Gazette 04-28-14

Monday April 28th 2014

-------------------------

'Barrel bombs' terrorise Syrian city

A BBC team has witnessed the devastating effects of air bombardment on Syrian civilians after gaining rare access to rebel-held areas of Aleppo.

Emergency rescue teams told the BBC the city was living in "danger and fear".
Thousands of people are reported to have been killed or maimed in a campaign of aerial bombardment in northern Syria this year.
Ian Pannell and cameraman Darren Conway were the first Western broadcasters in rebel-held Aleppo this year.

Um Yahya wept. With two small children at her side, the young mother was standing in what until that morning had been her home. It was now a wreck: a tangle of rubble and cables and dust, with half the ceiling missing and parts of the building completely razed.

"My husband was sitting at breakfast. We heard the first blast: it sounded far away. But I asked him to go and get the kids off the street. And suddenly it hit us."
Consumed by shock and grief, she described the moment the barrel bomb landed on her street. "It was as if someone picked me up and threw me inside".
Her husband, who had gone to find their children, was badly injured and had been whisked off to hospital. Her parents have fled to Turkey and she is now alone with her children. "I have nowhere to go," she said. "I just want my husband and nothing else."

Syria's President Assad declares candidacy for third 7-year term

BEIRUT –  President Bashar Assad announced his candidacy for the June 3 presidential elections on Monday, a race he is likely to win amid a raging civil war that initially began as an uprising against his rule.

The statement, made by Parliament Speaker Jihad Laham on state-run television, was quickly followed by broadcasts of nationalistic music praising God.

Assad -- who has ruled the country since taking over from his father in 2000 -- was widely expected to run for a third seven-year term in office, although it remains unclear how the vote can take place in areas engulfed in fighting.
Six other contenders are in the race, but they are mostly expected to give the election a veneer of legitimacy, analysts say.
Following the announcement, the state-run TV also ran a brief biography of Assad, quoting him as asking Syrians not to resort to celebratory gunfire and telling them that "we are now in the atmosphere of (democratic) elections in Syria for the first time in its contemporary history." It was unclear if that was meant as acknowledgement that previous elections were not democratic.
But a call to elections -- or the vote, if and when it's held -- won't be enough to heal Syria's bitter war, now in its fourth year, said activists.

Lawyers: Egypt judge sentences 683 to death in mass trial, including Muslim Brotherhood leader

MINYA, Egypt –  A judge in Egypt on Monday sentenced to death 683 alleged supporters of the country's ousted Islamist president in the latest mass trial that included the Muslim Brotherhood's spiritual leader, defense lawyers said.
But in a surprise reversal, the same judge also reduced most of the death sentences handed to 529 defendants in a similar case in March, commuting the majority of them on Monday to life imprisonment.

The judge, Said Youssef, said he was referring his ruling on the 683 death sentences for violence and the killing of policemen to the Grand Mufti, the top Islamic official -- a requirement under Egyptian law, but one that is considered a formality.
Both mass trials are linked to deadly riots that erupted in Minya and elsewhere in Egypt

after security forces violently disbanded sit-ins held by Brotherhood supporters in Cairo last August.
Hundreds were killed as part of a sweeping campaign against supporters of former President Mohammed Morsi, ousted by the military last July. The removal of Morsi -- a year after he was elected -- came after millions demonstrated against his rule, demanding he step down for abuse of power.
Among those convicted and sentenced to death on Monday was Mohamed Badie, the Brotherhood's spiritual guide. If his sentence is confirmed, it would make him the most senior Brotherhood figure sentenced to death since one of the group's leading ideologues, Sayed Qutb, was executed in 1966.
After Mufti's decision, the same court will hold another session on June 21 to issue the final verdicts.

Saudi Mers death toll passes 100

Saudi Arabia says more than 100 patients infected with the Mers coronavirus have now died since the outbreak began in 2012.

The health ministry said another eight deaths occurred on Sunday, taking the toll to 102.
The acting health minister says three hospitals in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam have been designated specialist centres for treating Mers.
Mers causes symptoms including fever, pneumonia and kidney failure.

The rate of infections is increasing and the World Health Organization (WHO) has offered to help Saudi Arabia investigate infection patterns.
The Saudi health ministry reported the latest deaths in a statement late on Sunday.
Among the victims were a child in the capital, Riyadh, and three people in the western city of Jeddah.
The ministry said it had detected a total of 16 new cases of Mers (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) over the past 24 hours.
Acting health minister Adel Fakieh said the three hospitals designated as specialist centres for Mers treatment can accommodate 146 patients in intensive care.
On Saturday, Egypt recorded its first case - a 27-year-old man who had recently returned from Saudi Arabia.
Correspondents say many Saudis have voiced concerns on social media about government handling of the outbreak.

Iraq attacks kill at least 21 as police, army vote

BAGHDAD –  Militants in Iraq unleashed attacks against polling stations as soldiers and security forces cast ballots two days ahead of parliamentary selections, killing at least 21 people on Monday, officials said.
The wave of attacks was an apparent attempt to derail the balloting process and to discourage the rest of the country's 22 million registered voters from going to polls on Wednesday in the first nationwide elections since the 2011 withdrawal of U.S. forces.

The early balloting for police and soldiers is meant to free up the 1 million-strong military and security forces for Wednesday, so they can protect polling stations and voters.
More than 9,000 candidates are vying for 328 seats in parliament, which is widely expected to be won by an alliance led by Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who is likely to seek a third four-year term in office.
Security has been tight amid concerns that Sunni militants blamed for a recent resurgence of sectarian violence could target polling stations.
At one central Baghdad polling station, policemen went through four ID checks and search stations before they could enter the building on Monday. Inside, police dogs were used to search for explosives. Some policemen came to cast votes dressed in civilian clothes, to attract less attention.
But despite tight security measures, militants managed to strike polling centers in different areas.

Troops killed in Afghanistan helicopter crash named

William Hague rejects Taliban claims and says deaths of five Britons were likely a tragic accident

Relatives and colleagues of five British military personnel who died when their helicopter went down in southern Afghanistan on Saturday have paid tribute to them after their names were released by the Ministry of Defence.
The British government has rejected claims that the Taliban shot down the helicopter, while the MoD said initial investigations indicated a "tragic accident" rather than enemy action as the cause of the incident.
The crash of the Lynx aircraft, which is believed to have been part of a unit that provides support and transport for special forces troops, was the third greatest single loss of life among British troops since the conflict in Afghanistan began in 2001.
Captain Thomas Clarke, Warrant Officer Spencer Faulkner and Corporal James Walters, all of the Army Air Corps (AAC), were serving as the aircraft's three-man team when they died after it crashed in Kandahar province, 30 miles from the border with Pakistan.
Flight Lieutenant Rakesh Chauhan of the Royal Air Force and Lance Corporal Oliver Thomas of the Intelligence Corps, who are believed to have been passengers on the flight, also died.

U.S. Slaps New Sanctions On 7 Russian Officials, 17 Companies Over Ukraine Crisis

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The White House says the United States is sanctioning seven Russian government officials and 17 companies with links to Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle.
The White House says the penalties are being levied because Russia has failed to live up to commitments it agreed to under an international accord aimed at deescalating the crisis in Ukraine. And the White House says it is prepared to "impose still greater costs" if Russia continues its provocations in Ukraine.
In addition to the sanctions, the U.S. is revoking export licenses for high-technology items that it says could contribute to Russia's military capabilities.
The White House announced the sanctions while President Barack Obama is traveling in Asia.
Related: U.S. lawmakers say latest Russia sanctions too mild, want more

LIVE: 10,000 set out from Auschwitz to commemorate Holocaust victims in March of the Living 

Three kilometer march from Auschwitz to Birkenau, the largest and most notorious of death camps, honors the six million Jews murdered by Nazis in the Holocaust.

Around 10,000 people from almost 50 countries were participating Monday in the 23rd March of the Living to commemorate victims of the Holocaust.

In the annual 3 km. march on Holocaust Remembrance Day participants take the same road in Poland from Auschwitz to Birkenau, the largest and most notorious of the death camps.
A ceremony memorializing Hungarian Jewry and the six million Jews murdered, including 1.5 million children, will follow.

Malaysian police arrest nine people on suspicion of terrorism links

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian police say they have arrested nine people under a security law on suspicion of involvement in a terror group with overseas links.
National police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said on Monday the nine, aged from 22 to 55, were arrested near the capital Kuala Lumpur and in the northern state of Kedah bordering Thailand.
They were held on suspicion of being ‘‘involved in a militant group that is responsible for planning terror acts in and outside the country’’, Mr Khalid said in a statement.
He said they were believed to have links to terrorists abroad, and some of them allegedly held ‘‘a secret meeting to strengthen their militant ideology, raise funds and undergo military training in preparation to commit acts of terror’’.
The statement gave no further details, and Mr Khalid and other officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
Malaysia has not been the target of any notable terror attacks in recent years. But it has been home to several suspected key figures in militant Islamic groups such as the al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiah.
The group has been blamed for a number of attacks in the region - the deadliest being the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.
Police have said they are probing terrorism as one possible reason why Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 veered off course and vanished on March 8.
But they have not linked the arrests to the missing passenger jet, which is believed to have crashed into the southern Indian Ocean with 239 people aboard.
No sign of wreckage has been found.

Bomb kills 3 soldiers in Pakistan's tribal region



ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's army says a roadside bomb has killed three soldiers in a tribal region near the Afghan border.

An army statement says the incident took place on Sunday night on the boundary of South and North Waziristan tribal areas. No one claimed responsibility for the explosion but suspicion is likely to fall on a mix of local and foreign al-Qaida-linked militants who have safe havens in the lawless regions.

Pakistan has been fighting against the militancy there for years.

The Taliban have killed thousands of Pakistanis in their bid to overthrow the government and install their own harsh brand of Islamic Shariah law. The militants have recently called off a 40-day ceasefire they declared on March 1 amid Pakistan's efforts to negotiate a peace deal.
-

New York Rep. Grimm indicted on federal fraud, tax charges

New York Rep. Michael Grimm was indicted Monday on 20 counts of fraud and other charges relating to a Manhattan restaurant he owned and operated, accused by federal prosecutors of evading the IRS and making over $1 million in revenue "disappear." 
The Republican congressman, who is a former FBI agent, was arrested Monday morning a few hours before Justice Department officials unsealed the indictment. He was transported to FBI headquarters in Manhattan. 

"Michael Grimm made the choice to go from upholding the law to breaking it," U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch said. "And in doing so, he turned his back on every oath he had ever taken." 
The congressman has vowed to fight the charges. After learning that charges were forthcoming, Grimm's attorney William McGinley said Friday that the "government has pursued a politically driven vendetta against Congressman Grimm and not an independent search for the truth."
The statement said Grimm "asserts his innocence of any wrongdoing" and "will be vindicated." McGinley said Grimm will "continue to serve his constituents."
Grimm is a former FBI special agent and Marine Corps combat veteran. Justice Department officials highlighted this profile in describing the significance of the charges.

Obama Visits Philippines As Deal Signed To Give U.S. Military Greater Access To Area Bases

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — President Barack Obama said a 10-year agreement signed Monday to give the U.S military greater access to Philippine bases will help promote peace and stability in the region and that he hopes China's dominant power will allow its neighbors to prosper on their own terms.
Signed as Obama arrived in Manila, the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement will give American forces temporary access to selected military camps and allow them to preposition fighter jets and ships. Although the deal is being perceived as a U.S. effort to counter Chinese aggression in the region, Obama said his message to Beijing is that America wants to partner with China in upholding international law.
"Our goal is not to counter China. Our goal is not to contain China. Our goal is to make sure international rules and norms are respected and that includes in the area of international disputes," Obama said at a news conference with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III at the Malacanang Palace.
Obama's overnight visit to the Philippines is the last stop on a weeklong Asia tour that also included Japan, South Korea and Malaysia. At each stop along his tour, Obama reaffirmed the U.S. treaty commitments to defend its Asian allies, including in their territorial disputes with China. He said in Manila that the U.S. takes no specific position on those disputes, but believes China should resolve disputes with its neighbors the same way the U.S. does — through dialogue.
"We don't go around sending ships and threatening folks," Obama said.
With its anemic military, the Philippines has struggled to bolster its territorial defense amid China's increasingly assertive behavior in the oil- and gas-rich South China Sea, which Obama flew over on his way here, according to the Air Force One cockpit. Chinese paramilitary ships took effective control of the disputed Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground off the northwestern Philippines, in 2012. Last year, Chinese coast guard ships surrounded another contested offshore South China Sea territory, the Second Thomas Shoal.

Congress returns with one goal: Do no (political) harm

Lawmakers begin returning to Washington Monday after a two-week Easter recess, and the goal of Republicans and Democrats controlling the House and Senate remains the same: Do no political harm, or at least do nothing to cause serious shifts in the political winds that could upset the status quo before Election Day.

Fewer than 200 days remain until Nov. 4, when Republicans are expected to maintain and expand their majority in the House. Democrats are fighting to maintain their narrow majority in the Senate. Congress will convene for about 60 days in the next six months as all members of the House and 36 senators continue campaigning. In the next five weeks, the House will meet for just 15 days with a weeklong Mother’s Day break in between. The Senate plans to work four consecutive weeks before spending a week at home for Memorial Day.

Kentucky Senate battle focuses on McConnell's comments about jobs

BEATTYVILLE, Ky. -- The story in the Beattyville Enterprise was just a few paragraphs long, tucked in the corner of the weekly community newspaper beside the lead story about a local murder investigation. But the item, quoting Sen. Mitch McConnell as saying it was “not my job” to bring jobs to the region, has become the latest flash point in the high-stakes battle between the Senate’s top Republican and his potential Democratic opponent.

The Enterprise, a paper so small it’s accessible online only through its Facebook page, asked McConnell as he visited Lee County last week what he would do to help the area’s struggling economy.
“Economic development is a Frankfort issue,” McConnell is quoted as saying, referring to Kentucky's capital. “That is not my job. It is the primary responsibility of the state Commerce Cabinet.”
The campaign of Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes, Kentucky’s secretary of state, seized on the item, saying McConnell’s comment “reinforces the fact that the only job he cares about is his own.”
“As the only candidate in this race to put forth a comprehensive jobs plan, creating good-paying jobs for Kentuckians and growing our middle class will be my top priorities as the Commonwealth's next U.S. senator,” Grimes said. “It is reprehensible that Mitch McConnell believes that it is not his job to help Kentucky families who are struggling to make ends meet.”
McConnell’s office takes issue with the item, saying his message to the reporter “got lost in translation.”
“I visited Lee County to talk about a top priority of mine:  jobs,” McConnell said in a statement released by his office. “I was surprised to see a headline about my visit that sent the exact opposite message to the one I was trying to convey. Encouraging positive economic development and job growth is at the center of what I do every day.”

Putin Stops Talks With White House

As new U.S. sanctions against Russia loom, the Kremlin has shut down—at least for now—intensive high level communications between top U.S. and Russian officials.

Since the invasion of Crimea, President Vladimir Putin and President Barack Obama have had regular phone calls in an often half-hearted attempt to deescalate the ongoing crisis inside Ukraine. But as the U.S. and EU prepare to unveil new sanctions against Russia, Putin has decided the interactions should stop. The Kremlin has ended high-level contact with the Obama administration, according to diplomatic officials and sources close to the Russian leadership. The move signals an end to the diplomacy, for now.
“Putin will not talk to Obama under pressure,” said Igor Yurgens, Chairman of the Institute for Contemporary Development, a prominent Moscow think tank, and a close associate of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. “It does not mean forever.”
Obama and Putin last spoke over the phone on April 14, a call that the White House said was initiated at Moscow’s request. Obama urged Putin in the call to end Kremlin support for armed, pro-Russian activists creating unrest in eastern Ukraine. Obama also warned that the U.S. would impose more “costs” on Russia if Putin continued his current course. According to the Kremlin’s readout of the call, Putin denied Russian interference in eastern Ukraine and said “that such speculations are based on inaccurate information.”
-