Hamas: Loss Of Hope Behind Jerusalem Violence

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 05 Desember 2014 | 10.52

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By Tom Rayner, Middle East Reporter

The leader of Hamas has claimed rising violence in Jerusalem is the result of Palestinians having lost hope of any "just solution" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In an exclusive interview from his base in Qatar, Khalid Meshaal said recent deadly attacks against Israelis were the fault of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "playing with fire" by allowing right-wing activists to enter the Al Aqsa Mosque compound.

Mr Meshaal warned it could lead to "chaos in the region".

Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of being behind attacks on civilians, and said Palestinian leaders were inciting violence by misrepresenting its policies regarding the sacred area, known to Jews as Temple Mount.

Hamas, deemed a terrorist organisation by EU governments and the US, has not claimed responsibility for the attacks - but Mr Meshaal refused to condemn them.

"The Palestinian people no longer have anything to lose in light of the continuation of the occupation and settlements, stealing the land, the attacks on the women and children and the Holy sites," he said.

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Gallery: Jerusalem: Fresh Clashes As Car Rams Crowd

Israeli firefighters prepare to tow the vehicle of a Palestinian man at the scene of what police said appeared to be a deliberate attack on pedestrians in East Jerusalem

An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man looks into the vehicle near the scene of the attack

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The motorist rammed into the crowd on a busy street and then got out of his vehicle to attack people with a metal bar. Israeli police shot him dead.

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At Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque, people run for cover during clashes between Israeli police and stone-throwing Palestinians. Continue through for more pictures

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Palestinians run for cover as Israeli police use stun grenades to disperse a crowd in Jerusalem's Old City

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"The reaction is spontaneous…The Israeli stubbornness, combined with the international impotence in solving the Palestinian issue with a just solution, which gives the Palestinian people their self-determination, and gets rid of occupation… will lead to chaos in the region, not just in the Palestinian arena, but to an open conflict - a blood-bath."

"We warn against keeping the Palestinian issue with no solution and stripping the Palestinian people of hope," said the Hamas leader.

"Those betting on a security solution for stopping the resistance, by hunting its leadership and blocking weapons coming to its fighters, through the security cooperation of the Palestinian Authority with the Israelis, with regional and international cooperation - all of this has proven useless.

"Because when public anger reaches its limit it explodes on its own, and expresses itself in ways that surprises everyone."

Read the full transcript of the Sky News interview with Khalid Meshaal

Mr Meshaal, who leads the political wing of the group, said Hamas remained committed to reconciliation with President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party.

He described it as a "national necessity" despite the apparent deterioration of relations following bombings targeting the property of Fatah officials in Gaza.

He also claimed Hamas was committed to the goal of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders - a position Mr Meshaal said was enshrined in Palestinian reconciliation agreements signed with Fatah and other factions - but that it would remain committed to "armed-resistance" until it was achieved.

When asked whether this made the prospect of resolution impossible, Mr Meshaal said: "Put Hamas aside, what about Mr Mahmoud Abbas?

"He has positions which satisfy Western and American standards. And with all this, what has Netanyahu done in return? Nothing.

"Therefore the problem is not the Palestinian position, whether from Fatah or Hamas, or the leadership, the fault is Netanyahu's position."

Mr Meshaal also welcomed the recent symbolic votes in the France and UK parliaments supporting recognition of a Palestinian state.

He described them as "excellent developments", adding: "the world has started understanding the justice of the Palestinian cause".

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Written By Unknown on Kamis, 04 Desember 2014 | 10.52

Iran has denied Pentagon claims that it has carried out airstrikes in neighbouring Iraq against Islamic State militants.

A senior official also insisted that cooperation with the US in such attacks was out of the question.

The denial comes after a Pentagon spokesman said Iran had carried out raids in eastern Iraq, but said the US had not coordinated with Tehran over the strikes.

Rear Admiral John Kirby said the US continued to fly missions over Iraq and that it was up to the Iraqi government to avoid conflicts in its own airspace.

He said it was believed to be the first time Iran had launched manned aircraft from inside Iran to strike targets in Iraq.

Iranian military leaders have admitted that dozens of their forces have been in Iraq fighting alongside Kurdish troops battling extremists.

The US has not invited Iran to join the coalition fighting Islamic State and Iran has said it would not join in any case.

Rear Admiral Kirby said: "There's no reason to believe they are not true, those reports that Iranian aircraft struck targets against IS in eastern Iraq.

"It's Iraqi airspace and it's for Iraqis to deconflict.

"We are not coordinating with nor deconflicting with Iranian military."

But a senior Iranian offical said: "Iran has never been involved in any air strikes against the Daesh (Islamic State) targets in Iraq.

"Any cooperation in such strikes with America is also out of question for Iran."

It came as NATO foreign ministers met in Brussels to discuss the threat posed by IS.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said the battle against IS militants would last "as long as it takes to prevail".

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Costa Concordia Captain Was 'Second To God'

The captain of the Costa Concordia has insisted his decision to delay the cruise ship's evacuation saved lives, stating he was "second only to God" on the doomed vessel.

In the dock for the first time, Francesco Schettino claimed that sounding the emergency alarm immediately would have caused the 4,299 passengers and crew to panic.

The Concordia had hit rocks off the Italian island of Giglio, and Schettino believed the ship would drift into shallower waters, making any evacuation safer.

"Had I sounded the nautical signal for abandon ship – seven long whistles and one short one – people would have thrown themselves into the water," the captain said in court.

Earlier in the day, video emerged of Schettino getting ready to leave the cruise liner, contradicting his claims that he had "tripped and stumbled into a lifeboat".

He abandoned the ship half an hour before the emergency alarm was finally sounded – with hundreds of passengers still on board. Some 32 people were killed in the disaster, leading him to he dubbed Captain Coward.

In an apparent attempt to spread the blame, Schettino claimed that decisions were made collectively, adding: "It's not like the captain is alone on a ship, it's not like I'm a truck driver."

Prosecutors are trying to depict Schettino as someone who was completely overwhelmed after the attempted "sail past", in January 2012.

The captain has insisted he was completely in control of the 115,000 tonne ship at all times, even though all of its engines were out of action.

But in a recording played to the court, one of Schettino's colleagues is heard telling him: "Water is coming in everywhere."

Schettino was also asked whether a failure to radio for tow boats, which would have helped stabilise the ship, was to save money.

"I did not put the ship before human lives. The cost I would have thought about afterwards," he said.

The disgraced captain is charged with manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship.

He is being tried alone after five other defendants reached plea deals.

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Bill Cosby Sued Over Playboy Mansion 'Sex Act'

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 03 Desember 2014 | 10.52

Bill Cosby is being sued by a California woman who claims the comedian molested her around 1974 when she was 15-years-old.

Judith Huth claims in the sexual battery lawsuit that the incident happened at the Playboy Mansion.

The document claims she and a friend met Cosby at a Los Angeles film shoot and the comedian later gave them drinks at a tennis club.

It then states that Cosby took them to the Playboy Mansion after several drinks. Her suit states Cosby forced her to perform a sex act on him.

The woman claims she suffered emotional distress and that she discovered its impact within the past three years.

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Gallery: A Profile Of Bill Cosby

Bill Cosby was born in Philadelphia in 1937, one of four children

He followed his father into the US Navy before securing an athletics scholarship to Temple University in Philadelphia

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Phillip Hughes: Funeral Held For Cricket Star

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Gallery: Australia Says Goodbye To Its Hero

Australia's cricket team has said goodbye to their former colleague Phillip Hughes who died last week

Tributes have also been paid around the country

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The batsman was hit on the neck during a Sheffield Shield game in Sydney

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Australian captain Michael Clarke said last week: "Words cannot express the loss we all feel as a team right now."

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A funeral service for Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes is about to begin in his hometown of Macksville, New South Wales.

The 25-year-old batsmen died in hospital in Sydney last week after he was hit on the back of the neck by a cricket ball during New South Wales' first-class match against South Australia.

He had scored 63 runs when he was hit by a short ball from bowler Sean Abbott and was wearing a helmet at the time.

Around 1,000 people, mostly locals, packed into Macksville High School for the service, with hundreds more watching on big screens outside.

The service was also broadcast live on national television and on big screens in Australia's major cities, including at the Sydney Cricket Ground where Hughes was fatally injured.

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Gallery: Phillip Hughes: Cricket Career In Pictures

Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes has died after suffering a severe head injury during a match at the Sydney Cricket Ground

Cricket Australia confirmed the 25-year-old's death, saying: "Our thoughts go out to Phillip's family, friends, and the entire cricket community"

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Hughes had scored 63 runs during the New South Wales vs South Australia match when he was hit by a ball

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Hughes' siblings, Jason and Megan, paid tribute to their brother during the service on behalf of the family.

The mourners included Prime Minister Tony Abbott, the Australia cricket team and Sean Abbott.

Former Australian players Shane Warne, Ricky Ponting, Glenn McGrath and the Waugh brothers all attended, alongside Richard Hadlee, Brian Lara and India batsman Virat Kohli.

Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke acted as a pallbearer for his close friend during the service.

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Gallery: #PutYourBatsOut Tribute To Phillip Hughes

England cricketers put their bats out in their dressing room in memory of Australian cricketer Phil Hughes at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka

A cricket bat and cap left by a Cricket Victoria player sits in the players tunnel at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

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On Saturday, Clarke paid an emotional tribute to his teammate and announced that Hughes' one-day international shirt number 64 would be retired.

He said: "Words cannot express the loss we all feel as a team right now.

"His legacy of trying to improve each and every day will drive us for the rest of our lives. Our dressing room will never be the same, we loved him and always will."

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Written By Unknown on Senin, 01 Desember 2014 | 10.52

Ferguson Officer Quit Because Of 'Threats'

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By Sky News US Team

The white officer who shot dead black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, quit because of threats against the police department, his lawyer has said.

Darren Wilson's resignation with immediate effect was announced on Saturday, four months after the confrontation that fuelled violent protests in the St Louis suburb and across the US.

Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson told a news conference on Sunday: "The threats (from protesters) have been egregious and counselling is available to the officers."

He was joined by Ferguson Mayor James Knowles, who said Mr Wilson, 28, received no severance payment package.

The city leader also unveiled proposals to boost the number of black members on the community's police force, including a stipend for officers who live locally.

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Gallery: Ferguson Protests Lead To Arrests Across US

Protests have been held across the US after a white officer was not charged for shooting unarmed black 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri

Some of the most violent rallies were in San Francisco. Here a police officer on a motorcycle confronts protesters

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A demonstrator barracks police in San Francisco

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Demonstrators use a metal barricade to break a window in San Francisco

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Protesters face off with police in front of the Westfield Mall in San Francisco

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Mr Wilson's attorney, Neil Bruntrager, told the Associated Press news agency his client stepped aside after the department told him of the unspecified threats.

"The information we had was that there would be actions targeting the Ferguson (police) department or buildings in Ferguson related to the police department," Mr Bruntrager said.

A grand jury declined last Monday to bring charges against Mr Wilson, who had been on administrative leave since the shooting on 9 August.

Mr Wilson, who had been with the department for less than three years, told the St Louis Post-Dispatch: "I'm not willing to let someone else get hurt because of me."

According to the newspaper, his resignation letter to the Ferguson force read: "It is my hope that my resignation will allow the community to heal."

Benjamin Crump, a lawyer for Michael Brown's family, said Mr Wilson's resignation was not a surprise.

"It was always believed that the police officer would do what was in his best interest, both personally and professionally," Mr Crump said.

"We didn't believe that he would be able to be effective for the Ferguson community nor the Ferguson Police Department because of the tragic circumstances that claimed the life of Michael Brown Jr."

The US Justice Department is still conducting a civil rights investigation into the shooting and a separate probe of police department practices.

Mr Wilson began his career in nearby Jennings before moving to the Ferguson job a few years ago.

He had no previous complaints against him and a good career record, according to Chief Jackson, who described Mr Wilson as "an excellent police officer".

A few months before the shooting, Mr Wilson had received a commendation for detaining a suspect in a drugs case.

An American flag was burned during the most recent protests outside police headquarters in Ferguson on Saturday night, when two people were arrested.

Ten people were meanwhile arrested at a Ferguson-inspired demonstration in Portland, Oregon, after a rally at which civil rights leader Rev Jesse Jackson spoke.

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Written By Unknown on Minggu, 09 November 2014 | 10.52

By Robert Nisbet, Europe Correspondent

Germany will mark today's 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall by releasing 8,000 balloons along a nine-mile stretch of the former concrete frontier.

The lit balloons will be untethered at 7.18pm local time, to celebrate the moment the first East Germans started to clamber across the divide into the west on Thursday 9 November, 1989.

The wall was built around West Berlin in 1961 by the German Democratic Republic, which called it the "Anti-Fascist Protection Rampart".

The Wall's main purpose, however, was to prevent defections to the west.

In its 28-year history, the Berlin Wall became a potent symbol of the Cold War with its watchtowers and so-called "death-strip" where an estimated 5,000 people risked their lives to escape the hardline regime.

But cracks started to appear in the imposing edifice when mainly bloodless revolutions in Poland and Hungary heralded the loosening of communism's grip in eastern Europe.

Video: Remembered: The Day The Wall Fell

The pursuit of the policies of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) by the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev was the precursor to these historic events.

The 83-year-old is in Berlin to join the commemoration ceremonies which include a concert at the Brandenburg Gate and the reopening of a museum dedicated to the Wall.

But Mr Gorbachev has warned that the world has failed to learn the lessons from the bitter enmity which divided Europe after World War Two.

Video: What Is Berlin Now?

Referring to the current stand off between the west and Russia's Vladimir Putin in Ukraine, he said: "The world is on the brink of a new Cold War. Some are even saying that it's already begun."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was born in Hamburg but grew up in the east, will lead today's events by making a speech at the Berlin Wall Memorial.

She has spoken in the past about the significance of the Wall's collapse to every German citizen.

Video: Sound And Vision: Berlin Wall Fall

"Even today when I walk through the Brandenburg Gate, there's a residual feeling that this wasn't possible for many years of my life, and that I had to wait 35 years to have this feeling of freedom," Mrs Merkel said last week.

"That changed my life," she added.

German unification took almost a year to complete after the Wall fell and since then an estimated two trillion euros has been spent on trying to level the playing field.

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Gallery: 25 Years Since The Berlin Wall Fell

West Berlin policemen and East German Volkspolizei face each other across the border in Berlin, circa 1955

1961: Soldiers build the Berlin Wall, as instructed by the East German authorities, in order to strengthen the existing barriers dividing East and West Berlin

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Two IS Leaders Killed By Airstrikes - Reports

Coalition airstrikes have targeted a gathering of Islamic State leaders at a house in northern Iraq, a US defence official has said.

Senior IS officers were meeting in al Qaim, a town near Mosul which is under the Islamist group's control. After the strikes began, militants evacuated a nearby hospital and used loudspeakers to ask for blood donors.

The bodies of 50 militants have since been transported to a morgue in Mosul, according to Reuters.

Unconfirmed reports from the news agency suggest that the leader of IS, along with his deputy, were killed in the attack.

It is unclear whether top commander Abu Bakr al Baghdadi was among the militants targeted, a US official said.

Video: More Airstrikes Hit IS In Kobani

Hailed as the world's most wanted man, al Baghdadi has declared himself the caliph, or supreme leader, of the vast areas of territory in Iraq and Syria under IS control.

Washington has offered a $10m (£6m) reward for his capture.

US national security analyst Arash Aramesh told Sky News: "If he is in fact dead, yes it will deal a major blow to the organisation but let's not forget there are other commanders both in the military and political wings that can replace al Baghdadi.

Video: Airstrikes 'Missing IS Targets'

"This organisation with one dead leader is not going to be finished. This is going to be a continued, long-term campaign not just to rid the region of IS but from the ideology that creates organisations like IS, al Qaeda, Boko Haram and the Taliban."

The airstrikes also destroyed a convoy of 10 armed IS trucks, US Central Command said.

In a statement, its spokesperson added: "This strike demonstrates the pressure we continue to place on the IS terrorist network and the group's increasingly limited freedom to manoeuvre, communicate and command."

Video: First Video Of Islamist Leader

Meanwhile, a series of explosions have killed dozens of people across Iraq.

Four bombings killed least 43 people in and around Baghdad on Saturday. The deadliest blast hit the city's Shi'ite district of Sadr City, where a car bomb tore through a commercial area killing 11 people.

On Friday, a suicide truck bomber struck the convoy of a top Iraqi police officer killing eight people, including the ranking official. Iraqi authorities said the attack bore the hallmarks of IS.

Video: Sept: First RAF Airstrikes On IS

US President Barack Obama has authorised the deployment of up to 1,500 more US troops to bolster Iraqi forces, including into Anbar province, where battles with IS militants have been fierce.

A statement from Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al Abadi's office said: "This step is a little late, but we welcome it."

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