Apr 28, 2011


Libya: Tunisia indignant over border clashes

Libyans displaced by clashes near the border with Tunisia, 28 April 2011Thousands have fled fighting near the border between Libya and Tunisia

Libya Crisis

Tunisia has condemned a violation of its territory after fighting between Libyan rebels and forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi spilled over the border.
Tunisia said it had informed Libya of its "extreme indignation".
Rebels and pro-Gaddafi troops were fighting for control of the border post between Dahiba and Wazin, which rebels captured a week ago.
Shells fired by pro-Gaddafi forces are said to have landed within Tunisia.
The government troops apologised to their Tunisian counterparts after briefly crossing the border, Reuters news agency reported.
Tunisian authorities warned of a "dangerous military escalation".
"Shots fired at a populated area on Tunisian territory (are) a violation of Tunisia's territorial integrity and a violation of the security of the residents of this region", said a statement from the Tunisian foreign ministry.
"Given the gravity of what has happened ... the Tunisian authorities have informed the Libyans of their extreme indignation and demand measures to put an immediate stop to these violations."
Misrata shelling
Fighting in western Libya, near the border with Tunisia, has intensified over recent days.
Rebels seized the border post a week ago, and pro-government forces have been trying to retake it.
Thousands of people have fled from Libya across the frontier to flee the violence.
Elsewhere, there were reports that government troops had retaken the southern city of Kufra following violent clashes.
In the capital, Tripoli, at least two loud explosions were heard late on Thursday as Nato jets flew overhead.
And in the western city of Misrata rebels reported continuing bombardments by pro-Gaddafi forces.
The rebel-held city has been besieged by forces loyal to Col Gaddafi for several weeks.
Those forces have retreated from the centre of Misrata, but rebels say they are shelling residential areas from the outskirts.
Earlier, a rebel commander and witnesses told reporters a that a Nato air strike in Misrata on Wednesday had killed at least 11 rebels.
A Nato official confirmed alliance aircraft had struck "a number of combat vehicles 10 miles south-east of Misrata port", adding that Nato could not "independently verify reports that these vehicles were operated by opposition forces".
He said there had been no Nato attack on any building in or around Misrata.
Được đăng bởi vào lúc No comments:
Nhãn:

Syria: 'Day of rage' planned in face of crackdown

Protests in the southern town of Nawa, 27 April 2011Anti-government protests in Syria have grown over the past six weeks

Syria Crisis

Syrian activists are calling for further popular protests in the face of a security crackdown that they say has left hundreds dead.
Among those reported to be joining the appeal to stage a "day of rage" were the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood.
Demonstrations expected after Friday prayers would express solidarity with the city of Deraa, a focus of unrest.
There has been growing international criticism of the Syrian regime's response to protests.
EU officials are due to meet in Brussels on Friday to discuss sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad's regime, while the UN Human Rights Council is expected to hold an urgent meeting in Geneva on Syria.
Human rights activists in Syria say at least 500 people have died in six weeks of protests against the government of President Assad's regime.
'Chant for freedom'

Analysis

image of Jim MuirJim MuirBBC News, Beirut
The situation in Deraa is clearly becoming increasingly desperate. Around 120,000 people are trapped there.
Since Monday, they've been isolated by thousands of government troops and dozens of tanks. Water, electricity and phones have been cut off all that time. There are no medicines, and no access to medical facilities.
Demonstrations and shootings are reported from other parts of the country, with some Syrians even fleeing into Lebanon on foot to get away.
The ruthless crackdown has led more than 200 members of the ruling Baath Party to resign, most of them from the Deraa area. They said the security forces had destroyed all the values they had been brought up with. These are not national figures, but the public resignation and ringing denunciation was a rare sign of dissent from within the system.
A notice on the Facebook page Syrian Revolution 2011 called for a "Friday of Anger".
"To the youths of the revolution, tomorrow we will be in all the places, in all the streets," it said.
"We will gather at the besieged towns, including with our brothers in Deraa."
The Muslim Brotherhood also called on people to take to the streets, in a statement sent to Reuters news agency.
"Do not let the regime besiege your compatriots," said the statement, said to be the first direct appeal by the group. "Chant with one voice for freedom and dignity. Do not allow the tyrant to enslave you."
There are reports that the government is also ordering state employees and party members to come out of the mosques and demonstrate in favour of President Assad.
The BBC's Jim Muir, in neighbouring Lebanon, says one way or another, it will be a trial of strength, with the protesters saying that at this stage there can be no turning back.
'Dead body clubbed'
In Deraa, at least 50 people are reported to have been shot dead, with some bodies still lying in the streets as it is seen as too dangerous to retrieve them.
Unverifiable video footage posted on the internet showed security forces clubbing a dead body in the street before dragging it away.
Witnesses said water, communications and power had been cut off.
Deraa is the southern city in which political protests began in Syria six weeks ago. A military crackdown was launched there on Monday, with security forces backed by tanks forcing their way into the centre of the city.
Syrian authorities say they are acting to restore security.
Foreign journalists have been banned from Syria and reports from inside the country are difficult to verify.
There are unconfirmed reports of divisions within the security forces and of soldiers refusing orders to fire on protesters.
On Wednesday, 200 members of Syria's ruling Baath party resigned after issuing an angry public statement denouncing the repression.
The resignations - mostly from around Deraa - follow those of 30 Baath officials from the coastal city of Baniyas, north-west of Damascus.
Are you in Syria? Do you have friends or relatives based in the region? Have you been able to contact them? Please send us your experiences and comments using the form below.
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to61124 (UK) or +44 7725 100 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.
Được đăng bởi vào lúc No comments:
Nhãn:

Jaycee Dugard kidnap: US couple plead guilty

Police photos of Phillip and Nancy Garrido - 27 August 2009Phillip and Nancy Garrido are due to be sentenced on 2 June

Related Stories

A California couple have pleaded guilty to charges of kidnapping and raping a girl when she was 11, and holding her captive for 18 years.
Phillip Garrido, who had two children with his victim Jaycee Dugard, and his wife Nancy earlier pleaded not guilty.
Phillip Garrido could be sentenced to 430 years in prison while Nancy faces 36 years in prison.
Ms Dugard was kidnapped from near her home in South Lake Tahoe in 1991 as she walked to a school bus stop.
She was kept with her two daughters, now 13 and 16, in the backyard of the Garrido home in Antioch, California, in a compound of tents and sheds.
As part of the deal the Garridos made with prosecutors, both waived their right to appeal.
They are scheduled to be sentenced on 2 June.
'Courage'
Phillip Garrido pleaded guilty to 14 charges of kidnapping and sexual assault.
Nancy Garrido pleaded guilty to one charge of kidnapping and one charge of rape.
Their change in pleas means Ms Dugard and her children do not have to testify at a trial.
District Attorney Vern Pierson paid tribute to Ms Dugard.
"Jaycee's courage and willingness to confront her abductors in court directly led to the defendants' plea and life sentences," he said.
Police in California came under fire after Ms Dugard's discovery and freedom in 2009 because Phillip Garrido had a previous conviction for rape, involving an abduction, and was on the sex offenders list.
Ms Dugard was freed after police officers at the University of California at Berkeley saw Garrido on the campus with her and her children and became suspicious.
They contacted Garrido's parole officer and he was detained at a parole hearing.
Ms Dugard has received a $20m (£12m) settlement from the state of California, which has acknowledged repeated mistakes in the monitoring of Phillip Garrido.

Được đăng bởi vào lúc No comments:

Petraeus to lead CIA, Panetta to head Pentagon

Click to play
Mr Obama: "These are the leaders that I've chosen to help guide us through the difficult days ahead"

Related Stories

US President Barack Obama has nominated Gen David Petraeus, the US head of international forces in Afghanistan, as the new CIA director and has named the agency's chief as head of the Pentagon.
CIA director Leon Panetta should take over as the next defence secretary when Robert Gates retires in late June.
"Leon appreciates the struggles of American troops," Mr Obama said.
Gen Petraeus's job will be filled by Marine Corps Lt Gen John Allen. The Senate must still confirm the changes.
Announcing the most sweeping shake-up of top security officials since he took office, Mr Obama also named Ryan Crocker as the next US ambassador to Afghanistan.
"These are the leaders that I've chosen to help guide us through the difficult days ahead," Mr Obama said with Mr Gates, Mr Panetta, Gen Petraeus and other officials standing next to him at the White House.
'Unity of effort'
Mr Obama said that after nearly 40 years in uniform, Gen Petraeus would retire from the US army and step into his new role at the CIA in September, pending Senate confirmation of the new positions.

Analysis

image of Kim GhattasKim GhattasBBC News, Washington
It's the biggest reshuffle in the Obama administration. It's probably also the biggest such high-level reshuffle at one time in a recent American administration.
It was Bob Gates's retirement as defence secretary which set the game of musical chairs in motion. It gave Mr Obama both a fresh start and continuity.
With a new force commander and a new ambassador in Kabul, the period after the draw-down of troops this summer could signal a new phase.
But the shake-up did not bring any new talent on board, so there is also a sense of continuity. The reshuffle has been described as shrewd in Washington.
Most of the appointments had been rumoured for a while, so while there is debate about whether the men are right for their new jobs, there were no surprises, except perhaps for Ryan Crocker, a veteran diplomat.
The Obama administration had reportedly tried to woo him back from retirement for a couple of jobs already. It's unclear how the president convinced Mr Crocker to agree to the Kabul job.
The announcement comes less than a year after Gen Petraeus took over responsibility for leading Nato forces in Afghanistan from Gen Stanley McChrystal.
"I will look to them and my entire national security team for their counsel, continuity and unity of effort that this moment in history demands," Mr Obama said of his newly nominated staff.
Mr Obama said Mr Gates, who was first appointed as defence secretary by George W Bush in 2006, had "more than earned the right to return to private life".
Gen Petraeus will be replaced in Afghanistan by Lt Gen Allen, currently deputy head of US Central Command - the command unit covering central Asia and the Middle East.
Lt Gen Allen and Mr Crocker will not fill their new roles immediately but will step into the positions over the summer.
"The challenges are formidable and the stakes are high. 9/11 came to us out of Afghanistan. Our enemy must never again have that opportunity," said Mr Crocker.
Senator John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, praised Mr Obama's decision to move Gen Petraeus to the CIA.
"General Petraeus is simply among the very best military leaders of his generation. He knows first-hand the life and death importance that good intelligence plays in protecting the security of the United States."

“Start Quote

Today we are a nation at war, and job one will be to ensure that we remain the strongest military power in the world, to protect that security that is so important to this country”
CIA director Leon Panetta
Mr Kerry also noted Mr Panetta's "extraordinarily deep institutional knowledge" of Washington.
Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Mr Obama was "to be commended for choosing competence and continuity" in nominating Gen Petraeus and Mr Panetta for their respective roles.
Mr Panetta, a 72-year-old Democrat from California, served as chief of staff to President Bill Clinton between 1994 and 1997 and took over at the CIA in February 2009.
Prior to those positions, he served as director of Mr Clinton's Office of Management and Budget.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan's spring fighting season is ramping up, testing Nato and Afghan national army territorial gains.
"Today we are a nation at war, and job one will be to ensure that we remain the strongest military power in the world, to protect that security that is so important to this country. Yet this is also a time for hard choices," said Mr Panetta.
In July, the US is expected to begin what US President Barack Obama has called a "significant" withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, turning over security duties to Afghan military forces.
As of February, more than 1.4m people were serving in the US armed forces.
Được đăng bởi vào lúc No comments:

Royal wedding: William greets fans ahead of wedding

COMMENTS (251)
Click to play
Prince William greets crowds on The Mall

Royal wedding

Prince William has gone on an impromptu walkabout ahead of his wedding to Kate Middleton to meet royal watchers gathered near Buckingham Palace.
He spent several minutes shaking hands, chatting and posing for pictures telling the well-wishers: "All I've got to do is get the lines right."
The couple say they have been "incredibly moved" by public reaction.
In a message in their official wedding programme they thanked "everyone most sincerely for their kindness".
During Friday's Westminster Abbey ceremony Miss Middleton will vow to "love, comfort, honour and keep" Prince William but will not vow to obey him.
The service will be the epitome of "Britishness", St James's Palace said.
VisitBritain has predicted more than 600,000 people will be on the streets to watch Friday's events and several hundred are already camping out in tents and sleeping bags outside the abbey and in The Mall.
'All ready'
Prince William, who is spending the evening with the Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry, emerged from his London home Clarence House to walk to The Mall at about 2030 BST.
Some of the the crowd were spending the night on the street and the prince asked them about their preparations.
Earlier, the Duchess of Cornwall also met some of the fans in The Mall.
She described Prince William and Miss Middleton as being "all ready" for their big day and said the Royal Family were "very excited".

Guide to the occasion

Map of royal wedding route
Meanwhile, the Foreign Office says the invitation for the Syrian ambassador in London has been withdrawn following reports that up to 400 pro-democracy protesters have been killed in Syria by security forces in recent weeks.
A Foreign Office statement said: "Buckingham Palace shares the view of the Foreign Office that it is not considered appropriate for the Syrian ambassador to attend the wedding."
Earlier on Thursday Miss Middleton took part in her last rehearsal at Westminster Abbey, with best man Prince Harry, the bridesmaids and pageboys.
Miss Middleton and her family are gathering at the Goring Hotel in Belgravia.
She arrived at the hotel at about 1745 BST accompanied by her mother and sister and stood outside for a short while as photographers took pictures.
Some 50 foreign heads of state are among the 1,900 invited guests attending the wedding.
Click to play
Middletons arrive at London hotel
The Queen has been hosting an event for British and foreign royals at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, near Hyde Park, in central London.
But it has emerged that she will leave for a weekend away after hosting the wedding day lunchtime reception, giving over Buckingham Palace for William and Kate's black tie party in the evening.
It means the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will miss Prince Harry's best man's speech and Michael Middleton's father-of-the-bride address.
Music choices
In their official wedding programme released on Thursday, the royal couple's message reads: "We are both so delighted that you are able to join us in celebrating what we hope will be one of the happiest days of our lives.
"The affection shown to us by so many people during our engagement has been incredibly moving, and has touched us both deeply.
Prince William and Kate MiddletonThe wedding ceremony will be the epitome of "Britishness", St James's Palace says
"We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone most sincerely for their kindness."
Details of the order of service were also released.
The bride will walk up the aisle to coronation anthem I Was Glad, by Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, from Psalm 122.
It was composed for the crowning of Prince William's great-great-great grandfather, Edward VII, at Westminster Abbey in 1902.
The couple have chosen to use the Series One (1966) Book of Common Prayer ceremony.
Classical compositions by Elgar, Britten and Vaughan Williams will feature during the ceremony, alongside the hymn Jerusalem and the English melody Greensleeves.
St James's Palace said many of the "stunning" pieces were chosen by the royal couple for their "theatre".
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry, Miss Middleton's parents - Carole and Michael Middleton - her sister Pippa and her brother James will all act as witnesses and sign the marriage registers.
James Middleton will also give The Lesson, reading Romans 12: 1-2, 9-18.
The booklet will be sold for £2 a copy along the processional route, with proceeds going to the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry.

“Start Quote

Peter Hunt
It's a royal last supper for Prince William as a single man”
Train companies have warned 400,000 people are expected to travel by train into central London on Friday - a 15% rise in passengers compared with a normal public holiday - but say they will be able to cope.
It is anticipated the events will be watched by millions of people worldwide on television.
Thousands of journalists have descended on London and makeshift studios are outside Buckingham Palace and along the wedding route.
Scotland Yard has indicated it would take pre-emptive action to stop people causing trouble and said it "brought forward" three raids on premises in the capital, believed to be occupied by squatters, because of the wedding.
But Labour backbencher John McDonnell raised a point of order in the Commons describing the action - which the Metropolitan Police said was not "specifically related" to the wedding - as "disproportionate".
The Met Office says Friday will start off dry but cloudy in London. It will become brighter through the morning, with some sunny spells, but there is a 30% risk of showers about noon when Prince William and his bride are expected to emerge from Westminster Abbey after the wedding.
Forecasters also say there is a risk of heavy showers developing later on. Temperatures in the capital are expected to reach a high of 19C (66F) in the afternoon.
Được đăng bởi vào lúc No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)