Diberdayakan oleh Blogger.

Popular Posts Today

More Fighting In Ukraine After Peace Deal

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 14 Februari 2015 | 10.52

More Fighting In Ukraine After Peace Deal

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

At least 11 service personnel have been killed and dozens wounded in the last 24 hours in eastern Ukraine, officials have reported.

It comes despite the ceasefire agreement reached on Thursday, which is due to come into force this weekend.

The US also has claimed that Russia is continuing to deploy heavy weapons in eastern Ukraine - with State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki warning "this is clearly not in the spirit of this week's agreement".

A statement by the Ukrainian military said: "In the Donbass, this night was not a calm one. The enemy shelled positions of the 'anti-terrorist operation' forces with the same intensity as before."

It said fighting had been particularly intense around Debaltseve, a key railway junction linking the rebel strongholds of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Pro-Russia separatists had used rockets and artillery to attack government forces holding the town, the statement added.

1/13

  1. Gallery: Ukraine Crisis Continues

    Ukrainian soldiers ride on armoured personnel carriers near Debaltseve, eastern Ukraine

Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine agreed a deal on Thursday that offers a "glimmer of hope" for an end to fighting in eastern Ukraine after marathon overnight talks

]]>

But since the agreement, at least eight services personnel are reported to have been killed

]]>

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko (L) addresses journalists as he takes part in peace talks on resolving the Ukrainian crisis in Minsk

]]>

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko (L) shakes hands with European Council President Donald Tusk (R) during a European Union leaders summit in Brussels

]]>
More Fighting In Ukraine After Peace Deal

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

At least 11 service personnel have been killed and dozens wounded in the last 24 hours in eastern Ukraine, officials have reported.

It comes despite the ceasefire agreement reached on Thursday, which is due to come into force this weekend.

The US also has claimed that Russia is continuing to deploy heavy weapons in eastern Ukraine - with State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki warning "this is clearly not in the spirit of this week's agreement".

A statement by the Ukrainian military said: "In the Donbass, this night was not a calm one. The enemy shelled positions of the 'anti-terrorist operation' forces with the same intensity as before."

It said fighting had been particularly intense around Debaltseve, a key railway junction linking the rebel strongholds of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Pro-Russia separatists had used rockets and artillery to attack government forces holding the town, the statement added.

1/13

  1. Gallery: Ukraine Crisis Continues

    Ukrainian soldiers ride on armoured personnel carriers near Debaltseve, eastern Ukraine

Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine agreed a deal on Thursday that offers a "glimmer of hope" for an end to fighting in eastern Ukraine after marathon overnight talks

]]>

But since the agreement, at least eight services personnel are reported to have been killed

]]>

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko (L) addresses journalists as he takes part in peace talks on resolving the Ukrainian crisis in Minsk

]]>

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko (L) shakes hands with European Council President Donald Tusk (R) during a European Union leaders summit in Brussels

]]>

10.52 | 0 komentar | Read More

IS Suicide Bomb Attacks At US Base Thwarted

An attack by Islamic State fighters on an air base hosting US Marines in Iraq has been defeated by the Iraqi army, the Pentagon has said.

About 25 Islamic State militants, led by several suicide bombers, attacked Ain al Asad air base in Iraq's western Anbar province.

The Pentagon said the assault was thwarted, however, by Iraqi troops guarding the perimeter, with most of the assailants killed.

The sprawling air base is hosting more than 300 US Marines training Iraqi troops.

The base is close to the town of al-Baghdadi, which the Pentagon says is now under the control of IS fighters after fierce fighting.

Rear Admiral John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, said that US Marines were not involved in the fighting at the perimeter.

Drones and Apache helicopters were scrambled but the fighting was over by the time they arrived.

Mr Kirby said some of the suicide bombers had detonated their vests.

"It does appear now that most, if not all of them, were wearing Iraqi uniforms," Mr Kirby said of the attackers.

Mr Kirby said US assessments indicated IS fighters were in control of al-Baghdadi. However, ongoing fighting and poor communications in the area made it difficult to confirm such reports.

Al-Baghdadi has been besieged for months by Islamic State, which captured large areas of northern and western Iraq last year.

About 320 US Marines are training members of the Iraqi 7th Division at the Ain al Asad base.

It has been struck by mortar fire on at least one previous occasion since December.

The US and its coalition partners carried out seven air strikes against IS militants in Iraq between early Thursday and early Friday.

Five of those were in the vicinity of the base.


10.52 | 0 komentar | Read More

Egypt Grants Bail For Al Jazeera Journalists

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 13 Februari 2015 | 10.52

Al Jazeera journalists Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed have been freed on bail by an Egyptian court after spending more than a year behind bars.

A judge in Cairo ordered that the pair should be released at the start of their retrial on charges of spreading lies.

Canadian-Egyptian Mohamed Fahmy and Egyptian national Baher Mohamed had spent more than 400 days in jail. 

Mr Fahmy's fiancee cheered "long live justice" as the decision to grant bail was announced.

The men's colleague, Peter Greste, was released last week and returned to his native Australia.

He was freed under a decree that authorised the country's leader to approve the deportation of foreign prisoners.

Mr Greste took to Twitter to congratulate his colleagues when their release was announced, writing: "This is a huge step forward. Not time to declare it over, but at least you get to go home!"

The three were arrested in 2013 followed the ousting of Egypt's Islamist president and Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi by the military.

The men were accused by the new government of acting as a mouthpiece for the Muslim Brotherhood, which had been designated as a terrorist organisation.

Their case provoked an international outcry and widespread calls for their freedom.

Human rights groups and several media outlets condemned the men's detention as being politically-motivated, saying the three were just doing their job.

Mr Fahmy and Mr Mohamed's case has been adjourned until 23 February.


10.52 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ceasefire In Eastern Ukraine From Sunday

A ceasefire in eastern Ukraine has been agreed after all-night talks in Belarus involving the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany.

It will come into effect on Sunday 15 February and will be followed by the withdrawal of heavy weapons, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"We have managed to agree on the main things," he told reporters after the talks, which began on Wednesday evening and lasted 16 hours.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said: "The main thing which has been achieved is that from Saturday into Sunday there should be declared without any conditions at all, a general ceasefire."

The truce was signed in Minsk by the so-called "contact group" comprising pro-Russian separatist leaders, Russian and Ukrainian envoys and European mediators.

A previous truce signed last September collapsed soon after.

The key points of the latest agreement are:

:: A general ceasefire to start on Sunday

:: Heavy weapons to be pulled back from a division line determined by both sides

:: Ukraine to take control of the border with Russia 

:: The provision of special status for the rebel regions

:: Measures for addressing the humanitarian crisis affecting thousands of civilians caught up in the fighting

Mr Putin said there was still disagreement over Debaltseve, a key transport hub and the centre of fierce fighting.

He understood rebels had surrounded up to 8,000 Ukrainian troops and expected them to lay down arms ahead of the ceasefire, but Mr Poroshenko disputed this.

The ceasefire deal was welcomed by French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who led the discussions.

Mrs Merkel said it offered a "glimmer of hope" that the conflict, which has claimed over 5,300 lives since April, would come to an end.

However, she added that "concrete steps must of course be taken and there will still be big hurdles ahead".

Her concerns were echoed by Mr Hollande who said the next few hours would be "decisive".

More asset freezes and travel bans will come into force on Monday, despite the agreement.

They had been on hold until the talks were concluded, but now 14 Ukrainians and five Russians are set to be added to the list of people subject to sanctions.

The White House has also hailed the deal as a "potentially significant step" but insisted Russia had to withdraw all its resources from the conflict zone.

David Cameron, who attended the EU summit with the leaders in Brussels on Thursday afternoon, said: "If this is a genuine ceasefire, then of course that would be welcome. But what matters most of all is actually actions on the ground rather than just words on a piece of paper.

"I think we should be very clear that Vladimir Putin needs to know that unless his behaviour changes, the sanctions we have in place won't be altered."

An exchange in Brussels between Mr Cameron and Mr Poroshenko, that was caught on camera after the deal, suggested there were doubts a ceasefire could be achieved.

Mr Poroshenko was overheard telling Mr Cameron: "I can't imagine Putin can act like this."

1/25

  1. Gallery: Ukraine Crisis: Fighting Increases (February 11)

    Local residents look at the remains of a rocket shell on a street in the town of Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine

Seven civilians have been killed and 26 wounded in rocket strikes on the town of Kramatorsk

]]>
10.52 | 0 komentar | Read More

Long Way To Go Before There's A Ukraine Deal

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 12 Februari 2015 | 10.52

It may seem strange but a precursor to a ceasefire is often a spike in the actual fighting on the battlefield and that is exactly what is happening in eastern Ukraine.

Both the government and rebel forces are engaged in what are effectively land grabs as the expectation of some type of deal being reached in Minsk draws nearer.

There may of course be no deal or not one that lasts too long, so it sort of makes sense for the protagonists to go at each other "hammer and tongs" as the countdown begins.

If you are sheltering in a Soviet-era block of flats while grad rockets land in your neighbourhood it might not feel like it makes any sense at all.

There has been a ceasefire deal of course. It was agreed in September last year and brought around a period of some stability rather than an actual end to the fighting. Both sides took the opportunity to strengthen their positions though and as the year began the hostilities grew more intense and finally flared into the current state of war once again.

The key question is whether the leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany and, of course, Russia can come up with a renewed plan acceptable to everyone.

In essence, the formula for the peace deal would be an immediate ceasefire; after that its starts getting more tricky.

A wide demilitarised zone on both sides of the front line and monitored by international observers is being proposed with a similar observer corp on the proper Ukrainian/Russian border.

Heavy weapons would be withdrawn by both sides and prisoners exchanged in the ensuing peace.

Ukraine would maintain its territorial integrity but the Kiev government would give greater autonomy to the local governments of Donetsk and Luhansk.

All of the above agreements would be acceptable to all sides as well as the countries watching in. The problem is that the details aren't just sticking points - they could be game changers.

To begin with, exactly where is the demilitarised zone and the "border" with western Ukraine? Since the September treaty, the rebels have taken more ground and want to keep it. Ukraine wants it back.

What constitutes heavy weapons and will some of the rebels' suspiciously new bits of kit return across the border to Russia from whence it came?

What about those rebels who everyone acknowledges are Russian? Sent by the Kremlin or not, Ukraine says they have to go home.

What will be the status of the newly empowered rebel-held regions? Ukraine wants to remain the government of the whole country. The rebels and Russia, to all intents and purposes, want these areas to be autonomous although remaining within Ukraine to act as a veto for any future attempts by Kiev to strengthen its ties to Europe.

What happens to Crimea is probably way too toxic for these talks and will probably be set aside and put in the "just don't go there" bin for now.

So if all these issues have been addressed and everyone sticks to their side of the bargain a permanent peace is imminent.

However, I wouldn't bet on it.

Both sides have said they will strengthen their positions and prepare for a greater escalation in the war if no deal is reached. Regardless, one must expect them to strengthen their positions and prepare for war anyway; it just might be further back than the current front lines.

What the local population can hope for is a ceasefire and a return to a sort of peace. Most agree that they want the fighting to stop and it all to go away. While many support the Kiev side, many also distrust Kiev, won't forgive attacks by government troops on their towns and are fearful of revenge by the substantial right-wing militias that make up Ukraine's "Civil Defence" forces.

A year on, Ukraine remains bitterly divided and riven with complex ideological, social and geographical problems.

A Minsk deal won't solve these problems but it might halt the killing; for a while.


10.52 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ukraine Peace Talks Continue As Violence Surges

There has been a dramatic spike in violence in eastern Ukraine as crisis talks aimed at resolving the 10-month conflict got under way in Belarus.

Nineteen Ukrainian soldiers were killed and 78 wounded in rebel attacks near the railway town of Debaltseve, a military spokesman said.

In Donetsk five people were reportedly killed and nine wounded in mortar attacks.

The violence came despite warnings that any escalation could derail peace moves.

French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are in Minsk to meet Russia's Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko.

The talks were expected to focus on withdrawing heavy weapons, creating a demilitarised zone and starting a dialogue between Kiev and the rebels.

The four leaders met alone at about 5.30pm UK time and held a full summit with their delegations later on Wednesday.

Mr Poroshenko has said the talks are crucial in deciding whether that the situation will de-escalate or spiral "out of control".

Hopes of striking a deal have been put at 70% by a Russian diplomatic source, while a spokesman for Mrs Merkel said they offered "a glimmer of hope, nothing more".

EU foreign affairs head Federica Mogherini has urged Moscow to become a "responsible actor" and help end the fighting, which has cost more than 5,300 lives since April.

She said the summit would be a "turning point for good or for bad", and if no agreement was reached the consequences would be "at the least worrying".

Prime Minister David Cameron has said it would be "wrong" for Europe to appease Russia and "reward aggression and brutality".

"That's why it's right to keep the sanctions in place, it's right to keep the European Union and America together on this issue and it's right to stand up to President Putin," he told MPs.

In a telephone call on Tuesday, US President Barack Obama urged Mr Putin to reach a deal or face additional "costs".

1/25

  1. Gallery: Ukraine Crisis: Fighting Increases

    Local residents look at the remains of a rocket shell on a street in the town of Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine

Seven civilians have been killed and 26 wounded in rocket strikes on the town of Kramatorsk

]]>
10.52 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Belgium Terror Recruiters' Await Their Fate

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 11 Februari 2015 | 10.52

By Robert Nisbet, Europe Correspondent

Verdicts are expected later in the trial of 46 members of an extremist Islamist group accused of brainwashing young men in Belgium to fight in Syria.

Prosecutors claim the now-disbanded Sharia4Belgium network targeted impressionable men in Antwerp and Vilvoorde, north of Brussels, before starting a process of radicalisation and then delivering them to the conflict zone to fight the regime of President Bashar al Assad.

The alleged ringleader is 32-year-old Fouad Belkacem, a Moroccan-born car engineer, who is already serving a two-year sentence for inciting hatred against non-Muslims.

The avowed aim of his group of radicals was to establish Sharia law in Belgium, an intention he expressed in a series of YouTube videos.

In one, shown to the court, he said he wanted to destroy the Atomium tourist attraction in Brussels.

Public prosecutor Ann Fransen said he equated fighting so-called "holy war" with praying and fasting and told reporters: "Belkacem's words can only be interpreted as a call to violence and jihad."

Of the 46 accused, only eight have made an appearance in Antwerp's tightly-secured courtroom, as the remainder are believed to be still in Syria.

One of the young men Belkacem is alleged to have radicalised is 19-year-old Jejoen Bontinck, who is also on trial, charged with belonging to Sharia4Belgium, which carries a four-year jail term.

The teenager claims he travelled to Syria to help victims of the conflict, but his father, Dimitri, who brought him home, says he knew his son was being indoctrinated.

"Of course we asked for help, from youth organisations (and) the police," he told Sky News last year.

"But they answered: 'We live in a democracy, we have free speech, we have freedom of religion.' It was very sad, very painful."

It is estimated by the EU's INTCEN intelligence centre that more than 3,000 European citizens are fighting so-called jihad, and more than 10% of those come from Belgium, a higher percentage than any other country.

1/6

  1. Gallery: Belgian Police Target Returning Jihadists

    Forensic officers work in the rain on Rue de la Colline in Verviers, eastern Belgium

Belgian police shot dead two suspects in a huge operation against jihadists who had returned from Syria and planned an imminent attack

]]>
10.52 | 0 komentar | Read More

Machete Seized As Australia Plot 'Foiled'

Australian police say they have prevented an "imminent" terror attack linked to Islamic State (IS) after arresting two men in a Sydney suburb.

Police say a machete, a hunting knife and homemade IS flag were seized in Fairfield, as well as a video of a man talking about an attack.

New South Wales Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn said the planned attack was "consistent with the messaging coming out of IS".

State premier Mike Baird said a potentially "catastrophic" incident had been avoided.

He said: "It was beyond disturbing, what was planned. Certainly, something catastrophic was avoided... and for that we should be very thankful."

When asked whether a beheading was planned, Ms Burns said police were unsure of the attack's nature, but added it was imminent and likely to have involved a knife.

"We believe that the men were potentially going to harm somebody, maybe even kill somebody, and potentially using one of the items that we identified and recovered yesterday, potentially a knife," she said.

The men, aged 24 and 25, would have carried out the attack on Tuesday if they had not been arrested that day, Ms Burns added.

"We built up information, we received further information which indicated an attack was imminent, and we acted."

The men will appear in court later charged with undertaking acts in preparation or planning for a terrorist act.

They have been refused bail and could face life in prison if convicted.

Ms Burn said the men were not previously on their radar and she did not know whether the alleged target was the police, military or the general public.

She did confirm that one of those arrested features in the video that was seized.

Police are trying to determine if the men were in contact with anyone associated with IS.

In December, a gunman claiming to represent IS took 18 people hostage in a 16-hour siege at a Sydney cafe.

The hostage situation ended in a hail of gunfire when police rushed the cafe.

The gunman, Man Haron Monis, and hostages Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson died in the siege.

A number of raids have been carried out in Sydney and Melbourne since Australia raised its terror threat level to high for the first time in September, citing the likelihood of attacks by Australians radicalised in Iraq or Syria.

Australia, which backs US action against IS in Syria and Iraq, believes at least 70 citizens are fighting in the region, backed by 100 "facilitators" at home.


10.52 | 0 komentar | Read More

Kremlin: Don't Issue Ultimatums To Putin

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 10 Februari 2015 | 10.52

Kremlin: Don't Issue Ultimatums To Putin

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

Vladimir Putin will not be spoken to in the language of ultimatums, a Russian radio station has quoted the Kremlin as saying.

Reports suggest German Chancellor Angela Merkel had given him until Wednesday to agree a peace plan over Ukraine or face new sanctions.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Govorit Moskva radio: "Nobody has ever talked to the president in the tone of an ultimatum - and could not do so even if they wanted to."

The warning came as Mrs Merkel met US President Barack Obama to discuss the peace initiative, while the White House considers supplying weapons to Kiev.

The President said Russia was trying to redraw borders behind the "barrel of a gun" and that diplomacy remained the priority in the crisis.

1/10

  1. Gallery: Ukraine Fighting: Latest Pictures

    Ukrainian servicemen unload Grad rockets from a truck before launching them towards pro-Russian separatist forces outside Debaltseve, eastern Ukraine

At least nine Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and 26 wounded in fighting with Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine's eastern regions in the past 24 hours

]]>

Ukraine's military say fighting has been particularly intense around the town of Debaltseve, a major rail and road junction northeast of the city of Donetsk

]]>

Regional police chief Vyacheslav Abroskin said seven civilians had been killed by shelling in Debaltseve and another frontline town of Avdiivka

]]>
]]>
Kremlin: Don't Issue Ultimatums To Putin

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

Vladimir Putin will not be spoken to in the language of ultimatums, a Russian radio station has quoted the Kremlin as saying.

Reports suggest German Chancellor Angela Merkel had given him until Wednesday to agree a peace plan over Ukraine or face new sanctions.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Govorit Moskva radio: "Nobody has ever talked to the president in the tone of an ultimatum - and could not do so even if they wanted to."

The warning came as Mrs Merkel met US President Barack Obama to discuss the peace initiative, while the White House considers supplying weapons to Kiev.

The President said Russia was trying to redraw borders behind the "barrel of a gun" and that diplomacy remained the priority in the crisis.

1/10

  1. Gallery: Ukraine Fighting: Latest Pictures

    Ukrainian servicemen unload Grad rockets from a truck before launching them towards pro-Russian separatist forces outside Debaltseve, eastern Ukraine

At least nine Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and 26 wounded in fighting with Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine's eastern regions in the past 24 hours

]]>

Ukraine's military say fighting has been particularly intense around the town of Debaltseve, a major rail and road junction northeast of the city of Donetsk

]]>

Regional police chief Vyacheslav Abroskin said seven civilians had been killed by shelling in Debaltseve and another frontline town of Avdiivka

]]>

]]>

10.52 | 0 komentar | Read More

Obama: Russia Cannot Act Behind 'Barrel Of Gun'

Obama: Russia Cannot Act Behind 'Barrel Of Gun'

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

President Obama has said that Russia cannot redraw the borders in Ukraine behind the "barrel of a gun".

Speaking at a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, he said diplomacy was still the main strategy for ending the fighting, which has left at least 5,300 people dead.

The President has been under political pressure at home to arm Ukrainian forces against pro-Russian rebels, who have seized control of large areas in the east of the country.

Mrs Merkel is against a military solution but the President said he was still looking at the option.

He told reporters: "The possibility of lethal defensive weapons is one of those options that is being examined, but I have not made a decision about that yet."

President Obama said Russia would be further isolated if it continued to send troops and support and arm rebels who have taken over large areas of Ukraine.

"We are in absolute agreement that the 21st century cannot have us stand idle and simply allow the borders of Europe redrawn with the barrel of a gun," said the President.

Russia denies sending troops and arming the rebels.

President Obama said the separatists had completely violated September's Minsk agreement to ease the fighting and Russia had instead plowed in more tanks and artillery.

Economic and political sanctions will stay in place while Russia continues its involvement in Ukraine, the two leaders said.

1/10

  1. Gallery: Ukraine Fighting: Latest Pictures

    Ukrainian servicemen unload Grad rockets from a truck before launching them towards pro-Russian separatist forces outside Debaltseve, eastern Ukraine

At least nine Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and 26 wounded in fighting with Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine's eastern regions in the past 24 hours

]]>

Ukraine's military say fighting has been particularly intense around the town of Debaltseve, a major rail and road junction northeast of the city of Donetsk

]]>

Regional police chief Vyacheslav Abroskin said seven civilians had been killed by shelling in Debaltseve and another frontline town of Avdiivka

]]>
]]>
Obama: Russia Cannot Act Behind 'Barrel Of Gun'

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

President Obama has said that Russia cannot redraw the borders in Ukraine behind the "barrel of a gun".

Speaking at a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, he said diplomacy was still the main strategy for ending the fighting, which has left at least 5,300 people dead.

The President has been under political pressure at home to arm Ukrainian forces against pro-Russian rebels, who have seized control of large areas in the east of the country.

Mrs Merkel is against a military solution but the President said he was still looking at the option.

He told reporters: "The possibility of lethal defensive weapons is one of those options that is being examined, but I have not made a decision about that yet."

President Obama said Russia would be further isolated if it continued to send troops and support and arm rebels who have taken over large areas of Ukraine.

"We are in absolute agreement that the 21st century cannot have us stand idle and simply allow the borders of Europe redrawn with the barrel of a gun," said the President.

Russia denies sending troops and arming the rebels.

President Obama said the separatists had completely violated September's Minsk agreement to ease the fighting and Russia had instead plowed in more tanks and artillery.

Economic and political sanctions will stay in place while Russia continues its involvement in Ukraine, the two leaders said.

1/10

  1. Gallery: Ukraine Fighting: Latest Pictures

    Ukrainian servicemen unload Grad rockets from a truck before launching them towards pro-Russian separatist forces outside Debaltseve, eastern Ukraine

At least nine Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and 26 wounded in fighting with Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine's eastern regions in the past 24 hours

]]>

Ukraine's military say fighting has been particularly intense around the town of Debaltseve, a major rail and road junction northeast of the city of Donetsk

]]>

Regional police chief Vyacheslav Abroskin said seven civilians had been killed by shelling in Debaltseve and another frontline town of Avdiivka

]]>

]]>

10.52 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ukraine: Putin 'Like A Mid-20th Century Tyrant'

Written By Unknown on Senin, 09 Februari 2015 | 10.52

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has accused Vladimir Putin of acting like a "mid-20th century tyrant" over Ukraine.

Mr Hammond also told Sky's Murnaghan programme that UK's bar on supplying weapons to Kiev would be "kept under review".

"Britain's position is that at the moment we do not think that supplying arms is the right thing to do but obviously if the situation on the ground changes we'll keep that position under review," he said.

And he insisted Western sanctions were having an impact.

Mr Hammond said: "When coupled with the catastrophic effect on the Russian economy of the decline in the oil price they are putting pressure on the Kremlin.

"Putin is toughing this out but we all know in the end the economic facts cannot be ignored.

"If your economy is cratering you cannot support the kind of foreign adventures Putin is undertaking.

"He will have to trim his behaviour to reflect the decline in the Russian economy."

The Foreign Secretary branded Moscow's annexation of Crimea illegal and said it must be reversed.

He said: "This man has sent troops across an international border and occupied another country's territory in the 21st century acting like some mid-20th century tyrant. Civilised nations do not behave like that.

"We do not see any reason to tolerate this kind of outrageous and outdated behaviour from the Kremlin."

Meanwhile, the leaders of Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine are due to hold a summit in Minsk on Wednesday in a bid to halt the bloody conflict, which has claimed the lives of more than 5,000 people since April.

The meeting follows a phone call between Mr Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko on Sunday.

Mr Poroshenko's office said in a statement the leaders expected the Minsk meeting would lead to a  "swift and unconditional ceasefire".

But Mr Putin indicated the summit was provisional on agreement being reached beforehand on a number of issues that had been discussed "intensely".

Mrs Merkel and Mr Hollande are leading diplomatic efforts to end the crisis.

At the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Mrs Merkel said the bid to end the fighting was "uncertain but worth trying", while Mr Hollande also warned it was "one of the last chances for peace".

And US Secretary of State John Kerry has insisted there is no split with Europe over handling the crisis.

US President Barack Obama is considering sending arms to the Ukraine government, which has been rejected by the German Chancellor, who argued it would not help the situation.

Mrs Merkel's opposition to arming Ukraine has led to a sharp rebuke from hawks in Washington, who have accused Berlin of turning its back on an ally.

Republican US Senator John McCain said: "The Ukrainians are being slaughtered and we're sending them blankets and meals. Blankets don't do well against Russian tanks."

The Franco-German diplomatic push comes against an escalation in violence between the separatists and Ukrainian forces in the east of the country.

In the latest fighting, the Ukrainian military said the pro-Russian separatists had increased shelling of government forces and appeared to be amassing for new offensives on the key railway town of Debaltseve and the coastal city of Mariupol.

Footage has also emerged of rebels firing rockets  at Ukrainian army positions near Popasna in the eastern province of Luhansk.


10.52 | 0 komentar | Read More

Egypt: 25 Killed In Riot Before Football Match

Egypt: 25 Killed In Riot Before Football Match

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

A riot outside a major football match in Egypt has killed at least 25 people, authorities have said.

The violence came ahead of a game between Egyptian Premier League clubs Zamalek and ENPPI at the Air Defense Stadium east of the capital, Cairo.

Security officials, speaking anonymously as they weren't authorised to talk to journalists, said some people died during a stampede, while others were killed in clashes with police.

Security officials said Zamalek fans tried to get into the game without tickets, sparking clashes.

One witness said: "We were inside the stadium when the clashes began outside.

1/7

  1. Gallery: Clashes Leave 25 Dead Before Football Match In Egypt

    At least 25 people have been killed in clashes between police and football fans in Egypt

Security officials said fans of Zamalek tried to get into the game without tickets, which sparked the violence

]]>

Zamalek fans said on their group's official Facebook page that the violence started because the authorities only opened one narrow, barbed-wire door to let them in

]]>

Some of the victims are reported to have died during a stampede, while others were killed in clashes with police. Continue through for more pictures

]]>
]]>
Egypt: 25 Killed In Riot Before Football Match

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

A riot outside a major football match in Egypt has killed at least 25 people, authorities have said.

The violence came ahead of a game between Egyptian Premier League clubs Zamalek and ENPPI at the Air Defense Stadium east of the capital, Cairo.

Security officials, speaking anonymously as they weren't authorised to talk to journalists, said some people died during a stampede, while others were killed in clashes with police.

Security officials said Zamalek fans tried to get into the game without tickets, sparking clashes.

One witness said: "We were inside the stadium when the clashes began outside.

1/7

  1. Gallery: Clashes Leave 25 Dead Before Football Match In Egypt

    At least 25 people have been killed in clashes between police and football fans in Egypt

Security officials said fans of Zamalek tried to get into the game without tickets, which sparked the violence

]]>

Zamalek fans said on their group's official Facebook page that the violence started because the authorities only opened one narrow, barbed-wire door to let them in

]]>

Some of the victims are reported to have died during a stampede, while others were killed in clashes with police. Continue through for more pictures

]]>

]]>

10.52 | 0 komentar | Read More
techieblogger.com Techie Blogger Techie Blogger