Newsline abroad
Siberian flood displaces thousands, submerges entire villages
As a result of the flooding that devastated parts of Siberia, some 10,000 people have had to be evacuated, Russia’s Emergencies Ministry reports. “40 temporary displacement shelters have been set up. More than 10,000 people have been moved out of their homes, of which 1,500 have been settled, including 530 children,” they told Itar-Tass. Large areas of the Altay region, as well as of Khakasiya and Tuva remain submerged, with 4,000 houses in 50 different towns underwater. Their population comes to about 11,500 people. There is substantial damage to roads, and six bridges have been damaged as well. The impact of the flooding is so severe that relief efforts now include over 17,000 rescue workers.
Police arrest suspect in Brussels shooting
Mehdi Nemmouche, 29, was arrested by police in Marseille, in the South of France, investigation sources told AFP. The suspect was carrying an AK-47 gun and a pistol of the same type used in the May- 24 shooting near the Jewish Museum in Brussels which left four people dead, including two Israelis, and one person from France and another from Belgium. The Belgian authorities believe it may have been “an anti-Semitic terrorist act.” Nemmouche is suspected to have ties to radicals in Syria.
Death toll in Massachusetts plane fire 7 – officials
All seven people on board the plane, which earlier ran off a runway and burst into flames at Hanscom Field in Massachusetts, have died, the Hanscom Field officials confirmed. The private aircraft was heading to Atlantic City International Airport in New Jersey.
Crashed Russian helicopter carried 9 people – air traffic regulator
The Mil Mi-8 transport helicopter, which crashed in Russia’s Murmansk region, had nine people on board, the regional department of the Russian air regulator, Rosaviatsia, told Itar-Tass. Earlier police reports suggested as many as 18 people might have suffered in the incident, which resulted in two people being sent to hospital.
Major Colombian drug cartel bust results in 46 arrests from country’s top-four gang
A major drug and extortion ring bust took place in north Columbia, with police arresting 46 members of the Los Rastrojos gang, BBC reports. President Juan Manuel Santos has praised the police operation, calling it the most significant such offensive in a decade. The cartel sits firmly on the country’s top-4 list of criminal organizations. According to US special agencies, it is responsible for over 30 tons of cocaine making its way into Mexico since 2008.
Russia to head UN Security Council starting June 1
The UN Security Council has given Russia the lead role for a period of one month, starting June 1, in accordance with the rules on rotation, RIA Novosti reports. Russian representative to the UN, Vitaliy Churkin laid out the coming agenda, suggesting an increased focus on the Middle Eastern region, namely “the situation in Yemen, Libya, the process of chemical disarmament in Syria [and] the humanitarian situation there,”as well as Afghanistan. Some of the other countries to make it to the UNSC Chair’s agenda are the war-torn Mali, the Ivory Coast and the wider Sahel region. Russia also plans to organize an open debate on current trends within UN peacekeeping operations on June 11.
First MERS cases confirmed in Algeria
Algerian officials have confirmed the country’s first two cases of MERS, the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona-Virus, first reported in neighboring Saudi Arabia. Two Algerian citizens, aged 66 and 59, have been tested positive for MERS, after they returned from pilgrimages to Saudi. The deadly virus, which kills around 30 percent of sufferers, has been reported in more than 500 patients in Saudi Arabia and has already spread into Europe, Asia and the US.
Helicopter with 18 on board crashes in Russia
An Mil Mi-8 transport helicopter has crashed in the Murmansk region in northwestern Russia, emergency services said. Two people have been taken to hospital while the fate of sixteen others was not immediately reported. According to preliminary information, the helicopter crashed near the village of Vostochnoye Munozero near a lake. There were eighteen people on board, including five crewmembers. The aircraft went missing on Saturday evening.
Plane runs off runway, burns in Massachusetts
A private plane with seven people on board ran off of a runway and burst into flames at Hanscom Field, a public airport located in the town of Bedford, Massachusetts, US, said local police. A Gulfstream IV aircraft was departing to Atlantic City International Airport in New Jersey, said a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration. There were no immediate reports of any injuries.
95% turnout in presidential vote for Syrians living abroad
More than 95 percent of registered Syrian voters living abroad cast their ballots in advance for Syria’s presidential election, SANA news agency reported. The election is scheduled for June 3. The advanced voting for those living abroad took place on Wednesday across 43 different Syrian embassies. The final results were received by the Higher Judicial Committee for Elections on Saturday. The turnout “has dashed all that Western propaganda has been propagating against them over three years,’’ SANA quoted Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Fayssal Mikdad as saying. He said the turnout represents Syrians’ “remarkable awareness” and “belief” in their country, adding that “voting proceeded smoothly and democratically, and passed without a hitch.”
Sudan to release woman sentenced to death for converting to Christianity
Sudan is releasing a woman sentenced to death for converting to Christianity, Reuters cited a government official as saying. “The related authorities in the country are working to release Mariam (Yahya Ibrahim), who was sentenced to death for apostasy, through legal measures,” Foreign Ministry Under-Secretary Abdelah Al-Azrak said. “I expect her to be released soon,” he added.
Scottish car rally collision kills three, injures one
Three people died and another was injured in a collision at the Jim Clark Rally in the Scottish Borders, BBC cited police as saying. The accident happened when a car swerved off the road during the rally and collided with spectators at around 4 p.m. local time. The injured person was taken to hospital and is in critical condition. Earlier on Saturday, a separate collision injured five people, one of them seriously. The rally was canceled following the second accident.
Palestinian unity govt to be announced June 2 – President Abbas
The Palestinian unity government backed by the Fatah Party and Hamas Islamists will be announced June 2, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the Fatah Party, said while meeting with French peace activists in the West Bank city of Ramallah. This will end a seven-year Palestinian political split. Abbas added that Israel has warned that it will boycott the Palestinian Authority (PA) “immediately after we form the government.” He stressed that the PA is taking Israel’s threats seriously and would respond if Israel cut ties with it.
Bahrain’s opposition threatens to boycott parliamentary election
Bahrain’s opposition parties will boycott the parliamentary elections unless the government guarantees the vote will reflect the will of the people, Reuters reports. Following the failure of talks with authorities, the Al-Wefaq movement issued a statement saying that it will not participate in the vote later this year “unless a clear political agreement is reached.” The group also urged the international community to help it pursue a peaceful democratic transition for the Gulf monarchy. Bahrain has been in turmoil since protests led by Shi’ite Muslims erupted in 2011 after similar uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia.
Abhazia parliament votes for early presidential election, appoints acting president
Abhazia’s parliament appointed speaker Valery Bganba as acting president of the republic and voted to hold early presidential elections on August 24, according to the results of a special session on Saturday. 24 of the 25 MPs present at the session voted in favor of early elections – one abstained. In turn, President Aleksandr Ankvab said he disagrees with the regulation, the vote of non-confidence and the MP’s proposal for his resignation. On May 29, the Abkhazian parliament expressed lack of confidence in Prime Minister Leonid Lakerbaya and urged Ankvab to resign voluntarily as head of the republic. Earlier this week, the Abkhaz opposition, dissatisfied with the president’s internal policies, seized government buildings and created the Interim National Council.
UK volunteer missing in Malaysian jungle
Gareth Huntley, 34, was last seen on May 27 on Tioman Island, a popular Malaysian resort. He was a volunteer at the Juara Turtle Sanctuary on the island and had gone to see a waterfall in the jungle, a trek that was expected to take only a couple of hours. The volunteer’s friends raised the alarm when he failed to return, and blamed the local police for their lack of response. So far search efforts have proved fruitless. Huntley’s family are on their way to Malaysia, and are calling on the authorities to do more to find him. A Facebook page “Find Gareth Huntley” has also been started, warning people of fake fundraising accounts.
Turkish police cordon off central Istanbul to stop demonstrations 1yr after Gezi Park unrest
Turkish police have blocked access to Istanbul’s Gezi Park and the nearby area to prevent demonstrations to mark the one-year anniversary of the biggest anti-government protests. Metro station Taksim has also been closed. According to local media, 25,000 officers were deployed on Saturday. The measure comes as Taksim Solidarity, the group that organized last year’s protest movement, called for a demonstration on Taksim at 7 pm (1600 GMT). On May 31, 2013, police evicted a peaceful sit-in protest against the government’s plans to destroy the park, when six people, including a police officer, were killed.
US State Department confirms Syria suicide bomber was American
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki confirmed on Friday the identity of Moner Mohammad Abusalha, an American who had traveled to Syria last year and carried out a suicide bombing there, Reuters reported. Psaki said US agencies had been aware of Abusalha’s travel to Syria with the intent of joining a militant group embroiled in the country’s civil war, though she declined to offer any further details. The American, also known as Abu Hurayra al-Amriki, took part in one of four suicide bombings on May 25 in Syria’s Idlib province as part of Jabhat-al-Nusra, an Al-Qaeda affiliate group intent on the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad.
Nigerian emir, policemen killed in suspected Boko Haram attack
A Muslim emir and two policemen have been killed in northeastern Nigeria in a suspected attack by Boko Haram militants. All of the dead were heading to a funeral when armed men opened fire on their car. All died from gunshot wounds. “The Emir of Gwoza was killed around 9 am today following a bloody attack by some gunmen believed to be members of the Boko Haram,” the Borno state government said in a statement, Reuters reported. Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 girls from a secondary school in Chibok in remote northeastern Nigeria in mid-April and had threatened to sell them into slavery. Since they were taken, at least 500 civilians have been killed by the sect. On Thursday, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said that a full-scale operation had been launched and attempted to reassure parents that the children would be freed.
Norway rejects Greenpeace appeal over Statoil Arctic drilling
Norwegian authorities have rejected an appeal by Greenpeace to stop Statoil from drilling the world’s most northerly well on the Apollo prospect in the Barents Sea, Reuters reported, citing a statement from the oil company. Friday’s announcement comes a day after Norwegian police removed seven Greenpeace protesters who had boarded the rig in an attempt to prevent it from reaching the Barents Sea and Bear Island. It is an uninhabited wildlife sanctuary that is home to rare species, including polar bears.
Ethnic clashes leave 11 killed in Northern Kenya
At least 11 people have been killed in fighting between rival clans in Wajir in Kenya’s remote northeast, police said on Friday. Several others were wounded as the fighting broke out on Thursday when the attackers raided a settlement of the local Degodia clan, AFP reported. The attack, believed to have been carried out by a militia from the rival Garre clan, could be revenge for the deaths of three men killed by bandits believed to be from the rival Degodia clan, local media reports say. They also put the death toll as high as 18.
2 Ebola deaths, 12 сases reported in Sierra Leone
Health officials in Sierra Leone say there have been two deaths from Ebola and a dozen other cases of the deadly disease, AP reported. Another official, Dr. Amara Jambai, said on Friday that other suspected cases in the capital turned out to be negative. Teams from the World Health Organization and Doctors Without Borders are expected in Sierra Leone in the coming days. The Ebola deaths in Sierra Leone follow an outbreak in neighboring Guinea. It also led to cases in Liberia earlier this year.
Israel prevents Palestinian suicide bomb attack – police
Israeli security forces in the West Bank caught a Palestinian wearing an explosive belt on Friday, officials said. Border police near the Palestinian city of Nablus had been suspicious of the man who was wearing a coat on a hot spring day, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. “The forces stopped him and asked the suspect to remove his clothes. He was wearing a bomb-belt,” Reuters quoted Rosenfeld as saying. The man, believed to be in his 20s, was in a sensitive area in the West Bank, which has a number of Jewish settlements and a large security presence.
Indonesia testing Cadbury products after Malaysia protests
Indonesia is testing products made by British confectioner Cadbury to check they comply with Islamic standards, officials said on Friday. The move follows a scandal in neighboring Malaysia, after two chocolate varieties were found to be contaminated with pork DNA, Reuters said. “It is prudent to do a test on the other variants to see if they also have traces of the pig DNA,” said Roy Alexander Sparingga, head of Indonesia’s Food and Drug Monitoring Agency. Some Muslim groups in Malaysia have called for a boycott on all products made by Cadbury over the ingredient banned under Islamic dietary laws.
Military to set up ‘reconciliation centers’ in Thailand
Thailand’s military said on Friday it will set up “reconciliation centers” across the country. They are aimed at healing a decade of political division that has often spilled over into violence, Reuters said. Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha, who took power in a coup on May 22, said he had to end the struggle between the royalist establishment and an upstart power network headed by billionaire former premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Some loyalists of the self-exiled Thaksin expect the army to bring in electoral and other reforms over the coming months aimed at ending Thaksin’s political influence.
Bulgarian center-left govt survives no-confidence vote
The center-left government of Bulgarian Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski survived a no-confidence vote in parliament on Friday, AFP said. The motion failed in a vote of 116 to 93 with the backing of the Socialist BSP party, their liberal partner Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) and independent lawmakers. This was the fourth such motion submitted by the conservative opposition. It accused Oresharski’s cabinet of lacking a clear strategy for the country’s troubled energy sector and taking closed-door decisions on major projects.
Court frees 25 Cambodians charged with garment strike offences
A Cambodian court found 25 people guilty on Friday of acts of violence during strikes by garment workers. However, all were given suspended sentences and freed, Reuters said. The ruling is likely to be welcomed by global manufacturers operating in the country. The Phnom Penh Municipal Court judges convicted the workers, trade unionists and protesters of intentional violence including damage to public property during strikes in November last year and January 2014.
Police fire warning shots to stop protesters in C. Africa capital
Security forces fired warning shots as protesters in Bangui demanded the resignation of the interim government and the removal of foreign troops from the Central African Republic on Friday, AFP said. Troops and police stopped the protesters gathering in the capital, who numbered in the thousands, and the demonstrators dispersed around an hour later. Bursts of automatic weapons fire were also heard in the central Bangui neighborhood that is home to the presidential palace, and in the area of the airport. The capital has experienced an upsurge in violence in recent days.
6.1 quake hits southwestern China
A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck China’s southwestern Yunnan province on Friday morning, the USGS reports. The epicenter of the tremor was located at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, just 27 kilometers from the town of Pingyuan in Yingjiang County. Local authorities sent a team of over 50 people for surveying, investigation, and disaster evaluation, Xinhua reported. There have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage. The county borders Myanmar and has a population of 300,000.
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