Sunday, September 1, 2013
Ban deplores attack on Iranian exile camp north of Baghdad
UN News Center
1 September 2013 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today condemned an attack on an Iranian exile camp near the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, and urged the Government to launch an investigation into what happened.
“The Secretary-General deplores the tragic events in Camp Ashraf today that have reportedly left 47 killed,” his spokesperson said in a statement. “He expresses his sorrow and extends his deepest condolences to the families of the victims.”
Iraqi authorities have confirmed that medical support is being delivered to the Camp, according to the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).
Syria: samples collected at site of alleged chemical weapons use to be sent to labs tomorrow – UN
1 September 2013 – Samples collected by the United Nations chemical weapons inspection team in Syria will begin to be transferred to laboratories tomorrow, according to a spokesperson for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
“The whole process will be done strictly adhering to the highest established standards of verification recognized by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons [OPCW],” spokesperson Martin Nesirky told reporters in New York following a telephone call between Mr. Ban and Dr. Åke Sellström, the head of the inspection team.
Mr. Ban asked Mr. Sellström to expedite the mission's analysis of the samples and information it had obtained “without jeopardizing the scientific timelines required for accurate analysis and to report the results to him as soon as possible,” Mr. Nesirky said, adding that they had discussed ways to further accelerate the analysis.
Cambodia Ruling Party Criticizes Opposition Rally
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling party criticized the opposition's plan to hold a massive protest against last month's election results, saying Thursday that a disruptive demonstration was not in the country's interest.
In a rare statement, the Cambodian People's Party stopped short of asking the opposition to cancel its rally planned for Sept. 7, but implied that protesters would be held responsible for any unrest.
Official results from the July 28 polls gave Hun Sen's party 68 seats in the National Assembly against 55 for the opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party. Opposition leader Sam Rainsy says his party would have won 63 seats if the election had been fair.
In a rare statement, the Cambodian People's Party stopped short of asking the opposition to cancel its rally planned for Sept. 7, but implied that protesters would be held responsible for any unrest.
Official results from the July 28 polls gave Hun Sen's party 68 seats in the National Assembly against 55 for the opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party. Opposition leader Sam Rainsy says his party would have won 63 seats if the election had been fair.
Thailand protester shot dead at farmer rally over rubber prices
The China Post
BANGKOK--A Thai protester was shot dead and another injured at a rally in the country's south on Sunday, officials said, following demonstrations calling for higher rubber prices.
In a predawn attack, shots were fired at a group of protesters acting as guards at a rally site in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, local governor Viroj Jiravarungsan told AFP.
One man, aged 29, died of his injuries in hospital, while a 25-year-old man was seriously wounded.
It was not known who carried out the attack, but Viroj said there was concern that the incident could be used to “escalate the protest.”
Cambodia warns foreigners to stay away from protests over poll results
The China Post
PHNOM PENH--The Cambodian government on Sunday warned foreigners to stay away from opposition protests against a hotly disputed election as thousands of riot police practiced crowd control in the capital.
PHNOM PENH--The Cambodian government on Sunday warned foreigners to stay away from opposition protests against a hotly disputed election as thousands of riot police practiced crowd control in the capital.
Authorities and security forces would “avoid potential clashes at all costs” said the government in a statement released ahead of expected Sept. 7 mass opposition protests against the poll results.
“All foreigners living in the Kingdom of Cambodia should keep a reasonable distance from all protests related to the election,” the statement said.
Thousands of Cambodian police officers, armed with batons and shields, were seen learning protest control tactics early Sunday in a park in Phnom Penh.
Japan government abandons hands-off approach to Fukushima clean-up
(Reuters) - Japan's government is moving to take a more direct role in the clean-up of the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant, as concerns grow over the ability of embattled operator Tokyo Electric to handle the legacy of the worst atomic disaster in a quarter century.
The concerns have also revived debate about the future of Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) itself, including early-stage proposals to put its toxic nuclear assets under government control and leave the rest of the company as a provider of power to the nation's biggest economic region.
"I want the government to have a responsible framework - not just for checking what Tokyo Electric is doing to deal with Fukushima - but for the government to commit to dealing with the Fukushima problem itself and conduct this as a joint operation, including the water problem and decommissioning," said Tadamori Oshima, who heads the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's taskforce on post-disaster reconstruction.
Earthquake strikes southwest China, killing 4
(CNN) -- A 5.9-magnitude earthquake killed at least four people Saturday morning in southwestern China, state media reported.
Officials reported 10 injuries as emergency teams began to respond, the Xinhua News Agency said.
The state-owned news agency quoted Yunnan provincial officials as saying that 600 residential units collapsed. An additional 55,000 residential units were damaged, and 9,200 people had been forced to relocate, Xinhua reported.
The quake -- with a depth of 10 kilometers -- hit in remote areas near the border of the Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Roads were blocked in some villages by boulders rolling down mountains, and 17 people on three tourist buses were trapped by landslides, Xinhua said.
Philippines Setting Limits for Increased US Forces Presence
VOA News
MANILA — Philippine negotiators are emphasizing the temporary nature of plans to have more American forces rotate through the Philippines as they work toward forging an agreement on the deployments with the United States.
The Philippine negotiators say there will be “clear language mandating” the presence of U.S. troops will be temporary.
They said at meetings with their U.S. counterparts in Washington, both sides agreed that any U.S. activities would first need Philippine approval. The Philippine side says places where equipment will be ready for U.S. forces to use will belong to the Philippines and anything built and funded by the U.S. for specific activities will be removed once the activities are over.
US Congress Divided on Syria Despite Administration Case for Action
VOA News
U.S. lawmakers say they are far from unified on whether to vote for military strikes against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Legislators spoke after receiving a classified briefing on Syria from administration officials.
The full Congress does not return from recess until September 9. But several dozen lawmakers scrambled to get to Washington in time for Sunday’s closed-door briefing at the Capitol, in which the administration presented its case for intervention in Syria.
Afterwards, several lawmakers said they are convinced that chemical weapons were used. But questions remain, according to Democratic Congresswoman Janice Hahn. “Is this a reason to go to war? What are the objectives of going to war? What authorization are we actually giving our president?”
Sri Lanka heading in 'authoritarian direction', says UN human rights chief
UN News Center
31 August 2013 – Although the fighting is over, the suffering is not, the United Nations human rights chief today said wrapping up a week-long visit to Sri Lanka where she warned that the country is sowing the seeds of future discord by limiting personal freedoms and human rights.
“I am deeply concerned that Sri Lanka, despite the opportunity provided by the end of the war to construct a new vibrant, all-embracing state, is showing signs of heading in an increasingly authoritarian direction,” Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights told journalists in the capital, Colombo.
Syria: Ban briefed by UN disarmament chief on latest developments - UN spokesperson
UN News Center
31 August 2013 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today met with the top United Nations disarmament official, just back from Damascus, on the chemical weapons investigation and the latest developments in Syria. The meeting comes as the UN inspection team arrived in the Netherlands earlier today to carry out a rapid analysis of samples gathered.
UN Spokesperson Martin Nesirky told reporters in New York that Mr. Ban met with UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Angela Kane for over an hour.
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