World News Post: Apr 24, 2011

Sunday, April 24, 2011

MEXICO - Where are the missing?

In Mexico, the National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR) recorded from December 2006 to March 2011, 5397 cases of people reported "missing or absent" rapporteEl Universal. This report was published days after the request for a UN mission for the withdrawal of the military security operations, as there are consistent reports of enforced disappearances perpetrated by the military.

Since the beginning of the war launched by the Calderón government against the drug cartels in December 2006, 34,600 people were murdered. The NHRC has identified 8,898 unidentified dead during the same period.

The Yemeni government and the opposition will accept the plan of the Cooperation Council

New York. .- Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, has accepted the proposed transition of the Gulf Cooperation Council which involves his resignation within 30 days, as reported by CNN quoting sources at the Yemeni Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Both government and opposition have agreed to a proposal by the Council, but Saleh has yet to sign the agreement, which will provide complete immunity to him and his charges in exchange for his resignation, said the source.

Arrested Italian mafia boss

Italian police arrested on Saturday in Oria (Brindisi) to Francesco Campana, 38, considered the kingpin of the Sacra Corona Unita (SCU), the mafia of the southern region of Puglia (Apulia old), according to police headquarters of Brindisi. Bell, born in the town of Mesagne, was sentenced to nine years in prison for membership of Mafia association and drug trafficking and was in hiding.

The mafia controlled the Sacra Corona Unita after ceding the post historical bosses Giuseppe and Salvatore Rogoli Buccarella. The police chief of Brindisi, Vincezo Carella, told local media that the arrest of Bell is the "final blow" to the SCU, after Dec. 28 were arrested another 18 members of the Sacra Corona Unita, which maintains relations with mafia clans in Eastern Europe and the Balkans and controls drug smuggling in that area of southern Italy.

HAITI - Martelly is elected president

"Martelly wins the elections in Haiti," the title of a newspaper in Florida. Preliminary results released by the Provisional Electoral Council on April 4, the singer popular music compass, Michel Martelly, won 67.57% of the votes and his rival, former first lady and university Mirlande Manigat, 31, 74%.

Martelly, 50, nicknamed "Sweet Micky", is expected to take office May 14 after the announcement of final results on April 16. Initially, he had not qualified for the second round, but he had finally taken the place of the government candidate, Jude Celestin, after the revelation of fraud.

U.S. makes the first attack drone in Libya

Washington. .- EE. UU. today made the first attack drone in Libya, two days after authorizing the use of aircraft "Predator" against troops loyal to leader Muammar Gaddafi, the Pentagon said in a statement. The Defense Department gave no details on the objectives of the attack and said only that had happened at noon in Libya.

The U.S. defense secretary. UU., Robert Gates, on Thursday approved sending aircraft "Predator" to Libya. The Pentagon official said the first mission was scheduled for later on Thursday, but was delayed due to bad weather. Deputy Chief of Joint Staff, General James Cartwright, told a joint news conference with Gates on Thursday that "Predator" are specially armed for more precise attacks against troops loyal to Qadhafi and cuts "at least" collateral damage in urban areas.

The Pope, media star

Benedict XVI became the first pope in history to participate in a television program. The Pope has been the star of an area of the RAI, Italian state television, pre-recorded and broadcast on Good Friday holiday, from 1410 hours, the exact time that Jesus supposedly died. [Read the transcript of the questions and answers] In the program, similar in structure to 'I have a question for you', the Pope has responded to seven questions that have arisen pre-selected audience.

GUATEMALA - New appeal against the presidential couple's divorce

A group of lawyers filed April 4 in the Supreme Court appeal to prevent the divorce of President Alvaro Colom, intended to allow his wife, Sandra Torres, to circumvent the ban on standing for president. This is the third appeal against the divorce. The lawyers believe that this approach "undermines the public interest" because it aims to "circumvent or override" a constitutional ban.

Ms. Torres justifies his request for divorce by his desire to "marry the people."

The Yemeni president has accused the opposition of wanting a civil war

Sana'a. .- Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh on Tuesday accused opposition parties of trying to move the country toward civil war instigating chaos and threatening the stability and security. Saleh made the remarks in a speech to leaders of military academies in Sana'a. "They want to move the country toward civil war and we reject it because it is not for the sake of Yemen and the region," said Saleh.

Four brothers committed suicide while in Turkey

Four brothers, aged 26 and 31, have committed suicide simultaneously in southeastern Turkey after the death of his mother, who died last week following an asthma attack, local press reports. The four brothers, two men and two women fell into a deep depression after the death of his mother, a painter and sculptor of 63 years.

The four were hanged in the country house of the family, in four different rooms simultaneously. Speaking to reporters, the father, Necdet Sagocak, adding that his four children, with whom he had little contact, and warned last week that they intended to commit suicide, so he decided to send them to the field house family in the province of Kahramanmaras.

PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES - A theater director killed in Jenin

The Palestinian-Israeli actor Juliano Mer-Khamis, director and activist for peace, well known, was killed April 4 in Jenin, the Israeli newspaper ad. A masked person was shot five times on the actor, who was in his car, the newspaper said. Juliano Mer-Khamis ran the Freedom Theatre, founded by his mother, Arna Mer, as the Theatre of stones during the first Intifada and located in the Jenin refugee camp.

At least 15 killed in ambushes and booby traps of Gadhafi troops

Cairo. .- At least 15 people were killed and 31 others were injured as a result of ambushes and booby traps left by the troops of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi his departure from Misrata, a rebel spokesman said on the pan-Arab network Al Jazeera. "I received information that 15 people have been made martyrs and 31 others are injured as a result of the ambushes of the brigades Gaddafi", said Abu Abdel Basset Mezerik.

Political confrontation in France Schengen

The French left and right faced by the initiative of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, to suspend the implementation of the Schengen Agreement of free movement within the European Union for situations like the massive influx of Tunisians. Lionnel Luca, a member of Sarkozy's party, held that the Treaty of Schengen agreement is a minimum in view of the extent of the problems "and that the idea of suspension" is a way to alert the other Member States EU seems to play Pontius Pilate.

BOLIVIA - Arrest of a boss and opponent

A Bolivian prosecutor ordered the detention on April 4 for embezzlement of a major business leaders of the country, who ran against the current head of state, Evo Morales, during the 2009 presidential election. Samuel Doria Medina was arrested for "anti-economic behavior" on the redemption of shares of the cement Fancesa state, privatized in 1999.

His party has denounced "a political measure, without any legal basis", while the power mad had something to do with this arrest.

U.S. makes its first attack with unmanned warplanes on Libya

Washington .- The United States has made its first attack on Saturday with a Predator drone on Libyan territory, as confirmed by the Department of Defense. The official communication from the Pentagon does not include any details of the operation, except that took place early afternoon local time in Libya.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday that President Barack Obama had approved the use of these Predator. "Obama has approved the use of armed Predator," said Gates, referring to an aircraft system is already used, for example, on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the attack could be more "precision" forces of the regime of Muammar Gaddafi.

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Shops shut in protest Saleh Yemen

Yemenis closed shops and businesses on Saturday to protest against the regime of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Up to 90% of stores, markets and schools were closed in the southern port city of Aden, a witness said. The streets were almost deserted. Many businesses also closed during the day in Taiz, Yemen's third largest city and epicenter of the opposition to Saleh, and in Hodeidah on the Red Sea.

ITALY - Rome recognizes the Libyan National Transitional Council

"Italy recognizes the rebels," as the daily. Having received on April 4, Ali Al-Issawi, a representative of the National Transitional Council of Libya, the Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini acknowledged the NLC as the only legitimate interlocutor for the Italian authorities. Rome does not also to arm opponents of Gadhafi.

Frattini urged the international community remains united, while an envoy Gaddafi is currently touring Europe.

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France condemns the "extreme violence" of the Syrian security forces

Paris .- The French foreign minister, Alain Juppe, condemned the "extreme violence" of the security forces against anti-government protests on Friday which reportedly killed at least 88 people. "France condemns the extreme violence exerted by the Syrian security forces have killed many peaceful demonstrators on April 22.

Those responsible for these crimes must answer for their acts," Juppe said in an official statement issued on Saturday. Juppe also criticized the "indiscriminate and brutal repression" In "in conflict" with the recent announcement of the lifting of emergency rule. "We urge the Syrian authorities to renounce the use of violence and respect human rights and fundamental freedoms of its citizens in accordance with its international commitments, in particular the right to peaceful protest and freedom of the press," continues the text published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A 6.9-magnitude earthquake shook the Solomon Islands

An earthquake measuring 6.9 degrees on the Richter scale rocked the Solomon Islands, South Pacific, but the authorities have reports of casualties or damage. Nor has launched the tsunami alert. The epicenter of the quake was located 81 kilometers deep, 77 kilometers west of the island of Kira Kira and 171 miles southeast of Honiara, the capital, said U.S.

Geological Survey, which monitors seismic activity worldwide. Solomon Islands, east of Papua New Guinea, are based on the "Ring of Fire" Pacific, an area of great seismic and volcanic activity recorded about 7,000 earthquakes each year, most moderate. In April 2007, an earthquake of 8.1 magnitude on the Richter scale triggered a tsunami that killed 30 people and flattened part of the town of Gizo in this archipelago.

UNITED STATES - Obama changes his tune about Guantanamo

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others suspected of organizing the attacks of September 11, 2001 will be tried before a military tribunal at Guantanamo. The Obama administration and back on his intention to have them tried by a court of law in New York, said the daily. The Minister of Justice, referring to the ban imposed by Congress to transfer detainees from Guantanamo on U.S.

soil, said they could not further delay the trial.

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The rebels control Misrata while NATO bombing resumed

Tripoli / Cairo - The militias opposed to the Libyan regime of Muammar al-Gaddafi in the city of Misrata recovered strategic parts of the city as the central hospital and the bridge of the town, near the western approaches of the city, while continuing the NATO bombings, Al Jazeera reported today. The hospital, which was being renovated, was used by the troops of Gaddafi as a strategic point.

Parent of Nantes, wanted as a witness

The Office of the French city of Nantes has issued an international warrant against Xavier Dupont search of Ligonnès, father of the family whose mother and four children were found dead in suspicious circumstances in that city. It is not, however, an arrest warrant, since the investigation opened by the killings are being carried out "against X", said prosecutor Xavier Ronsin.

In any case, it broadens the search initiated recently. The "star witness" of the process must be subject to a confrontation of the version with the "working hypothesis" of researchers, as stated by the prosecutor. Xavier Dupont Ligonnès was last seen in the town of Roquebrune-sur-Argens, southeast of the country, last April 15.

JAPAN - Reassure people

In a daily life of a city located near the central Fukushima Daiichi Figure intervention of the dean of the University of Tohoku. He tries to reassure a population increasingly concerned about the consequences of the nuclear accident. As highlighted in the newspaper, "there is no need to flee the city," because the radiation levels recorded are not hazardous to health.

Nevertheless, concerns remain and it is useful to reinforce the information to enable people to better understand the reality of the situation.

Yemen paralyzing his business in protest against Salé

Aden .- Much of the Yemeni merchants have closed their businesses in protest against President Ali Abdullah Saleh, particularly in the port city of Aden, where 90% of businesses have ceased its activity. Similarly, many businesses in the cities of Hodeidah and Taiz, one of the core of the protests, are closed to the public after yesterday's merger in favor and against Sale, who has accepted the Arab plan to transfer power in a period of three months.

Pressure on Syria after the bloodiest day

"Extremely concerned." This showed on Friday U.S., France and Britain after the 'Great Friday' in Syria, the largest demonstration against the regime of Bashar Assad, has become the bloodiest day since the protests began against the regime with at least 112 demonstrators killed by security forces in Asad, according to a list published by the group 'The Syrian Revolution' in their social network site Facebook.

RUSSIA - Politics and business: the end of cumulation

President Dmitry Medvedev has asked all ministers and presidential administration officials to leave their seats on boards of directors of large public sector companies before October 1, 2011, reported the daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta. The initiative is part of the ten measures to promote investment and end the excessive influence of the state over the economy.

It relates directly to several top officials, including the Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin, Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin, Minister of Defence Anatoly Serdyukov and Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko.

Amounted to 112 dead by the protests on Friday in Syria

Cairo .- 112 people were killed in Syria, in the bloodiest day of protests since the start of demonstrations against the regime of Bashar al-Assad, according to figures from opposition activists. This information was provided by the group Revolution against Syria Bashar al-Assad, in his social network site Facebook, which includes the identity of the 112 fatalities.

"Most of the names have been confirmed," the message. During the day yesterday, billed as the Great Friday, there were demonstrations against the regime of Assad in many parts of the country. According to human rights activists, many of which were repressed and killed by police and plainclothes agents.

The Hungarian government denies Roma flee

Hungary Around 400 police took Friday afternoon Gyöngyöspata village, a town of about 2,800 inhabitants in northern Iraq after that international agencies alleged that several hundreds of Roma were fleeing in buses from a paramilitary group. Several members of the extreme right, including their leader, Tamás Eszes, were arrested and, after interrogation, the Hungarian government spokesman, Peter Szijjarto, has denied that there has been any threat against the Roma.

Lifestyle - Hard drive to be green

Can we reconcile a Western lifestyle while respecting the environment? Hardly, says the Sueddeutsche Zeitung. And vote for Green parties is not sufficient to resolve a contradiction which saw a growing number of Europeans, as evidenced by the surge of the Greens in Germany.

Northern Ireland put on alert for fear of further attacks

London .- The Northern Ireland police has intensified security checks in the province amid fears that dissident republican groups attempting to commit a bombing during the weekend. The measure has been taken three weeks after the police Ronan Kerr, Catholic 25, was killed in Omagh (Northern Ireland West) after a bomb attached to his car, an act that was allegedly perpetrated by dissident republicans.

A car leaves 2 dead in procession in Portugal

At least two people were killed and eight wounded, four of them seriously, after a car entered in a procession descontralado Easter in Vila do Marão Chã in Amarante municipality in northern Portugal. Lusos state media reported the arrival of a car driven by a young neighbor in the Holy Friday procession without knowing even the causes of the accident.

The authorities indicated that they have arrested the driver of the car, who was subjected to interrogation.

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AFGHANISTAN - Violence and Misbehaviour too

April 1, some Afghans have reacted sharply to the burning of a Koran by an American minister orchestrated [Terry Jones] in Florida on March 20. In some districts, there were peaceful protests after Friday prayers to condemn the evil acts of this pastor. But in the city of Mazar-e-Sharif, the Reaver and the conspirators were introduced among the demonstrators, their pure feelings manipulated, attacked the UN headquarters and committed crimes [7 UN employees and 4 demonstrators were killed].

Obama accuses Syria to cooperate with Iran to quell protests

Barcelona (Editorial and agencies) .- The bloodbath continues in Syria. At least twelve civilians have been killed during the funeral for the protesters died during the protests on Friday, as reported by the Syrian Organization for Human Rights Sawasiah defense. This independent group says the deaths have occurred in Damascus and its environs and the town of Izra in the south, scene of events this Saturday in memory of the deceased have become demonstrations against the regime ..

Ouattara attempts to stabilize Ivory Coast

The president of Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara, on Friday ordered the soldiers from all parts of the African country to return to their barracks in an effort to restore stability in the country. Ouattara came to power after a disputed election, and after his opponent Laurent Gbagbo, who refused to leave the government, was arrested last week.

"As commander in chief of the armed forces, ordered all combat units to withdraw to their barracks and bases of origin, either in North or South, that is the order of the generals Ouattara senior throughout the country. "Combat units should return to their barracks and the law and order will be maintained by the police and security officers," he announced.

JAPAN - This is (probably) here to stay

"It is inevitable that accidents will Fuskushima Daiichi sequelae in the long term, can be counted in months," he said during his press conference Yukio Edano, secretary general of the government. To protect residents of Fukushima between 20 and 30 km from the plant that must remain locked inside their homes, he said the government will take greater security measures, reports the Mainichi Shimbun.

Terry Jones passed briefly through the prison because they "provoke violence"

Dearborn .- The Rev. Terry Jones has been jailed briefly on Friday after a jury in Michigan has ruled that the protest against plans to hold the largest mosque in America "could provoke violence." Jones and his most important follower, Wayne Sapp, have been released after paying bail of one dollar each.

Jones was jailed after refusing to pay bail of one dollar that was imposed by Judge Mark Somers, who also ordered him to stay away from the Islamic Center of America during the next three years, as reported by the newspaper online The Huffington Post. On 20 March, Sapp, an evangelical pastor, set fire to a copy of the Koran in a small church in Florida.

McCain calls in Benghazi that recognizes rebels

U.S. Senator John McCain, on a visit this Friday in the rebel stronghold Libya, Benghazi, has asked the "international community" to recognize and arming the insurgents. On the streets of Benghazi, hundreds of people have welcomed the visit of the senator, who has called for the shipment of arms to rebel.

"They need weapons and training," he insisted. Shortly thereafter, Admiral Michael Mullen replied in a press conference in Baghdad: "That will not come." McCain has come this morning to Libya's second city, just a day after it was learned that the U.S. has approved sending drones ('drones', the same used against Taliban strongholds) against the forces gadafistas.

GERMANY - 10 years is enough!

After three losses to the three regional elections last month, the Liberal Party President and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle (FDP) announced April 3 that he would not run for another term as head of his party during the Rostock Congress 13-15 May This concludes for him ten years as president of the FDP.

And if his successor is a member of the government, he will transfer his duties as vice-chancellor, he added the next day. The idea that Westerwelle is responsible for "the miserable state of the FDP" is unanimously recognized the tageszeitung, but it is "too simplistic". "The next leader of the FDP will also explain the three election defeats to come [including Berlin 18 September]." In reality, the paper explains AC Berlin, "the big problem of the FDP is the success of liberalism: the Greens and Christian Democrats (CDU) are just as guarantors and the Greens may well play the role extra party in a coalition government.

Socrates raises in polls

The puzzle is further complicated Portuguese. Polls smiling prime minister, socialist Jose Socrates, two weeks after I had to ask the international rescue. All recent surveys agree that the conservative Passos Coelho loses bellows and Socrates is recovered before the legislative elections of 5 June. This surprising development is because the speech may be catching on victims of the government and the chain of errors from the opposition, while not yet know the sacrifices that involve budget external assistance.

France looks to suspend the Schengen agreement

The Elysee is considering suspending its commitments under the Schengen agreement on free travel across borders within the European Union due to the flow of immigrants because of Arab riots are coming to Italy, has said a source close to the presidency French. "We feel we need to think about a mechanism that allows us, when there is a systematic disorder of the external borders of the European Union, to intervene with a temporary suspension [of our commitments] the duration of the disorder," said the fountain.