US, Iran’s nuclear negotiators to meet in Geneva
Senior US and Iranian officials will hold nuclear talks in Geneva on Thursday, according to the US State Department. US Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns will lead the US delegation, Reuters reported. It will also include Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser to Vice President Joe Biden. Six world powers and Iran failed to meet a July 20 deadline to negotiate an agreement to make Iran curb its nuclear activities in exchange for the easing of economic sanctions.
Boko Haram attacks Nigeria town of Gwoza, kills dozens – witnesses
Boko Haram gunmen have killed dozens in Nigeria’s restive northeastern town of Gwoza, AFP reported, citing residents. The extremists raided the town, some 135km from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state before dawn on Wednesday, forcing residents to flee their homes. “Dozens of our people have been killed by the attackers, some were slaughtered and many others shot with guns,” resident James Mshelia said. The attackers also burnt down the divisional police headquarters, the local government secretariat and other public buildings in the town. There were no soldiers to defend the town, and the whereabouts of the Gwoza emir, Mohammad Idrissa Timta, were unknown.
UN-backed tribunal jails Khmer Rouge leaders for crimes against humanity
Two top Khmer Rouge leaders have been jailed for life by a UN-backed tribunal in Cambodia for their role in war crimes against humanity committed during the 1970s. The verdict against the regime’s former head of state Khieu Samphan, 83, and chief ideologue Nuon Chea, 88, was announced on Thursday. Both have denied their guilt. They were charged for their role in the forced exodus of millions of people from Cambodia’s residential areas, as well as an execution site in the northwest of the country where thousands of people were killed. A total of around 1.7 million people died under their rule between 1975 and 1979. Some of the causes included starvation, medical neglect, overwork, and execution. Both men are currently in bad health.
Bank of America agrees to record $16 bn settlement
Bank of America agreed on Wednesday to pay out $16 billion in a settlement linked to a federal investigation of its sale of ‘toxic’ mortgage securities. The deal represents the largest single federal settlement in the US, reports The New York Times. The settlement is meant to resolve allegations that the bank engaged in the fraudulent marketing of mortgage-backed securities based on sub-prime loans, which in turn triggered an economic crisis in 2007-2009. Despite the record settlement, Wall Street watchdogs like Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), characterized the deal as a “very modest settlement” in light of the $1 trillion received by Bank of America in “virtually zero-interest loans” through government bailouts during the crisis.
US ready for more sanctions against Russia – Obama
US President Barack Obama said that Washington is ready to consider imposing more sanctions on Russia if Moscow does not change its policy towards Ukraine. Obama made the statements during a press conference on Wednesday. When asked if the economic sanctions are actually working, Obama said “We don’t know yet,”adding that he believes“Sanctions are working as intended in putting enormous pressure and strain on the Russian economy,” citing markets, “estimates in terms of capital flight,” and “projections for Russian growth.”Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has a choice “to try to resolve the issues in eastern Ukraine through diplomacy and peaceful means…or alternatively continue on the course he’s on, in which case he’s going to be hurting his economy, and hurting his own people over the long term,” Obama said.
At least 47 killed, over 60 injured in Baghdad car bomb blasts
Forty-seven people were killed in car bomb attacks on crowded streets in Shiite districts of Baghdad on Wednesday, police said, as cited by Reuters. Al Jazeera reported that over 60 people were injured. The explosives were detonated in a shopping area of Sadr City, and in the neighborhoods of Ur, Zafarana, and New Baghdad (Baghdad Al jadida). Violence in Baghdad has increased since Sunni militants led by the Islamic State extremist group seized the northern city of Mosul in June and threatened the capital. More than 1,600 people were killed in acts of violence in Iraq last month, most of them civilians, AFP reported, citing government figures.
MH17 recovery mission in E.Ukraine halted due to fighting
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told journalists on Wednesday that the mission to recover victims and debris from the Malaysia Airlines MH17 crash site has been stopped due to fighting between the Ukrainian army and militias in eastern Ukraine. He said the security risk to the team – consisting of 70 Australian, Dutch, and Malaysian experts – was too great. MH17 was shot down on July 17, killing all 298 passengers and crew, 196 of whom were Dutch.
60 killed in Mosul clashes between Iraqi troops and IS
Sixty people have reportedly been killed in fighting between Iraqi government forces and insurgents from the Islamic State (IS) in the northern city of Mosul, hospital sources told Reuters. Witnesses said the deaths occurred when a makeshift prison being used by the Sunni Islamists was hit by government airstrikes. However, that information could not be immediately confirmed. Mosul has been under IS control since June, but there have been hit-and-run attacks by government forces and allied Kurdish peshmerga fighters.
Over 1,800 Palestinians killed in Israel-Gaza conflict
More than 1,800 Palestinians have been killed – the majority of which were civilians, including hundreds of women and children – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a statement on Wednesday. Three civilians in Israel have also been killed, as well as 64 Israeli soldiers, he added. The UN understands the “legitimate security right to defend Israeli citizens” from Hamas rocket fire, Ban said. But serious questions have been raised regarding the “repeated shelling of UN facilities harboring civilians who had been explicitly told to seek a safe haven there.” Though there were reports that Hamas rockets were fired from nearby UN premises, “mere suspicion of militant activity does not justify jeopardizing the lives and safety of many thousands of innocent civilians,” he added.5
Russian VTB24 bank forced to stop US visa payment service
Russia’s VTB 24 bank has stopped accepting payments for US visas due to the refusal of the American embassy’s contractor, the bank’s press service said, as cited by Itar-Tass. The decision to refuse payments was made by CGI Group Inc. The bank said the cause behind the contractor’s refusal is unknown. “From a business standpoint we are talking about small sums received by the bank as commission income,” the bank said. However, this will be inconvenient for hundreds of Russian clients who have been using the service. Since March, the US has imposed four rounds of sanctions targeting Russian banks, including VTB.
Canada joins EU, US in imposing new sanctions on Russia
Canada joined the US and EU and imposed new sanctions on Russia over the Ukrainian crisis, targeting 19 Russians and Ukrainians and an additional 22 Russian and Ukrainian groups and economic entities on Wednesday. Among the Russian entities hit by the sanctions are the Bank of Moscow, Dobrolet Airlines, the Russian Agricultural Bank, the Russian National Commercial Bank, the United Shipbuilding Corporation and VTB Bank. “Export restrictions announced by the European Union with respect to military and military dual-use goods destined for Russia, are already in place in Canada. We are also committed to imposing the necessary regulations to enact export restrictions on technologies used in Russia’s oil exploration and extraction sector. Those will be implemented in parallel with our allies,” Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a written statement.
Man suspected of leaking Schumacher’s medical files found hanged in police cell
A man suspected of leaking Michael Schumacher’s medical files was found hanged in his police cell on Wednesday, Reuters reported, citing Zurich’s cantonal prosecutor. The man was not named but was described as a manager at Rega, a Swiss helicopter company. He was arrested on Tuesday in connection with violating patient privacy and medical secrecy. The prosecutor said there was no indication that a third party was involved in the death of the man. Schumacher was transferred under a pseudonym from Grenoble hospital to University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV) on June 16 after emerging from a coma. He was taken by ambulance, but Rega was also contacted when helicopter transport was being considered.
Afghan soldier who killed US general ‘hid in bathroom’
The Afghan soldier who killed a US two-star general and wounded other top officers hid in a bathroom before his assault, an Afghan military official said on Wednesday. The soldier used a NATO assault rifle in his attack on Tuesday, AP quoted the official as saying. Maj. Gen. Harold J. Greene, was the highest-ranked US officer to be slain in combat since 1970 in the Vietnam War. The investigation focused on the Afghan soldier, who went by the single name Rafiqullah. He also wounded about 15 people, including a German general and two Afghan generals, before he was killed.
Saudi man tested for Ebola dies after returning from Sierra Leone
A Saudi national, who fell ill after returning from Sierra Leone, died early on Wednesday in his hospital isolation ward, AP reported. The man, 40, was being tested for the Ebola virus, according to the Saudi Health Ministry. He returned on Sunday from Sierra Leone, the country that is suffering a devastating Ebola outbreak, and was then hospitalized in Jiddah after showing symptoms of the viral hemorrhagic fever.
Egypt court upholds death sentences for 12 Brotherhood supporters
An Egyptian court upheld death sentences on Wednesday against 12 Muslim Brotherhood supporters convicted of killing a police officer last year, Reuters reported, citing judicial sources. Judge Moataz Khafagy first passed the sentence against the men in June and referred the case to the country’s highest Sunni Muslim authority for approval. The men were charged in connection with violence that erupted when police stormed the town of Kerdasa near Cairo in September. Dozens of supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi were arrested in the operation.
Saudi offers $1bn to Lebanon army that clashes with Islamist militants
Lebanon’s army and Islamist militants clashed on Wednesday in breach of a ceasefire aimed at ending five days of fighting, Reuters said. Saudi Arabian King Abdullah granted $1 billion to help the Lebanese army as it battles militants who have seized the border town of Arsal on the Syrian frontier, state news agency SPA reported. The clashes are the most serious spillover of Syria’s civil war into Lebanon.
6.3 magnitude quake strikes off East Timor
An earthquake of 6.3 magnitude struck off East Timor on Wednesday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, Reuters said. The quake struck 304km northeast of the capital, Dili.9
Nigeria nurse dies of Ebola, 5 others cases confirmed – health minister
A Nigerian nurse has died of Ebola, Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu said on Wednesday. The nurse had treated a man who flew into Lagos and died of Ebola last month, Chukwu said in the capital Abuja. The five confirmed Ebola patients are being treated in isolation in Lagos, sub-Saharan Africa’s largest city, AP quoted him as saying.
Army airstrike hits prison in north Iraq, kills 60 militants – report
A government forces airstrike in the militant-held northern city of Mosul killed 60 fighters from the Islamic State group, Iraq’s state TV said. The strike at dawn on Wednesday targeted a prison in downtown Mosul used by the Islamic State as a religious court and detention facility, AP said, citing the report. About 60 militants were killed and about 300 people who were in the militants’ custody were set free, intelligence officials said. Families of the prisoners rushed to the site to help their relatives, a Mosul resident said.
Another Russian tour operator ceases travel services
The Nordic Star tour operator declared on Wednesday that it had ceased services to its customers, ITAR-TASS said. The company said it could not fulfill its obligations to the tourists and had to “declare that it has suspended its activity.” The Nordic Star, which has offices in Moscow and St. Petersburg, used to organize tours to the Baltic and Scandinavian states. On Tuesday, IntAir, another tour operator, halted services to customers. This follows a similar crisis at the Labirint travel company, whose 15,000 Russian tourists are still stranded abroad. Travel Aid estimates that it might cost $5.6 million to return all the bankrupt companies’ tourists from foreign resorts.
Rosetta space probe catches up with comet after decade’s journey
The comet-chasing space probe Rosetta has reached its destination after a journey lasting more than a decade, the European Space Agency said. On Wednesday, the spacecraft successfully completed its final thrust to swing alongside comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, AP reported. The mission’s goal is to orbit 67P from a distance of about 100 kilometers and observe the giant ball of dust and ice as it hurtles toward the sun. Rosetta is expected to drop the first ever lander onto a comet in November.
Afghan policeman kills 7 colleagues in new insider attack
An Afghan policeman has turned his gun on his colleagues at a checkpoint in the south, killing seven policemen, AP said. After the killing on Tuesday night in the provincial capital of Tirin Kot, the attacker stole their weapons and fled in a police car, according to Doost Mohammad Nayab, a spokesman in southern Uruzgan province. The shooter had Taliban connections, Nayab said, blaming the insurgents for the attack. Earlier on Tuesday, in a separate insider attack, a gunman dressed as an Afghan soldier killed an American major general and wounded about 15 US and coalition forces.
Ukraine used ‘phosphorus bombs’ against civilians – Russian investigators
The Russian Investigative Committee said Wednesday it had gathered evidence that Ukraine has used prohibited weapons against civilians in Eastern Ukraine. Evidence show that prohibited weapons, which are similar to ‘phosphorus bombs’ in composition, were used intentionally against civilians in Donetsk Region, in an area where were no military targets, RIA Novosti quoted the committee’s spokesman, Vladimir Markin, as saying. A representative of Russia’s General Staff said late July that the Ukrainian army had used phosphorous bombs in eastern Ukraine at least six times.
50,000 face starvation as Kurds, Islamic State clash in northern Iraq
Kurdish forces and Islamic State fighters were clashing in a town only 40km southwest of the Kurdish regional capital of Arbil in northern Iraq on Wednesday, Reuters reported. Jabbar Yawar, secretary-general of the ministry of the Kurdish peshmerga fighters, said that 50,000 members of Iraq’s Yazidi ethnic minority fled the offensive. They are hiding on a mountain near the town of Sinjar risked starving to death if they are not rescued in 24 hours, Yawar said. He added that military cooperation had been re-established with Baghdad in a bid to hit back against the Sunni militants.
5 militants killed in northwest Pakistan by US drone strike
A US drone strike killed five militants in Pakistan’s volatile northwest on Wednesday, Reuters reported, citing security officials and residents. Two missiles slammed into a house in a village in the Datta Khel area in the border region of North Waziristan, and two militants were also injured, security officials said. Pakistan’s security forces are pressing ahead with an offensive in a Taliban stronghold near the Afghan border.
Russia watchdog suspends beef, cattle imports from Romania
Russia’s veterinary and phytosanitary service Rosselkhoznadzor on Wednesday suspended imports of beef and cattle from Romania, Reuters said. The latest trade ban following new Western sanctions was temporary and caused by an outbreak of the spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, in Romania, according to the watchdog.
Egypt militants kill 5 police in checkpoint attack
Militants attacked a police checkpoint in northern Egypt, killing five officers, the Interior Ministry said. The attack took place in the Dhabaa area in the coastal province of Matrouh late Tuesday, AP reported. The attackers shot and killed the policemen, then set fire to their vehicle, local media said.
China ships sail into disputed waters off Japanese-controlled islands
Chinese coastguard ships sailed into waters off Japanese-controlled islands in the East China Sea on Wednesday, after Tokyo’s defense paper warned over China’s “dangerous acts” near the disputed archipelago, AFP reported. Three Chinese vessels sailed into territorial waters that extend 12 nautical miles around one of the Senkaku Islands, which China also claims and calls the Diaoyus, according to the Japanese coastguard. The report published on Tuesday warned that frequent appearances by Chinese ships in the area could lead to “unintended consequences.”
Dutch firm to use hi-tech equipment for renewed flight MH370 search
A Dutch company will conduct a renewed deep-water search in the Indian Ocean for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, starting September, according to Australian authorities. According to the Wall Street Journal, the government is expressing “cautious optimism” about the operation. State-of-the-art technology on ships like the MV Fugro Equator and the Fugro Discovery will be employed in combing the 60,000 sq. kilometer (23,000 sq. mile) zone where the plane is thought to have fallen. “The underwater search will aim to locate the aircraft and any evidence, such as debris and flight recorders, to assist the Malaysian investigation team on the disappearance of MH370,”Australian Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss told reporters.
Death toll in southern China quake rises to 589
The death toll in southern China’s 6.1-magnitude quake has risen to 589, and over 2,400 others have been injured in the deadliest disaster of its kind in the area in four years. The worst affected was the town of Longtou. Thousands of volunteers are currently at the site to locate possible survivors, with rescue vehicles, ambulances and military jeeps lining the roads, AP reported. High seismic activity is characteristic of the mountainous area of the Yunnan farming region, Ludian County. In 1970, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake in the same area left 15,000 people dead. Two years ago, a series of tremors killed 81 people.
Deadly shelling targets elite Damascus neighborhoods
Several elite neighborhoods of the Syrian capital of Damascus came under heavy fire on Tuesday, killing at least five and injuring over a dozen others. Militants targeted the city with at least 70 shells, local media reported. The regions include the area where the presidential palace is located. There are conflicting reports as to the number of casualties; Surya Al-Ain news agency claims that a total of 19 people were killed and at least 75 others were injured. Meanwhile, national SANA news agency reported five dead and 20 injured.
