Trump promises ‘fire and fury’
North Korea has said it is considering a missile strike on the US Pacific territory of Guam, just hours after Donald Trump warned the regime that any threat to the United States would be met with “fire and fury”. The threat, carried by the state-run KCNA news agency, marked a dramatic rise in tensions and prompted warnings to Washington not to become embroiled in a bellicose slanging match with North Korea. Pyongyang said it was “carefully examining” a plan to strike Guam, located 3,400km (2,100 miles) away, and threatened to create an “enveloping fire” around the territory. Guam is home to a US military base that includes a submarine squadron, an airbase and a coastguard group.
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SOUTH KOREA URGES US NOT TO ATTACK NORTH KOREA WITHOUT ITS CONSENT
14-Aug-2017 : South Korea has urged the United States not to launch an attack on North Korea without its consent. In a statement, South Korean President Moon Jae said no one may decide to take military action without consent of South Korea. Meanwhile, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has reviewed plans to fire missiles towards the US Pacific territory of Guam but will hold off. America conducted world’s first nuclear attack in Hiroshima seventy two years ago
6 Aug, 2017: 72 years ago the world’s first nuclear attack on Hiroshima was conducted, while America constantly giving contradictory statements of never using nuclear arsenal again. Japan had last month sided with nuclear powers Britain, France and the US to sack a UN treaty prohibiting atomic weapons, which was vetoed by critics for ignoring the reality of security threats such as North Korea. Japan is also the only country to have suffered atomic attacks, in 1945. Japan suffered two nuclear attacks at the end of the World War II by the United States in Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and in Nagasaki three days later. The bombings claimed the lives of 140,000 people in Hiroshima and 74,000 people in Nagasaki. Some died immediately while others succumbed to injuries or radiation-related illnesses weeks, months and years later. It resulted in Japan announcing its surrender in World War II on August 15, 1945.
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Former KKK leader David Duke strikes out at Trump for condemning a white nationalist rally: ‘It was White Americans who put you in the presidency’
byJackson,Business Insider :
Former KKK leader David Duke struck out at President Donald Trump for condemning the violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. In a series of tweets Duke questioned why the president, whom he usually supports, is attacking white Americans who put him “in the presidency.” After violence erupted at the “Unite the Right” rally, Trump tweeted, “We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!” The rally formed in response to a plan to remove a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee from a park in Charlottesville. Earlier, Duke called the rally a “turning point” saying that protesters would fulfill the promises of Trump’s candidacy. “This represents a turning point for the people of this country. We are determined to take our country back,” Duke said. “We are going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump. That’s what believed in. That’s why we voted for Donald Trump.” Trump came under fire during the election for his reluctance to disavow Duke, which he eventually did. Still, Duke supported Trump and publicly celebrated his win in November.
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HUNDREDS OF SIKHS STAGE PROTEST RALLY IN FRONT OF UN HQRS IN NEW YORK
15 Aug, 2017 : Hundreds of Sikh activists from North America staged a protest rally in front of the UN Headquarters in New York on the eve of India’s Independence Day. They were carrying Khalistan flag demanding independence for the Indian Punjab. The demonstrators were chanting anti-India slogans and carrying placards inscribed with slogans like Free Punjab-End Indian Occupation.
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Nine-year-old among 24 people killed in Kenyan election riots
10-8-2017|| Deaths come as Kenya’s domestic poll monitoring organisation says it has found no evidence of vote rigging. The shooting follows a night of unrest in the western city of Kisumu on Lake Victoria, and Nairobi’s overcrowded Kibera area. People in both areas are largely supportive of opposition leader RailaOdinga. The unrest follows a fiercely fought presidential election in which MrOdinga has repeatedly claimed the vote was rigged. Mr Kenyatta won a second term as president with 54.3 per cent of the vote to MrOdinga’s 44.7 per cent and a margin of 1.4 million votes. MrOdinga has repeatedly alleged that the election was rigged, and has denounced the process as a “sham” and a “massive fraud”
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India hospital: 60 children die in Uttar Pradesh
At least 60 children have died at a public hospital in northern India, officials say, amid allegations that the oxygen supply was cut over unpaid bills. There was panic at the hospital with relatives trying to support staff using manual breathing bags, local media say. Most victims were at the neonatal unit or being treated for encephalitis. The deaths occurred over a five-day period from Monday at the Baba Raghav Das hospital in Gorakhpur district. Thirty of the deaths were recorded between Thursday and Friday alone, the hospital said. District official Anil Kumar recognized there was a “payment issue” with the supplier, but said the deaths could have been caused by “natural” causes as many patients were admitted in a “serious” condition. The region is one the poorest in India and records hundreds of deaths of children due to diseases, including encephalitis, every year.
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UN EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER INDIA’S MOVE TO DEPORT ROHINGYA MUSLIM REFUGEES
14-Aug-2017 : The United Nations has expressed concern over India’s move to deport Rohingya Muslim refugees of Myanmar. A spokesman of the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, at a regular press briefing in New York on Tuesday stressed that refugees should not be returned to countries where they fear persecution once they are registered. The spokesman said the UNHCR would take up the issue with the Indian government. He also reminded India of UN’s position against deporting refugees. Earlier, India had announced that it would deport Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar regardless of whether they are registered as UN refugees or not.
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3 FEMALE SUICIDE BOMBERS KILL 27 IN NIGERIA
15-Aug-2017: In Nigeria, twenty-seven people were killed and eighty-three injured in three suicide attacks outside a refugee camp near Maiduguri in Borno state. According to the officials, three female suicide bombers carried out the attacks. He said the first bomber blew herself up near the camp, triggering panic.
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Sierra Leone mudslides: Death toll now above 500, UN says At least 700 missing in deadly Sierra Leone mudslides
14-8-2017: Thousands of people have lost their homes. Some critics accuse the government of not learning from past disasters in a city where many poor areas are near sea level and lack good drainage. The capital is also plagued by unregulated construction on its hillsides. Some critics accuse the government of not learning from past disasters in a city where many poor areas are near sea level and lack good drainage. The capital is also plagued by unregulated construction on its hillsides. The government’s main focus right now is getting people away from areas still under threat, Zuliatu Cooper, the deputy minister of health and sanitation, told The Associated Press. Some parts of the capital are without clean drinking water because of damage to pipelines. Malaria is also a concern, as many of the estimated 3,000 homeless are sleeping without mosquito nets.
