Putin clarifies Trump comment and says America is the world's 'only superpower'

Putin clarifies Trump comment and says America is the world's 'only superpower'

"America is a great power. Today, probably, the only superpower. We accept that," the
Russian president said at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum. "We want to
and are ready to work with the United States."
Alluding to US-EU sanctionslll on Russia in response to its military actions in Ukraine
he continued. "The world needs such strong nations, like the US. And we need them. But
we don't need them constantly getting mixed up in our affairs, instructing us how to live,
preventing Europe from building a relationship with us."
Asked about the presumptive Republican nominee for president, Putin again described
Trump as a "flamboyant" or "colorful" man, using a Russian word — "MPKMVf131" -
that can be translated with ambiguous connotations, from gaudy to striking to dazzling.
"You see, it's like I said," Putin told his questioner. "Trump's a colorful person. And
well, isn't he colorful? Colorful. I didn't make any other kind of characterization about
him.
"But here's where I will pay close attention, and where I exactly welcome and where on
the contrary I don't see anything bad: Mr Trump has declared that he's ready for the full
restoration of Russian-American relations. Is there anything bad there? We all welcome
this, don't you?"
In December, months before Trump clinched the Republican nomination, Putin called
him "a colorful person, talented, without any doubt" and said: "It's not our business to
decide his merits, that's for US voters, but he is absolutely the leader in the presidential
race."
Trump has for months misinterpreted Putin's comments as "a great honor" and clear
praise, rather than consider the various meanings Of the word.
"When people call you brilliant, it's always good, especially when the person heads up
Russia," he told MSNBC shortly after Putin's original comments.
In May Trump falsely described the comments as a compliment Of his intelligence. "They
want me to disavow Putin," he said. "Putin of Russia said Trump is a genius."
Trump has proposed US-Russian cooperation regarding Syria, counter-terrorism and
trade deals, and defended Putin's record on eliminating a free press. The Kremlin and
its allies have over 15 years dismantled independent news organizations, and the 2006
murder of investigative reporter Anna Politkovskaya(81 has also been linked by activists
to Putin's Kremlin. Trump told ABC in December: "it's never been proven that he killed
anybody. "
The businessman's top campaign aide, Paul Manafort, was an adviser to Viktor
Yanukovych, a pro-Kremlin Ukrainian politician who was fled to Russia after a 2014
revolution ousted him from office.
Putin also spoke carefully on Friday about the presumptive Democratic nominee, Hillary
Clinton, saying he did not work much with her directly when she was secretary of state.
"She probably has her own view of US-Russian relations," he said.

But he praised her husband, former president Bill Clinton, saying: "We had a very nice
relationship.
"I can even say that I'm grateful to him for several moments, when I was making my
entrance into world politics. On several occasions he showed signs of attention, respect
to me personally and to Russia."
The diplomatic remarks belie the cold and increasingly hostile relations between Clinton
and Putin toward the end Of her time in the Obama administration. In 2011, when he was
prime minister of Russia and facing massive street protests, Putin accused the then
secretary of state of fomenting dissent. Clinton's state department, he said, had sent
a "signal" and "support" to opposition leaders.
On Friday Putin insisted Russia does not interfere in other nation's affairs, and that the
Kremlin would be glad to work with any leader elected abroad.
"We need to bring back trust to Russia-European relations and restore the level of
cooperation," he said. 

Response: This article is slightly biased against Donald Trump, but in very subtle ways. This article, to me, seems to display Trump's inability to manage international affairs. Trump, while an intelligent person, is portrayed in this article to be slightly obsessed with himself and unable to understand the comments and views of other leaders around the world. The world leaders recognize Trump as the likely next president so their opinions of him are clouded over with diplomacy and carefully put as to not directly offend or insult; however, Trump, in his selfish view of life often views these comments as direct praise. Personally, the biggest reason why I am opposed to Trump as president would be his inability to deal with international affairs in a delicate and diplomatic manner, which I see (even despite the bias) displayed within this article.

Citation: Yuhas, Alan. "Putin clarifies Trump comment and says America is the world's 'only superpower'". 18 June 2016. Guardian News and Media Limited. 21 June 2016. 

Britain faces seven years of limbo after Brexit, says Donald Tusk

Britain faces seven years of limbo after Brexit, says Donald Tusk

Britain could face up to seven years of limbo if voters choose to leave the European

Unionlll in the 23 June referendum as negotiations take place over a new relationship,

Donald Tusk, the president of the European council, has said.

With polls suggesting the result of the referendum on 23 June will be close, and voters

keen to understand what the practicalities would be if Britain left, Tusk poured cold

water on claims by some in Vote Leave that a new deal with the EU could be struck

quickly.

Any country wanting to leave can trigger article 50 of the Lisbon treaty, which triggers a

two-year process Of negotiation about the terms Of the departure with the Other 27

member-states. The talks would be expected to tackle issues such as the tariffs the EU

would apply to British goods, and the restrictions placed on freedom of movement.

Tusk, who chairs the EU's main decision-making body, said that even if the negotiations

could be completed within two years, the ratification Of Britain's new status could take

much longer.

"Every single one of the 27 member states as well as the European parliament would have

to approve the overall result. That would take at least five years, and I'm afraid, without

any guarantee Of success," he said in an interview with the German daily Bild, to be

published in full on Monday.

David Cameron has repeatedly stressed that Britain could face a "decade of uncertainty"

while a new relationship is established with the rest of the EU if voters choose to leave.

Vote Leave campaigners have suggested the exit process would be relatively

straightforward, and would then release Britain to strike new trade deals with non-EU

states.

EU politicians have united in warning British voters about the perils Of Brexit. The

German chancellor, Angela Merkel, said it would be difficult for Britain to command the

same negotiating power from outside the EU; and her finance minister, Wolfgang

Schaüble, said on Friday that Britain would no longer have access to the single market.

"In is in. Out is out," he told Spiegel magazine. "I hope and believe that the British will

ultimately decide against Brexit. The withdrawal of Britain would be a heavy loss for

Response: Response: This article is definitely, at least slightly, biased against Brexit (the removal of Britain from the EU) as it mentions multiple reasons why Britain shouldn't pull and the only pro really mentioned would be expanding trade. If Britain does decide to leave the EU it will lead to years of partial instability in the government as they deal with political negotiations for the next two years, at least. Right now, in light of the rising war on terror, I don’t think it would be a good idea for Britain to the leave the EU. There is enough tension on most of the countries in Europe with all of the refugees and migrants coming in from Syria, Britain leaving the EU would potentially put more pressure on those countries as well as on Britain. While it may seem to be potentially rewarding for Britain in regards to trade and other economic areas, politically it doesn't seem to be the smartest move right now.

Citation: Stewart, Heather. "Britain faces seven years of limbo after Brexit, says Donald Tusk." 12 June 2016. Guardian News and Media Limited. 14 June 2016. <http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/12/britain-faces-seven-years-of-limbo-after-brexit-says-donald-tusk>

1l Killed, 36 Wounded After Deadly Bomb Attack In Istanbul Targeting Police

1l Killed, 36 Wounded After Deadly Bomb Attack In Istanbul Targeting Police

A bomb was placed inside a car and detonated as a bus carrying riot police passed during rush hour traffic in Istanbul today, killing seven police officers and four civilians, and leaving 36 wounded.

The explosion occurred on a busy intersection near an Istanbul University building, forcing officials to cancel exams. The blast caused the police bus to overturn from the force, and a nearby hotel was gutted and the windows were blown out - fortunately the hotel was closed and had no guests.

'Seven law enforcers and four civilians have died in the attack," Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin told reporters.

"Thirty-six people have been injured, three are in critical condition." Citing a police source, Turkish broadcaster NTV reported that some 14 people have been injured in the attack, eight law enforcers among them.

Foreign minister Melvut Cavusoglu condemned the attack, which occurred on the second day of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. "They are cold-heartedly exploding bombs on a Ramadan day" Cavusoglu added. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, and Istanbul governor Vasip Sahin wouldn't comment on who may be behind the attack.

An Istanbul court has imposed a temporary ban on coverage of a number of details regarding the bomb attack, TASS repofted, citing a statement from Turkey's Supreme Council for Radio and Television. The ban has been introduced in order to "maintain public order, protect territorial integrity and prevent crime." It concerns coverage of the ongoing investigation, footage showing the victims and those injured, police transcripts of talks, and demonstration of materials related to the suspects. The ruling covers all Turkish media. Similar measures were taken during previous terrorist attacks in Turkey.

A fresh wave of explosions has hit Turkish cities in recent months, including major urban areas.

A car stuffed with explosives detonated near military barracks in Istanbul in May, injuring eight people. The Turkish military blamed the attack on Kurdish fighters. In March, 37 people were killed in a bombing near public bus stops in the Turkish capital, Ankara.

As the WSJ explains:

Tuesday's attack was the fourth major bombing in Istanbul this year. Two of them targeting tourists and two hitting security forces. The spike in violence has led to a sharp dip in tourism, a mainstay of the economy.

The rebels ofthe Kurdistan Workem' Parv, or PKK, have been targeting police and military personnel with bombs since July, when a fragile peace process between the rebels and the government collapsed.

Islamic State group has also been blamed for a series of deadly bombings in Turkey, which is part ofthe U. S-led coalition against IS.

An estimated 500 Turkish security personnel have been killed in attacks or in conflict With the Kurdish rebels, according to the military, which claims to have killed 4,900 PKK militants in operations in Turkey and northern Iraq, where the group has a major bastion. Turkish warplanes regularly raid PKK bases in northern Iraq.

Limited access to conflict areas in the southeast has made it difficult to verify casualty figures.

The PKK is fighting for autonomy for Turkey's Kurds in the southeast of the country. The decades-long insurgency against the Turkish State is a conflict that has claimed 40,000 lives. The group is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey and its allies.

Last month, eight people were wounded in Istanbul after a car bomb similarly targeted a military vehicle near the entrance of a garrison as the evening rush hour began.

Response: This article, as stated by its publishing company, was meant to help inform the "professional investing public" about political, economic, and financial issues. This is the stated bias of the company itself which will effect what information they feel necessary to convey and what events they feel their target audience will connect with the most. This article is reporting an bomb that was remotely detonated in a police vehicle, killing seven police officers and four civilians. Along with the casualties, 36 were wounded. The biggest shock that this attack brought was that it was carried out during Ramadan which was unexpected to say the least. It begs the question, are there no times when certain countries are safe from terrorist attacks? We are living in an era where terrorist attacks are becoming more and more prevalent and all political authorities are learning how to deal with these threats and respond to these attacks in a way that will positively affect or at least protect their countries social and economic structures. This is where it starts to effect "professionals investing in public". Especially regarding international business men, companies and private organizations are going to soon have to start analyzing and responding to these attacks/threats and they will effect trading with certain countries and dealing with certain international and political companies.

Citation: Durden, Tyler. "11 killed, 36 Wounded After Deadly Bomb Attack In Istanbul Targeting Police." 7 June 2016. ZeroHedge.com/ABC Media, LTD. 8 June 2016. <http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-06-07/11-killed-36-wounded-after-deadly-bomb-attack-istanbul-targeting-police>

China bans 'erotic' eating of the fruit on live streams

China bans 'erotic' eating of the fruit on live streams

Authorities have barred live-streaming platforms from airing videos of women

'seductively' eating bananas. Photograph: Alamy

Chinalll has reportedly outlawed the "erotic" online consumption of bananas after the

president, Xi Jinping, called for steps to "rehabilitate" his country's "cyber-ecology".

Speaking at a Communist party summit last year, Xi said action was needed to promote

"civilised behaviour" on China's already heavily controlled internet.

That clean-up has now claimed an unlikely, potassium-rich victim, according to domestic

media reports.

Beijing-controlled broadcaster CCTV said authorities had barred live-streaming

platforms from airing videos in which bananas are "seductively" consumed by young

female presenters.

CCTV said the move was part of a wider attempt to rein in online content deemed too

vulgar, too violent or too sexual.

Live-streaming platforms such as Douyu, Panda-tv, and YY are among those who have

been ordered to clean up their acts, the broadcaster reported.

Such firms will now be required to constantly monitor their output for any hint of illicit

fruit consumption. Presenters have also been banned from wearing miniskirts and

revealing tops.

The measures are a response to the breathtaking but largely unregulated growth in

China's live-streaming sector.

The boom has created a generation of wealthy online celebrities but also a huge

headache for the government, which fears such channels are being used to spread smut.

The state-run China Daily newspaper said there were more than 100 live-streaming

platforms on which young "hosts" broadcast their lives to sometimes huge audiences.

YY, the market leader, claims more than 120 million active users and had revenues last

year of 5.9bn yuan (E630m), according to the Associated Press.

The audience for live streams is almost entirely male, according to reports in the

domestic media, but the content varies hugely. YY users, for example, can tune into live

streams in which presenters draw dogs, play drums, put on their makeup, sing, dance,

cook, dine or take care of their skin.

One of the most famous live-streaming "hostesses" is Papi Jiang, a 29-year-old comedian

who has millions of online followers but was recently reprimanded(61 by authorities for

using foul language during her broadcasts.

Zheng Lu, a Tsinghua University sociologist, said that while it was not morally wrong for

adults to watch "erotic and sexually suggestive content" on the internet, there was a risk

that children could be exposed to the videos.

"I think there is a need for the government to do some supervising in this respect,"

Zheng said, calling for an internet rating system whereby live streams could be classified

like films.

On Monday, after reports Of the banana ban emerged, the China Daily said the live-

streaming industry was braced for stricter regulation. Those using live-streaming sites to

promote "obnoxious shows of violent, sexual or criminal nature" would be targeted, it

said.

Response:  While this article does not directly deal with a great international issue, it does provide a great example of the power of media in today's world and the influence it has on society. The Chinese government has set up the 'banana ban' which prohibits anyone from posting a video or picture depicting someone eating a banana in a sexual manner. It also prohibits women from posting pictures of themselves wearing miniskirts or revealing tops. This article paints this issue to seem ridiculous and it is to a point. However, it cannot be ignored that pornography is a huge issue in many countries all over the world and it all starts with seemingly innocent pictures of scantily clad women eating bananas.

Citation: Phillips, Tom. "China bans 'erotic eating of the fruit on live streams." 9 May 2016. Guardian News and Media Limited. 9 May 2016. <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/09/gone-bananas-china-bans-erotic-eating-live-streams> 

Crackdown in Turkey's Kurdish south-east turns journalists into 'terrorists'

Crackdown in Turkey's Kurdish south-east 
turns journalists into 'terrorists' 
Reporters for pro-Kurdish media are routinely detained, while those Of pro-government 

outlets cannot always write what they want 

People search their ruined houses in Cizre, south-east Turkey. Photograph: Cagdas 

Erdogan/Getty Images 

Refik Tekin, an award-winning photographer and video journalist, had been covering the 

curfew in the predominantly Kurdish city of Cizre, south-east Turkeylll, for more than a 

month when a report by a pro-government news agency turned him into a terrorist. 

Tekin accompanied a group carrying white flags that wanted to retrieve bodies and 

injured people from a nearby street when security forces suddenly opened fire, wounding 

nine and killing two, including a member of the city council. Tekin was shot in the leg but 

kept filming. 

A police officer later dragged the injured journalist along the ground to an ambulance. 

"The policeman shouted at me, telling me not to 100k at him. He said: 'You are all 

terrorists, you will see the strengths of the Turks!' This struck me as an especially strange 

thing to say. Am I not a citizen of this country?" said Tekin. 

Turkish security forces open fire on Kurds — videot21 

The state-run Anadolu agency described the incident as a clash between security forces 

and terrorists: 

"Clashes between security forces and terrorists erupted in the Cizre district of $irnak 

province. Three terrorists were neutralised and nine others wounded. There was an 

attempt to lhelp the wounded terrorists escape/ with funeral cars and ambulances 

belonging to the Cizre municipality. An alleged cameraman working for a TV channel 

was reported to be among the injured. " 

Tekin was accused Of being a member Of a terrorist organisation. The charges have since 

been dropped, but the pressure remains. 

"It gets harder and harder for journalists to keep an eye on what is happening in the 

(Kurdish regionl," said Tekin, who is still using crutches and unable to work131. "The 

government controls the narrative, barring a large part of the country from knowing what 

is going on." 

Citation: Letsch, Constanze. "Crackdown in Turkey's Kurdish south-east turns journalist into 'terrorists'." 3 May 2016. Guardian News and Media Limited. 3 May 2016. <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/03/crackdown-in-turkeys-kurdish-south-east-turns-journalists-into-terrorists>

Response: The freedom of press is a huge problem in many developing countries. Turkey is at the point where journalists have to fight to print the truth, which most countries have experienced at one point or another. This is a story of a famous journalist who is now ostracized by other Turks because he is a journalist striving to print truth for his people. Without freedom of press in a country the government loses a certain amount of accountability from its people, and it will remain that until journalists and other members of the media fight for the freedom of press. 

Afghan President Demands Pakistan Take Military Action Against Taliban

Afghan President Demands Pakistan Take Military Action Against Taliban

President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan said that Pakistan needed to live up to the agreement

made in quadrilateral talks to help eliminate Taliban sanctuaries within its country.


KABUL, Afghanistan — After courting Pakistan for more than a year, President Ashraf Ghani

of Afghanistan changed course on Monday and warned that he would lodge a complaint with

the United Nations Security Council if Pakistan refuses to take military action against

Taliban(41 leaders operating from its soil to wage an increasingly deadly insurgency across

Afghanistan.

Mr. Ghani has taken pains to persuade Pakistan's leadership, particularly its powerful

military, to bring the insurgent leaders to the negotiating table. But an increase in Taliban

violence, including a brutal attack last week in the heart of the Afghan capital, Kabul, that

left at least 64 people killed and more than 300 wounded, has forced Mr. Ghani to effectively

end what has been a cornerstone effort of his troubled presidency.

"l want to make it clear that we do not expect Pakistan to bring the Taliban to talks," Mr.

Ghani said on Monday in a rare joint session of the two houses of the Afghan Parliament.

He said that in quadrilateral talks over the past year that involved the United States and

China, Pakistan had pledged "in writing" to go after Taliban leaders who refuse to join the

peace process.


"We want the Pakistanis to fulfill their promises in the quadrilateral and take military action

against those who have their centers in Pakistan and whose leaders are in Pakistan based on

our security organizations, the intelligence of our international partners, and the words of

Pakistan officials," Mr. Ghani said.

"If we do not see a change, despite our hopes and efforts for regional cooperation, we will be

forced to turn to the U.N. Security Council and launch serious diplomatic efforts."

Despite repeated promises from Pakistan to bring Taliban leaders to talks, the peace efforts

seem to have gone nowhere with the insurgency using the window to consolidate after

infightingll Il emerged in the ranks and launch another spring offensive promising to be

bloodier than in years past. Unlike previous years, the violence did not subside even in the

harsh winter months.

In his address on Monday, Mr. Ghani called the insurgents terrorists who "take pleasure in the

torn-up bodies of our innocents," and their leaders "slavelike" and involved in narcotics

mafias.

But the Taliban were quick to respond; their spokesmen posted on Twitter live during Mr.

Ghani's address.

"The nation is not blind — it realizes who is a slave, and who is a hireling," said Zabihullah

Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, posting a picture of senior government officials listening to the

former commander of NATO and United States forces in Afghanistan, Gen. John F. Campbell.

"We will continue fighting until the occupation is ended."

Follow Mujib Mashal on nvitter@MujMasht.

Citation: Mashal, Mujib. "Afghan President Demands Pakistan Take Military  Action Against Taliban." 25 April 2016. New York Times. 26 April 2016. <http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/26/world/asia/afghanistan-pakistan-taliban.html?ref=world&_r=1>

Response: This article is talking about how the Afghan president is urging Pakistan to take out the leaders of the Taliban residing on their soil that refuse to join the peace talks. Pakistan has promised "in writing" but no action has taken place. Recently the Taliban attacked the capital city of Afghanistan, Kabul, and as a result many people were killed. This article is very clearly biased towards Afghanistan. The author of this article never mentions any possible reasons for Pakistan's lack of action and paints them to look like cowards. The author chose to relay that 300 were wounded and 64 were killed in the attacks in Kabul which may be truthful information it is not 100% relevant to the author's point. The article ends with a tweet posted by the Taliban against the government of Afghanistan. This article portrays the Taliban in an unruly and brutal light, while victimizing Afghanistan, and at the same time seemingly blaming Pakistan for everything. 

 

North Korea threatens to reduce US and South Korea to 'flames and ash'

North Korea threatens to reduce US and South Korea to 'flames and ash' 

Pyongyang has issued its latest belligerent threat, warning of an indiscriminate 'preemptive
nuclear strike of justice'

North Korean TV says US will be 'held accountable for igniting war'
North Korea has threatened to turn Washington and Seoul into "flames and ashes", warning
of an indiscriminate "pre—emptive nuclear strike of justice" in reaction to the start of US—South
Korean military drills.
Such threats have been a staple of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong—un, since he took power after 

his father's death in December 2011 . But they tend to increase when Washington and
Seoul stage what they describe as annual defensive springtime war games.
North Korea steps up army recruitment ahead of
US military exercise

Pyongyang says the drills, which were set to start on Monday and run to the end of April, are
rehearsals for invading.
North Korea's powerful National Defence Commission threatened strikes against targets in
South Korea US bases in the Pacific and the US mainland, saying its enemies "are working
with bloodshot eyes to infringe upon the dignity, sovereignty and vital rights" of the country.
"If we push the buttons to annihilate the enemies even right now, all bases Of provocations will
be reduced to seas in flames and ashes in a moment," the statement said.
A pre—emptive, large—scale military strike that would end the authoritarian rule of the Kim
dynasty is highly unlikely.
There is also considerable outside debate about whether North Korea is even capable of the kind
of strikes it threatens. The country makes progress with each new nuclear test, having staged its
fourth in January but many experts say North Korea's arsenal may consist only of still—crude
nuclear bombs.

There is uncertainty as to whether it has mastered the miniaturisation process needed to mount
bombs on warheads and widespread doubt over whether the country has a reliable long—range
missile that could deliver such a bomb to the US mainland.
But North Korea's bellicose rhetoric raises unease in Seoul and the US, not least because of the
huge number of troops and weaponry facing off along the world's most heavily armed border,
which is an hour's drive from the South Korean capital of Seoul and its 10 million residents.
Korean animosity occasionally erupts in bloody skirmishes. Fifty South Koreans were killed in
attacks in 2010 that Seoul blames on North Korea, and there are always concerns about an
escalation of violence.
Relations between North Korea and Seoul and Washington have worsened since North Korea's
nuclear test in January and a long—range rocket test last month, which outsiders said was a test
Of banned ballistic missile technology.
The United Nations recently imposed strong new sanctions on North Korea, and South
Korea has said it will announce new unilateral sanctions on Tuesday.
Similar nuclear threats by North Korea were made in 201 3, around the time of the springtime
military drills, after it was sanctioned by the UN over a nuclear test and long-range rocket
launch.
South Korea's military said this year's war games will be the largest yet staged, involving
300,000 South Korean military personnel and 1 7,000 from the US. Analysts say one element
of North Korea's traditional anger over the drills is that they force the impoverished nation to
respond with its own costly war games.
Responding to North Korea's threat, South Korean defence ministry spokesman Moon Sang
Gyun said it must refrain from a "rash act that brings destruction upon itselto.

Response: This article talks about more threats made by North Korea against South Korea and the US because of military drills being held in South Korea. These military drills involve 300,000 South Korean military personnel and 17,000 US military personnel. This article is clearly biased towards the US and South Korea in two distinct ways. Firstly, the author of this article chooses to take the time to question the validity of North Korea's "bellicose rhetoric" and the reality of their "advanced nuclear weaponry". The author actually states, "… many experts say North Korea's arsenal may consist only of still-crude nuclear bombs." Beyond this, though, the author turns around and still defends the US and South Korea for feeling uneasy by saying, "not lease because of the huge number of troops and weaponry facing off along the world's most heavily armed border, which is an hour's drive from the South Korean capital of Seoul and its 10 million residents." The author first questions North Korea's capabilities but then turns around, proving they are threat, as to defend the actions of the US and South Korea.

Citation: “North Korea threatens to reduce US and South Korea to ‘flames and ash’” 7 March 2016. Guardian News and Media Limited. 8 March 2016. <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/07/north-korea-threatens-to-reduce-us-and-south-korea-to-flames-and-ash>

Clashes as French authorities pull down homes in Calais 'Jungle' Camp

Clashes as French authorities pull down homes in Calais 'Jungle' Camp

Police fire teargas at migrants who threw stones, and shelters set on fire, after authorities dismantle dozens of makeshift shacks in refugee camp.


Clashes have broken out in Calais121 between migrants and riot police after authorities began to dismantle parts of the

sprawling refugee camp known as the Jungle.

A British refugee aid group said it believed the homes of up to 200 people Of the approximately 3,500 living in the

camp had been demolished so far, and that a number of other makeshift shelters were burning.

Some homes appeared to have been set alight by the heat of teargas canisters fired at crowds by riot police, said a

spokeswoman for the British volunteer group Help Refugees, while some residents seem to have set others on fire in

protest.

"Police are still periodically firing teargas to keep back the crowds," she said. "We can see six homes on fire now."

Video footage(41 from a volunteer inside the camp showed residents running away from clouds of teargas. Reuters said

police fired teargas at about 150 migrants and activists who threw stones, and at least three shelters were on fire.

The work began calmly in the early morning, with orange-vested work crews painstakingly dismantling several dozen

makeshift wood-and-tarpaulin shacks by hand before two diggers loaded the debris into large trucks. Police in riot

gear shielded the work, and initially there were no reports of unrest beyond a report of one British activist being

arrested.

Volunteer groups said the work began with officials telling residents they had an hour to leave before their home was

demolished.

The prefecture of Calais, which late last week won a court battle allowing demolition to begin, wants to clear large

parts of the southern part of the site, on dune land just west of the town's busy docks. It adjoins the road leading to

the ferry terminal, a draw for migrants seeking to smuggle themselves on to trucks bound for the UK.

Volunteer groups have warned that moving people from the camp will do little but disperse many elsewhere around

Calais. A UK-based group, the Refugee Rights Data Project, said that of 460 Jungle residents asked what they would do

if the camp was dismantled, said they would remain in Calais or move to a more basic refugee encampment in

nearby Dunkirk.

The study suggested authorities' plans to evict people "is unlikely to provide a viable solution to the current

humanitarian crisis on our doorstep", said Marta Welander, founder of the Refugee Rights Data Project.

Of those who lost their homes on Monday, some had moved into space elsewhere in the camp, Help Refugees said,

while others had been seen carrying sleeping bags into Calais.

"We don't really know yet what people will do, but it seems likely some will just be dispersed to other areas around

Calais," a spokeswoman said.

Clare Moseley, of Care4Calais (51, another British volunteer group, said prefecture officials arrived at the camp at 7am

and gave residents an hour's notice to leave or face arrest. "The police presence is massive," she said. "They have the

whole area cordoned off." French media reported that about 40 vans of riot police were in position near the site.

Workmen start to dismantle a section of the camp. Photograph: Pascal Rossignol/Reuters

Help Refugees said some of its volunteers had been blocked on Monday morning from entering the camp, home to

refugees and migrants from countries including Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan, Eritrea, Iran, Pakistan and Egypt.

A spokeswoman said the demolition began in a section of the camp with a mostly Iranian population: "People were

being told they had to leave," she said, "otherwise they would be arrested. A lot of people seemed quite confused."

A spokesman for the Calais prefecture denied there was a vast new clearing operation underway. He said French

officials from asylum agencies and Other state agencies would continue to go from tent to tent to talk to talk to

migrants about their options, as they had done last week.

He said: "There is a reinforced police presence today to allow those officials to enter and talk to people. But this is a

gradual process which will take place over several days and weeks. There will be no bulldozers."

Fabienne Buccio, the head of the Calais prefecture, said three-quarters of the homes in the southern part of the camp

were now empty after officials encouraged residents to leave over recent days.

Police were needed, she said, in case what she described as "extremists" tried to stop migrants accepting offers of new

accommodation or buses to centres elsewhere in France

French authorities said earlier this month they intended to bulldoze half of the main camp, warning between 800 and

1 ,000 migrants and refugees to leave a seven-hectare southern section of the site. Buccio previously told Le Monde she

intended to reduce the size of the camp by about half.

An anti-riot policeman throws a tear gas grenade during the dismantling Of the camp Photograph: Philippe


Care4Calais is among the groups that have opposed the dismantlement plans in the French courts. A legal appeal

against last Thursday's ruling had been lodged last week, Moseley said, and was expected to be heard soon.

A Help Refugees spokeswoman said Monday's work did appear to be the start of wider clearance. "That's what it's

looking like. They did say it's going to be slow and respectful, giving people options, and I suppose they have in a way.

But at the same time they're not giving people access to information. One person was seen being given their options as

their shelter was being dismantled, so the respect they talked about last week isn't really happening."

While some residents have moved into shipping container shelters and a small number have left on state-provided

coaches to centres elsewhere in France, many more than the official estimate of 800 to 1,000 people remained inside

the main camp. A census carried out by two charities recorded 3,455 people living there, with one group telling the

Guardian this week that this included 445 children, of whom 305 were unaccompanied. 

Response: The migrant situation is a huge humanitarian issue; however, the French authorities seem to believe that dismantling the camps where these migrants are working is going to solve the problem. This article is clearly biased towards the migrants and against French authorities. The authors used statistics and numbers to help pull at our heart strings and shock us at the number of migrants who are now being thrown out of their makeshift homes. The authors are telling of how many people have been recorded living in these camps and they make sure to mention that out of the 445 children counted, 305 of those children are unaccompanied. Inserting statements such as these influence how the reader assess the situation. Besides the clear bias the information they use is valid and reinforces their point throughout the whole article. Because the author's bias there is most likely some information left out of this article that could clear up the French authorities true intentions. Personally, I think that expelling migrants from the only "home" they know is far from any kind of solution. There are now hundreds of migrants heading into Calais to live on the streets and others heading to other nearby camps. Dispersing this camp just leads to the other camps growing larger, it has no real effect. 

Citation:  Chrisafis, Angelique; Peter Walker. “Clashes as French authorities pull down homes in Calais ‘Jungle’ Camp.” 29 Feb. 2016. Guardian News and Media Limited. 1 March 2016. < http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/29/french-authorities-begin-clearance-of-part-of-calais-jungle-camp>

Syrian government agrees to 'cessation of hostilities' plan

Syrian government agrees to 'cessation of hostilities' plan

A preliminary hurdle to the start of a US and Russian-brokered ceasefire in Syria has been cleared after the Assad

government said it would accept a "cessation of hostilities" on the condition that attacks on Islamic Statelll, al-Nusra

and Other UN -identified terrorist groups can continue.

The regime Of Bashar al Assad said it would work with Russia(21 to define which groups and areas would be included in

the cessation of hostilities plan, which is due to begin on Saturday.


The Syrian government said opposition groups could not be allowed to use the ceasefire to strengthen their military

positions and this would be regarded as a breach of the agreement.

Russia and America's joint statement on a ceasefire on Monday131 would not have been issued unless the two countries

had relatively clear indications that its terms would be accepted by the key players, including the Syrian government,

the opposition forces sponsored by Saudi Arabia, and Syrian Kurds.

Assad's recent military advances around Aleppo — Syria's second city - are largely due to the ferocity of Russian air

force strikes against opposition positions.

There is scepticism that the ceasefire will hold due to the difficulties in marking out what territory is covered, and the

way in which some opposition groups are interwoven with al Nusra.

The Syrian government stressed the importance Of sealing the borders, halting foreign support to armed groups, and preventing these organisations from strengthening their capabilities or changing their positions", in order to avoid wrecking the agreement.

Assad believes Turkey has acted as a supply line for foreign fighters supporting both the "moderate" opposition and Isis.

Turkey has welcomed the ceasefire plan, but is under pressure from the UN to allow in tens Of thousands more

refugees massed on the Syrian border. They are fleeing from the fighting in the Aleppo area.

The Syrian high negotiating committee - the main umbrella organisation for Syrian opposition groups backed by the

west and Saudi Arabia — said late on Monday that it accepted the terms of the ceasefire. However, it added that the

plan was dependent on ending all sieges, allowing in humanitarian aid, releasing all detainees and ending

bombardments by ground or air.

Response: The underlying question in this article is can Syria really uphold a ceasefire agreement. However, in the article it states: “Russia and America’s joint statement on a ceasefire on Monday would not have been issued unless the two countries had relatively clear indications that its terms would be accepted by the key players, including the Syrian government, the opposition forces sponsored by Saudi Arabia, and Syrian Kurds.” This is a hopeful statement; however, it is far from concrete. The author is not outrageously confident America and Russia are able to predict the actions of the key players in this conflict. This can be seen in his statement that America and Russia wouldn’t have released a statement unless they were “relatively” sure. So just in this statement alone we can see that the world is hopefully anticipation a possible ceasefire in Syria but we can see that it is hope we are riding on, not concrete facts or evidence showing that Syria can uphold a ceasefire agreement. Not only this but the author of this article also writes, “There is skepticism that the ceasefire will hold due to the difficulties in marking out what territory is covered, and the way in which some opposition groups are interwoven with al-Nusra.” This clearly shows the author’s own feelings towards Syria’s ability to maintain peace as well as voices the feelings of many other people around the world. I personally am very hesitant that Syria will be able to maintain a ceasefire, not only because the government itself is incredibly unstable, but because fighting against UN declared terrorist groups will continue. As stated in the quote above, there are “key players” that are affiliated with terrorist groups and large members of terrorist groups thus automatically linking themselves with those groups because of their well-known affiliation making it difficult to predict their actions when it comes to any violence towards these particular groups. While many share my view there are also many who disagree with me. There are some who do think that this ceasefire is a probable solution to end the violence in Syria, American and Russian government officials would be included that spectrum. In another article talking about the same situation the author, Luke Coffey, states that it is insanely improbable that the violence in Syria will end or even drastically diminish as expected. He also points out the fact that there are certain terrorist groups that are not yet recognized as terrorist groups by the UN, thus creating loopholes for both Russia and Turkey to continue fighting.

Within this article the author assume you know certain amounts of information about the conflict that he doesn’t expound on such as the previous relations between Turkey, Russian, Syria, and the US. Not only does the author assume certain things, he also writes with a particular context and bias. The author, Patrick Wintour, is the diplomatic editor for the guardian and all his recent works focus on the Syrian refugee crisis in some way. This author will write to please the general audience that the Guardian News receives and since he has a relatively respectable position in his work place he will most likely share the same positions as his audience.  The Guardian Newspaper is also reputed to be liberal and left-wing in its political stance, automatically affecting the authors writing on all political situations including this article.

Overall this article addressed the reality of Syria committing to and carrying out a ceasefire agreement. The author used sufficient evidence to prove his point; however; left out some information that was used to support evidence in other similar articles. This brings me to the conclusion that while the author made valid statements and used sufficient evidence to back up those statements, his information was clearly biased to put the US and Syria in a hopeful and positive light when in reality, the hopefulness of the situation is less than praise worthy. So the answer to the underlying question of whether or not Syria will uphold its ceasefire agreement is no, it is highly improbably that any significant amount of violence within Syria will end as a result of this ceasefire agreement.  

 
Citation to main article:

Wintour, Patrick. “Syrian government agrees to ‘cessation of hostilities’ plan.” 23 Feb. 2016. Guardian News and Media Limited. 23 Feb. 2016. <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/23/syrian-government-assad-agrees-to-cessation-of-hostilities>

Citation to supporting article: 

Coffey, Luke.  “A ceasefire in Syria is pure fantasy.” 23 Feb. 2016. Al Jazeera Media Network. 23 Feb. 2016. <http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2016/02/ceasefire-syria-pure-fantasy-russia-isis-160223051548072.html>

'Suicide bomber' on Somalia plane was meant to board Turkish flight

'Suicide bomber' on Somalia plane was meant to board Turkish flight

A suspected suicide bomber who blew a hole in the füselage Of a Daallo Airlines plane last week and forced it to make an

emergency landing in Mogadishu was meant to be on a Turkish Airlines flight, Daallo's chief executive said on Monday.

The bomber was sucked out of the plane through the one-yard-wide hole when the blast ripped open the pressurised cabin in flight,

officials said. The pilot landed the plane in the Somali capital, from where it had taken off.

No group has so far taken responsibility for the attack but US officials suspect Islamist militant group al Shabaab, which has links

to al-Qaida, was responsible for the blast.

Daallo Airlines chief executive, Mohamed Yassin, said most of the passengers who were on the bombed flight were scheduled to

fly with Turkish Airlines, but were flown to Djibouti by one of his planes after the Turkish carrier cancelled its flight, citing bad

weather.

"That particular passenger boarded the aircraft on a Turkish Airlines boarding pass and was on the list for the Turkish Airlines

manifest," Yassin told Reuters by telephone from Dubai.

Yassin said Daallo picked up the 70 stranded Turkish Airlines passengers to fly them to Djibouti, including the suicide bomber. In

total, the flight had 74 passengers.

Footage filmed by a passenger shows the hole in the Somali passenger plane's fuselage after an onboard explosion.

Turkish Airlines spokesman Yahya Ustun confirmed the carrier had cancelled a flight to Mogadishu last week due to bad weather and said the company will not make any further comment.

Somalia, mired in conflict since civil war broke out in 1991, has few air links outside east Africa. In 2012, Turkish Airlines became the first major international commercial airline to fly out of Somalia in more than two decades.

Mogadishu’s heavily guarded airport has several safety perimeter fences and checkpoints. It houses a large UN compound along with several other Western embassies.

Somali officials said an investigation had been launched and arrests made, including airport workers.

US officials said investigators believe the bomb was hidden in a laptop computer, and that the bomber had some type of connection to airline or airport personnel.

CCTV footage appears to show two airport workers inside the terminal handing the suicide bomber a laptop, according to the government spokesman.

“Some of the people that we have arrested are cooperating,” spokesman Abdisalam Aato told Reuters. He said security at the airport has been stepped up and that the government was seeking new technologies to improve screenings.

Al Shabaab, which wants to topple the government and impose a harsh version of Islamic law, has targeted the airport in the past. It has also attacked the Turkish embassy in Mogadishu.

Yassin said Daallo has been reassured by Somali officials that security was being improved, and will keep flying to Somalia. “We have been there for 25 years,” he said. “Our efforts to keep Somalia linked to the rest of the world will continue.”

Response:  This article is about a man who brought an alleged laptop device that contained explosives onto the plane. This alleged suicide bomber could have killed 74 passengers and done major damage to the plane. This article is obviously biased against Somalia. I thought it was extremely interesting that the airline is going to continue to fly to Somalia to maintain "ties" with them, despite the increasing terrorist threat. It seems almost naive to put all the passengers at risk in order to maintain a tradition. The Turkish airline seems to want to avoid offending Somalia by taking any extreme actions which is understandable, as those actions could potentially increase tensions and violence between Somalia and Turkey. As I said before this article is biased towards Turkey, defending their action and commending their approach to the situation. It also seems to undermine the potential seriousness of this particular event, making the whole situation seem to be totally under control and minor.

citation: " 'Suicide bomber' on Somalia plane was meant to board Turkish flight" 9 Feb. 2016. Guardian News and Media Limited. 9 Feb. 2016. <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/09/suicide-bomber-on-somalia-plane-was-meant-to-board-turkish-flight>

Poverty, ethnic tensions and China top agenda for Myanmar's new politicians

Poverty, ethnic tensions and China top agenda

for Myanmar's new politicians

The first session of Myanmar's newly-elected parliament featured representatives of the

Old military regime in green and the National League for Democracy in orange.

Photograph: U Aung/Xinhua Press/Corbis

Expectations were running sky high as Myanmar's first democratically-elected

parliament in more than 50 years, dominated by the former opposition National League

for Democracy (NLD), convened for the first time on Mondaylll tasked with choosing the

country's next president.

After decades Of stultifying military rule, all the talk was Of a new era and a fresh start.

"They (the peoplel hope that every problem will be solved automatically after the NLD

becomes the government," said Shwe Mann, the outgoing speaker of parliament

But the challenges ahead - political, practical, structural and strategic — are daunting.

Myanmar 2 remains riven by ethnic conflict involving, among others, the Shan, Karen,

Kachin and Lisu peoples. Taken all together, minorities comprise about 40% of the 52-

million population and most feel disadvantaged to some degree.

The outgoing president, Thein Sein, signed a national ceasefire agreement last October

with eight leading armed groups. But fighting continues in many states, where local

people seek greater autonomy and expanded rights over resources. Significant problems

also persist concerning political prisoners131 and minority activists held without trial.

Ending abuse of Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state, and the broader issue of how to curb

Buddhist chauvinism, are Other urgent issues. Most Rohingya were barred from voting

and, for the first time since independence, they have no MP in parliament, the Burma

Campaign UK pressure group said(41.

Ruling National League for Democracy chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi arriving at the first

session of the new parliament. Photograph: The Asahi Shirnbun via Getty Imag

The NLD, led by national icon and Nobel peace prizewinner Aung San Suu Kyi, is not best

placed to address this problem. It admitted before the election15 that Muslim candidates

were struck off its lists after pressure from nationalists.

Even with the national parliament in place, the unusually long transition to civilian rule

is far from complete. An NLD-led government has yet to be installed. Most of the new

MPs, from whom the new administration must be drawn, lack political experience. State

and regional assemblies have yet to start work.

The new president will not take over until April. Whoever that is, it will not be Aung San

Suu Kyi161. Her future role remains shrouded in uncertainty. Despite an 80% popular

mandate measured in parliamentary votes, she is barred from the highest office due to an

arbitrary constitutional prohibition engineered by the former junta.

Aung San Suu Kyi has said she will nevertheless be in charge 71 acting "above the

president", but it is unclear how this will work. She has so far given no indication who

will take over from Thein Sein, while the NLD has no clear number two.

Constitutional gerrymandering by the Tatmadaw — the military — means it also retains de

facto control of key security ministries, including borders and defence. In a national

crisis, as defined by the generals, the military has a legal right to take control of the

government, including management of the economy.

The longer these uncertainties continue, the more drawn-out the transition, and the

more handicapped the NID government is in implementing new policies, the greater will

be the impatience of voters for Aung San Suu Kyi to fulfil her mandate to bring real

change.

A man working at a brick factory on the outskirts Of Naypyidaw in Myanmar. Photograph:

Ye Aung Thu/AFP/Getty Images

As if this were not all difficult enough, Myanmar faces acute problems Of poverty and

child malnourishment, ramshackle education and healthcare systems, and a chronic lack

of modern infrastructure. The legacy of social division and inter-communal distrust is

formidable181 and will take years to overcome.

The NLD must also struggle with complicated strategic challenges. For years, China was

the Tatmadaw's closest friend and ally. In return for turning a blind eye to political

illegitimacy and human rights abuses, Beijing gained access to cheap natural resources

and lucrative contracts, such as the now halted Myitsone dam project19

The US and EU, in contrast, championed the pro-democracy cause, maintaining

sanctions on the junta. Even so, her overriding need to keep the army onside may lead

Aung San Suu Kyi towards an accommodation with Chinat101

, even if it means alienating

the west.

While Aung San Suu Kyi has adopted positions that are generally receptive to China's

interests, to the dismay of some supporters, the Chinese government has stirred up low-

level trouble in some border areas in order to gain leverage and make the army appear

indispensable, according to analyst Min Zin.

"Several political and military officials in Myanmar and intelligence officers in Yunnan

Isaidl they expect Beijing and the NLD to strike some kind of arrangement after the NLD

forms a new government in a few months," Min Zin wrote(lll

"China would press ethnic rebel groups to cooperate with the NLD on a national ceasefire

accord, handing Aung San Suu Kyi a victory that has eluded the current government. In

exchange, the NID would yield to important Chinese interests in Myanmar, such as

major infrastructure and investment projects."

Myanmar's so far limited democratic renaissance already has the full support of the west.

But in order to maintain the fragile internal political balance, both Aung San Suu Kyi and

the Tatmadaw require the support Of China, the regional superpower.

If either Of Myanmar's two major power groupings — the NID or the military — feels it is

losing ground to the other, it is to Beijing, not Washington or Brussels, that they will

turn. Given China's disdain for democracy and open societies, this level of influence is

not an encouraging prospect for Myanmar.

Response: Myanmar's response to their task ahead shows great wisdom and promise. While they are taking huge steps towards democracy they recognize that the transition will be difficult to say the very least. However, because of this huge change their government will go through years of transition and has the potential to be incredible unstable for a long period of time. Despite the hardships ahead there is much promise for Myanmar. This article is definitely biased towards Myanmar in that the author points out everything good that Myanmar is doing but fails to report any unwise or rash actions taken by the government. 

Citation: Tisdall, Simon. "Poverty, ethnic tensions and China top agenda for Myanmar's new politicians." 1 Feb. 2016. Guardian News and Media Limitied. 1 Jan. 2016. <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/01/poverty-ethnic-tensions-china-myanmar-new-politics>

 

Three hours of mayhem, panic, and bloodshed as terror comes to Jakarta

Three hours of mayhem, panic and bloodshed as terror comes to Jakarta

Read more

The assault was claimed by Islamic Statelll, an al-Qaida faction that splintered in Iraq and has since spread worldwide. It was the first

time the extremist organisation has successfully targeted the world's most populous Muslim nation.

Police chief Colonel Dwiyono, from the Depok area south of the capital, told Indonesia's MetroTV the men were arrested at dawn at

their homes While they were sleeping. The channel broadcast footage Of the handcuffed men being escorted out by police to be questioned.

lakarta's police chief, Tito Karnavian, said on Friday Indonesia needed to strengthen its response and implement preventive measures to battle the new threat.

"We need to pay very serious attention to the rise Of Isis," he told reporters outside the city's Oldest department Store, Sarinah, the site of the attacks. "We hope our counterparts in other countries can work together because it is not home-grown terrorism, it is part of the Isis network," he said.

However, Karnavian pointed to an Indonesian militant, Bahrun Naim, Who he said was the ringleader and mastermind Of the strike.

"We were informed by intelligence that an individual named Bahrun Naim instructed his cells in Indonesia to mount an attack,"

Karnavian said. "His vision is to unite all Isis supporting elements in south-east Asia, including IndonesialSl Malaysia and the

Philippines. "


Jakarta bombings: I felt the blasts shake the building, Says witness Naim, believed to be in his early 30s and associated With domestic Islamist militant groups in Indonesia, is thought to be in the Syrian

city of Raqqa with Isis.

Naim, from Pekalongan in Central Java, was convicted in June 2011 of illegal possession of ammunition although the court found

insufficient evidence to pursue terrorism charges.

Police say he is a key figure in planning attacks in Indonesia, several of which authorities said were foiled in 2015.

Indonesia-based security analysts noted ThursdaB strikes — several waves Of suicide bomb and handgun attacks — appeared

incompetently carried out, given the low death toll. By midday on Thursday, police said five assailants were dead. The gunmen had

killed a police officer and a dual Canadian-Algerian citizen, police said.

Isis said four, not five, attackers had planted several bombs With timers, had worn suicide belts and carried light weaponry.

"A group of soldiers of the caliphate in Indonesia targeted a gathering from the crusader alliance," it said in a statement.

Three hours of mayhem, panic and bloodshed as terror comes to Jakarta

Read more

The attack rattled the region, which has a deep history of militancy. Governments have waged large y successful campaigns against

domestic groups in recent years but are struggling to cope with the increasingly global campaign of Isis.

In the wake Of the attacks, the military in the Philippines went on "heightened alert" and security was increased at train and bus

stations as wel as airports and malls. Four small Islamist militant groups in the country's south have recently pledged allegiance to Isis.

In Malaysia, police also beefed up security in public places. The inspector-general Of police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, said in a

statement Malaysia was now on "alert to the highest degree", according the the Malaysia InsiderlSl

Late on Thursday, Indonesians visited the site of the attacks, a Starbucks and a traffic police outpost, leaving flowers and prayers.

A Dutch man working for the UN remains critically injured. The chief of the UN Environment programme (UNEP), the agency the man

works for, said his colleague was "fighting for his life".

The unnamed man was described by the organisation as a renowned expert in forestry and was working with the Indonesian

government to tackle peat land fires, an annual man-made environmental catastrophe that blankets much of south-east Asia in smoke.

The UNEP's chief, Achim Steiner, said the organisation "condemns in the strongest possible terms these senseless acts of terror".

Response: This article is a plea against ISIS, almost a warning. Tito Karnavian said, "We need to pay serious attention to the rise of ISIS," and he also talks about strengthening their response and "implementing preventive measure to battle the new threat." ISIS can no longer be ignored.  This article is, obviously, biased against ISIS. It's written to inform the horrors that ISIS is continually imposing on countries and pleading that we no longer take them lightly. Indonesia is responding appropriately, I think, in that they are heightening security and also trying to fight ISIS campaigning. ISIS campaigning seems to be recruiting quite a few westerns so fighting that would at least stem the flow of new recruits from Europe.

Citation:  

Holmes, Oliver. “Indonesian police arrest three suspects over links to Jakarta attacks.” 15 Jan. 2016. Guardian News and Media Limited. 15 Jan. 2016 <http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/15/indonesia-police-arrest-three-men-linked-to-jakarta-attack> 

Saudi Foreign minister urges Iran to stop it's current policy towards Arabs

Saudi foreign minister urges Iran to stop its current policy towards Arabs

CAIRO, January 10. /TASS/. Iran must drop its "aggressive policy" and stop interfering

into domestic affairs in Arab countries, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on

Sunday after an extraordinary meeting of the Arab League foreign ministers dedicated to

the current crisis in relations between Riyadh and Teheran.

He put the blame for instigating sectarianism in the region on Iran. He said today's

meeting was a strong message to Teheran that Arab countries condemned its

interference into their domestic affairs.

Iran must stop supporting terrorism, change its religious policy and stop interfering into

Arab affairs, the Saudi foreign minister said. He called on Arab countries to consolidate

in order to stand up to Iran's aggression and solve arising problems peacefully. Teheran

must help anti-terror efforts rather than support terrorism, he stressed.

If Iran keeps on supporting terrorism and sectarianism, it will have to face resistance Of

all Arab states, al-Jubeir said. The latest attack on the Saudi embassy is yet another

incident in the 30-year history of Iran's aggression. Riyadh's subsequent severing of

diplomatic and trade relations with Iran was the first step to be followed by other

measures, if Teheran continues its policy, he said, adding that today's meeting had

looked at possible additional steps in this direction.

Apart from that, in his words, Saudi Arabia plans to discuss such measures with both its

regional and international allies. He did not say however what kind of measures might be

taken.

The Saudi foreign minister said a number of countries had offered mediation in settling

the current crisis with Iran.

Today's extraordinary meeting of the Arab League foreign ministers was convened at

Riyadh's official request. The foreign ministers said in a statement after the meeting that

the Arab League condemns attacks on Saudi diplomatic mission in Iran.

All the Arab League members had supported the final communique but for Lebanon,

which had opted to abstain. Arab League Secretary General Nabil Elarabi explained

Beirut's position by the fact that the final communique has the mention Of the Lebanese

Shia movement Hezbollah.

Another spiral of the crisis in Riyadh-Tehran relations followed when Saudi Arabia on

January 2 executed prominent Shiite theologian cleric Nimr al-Nimr, arrested back in

2012 for criticizing the ruling regime and making calls for the observance Of religious

minorities' rights and carrying out a constitutional reform.

In the evening of the same day crowds of furious Iranian demonstrators stormed the

building of Saudi Arabia's embassy in Tehran and the consulate office in Mashhad.

Riyadh severed relations with Teheran. Bahrain, Sudan and Djibouti supported Saudi

Arabia. The United Arab Emirates downgraded the level of diplomatic representation and

Kuwait and Qatar recalled their ambassadors. Apart from that, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain

halted air service with Iran.

Response: This article is very obviously biased towards Saudi Arabia. The author fails to mention any action that Saudi Arabia could have taken to further increase the problems with Iran, as well as any justifiable actions Iran has taken (if there are any). I respect that Saudi Arabia is trying to find a peaceful solution in the face of the terrorism and violence that Iran is bringing forth. However, while I really do respect the peaceful direction that Saudi Arabia is trying to take, I don't think it's completely realistic. After the Arab League members met and supported Saudi Arabia Iranian demonstrators responded with violence immediately. Saudi Arabia's desire for peace is very commendable but it might take force against force for Iran to back down.  

Citation: "Saudi foreign minister urges Iran to stop its current policy towards Arabs." 10 Jan. 2016. TASS. 12 Jan. 2016. <http://tass.ru/en/world/848637

Sweden and Denmark crack down on refugees at borders

Sweden and Denmark crack down on refugees at borders


Sweden and Denmark have moved to drastically reduce inward refugee flows, as

Scandinavian countries compete with each other to shed their reputations as havens for

asylum seekers.

For the first time since the 1950s, from midnight on Sunday travelers by train, bus or

boat have needed to present a valid photo ID, such as a passport, to enter Sweden from

its southern neighbor Denmark, with penalties for travel operators who fail to impose

checks. Passengers who fail to present a satisfactory document will be turned back.


"The government now considers that the current situation, with a large number of

people entering the country in a relatively short time, poses a serious threat to public

order and national security," the government said in a statement accompanying

legislation enabling the border controls.

Hours after the Swedish checks were introduced, Denmark announced it had stepped up

border controls on its southern boundary with Germany.

Sweden's move marked a turning point for the ruling coalition of Social Democrats and

Greens, which earlier presented itself as a beacon to people fleeing conflict and terror in

Asia and the Middle East.

"My Europe takes in people fleeing from war, my Europe131 does not build walls," the

Swedish prime minister, Stefan Löfven, told crowds in Stockholm on 6 September. But

three months and about 80,000 asylum seekers later, the migration minister told

parliament: "The system cannot cope."

Almost 163,000 people applied for asylum in Sweden in 2015, the highest in Europe as a

proportion Of the population. In the autumn, applications were running at 10,000 weekly.

But Stockholm has made clear it wants to slash the flow to about 1,000 a week in 2016.

Temporao,' border controls were first revealed in November, but the current legislation is

valid for three years. Announcing the U-turn in refugee policy, the deputy prime minister

burst into tears

Prof Pieter Bevelander, head Of the Malmö Institute Of Migration, Diversity and

Welfare, said: "Border controls are already in place, but the main control is when the

rurnour goes about among refugees that Sweden is not taking any more."

About 40% of asylum seekers produce a passport or other identification upon arrival in

Sweden, according to the migration board. But the figure varies according to nationality.

Among some groups, such as juvenile Afghans, very few have papers, Bevelander said.

Critics of Sweden's refugee crackdown fear it will cause a "domino effect" as countries

compete to outdo each other in their hostility to asylum seekers.

"Traditionally, Sweden has been connected to humanitarian values, and we are very

worried that the signals Sweden is sending out are that we are not that kind of country

any more," said Anna Carlstedt, president of the Red Cross in Sweden, whose staff and

volunteers have often been the first line of support for new arrivals in the country.


A refugee's journey, part 2: After risking everything to reach Europe, what next?


Denmark's liberal prime minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, said in his new year address

that the country was prepared to impose similar controls on its border with Germany, if

the Swedish passport checks left large numbers of asylum seekers stranded in Denmark.

On Monday he defended the decision to start conducting checks at the German border.

"When Other Nordic countries seal their borders it can have major consequences for

Denmark," Rasmussen said. "It can lead to more asylum seekers."

"We are simply reacting to a decision made in Sweden. We are introducing temporary

border controls but in a balanced way. This is not a happy moment at all."

The Danish controls will initially be in place for 10 days, after which they may be

extended.

A few days earlier, Rasmussen called for a debate on changes to the Geneva conventions

if Europe was unable to swiftly curb the influx of asylum seekers.

About 18,500 migrants applied for asylum in Denmark in 2015. Last month, the

government said police should be able to confiscate valuables from refugees to help

cover their costs — just one of 34 proposals aimed at tightening refugee policy.

Germany warned on Monday that the passport-free Schengen zone was in danger.

"Freedom of movement is an important principle — one of the biggest achievements lin

the European Union) in recent years," said foreign ministry spokesman Martin Schäfer.

"Schengen is very important but it is in danger."


Schäfer said it was "crucial that we in Europe find common solutions" to the worst

refugee crisis since the second world war, and said the EU must now focus on ensuring

the security Of its external borders.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said that the Schengen accord

was dependent on better protection Of the EU's frontiers.


Last week, Norway's rightwing government proposed a package Of new measures that it

claimed would make Oslo's asylum policies "among Europe's toughest". More than

35 000 asylum seekers arrived in Norway last year, compared with 11,500 in 2014.

There was considerable uncertainty about how Sweden's border controls would be

applied. "It will be interesting to see how carriers will interpret a document in Pashtu or

Dari, and according to the official Afghan calendar in which we are now in year 1394,"

Viktor Banke, an asylum lawyer in Stockholm, told daily newspaper Svenska Dagbladet.

Christina Höj Larsen, MP for the Left party, which has traditionally supported the

government but turned against it on this issue, said she was proud of what Sweden had

achieved so far, but that it still could do much more. The EU's failure to share the

responsibility for refugees should encourage Sweden to withhold its annual membership

fee of 40. Ibn kronor (E3.2bn), she said, adding: "There is strong legislation if member

countries don't follow the EU economic framework, but when countries breach the

agreements on human rights there are no sanctions."


Response: The Swedish government has always been known for its strong humanitarian views (as stated in the article) and the author of this article seems to be insinuating that because Sweden is rescinding their open door policy they are also violating their morals as a country.  However, this author doesn't talk about the threat that all European countries have to take into account after the tragedy of the Paris attacks. The Swedish government, while humanitarian in its views, is obligated to protect its own people first and foremost. However, it is clear that some of Sweden's own government officials disagree with this policy. For example, Stefan Lofven clearly states that Europe should be a safe house for all peoples and should never close its doors. I understand both sides of this issues. Is Sweden obligated to act on the possibility of more attacks? Or is Sweden obligated to open its arms and embrace a war torn and displaced people? As a Christian I have to agree with Stefan Lofven. Where would be as humans if we stopped protecting each other, helping each other, strengthening each other, and making a difference in each other's lives. The world starts to fall apart when we turn away the defenseless as mode of defense. 

 

Citation:

Crouch, David. “Sweden and Denmark crack down on refugees at borders.” 4 Jan. 2016. Guardian News and Media Limited. 4 Jan. 2015. < http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/03/sweden-to-impose-id-checks-on-travellers-from-denmark>