DTN News: Northern Nigerian City Calm After Week Of Unrest

DTN News: Northern Nigerian City Calm After Week Of Unrest

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) MAIDUGURI, Nigeria - August 2, 2009: Government and health officials in the Northern Nigerian city of Maiduguri cleared bodies from streets Saturday as calm returned after a week of unrest that left hundreds of people dead.

A suspected Islamist sect member captured by Nigerian troops as he lies next to a tree in Maiduguri, Nigeria, Saturday, Aug 1, 2009. Banks and markets reopened in this northern Nigerian city after five days of fierce fighting between police and a radical Islamist sect. The city was largely quiet Saturday, the streets of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, had been cleared of bodies and the blood spilled during gunbattles that left at least 300 people dead. Police stand alongside bodies of dead Islamic militants, in the street in front of police headquarters in Maidugiri, Nigeria, 29 Jul 2009Police officials are continuing to search for members of the Islamic militant sect known as Boko Haram who are blamed for violence that erupted last Sunday after security forces arrested some of the group's leaders. For five days, the militants attacked police stations, churches and government buildings. Security forces retaliated later in the week, killing at least 100 Boko Haram members. Officials say thousands of people were displaced by the fighting. On Thursday, the group's leader, Mohammed Yusuf, was killed by police. Officials insist he died in a gun battle near his headquarters in Maiduguri, but international human rights groups have called for an investigation into the killing. Police sharply rejected any suggestion of an extrajudicial killing. Some reports indicate as many as 600 people died in the unrest. Police say former Borno State commissioner for Religious Affairs Alhaji Buji Fai, who is a Boko Haram supporter, was also killed in the violence. How he died is unclear.Police also have rejected reports that Boko Haram is affiliated with international terrorist groups. A police official, Naralyn Ogar, said that despite calling themselves "the Nigerian Taliban," Boko Haram is a group of religious fundamentalists who have no affiliation with outside organizations. Boko Haram followers want northern Nigeria to adopt a strict interpretation of Islamic law. Boko Haram, loosely translated, means "Western education is sinful." Nigerian officials have called the group the "Taliban," a reference to militants based in Afghanistan. A dozen of Nigeria's 36 states have introduced strict Islamic law in the past decade. The country is roughly evenly divided between Christians and Muslims, with Islam predominant in the northern part of the country. Periodic clashes between the two populations have left thousands of people dead in recent years.

DTN News: India Gives Pakistan More Mumbai Attack Evidence

DTN News: India Gives Pakistan More Mumbai Attack Evidence

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) Mumbai, India - August 2, 2009: Indian government officials say they have given Pakistan more details from their investigation of last year's Mumbai terrorist attacks, in the hope that this will prompt Pakistan to prosecute a suspected mastermind of the plot. India's home minister, Palaniappan Chidambaram, told reporters Saturday that Pakistan now has received four packets of information and evidence about the attacks eight months ago, which killed 166 people.

The Indian minister said all of Pakistan's previous questions about the investigation now have been answered, and that there is enough evidence for Pakistan to prosecute Hafiz Saeed, believed to be a central planner of the three-day terrorist siege in Mumbai. Saeed heads the Jamaat-ud-Dawa charity, a reported front for the Islamic militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, based in Pakistan, which is accused of carrying out the attacks on India.

The bloodshed severely strained relations between India and Pakistan, and brought the two nuclear-armed neighbors' slow-moving peace process to a halt. Pakistan put Saeed under house arrest in December, but he was released in June by a court that ruled there was insufficient evidence against him.

He is one of 38 people, including Pakistani nationals, who India says were the key figures in planning the guns-and-grenades attacks. India says all 10 gunmen involved in the assault on Mumbai were Pakistanis.

Officials in Islamabad have conceded the attacks were planned, in part on Pakitani territory, but they deny India's assertion that Pakistani government agents were involved. The lone surviving Mumbai gunman, Pakistani national Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, testified in court that he was "waging war" against India at the time.

Pakistan has filed police complaints against at least five suspects, and is searching for at least a dozen others in the case.

DTN News: Vietnam ~ Unexploded Land Mine Contamination Vast Area

DTN News: Vietnam ~ Unexploded Land Mine Contamination Vast Area *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) HANOI, Vietnam - August 2, 2009: More than one-third of the land in six central Vietnamese provinces remains contaminated with land mines and unexploded bombs from the Vietnam War, according to a study released Friday. The maps of bomb and mine areas are seen in front of Palace of Ministry of Defense, where the news conference is held in Hanoi, Vietnam, Friday, July 31, 2009, to release of the report on, "Vietnam unexploded ordnance and landmine impact assessment & rapid technical response". More than one-third of the land in six central Vietnamese provinces remains contaminated with land mines and unexploded bombs from the Vietnam War, according to a study released Friday. Nearly 35 years after the war's end, Vietnamese civilians are still routinely killed and maimed by leftover mines and other explosives. Vietnam estimates that more than 42,000 people have been killed in such accidents since 1975. The study by the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation and Vietnam's ministry of defense provides the most detailed information to date about the amount and location of unexploded ordinance littering a region that saw some of the heaviest fighting and bombardment during the war. The survey was the result of close collaboration between the United States and Vietnam on one of the most sensitive legacies of the conflict. In addition to mapping unexploded mines and ordinance, the project, which the U.S. government provided $2 million to finance, involved clearing 3,345 acres (1,354 hectares) of land in 1,361 communities across the six provinces. But the study also underlines the scope of the mine-clearing work that remains to be done. Vietnam's Ministry of Defense estimates 16.3 million acres (6.6 million hectares) are still contaminated across the country, said Thao Nguyen, the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation's country director. "The clearing of unexploded ordinance and land mines is far from finished," Nguyen said. U.S. Ambassador Michael Michalak said the survey will help set priorities for future clearance work. "Eliminating residual explosives from past conflicts is an important issue for the people of Vietnam, as it is for the United States," he said. The U.S. has provided $46 million to help with mine-clearing efforts in Vietnam since 1989, he said. The study looked in detail at victims in the provinces of Quang Tri, Quang Binh, Thua Thien Hue, Quang Ngai, Nghe An and Ha Tinh. Thirty-four percent were hurt while scavenging for unexploded bombs to sell as scrap metal; 27 percent were farming or herding livestock; and 21 percent were playing or tampering with the bombs. The study found the most heavily contaminated provinces were Quang Binh and neighboring Quang Tri, the site of the former demilitarized zone during the war. Since the war ended, nearly 7,000 people have been killed or injured by leftover ordinance in Quang Tri and 6,000 in Quang Binh, the study found.

DTN News: Cyber-Criminals Targeting Social Networks, Experts Warn

DTN News: Cyber-Criminals Targeting Social Networks, Experts Warn *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) VALENCIA, Spain - August 2, 2009: Facebook, MySpace and other social networking sites are inceasingly being targeted by cyber-criminals drawn to the wealth of personal information supplied by users, experts warn. Data posted on the sites -- name, date of birth, address, job details, email and phone numbers -- is a windfall for hackers, participants at Campus Party, one of the world's biggest gatherings of Internet enthusiasts, said. A vicious virus Koobface -- "koob" being "book" in reverse -- has affected thousands Facebook and Twitter users since August 2008, said Asier Martinez, a security specialist at global IT solutions provider Panda Security. "Its spread has been very significant and it has been detected in 4,000 different variants," he told AFP at the week-long event which wraps up Sunday in Valencia in eastern Spain. The virus hijacks the accounts of social networking site users and sends messages steering friends to hostile sites coontaining malware, a malicious software often designed to infiltrate a computer system for illicit purposes. In one of its variants, Koobface sends the victim a warning that its Flash player is outdated along with an invitation to download a new version, which is is in fact the virus. Malware can be used to steal bank account data or credit card information once installed on a personal computer. Facebook has sought to resist attacks by Koobface and similar viruses by blocking links to hostile sites and shutting down accounts from users that show signs of infection, such as sending too many messages. "You also must be very careful with people who ask to join your friends list," said Laura Garcia, who writes a popular blog about Internet security, adding that hackers often sent requests. Another danger of social networking sites are the popular quizzes, horoscopes and games made available for free to users which can sometimes be used to hide links to hostile sites, she added. Birthday greetings and well as messages sent at Christmas and other holidays may also appear to come from friends when in fact they are linked directly to sites that try to convince would-be victims to reveal personal information like passwords or bank numbers, said Martinez. The vulnerability of social networking sites was underscored in a study by security company Sophos made public earlier this month. It found that about half of all companies un the United States block some or all access to them due to concerns about cyber incursions via the sites. Facebook says that less than one percent of its users have been affected by a security issue, such as a virus, since the site opened in 2004. Garcia said the number of viruses detected in recent years has exploded while the profile of cyber-criminals has changed. "Before it was very savvy teenagers who wanted to show off their computer skills. Now you don't really need to know much about information technology to be a hacker, all the tools have already been created," she said. Real cyber-crime mafias have now taken over, especially in Russia, China Brazil and the Ukraine whose goals are purely economic gain, she said, underscoring that hacking could be highly lucrative. For an initial investment of 1,500 dollars (1,050 euros) for Mpack, a programme created to infect web pages, hackers can obtain a profit of between 21,000 and 847,000 dollars in just one month, Martinez said. Around 6,000 people are expected to attend the Campus Party, which unites participants from all over the world to share ideas, experiences and all types of activities related to computers, communications and new technology. The annual event began in Spain in 1997. Editions of the event have since been held in Brazil and Colombia.

DTN News: South Ossetia Claims Georgian Mortar Attack

DTN News: South Ossetia Claims Georgian Mortar Attack *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) TBILISI, Georgia - August 2, 2009: Authorities in the separatist Georgian region of South Ossetia on Saturday said two mortar shells were fired into the territory from Georgia proper. Georgia denied the claim and suggested it was a provocation ahead of the anniversary of last year's war with Russia. A Soviet built multiple rocket launcher, left, fires rockets during a Georgian military exercise, at an undisclosed location in Georgia, Thursday, July 30, 2009. Georgian authorities and South Ossetian separatists are accusing each other of firing shots in the tense region. The region has remained tense after the war in August in which Russian troops quickly routed Georgian forces trying to regain control over Moscow-backed South Ossetia. Russia recognized South Ossetia and another Georgian rebel province as independent nations. In the wake of the reported attack, the Russian Defense Ministry said it was ready to use force to defend South Ossetia. Russia recognizes the region as independent and has thousands of troops stationed there. South Ossetia's information ministry said no one was injured by the two mortar rounds that it said were fired from the Georgian hamlet of Ditsi toward a South Ossetian military observation post. The area is a few kilometers (miles) south of the South Ossetian capital, Tskhinvali. Georgia's Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili, however, told The Associated Press: "There was no kind of firing from the Georgian side. Despite the calls (for restraint) by the European Union observer mission on the threshold of the anniversary of the August events, the Russian and Ossetian sides are striving to aggravate the situation." Georgia and Russia fought a brief but intense war sparked by a fierce Georgian rocket and artillery barrage of Tskhinvali on Aug. 8, 2008. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said the barrage was forced by Russia's sending in waves of troops to the Moscow-backed region, but Russia said it was an attempt to forcefully seize control of the region that had been de-facto independent since the mid-1990s. The war ended with Georgian forces being driven out of the parts of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another separatist region. Although the war gutted Georgia's military, Russia contends Saakashvili still aims to take Abkhazia and South Ossetia by force, and Moscow has bitterly objected to other countries giving any kind of military aid to Georgia. The Defense Ministry said in a statement after the reported mortar attack: "In the event of further provocations that present a threat to the population of the republic or to Russian servicemen deployed on the territory of South Ossetia, the Russian Defense Ministry reserves the right to use all available forces and means to protect the citizens of South Ossetia and Russian servicemen."

DTN News: China Firmly Pursues Peaceful Development ~ Defense Minister Liang Guanglie

DTN News: China Firmly Pursues Peaceful Development ~ Defense Minister Liang Guanglie *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) BEIJING, China - August 2, 2009: China will unremittingly pursue the path of peaceful development and its military will enhance cooperation with foreign armed forces in order to contribute to common development, said Defense Minister Liang Guanglie Friday. Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie, who is also member of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and a state councilor, speaks at a reception to mark the 82nd founding anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Beijing, capital of China, July 31, 2009. "China will develop friendly cooperation with all the countries in line with the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence to make new contributions to building a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity," said Liang at a reception at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to mark the 82nd anniversary of the establishment of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). "Peace and development remain themes of the times, yet the world is not peaceful," said Liang, who is also a member of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and a state councilor. China's military would enhance exchanges and deepen cooperation with foreign armed forces to fulfil its international obligations and responsibilities, said Liang. Liang said "positive changes" in the situation across the Taiwan Straits had helped curb "Taiwan independence" forces, and the two sides have expanded and deepened exchanges and cooperation in fields of economy and culture, among others. "We will firmly hold the theme of the cross-Straits peaceful development, adhere to the one-China policy, oppose the secessionist activities of 'Taiwan independence' forces and firmly safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity to continue to make due efforts for peaceful development of cross-Straits relationship," said Liang. In August 1927, the CPC armed forces led an uprising against warlords, which is regarded as the founding day of the services.

"The PLA, focusing on modernization, will keep improving its capacity to deal with crises and safeguard peace, and deterring and winning a war," said Liang. "The PLA will also prevent antagonistic forces from carrying out separatist and sabotage activities and safeguard national security and social stability," Liang said. The reception was attended by CMC members Chen Bingde, Li Jinai, Liao Xilong, Chang Wanquan, Jing Zhiyuan, Wu Shengli and Xu Qiliang, army officers in active duty and representatives of retired army officers, as well as foreign military attaches.

DTN News: UN ~ 1000 Afghan Civilians Killed In 2009

DTN News: UN ~ 1000 Afghan Civilians Killed In 2009

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) KABUL, Afghanistan - August 2, 2009: Afghanistan's intensifying conflict killed more than 1,000 civilians in the first six months of 2009, an increase of nearly a quarter over the same period last year, the United Nations said Friday. The UN has said US-led strikes were responsible for a huge number of civilians death in Afghanistan. This year has been the bloodiest in a Taliban-led insurgency that has drawn thousands of international military reinforcements, most of them deploying into areas where a strong militant presence could prevent August 20 elections. The boost in troop numbers - now roughly 90,000 - was one reason for the higher toll of 1,013 dead civilians, according to the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan Human Rights Unit. Nearly 60% of the civilian deaths so far this year were caused by insurgents, 30% by pro-government military forces and the rest unattributable to any party to the conflict. The same period last year saw 818 civilians killed in insurgency-linked violence. In the first six months of 2007, 684 were killed - 41% by security forces and 46% by militants, it said in a report. "The armed conflict intensified significantly throughout Afghanistan in 2008 and in the first six months of 2009, with a corresponding rise in civilian casualties and a significant erosion of humanitarian space," the unit said. Reasons for the surge in violence were increased military operations in civilian areas, more complex insurgent attacks and a crackdown on extremists in neighboring Pakistan that forced fighters into Afghanistan. Militant activity was also sustained during the winter, unlike in previous years when there had been a lull in fighting, it said. Almost a third of Afghanistan was now directly affected by insurgent activities with civilians bearing the brunt of the fighting, it added. "In addition to the sharp increase in civilian deaths, vulnerable groups are also suffering in terms of destruction of vital infrastructure, loss of income and earning opportunities, and deterioration of access to essential services." Most civilians were killed by insurgent bombs, called improvised explosive devices and suicide attacks, the report said. The widespread use of IEDs "contributes to a climate of fear and intimidation that has significant repercussions for Afghan civilians, including in particular in terms of loss of life and livelihoods," it said. Militants often target security forces but with no regard for the impact of their operations on civilians, it said. The unit also said that militants based themselves in civilian areas as part of "an active policy aimed at drawing a military response to areas where there is a high likelihood that civilians will be killed or injured." A new trend was the use of bombs that could be magnetically attached to vehicles. Schools, particularly for girls, came under increasing attack with 16 IED explosions on school premises this year. International air strikes killed just over 64% of those civilians killed in military action and 20% of all civilian deaths from January to June, the report said. These figures were down slightly and followed efforts to minimize the impact of military operations on civilians, the report said. Such killings by pro-government forces created a "strong feeling of anger and disappointment among the Afghan general public" which undermined support for the international community generally, it said. More has to be done by all, in particular the armed opposition, to reduce the impact of operations and activities

DTN News: Trinidad and Tobago Orders Four AW139 Helicopters

DTN News: Trinidad and Tobago Orders Four AW139 Helicopters *Source: DTN News / AgustaWestland

(NSI News Source Info) Reston, VA, - August 2, 2009: AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that the government of Trinidad and Tobago has signed a contract to purchase four AW139 medium twin turbine helicopters.

The AW139 is a conventional twin-engined transport helicopter with a 5-blade fully articulated main rotor and a 4-blade tail rotor and a retractable landing gear. The AW139 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6C turboshaft engines. The helicopter is being marketed for use in a number of roles including Law Enforcement/Emergency Medical Service, Executive Transport, Search and Rescue, Maritime and Offshore Oil Operations.

Trinidad and Tobago's Air Guard (TTAG) will establish a dedicated unit to use these helicopters for search and rescue, surface surveillance, law enforcement, drug interdiction and disaster relief operations.

The contract also includes an extensive training and logistical support service for the first five years. The contract, comprising the aircraft and support package, is valued at US$348 million.

A consortium involving AgustaWestland, Bristow Caribbean, FB Heliservices of UK and Helidex of USA will be established to manage the AW139 programme in Trinidad and Tobago with training services to be supplied in Italy, the UK and the USA.

Operations will primarily take place from Piarco International Airport and from offshore patrol vessels, working in conjunction with the Coast Guard. This order marks the establishment of the first Search and Rescue helicopter unit in the country. Giuseppe Orsi, Chief Executive Officer, AgustaWestland said “We are delighted that the Trinidad and Tobago has selected the AW139 to meet its search and rescue and homeland security requirements. This purchase demonstrates the continued success of the AW139 platform worldwide and in the Central America and Caribbean markets where we see good business opportunities in the future”.

The TTAG joins a number of AW139 operators worldwide including the Spanish Marine Safety Agency, the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Italian Coast Guard, the Japanese Coast Guard, the Korean Coast Guard and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency in selecting the AW139 for their SAR missions.

The AW139 is the best selling medium twin-engine helicopter in the world. To date, almost 440 orders for this helicopter have been placed by nearly 120 customers in more than 40 countries for a wide variety of applications including EMS/SAR, law enforcement, offshore transport, VIP/corporate transport, fire fighting, utility and other commercial and government roles. The state-of-the-art AW139 is designed with inherent multi-role capability and flexibility of operation. It offers unmatched performance and safety levels as well as the largest cabin in its class. Large sliding doors enable quick and easy access for fast rope activities.

With a maximum cruise speed of 165 kts (306 km/h), a maximum range of 573 nm (1061 km) and over 5 hours endurance, the AW139 helicopter offers best-in-class mission capability. Cutting-edge mission-dedicated technology and equipment and outstanding performance features enable the AW139 to accomplish the most demanding operations in the harshest weather and environmental conditions

DTN News: Former US President George W. Bush Urges Unified Warning Against North Korea

DTN News: Former US President George W. Bush Urges Unified Warning Against North Korea

*Source: DTN News / AFP

(NSI News Source Info) JEJU, South Korea - August 1, 2009: Former US president George W. Bush said on Saturday the five nations involved in nuclear disarmament talks with North Korea must send a unified warning against Pyongyang's continued defiance. Former US president George W. Bush delivers a speech to a group of South Korean business leaders on Jeju island. In a speech before a group of South Korean business leaders here, Bush said "true verification" would be essential even if the communist state promised to dismantle its nuclear programmes in accordance with UN resolutions. "The five nations must send a unified message to North Korean leaders" that if they continue defying UN resolutions, there will be consequences including economic sanctions by the United Nations, Bush said. "It's hard to deal with countries like North Korea, which has not much transparency... True verification is very important and words must be matched by verifiable actions." The six-party talks -- involving China, Japan, the two Koreas, Russia and the United States -- reached a deal in 2007 to provide North Korea with security guarantees and badly needed fuel if it ends its nuclear weapons drive. But North Korea stormed out of the deal in April, saying it was protesting a UN Security Council statement criticising its test of a missile. A month later, Pyongyang tested a nuclear bomb, leading to UN Security Council Resolution 1874 which calls for further inspections of air, sea and land shipments going to and from North Korea, and an expanded arms embargo. A US envoy handling the sanctions, Philip Goldberg, is heading to Asia and Russia in mid-August on a tour aimed at carrying out sanctions. North Korea said last week it was open to a "specific and reserved" dialogue outside the six-party talks on its nuclear weapons programme. But the United States has stood firm on seeking to revive six-nation talks with North Korea and pressed ahead with sanctions, despite an appeal by the UN chief to switch to negotiating. Bush urged South Koreans and others to not to forget the plight of North Koreans suffering from "forced labour, brutal repression". "I believe everybody has rights to be free and I believe some day people in North Korea will be free," he said. Asked what he misses the most about his eight years in the presidency, Bush said "a lot". "Air Force One is very comfortable," he said, to laughter, adding that he also missed his staff. "We've.become very good buddies," he told the meeting. Among those things he did not miss, he said, were the "harshness of political process" and "name calling", adding that he wanted be remembered as a president who was firm on "principles and values".

DTN News: Pakistan ~ Delay In India Talks To Help Terrorists Says Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani

DTN News: Pakistan ~ Delay In India Talks To Help Terrorists Says Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) ISLAMABAD. Pakistan - August 1, 2009: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Friday that any delay in resumption of Pakistan-India composite dialogue would benefit only terrorists and relations between the two countries could be improved only through talks. ‘If the composite dialogue does not start, it will only favour the terrorists,’ Gilani remarked. — Photo by AFP Talking to journalists after inaugurating the Islamabad Stock Exchange Towers, the prime minister said the role of politicians was to build bridges and not to erect walls. Mr Gilani, who was answering questions about his recent meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, said Pakistan was looking forward to sharing information with India on the Balochistan issue. ‘The issue was discussed with Dr Manmohan Singh. We will provide information about Balochistan once the dialogue starts,’ he said. He praised Dr Singh’s speech on the issue in Lok Sabha and his ‘vision and leadership.’ He said Pakistan wanted friendly relations with its neighbours and an the meetings between the foreign ministers and foreign secretaries of the two countries to be held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York would be a step towards composite dialogue. The prime minister brushed aside a comment by British High Commissioner Robert Brinkley that Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, Taliban chief Mulla Omar or other leaders of their groups were in Pakistan. ‘I disagree with him,’ Mr Gilani said. In his speech at the stock exchange inauguration ceremony, the prime minister described terrorism and militancy as the biggest threat to economy, particularly to foreign investment. ‘Our success in the fight against militancy in Swat and other areas shows the commitment of the government to root out this menace.’ He said the international community which had earlier expressed concerns over the rise of militancy and terrorism was now praising the government’s action.