Tuesday, June 30, 2015
ISIL ideology: In the name of Islam?
Attacks in Tunisia and Kuwait further complicate the complex combination of religion, conflict and extremism.
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has claimed responsibility for the attacks in Kuwait and Tunisia, which killed at least 65 people.
Tourists were gunned down as they relaxed on a beach, while worshipers were killed in a suicide attack on a Shia mosque.
The attacks have prompted more promises from the international community to fight what's referred to as the "scourge of terrorism".
ISIL had earlier called on followers to turn the month of Ramadan - considered holy by Muslims – into "calamities for non-believers".
But is religion at the heart of the armed group's violent ideology? Is the end game more about politics and power?
And how will this shape the fight against ISIL's message, its violence and its broader ambitions?
Six In The Morning Tuesday June 30
UN: South Sudan army raped girls and burned them alive
Report by UN mission in South Sudan says recent military campaign was notable for its "brutality and intensity".
| War & Conflict, Africa, South Sudan, UN
The UN has accused South Sudan's army of raping and then burning girls alive inside their homes during its recent campaign, a report by its mission in the country said.
The statement, published on Tuesday, warned the recent upsurge in fighting had been marked by a "new brutality and intensity".
"The scope and level of cruelty that has characterised the reports suggests a depth of antipathy that exceeds political differences," the UN said.
Members of the UN mission in Sudan (UNMISS) said they interviewed 115 victims and eyewitnesses in Unity state where South Sudanese forces were involved in fighting against opposition fighters in April.
Japan Shinkansen train fire: Two found unconscious after passenger tries to set himself alight
The train came to an emergency stop when a passenger pressed an emergency button after finding one of the two passengers collapsed on the floor on a front car deck near a restroom, according to the ministry official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing department policy.
The incident occurred as the train passed near Odawara city, west of Tokyo, on its way to Osaka.
My father, a stranger from North Korea
"Loved, Engaged, Lost" - A documentary that tells the love story between women from former East Germany and North Korean men sent to the former Communist nation for studying. A relationship with painful consequences.
The eyes of the protagonists in Sung-Hyung Cho's "Loved, Engaged, Lost" reveal that their roots do not lie in the former German Democratic Republic, at least not entirely. They grew up with their mothers in the ex-Communist nation, but their fathers come from North Korea.
The men were sent to East Germany by the North Korean government during the 1950s - some of them during the Korean War - to attend university and later use their knowledge to re-build their war-torn nation.
During their stay, however, some of the men entered relationships with East German women. But the children born out of these relations did not see their fathers for long, as the men were ordered to return to their homeland in the 1960s, resulting in a break-up of the families.
Israel blocks foreign activist flotilla from reaching Gaza
June 30, 2015 - 6:29AM
Jerusalem: Israeli forces boarded a boat leading a protest flotilla of foreign activists to the blockaded Palestinian enclave of Gaza on Monday and forced it to sail to an Israeli port, the Israeli military said.
Activists said the boat also carried a group of journalists and politicians, among them former Tunisian president Moncef Marzouki and a European Parliament lawmaker for Spain.
Israeli troops boarded the boat in international waters then searched and seized it, an Israeli military statement said. No bloodshed was reported.
The flotilla was the latest in a series of such voyages across the Mediterranean in protest against Israel's nine-year blockade of Islamist Hamas-dominated Gaza.
In 2010, Israeli commandos killed 10 Turkish activists when they commandeered their vessel in the Mediterranean Sea, causing a diplomatic row between Turkey and Israel.
Mercenary hackers: an elusive, challenging foe (+video)
For-hire criminal hackers are a plentiful resource for nation-states and militant groups to carry out digital attacks. They are also expert at covering up their tracks, making it difficult to pinpoint true culprits.
The soldier of fortune has been a constant in most conflicts throughout history, known for being willing to travel long distances to fight for a paycheck.
But as nations and militant groups increasingly battle over networks and via the Internet, today's most valuable mercenaries fight battles from behind a keyboard.
The modern mercenary is now a criminal hacker willing to sell technical skills to the highest bidder looking to attack rival nations or infect a global corporation with malware. In fact, a growing and competitive marketplace has emerged over the past few years that involves hackers from around the globe offering services to aid everything from stealing confidential data to taking down rivals' networks.
As hostility grows, some Chinese say so long Hong Kong
By Shen Lu and Katie Hunt, CNNUpdated 1013 GMT (1713 HKT) June 30, 2015
Helen Zhang, 37, a former Beijing resident, moved to Hong Kong two years ago with her husband and, for the most part, loves it.
"The polite and orderly people make me believe this is what a civil society is supposed to be like," Zhang tells CNN.
A self-described foodie, she also loves the diverse cuisines on offer in the city. But says she doesn't care much for the stifling summer humidity.
Zhang is among a growing number of mainland Chinese calling Hong Kong home -- despite tensions between the city and China.
Monday, June 29, 2015
Taiwan's Secret Cancer
Cancer sufferers are taking on a company they say exposed them to toxic chemicals in a landmark class action lawsuit.
More than 1,500 former workers at a television factory in Taiwan have been diagnosed with cancer.
The company admits that it dumped hazardous waste, polluting the land and poisoning groundwater.
But did Radio Corporation of America recklessly expose its employees to cancer-causing chemicals?
For nearly two decades, sick workers have been waging a David and Goliath battle as they seek justice in the courts for their suffering.
Six In The Morning Monday June 29
Greece debt crisis: Global stock markets slide
- 29 June 2015
- Business
Stock markets in Europe and Asia have seen big falls after Greece closed its banks and imposed capital controls.
The moves by the Greek authorities came after the European Central Bank decided not to extend emergency funding.
London's FTSE 100 index fell 2% in early trade. Earlier in Asia, Japan's Nikkei index fell nearly 3%.
On the currency markets, the euro had fallen to $1.0953 at one point in Asian trading from $1.1165 on Friday, but it then recovered some ground.
Elsewhere in Europe, Germany's Dax share index and France's Cac 40 were both down more than 3%. The Athens Stock Exchange and Greek banks are closed all week.
Market moves
- London's FTSE 100 share index was down 143.72 points, or 2.1%, at 6,609.98, with other European markets seeing even bigger falls.
- On the currency markets, the euro saw volatile trading in Asia, falling by 2% at one point, However, it has since recovered some ground, with the euro down 0.6% against the dollar at $1.1095.
Israel takes over ship seeking to break Gaza blockade
Navy boards vessel carrying pro-Palestinian activists in a peaceful operation five years after the deaths of 10 people in an Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla
Israel’s navy boarded and took over an activist vessel seeking to break its Gazablockade and was escorting it to port on Monday in an operation that did not use force, the military said.
A flotilla of four boats carrying pro-Palestinian activists had been trying to reach Gaza to highlight the Israeli blockade of the territory, with the attempt comingfive years after a similar bid ended in a deadly raid.
Three of the boats were said to have turned back while a fourth, the Marianne of Gothenburg, was boarded by the Israeli navy and was being escorted to an Israeli port.
“In accordance with international law, the Israeli navy advised the vessel several times to change course,” the Israeli military said in a statement.
Turkish police target gay pride march with tear gas, water cannon
Latest update : 2015-06-29
Turkish police fired water cannon and rubber pellets to disperse a gay pride parade in central Istanbul on Sunday, after organisers said they had been refused permission to march this year because of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Police sprayed jets of water from trucks at crowds of hundreds who had gathered - many in colourful clothing and waving rainbow flags – near the central Taksim Square neighbourhood, one of Istanbul’s busiest shopping and tourist areas.
As the crowds fell back, men who appeared to be plain clothes police officers detained several demonstrators, according to footage from a Reuters cameraman at the scene
While homosexuality is not a crime in Turkey, unlike many other Muslim countries, homophobia remains widespread. Critics say President Tayyip Erdogan and the ruling AK Party he founded have shown little interest in expanding rights for minorities, gays and women, and are intolerant of dissent.
Organisers said on Twitter they had been denied permission to hold the parade because it coincided with Ramadan this year.
Govt to appeal Bashir court ruling
The government has decided to appeal the court order that demanded the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.
The South African government will appeal the high court order that demanded the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, it announced on Monday morning.
A statement of only two lines announcing the intention added no further detail.
“Government has decided to appeal the recent High Court (Gauteng) Judgement on the matter relating to President of Sudan Omar Al-Bashir. The reasons for the appeal will be contained in the affidavit that will be submitted within the prescribed due date,” the statement read in full.
The announcement comes as little surprise. Various government officials had all but said that an appeal was on the cards as the state scrambled to deal with al-Bashir fallout last week.
Why police don't pull guns in many countries
More-rigorous training and better community relations limit police shootings in Germany, Britain, Canada, and other nations. Lessons for the United States.
SELM, GERMANY — The officer, alert but cautious, pounds on the suspect’s door. “Polizei!” he says forcefully, in his native German. A man thrusts open the door and walks out. His hands are at his side, but the policeman notices a gun tucked into the man’s belt. He pulls out his own firearm in response. He then moves briskly backward, coaxing the man to place his weapon on the ground.
The cop is commended for his actions.
The next officer up bangs on the same door. “Polizei!,” he says. This time the person walks out carrying a baton, not a gun. So the cop doesn’t pull out his pistol. He brandishes instead a can of pepper spray – a reflex response that also garners praise afterward.
The latest attacks on black churches in the South are part of a long, terrible history
There have been at least six reported fires at black churches in the week following the mass shooting at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, invoking painful memories of similar historical assaults on black churches
Attacks on black churches have been historically deployed by white supremacists to terrorize black communities and impose racist laws and policies on African Americans. These types of attacks — not just on churches, but on homes as well — were so common in Birmingham, Alabama, during the 1950s and '60s that the city received the nickname "Bombingham."
SPLC has not yet confirmed how many of this past week's fires were arson and hate crimes. Still, it's hard not to recall the long history of such attacks.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Azerbaijan and the European Games: Did the PR pay off?
As the Baku games close, we examine the challenges facing journalists; plus, Angola, Portugal and 'reverse colonialism'.
Hosting the 2015 European Games has reportedly cost Azerbaijan in the region of $1.2bn, and for President Ilham Aliyev it appears to be oil money well spent. But along with the athletes and the countries they represent, journalists have also arrived in Baku, and the Aliyev government has a poor track record when it comes to dealing with the media.
Some foreign reporters have been refused entry into the country and on the domestic level, Azerbaijani journalists who do not tow the government's line when reporting on issues like corruption and human rights have landed up in jail.
As the European Games come to a close this weekend in the Azerbaijani capital Baku, we examine how the government's public relations efforts have paid off in the media coverage.
Joining us to talk about the Baku games and the media are: Aflatun Amashov, the chairman of Azerbaijan Press Council; Robin Forestier-Walker, an Al Jazeera correspondent; Rahim Haciyev, the deputy editor at Azadliq; and Kenan Aliyev, the executive editor of "Current Time," Radio Free Europe and Voice of America.
Six In The Morning Sunday June 28
ECB 'to end Greek bank lifeline'
- 28 June 2015
- Europe
The European Central Bank is expected to end emergency lending to Greece's banks on Sunday, the BBC understands.
The country's banks depend on the ECB's Emergency Liquidity Assistance (ELA). Its governing council is meeting later.
Greece will probably have to "announce a bank holiday on Monday, pending the introduction of capital controls", a source told the BBC's Robert Peston.
The bailout for heavily indebted Greece expires on Tuesday and talks have broken down.
Greek banks would find themselves in serious straits as soon as Monday if the ECB went ahead and cut the lifeline, the BBC economics editor says.
Capital controls are restrictions on how much customers can withdraw from banks. Until now, the Greek government has signalled that it does not want to impose such controls.
Pope Francis recruits Naomi Klein in climate change battle
Social activist ‘surprised but delighted’ to join top cardinal in high-level environment conference at the Vatican
She is one of the world’s most high-profile social activists and a ferocious critic of 21st-century capitalism. He is one of the pope’s most senior aides and a professor of climate change economics. But this week the secular radical will join forces with the Catholic cardinal in the latest move by Pope Francis to shift the debate on global warming.
Naomi Klein and Cardinal Peter Turkson are to lead a high-level conference on the environment, bringing together churchmen, scientists and activists to debate climate change action. Klein, who campaigns for an overhaul of the global financial system to tackle climate change, told the Observer she was surprised but delighted to receive the invitation from Turkson’s office.
“The fact that they invited me indicates they’re not backing down from the fight. A lot of people have patted the pope on the head, but said he’s wrong on the economics. I think he’s right on the economics,” she said, referring to Pope Francis’s recent publication of an encyclical on the environment.
Isis, a year of the caliphate: How powerful is the ‘Islamic State’ and what threat does it really pose to West?
We pose the big questions to eight experts in the first in a four-part series
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Hassan Hassan is the co-author of Isis: Inside the Army of Terror and associate fellow in the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House
Isis’s strength and popularity are fluid and vary from one place to another – in Syria, they are far less entrenched than they are in Iraq. The group’s defeat in Tal Abyad is a clear sign of that.
North Korea’s tale of two front pages
Why did North Korea change its newspaper from the day Kim Jong Il's promotion was announced?On April 20, 1992 Kim Jong Il was promoted to his first military rank – that of marshal of the DPRK. The next day, on April 21, Rodong Sinmun published the government decree to this effect on the first page. That however, was not the only promotion that took place. On the same day, O Chin U, Minister of the People’s Armed Forces, was promoted to marshal of the DPRK – a truly unique event, since no one else in North Korean history shared a rank with a Kim after the latter was formally anointed as a successor.
This was an unusual day, since eight other officers were given a lesser rank of vice marshal. That was a mark of the beginning of Kim Jong Il’s era, in which the value of high military rank was to be inflated: under Kim Il Sung, he himself was the only marshal, with no more than one person holding the next rank of vice-marshal simultaneously. Under Kim Jong Il, almost two dozens vice-marshals and three marshals were created.
In just four days, a military parade took place in Pyongyang – actually, the very military parade where, as I wrote before, a group of conspirators planned to kill Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. But the important thing now is that North Korean television broadcasted a documentary about the parade, where the first page of April 21 Rodong Sinmun issue was shown, and clearly legible. As soon as I saw it, I realized that it was not the page I saw before.
Argentina to seize assets of Falklands firms
Clarity awaited on how country will enforce court order seeking confiscation of money and oil exploration equipment.
| Politics, Latin America, Argentina
An Argentine judge has ordered the seizure of $156m and other assets from British and US oil companies looking for crude oil in waters off the disputed Falkland Islands.
Judge Lilian Herraez, based in the Tierra del Fuego region of southern Argentina, on Saturday ordered the firms to stop their exploration activities.
Argentina claims sovereignty over the UK-controlled islands in the South Atlantic and the two countries went to war over them in 1982.
The war lasted 74 days and left nearly 1,000 people dead.
It ended when a British expeditionary force sent by the government in London expelled the Argentine troops.
The 'Afghan Rambo' fighting the Taliban
On Monday, military security guards at the Afghan parliament building in Kabul thwarted a terrorist attack, later claimed by the Taliban. Local media reported that one of the guards, Isakhan Laghmani, stood out because of the courage he showed while fighting off assailants. Since then, Isakhan has achieved hero status, something new in a country where, up until now, soldiers have rarely been publically praised.The attack on June 22 began with a powerful explosion at the building entrance, then six assailants attempted to penetrate the interior of the building. Though there was an exchange of fire, the Taliban terrorists were stopped almost immediately by military security guards. One of the guards, Isakhan Laghmani, said he picked off six of the seven assailants one by one, a claim backed up by his comrades. An Afghan television station shared images seeming to show that certain assailants were gunned down before even having had time to remove the pins from the grenades they wanted to launch.
A soldier payed 100 dollars a month
Isakhan’s heroic story, supported by his fellow guards, has earned Isakhan the nickname "Afghan Rambo" on social media and photos of him have been shared widely.
Afghan politicians have been jostling shoulders to pose for a picture with Isakhan. Many of them have also been showering the soldier—who normally earns just 100 dollars a month—with gifts and checks. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani gifted Isakhan with an apartment, while an Afghan MP gave him a Toyota ATV.
The Week That Was
China which 2 years ago claimed 90% of the South China sea continues to assert its svoengerty. It's latest argument is that the feelings of its ancestors who died 1,000 years ago would be hurt. How, would people who've been dead for 1,000 years ever know?
While the United States has finally started to confront the meaning of the Confederate Battle Flag of Northern Virginia another country has a flag problem. Japan continues to use the Rising Sun flag even though many in Asia associate it with the war crimes committed by the Japanese Imperial Army. Given the the historical pretzel hole the Liberal Democratic Party have twisted themselves into don't think for a moment these fools are ever going to change their minds.
There's a new sex symbol in Japan, no it's not the usual symbol. So, why has this sex symbol drawn such a large following of women when he's not exactly a man of your dreams. Is it his smoldering good looks, his large physical presence or those eyes? Who knows? But, he certainly has a large following.
While the United States has finally started to confront the meaning of the Confederate Battle Flag of Northern Virginia another country has a flag problem. Japan continues to use the Rising Sun flag even though many in Asia associate it with the war crimes committed by the Japanese Imperial Army. Given the the historical pretzel hole the Liberal Democratic Party have twisted themselves into don't think for a moment these fools are ever going to change their minds.
There's a new sex symbol in Japan, no it's not the usual symbol. So, why has this sex symbol drawn such a large following of women when he's not exactly a man of your dreams. Is it his smoldering good looks, his large physical presence or those eyes? Who knows? But, he certainly has a large following.
Saturday, June 27, 2015
The Kurds' quest for a homeland
Kurdish aspirations for statehood are being boosted by recent territorial gains during fighting in Iraq and Syria.
Kurdish aspirations for statehood are being boosted by recent territorial gains.
Kurds are the most effective group standing up to ISIL.
Kurdish fighters are again trying to fend off an attack by ISIL fighters on the border town of Kobane.
And they recently captured Tal Abyad, a strategic border town which ISIL used to bring foreign fighters and supplies to areas they control inside Syria.
The Kurds' fight is driven by their dream of a homeland of their own. They are scattered across the region and the world. Their quest for their own nation is boosted by the continuing wars in Iraq and Syria.
Six In The Morning Saturday June 27
Tunisia prime minister to shut mosques inciting terrorism as Isis claims attack
Habib Essid promises action on mosques that do not ‘conform to the law’ and reportedly says most of those killed were British
The majority of tourists killed in an Islamic State extremist’s attack on a Tunisian beach were British, Tunisia’s prime minister has said, as planes evacuating holidaymakers began arriving back in the UK.
IS has claimed responsibility for the killings in the popular holiday resort close to the town of Sousse, in which a young man pulled a Kalashnikov from a beach umbrella and began firing, killing at least 38 people.
The majority of those killed were British, Tunisia’s prime minister, Habib Essid, has reportedly said. The British prime minister, David Cameron will chair a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee on Saturday. Five of those killed have so far been confirmed as Britons by the British foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, but he warned that number could rise.
EU agrees to redistribute 40,000 migrants across member states
Agreement reached on voluntary basis, suggesting that some countries may not take part in the process
Suzanne Lynch
Stephen Collins
Paddy Agnew
EU leaders defended their decision not to back mandatory quotas for migrants at a summit of EU leaders, pledging to agree a plan to redistribute 40,000 migrants across the European Union by the end of July.
After a highly charged discussion that continued into the early hours of Friday morning, the European Council agreed to relocate 40,000 migrants who have arrived in Italy and Greece across the European Union over the next two years, although crucially they agreed to do so on a voluntary basis, prompting expectations that a number of countries may not take part in the process.
After the two-day summit, which was overshadowed by the continuing Greek bailout crisis, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said Ireland would consider the EU’s relocation proposal and would do what it could to help. Ireland, along with Denmark and Britain, has an automatic opt-out of the proposed legislation.
Record 18 journalists jailed in Egypt: watchdog
Journalists are facing "unprecedented threats" in Egypt with a record number behind bars, mostly for links with ousted president Mohamed Morsi's banned Muslim Brotherhood, a media watchdog said.
The Committee to Protect Journalists said at least 18 journalists, many of whom worked for online media, were locked up in Egypt, the most since it began keeping records in 1990.
"The threat of imprisonment in Egypt is part of an atmosphere in which authorities pressure media outlets to censor critical voices and issue gag orders on sensitive topics," it said in a report.
At least one third of the detained journalists were serving life sentences, according to the New York-based group.
"The arrests of journalists in Egypt are often violent and involve beatings, abuse, and raids of their homes and confiscation of their property," it said.
A photo of a young boy determined to learn goes viral
A photo of a little boy studying in an unlikely place goes viral in the Philippines, and attracts help from the local social welfare office.
A young student in the Philippines found inspiration in an unlikely place, and like most people her age, she snapped a photo.
The picture is of a young boy, crouched on his knees on a dirty sidewalk, studying at a makeshift table under the glow of a McDonald’s restaurant. Since Joyce Torrefranca posted the photo to her Facebook page, it has received hundreds of likes and fifteen hundred shares.
Ms. Torrefranca, a fourth-year medical technology student at Cebu Doctors’ University (CDU), told Sun.Star.com she took the boy's picture because she was inspired by his dedication to his schoolwork.
Iran nuclear talks at crucial stage
Warnings given of dangerous consequences if negotiations under way between Iran and six major powers fail.
27 Jun 2015 07:02 GMT
Three months after an interim agreement was reached, final negotiations for Iran's nuclear programme between Iran and six major powers are under way.
This will be the most difficult stage yet. With days to go until the deadline, agreement has not been reached on major parts of the deal.
Key sticking points include Iran's refusal to grant international inspectors access to military sites.
One expert says if the talks fail, Iran and its rivals may enter dangerous territory.
Al Jazeera's Diplomatic Editor James Bays reports.
China says changing position on sea dispute would shame ancestors
By Ben Blanchard1 hour ago
Changing position on China's claims over the South China Sea would shame its ancestors, while not facing up to infringements of Chinese sovereignty there would shame its children, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday.
China has become increasingly assertive in the South China Sea, building artificial islands in areas over which the Philippines and other countries have rival claims, sparking alarm regionally and in Washington.
"One thousand years ago China was a large sea-faring nation. So of course China was the first country to discover, use and administer the Nansha Islands," Wang said, using the Chinese term for the Spratly Islands, which together with the Paracel Islands form the bulk of China's claims.
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