Iraq army recaptures al-Hamra village

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Army officials in Iraq say the military has regained the control of a village in Salahuddin Province from ISIL militants operating in the country.

According to Iraqi officials, the army seized the village of al-Hamra, situated near the northern city of Tikrit.

The army forces also recaptured parts of a road that linked a military base to the Baiju refinery.

Reports say a number of militants were killed in the clashes with the army.

Meanwhile, army forces killed more than 20 militants in the eastern areas of the city of Fallujah and destroyed a number of their vehicles in the region.

The ISIL Takfiris have taken control of large swathes of Iraq since capturing Mosul on June 10. 

The ISIL terrorists have been committing heinous crimes in the captured areas, including the mass execution of civilians and Iraqi security forces.

SZH/HJL/HMV

Morsi probed on ‘data transfer’ to Qatar

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Egypt is probing reports that deposed President Mohamed Morsi allegedly provided national security-related documents to Qatar.

State news agency MENA reported on Wednesday that Egypt has opened an investigation into reports that Morsi handed over to Qatar “documents relevant to national security.”

Morsi is accused of providing the documents via the Doha-based Al-Jazeera TV during his presidency.

Egypt has already charged three Al-Jazeera journalists with supporting the Muslim Brotherhood movement, with which Morsi is affiliated and which was declared a “terrorist organization” by the interim government last December. The journalists are also charged with fabricating footage to harm Egypt’s security.

Back in March, Egypt’s Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim also accused Morsi’s secretary Amin El-Serafi of leaking documents regarding the army, its armaments and the deployment of its troops, to a chief editor of Al-Jazeera.

Morsi is already facing the death penalty for several charges. He was toppled in a military coup led by Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Egypt’s current president and then army commander, in July, 2013.

Sisi is accused of leading the suppression of anti-government protesters and Muslim Brotherhood supporters as hundreds of them have been killed in clashes with Egyptian security forces.

Rights groups say the army’s crackdown on the supporters of Morsi has left over 1,400 people dead and over 15,000 others arrested. Some 200 people have also been sentenced to death in mass trials.

International bodies and rights groups have already denounced the rulings as a grotesque example of the shortcomings of Egypt’s justice system.

The UN Human Rights Council has also repeatedly expressed concern over the Egyptian security forces’ heavy-handed crackdown and the killing of peaceful anti-government protesters.

MOS/HJL

‘Iran contributing to Iraq peace, unity’

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A political analyst has highlighted the significance of a recent visit to Iraq by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, saying it would contribute to the promotion of unity and peace in the Arab country.

 “…such visits by the Iranian foreign minister would definitely assist and help” ease “tension and would emphasize on the unity of Iraq,” Sa’ad al-Muttalibi, from the State of Law Coalition from Baghdad, told Press TV in an interview on Wednesday.

The commentator described Zarif’s trip as “very important,” saying it took place at “a very important time when Iraq is trying to form a unity government.

Al-Muttalibi also said the Iranian foreign minister’s trip to Iraq’s Kurdistan would underline “the importance of the role that Kurdistan regional government can play in unifying Iraq and the continuous struggle and battle against ISIL” terrorists in the Arab country.

Zarif traveled to Iraq on Sunday and held talks with high-ranking Iraqi officials, including President Fuad Masum, Prime Minister-designate Haider al-Abadi, Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, outgoing Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri and head of National Iraqi Alliance, Ibrahim al-Jaafari.

The top Iranian diplomat also sat down with a number of Iraqi Shia clerics, including Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.

The Iranian foreign minister traveled to Iraq’s Kurdistan region on Tuesday on the second leg of his two-day visit to the Arab country and held talks with top officials of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), including President Masoud Barzani, in Erbil, to discuss the threat posed by Takfiri ISIL militants to the region.

Addressing a joint press conference with Zarif in the day, President of Iraq’s KRG Masoud Barzani hailed Iran for supporting Iraqi Kurds in their fight against Takfiri ISIL militants.

Iraqi Kurds would never forget Tehran’s support that came at a crucial timing without any expectation for reciprocation, he said.

Barzani also underlined the need to continue fighting ISIL terrorists and said the final defeat of the Takfiri militants is only possible through joint efforts on the part of all regional countries.

Iraq has faced turmoil caused by the ISIL in the north and west since early June. The crisis deteriorated in recent weeks, as the militants swept over new towns in the north, forcing members of the minorities out of their homes.

The ISIL terrorists have threatened various communities, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds, Christians and Izadi Kurds, as they continue their atrocities in Iraq.

YH/NN/HMV

 

Internet outage affects millions in US

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A problem during routine maintenance has knocked millions of Time Warner Cable subscribers off Internet.

On Wednesday morning, an estimated 11 million subscribers were hit by the early morning outage, which lasted more than hour.

The company has said the problem affected all of its markets and started at 4:30 a.m. and was largely restored by 6 a.m.

Time Warner Cable has about 11.4 million high-speed data subscribers in 29 states nationwide.

“During an overnight network maintenance activity in which we were managing IP addresses, an erroneous configuration was propagated throughout our national backbone, resulting in a network outage,” the company has said in a statement.

“We immediately identified and corrected the root cause of the issue and restored service by 7:30 am ET (Eastern Time).

“We apologize for any inconvenience this caused our customers. A failure of this size is very serious and we are taking the necessary steps to improve our processes with the objective of making sure this doesn’t happen again.”

The outage sparked widespread complaints on social networks.

Tim Farrar, an analyst at TMF Associates, has said there are major outages of at least one telecom provider every year, although typically they are not national.

HN/HN

US torture photos may be released

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Some 2,000 pictures depicting how US soldiers tortured their inmates during their occupation of Iraq in detention facilities across the Arab country including in Baghdad’s notorious Abu Ghraib prison may be released.

An American federal judge in New York has said he may order the government to release the photos because he believes the US government has failed to prove how releasing the photographs could put the lives of Americans abroad in danger.

“During the course of this litigation, I have reviewed some of these photographs and I know that many of these photographs are relatively innocuous while others need more serious consideration, “said US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein.

Hellerstein, however, added that he will order the photographs released unless the US Department of Defense presents convincing proof, during a hearing scheduled for September 8, that why the photos should remain secret.

The Defense Department is yet to comment on the ruling.

He also accused ex-defense secretary Leon Panetta of not reviewing each individual photograph before prohibiting the release of them back in 2012.

Abu Ghraib prison scandal came to public attention following a report by Amnesty International just months after the American occupation of Iraq in 2003. The human rights organization said US forces conducted serious human rights violations against the inmates in prisons in Iraq.

In 2004, a number of leaked photographs showed how American forces in charge of the prison abused, humiliated and tortured their prisoners in Iraq. The images sparked public debate over the harsh treatment of inmates by American forces. 

DT/DT

UK not mulling joining US Syria raids

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UK government sources have expressed surprise at US press reports identifying Britain as a willing participant in a joint airstrike campaign against the ISIL terrorists in Syria.

“Our focus has not been on air strikes. It is not under discussion at the moment,” said a British government spokeswoman on Wednesday, saying that the UK would not deploy combat troops to Iraq.

Moreover, Downing Street further made clear that there had been no request from Washington for Britain to contribute to planned airstrikes against the Takfiri terrorist group, yet.

“We have been working together with the US already in terms of providing surveillance,” the spokesperson said, adding, however, that the UK is not currently cooperating with the US on airstrikes.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said last week that “Britain is not going to get involved in another war in Iraq.”

“We are not going to be putting boots on the ground. We are not going to be sending in the British army,” he emphasized.

The British response followed a report by The New York Times citing unnamed US officials as saying that Britain and Australia would be willing to join an air campaign against the ISIL elements in Iraq and Syria.

According to reports, the US is poised to ask Britain and Australia to support planned airstrikes in northern Iraq.

The US has begun reconnaissance flights over Syria in preparation for a possible cross-border expansion of its aerial campaign against the ISIL terrorists in Iraq.

US President Barack Obama is set to authorize airstrikes and aid drops around the Iraqi town of Amerli, home of Iraq’s Turkmen minority, where 12,000 people have been under siege by ISIL extremists for two months.

US authorities have compared that siege to the similar humanitarian crisis faced by the thousands of Izadis who were trapped on Mount Sinjar.

Nickolay Mladenov, the United Nations special representative for Iraq, has said that the situation in Amerli “demands immediate action to prevent the possible massacre of its citizens.”

MFB/HJL

First UN aid convoy arrives in Gaza

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A United Nations (UN) humanitarian aid convoy carrying food for about 150,000 people has arrived at the Gaza Strip, a first such arrival since Israel imposed its blockade on the Palestinian enclave in 2007.

On Wednesday, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) convoy entered the Rafah crossing through Alexandria, Egypt.

“The opening of the Rafah crossing for humanitarian aid provides a major opportunity to scale up aid delivery to Gaza and needs to be sustained,” WFP Country Director Pablo Recalde said.

The convoy of eight trucks held 15,600 food parcels.

According to the UN body, the convoy included ready-to-eat canned meat, canned beans, tea and dates. The food is expected to be enough for five days.

“It is extremely important that we have access to the Gaza Strip from different routes including the Rafah crossing to ensure a constant flow of humanitarian supplies to meet the growing needs of the people affected by the recent violence,” WFP Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia and East Europe Mohamed Diab said.

The UN group said that it needs about $70 million to continue the mission over the next three months.

An Egyptian-brokered truce between Palestinian resistance groups and Israel came into effect on August 26, ending some 50 days of Israeli military attacks on Gaza.

The Palestinians demanded the removal of the Israeli blockade on Gaza, the opening of Gaza crossings, the release of Palestinian prisoners, as well as provisions of a guarantee that Palestinian demands will be met.

Almost 2,140 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including women, children and elderly people, were killed in the Israeli onslaught on Gaza. Around 11,000 others were injured.

SZH/HJL/HMV

Thai court drops charges against ex-PM

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A Thai criminal court has dismissed charges of murder and abuse of power against former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his then deputy Suthep Thaugsuban.

The two had been accused of pushing security forces to carry out murder and attempted murder during a military crackdown on opposition protests in 2010.

More than 90 people were killed and nearly 1,900 wounded in street clashes between “Red Shirt” protesters and security forces in Bangkok four years ago. The Red Shirts were demanding snap elections, saying Abhisit’s government took office undemocratically in 2008 through a parliamentary vote.

The court in the capital, Bangkok, however, said on Tuesday that it did not have jurisdiction to hear the case because the two suspects had been holders of public office at the time and acting under an emergency ruling.

It said the only court with the authority to consider the allegations was the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions.

“So the criminal court decided today to dismiss the two charges,” a judge said.

The surprise ruling comes three months after the military seized power from Abhisit’s political rival Pheu Thai Party in a coup. Thailand’s Constitutional Court removed former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from office on May 7 for abusing power.

Thailand has been the scene of a political crisis since the 2006 military coup that deposed Yingluck’s elder brother Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire tycoon-turned-populist politician who clashed with the then royalist establishment.

The development of democracy in Thailand has been interrupted by 19 actual or attempted coups since 1932.

MOS/HJL

FBI examining hack attack on JPMorgan

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The US Federal Bureau of Investigation is examining a case, in which hackers believed to be from Russia broke into the computer systems of JPMorgan Chase and a second US bank.

The attacks took place earlier in the month and the FBI is looking to see whether they were carried out in retaliation for US sanctions against Moscow.

A report on Bloomberg.com said Wednesday that the FBI is investigating an incident in which Russian hackers attacked the US financial system this month in possible retaliation against US government-sponsored sanctions aimed at Russia.

The attack, Bloomberg said, led to the loss of sensitive data. Bloomberg cited security experts saying that the attack appeared “far beyond the capability of ordinary criminal hackers.”

“We are working with the United States Secret Service to determine the scope of recently reported cyber attacks against several American financial institutions,” said FBI spokesman J. Peter Donald in New York.

A JPMorgan spokeswoman did not confirm the specific case, but said in a statement that “Companies of our size unfortunately experience cyber attacks nearly every day.”

“We have multiple layers of defense to counteract any threats and constantly monitor fraud levels.”

The New York Times, citing people familiar with the matter, said JPMorgan Chase and at least four other firms were hit this month by coordinated attacks that siphoned off huge amounts of data, including checking and savings account information.

HN/HN

Bahraini HRO Launch a Campaign for the Release of Blind Detainee

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Nine Bahraini human rights organizations, along with human rights activists in Bahrain, have launched a campaign for the release of the blind Bahraini detainee Jafar Matooq, who is in urgent need of medical treatment.

This campaign was launched as a result of the deteriorating situation in general, found in Bahraini prisons, and particularly concerning the lack of medical treatment provided for prisoners. Many of the prisoners live in a constant state of crisis out of a neglect for their health by the prison administration.

 Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Cultural and Social Rights states that “everyone has the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health”[1], which Bahrain has ratified. The Standard Minimim Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners also states that “Sick prisoners who require specialist treatment shall be transferred to specialized institutions or to civil hospitals (article 22.2). Furthermore, the government of Bahrain has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, in which article 10 states that “all persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person.[2]

The undersigned NGOs and individuals believe that the human rights situation in Bahrain has reached a point where civil society and human rights organizations are not able to document all abuses against individuals that are occurring. Therefore, the undersigned group of human rights organizations, civil society institutions, activists and bloggers in Bahrain and abroad have adopted the case of the blind detainee, Jafar Matooq, through a human rights media campaign that will include several events, which will be announced soon. We hope that this campaign will empower others to adopt similar techniques to ensure that the rights of all detainees are respected, and treated as individuals.

Jafar Matooq, lost vision in both of his eyes in an accidental explosion. He was later sentenced to ten years in prison in a trial that lacked the international standards of due process. Matooq was not present at the trial, but receiving medical treatment in the hospital. In May 2014, a court decision was issued for him to be examined by an eye specialist to assess his health. He has yet to been allowed to visit the eye specialist, and his lawyer has subsequently submitted a complaint against the Criminal Investigations.  

This campaign calls for his unconditional release from prison, and immediate access to adequate medical treatment outside of Bahrain in order to attempt to recover his sight in as far as this is still possible.
The undersigned organizations hope for an extensive interaction with this campaign including its programs and events to succeed and to establish a collective action to defend the victims and try to let them receive their rights and to stop the injustice actions against them. The campaign will be launched on 19 August 2014.

– Human rights organisations participating in the campaign:

– Bahrain Human Rights Observatory

– Bahrain Human Rights Society

– Bahrain Center for Human Rights

– Bahrain Salam for Human Rights

– Bahrain Forum for Human Rights

– Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights

– European-Bahraini Organisation for Human Rights


– “BRAVO” Organisation


– “I am free” Campaign


– The family of Jafar Matooq


– Human rights activists

 

[1] Article 12, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, UN General Assembly, 1966

[2] Article 10, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, UN General Assembly, 1966

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