Global roll

19082014

Israel, Palestinians agree to extend Gaza truce by 24 hours

Israeli and Palestinian officials have agreed to extend a Gaza ceasefire by another 24 hours to allow time for the sides to continue truce negotiations, Reuters reports, citing sources in both delegations. The deal was confirmed in Cairo and then Jerusalem minutes before a five-day ceasefire was due to expire. A Palestinian official close to the talks in Cairo said the extension would give both sides time “to complete the negotiations,”the agency said. An Israeli official and security source were quoted as saying in Jerusalem that “on Egypt’s request the ceasefire shall be extended by 24 hours to allow further negotiations.” The Egyptian government has confirmed the extension of truce in an official statement.

Student nanosatellite launched during Russian ISS spacewalk

Russian cosmonauts Aleksander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev have performing a spacewalk outside the International Space Station, during which they launched student nanosatellite Chasqui-1 into space. The satellite is designed for testing the base platform and basic electronic devices of the nanoclass space vehicles as part of the Radioskaf space educational program. Chasqui-1 has the shape of a cube with sides of 10 centimeters and weighs 1.5 kilograms. It will transmit photographic images and telematics measurements to Earth via a 437.025 MHz amateur radio frequency.

US airstrikes hit ISIS vehicles near Mosul dam

US bomber, fighter and drone strikes have destroyed Islamic State (formerly known as ISIS) vehicles near the Mosul dam in northern Iraq, the Pentagon said in a statement. The latest airstrikes destroyed three IS armed vehicles, an IS vehicle-mounted anti-aircraft artillery gun, an IS checkpoint and an improvised explosive device (IED) emplacement, according to the statement. In total, more than 24 airstrikes took place over the weekend. That brings the total number of US airstrikes since August 8 to 68.

US puts 2 Islamist militants in Iraq, Syria on ‘most wanted’ terrorist list

The US on Monday blacklisted two Islamist militants in Iraq and Syria, following similar actions by the UN Security Council last week. The State Department added the two men, Islamic State spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani and Nusra Front member Said Arif, to its list of “Specially Designated Global Terrorists,” Reuters said. A travel ban was imposed on them, and any assets they may hold in the US will be frozen. The US Treasury Department, in its turn, prohibited US firms and people from dealing with the men.

250 injured after strong quake in west Iran

A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck the province of Ilam in western Iran on Monday, injuring at least 250 people, AFP reported. The quake occurred at 7:02am local time near the town of Mour-Mouri and caused extensive damage to buildings, according to Iranian media. The US Geological Survey reported the magnitude of the quake at 6.3, adding that it struck 36km southeast of the city of Abdanan, near the border with Iraq.

Moscow court passes guilty verdict on 4 defendants in Bolotnaya case

Zamoskvoretsky court in Moscow on Monday passed a guilty verdict on four defendants in the criminal case over riots on Moscow’s Bolotnaya Square on May 6, 2012. Aleksey Gaskarov was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison, Ilya Gushchin to 2.5 years and Aleksandr Margolin to 3.5 years, ITAR-TASS said. Elena Kokhtaryova was given a suspended sentence. They were found guilty of violence against police officers and mass disturbances. Lawyers will appeal the sentences.

Gaza death toll passes 2,000

The Gaza death toll rose to 2,016 Monday as a five-day ceasefire expires at 2100 GMT. Gaza’s health ministry said that another 10,196 were wounded. There was little sign of any workable consensus emerging from ongoing talks between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators in Cairo, AFP said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel would only accept an agreement which contained “a clear answer” to its security needs. Hamas has insisted there will be no deal without an end to Israel’s eight-year blockade of Gaza