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| Tuesday September 30th 2014 |
Islamic State crisis: Heavy fighting on Iraq-Syria border
Heavy fighting is
reported on both sides of a key border crossing between Iraq and Syria,
where Kurdish forces are battling Islamic State militants.
Iraqi Kurdish troops are said to have recaptured the town of Rabia, but suffered heavy casualties. Meanwhile, IS fighters have been trying to dislodge Syrian Kurdish forces on the other side of the border.
It comes amid continuing air strikes by a US-led coalition on IS targets both in Syria and Iraq.
Also on Tuesday, a series of deadly bomb attacks were reported in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, and the holy Shia city of Karbala.
In a separate development, Turkish tanks have taken up positions on a hill along the border near the Syrian town of Kobane after several shells hit Turkish territory during clashes between IS militants and Kurdish fighters.
The Turkish government is expected to send a motion to parliament, authorising military action against IS in Iraq and Syria.
Suicide bombers Senior Iraqi Kurdish officials said their Peshmerga special forces made good initial progress during their dawn offensive in Rabia.
U.S.-Led Airstrikes Hit 4 Syrian Provinces, Country's Largest Gas Plant
Islamic State fighters pounded the city of Kobani with mortars and artillery shells, advancing within three miles (five kilometers) of the Kurdish frontier city, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Nawaf Khalil, a Kurdish official.
The Islamic extremists intensified their shelling of the border region following U.S.-led strikes Saturday. The aerial assault appeared to have done little to thwart the militants, Kurdish officials and activists said, adding that of anything, the extremists seemed more determined to seize the area, which would deepen their control over territory stretching from the Turkish border, across Syria and to the western edge of Baghdad.
"Instead of pushing them back, now every time they hear the planes, they shell more," Ahmad Sheikho, an activist operating along the Syria-Turkey border, said of the Islamic State fighters. He estimated he heard a rocket explosion every 15 minutes or so.
Iraqi officials: Wave of attacks in commercial areas kills at least 19 people
BAGHDAD – Officials say a wave of bombings targeted commercial areas across Iraq has killed at least 19 people and wounded dozens.
Police say the deadliest attack Tuesday took place in the revered Shiite city of Karbala, where a car bomb killed four civilians and two policemen. That explosion wounded 16 other people. Karbala is about 90 kilometers (55 miles) south of Baghdad.
Another
explosives-laden car went off in the town of Iskandariyah, 50
kilometers (30 miles) south of Baghdad, killing five civilians and
wounding 13 others. Eight other civilians were killed in separate
attacks in Baghdad and outside the southern city of Najaf.
Medical officials confirmed the causality figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release information.
At a Tuesday ceremony in the capital, Kabul, newly appointed national security adviser Mohmmad Hanif Atmar signed the document along with U.S. Ambassador James Cunningham.
President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, who was sworn into office a day earlier, told the assembled crowd that the agreement signaled a fundamental shift in the country's relations with the world.
"This agreement is only for Afghan security and stability," he said.
Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, has criticised the British prime minister, David Cameron, a week after a landmark meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the UN general assembly.
Rouhani said it was unacceptable and wrong for Cameron to say, within hours of them meeting in New York, that Tehran was “part of the problem” in the Middle East. In his closing speech at the general assembly last Thursday, the UK prime minister said Tehran’s support for what he said were terrorist organisations had to change, although he added that Iran could help the west in its fight against Islamic State (Isis).
That meeting marked a milestone in Tehran and London’s relations, which have been strained since the 1979 Islamic revolution, but Cameron’s comments upset Tehran hardliners and embarrassed Rouhani at home.
“Iran should also be given the chance to show it can be part of the solution, not part of the problem,” Cameron said during his speech, according to a transcript published on the government’s website. “We have severe disagreements. Iran’s support for terrorist organisations, its nuclear programme, its treatment of its people. All these need to change.”
Rouhani, who was speaking to reporters after arriving in Tehran from a conference in the Russian city of Astrakhan, said the request for the meeting was made by the British prime minister. “He had asked for a meeting and we had agreed and that was how we met,” he said late on Monday.
“He made comments later at his [UN] speech which were wrong and unacceptable,” Rouhani told Iranian reporters, according to Iran’s state television. Rouhani said having different opinions over political issues was normal.
He added: “We live in the 21st century. If someone wants to go back and think in the ways of the 19th century, that’s their own loss.”
Mr Netanyahu also urged the West not to be fooled by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's "charm offensive".
Talks between Iran and world powers on its nuclear programme ended on Friday with no breakthrough.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Mr Netanyahu said a nuclear-armed Iran would pose the "gravest threat to us all".
Police say the deadliest attack Tuesday took place in the revered Shiite city of Karbala, where a car bomb killed four civilians and two policemen. That explosion wounded 16 other people. Karbala is about 90 kilometers (55 miles) south of Baghdad.
Medical officials confirmed the causality figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release information.
U.S., Afghanistan Sign Pact To Allow American Soldiers To Remain In Country Past End Of The Year
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghanistan and the United States have signed a long-awaited security pact that will allow U.S. forces to remain in the country past the end of year.At a Tuesday ceremony in the capital, Kabul, newly appointed national security adviser Mohmmad Hanif Atmar signed the document along with U.S. Ambassador James Cunningham.
President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, who was sworn into office a day earlier, told the assembled crowd that the agreement signaled a fundamental shift in the country's relations with the world.
"This agreement is only for Afghan security and stability," he said.
Iranian president attacks Cameron a week after historic meeting
Hassan Rouhani criticises British PM for saying Tehran is ‘part of problem’ in Middle East during UN speech
Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, has criticised the British prime minister, David Cameron, a week after a landmark meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the UN general assembly.
Rouhani said it was unacceptable and wrong for Cameron to say, within hours of them meeting in New York, that Tehran was “part of the problem” in the Middle East. In his closing speech at the general assembly last Thursday, the UK prime minister said Tehran’s support for what he said were terrorist organisations had to change, although he added that Iran could help the west in its fight against Islamic State (Isis).
That meeting marked a milestone in Tehran and London’s relations, which have been strained since the 1979 Islamic revolution, but Cameron’s comments upset Tehran hardliners and embarrassed Rouhani at home.
“Iran should also be given the chance to show it can be part of the solution, not part of the problem,” Cameron said during his speech, according to a transcript published on the government’s website. “We have severe disagreements. Iran’s support for terrorist organisations, its nuclear programme, its treatment of its people. All these need to change.”
Rouhani, who was speaking to reporters after arriving in Tehran from a conference in the Russian city of Astrakhan, said the request for the meeting was made by the British prime minister. “He had asked for a meeting and we had agreed and that was how we met,” he said late on Monday.
“He made comments later at his [UN] speech which were wrong and unacceptable,” Rouhani told Iranian reporters, according to Iran’s state television. Rouhani said having different opinions over political issues was normal.
He added: “We live in the 21st century. If someone wants to go back and think in the ways of the 19th century, that’s their own loss.”
Netanyahu: Iran is a bigger threat than Islamic State
Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that a nuclear Iran is a bigger threat to
the world than Islamic State (IS) militants.
In a speech at the UN, he said that to defeat IS but ignore Iran would be "to win the battle but lose the war". Mr Netanyahu also urged the West not to be fooled by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's "charm offensive".
Talks between Iran and world powers on its nuclear programme ended on Friday with no breakthrough.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Mr Netanyahu said a nuclear-armed Iran would pose the "gravest threat to us all".
Briton arrested in Bangladesh ‘confessed to recruiting’ for Isis
Dhaka police say Samiun Rahman, 24, from London, recruited jihadis for Islamic State as well as Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria
A British man from London has been arrested in Bangladesh on
suspicion of recruiting people to fight for al-Qaida affiliates in the
Middle East.
Paraded in front of cameras in handcuffs, and dressed in a long robe, Samiun Rahman, 24, was said by Dhaka police to have confessed to recruiting in Bangladesh on behalf of Islamic State (Isis) and Jabhat al-Nusra, another jihadi group in Syria.
Police also told news agencies that Rahman had travelled to Syria with a friend from Britain, going on to take up arms for four months in 2013 for Nusra.
Rahman, who has also used the name Ibn Hamdan Miah, was born in London, police said, but his parents were from a town north-east of Dhaka and he had been in the country for six months.
“We have arrested about five people with whom he had communication and there are another three or four persons we are still trying to identify,” Monirul Islam, joint commissioner of the detective branch of police in Dhaka told the Guardian.
A Dhaka court has allowed the police to hold Rahman on remand for three days.
In a statement police said: “ was staying in Bangladesh to recruit jihadists for the [Islamic State] and Jabhat al-Nusra. “He came here as he thought it was possible to send people from Bangladesh [to Syria],” added Monirul Islam, joint commissioner of the detective and criminal intelligence division.Last week, police arrested seven suspected members of the Islamist outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh in a Dhaka suburb who said they had also established contact with Isis.
The suspects were reported to be in possession of materials used to manufacture explosives and planned to attack high-profile individuals.
But other parts of the peace deal "will need to be properly implemented", said the spokeswoman, Maja Kocijancic.
The sanctions target senior Russian officials, as well as Russia's oil industry, defence firms and banks.
Western governments and the Ukrainian authorities in Kiev accuse Russia of supplying the separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine with heavy weapons and soldiers.
Russia denies the allegations.
EU and US sanctions have been in place since Russia's annexation of Crimea in March.
Only eight of the accused appeared in court. The rest are thought to be on the frontline - or dead - in Syria.
European governments are increasingly worried about the risks posed by their citizens fighting in Syria and Iraq.
IS militants spearheaded an assault across northern Iraq this summer, adding a belt of territory there to the areas under their control in Syria.
The US, and its European and Arab allies, have responded with air strikes on IS-held territory.
More than 3,000 European Muslims are thought to have gone to Iraq and Syria to fight for IS and groups that share its ideology, such as al-Qaeda-allied Jabhat al-Nusra.
European security agencies fear that jihadists who return from those countries could mount attacks on domestic targets.
A brief statement from the Occupy Central civil disobedience movement said it had set an Oct. 1 deadline for the city's unpopular Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to meet their demands for genuine democracy and for him to step down as leader of Hong Kong.
It said they would "announce new civil disobedience plans same day."
Wednesday is a holiday for China's National Day, and even larger crowds are expected to flood the streets. The government said it was canceling a fireworks display planned to celebrate the National Day.
One day after police shocked the city by firing tear gas at the crowds, the protesters passed a peaceful night Monday singing as the blocked streets in several parts of Hong Kong. They also staged a brief "mobile light" vigil, waving their glowing cell phones as the protests stretched into their fourth day. Crowds chanted calls for Leung to resign, and sang anthems calling for freedom.
Paraded in front of cameras in handcuffs, and dressed in a long robe, Samiun Rahman, 24, was said by Dhaka police to have confessed to recruiting in Bangladesh on behalf of Islamic State (Isis) and Jabhat al-Nusra, another jihadi group in Syria.
Police also told news agencies that Rahman had travelled to Syria with a friend from Britain, going on to take up arms for four months in 2013 for Nusra.
Rahman, who has also used the name Ibn Hamdan Miah, was born in London, police said, but his parents were from a town north-east of Dhaka and he had been in the country for six months.
“We have arrested about five people with whom he had communication and there are another three or four persons we are still trying to identify,” Monirul Islam, joint commissioner of the detective branch of police in Dhaka told the Guardian.
A Dhaka court has allowed the police to hold Rahman on remand for three days.
In a statement police said: “ was staying in Bangladesh to recruit jihadists for the [Islamic State] and Jabhat al-Nusra. “He came here as he thought it was possible to send people from Bangladesh [to Syria],” added Monirul Islam, joint commissioner of the detective and criminal intelligence division.Last week, police arrested seven suspected members of the Islamist outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh in a Dhaka suburb who said they had also established contact with Isis.
The suspects were reported to be in possession of materials used to manufacture explosives and planned to attack high-profile individuals.
EU to keep Russia sanctions in place over Ukraine
The EU is to keep sanctions against Russia in place, judging that Ukraine's peace deal is not fully effective.
EU ambassadors who met on Tuesday had noted some "encouraging
developments" since the 5 September ceasefire was agreed, an EU
spokeswoman said.But other parts of the peace deal "will need to be properly implemented", said the spokeswoman, Maja Kocijancic.
The sanctions target senior Russian officials, as well as Russia's oil industry, defence firms and banks.
Western governments and the Ukrainian authorities in Kiev accuse Russia of supplying the separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine with heavy weapons and soldiers.
Russia denies the allegations.
EU and US sanctions have been in place since Russia's annexation of Crimea in March.
Belgium tries 46 over Syria jihadist links
Forty-six people have
gone on trial in Antwerp on charges of belonging to a group that sent
jihadists to Syria, the largest case of its kind in Belgium.
Prosecutors say the Sharia4Belgium organisation sent recruits to militant groups such as Islamic State (IS).Only eight of the accused appeared in court. The rest are thought to be on the frontline - or dead - in Syria.
European governments are increasingly worried about the risks posed by their citizens fighting in Syria and Iraq.
IS militants spearheaded an assault across northern Iraq this summer, adding a belt of territory there to the areas under their control in Syria.
The US, and its European and Arab allies, have responded with air strikes on IS-held territory.
More than 3,000 European Muslims are thought to have gone to Iraq and Syria to fight for IS and groups that share its ideology, such as al-Qaeda-allied Jabhat al-Nusra.
European security agencies fear that jihadists who return from those countries could mount attacks on domestic targets.
Hong Kong Protesters Set Wednesday Deadline For Government To Meet Demands For Reform
HONG KONG (AP) — Pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong set a Wednesday deadline for a response from the government to meet their demands for reforms after spending another night blocking streets in an unprecedented show of civil disobedience.A brief statement from the Occupy Central civil disobedience movement said it had set an Oct. 1 deadline for the city's unpopular Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to meet their demands for genuine democracy and for him to step down as leader of Hong Kong.
Wednesday is a holiday for China's National Day, and even larger crowds are expected to flood the streets. The government said it was canceling a fireworks display planned to celebrate the National Day.
One day after police shocked the city by firing tear gas at the crowds, the protesters passed a peaceful night Monday singing as the blocked streets in several parts of Hong Kong. They also staged a brief "mobile light" vigil, waving their glowing cell phones as the protests stretched into their fourth day. Crowds chanted calls for Leung to resign, and sang anthems calling for freedom.
Secret service chief vows 'unacceptable' intruder breach will not happen again
Julia Pierson admits failures at House panel as members of Congress line up to criticise agency’s performance
The director of the US secret service, Julia Pierson, on Tuesday described the latest White House security breach – when an intruder made it much farther into the building than initially disclosed – was “unacceptable”, and promised it would “never happen again”.
As members of Congress lined up to lambast her leadership at a hearing on Capitol Hill, Pierson admitted the gravity of the failure and admitted repeated failings in the performance of the agency in recent years.
The Washington Post revealed on Tuesday that Omar Gonzalez, a military veteran armed with a knife, who scaled the White House fence in June, was not apprehended until he had run through the main hall , past the staircase that leads to the president’s private quarters and all the way through the East Room.
The account differed starkly from a press release issued by the secret service the day after the incident, which merely said Gonzalez was “physically apprehended after entering the White House North Portico doors”.
In written testimony for the House oversight committee, Pierson acknowledged serious failings. “It is clear the tour security plan was not executed properly,” she wrote. “I take full responsibility; what happened is unacceptable and it will never happen again.”
The secret service has buffeted by a series of failings, including a 2012 prostitution scandal that erupted during a presidential visit to Colombia. On Saturday, the Washington Post revealed that the secret service did not realise for four days in 2011 that shots fired by a gunman had hit the White House residence.
“I recognize that these events did not occur in a vacuum. The secret service has had its share of challenges in recent years,” Pierson wrote in her testimony.
In his opening statement, Issa, R-Calif., confirmed emerging reports that the intruder made it all the way into the East Room. Issa said that was contrary to an "early, false report" that claimed the intruder only made it just inside the door.
"An intruder walked in the front door of the White House, and that is
unacceptable. Commonsense tells us that there were a series of security
failures -- not an instance of praiseworthy restraint," Issa said.
He claimed the intruder breached at least five rings of security. Urging the Secret Service to fix its problems, he warned that the next breach could be a "planned attack by a terrorist organization."
"The fact is, the system broke down," Issa said.
Secret Service Director Julia Pierson, testifying at the hearing, acknowledged that the security plan "was not properly executed."
"This is unacceptable and I take full responsibility and I will make sure that it does not happen again," she said. Pierson, without going into detail, said the intruder was ultimately arrested on the "State Floor," which refers generally to the first floor of the White House. She said all decisions from that day are being evaluated.
The Labor Department is considering delaying a long-awaited rule that would extend new workplace protections to home care workers -- a possibility that has advocates for low-wage workers steamed.
In a letter addressed to Labor Secretary Tom Perez on Monday, more than 40 labor and advocacy groups said that they were "alarmed" by suggestions that officials might delay the new regulations and put a "historic workplace victory in jeopardy."
"The basic rights of two million home care workers -- predominantly
women and disproportionately women of color -- once again hang in the
balance, as the administration appears at risk of faltering in the face
of opposition," they wrote.
The letter included signatures from the AFL-CIO labor federation, American Psychological Association and the National Employment Law Project, among others.
The new rule would guarantee minimum wage and overtime protections to home care workers, a class that's been carved out of such basic provisions for decades. Home care workers tend to the elderly and people with disabilities in their homes, and many of them work long hours and are paid relatively low wages for their efforts.
A decline in infrastructure spending over the last 30 years needs to be reversed to boost growth, according to the International Monetary Fund, which meets next week in Washington against a backdrop of slowing global growth.
The IMF said the benefits of debt-financed infrastructure projects could give an important boost to economic growth especially when the world is threatened by a long period of stagnation.
In documents released before its revised economic outlook, it urged governments to examine where infrastructure investments could benefit longer-term growth.
It said: “Debt-financed projects could have large output effects without increasing the debt-to-GDP ratio, if clearly identified needs are met through efficient investment. In other words, public infrastructure investment could pay for itself if done correctly.”
The report singles out the US and Germany as in need of large-scale infrastructure investment following a stream of critical reports from the business community over the upkeep of road and rail networks.
It says the US needs to act to arrest the decline in its network of roads.
“As the American Society of Civil Engineers notes, 32% of major roads in the US are now in poor or mediocre condition, and the US Federal Highway Administration estimates that between $124bn [£76bn] and $146bn annually in capital investment will be needed for substantial improvement in conditions and performance – considerably more than the $100bn spent on capital improvements at all government levels,” it said.
George Osborne is likely to take some comfort from the analysis, which brackets the UK with Canada, Italy, France and Japan as having an improving level of infrastructure, “albeit from relatively low levels”.
In July, Judge Thomas Griesa ruled that Argentina must repay the funds before it can repay other bondholders.
Argentina refused, sending the country into default.
Earlier on Monday, Argentina's ambassador to the US warned in a letter to US Secretary of State John Kerry that if the country was found to be in contempt of court, it would represent "unlawful interference" in Argentina's domestic affairs.
And in a strong statement, the Argentine Foreign Ministry in Buenos Aires said Judge Griesa's ruling "violates international law" and "has no practical effect other than to provide new elements helpful to the slanderous political and media campaign conducted by vulture funds against Argentina".
It added: "Griesa holds the sad record of being the first judge to declare a sovereign state in contempt for paying a debt, after failing in his attempt to block the restructuring of the foreign debt of Argentina."
Judge Griesa said he would decide on a penalty at a later date.
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The director of the US secret service, Julia Pierson, on Tuesday described the latest White House security breach – when an intruder made it much farther into the building than initially disclosed – was “unacceptable”, and promised it would “never happen again”.
As members of Congress lined up to lambast her leadership at a hearing on Capitol Hill, Pierson admitted the gravity of the failure and admitted repeated failings in the performance of the agency in recent years.
The Washington Post revealed on Tuesday that Omar Gonzalez, a military veteran armed with a knife, who scaled the White House fence in June, was not apprehended until he had run through the main hall , past the staircase that leads to the president’s private quarters and all the way through the East Room.
The account differed starkly from a press release issued by the secret service the day after the incident, which merely said Gonzalez was “physically apprehended after entering the White House North Portico doors”.
In written testimony for the House oversight committee, Pierson acknowledged serious failings. “It is clear the tour security plan was not executed properly,” she wrote. “I take full responsibility; what happened is unacceptable and it will never happen again.”
The secret service has buffeted by a series of failings, including a 2012 prostitution scandal that erupted during a presidential visit to Colombia. On Saturday, the Washington Post revealed that the secret service did not realise for four days in 2011 that shots fired by a gunman had hit the White House residence.
“I recognize that these events did not occur in a vacuum. The secret service has had its share of challenges in recent years,” Pierson wrote in her testimony.
Issa accuses Secret Service of giving 'false' account of White House breach
House oversight committee Chairman Darrell Issa blasted the Secret Service Tuesday over the security breach earlier this month where an intruder broke into the White House -- and accused the agency of giving a "false" account of what happened.In his opening statement, Issa, R-Calif., confirmed emerging reports that the intruder made it all the way into the East Room. Issa said that was contrary to an "early, false report" that claimed the intruder only made it just inside the door.
He claimed the intruder breached at least five rings of security. Urging the Secret Service to fix its problems, he warned that the next breach could be a "planned attack by a terrorist organization."
"The fact is, the system broke down," Issa said.
Secret Service Director Julia Pierson, testifying at the hearing, acknowledged that the security plan "was not properly executed."
"This is unacceptable and I take full responsibility and I will make sure that it does not happen again," she said. Pierson, without going into detail, said the intruder was ultimately arrested on the "State Floor," which refers generally to the first floor of the White House. She said all decisions from that day are being evaluated.
Worker Groups 'Alarmed' White House May Delay New Minimum Wage, Overtime Rule
WASHINGTON -- It was once part of President Barack Obama's "We Can't Wait" economic agenda. But now the wait might be getting even longer.The Labor Department is considering delaying a long-awaited rule that would extend new workplace protections to home care workers -- a possibility that has advocates for low-wage workers steamed.
In a letter addressed to Labor Secretary Tom Perez on Monday, more than 40 labor and advocacy groups said that they were "alarmed" by suggestions that officials might delay the new regulations and put a "historic workplace victory in jeopardy."
The letter included signatures from the AFL-CIO labor federation, American Psychological Association and the National Employment Law Project, among others.
The new rule would guarantee minimum wage and overtime protections to home care workers, a class that's been carved out of such basic provisions for decades. Home care workers tend to the elderly and people with disabilities in their homes, and many of them work long hours and are paid relatively low wages for their efforts.
IMF urges greater infrastructure spending after 30-year decline
Report singles out Germany and US over need for more public funded investment in transport to boost longer-term growth
A decline in infrastructure spending over the last 30 years needs to be reversed to boost growth, according to the International Monetary Fund, which meets next week in Washington against a backdrop of slowing global growth.
The IMF said the benefits of debt-financed infrastructure projects could give an important boost to economic growth especially when the world is threatened by a long period of stagnation.
In documents released before its revised economic outlook, it urged governments to examine where infrastructure investments could benefit longer-term growth.
It said: “Debt-financed projects could have large output effects without increasing the debt-to-GDP ratio, if clearly identified needs are met through efficient investment. In other words, public infrastructure investment could pay for itself if done correctly.”
The report singles out the US and Germany as in need of large-scale infrastructure investment following a stream of critical reports from the business community over the upkeep of road and rail networks.
It says the US needs to act to arrest the decline in its network of roads.
“As the American Society of Civil Engineers notes, 32% of major roads in the US are now in poor or mediocre condition, and the US Federal Highway Administration estimates that between $124bn [£76bn] and $146bn annually in capital investment will be needed for substantial improvement in conditions and performance – considerably more than the $100bn spent on capital improvements at all government levels,” it said.
George Osborne is likely to take some comfort from the analysis, which brackets the UK with Canada, Italy, France and Japan as having an improving level of infrastructure, “albeit from relatively low levels”.
Argentina found to be in contempt of court by US judge
A US judge has ruled that
the Republic of Argentina is in contempt of court for refusing to obey
an order to repay the debt it owes to two US hedge funds.
Argentina has been mired in a US court dispute with the
funds, which bought the country's debt at a discount after its default
in 2001.In July, Judge Thomas Griesa ruled that Argentina must repay the funds before it can repay other bondholders.
Argentina refused, sending the country into default.
Earlier on Monday, Argentina's ambassador to the US warned in a letter to US Secretary of State John Kerry that if the country was found to be in contempt of court, it would represent "unlawful interference" in Argentina's domestic affairs.
And in a strong statement, the Argentine Foreign Ministry in Buenos Aires said Judge Griesa's ruling "violates international law" and "has no practical effect other than to provide new elements helpful to the slanderous political and media campaign conducted by vulture funds against Argentina".
It added: "Griesa holds the sad record of being the first judge to declare a sovereign state in contempt for paying a debt, after failing in his attempt to block the restructuring of the foreign debt of Argentina."
Judge Griesa said he would decide on a penalty at a later date.
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