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Monday, July 30, 2012

Syrian rebel colonel warns of massacre in Aleppo


The military chief of the rebels in the embattled Aleppo, Abdel Jabbar al-Okaidi, has accused the government forces, a "huge massacres" in the metropolis of the north-west Syria, want to serve. "We call upon the international community to intervene to prevent these crimes," the officer had defected to the opposition, the news agency AFP said in the interview conducted around Aleppo. Despite a major military offensive, the Syrian government troops, the first commercial center in Aleppo are not able to bring back under its control. The army seized the town in northwestern Syria was the second consecutive day with tanks, artillery and helicopters on, but to say the insurgents fought in several areas, such as an AFP reporter reported from Aleppo. "Aleppo is the grave of the tanks of the regime," said al-Okaidi, which now belongs to a Syrian army commander of the rebel Free (FSA)."We are ready to overthrow the regime." He called on the West to set up a no-fly zone. With the help of such area, the FSA will bring the government of President Bashar al-Assad soon to fall. Give the armed rebels and deserters formed from FSA in the fight to Aleppo no "strategic retreat," said al-Okaidi. "We are waiting for the attack." The number of rebels fighting in the city he did not specify. This was a "military secret". The government army could "be used only from a distance, bombing cities and destroying houses," their aircraft and artillery. She was not able to penetrate into the center of Aleppo. "We are all over the city, and we have weapons to defend ourselves against the helicopter attacks," said al-Okaidi. According to a rebel who gave his name to Abu Alaa, the army began shelling the area continued Salaheddin, where the rebels had repulsed the day before a ground offensive. Salaheddin is one of the strongholds of the insurgents in Aleppo. In addition, there was fighting in the neighborhoods of Bab al-Nasr, Bab al-Jadid and historic old town. In the narrow alleys and covered markets other than the listed world heritage area, the army could not use their tanks, said Abu Alaa. The remaining inhabitants of Aleppo sought shelter from the shelling in cellars from tanks and helicopters, as the AFP reporter said. The insurgents in Salaheddin tried to take a strategically located police station to connect to rebels in the neighboring district Sachur. In view of the fighting in Aleppo Syria, said the international Kofi Annan's special representative government troops and rebels to adhere to international humanitarian law. He would urge all parties to avoid any further bloodshed, Annan said in Geneva. The President of the Syrian opposition National Council (SNC), Abdel Basset Sajda, urged friendly countries to supply the FSA with weapons. "We want weapons, which would stop the tanks and combat aircraft," said Sajda. President Assad must be held accountable for the "massacre" of Syrians in court of responsibility. The pro-government newspaper "Al-Watan" wrote that the government had "a very difficult operation," begun in Aleppo, to liberate "the people from the hands of the delegates from different parts of the world's terrorists." According to the AFP reporter fought on the side of the rebels formed from so-called foreign fighters brigade of United Mujahideen. According to the rebels affiliated Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in London alone were killed on Saturday 168 people nationwide, including 94 civilians, 41 soldiers and 33 rebels. On Sunday, therefore, four people died in the fighting. In addition to Aleppo, there was also the organization that fights for the headquarters of the police in the rebel stronghold of Homs.

Romney, seeking international prestige, Israel talks on Iran

"Like you, we are very concerned about the development of Iran's nuclear capabilities, and find it unacceptable that Iran becomes a nuclear weapon bearing the nation," he told reporters before a meeting with President Shimon Peres. "The threat that this could pose to Israel, the region and the world is unacceptable," said Romney, who arrived on Saturday night Israel. Republican candidate of outgoing President rival Barack Obama in the elections next month November, spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Iran's nuclear program, accused by Israel and the West, despite its denials, of wanting to produce nuclear weapons. Romney said he had discussed with the head of the Israeli government "measures additional "can be taken to convince Iran to cease" its nuclear madness "in his statements made ​​by Israeli public radio. Netanyahu said it was important to have "a strong and credible military threat, coupled with sanctions, for a chance to change the situation. " He insisted that sanctions and diplomacy "have not stopped at all the Iranian program." Romney should make a statement of foreign policy and meet with Israeli opposition leaders and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. The Republican candidate, that has continued to criticize the policy "weak and wrong" in the Middle East of outgoing Democratic president Barack Obama had declared in June that if elected will do "the opposite" of his rival. In January, Obama said that "Israel had thrown under the bus "to raise the 1967 borders as a starting point for negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Barack Obama, meanwhile, said Friday its support for Israel. solemn Under the Oval Office, surrounded by representatives of pro-Israel lobby AIPAC and U.S. lawmakers, Obama signed a bill that strengthens cooperation on security and defense with the Jewish state and reaffirmed its support "unchanged" to the country. At 100 days of the great U.S. election day President Barack Obama holds a fragile lead over Republican rival Mitt Romney, while still at the mercy of volatile economic events, which may be crucial for his reelection.

Background: The Kurds

The Kurds are a nation of 25 million people without their own state. Their settlement area is around 500 000 square kilometers, roughly the size of France. Most Kurds live in Turkey (at least 12 million), Iraq (nearly 5 million, Iran (5.5 million) and Syria (move up to 1.3 million). Other Kurds in Armenia and Azerbaijan. Turkey is fighting the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (Partiya Karkeren Kurdistan, PKK) since 1984, with bloody attacks and bombings for their own state or at least autonomy. Died in the conflict so far up to 40 000 people. The European Union classify the PKK as a terrorist group and successor organizations. In the wake of EU accession talks in Ankara gave the Kurds more cultural rights, concessions were made for greater autonomy, however. There have been repeated attacks on Kurdish extremists on Turkish security forces. Northern Iraq is considered PKK safe haven. Multiple attacked the Turkish army will be presumed to Kurdish positions.Since the end of the reign of Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi Kurds manage their affairs in a largely autonomous region itself. Their settlement area contains rich oil deposits. Economic advances have improved the situation of the Kurds in the bloody power struggle between Sunnis and Shiites state clearly shaken. Thousands of Syrian Kurds were fleeing the fighting in their homeland in northern Iraq. The Syrian Kurds live mainly in the north of the country along the border with Turkey. Parts of the Kurds joined the opposition to President Bashar al-Assad, others hold him. Of a new leadership in Damascus, Assad's opponents promise more autonomy and cultural rights. The Kurd living in exile in Sweden since June Abdel Baset Saida leads the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC). According to the Syrian Kurdish Future movement, the PKK, now controlled parts of northern Syria. Many leaders of the PKK are Syrian Kurds. Since 1999 in Turkey, a life sentence verbüßende former PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan lived undisturbed for years in Damascus.

Nearly 90 deaths and extensive damage by flooding in North Korea

At least 90 dead and 134 injured so far stopped the flooding caused by heavy rains that hit North Korea last week. Meanwhile, some 63,000 people lost their homes during the Typhoon Khanun, which hit the week passed to the southwest. Material losses were enormous: more than 17,000 buildings destroyed or flooded ended, while 30,000 acres of farmland washed away. In addition, 60 factories were damaged and many roads are impassable. The disaster not only accentuates the drama of thousands of people in North Korea, one of the poorest countries. According to the UN, 16 million people, two thirds of the population are malnourished or have guaranteed access to food. It is also one of the world's most isolated nations, following the international dispute over its missile program and nuclear weapons.

University of Oxford change dress codes


Men may wear skirts and women dress in examinations of the British University of Oxford, after modifying the academic institution their dress codes for students not to discriminate against transsexuals. According to records the agency DPA, citing the British media, the new rules allow students to attend examination or formal acts are not subject to wear formal clothing specified by sex. The old dress code stipulated that students should wear a dark suit and socks, black shoes and white shirt under a black cloak. For women dictated a dark skirt or trousers, socks and black shoes, white blouse and a black tie around the neck. The new law will take effect next week. Jess Pumphrey, the group representing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, told the British press that "the decision means less stress for many students when going to a test." "A transgender students exams no longer have to go in disguise to avoid being punished"

U.S. drone kills 11 in Pakistan caused

The drone bombing left 11 Americans dead and an undetermined number of wounded in the Pakistani region of North Waziristan. According to local television, a home, allegedly by insurgents, was totally destroyed and the victims are civilians. Another air strike near the site, the information added, destroyed a vehicle and killed four people. The drone bombings have caused protests even in Pakistani official circles, since most of the victims are civilians and run in regions near the Afghan border.