Monday, 30 September 2019
Sunday, 29 September 2019
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BEIJING: A factory fire has killed 19 people in east China, local authorities said Monday, in the latest deadly incident to hit the country´s industrial sector.The fire broke out on Sunday at a factory in Ninghai county, eastern Zhejiang province, said the local government on its official Twitter-like Weibo account.The incident, which is under investigation, occurred at a facility owned by the Ruiqi Daily Necessities Company.Among eight people rescued from the fire, three were injured and sent to hospital for medical treatment, said Ninghai authorities.It made for a deadly weekend in China ahead of the communist-led country´s 70th-anniversary celebrations on Tuesday.A packed bus collided with a truck in eastern Jiangsu province on Saturday, killing 36 people.Industrial accidents are common in China, where safety regulations are often poorly enforced.In March, a blast at a chemical plant in eastern Jiangsu province killed 78 people and injured hundreds.Four months later in July, a huge explosion left 15 dead at a gas plant in central China.Last November, a truck carrying combustible chemicals exploded at the entrance of a chemical factory in Zhangjiakou, a northern Chinese city that will host the 2022 Winter Olympics, killing 23 people and injuring 22 others.
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NEW YORK: The legendary Hollywood actor Robert De Niro has compared Donald Trump to a “gangster” and said he is "unfit" to be president. The megastar made this remarks during an interview with CNN’s Brian Stelter that Mr Trump is “crazy”, before responding bluntly when asked how he deals with criticism from the president’s backers at Fox News.De Niro, a vocal critic of the president, also dropped f-bomb on live show. The host of the programme gently reminded him that the interview was live on a Sunday morning, before then asking why he chose to use such strong language.De Niro responded: “We are in a moment in our lives in this country where this guy is like a gangster. He’s come along, he’s said things, done things."We say over and over again, ‘This is terrible, we’re in a terrible situation, we’re in a terrible situation.’ And this guy keeps going on and on without being stopped.”It’s not the first time that the actor has criticised the president in that way, and comes after he gained a lot of attention — and a standing ovation — for using a similar vocabulary during the Tony Awards.Two days earlier, on the red carpet for the New York Film Festival opening night premiere of his new film "The Irishman," De Niro told Variety he hopes Trump gets impeached.It is pertinent to note that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week announced a formal impeachment inquiry into Trump after a whistleblower said the president had pressured Ukraine's leader to investigate the son of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.De Niro has become an outspoken Trump critic in recent years, and last year played Special Counsel Robert Mueller in a series of "Saturday Night Live" sketches about the White House. Donald Trump, in previous reaction, has called De Niro "punch drunk" and a "very low IQ individual".De Niro's new film, "The Irishman," directed by Martin Scorsese, opens in theaters on November 1 and on Netflix on November 27.
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KABUL: Turnout in Afghanistan´s presidential election appeared likely Sunday to hit a record low because of the threat of attacks, a muted campaign and concerns over fraud.Afghans voted Saturday in the first round of a presidential race that will decide whether President Ashraf Ghani will win a second five-year term.About 9.6 million Afghans in the war-torn nation -- with an estimated population of 35 million -- had registered to vote in the election, which was held at 4,905 polling centres.A tally released late Sunday by the Independent Election Commission showed that with data collected from 3,736 polling centres, just over 2.19 million votes had been counted.If that turnout trend holds, it would represent a participation level of about 25 percent -- lower than any of Afghanistan´s three previous presidential elections.In 2014, for instance, turnout was a little under 50 percent, although direct comparisons are tough because previous polls were tainted by allegations of systemic fraud.United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres commended "all Afghans who exercised their democratic voice," and "congratulates them on their commitment to selecting their leaders through the ballot box."Authorities heralded Saturday´s election as a success because the Taliban were unable to pull off a large-scale attack resulting in high casualty numbers, and there were fewer technical difficulties than some had feared.But the insurgents nonetheless pushed their offensive on the democratic process, conducting a string of bombings at polling stations and engaging Afghan security forces in clashes across the country.According to the Afghanistan Analysts Network, which recorded incidents through various sources, more than 400 attacks were reported over the course of the election day.The Taliban claimed to have conducted 531 attacks, while the interior ministry said "the enemy" had carried out 68 assaults.The official death toll is five security forces. But in years past, authorities have suppressed information on election day only to later give larger numbers.'Much cleaner'Still, Shaharzad Akbar, who heads the Afghan government´s Independent Human Rights Commission, said she breathed "a sigh of relief" that the election had gone smoothly compared to previous years."The Afghan security forces really showed a real capability in managing the security situation across Afghanistan in ensuring people have access to polling centres," she told AFP.But turnout was also hampered by scepticism about the electoral process.Previous polls, including the 2014 presidential election, were undermined by widespread allegations of vote-buying, ballot box stuffing and fraud.And the election campaign itself seemed almost moribund during the two months of campaigning because many thought the poll -- already twice delayed while the US and the Taliban tried to negotiate a troop withdrawal deal -- would be pushed back yet again.It was only after US President Donald Trump scuppered those talks on September 7 that candidates really believed the election would take place, leaving little time for them to campaign.Turnout was low because of security threats and "the weak campaigning of the candidates" political analyst and Kabul academic Atta Noori told AFP."It is not because they were not interested to vote," he said.Independent political analyst Haroun Mir said that even with a low turnout, the election could be considered a victory for the democratic process because it was "much cleaner" than previous polls.The United States, which has repeatedly called on candidates to shun fraud, said "government institutions and leaders must be transparent and accountable to the Afghan people.""We expect Afghanistan´s institutions to take all necessary steps to ensure the election, including the investigation of complaints and tabulation of results, is transparent and credible to Afghan voters and the international community," a US State Department spokesperson said.Election officials have said the result would be the purest yet, with equipment such as biometric fingerprint readers and better training for poll workers ensuring the vote was fair.As of Sunday evening none of the candidates appeared to have raised any complaints.Results are not expected until October 19. Candidates need more than 50 percent of the vote to be declared outright winner, or else the top two will head for a second round in November.
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WASHINGTON: Saudi Arabia´s crown prince said in an interview aired Sunday that war with Iran would devastate the global economy and he prefers a non-military solution to tensions with his regional rival."If the world does not take a strong and firm action to deter Iran, we will see further escalations that will threaten world interests," Prince Mohammed bin Salman told the CBS program "60 Minutes.""Oil supplies will be disrupted and oil prices will jump to unimaginably high numbers that we haven´t seen in our lifetimes," the prince said.The prince said a war between Saudi Arabia and Iran would be catastrophic for the world economy."The region represents about 30 percent of the world´s energy supplies, about 20 percent of global trade passages, about four percent of the world GDP. Imagine all of these three things stop," he said."This means a total collapse of the global economy, and not just Saudi Arabia or the Middle East countries."He said a September 14 attack on Saudi oil facilities, which his country and the US blamed on Iran, had been senseless."There is no strategic goal. Only a fool would attack five percent of global supplies. The only strategic goal is to prove that they are stupid and that is what they did," said the prince.Prince Mohammed was asked point-blank if he ordered the killing and dismemberment of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October last year."Absolutely not. This was a heinous crime. But I take full responsibility as a leader in Saudi Arabia, especially since it was committed by individuals working for the Saudi government," he said."When a crime is committed against a Saudi citizen by officials, working for the Saudi government, as a leader I must take responsibility. This was a mistake."Body never foundPrince Mohammed, the kingdom´s de facto ruler, has come under huge international pressure after the US-based writer was killed and dismembered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.Khashoggi´s body was never found.The prince has said the killing was carried out without his knowledge.Riyadh has repeatedly denied that Prince Mohammed was behind the murder of Khashoggi -- a royal family insider turned critic and a US resident -- who was killed in what Saudi authorities have described as a rogue operation.A report by a UN human rights expert, who conducted an independent probe, said there was "credible evidence" linking the crown prince to the murder and an attempted cover up.The CIA has also reportedly said the killing was likely ordered by Prince Mohammed.But Saudi prosecutors have absolved the prince and said around two dozen people implicated in the murder are in custody, with death penalties sought against five men.
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WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he wants and deserves to meet the anonymous whistleblower at the center of the fast-moving scandal that has triggered an impeachment probe against him.The whistleblower, who could testify soon before Congress, fears for their safety if their identity is revealed, according to a lawyers´ letter released by CBS News.Battling the deepest crisis of his presidency, Trump in a series of tweets railed against accusations that he should be impeached for urging Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden, his potential 2020 White House challenger."Like every American, I deserve to meet my accuser, especially when this accuser, the so-called ´Whistleblower,´ represented a perfect conversation with a foreign leader in a totally inaccurate and fraudulent way," Trumped said.Trump accused top Democratic lawmaker Adam Schiff of lying to Congress last week about what Trump said to Zelensky in the July phone call."He wrote down and read terrible things, then said it was from the mouth of the President of the United States. I want Schiff questioned at the highest level for Fraud & Treason," he wrote.Trump´s Republican aides have sought to turn the tables on Democrats pushing for his impeachment, insisting that the president was the true "whistleblower" as he had asked Ukraine to investigate Biden and his son for corruption."This individual is a saboteur trying to undermine a democratically elected government," Trump advisor Stephen Miller insisted on "Fox News Sunday.""Getting to the bottom of a corruption scandal in Ukraine is in the American national interest."Trump´s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani -- who has emerged as his point man in the Ukraine scandal -- led the charge along with Miller in combative Sunday talk show appearances.Brandishing what he said were affidavits incriminating Biden´s son Hunter over his work at a Ukrainian company, Giuliani said Trump was duty bound to raise the issue with Kiev."If he hadn´t asked them to investigate Biden, he would have violated the constitution," Giuliani told ABC´s "This Week," charging that "Donald Trump was framed by the Democrats."'Honor your oath'The Democratic-led House of Representatives launched an official impeachment inquiry last week accusing Trump of a "mafia-like shakedown" of Zelensky aimed at damaging Biden.Trump and his allies claim Biden, as Barack Obama´s vice president, pressured Kiev to fire the country´s top prosecutor to protect his son Hunter, who sat on the board of a gas company, Burisma Holdings, accused of corrupt practices.Those allegations have largely been debunked and there has been no evidence of illegal conduct or wrongdoing in Ukraine by the Bidens.But a transcript of the July call shows Trump pushing for Kiev to revisit the matter, saying both Giuliani and US Attorney General Bill Barr would be in touch.For Democrats, that amounted to a smoking gun, leading Speaker Nancy Pelosi to finally approve an impeachment process she opposed as a risky distraction from the 2020 battle.Pelosi on Sunday called for Trump to "speak the truth. Honor your oath of office to the Constitution of the United States.""Don´t make this any worse than it already is," she said.Democrats have charged aggressively into the inquiry, ordering Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to turn over Ukraine-related documents and scheduling witness testimony.On NBC´s "Meet the Press," Schiff said he expected the whistleblower to testify "very soon" -- with all precautions taken to protect their identity.'In harm´s way'? CBS News released a letter from the whistleblower´s lawyers to the acting director of national intelligence expressing concern that their "client will be put in harm´s way.""We expect this situation to worsen and become even more dangerous," the letter said, calling for "appropriate resources to ensure their safety."Democrats have said articles of impeachment -- formal charges -- against Trump could be completed in as little as a month and swiftly voted on in the House, where the party has a majority.The Biden campaign sent a letter Sunday to US TV networks to demanding they stop booking Giuliani for interviews, accusing him of "knowingly and willingly" lying.Polls suggest public support is growing for the impeachment inquiry, with a new CBS survey showing 55 percent of Americans -- and nine in 10 Democrats -- approve.But even if impeachment is approved in the House, Trump would be tried in the Senate -- where, for the moment, he appears able to count on a Republican majority to prevent conviction.
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MONTREAL: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday unveiled his financial policy ahead of elections next month, saying that if he retains power he will run a larger deficit to pay for campaign pledges.Trudeau, leader of the Liberal Party, is locked in a close race to secure a second term against the Conservatives, led by rookie Andrew Scheer.According to Liberal Party projections, the Can$ 19.8 billion (US$14.9 billion, 13.1 billion euros) deficit for the current fiscal year would rise to Can$ 27.4 billion next year before falling slightly over the following three years."That is the responsible choice for Canadians because it has allowed us to invest in people, in their communities, and in your future," Trudeau said of recent budget deficits."We also understand that it´s important to remain fiscally responsible, and responsible about our investments."The Liberal Party plans extra public spending to fund tax cuts, combat climate change and help the middle-class and students.Ahead of the October 21 vote, Trudeau´s campaign has been rocked by three separate images of him in blackface makeup dating back to when he was a student and young teacher.Some analysts suggest that the Liberals have recently yielded support among younger voters -- a key demographic that helped Trudeau, 47, sweep to power in 2015 -- to the fourth-placed Green Party.
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Saturday, 28 September 2019
Friday, 27 September 2019
Thursday, 26 September 2019
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NEW YORK: Tensions between the United States and Iran escalated on Thursday as Washington deployed more troops to the Gulf and Tehran challenged its arch-enemy to provide evidence it attacked Saudi oil facilities.The Pentagon announced it was sending 200 troops with Patriot missiles to bolster Saudi Arabia´s defenses following the strikes this month that knocked out half of the Kingdom´s oil production.After a week of diplomacy at the United Nations where European leaders unsuccessfully tried to arrange a US-Iran meeting, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani demanded that Washington back up its accusations that Iran was behind the attacks."Those who make the allegations must provide the needed proof. What is your evidence?" he told reporters.Tensions between Iran and the United States have soared since President Donald Trump pulled out of a 2015 international deal that was meant to lift sanctions in exchange for a commitment from Tehran that it would cease trying to develop nuclear weapons.The United States, France, Germany, Britain and Saudi Arabia have all, to varying degrees, blamed Iran for the brazen September 14 air strikes on the kingdom´s Abqaiq plant and Khurais oil field.Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States shared evidence on the attacks with other countries during the UN General Assembly."I think now it has struck them how clear it is that the Islamic Republic of Iran is not prepared to do the right thing and behave like a normal nation," Pompeo told reporters Thursday.Iran "used their usual method of trying to obscure this through use of a proxy force. They had to know it was the case that the world would rally against them, and yet they still chose to do it," he added.Tehran has blasted the allegations as "ridiculous." It denies responsibility, and the attacks have been claimed by Yemen´s Iranian-backed Huthi rebels."If you do have any evidence or documentation please do make them available to me," Rouhani said.He said that Western powers should instead stop arming Saudi Arabia in its offensive in Yemen, which the United Nations calls the world´s biggest humanitarian crisis.'Vile and cowardly regime'A senior Saudi official, in an address to the United Nations General Assembly, urged a united front against Iran."It is a vile and cowardly regime, which hides behind its affiliated militias, pushing them to claim responsibility," said Adel al-Jubeir, the minister of state for foreign affairs."This regime is only checked by a firm and unified stand and the application of maximum and sustained pressure until it desists from its terrorist behavior," he said.The US president reimposed economic sanctions and in May his administration said it would unilaterally force all countries to stop buying Iran´s oil, one of Tehran´s main sources of wealth.Tehran soon afterward shot down an unmanned US drone. At the very last minute, Trump stepped back from striking Iran in June as the risk of all-out war in the Middle East seemed all too real.In its latest move to ratchet up pressure, the United States banned senior Iranian regime figures and their families from entering the United States.It came 24 hours after Washington announced it would punish Chinese companies that bought Iranian oil, on the last official day of Trump´s participation at the UN General Assembly.The US Defense Department said the troop deployment would involve one battery of surface-to-air missiles, along with four Sentinel radars used for air and missile defense systems.And the UN´s nuclear watchdog confirmed Thursday that Iran has started using advanced models of centrifuges to enrich uranium, in a new breach of the agreement with world powers.No meeting at UNSpeculation had been rife that Trump might meet Rouhani on the sidelines of the UN summit but the US leader returned to Washington without a rendezvous taking place.Rouhani said Thursday that Iran would be willing to hold talks with the United States if Trump lifted sanctions and ended his policy of "maximum pressure" on Tehran."If we reach a time when these preconditions are taken off the table, of course the possibility exists to talk with America," he said at the news conference.French President Emmanuel Macron had shuttled between his US and Iranian counterparts over two days at the UN, trying to arrange an encounter."There was a narrow path. That path has shrunk, but it´s still there," a French diplomat said.
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WASHINGTON: The White House scrambled to "lock down" records of President Donald Trump´s phone call pressing for Ukraine´s interference in next year´s US election, an incendiary whistleblower complaint released Thursday alleged, in the latest episode of an intensifying impeachment drama.The complaint caps a stunning week of revelations that have put Trump´s presidency in jeopardy, with his administration, the Justice Department and State Department all engulfed in the mushrooming scandal.It alleges that White House officials said they had likely "witnessed the president abuse his office for personal gain" in the July call with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky.The alleged misconduct centers on Trump urging Zelensky to investigate the US leader´s political rival Joe Biden -- prompting the complaint and triggering a congressional impeachment probe.The whistleblower, who says he spoke to at least six US government officials, concluded that Trump was "using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 US election.""I learned from multiple US officials that senior White House officials had intervened to ´lock down´ all records of the phone call, especially the official word-for-word transcript of the call that was produced," he wrote.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi led a chorus of Democratic condemnation of Trump and those alleged to have hidden the call´s full transcript on a limited-access electronics record system."This is a cover up," she told reporters.Trump has "betrayed his oath of office, our national security, and the integrity of our elections," Pelosi said.'Urgent concern'The speaker launched an official impeachment inquiry on Tuesday. As of Thursday, a majority of the 435-seat House of Representatives, 218 Democrats and one independent, said they support the probe.In private remarks to staff at the US mission to the United Nations, Trump attacked the intelligence officer as "almost a spy" and likened the whistleblower complaint to treason.Democrats suggested such attacks broke the law."The president´s comments today constitute reprehensible witness intimidation and an attempt to obstruct Congress´ impeachment inquiry," the chairmen of three House committees investigating the whistleblower complaint said in a joint statement.The whistleblower presented the nine-page complaint on August 12 to the inspector general of the intelligence community.That official, a Trump appointee, found it credible and of "urgent concern" and forwarded it to the acting Director of National Intelligence.But DNI Joseph Maguire initially refused to deliver the complaint to Congress, but it was ultimately declassified, and Congress released it Thursday.Trump acknowledges he urged Ukraine to launch an anti-corruption probe against Biden -- a frontrunner in the race to take on the president in the 2020 election -- and Biden´s son.On the call, Trump said he was enlisting US Attorney General Bill Barr and personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani -- a private citizen -- to coordinate with Ukrainian officials on the investigation.Trump has said he exerted "no pressure" on Kiev, a claim echoed by Zelensky.But critics maintain that the president held up $400 million in military aid to Ukraine, to be released only if it investigated the Bidens.At a fundraiser in California on Thursday, Biden said Trump would "like to get foreign help to win elections."Biden added there´s not been "one shred of evidence" showing wrongdoing by his family.'Nothing improper'The non-verbatim record of the call did not show Trump explicitly tying aid to Zelensky´s probing Biden, and the White House said the complaint showed Trump did "nothing improper.""The White House will continue to push back on the hysteria and false narratives being peddled by Democrats," Trump´s press secretary Stephanie Grisham said.Soliciting foreign help in a US election is illegal, whether or not inducements are offered.Maguire testified before the House Intelligence Committee that he earlier withheld the complaint because Trump´s call was subject to executive privilege.But Maguire also said he thought the whistleblower "did the right thing."While several Republicans including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy defended Trump and condemned the whistleblower complaint, some said they are deeply troubled."There is a lot in the whistleblower complaint that is concerning," House Republican Will Hurd tweeted Thursday. "We need to fully investigate all of the allegations."Maguire insisted he does not know the whistleblower´s identity.On Thursday The New York Times reported that he is a male CIA officer who was detailed to the White House.That prompted a terse statement from his lawyer, who did not confirm his client´s employer and warned that any decision to report identifying information would be "reckless, as it can place the individual in harm´s way."The Times also reported that the CIA officer had first anonymously shared general allegations with his agency´s top lawyer about a Trump phone call. That lawyer then passed those accusations to the White House and Justice Department, leading the CIA officer to become concerned and file a formal whistleblower complaint, the Tim
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NEW YORK: The United States vowed a response Thursday as it said it had confirmed another chemical weapons attack by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces, although there were no fatalities.The Assad regime used chlorine on May 19 in Latakia province during its ferocious offensive to take back the last major rebel stronghold in nearby Idlib, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said."The United States will not allow these attacks to go unchallenged nor will we tolerate those who choose to conceal these atrocities," Pompeo told reporters in New York, where he was taking part in the UN General Assembly."The United States will continue to pressure the insidious Assad regime to end the violence directed at Syrian civilians and participate in the UN-led political process," he said.He later took part in a meeting on Syria with his counterparts from France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt, who said in a joint statement: "The use of any chemical weapons in Syria shall not be tolerated."Four people were injured in the attack and, while there were no deaths, it marked the first known chemical attack in a year and raised fears of further use, said Jim Jeffrey, the US special representative for Syria."We fear that the regime, which has very weak infantry forces, will try to use chemical weapons once again to make up for its inability to seize ground by combat power," Jeffrey told reporters.No independent verification was available of the attack from northwestern Syria, where rights observers say that more than 1,000 people have been killed and 400,000 displaced since the government began its bombardment in April.The United States and France had both earlier aired suspicions of a chemical attack but had held off on making a formal determination, saying more research was needed.Pattern of chemical use International investigators say Assad has repeatedly used chemical weapons against civilian targets in his brutal quest to win the civil war, in which more than 370,000 people have died.Former president Barack Obama had called chemical weapons use a red line but ultimately declined military retaliation.Drawing a contrast, President Donald Trump ordered strikes with 59 cruise missiles in response to a sarin gas attack in April 2017 in the rebel-held Idlib town of Khan Sheikhun.The reprisal evidently did not deter Assad, who enjoys strong support from Russia, which has vetoed UN Security Council bids to rein in Assad and deployed its military to Syria.Jeffrey believed Russian officers were aware of the chemical attack, saying: "It´s very hard for me to believe that professionals as good as that, the way they are spread out, would not know of something like this."Weighing responseThe United States announced one countermeasure on Thursday, slapping sanctions on a Russian network of three individuals and five vessels for supplying fuel to Russian forces in Syria.Pompeo said that the United States was donating an additional $4.5 million to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the Hague-based body that monitors the international treaty banning such arms.But Pompeo appeared to downplay the prospect of military action, noting that the attack involved chlorine, which affects the respiratory system.The Khan Sheikhun attacks, which the United Nations said killed 83 people, entailed sarin, an ultra-potent gas that devastates the nervous system."So it´s a bit of a different situation," Pompeo said.But he warned: "The Syrian regime should know and the world should appreciate the fact that we´re going to do everything we can reasonably do to prevent this kind of thing from happening again."The US finding on chemical weapons came in a week that offered one glimmer of hope, with the United Nations announcing the formation of a committee to write a new Syrian constitution.The group will involve both the government and opposition, although there is no consensus on which direction they will take the constitution.
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UNITED NATIONS: The United States wants New Delhi to quickly ease restrictions imposed in Kashmir, a senior official said Thursday, declaring President Donald Trump´s willingness to mediate to ease tensions between India and Pakistan over the territory.Trump met separately this week with both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who are both due to address the UN General Assembly on Friday.While Trump has forged a close bond with Modi, joining the Hindu nationalist at a massive rally on Sunday in Houston where the Indian leader boasted of his actions in Kashmir, a senior official said that the United States had concerns over the clampdown in the region."We hope to see rapid action -- the lifting of the restrictions and the release of those who have been detained," Alice Wells, the top State Department official for South Asia, told reporters.India in August revoked the autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir, which had been India´s only Muslim-majority state. It detained a wide range of political leaders and restricted communications for ordinary people.While some measures have been eased, internet and cellular service has remained off for well over a month."The United States is concerned by widespread detentions, including those of politicians and business leaders, and the restrictions on the residents of Jammu and Kashmir," Wells said."We look forward to the Indian government´s resumption of political engagement with local leaders and the scheduling of the promised elections at the earliest opportunity," she said.Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan and served as the trigger for two of their full-fledged wars."The world would benefit from reduced tensions and increased dialogue between the two countries and, given these factors, the president is willing to mediate if asked by both parties," she said.India, however, has long rejected any outside role on Kashmir and quickly shot down the idea after Trump mentioned mediation in a July meeting with Khan.The Modi government says that its actions will spur economic development in Kashmir and defends the restrictions as temporary means to ensure calm and prevent Pakistan from meddling.- A 'special relationship' -Kashmir inflames passions across South Asia, with right-wing Hindu activists long seeking to rescind its special status within India -- and Pakistani politicians saber-rattling over the Himalayan territory for decades.Khan has used his New York trip to make fiery denunciations of Modi, even likening his ideology to Nazi Germany.Wells characterized Khan´s comments as unhelpful, saying: "A lowering of rhetoric would be welcome, especially between two nuclear powers."She also questioned why Khan was not also speaking out about China, which has detained an estimated one million Uighurs and other Turkic-speaking Muslims."I would like to see the same level of concern expressed also about Muslims who have been detained in western China, literally in concentration-like conditions," she said.China is a major diplomatic and economic partner of Pakistan. Khan, asked about the Uighurs at a think tank on Monday, declined comment, saying that Pakistan had a "special relationship" with China and would only raise issues in private.The United States has sought to use the annual United Nations summit to build up international pressure on China over its treatment of the Uighurs.Rights groups and witnesses say that China has been trying to forcibly stop Islamic traditions and integrate Uighurs into the majority Han population. China says it is providing vocational training and discouraging extremism.
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RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has announced that it will open its doors to international tourists, opening up the kingdom to the visitors as part of a push to diversify its economy away from oil.Tourism chief Ahmed al-Khateeb, in a statement, said: "Opening Saudi Arabia to international tourists is a historic moment for our country." "Visitors will be surprised... by the treasures we have to share -- five UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a vibrant local culture and breathtaking natural beauty."In a major shift, the Kingdom is launching a new visa regime for 49 countries and appealing to foreign companies to invest in a sector it hopes will contribute 10 per cent of gross domestic product by 2030Visas will be available online for about $80 (Dh294), with no restrictions for unaccompanied women as in the past. Access to the Muslim holy cities of Makkah and Medina is restricted.Further details of the new visa rules will be announced on Friday evening during an unveiling ceremony scheduled to take place at Ad Diriyah, a Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Site in Riyadh.Currently only citizens of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and the UAE can travel freely to the country.Kickstarting tourism is one of the centrepieces of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman´s Vision 2030 reform programme to prepare the biggest Arab economy for a post-oil era.The announcement comes just two weeks after devastating attacks on Saudi Arabia´s oil infrastructure.Khateeb said the kingdom will also ease its strict dress code for foreign women, allowing them to go without the body-shrouding abaya robe that is still mandatory public wear for Saudi women.Foreign women, however, will be required to wear "modest clothing", he added.Visas are currently restricted to expat workers, their dependents and Muslim pilgrims travelling to holy sites in Mecca and Medina.It says by 2030 it aims to attract up to 100 million annual visits by both domestic and foreign tourists.The sector is expected to create up to one million tourism jobs, the government.In 2017, the kingdom announced a multi-billion dollar project to turn 50 islands and other pristine sites on the Red Sea into luxury resorts.
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UNITED NATIONS: Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas told the United Nations Thursday he would terminate all signed agreements with Israel if it moved forward with plans announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex a key part of the West Bank.Netanyahu, who is trying to form a new government following a deadlocked election, pledged before the vote to impose Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley and the northern Dead Sea which account for one-third of the West Bank.The promise was widely condemned, including by UN chief Antonio Guterres who warned it would violate international law."Our response, if any Israeli government is to proceed with this plan, is that all signed agreements with the government of the occupation and any obligations therein will be terminated," said Abbas."And it is our right to defend our rights by all possible means, regardless of consequences, while remaining committed to international law and combating terrorism," he warned.Abbas made a similar vow in July, but did not follow through.In the early 1990s, Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, then headed by Yasser Arafat, signed a number of peace agreements under US sponsorship.The agreements were supposed to be for a transitional five-year period, but a longer-term deal proved elusive and a second bloody Palestinian intifada, or uprising, broke out in 2000.Abbas, 84, also renewed a pledge to hold fresh parliamentary elections, which last took place in 2006.Those elections, which were surprisingly won by Hamas, eventually led to a dramatic split, with Hamas seizing control of Gaza in 2007."Upon my return to the homeland, I will call for regular local elections in the West Bank, in the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem, and anyone who opposes these elections will be held accountable before God and the international community," said Abbas, likely referencing Hamas.Abbas has made similar promises before, most recently in December 2018 Abbas when he said he would hold parliamentary elections within six months.Israel´s foreign minister Israel Katz later told the assembly his country "wants peace with all its neighbors."He added: "We call on the Palestinian Authority to stop incitement. To stop encouraging and financing terrorism. And to recognize the right of the Jewish People to its own state."Katz also called on the Palestinians to come back to direct negotiations "without any pre-conditions."
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Wednesday, 25 September 2019
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UNITED NATIONS: Iran´s president on Wednesday closed the door on meeting Donald Trump despite last-minute European efforts to ease tensions as the United States again ramped up punishing sanctions.French President Emmanuel Macron had shuttled between his US and Iranian counterparts over two days at the United Nations, trying to arrange a historic encounter that he hoped could reduce the risk of all-out war in the Middle East.But Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, addressing the UN General Assembly, said he would refuse talks so long as the United States maintains its economic pressure."I would like to announce that our response to any negotiation under sanctions is negative," Rouhani said.He dismissed the idea of a photo-op with Trump, who is fond of drama and held three made-for-television meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un."Memento photos are the final stage of negotiations, not the first one," he said.He doubted the sincerity of the Trump administration to negotiate, pointing to officials´ boasts of applying "the harshest sanctions in history" against Iran."How can someone believe them when the silent killing of a great nation, and pressure on the lives of 83 million Iranians, especially women and children, are welcomed by American government officials?""The Iranian nation will never, ever forget and forgive these crimes and these criminals," he said.- Targeting Iran through China -Trump had already ruled out easing economic pressure and, hours before Rouhani´s speech, his administration said it was stepping up sanctions.On Trump´s last scheduled day at the annual UN summit of world leaders, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States would punish Chinese companies and their chief executives for buying Iranian oil."We´re telling China, and all nations -- know that we will sanction every violation of sanctionable activity," Pompeo told a pressure group opposed to Iran´s clerical regime on the sidelines of the United Nations.China, which is embroiled in a trade war as well as myriad other disputes with the United States, is believed to be the biggest foreign buyer of Iranian oil.The Trump administration in May said it would unilaterally force all countries to stop buying Iran´s oil, its major export, sending tensions soaring.The United States blamed Iran for an attack earlier this month on the oil infrastructure of rival Saudi Arabia, which is waging a devastating offensive in Yemen.France, Britain and Germany this week said they agreed with the US findings.Pompeo, speaking later at a news conference with Trump, said the United States had found a united front at the United Nations on Iran -- but was open to talks."We want a peaceful resolution with the Islamic Republic of Iran," Pompeo said."In the end, it´ll be up to the Iranians to make that decision, or whether they´ll choose violence and hate."- Seeking to salvage deal -But the European powers, while criticizing Iran, believe that diplomacy is the best way forward.The Europeans remain part of a nuclear accord negotiated by former US president Barack Obama, under which Iran drastically reduced its nuclear program in return for unmet promises of sanctions relief.EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini acknowledged struggles to preserve the pact, from which Iran has stopped strict compliance as it presses for economic benefits."I will not hide that it is increasingly difficult to do it," she told reporters after talks among European powers."We will try and continue keeping the agreement in place and overcome the difficulties we are facing," she said.Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, which has longstanding relations with Iran despite Tokyo´s alliance with the United States, vowed to keep working to jumpstart talks."Japan will continue to spare no effort in patiently and persistently seeking dialogue to ease tensions and realize peace and stability in the region," Abe said.After weeks of speculation over a possible meeting, Trump´s attention was likely elsewhere on Wednesday.Leaders of the rival Democratic Party have opened an impeachment inquiry against him over allegations he pressured Ukraine´s president to investigate the son of his potential 2020 presidential rival Joe Biden.
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Tuesday, 24 September 2019
Monday, 23 September 2019
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BRIGHTON: Britain´s opposition Labour Party descended into chaos on Monday as it narrowly rejected a grassroots attempt to force leader Jeremy Corbyn to campaign to remain in the European Union and reverse the outcome of the 2016 Brexit vote.The 119-year-old party´s annual congress turned into a showdown between its irreconcilably splintered pro- and anti-Brexit wings in the runup to Britain´s October 31 divorce from its European neighbours after 46 years.Corbyn´s efforts to unite the two sides by staying out of the debate and putting the ultimate decision in the hands of voters have led to a dramatic drop in Labour´s support.But a motion to force the party to "campaign energetically for a public vote and to stay in the EU in (a second) referendum" was lost in a show-of-hands vote that appeared too close to call.The result means that the party will leave the conference in the same position that it came in -- in favour of a second referendum but against openly campaigning for or against Brexit.It also marks a triumph for the veteran socialist Corbyn -- official leader of Britain´s opposition since 2015 -- and a painful blow for a clutch of top officials who broke ranks and tried to turn Labour into an unambiguously pro-European party."I do not believe this decision reflects the views of the overwhelming majority of Labour members who desperately want to stop Brexit," London´s Labour mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted after the vote."Labour IS a Remain party."Corbyn carried the day after an emotional two-hour debate ended with a cliffhanger finish in which no-one initially knew who came out on top."In my view, it was carried," congress chair Wendy Nicholls announced after surveying the hands of hundreds of delegates packed into a hall in the English south coast resort of Brighton."No, sorry, it was lost," she corrected herself a moment later.Nicholls then dismissed a plea from one pro-EU delegate who jumped on stage to ask for a recount."Whichever way I go with this I´m going to be in trouble," she said to angry shouts from a large corner of the conference floor.- ´Lack of leadership´ -Yet Corbyn´s Brexit strategy has not been resonating with voters so far.Many have switched allegiance to the unapologetically europhile Liberal Democrats or the populist Brexit Party of 2016 referendum figurehead Nigel Farage.Two surveys published over the weekend put Labour 15 percentage points behind Prime Minister Boris Johnson´s ruling Conservatives and in danger of losing second place to the Liberal Democrats."Jeremy Corbyn has again shown a total lack of leadership on Brexit and settled on yet another fudge on the biggest issue facing our country," Liberal Democrats´ leader Jo Swinson said after the Labour vote.- ´Maximum consensus´ -Activists had spent hours deep into Sunday night trying to come up with a single Brexit motion that could be put up for a vote at the conference on Monday.They ended up with three.They first passed a motion proposed by Corbyn and backed by the ruling executive in a secret ballot that infuriated numerous delegates over the weekend.It sees Labour adopting no official Brexit position in the general election campaign.But it promises to consider coming up with one "through a special one-day conference, following the election of a Labour government".Labour would then stage a second referendum in which voters would be given the choice of either backing a new Brexit agreement negotiated by Corbyn or staying in the EU.The second motion was the hotly disputed attempt to get the party to adopt an official "remain" stance.The third one created the least controversy and was approved.It differs little from Corbyn´s proposal and also requires the party to "build maximum consensus" by remaining neutral.
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Sunday, 22 September 2019
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ISLAMABAD: The collapse of US-Taliban talks is an untimely setback for Pakistan, which had hoped its efforts to bring the militants to the table would be rewarded with an economic boost and American support in its dispute with India over Kashmir.Prime Minister Imran Khan has promised to issue a rallying cry at the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week over India´s moves in the disputed Himalayan region, which he has described as ethnic cleansing, and warned of "impending genocide".But Pakistan needs political capital if it is to sway a global community that has been historically reluctant to challenge New Delhi over Kashmir.Helping the United States with its fervent wish to leave Afghanistan after nearly 18 years of war was widely seen as an opportunity to get back into Washington´s good books after years of being accused of duplicity.For a brief moment in July, it appeared to be working.President Donald Trump delighted Khan in Washington by declaring his willingness to mediate on Kashmir, over which India and Pakistan have fought two wars and countless skirmishes since the end of British colonial rule in 1947.New Delhi repeated its position that Kashmir is a purely bilateral issue with Islamabad and dismissed the possibility of foreign mediation, but still, Pakistan´s star once again appeared on the rise in Washington.The relief was short-lived.Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi threw a security blanket over the Indian-occupied part of Kashmir and revoked the region´s autonomy, igniting outrage in Pakistan.And as Islamabad scrambled to win international support for its position on Kashmir, in a separate twist, Trump abruptly called off talks with the Taliban, blowing up nearly a year of painstaking efforts to secure a deal that would have seen the beginning of US troop withdrawal.Pakistan has for years called for a political solution in Afghanistan, and had used its influence over the Taliban to help facilitate talks with the United States, hoping a successful outcome would help generate diplomatic capital -- especially for Kashmir."Until Pakistan gets Afghanistan settled, they are not going to find it easy to respond to India's action in Kashmir so they are certainly in a bit of a bind," Kashmir militancy expert Myra MacDonald told AFP.Khan told reporters last week that he will meet with the US President on Monday to urge a resumption of talks with the Taliban.Tough timesThe talks collapse comes at an especially delicate time in Pakistan, where frustrations are mounting just a year into Khan´s rule with the economy under immense stress, and officials are struggling to raise revenues while slashing spending under an International Monetary Fund bailout agreement.They are also bracing for a decision next month by the Financial Action Task Force, an anti-money-laundering monitor based in Paris that has threatened to blacklist Pakistan for failing to combat terror financing."Pakistan remains in dire financial straits and could really use some goodwill from the US and its allies," Graeme Smith, a consultant with International Crisis Group, told AFP.The end of the Taliban talks, and the sudden uncertainty about how Islamabad is viewed by the mercurial Trump administration, suggest American help in easing Pakistan´s financial pain may be difficult to come by."Pakistan has invested a lot in these talks," said analyst Zahid Hussain."This abrupt ending... is a setback."'Considerable influence'Khan now faces the unsavoury task of weathering increased pressure from a White House more interested in Afghanistan than Kashmir.Kabul and Washington have long accused Pakistan of sheltering and supporting the Taliban, an allegation it denies.Security expert Rahimullah Yusufzai said that with talks off, Washington is likely to increase pressure on Islamabad once against to clamp down on the Taliban.The militant group has vowed more violence but left the door open for talks, while the US has insisted they meet certain conditions first."It will be a ´do more´ sort of situation" for Pakistan, Yusufzai explained.But Pakistani military expert Ayesha Siddiqa argued that Islamabad still has a card to play."They have considerable influence to talk to the Taliban if not to make them act totally according to Islamabad´s wishes," she said."They can try to convince them."
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MONTREAL: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday resumed his re-election campaign with a promise to lower taxes, but once again had to apologize for a photo showing him in blackface makeup.Trudeau, 47, was already under fire for an ethics lapse and other controversies, and the decades-old photos and videos that resurfaced last week of him engaging in activities he has acknowledged as "racist" dealt a fresh blow to his chances.After taking Saturday off, Trudeau traveled to Brampton on Sunday, in the central province of Ontario, where he announced two concrete measures aimed at wooing middle-class voters, the main targets of both his Liberal party and opposition Conservatives in the October 21 elections.If he is reelected, Trudeau said middle-class Canadians would not pay taxes on the first Can$15,000 ($11,300) they earn.He also promised to cut Canadian cell phone plan costs, which he called "among the most expensive in the G7," by 25 percent.These two measures would "put more than Can$1,500 a year back in the pockets of Canadian hard-working families," he said.His main opponent, Conservative Andrew Scheer, has also promised his government would "put money back into Canadians´ pockets."Trudeau then gave a press conference during which he faced a barrage of questions about the photos and videos that appeared in media outlets Wednesday showing him dressed in blackface or brownface on multiple occasions between the 1990s and in 2001."As a country, we need to keep working for diversity, working to fight racism and intolerance," he said."As an individual, I have to keep having extremely important conversations about choices made in the past and how I earn, once again, the trust of Canadians that I hurt."The opposition has heavily criticized Trudeau, who as prime minister has presented himself as a champion of multiculturalism and a fighter of racism and discrimination.Accused of hypocrisy, Trudeau has apologized for the images, blaming the costume choice on youthful ignorance.According to multiple opinion polls published this weekend in Canadian media outlets, the Conservatives appear to have taken a slight lead over Trudeau´s Liberals since the scandal.Although the two parties were neck-and-neck at the start of the campaign, the Nanos Institute on Sunday tipped in favor of the opposition, with 35.5 percent of Canadians saying they would vote for the Conservatives, versus 32.9 percent for the Liberals.Results from the same poll, however, show Trudeau remains the top choice to become the next prime minister, with 31.5 percent of Canadians favoring him compared to 29.2 percent for his main opponent.Public broadcaster CBC´s poll aggregator also showed a spread of 34.6 percent for the Conservatives versus 32.9 percent for the Liberals, while a Forum Research study conducted after the images surfaced and published Sunday by the Toronto Star puts the two main parties on equal footing at 33 percent each.
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Saturday, 21 September 2019
Friday, 20 September 2019
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CAIRO: Rare small protests broke out on Friday in Cairo and other Egyptian cities calling for the removal of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi but police quickly dispersed them, AFP journalists reported.Dozens of people joined night-time demonstrations around Tahrir Square -- the epicentre of the 2011 revolution that toppled the country´s long-time autocratic leader.Such demonstrations are rare after Egypt effectively banned protests under a law passed following the 2013 military ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi.Amid a heavy security presence, including riot police and plainclothes police officers, protesters were rounded up.AFP journalists saw at least five protesters being arrested and police firing tear gas at demonstrators around the square.Under the rule of general-turned-president Sisi, who led Morsi´s ouster, authorities have launched a broad crackdown on dissidents, jailing thousands of Islamists as well as secular activists and popular bloggers.Footage of the demonstrations, in which dozens chant "Leave Sisi", was shared online using the hashtag #Tahrir_Square, which was trending worldwide.Along the road overlooking the Nile, close to the square, AFP journalists reported seeing small groups of people chanting anti-Sisi slogans after the rapid dispersal.The protests come on the back of Mohamed Ali, a disgruntled exiled Egyptian businessman, demanding the toppling of Sisi.The construction contractor has been posting viral videos from Spain since the beginning of September accusing Sisi and the military of rampant corruption.Sisi flatly denied the allegations last week at a youth conference assuring Egyptians he "was honest and faithful" to his people and the military.In his latest video posted early Friday morning on his growing social media accounts, Ali urged Egyptians to head to the streets after a highly anticipated football match between Cairo powerhouses Al Ahly and Zamalek in the Super Cup.Widely shared videos online have also shown scattered protests varying in numbers in Alexandria, Al-Mahalla, Damietta and Suez.
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WASHINGTON: Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Friday that the United States will send reinforcements to the Gulf at the request of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, following attacks on Saudi oil facilities which it attributes to Iran.The exact number of reinforcements and type of equipment were not yet decided but would be part of a "moderate deployment" to the region, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joe Dunford said.
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JOHANNESBURG: On September 8, Zimbabwean union activist Dr Peter Magombeyi claimed he was receiving "death threats". Six days later he disappeared. His last WhatsApp message said: "I have been kidnapped by 3 men."Magombeyi was found on Thursday night, 30 kilometres (18 miles) from the capital Harare.He was alive and deeply traumatised.Around 50 political opponents and unionists have been abducted in Zimbabwe this year. According to Amnesty International, they are victims of a "systematic and brutal crackdown on human rights" by the regime."We are happy that a staffer at a local hospital who had been reported missing has now been found unharmed," said President Emmerson Mnangagwa late on Friday, adding that he was "disturbed" by the "growing trend of politically motivated false abductions" casting his government in "negative light".Hundreds of medics took to the streets this week to demand the authorities investigate Magombeyi´s disappearance."No Peter, no work," chanted the crowds. They accused security forces of kidnapping their colleague for heading the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA).The pressure paid off.Magombeyi appeared "disoriented", said a ZHDA member after he was found, adding that the 26-year old would be examined to determine whether he had been tortured.Since Mnangagwa came to power in 2017, the regime has "resorted to the same brutal tactics" used by his predecessor Robert Mugabe to "clampdown on human rights", said Amnesty in a statement last month.Magombeyi had launched a strike earlier this month to demand their salaries be pegged to the US dollar in the face of spiralling living costs.Within a year, the value of their pay had fallen 15-fold due to hyperinflation and the collapse of the local currency."I live in the trenches," Magombeyi told AFP during an interview before he went missing."I don´t sleep at home. I just pop up to get my clothes."But Magombeyi was snatched from his home in Harare.His abduction was not an "isolated case", said Human Rights Watch Southern Africa Director Dewa Mavhinga."Recent months have seen an alarming spike in abductions and torture of critics of the government and the political opposition."Mavhinga said the watchdog had "been able to confirm more than 50 cases of abductions" this year."So far, none of the perpetrators have been arrested," he added.In August, comedian and government critic Samantha Kureya was taken from her house and forced to drink sewage water.She was found hours later in a state of shock.- Lashes of ´sjamboks´ -Zimbabwe human rights lawyer Doug Coltart told AFP the "modus operandi" was always the same.Masked and armed individuals break into peoples´ homes, carry them away and subject them to torture -- sometimes breaking their limbs in the process.Obert Masaraure will never forget the night of June 5, when armed men snatched him from his bed in Harare around midnight."They took me to a bush in some isolated place," said Masaraure, who heads Zimbabwe´s rural teachers´ union."They stripped me naked, they assaulted me heavily with rubber sjamboks (whips)," he told AFP, adding that he was then forced to roll in the mud."When I almost lost conciousness they left me and ran away."Masaraure had been abducted a first time in January and dumped at a police station, where he was charged for "subversion"."It demonstrates the state involvement," said lawyer Coltart.The government denies any involvement and points fingers at the opposition."This is a characteristic propaganda stunt by the opposition and its supporters," said presidency spokesman George Charamba.Hours before Magombeyi was found, deputy information minister Energy Mutodi joked about the doctor being too drunk to find his own house."We hope Dr Peter Magombeyi will sober up & find his way home," tweeted Mutodi on Thursday.- ´Witch-hunt´ -While most of the victims are eventually freed, some never make it back.Blessing Toronga was an outspoken member of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) opposition party.He disappeared in January during nationwide demonstrations against a hefty hike in fuel prices.The army was deployed to crack down on the protests, leaving at least 17 dead over several days, scores injured and hundreds arrested.Toronga´s body was found in a morgue three months after he went missing.Given most kidnappings only last a few hours, said Coltart, Magombeyi´s five days of captivity caused a great deal of worry amongst his peers."There is no space for dissent (in Zimbabwe)," said Amnesty, condemning the "witch-hunt against anyone who dared challenge his (Mnangagwa´s) government".Coltart told AFP the kidnappings and torture were "not a surprise" considering Mnangagwa´s past.The president is accused of playing a major role in organising the execution of some 20,000 minority Ndeble people during the early 1980s, a dark event known as the Gukurahundi massacre.The victims were considered political dissidents by former president Robert Mugabe, for whom Mnangagwa was security minister at the time.
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Thursday, 19 September 2019
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DUBAI: The US wants a peaceful solution to the crisis sparked by attacks on Saudi oil installations, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday, after Iran raised the spectre of "all-out war".Pompeo has blamed Iran for the dramatic weekend assault on two facilities, condemning an "act of war" which knocked out half the kingdom´s oil production.The rhetoric has raised the risk of an unpredictable escalation in a tinderbox region where Saudi Arabia and Iran are locked in a decades-old struggle for dominance.After meeting with allies in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, Pompeo said there was an "enormous consensus in the region" that Iran carried out the attacks, despite its denials and Yemeni rebels´ claims that they were responsible.But Pompeo said the US was intent on finding a way out of the confrontation."We´d like a peaceful resolution. I think we´ve demonstrated that," he told reporters."I hope the Islamic Republic of Iran sees it the same way."Iran´s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif earlier warned any US or Saudi military strike on Iran could lead to "all-out war"."We don´t want war," he told CNN in an interview aired Thursday, "but we won´t blink to defend our territory."- ´Glass towers´ -Saudi foreign affairs minister Adel al-Jubeir warned on Twitter that complacency towards Iran will encourage it to "commit more acts of terrorism and sabotage in our region".Saudi officials on Wednesday unveiled what they said were fragments of 25 drones and cruise missiles fired Saturday at the oil facilities in the country´s east, engulfing them in flames."The attack was launched from the north and unquestionably sponsored by Iran," defence ministry spokesman Turki al-Maliki said, although he refused to be drawn on whether Saudi officials believed Iran directly carried out the operation.Tehran-linked Huthi rebels in Saudi Arabia´s southern neighbour Yemen have claimed responsibility, but both Washington and Riyadh have said the operation was beyond the Yemeni insurgents´ capabilities.French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian also said the Huthi claim "lacks credibility".The Huthis have however hit dozens of targets in Saudi Arabia, and their rapidly advancing arsenal has exposed the kingdom´s vulnerability despite its vast military spending.The Huthis said Saturday´s assault was launched from three locations inside Yemen, using advanced drones with long-range capabilities.They also threatened the United Arab Emirates -- a key member of the Saudi-led coalition - with strikes against "towers made of glass that cannot withstand one drone", in apparent reference to the glitzy cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.US military planners weighing retaliation have reportedly prepared a list of Iranian targets including the Abadan oil refinery, one of the world´s largest, and Khark Island, the country´s biggest crude export facility, the New York Times said.Other potential targets include missile launch sites and other assets of the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, along with bases near the Gulf.- ´New context´ -The United Nations said Thursday that experts had arrived in Saudi Arabia to investigate Saturday´s attack, "at the invitation of the Saudi authorities".US officials quoted by CBS News say unreleased satellite photos showed Iran´s Revolutionary Guard Corps making preparations for the attack at Ahvaz airbase.The latest spike in tensions has dampened speculation of a meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly next week.French President Emmanuel Macron has been pushing for the meeting to defuse the standoff over the Iranian nuclear programme.But on Thursday, a French presidential official who asked not to be named said Saturday´s attack "creates a new context".
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WASHINGTON: The number of birds in the United States and Canada has fallen by an astonishing 29 percent, or almost three billion, since 1970, scientists reported Thursday, saying their findings signaled a widespread ecological crisis.Grassland birds are the most affected, because of the disappearance of meadows and prairies and the extension of farmland, as well as the growing use of pesticides that kill insects that affects the entire food chain.But forest birds and species that occur in a wider variety of habitats -- known as habitat generalists -- are also part of the downward trend."We see the same thing happening the world over, the intensification of agriculture and land use changes are placing pressure on these bird populations," Ken Rosenberg, an ornithologist at Cornell University and principal co-author of the paper in Science told AFP."Now, we see fields of corn and other crops right up to the horizon, everything is sanitized and mechanized, there´s no room left for birds, fauna and nature."More than 90 percent of the losses are from 12 species including sparrows, warblers, blackbirds, and finches.The figures mirror declines observed elsewhere, notably France, where the National Observatory of Biodiversity estimates a 30 percent decline in grasslands birds between 1989 and 2017.The US study combined two data sources.The first was annual surveys carried out each spring, during the breeding season, conducted by thousands of volunteers, according to an identical methodology, since 1970.The volunteers stopped every half-mile along a 25-mile (40 kilometer) journey through the countryside, counting all the birds they saw in a three minute period. Researchers then compiled and analyzed the results.The second source came from observations from 143 radar stations which can detect the flocks of birds during migrations that took place at night.More than half of the North American bird species are migratory, flying either to the southern US or to Central and South America,The radar information was less precise but also showed a decline of 13.6 percent between 2007 and 2017, with a margin of error of nine points.Ducks and geese are the big exception: after a period of decline, their numbers have grown since 1970.That is thanks to increased awareness among hunters who have supported protection measures, Rosenberg said.Ornithologists also mention other factors, such as cats left outside, and even birds dying after smashing into the windows of houses.The number killed in this way is far from insignificant: researchers in 2014 estimated it at between 365 million and a billion per year.
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Wednesday, 18 September 2019
Tuesday, 17 September 2019
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