Oregon wildlife refuge occupiers in shock acquittal
Seven leaders of an armed militia who led a 41-day stand-off at a US federal wildlife refuge in Oregon have been cleared of the charges against them.
The surprise verdict acquitted them of conspiracy and firearms offences.
A lawyer for one of the leaders, Ammon Bundy, was tackled to the ground by US marshals after shouting at the judge.
The militia occupied the refuge in early January, accusing the government of unlawful interference in the affairs of ranchers.
One protester was shot dead by police during a confrontation outside the refuge, before the weeks-long occupation was brought to a peaceful end in February.
The stand-off highlighted the simmering resentment among rural communities in the US West over federal control of land.
Record levels of assault, abduction and torture reported in Zimbabwe
NGO records hundreds of cases of political violence, which it says are mostly perpetrated by state security forces
Political violence in Zimbabwe has increased dramatically in 2016, with record levels of assault, abduction and torture recorded as opposition to Robert Mugabe’s 36-year rule escalates.
Around 654 cases of political violence were recorded by a local NGO, the Counselling Services Unit (CSU), as of 21 October, compared to 476 cases in the whole of 2015.
The CSU found that assaults were overwhelmingly perpetrated by the state’s security forces – including police, military and the secretive Central Intelligence Organisation – while opposition supporters and civil society activists had been on the receiving end of the increasingly violent treatment.
Global warming to turn parts of Europe into desert by end of the century, report warns
Affected regions include southern Spain, Portugal, Italy and TurkeyALISTER DOYLE
Global warming is on track to disrupt the Mediterranean region more than any droughts or heatwaves in the past 10,000 years, turning parts of southern Europe into desert by the end of the century, scientists said on Thursday.
Average temperatures in the region have already risen by 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.3 Fahrenheit) since the late 19th century, well above the world average of 0.85C (1.5F), according to the study led by France's Aix-Marseille University.
Man-made climate change “will likely alter ecosystems in the Mediterranean in a way that is without precedent” in the past 10,000 years unless governments quickly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the researchers wrote in the journal Science.
UN committee votes to initiate process that would outlaw nuclear weapons
The measure now goes for a vote before the UN General Assembly, probably sometime in early December. A majority of members may vote to support the resolution but Security Council members are expected to block it.
A UN General Assembly committee voted overwhelmingly Thursday to support a resolution that would ultimately outlaw nuclear weapons, but many nuclear-armed nations opposed the measure.
The disarmament and international security committee saw 123 countries vote in favor of the measure, while 38 opposed it and 16 abstained.
Four of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom and France- opposed the resolution, while China abstained.
Despite the opposition, the measure sponsored by Austria, Brazil, Ireland, Mexico, Nigeria and South Africa will now head to the full General Assembly, where a vote is expected in December.
Machete-armed militia ‘hunt for migrants’ in Bulgaria
OBSERVERS
A far-right Bulgarian militia armed with machetes has been stalking the country's border with Turkey, provoking fear in migrants, and attempting to chase out those trying to reach Europe. The group uses social media to post videos of its patrols and any migrants unlucky enough to have been caught by them. Our Observer accuses local authorities of turning a blind eye to what should be considered an illegal activity.
This official video, which was published by the group on October 22, shows its members seeking to emulate the military. The men wear military fatigues while carrying out military drills, standing at attention and marching in formation. Other images show militiamen- some wearing balaclavas and carrying machetes- marching through fields and a forest, then crawling along the ground and shooting at targets.
The video also uses language common to far-right activists. During the video, the group accuses migrants of being 'invaders', 'vandals' and 'rapists', and calls on viewers to join its 'army of volunteers'.
China: Japanese military jets using 'dangerous' tactics
Updated 0759 GMT (1559 HKT) October 28, 2016
Japanese military aircraft are increasingly engaging in dangerous intercepts of Chinese planes, putting the safety of Chinese fliers at risk and damaging bilateral relations, China's Defense Ministry said Thursday.
Japan reported earlier this month that it has scrambled its warplanes 407 times between April 1 and September 30 in reaction to increased Chinese military flights near Japanese airspace.
That's almost double the number of intercepts Japan's Air Self Defense Force made on Chinese aircraft in the same period in 2015.
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