Friday, September 30, 2016
Borderless: Undercover with the People Smugglers
Inside the people-smuggling rings specialising in getting refugees into Europe.
Persecution, conflict and poverty drove more than a million people to leave their home countries and seek safety in Europe last year. As many as half of the refugees were Syrians fleeing civil war, and the majority of these took the perilous journey by sea from Turkey to Greece. Nearly 4,000 are believed to have drowned in the attempt. Meanwhile, tens of thousands crossed by land from Turkey into Bulgaria and Greece.
Whichever route they took, virtually all of the refugees paid people smugglers, self-proclaimed experts with the necessary criminal contacts and inside knowledge to help them evade border controls and get into Europe.
Six In The Morning Friday September 30
Shimon Peres funeral: Leaders hail legacy of former Israeli leader
World leaders have hailed the vision of the late Israeli leader, Shimon Peres, as he is laid to rest three days after he died at the age of 93.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described him as "a great man of the world", as he led the eulogies.
A large number of foreign dignitaries, including Barack Obama and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, are attending the state funeral in Jerusalem.
A security crackdown ahead of the ceremony led to several arrests.
In an emotional address, Mr Netanyahu said that while Israel and the world grieves for Mr Peres there was hope in his legacy.
Rodrigo Duterte vows to kill 3 million drug addicts and likens himself to Hitler
‘If Germany had Hitler, the Philippines would have ...,’ the president said, pointing to himself
Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines president, appears to have compared himself to Hitler, saying he would be “happy to slaughter” millions of drug addicts in his bloody war on crime.
During a press conference in his home city of Davao, the former prosecutor told reporters that he had been compared to a “cousin of Hitler” by his critics.
“If Germany had Hitler, the Philippines would have...,” he said, pausing and pointing to himself.
“Hitler massacred three million Jews ... there’s three million drug addicts. There are. I’d be happy to slaughter them.”
One Month in ClausnitzA Visit to Ground Zero of Refugee Anxiety
The village of Clausnitz in Saxony became shorthand for the ugly, xenophobic side of Germany after residents threatened a bus full of refugees. We spent a month in the town in an attempt to find out what happened.By Takis Würger
The bus to Clausnitz drives between rapeseed fields, past trout ponds and over asphalt covered with pollen from the surrounding spruce trees. On the trip from Dresden, the bus reaches a straight, ascending road leading to a hilltop, after which the road descends steeply. Those driving the road could be forgiven for thinking the world ends after this knoll.
Clausnitz lies in the valley below; the fragrant smell of apple blossoms hangs in the air.
On February 18, a bus carrying 20 refugees followed this route to Clausnitz. The passengers were to move into apartments in three different buildings in town.
All attempts being made to free soldier in Pakistan captivity: Rajnath Singh
Chandu Babulal Chauhan, a soldier serving with the 37 Rashtriya Rifles, was captured after he “inadvertently crossed over to the other side of the Line of Control”, an Indian Army official said.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that all attempts are being made to free the Indian soldier who is in Pakistan’s captivity. Singh is presently conducting a meeting where NSA Ajit Doval and senior ITBP officials are present.
Chandu Babulal Chauhan, a soldier serving with the 37 Rashtriya Rifles, was captured after he “inadvertently crossed over to the other side of the Line of Control”, an Indian Army official said. Islamabad-based diplomatic sources, however, told The Indian Express that Chauhan had been captured by Pakistani troops at Jhandroot, west of Mankote, and was now being kept at the military headquarters in Nikayal.
North Korea floods: Survivors homeless, sick as winter looms
Updated 0638 GMT (1438 HKT) September 30, 2016
One month after devastating floods ravaged North Korea's northeast, aid agencies have warned that many survivors are homeless and at risk of disease as winter looms.
"The situation at the moment isn't easy, but in two to three weeks it will be a different story," Patrick Elliott, a delegate with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said in a statement released Friday.
The IFRC has warned that incoming snowfall in October could be disastrous for unprepared flood survivors.
This is what climate change is doing to Iran
One of Iran's best known lakes is disappearing. These photos show what's left behind as the waters recede.
by Yochi Dreazen
Lake Urmia, in the mountains of northwestern Iran, was once a source of national pride and one of the country’s top tourism destinations. It’s emerging now as something else entirely: Iran’s most visible symbol of the damage being wrought by global climate change.
The lake has lost more than 90 percent of its surface water since the 1970s as agriculture in the region has boomed and farmers have tapped the lake and many of the sources that feed it for irrigation. Warming temperatures have also played an important role, and the receding water has left behind what looks like a post-apocalyptic landscape of rusting ships half-buried in the sand and piers that lead to nowhere. The flamingos and pelicans that once stopped at the lake have ceased visiting, and its tourism industry has disappeared.
Scientists who study the lake also point to Iran's inefficient system of dams. And a study published in the journal Science of the Total Environment in April concluded that even efforts that succeeded in reducing how much of the lake's water was used could have a limited impact because of climate change.
Thursday, September 29, 2016
China in debt
A look at China's ghost towns and the bad debt they represent. Plus, why the work gender gap is still prevalent.
The Chinese economic slowdown comes as no surprise to global analysts. As outlooks are adjusted accordingly, it isn't the country's profit margins that are causing concern, but the decades of spending on unfinished building projects that have created a deluge of bad debt for China.
Taxpayers point the finger of blame at the government and the lack of social change and development evaluations before money is squandered on the hundreds of unfinished projects, or "rotten buildings" as they have come to be known.
Six In The Morning Thursday September 29
The Iraqi housewife who 'cooked the heads' of ISIS fighters
Updated 0648 GMT (1448 HKT) September 29, 2016
"Shut up and stay still," the woman in black fatigues and a black headscarf snapped over her shoulder at the armed men behind her as she sat down for an interview.
Immediately they went quiet, each adjusting his weapon and standing up straight as if he'd been called to attention.
This is a woman who commands respect, I thought. She keeps a Beretta 9-millimeter pistol in a holster under her left arm. The area around the trigger was silver where the paint had worn off.
The woman in question, 39-year-old Wahida Mohamed -- better known as Um Hanadi -- leads a force of around 70 men in the area of Shirqat, a town 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Mosul, Iraq.
Trapped and bereft in the world's 'fastest emptying country'
Thousands of people flee Eritrea illegally every month to skip military service, but getting out is too expensive for mostMark Anderson in Asmara for The Africa Report
Outside a cafe on the crossroads of a busy intersection in Asmara, three 25-year-olds sip macchiatos and catch up on the latest gossip in the bright morning sunshine. The conversation soon turns to people who have “skipped”, a term for those who have fled Eritrea to escape the indefinite national service programme.
Birhane, 25, who works as a mechanic in a government-owned garage, said: “Between us, we probably know about 300 people who have skipped in the last few years. They are leaving because we have to do what the government tells us to do.”
In 1991, when Birhane, Henok and Adonay were born, Eritrea had just gained independence from Ethiopia after 30 years of war. In the early years, many people were optimistic about their future and their leaders.
Sudanese government ‘killing hundreds of civilians with chemical weapons attacks’ in Darfur - Amnesty
Before and after satellite images, eye witness accounts and images of horrific injuries allegedly point to one of the worst campaigns of chemical weapons attacks on the African continent in recent history. Warning: Article contains images which some readers may find distressing
The Sudanese government has been accused of launching chemical weapon attacks on its own civilians, killing hundreds of people including scores of children, in what would be a dramatic escalation of the Darfur conflict.
Amnesty International says it has compiled the first credible body of evidence to suggest the forces of President Omar al-Bashir bombed swathes of the crisis-hit Jebel Marra region with chemical agents.
The charity has released before-and-after satellite images, photographs of horrific burn wounds on children and evidence from more than 200 interviews, and called for a United Nations investigation.
From India's The Indian Express
Uri attack: India strikes Pakistan
Surgical strikes along LoC: India had repeatedly warned Pakistan not to allow its territory to be used for terrorist activities.
By: Express Web Desk | New Delhi | Updated: September 29, 2016 2:08 pm
India conducted surgical strikes last night along the LoC to safeguard our nation, the Defence Ministry said on Thursday. “Significant casualties have been caused to terrorists and those trying to shield them. We don’t have a plan to further conduct such strikes. India has spoken to Pakistan,” DGMO Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said.
“… Now, based on very specific and credible information we received yesterday, that some terrorist teams had positioned themeselves at launch pads along the LoC with an aim to carry out infiltration and terrorist strikes in J&K and various other metros in our country. There were launch pads at the LoC where terrorists were present waiting to infiltrate the nation and attack areas in Kashmir and metros across the country,” the DGMO said. No Indian casualties occurred during the surgical strikes that were carried out last night by the Indian Army.
From Pakistan's Dawn Newspaper
Army rubbishes Indian 'surgical strikes' claim as two Pakistani soldiers killed at LoC
AFP | DAWN.COM | SYED SAMMER ABBAS
ISLAMABAD: At least two Pakistan Army soldiers were killed as Indian troops fired across the Line of Control in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday. The Pakistani military confirmed the deaths of its soldiers yet dismissed the Indian claim of 'surgical strikes.'
"There had been cross border fire initiated and conducted by India which is [an] existential phenomenon," said an ISPR statement released shortly after the Indian DGMO held a press conference making claims about surgical strikes.
'Kung fu' nuns bike Himalayas to oppose human trafficking
SEARCH FOR SOLUTIONS
Five hundred nuns from the Buddhist sect known as the Drukpa Order took part in a bicycle trek to raise awareness about trafficking. The nuns' activities have also made people think twice about gender roles.
NEW DELHI — Clad in black sweatpants, red jackets and white helmets, the hundreds of cyclists pedaling the treacherously steep, narrow mountain passes to India from Nepal could be mistaken for a Himalayan version of the Tour de France.
The similarity, however, ends there. This journey is longer and tougher, the prize has no financial value or global recognition and the participants are not professional cyclists but Buddhist nuns from India, Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet.
Five hundred nuns from the Buddhist sect known as the Drukpa Order were set recently to complete a 4,000-km (2,485 mile) bicycle trek from Nepal's Kathmandu to the northern city of Leh in India to raise awareness about human trafficking in the remote region.
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Are presidential debates important?
US presidential nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump take part in their first televised debate
With weeks to go until the US presidential election, the two main candidates have held their first TV debate.
Republican Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton fought over the economy, national security and foreign policy.
Polls suggest the race for the country's top job is close.
Trump questioned Clinton's stamina, she accused him of hiding something in his tax returns.
Clinton highlighted her extensive experience while in public office as First Lady, then Senator, before becoming Secretary of State.
But Trump blamed her for many of America's problems including the threat of ISIL. He also accused her of not having the right look and temperament.
Six In The Morning Wednesday September 28
Syrian troops launch major ground assault for Aleppo
After massive aerial bombardment, Syrian forces mobilise for ground operation to "wipe out" rebels and retake key city.
Syrian forces launched a major ground offensive on a rebel-held district of Aleppo, the biggest assault yet in a new campaign aimed at wiping out rebel forces and retaking a city that's key to ending the five-year war.
Syrian state TV said on Tuesday that troops captured Farafra district, near Aleppo's famous citadel, and fighting was under way near the historic core of the northern city.
A military official told AFP news agency that government forces "retook control of all of the Farafra district" and were now "demining the area".
Amnesty calls off launch of Thai torture report after police warning
Rights group was told staff could be arrested over visas if public launch of report accusing soldiers and police went ahead
Amnesty International has cancelled the public launch of a report on torture inThailand after police in Bangkok warned the rights group that its representatives might be arrested and prosecuted for visa violations.
The report accuses Thai soldiers and police of torture, including of suspected insurgents, government opponents, alleged drug users and members of ethnic minorities.
The London-based advocacy group had flown in members of its UK team for the event, which was to be held at a hotel in central Bangkok and attended by diplomats, journalists and local human rights activists. Members of Thailand’s police special branch and the department of employment had also turned up.
Russian journalist arrested for 'illegal' voting after exposing fraud in Duma elections
Mr Korotkov reported being ferried around St Petersburg with other voters to cast multiple ballots
An award-winning journalist who exposed voting fraud duringRussia’s parliamentary elections has himself been arrested for alleged fraud.
Denis Korotkov, a correspondent for the independent news website Fontanka, was scheduled to appear in court in St Petersburg on Wednesday on charges of “illegally obtaining a ballot”.
But campaigners say Mr Korotkov was working undercover to expose vote rigging in the Duma elections, which have provoked international concern, and is now being harassed for his work.
'Enticing' video chats with American YouTuber land Saudi teen in jail
For months, a Saudi Internet user called Abu Sin had the Arabic-speaking web in stitches over videos of him chatting with an American video blogger. With his sideways cap, toothless smile, and over-the-top flirting, he quickly gained a large following. This did not, however, amuse Saudi authorities, who arrested the 19-year-old on Sunday. They accuse him of “unethical behaviour”.
Abu Sin – a nickname that translates to “toothless” – rose to online fame for videos in which he chats with video blogger Christina Crockett. These chats were broadcast on the livestreaming site YouNow. In broken English, the young man regularly tried to flirt with the amused Californian, while thousands of viewers watched.
Are India and Pakistan on the verge of a water war?
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said earlier this week that his nation may speed the construction of new hydropower plants along three rivers that flow into Pakistan – a move that would certainly be harmful for Pakistan.
Rising tensions between India and Pakistan could spike into a “water war” if India fails to follow through on a treaty that regulates a river that flows between the two countries, a Pakistani official said Tuesday.
The divisions between the two nations have again mounted despite attempts to create pace. Many had hoped that 2016 would be a year of unity after Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi late last year, but old tensions have dashed some of those hopes.
The strain between the two nations spiked again earlier this month after 17 Indian soldiers died in the disputed Kashmir region. India alleges that Pakistan is responsible, and Mr. Modi is weighing retaliation through manipulating water flow on three rivers that connect the two countries to favor India.
Meet the nuclear cattle of Fukushima
Updated 0426 GMT (1226 HKT) September 28, 2016
Some families have at least one relative who's either odd or eccentric. Others boast family members of a more unusual kind.
That's what one filmmaker discovered in 2011 when he heard of a group of former farmers in Fukushima's nuclear exclusion zone, fighting to keep their radiation-affected cows alive, though they brought them no profit.
"The farmers think of these cows as family. They know that these cows can't be sold, but they don't want to kill them just because they're not worth anything," Tamotsu Matsubara, who made a film called 'Nuclear Cattle' (Hibaku Ushi) on their plight, told CNN.
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Six In The Morning Tuesday September 27
What Assad and Putin are doing in Syria "is not counter-terrorism. It is barbarism.”
Updated by
One of the most disturbing features of the war in Syria — and there are many, many disturbing features of the war in Syria — has been the repeated attacks on medical facilities and personnel by Russian and Syrian government forces.
"Instead of helping get lifesaving aid to civilians, Russia and Assad are bombing the humanitarian convoys, hospitals and first responders who are trying desperately to keep people alive," said Samantha Power, US ambassador to the United Nations, at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Sunday. "What Russia is sponsoring and doing is not counter-terrorism. It is barbarism."
In the past few days, Syrian and Russian forces have launched an all-out assault on the city of Aleppo. According to the Washington Post, "Branches of at least three rescue teams have been hit by airstrikes, and firetrucks and ambulances have been damaged or destroyed."
Revealed: the criminals making millions from illegal wildlife trafficking
Exclusive: Investigation uncovers the ringleaders profiting from $23bn annual trade in illicit animals after more than a decade of undercover surveillance
Oliver Holmes in Bangkok and Nick Davies
A major investigation into global wildlife crime today names for the first time key traffickers and links their illegal trade to corrupt officials at the highest levels of one Asian country.
The investigation, published by the Guardian, exposes the central role of international organised crime groups in mutilating and killing tens of thousands of animals and threatening to eliminate endangered species including tigers, elephants and rhinos.
The in-depth reporting identifies suspected traders across several continents, from South Africa to Thailand and in the markets of China, where animal parts are used in traditional medicines.
Deutsche Welle files suit against Turkish ministry
DW has filed a lawsuit in a civil court in Ankara for the return of video footage of an interview with the Turkish Minister for Youth and Sports. The material was confiscated and all appeals for its return have failed.
On September 5, DW TV host Michel Friedman interviewed Turkish Youth and Sports Minister Akif Cagatay Kilic for DW's "Conflict Zone." Their exchange touched on the fallout from July's coup attempt, as well as press freedom and the status of women.
Following the recording a Turkish government spokesperson instructed DW not to air the interview; when Friedman protested, the video was confiscated by ministry staff.
All attempts by Deutsche Welle to get Turkish authorities to return the footage were ignored, so the German international broadcaster on Monday filed a lawsuit at a court in Ankara.
FRANCE 24 exclusive: The last stand for Libya’s Oil Crescent
While filming a report about a militia leader allied with the internationally recognised Libyan government in Tripoli, FRANCE 24 journalists witnessed the takeover of a key oil terminal by troops under the command of the rebel general Khalifa Haftar.
Haftar, a former Muammar Gaddafi lieutenant who eventually turned against the late Libyan strongman, has proclaimed himself leader of the eastern region of Benghazi and defied the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA).
On September 11, he launched a major military operation to take control of Libya’s so-called Oil Crescent, a geographical area that includes the country’s most important oil production installations. Hafta’s forces quickly took over the key terminals in Zoueitina, Brega, Al Sedra and Ras Lanuf.
With the Andy Reading Fund, a college freshman helps rural Chinese students
A PATH TO PROGRESS When Andy (Yuhan) Wang visited a school in rural China, he saw how difficult getting an education can be. His nonprofit provides books and supplies to rural Chinese students.
APPLETON, WIS. — He may not have chosen a major, but Lawrence University freshman Andy (Yuhan) Wang knows his purpose in life: help rural students all over the world go to school.
In 2015, Wang created the Andy Reading Fund, a nonprofit organization that provides books and supplies to rural Chinese students.
The Andy Reading Fund was launched after Wang, a native of Shenyang, China, attended high school in Seattle, Washington. He started blogging as a way to cope with culture shock, and the blog turned into a book. All proceeds from "High School Encounter: Seattle" go to the Andy Reading Fund.
Philippine: Duterte seeks death penalty in war on crime
Philippine president seeks restoration of capital punishment in his fight against drug traffickers and users.
Ted Regencia
President Rodrigo Duterte has made a case for the restoration of the death penalty in the Philippines, saying the law had previously lost its effectiveness because it was not fully implemented.
Duterte told reporters on Monday that past presidents had succumbed to the pressure of the Catholic church and other "bleeding hearts" who argued against capital punishment "because only God can kill".
"The problem with that is, I ask you, ‘What if there is no God?’" Duterte said at the presidential palace in the capital, Manila.
Monday, September 26, 2016
South Korea: Kimchi Crazy
South Korean cuisine has taken the world by storm, but has the love for food transformed into an unhealthy obsession?
Meet South Korea's unlikeliest superstar - BJ Fitness Fairy.
Each night, she eats enough for three people in front of a webcam watched by thousands of viewers.
Critics say this bizarre trend is a symptom of widespread unhappiness and a rise of one-person households in South Korea.
They believe it's also a consequence of the government's fanatic push to use food as a band aid after decades of conflict and colonisation.
Six In The Morning Monday September 26
Colombia's President Santos says Farc deal must rebuild country
Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos says peace with the Farc rebel group will boost economic growth and enable the country to rebuild its social fabric.
"War is always more costly than peace," he said in an interview with the BBC.
Mr Santos and Farc leader Timoleon Jimenez, known as Timochenko, will sign a historic peace deal later on Monday.
But it will take a long time for Colombian society to recover from more than five decades of conflict, he said.
The Farc will be relaunched as a political party as part of the deal, which is due to be put to Colombian voters in a popular vote on 2 October.
"We could have grown between 2% and 3% more per year for the past 23 years," Mr Santos told the BBC's Lyse Doucet, adding that the conflict had also had a profound impact on Colombian society.
"We have even lost our compassion, which is the ability to feel some kind of pain for others.
Pakistan police accused of illegally killing hundreds of suspects a year
Senior police were happy to admit the practice of ‘encounter killings’, in which about 2,000 people died in 2015, Human Rights Watch says
Police in Pakistan may be illegally executing hundreds of people each year in fake “encounter killings”, human rights investigators have warned.
The term “encounter” is a widely understood euphemism for extra-judicial killings in Pakistan. Police accounts often say that criminal or terrorist suspects were shot after they resisted arrest or tried to ambush officers.
In reality many are killed in police custody, according to a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday.
The group said it was concerned that many, “if not most”, of the 2,108 people reported by the media to have been killed in encounters in 2015 died in circumstances that were “faked and did not occur in situations in which lives were at risk”.
Swiss voters pass expanded surveillance law
Latest update : 2016-09-26
Swiss voters approved a new surveillance law on Sunday, in a victory for the government that argued the security services needed enhanced powers in an increasingly volatile world.
The proposed law won 65.5 percent support across the wealthy alpine nation, final results showed.
Switzerland's police and intelligence agencies have had limited investigative tools compared to other developed countries: phone tapping and email surveillance were previously banned, regardless of the circumstances.
But the new law will change that.
The government insisted it was not aiming to set up a vast data-gathering apparatus, similar to the one developed by the US National Security Agency that came into the public eye in part through former contractor Edward Snowden's revelations.
The African migrants giving up on the Chinese dream
Updated 0633 GMT (1433 HKT) September 26, 2016
Guangzhou, China The heart of Little Africa -- or Chocolate City, as it has been dubbed by some -- is not easy to locate without a tip-off.
At the foot of an unremarkable tunnel, peeling off the busy Little North Road, in Guangzhou, stands a place that just two years ago was totally unlike the rest of China.
Angolan women carried bin bags of shopping on their heads, Somali men in long robes peddled currency exchange, Uygur restaurateurs slaughtered lamb on the street, Congolese merchants ordered wholesale underwear from Chinese-run shops, Nigerian men hit the Africa Bar for a Tsingtao and plate of jollof rice.
Facebook 'blocks accounts' of Palestinian journalists
Account suspensions come on heels of agreement between social media giant and Israel to team up against "incitement".
Sophia Hyatt
Editors from two Palestinian news publications based in the occupied West Bank say their Facebook accounts were suspended last week and that no reason was provided, alleging their pages may have been censored because of a recent agreement between the US social media giant and the Israeli government aimed at tackling "incitement".
Last week, four editors from the Shehab News Agency, which has more than 6.3 million likes on Facebook, and three executives from the Quds News Network, with about 5.1 million likes, reported they could not access their personal accounts.
Both agencies cover daily news in the occupied Palestinian territories.
A WALKING TOUR OF NEW YORK’S MASSIVE SURVEILLANCE NETWORK
Cora Currier
EARLIER THIS MONTH, on the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the lower tip of Manhattan was thronged with soldiers in uniform, firefighters marching with photos of lost friends pinned to their backpacks, and tourists bumbling around the new mall at the World Trade Center. Firetrucks and police cars ringed Zuccotti Park and white ribbons adorned the iron fence around the churchyard on Broadway. Trash cans were closed up, with signs announcing “temporary security lockdown.”
So it felt a bit risky to be climbing up a street pole on Wall Street to closely inspect a microwave radar sensor, or to be lingering under a police camera, pointing and gesturing at the wires and antenna connected to it. Yet it was also entirely appropriate to be doing just that, especially in the company of Ingrid Burrington, author of the new book “Networks of New York: An Illustrated Field Guide to Urban Internet Infrastructure,” which points out that many of the city’s communications and surveillance programs were conceived and funded in response to the attacks.
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