Ukraine Rights Abuses Flagged Up By Amnesty

By Lisa Holland, Foreign Affairs Correspondent

Hundreds of people have been abducted and subjected to horrific beatings in the troubled eastern region of Ukraine, according to campaign group Amnesty International.

After the collapse of the pro-Russian government of President Yanukovych in February this year, Russia seized control of Crimea and separatists in the east of the country have been fighting Ukrainian government forces, prompting the biggest East-West showdown since the Cold War.

Amnesty International gathered information on abductions and attacks such as beatings and torture meted out to activists, protesters and journalists as Kiev lost its hold over the region.

A soldier looking out from an armoured vehicle in eastern Ukraine

"With hundreds abducted over the last three months, the time has come to take stock of what has happened, and stop this abhorrent ongoing practice," said Amnesty's Denis Krivosheev.

There are no comprehensive or reliable figures for the number of abductions - Ukraine itself says there were nearly 500 cases between April and June 2014, but the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission for Ukraine says it recorded 222 cases of abductions in the last three months.

Amnesty says most are being carried out by armed separatists, with the victims often subjected to beatings and torture. But it says there is also evidence of a smaller number of abuses by pro-Kiev forces.

A pro-Russian separatist in the eastern town of Donetsk

It says abductions have taken place across eastern Ukraine in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

"Now that pro-Kiev forces are re-establishing control over Slavyansk, Kramatorsk and various other places in eastern Ukraine, new captives are being released almost daily with an increasing number of disturbing cases emerging," said Mr Krivosheev.

"It is time that these are meticulously documented with perpetrators brought to justice with victims awarded compensation."

Hanna, a pro-Ukrainian activist, told Amnesty International how she was abducted by armed men in the eastern city of Donetsk on May 27.

Ukraine troops took control of Slavyansk

She said she was held for six days before being released in a prisoner exchange. She described how she was violently interrogated.

"My face was smashed, he punched me in the face with his fist, he was trying to beat me everywhere, I was covering myself with my hands," she said.

"I was huddled in the corner, curled up in a ball with my hands around my knees. He was angry that I was trying to protect myself. He went out and came back with a knife."

The eastern town was badly shelled last week

Hanna showed scars on her neck, arms and legs where she says she was sliced with the blade: there is a stab wound in her knee, her right index finger is still heavily bandaged in a plastic splint.

She also described how her interrogator made her write a separatist slogan on the wall, in her own blood.

While most abductions appear to have a "political" motivation, there is clear evidence that abduction and torture is being used by armed groups to exert fear and control over local populations. People have also being abducted for ransom.

President Poroshenko was elected in May

Sasha, a 19-year-old pro-Ukrainian activist, fled to Kiev after he was abducted by separatists at gunpoint in Luhansk. He said he was beaten repeatedly for 24 hours.

"They beat me with their fists, a chair, anything they could find. They stubbed out cigarettes on my leg and electrocuted me. It went on for so long, I couldn't feel anything anymore, I just passed out," he said.

He was finally released after his father paid a $60,000 ransom (£35,010).

There are allegations of atrocities on both sides.

One local government official in Mariupol, who wished to remain anonymous, told Amnesty International how they heard a captive separatist fighter wailing in pain at the hands of pro-Kiev forces who were seemingly trying to extract information about the separatists.

The report was published as Ukrainian officials said a missile attack in by pro-separatist fighters may have killed at least 30 soldiers and border guards, with final figures possibly even higher.

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Middle East: Complex Web Of Friends And Foes

Rockets fired from Lebanon into Israel at dawn. The opening of a new front for Israel already engaged in an escalating air campaign in the Gaza Strip? No.

Neither the Israelis nor Hezbollah, which has an arsenal of 100,000 rockets and controls southern Lebanon, are that stupid.

The missile attack on Israel's north was an attempt by Sunni militants to spark a confrontation between Hezbollah and Israel that both know would be a zero sum.

Why would Sunnis, in all probability descendants of Palestinian refugees from what is now Israel, want to do that?

It's Hezbollah, a Shia movement, after all, that has been a major conduit of experts, funding and modern rockets to Hamas, a Sunni organisation, in Gaza. Hamas and Hezbollah are allies.

Hamas has condemned the Hezbollah-backed regime of Bashar al Assad

But only when it comes to fighting Israel.

In Syria, Hamas has condemned the Assad regime, which like Hezbollah is backed by Iran.

Sunnis of Palestinian descent are among volunteers who have joined rebel groups fighting Damascus, while Hezbollah has sent thousands of its best fighters to the frontlines to defend the regime of Bashar al Assad.

There is a logic at work here.

If Sunni groups in south Lebanon can sucker the Israelis into a war with Hezbollah they could enjoy the double whammy of reduced pressure on Gaza, and the use of Israel's devastating air power against Hezbollah, the Sunni's enemies in Syria.

No better example of an attempt to kill two birds with one stone.

It won't happen because both Hezbollah and Israel, foes who have the greatest respect for one another, saw through the plot some time back. It's not the first time it has been tried.

But it does signal just how the Middle East's tectonic plates of conflict have shifted and can overlap.

The explosion of sectarian Muslim war between Sunni and Shia in Syria, which has spread into Iraq and has destabilised Lebanon, has become the defining clash in a new age of chaos.

Rival regional powers Saudi Arabia and Iran use proxies to vie for influence and control.

The Saudis have become increasingly nervous of the spread of a Shia crescent from Tehran through Baghdad to Damascus and south Lebanon.

But Tehran has also used enemy forces to bolster the positions of its allies.

According to intelligence sources Muhsin al Fadhli, once a senior al Qaeda figure based in Iraq has taken up an operational roles inside Syria - at the instigation of the Iranian government.

Why would Tehran release someone to fight a key client an ally in Damascus?

Because radical groups like the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have fought harder against fellow rebel groups than they have against the Assad regime.

Tehran has split the rebels.

But now ISIS threatens Iran's client government in Baghdad showing that an enemy's enemy may be a friend from time to time, but will remain an enemy.

This may be complicated but there is no excuse for stupidity in the Middle East. Failure to comprehend this can be fatal.

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Israeli Airstrikes: Five Palestinians Killed

A Complex Web Of Friends And Enemies

Updated: 5:06pm UK, Friday 11 July 2014

By Sam Kiley, Foreign Affairs Editor

Rockets fired from Lebanon into Israel at dawn. The opening of a new front for Israel already engaged in an escalating air campaign in the Gaza Strip? No.

Neither the Israelis nor Hezbollah, which has an arsenal of 100,000 rockets and controls southern Lebanon, are that stupid.

The missile attack on Israel's north was an attempt by Sunni militants to spark a confrontation between Hezbollah and Israel that both know would be a zero sum.

Why would Sunnis, in all probability descendants of Palestinian refugees from what is now Israel, want to do that?

It's Hezbollah, a Shia movement, after all, that has been a major conduit of experts, funding and modern rockets to Hamas, a Sunni organisation, in Gaza. Hamas and Hezbollah are allies.

But only when it comes to fighting Israel.

In Syria, Hamas has condemned the Assad regime, which like Hezbollah is backed by Iran.

Sunnis of Palestinian descent are among volunteers who have joined rebel groups fighting Damascus, while Hezbollah has sent thousands of its best fighters to the frontlines to defend the regime of Bashar al Assad.

There is a logic at work here.

If Sunni groups in south Lebanon can sucker the Israelis into a war with Hezbollah they could enjoy the double whammy of reduced pressure on Gaza, and the use of Israel's devastating air power against Hezbollah, the Sunni's enemies in Syria.

No better example of an attempt to kill two birds with one stone.

It won't happen because both Hezbollah and Israel, foes who have the greatest respect for one another, saw through the plot some time back. It's not the first time it has been tried.

But it does signal just how the Middle East's tectonic plates of conflict have shifted and can overlap.

The explosion of sectarian Muslim war between Sunni and Shia in Syria, which has spread into Iraq and has destabilised Lebanon, has become the defining clash in a new age of chaos.

Rival regional powers Saudi Arabia and Iran use proxies to vie for influence and control.

The Saudis have become increasingly nervous of the spread of a Shia crescent from Tehran through Baghdad to Damascus and south Lebanon.

But Tehran has also used enemy forces to bolster the positions of its allies.

According to intelligence sources Muhsin al Fadhli, once a senior al Qaeda figure based in Iraq has taken up an operational roles inside Syria - at the instigation of the Iranian government.

Why would Tehran release someone to fight a key client an ally in Damascus?

Because radical groups like the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have fought harder against fellow rebel groups than they have against the Assad regime.

Tehran has split the rebels.

But now ISIS threatens Iran's client government in Baghdad showing that an enemy's enemy may be a friend from time to time, but will remain an enemy.

This may be complicated but there is no excuse for stupidity in the Middle East. Failure to comprehend this can be fatal.

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Aunt Of Young Gaza Victim: 'Enough Is Enough'

By Tom Rayner, Middle East Reporter, Gaza City

Shayma was walking with her family in the Bait Hanoun neighbourhood of northern Gaza on Wednesday when an airstrike hit a house near them.

She ran.

Then another strike hit.

She cannot tell this story for herself. She is four-years-old, and is still unconscious after shrapnel from the second blast tore into her stomach.

She does not yet know that her mother, father and sister were killed in that moment.

Instead her aunt, now her closest living family member and carer, tells this story for her.

Sameh Fayeg Al Masri sits next to her bed in the Al Shiffa hospital in Gaza City, stroking the child's forehead.

She watches her chest raise and fall fitfully - the only sign this otherwise pale, still, shredded body is alive.

Doctors believe she has a chance to recover, but she has a long way to go.

For now Shayma will lie in the children's ward.

Her aunt Sameh, holding back tears with an emotional strength that is as common in Gaza as emotional trauma, tells me enough is enough.

"We have to stop shooting rockets, and they have to stop shooting at us," she said.

"Only innocent children are paying the price. What did this child do to deserve this?"

For some in Gaza such words would be seen as surrender.

But for Sameh, staring at the child lying in front of her, it is the only answer.

"Only God knows if she is going to live or die," she said.

"Pieces of bomb are still inside her. These things should stop. From both sides. It is forbidden to do this."

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

China Bus Crash Kills Eight Schoolchildren

A school bus has crashed into a reservoir in central China, killing eight children, two teachers and the driver.

The accident in the country's Hunan Province reportedly happened at around 5pm but the bus was not discovered for several hours afterwards.

The bus had been taking children home from school in Lelewang, Xiangton City, when it crashed into the reservoir.in a mountainous area just outside Changsha City,

According to villagers the reservoir is about six square kilometres in size and is about seven metres deep and is used to farm fish and irrigate local farmland.

A local fisherman spotted flashing lights on the sunken bus and reported it to the police.

It was raised to the surface at around 4am on Friday morning and the bodies were recovered.

There are fears the bus had been overloaded with passengers - a common cause of fatalities on China's roads.

A series of accidents in recent years involving vehicles carrying school children have made such incidents a sensitive issue in China.

Eight children died in a bus crash on China's southern island province of Hainan in April on their way to a school outing.

In 2011 another school bus crash in China's Gansu Province killed 20 people and injured 44 others.

The tragedy prompted then-premier Wen Jiabao to promise more government funds to improve school bus services.

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rockets From Lebanon Fired At Israel

Two rockets have reportedly been launched from southern Lebanon towards Israel during the fourth day of Israel's military offensive on Hamas militants in Gaza.

Lebanon's national news agency said the missiles were launched from the Hasbaya area towards "occupied territories" at 6.30am local time.

Israeli army spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner confirmed that a projectile had struck Israel's northern border, prompting the military to respond with artillery fire.

Rocket fire from Gaza aimed at Israel has increased in recent days

Israel has been bombarded by missiles from Gaza in recent days, although these are thought to be the first launched from Lebanon.

Lt Col. Lerner said it was unclear whether the attack was "symbolic or something more substantial."

It is not clear who was responsible.

The rocket fire came four days into an Israeli offensive on Hamas militants, who control the Gaza Strip.

Israeli airstrikes killed six Palestinians in the early hours of Friday morning. Five of them, including a seven-year-old child, died in a strike on the home of an apparent Islamist militant in Rafah.

Five Palestinians were killed overnight in a strike on a home in Rafah

The latest fatalities bring the total death toll from Israel's Operation Protective Edge to more than 80.

Israel says the operation is a defensive measure designed to halt persistent Hamas rocket attacks.

Air raid sirens sounded again across Israel on Friday forcing civilians to take shelter. They were also heard for the first time in the northern city of Haifa as rockets sent from Gaza reach deeper inside the country.

A spokesman for the Israel Defence Forces said 407 mortars and rockets have struck a number of cities in Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, since the start of the operation on Tuesday. 

A further 118 rockets were intercepted by its Iron Dome missile defence system.

No Israeli fatalities have been reported since the operation began.

The exchange of fire marks the heaviest fighting between Israel and Hamas since an eight-day battle in November 2012.

The Israeli cabinet has said it may now send in ground troops and has authorised the call-up of as many as 40,000 reservists.

More than three million Israeli citizens live under threat of rocket attack

With no end to the violence in sight, US President Barack Obama has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the US would be willing to help negotiate a truce.

Obama said he was concerned the fighting could escalate and "called for all sides to do everything they can to protect the lives of civilians", the White House said.

"The United States remains prepared to facilitate a cessation of hostilities, including a return to the November 2012 ceasefire agreement."

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Four Children Shot Dead By Lone Texas Gunman

Six people, including four children, were shot dead at a house in Texas before a three hour stand-off with police.

The victims were killed at a house in Spring, Houston, before armed officers chased and cornered a silver car containing the suspect.

Police attended the house in Spring to find seven people had been shot

In bizarre scenes, the silver car was eventually barged by a large police truck, which appeared to pin it to the ground, while marksmen gathered nearby.

A second armoured vehicle arrived shortly afterwards to corner the suspect, who stayed in the vehicle for around three hours.

Police stopped the car about three miles from the scene of the shooting

Despite being surrounded by marksmen, and having his car virtually crushed by the armoured truck, the suspect remained "cool as a cucumber", police said.

After lengthy negotiations he emerged from the vehicle with his hands raised, sinking to his knees before being arrested and detained.

The car was eventually cornered by an armoured truck

The Harris County Sheriff's Office said officers attended a property in Spring at around 6pm and found two adults and three children dead.

Another child later died at a hospital. A 15-year-old girl was wounded but survived the attack, police say.

Talks continued into the night and the suspect eventually surrendered

"It appears this stems from a domestic issue with a breakup in the family from what our witness has told us," Assistant Chief Deputy Constable Mark Herman said.

Authorities did not release the victims' identities and did not say how they might be related to each other or the suspect.

Local media reported one of the injured reported the shooting and gave police a description of the attacker, the type of car he was in and said he was on his way to kill other family members at another address.

Sergeant Thomas Gilliland described the man as in his 30s with a beard "and cool as a cucumber."

He said that when he and other officers approached, the man was "just sitting in his car looking out at us".

Danna Stevens, 75, and her husband, Texas Stevens, live four doors down from the home where the shooting happened.

Danna Stevens said she did not know her neighbours well and that they had moved into the area about a year ago.

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Israel Airstrike On Gaza 'Kills Five Children'

An Israeli airstrike into Gaza has killed seven civilians, including five children, according to Palestinian authorities who say it was the deadliest single bombing so far.

Residents claim two houses were hit in the attack in a densely populated area near Khan Younis.

According to Palestinian officials another 16 people were injured in the attack.

It comes as Prime Minister David Cameron voiced his support for Israel and its response to what he calls "appalling" rocket strikes from Hamas militants.

Locals search through rubble after the attack near Khan Younis

The Israeli army has stepped up its offensive on the Gaza Strip in an effort to hit Hamas targets, as militants continue to fire rockets at Israeli cities.

Mr Cameron phoned Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to offer his support.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "(He) spoke to Prime Minister Netanyahu earlier this evening about the situation in Israel.

"The Prime Minister strongly condemned the appalling attacks being carried out by Hamas against Israeli civilians.

"The Prime Minister reiterated the UK's staunch support for Israel in the face of such attacks, and underlined Israel's right to defend itself from them."

In response to the escalating conflict, the United Nations Security Council is set to convene in New York on Thursday.

"Gaza is on a knife-edge," UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.

"The deteriorating situation is leading to a downward spiral which could quickly get out of control. The risk of violence expanding further still is real."

The exchange of fire marks the heaviest fighting between Israel and Hamas since an eight-day battle in November 2012.

More than three million Israeli citizens are under threat of rocket attack

The IDF launched the major air campaign above Gaza on Tuesday, targeting the homes of suspected militants and concealed rocket launch locations.

More than 400 airstrikes have taken place, with 50 people killed in Gaza.

Israel said it had hit more than 300 targets and Hamas positions throughout Gaza.

The Israel Defence Force (IDF) said "at least 82 rockets hit Israel" on Wednesday, and 21 were intercepted.

Hamas said it fired three rockets on Wednesday at Dimona, targeting what Israel claimed was its highly secure nuclear reactor site.

Israel has launched repeated airstrikes to thwart militants in Gaza

There have been no Israeli deaths, but the barrages have paralysed business in southern communities.

Mr Netanyahu has warned Hamas that it will pay a "heavy price" for the rocket attacks, many of which have targeted populated areas of Israel.

The Israeli cabinet has said it may also send in ground troops and has authorised the call-up of as many as 40,000 reservists.

Israel has started to amass troops around the Gaza Strip

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has accused Israel of committing atrocities in Gaza.

Mr Abbas said: "It's genocide - the killing of entire families is genocide by Israel against our Palestinian people."

The US State Department said it has called for all sides to deescalate, but reiterated Israel's right of self-defence.

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Obama Backs Troops To Tackle Child Migrants

Barack Obama is supporting calls to mobilise National Guard troops to deal with thousands of Central American children trying to cross the border.

The President met with Texas Governor Rick Perry to discuss a growing humanitarian problem, with 57,000 children caught crossing the border since October 1, 2013.

Most of the children are from Central American countries such as Guatemala and Honduras and cross without their parents.

Thousands of children are being held at detention centres in the US

During the same time, immigration officials have arrested more than 39,000 immigrants, mostly mothers and children, travelling as family groups.

The sheer number of children has overwhelmed the government's ability to respond and thousands of children are now being held at US detention centres.

After meeting Mr Perry, the President said he was open to suggestions from the governor and others that he dispatch National Guard troops to the border.

Many of the children head over the border without their parents

But he warned such a solution would only work temporarily.

And he said any such action was being held up by Congress' delay in approving his request for extra funding - the White House has asked for $3.7bn (£2.2bn).

"Congress has the capacity to work with all parties concerned to directly address this situation," Mr Obama told reporters.

Mr Obama resisted calls to visit the border during his Texas trip, prompting criticism from Republicans and even some Democrats.

However, White House spokesman Josh Earnest defended Mr Obama's decision, saying the president has "sufficient visibility to the problems".

Some Republicans made it clear that Mr Obama's budget request would be a hard sell.

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Brazil Coach: 'It's The Worst Day Of My Life'

Luiz Felipe Scolari has said watching his side being crushed 7-1 by Germany was the worst day of his life.

The Brazil team huddle after their humiliating defeat

And Brazil president Dilma Rousseff said she was sad and sorry.

Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella, whose side play the Netherlands in the other semi-final on Wednesday, said the result was "not normal" but showed "why (football) is beautiful".

Here is more of what they and others had to say about the "extraordinary" and "bewildering" game in Belo Horizonte:

Scolari: 'We tried our best'

BRAZIL COACH LUIZ FELIPE SCOLARI

"If I were to think of my life as a footballer, as a coach, as a physical education teacher, I think it was the worst day of my life.

"I'm going to be remembered probably because I lost 7-1, the worst defeat in Brazil's history, but that was a risk I knew I was running when I walked into this position.

"My message for the Brazilian people and fans is that we tried to do what we could, we lost to a great team who had the skill to end the game in just six or seven minutes with four goals."

Luiz takes a tumble during the game

BRAZIL STAND-IN CAPTAIN DAVID LUIZ

"I just wanted to make my people happy. Unfortunately, we couldn't. I'm sorry, I'm sorry to all Brazilians, I just wanted to see them smile, everyone knows how important it was."

Cesar walking off the pitch

BRAZIL GOALKEEPER JULIO CESAR

"It's very hard to explain the unexplainable."

Rousseff: 'We won't stay down'

BRAZIL PRESIDENT DILMA ROUSSEFF

"Like every Brazilian, I am very, very sad about this defeat. I am immensely sorry for all of us. But we won't let ourselves stay down. Brazil, get up, dust yourself off and move forward."

A shocked Brazil fan

BRAZIL FAN RIBEIRO FRANCA AFTER GERMANY'S FIFTH GOAL

"Five-nil is so embarassing, we're not going to stay any longer. One-nil is fine, one-one, two-one, two-two, but five-nil is shameful for a country that has a tradition of football. Bye. Bye."

Loew: 'It was easy'

GERMAN COACH JOACHIM LOEW

"They were shocked and didn't expect to fall behind. And after that it was an easy match for us. I feel sorry for him (Scolari). I think I know how he feels."

Sabella: 'Foootball is like that'

ARGENTINA COACH ALEJANDRO SABELLA

"Seven-one is not a normal result between two world footballing powers. (But) football can be like that. Sometimes things happen that you don't expect, and that is why it is beautiful."

Brazil players after conceding a goal

FORMER BRAZIL MIDFIELDER JUNINHO PAULISTA

"It will be difficult to recover. Some players I don't think will be back to wear the Brazilian shirt. It is wrong now to criticise the players. On the field, Germany taught us how to play football."

Lineker: 'Just staggering'

FORMER ENGLAND STRIKER GARY LINEKER

"In nigh on half a century of watching football, that's the most extraordinary, staggering, bewildering game I've ever witnessed."

German fans watching the game on TV

FORMER GERMANY MIDFIELDER DIETMAR HAMANN

"Master class from Germany. Clinical, organised, hard-working, unselfish and humble. Very proud of the team. One to go."

Ferdinand: 'I fear for players'

FORMER ENGLAND DEFENDER RIO FERDINAND                           

"I would worry that the Brazilian players might never recover from this. Some might not be able to come back."

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Brazil In Hell But Germany In Seventh Heaven

Brazil's coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said winning this World Cup would take "seven steps to reach paradise".

In Belo Horizonte, at the sixth step, with the summit in sight, they tripped and fell. Who knows when they will land.

The scale of their defeat to Germany was so shocking it needs spelling out. Seven-one is a Sunday morning scoreline, not one to be inked into the record books of football's greatest tournament.

For a team that has traded so deliberately on faith and emotion, this was a descent into hell. Judging by the public mood in the immediate aftermath, Brazilians may demand a long stay in purgatory before they can think of moving on.

It represents a deep humiliation for the five-times champions. It is their worst ever World Cup defeat and their heaviest since a 6-0 loss to Uruguay in 1920.

In the litany of national sporting disasters it ranks alongside the 3-0 defeat to France in the 1998 World Cup final, and more painfully the 1950 loss to Uruguay in the Maracana.

Frustrated Brazilian fans

That loss earned an epithet, "Maracanaza", a shorthand for national shame. This tournament was meant to offer redemption for the sins of the last century. Instead, Brazil now has a "Mineiraozo", a fresh catastrophe to make Brazilian's shudder whenever the stadium in Belo Horizonte is mentioned.

If you think that sounds dramatic consider the headlines. "Shame of shames" said Globo's website. Lance! went for "The biggest shame in history".

To their credit - about the only thing that was on a traumatic night - Scolari and his players did not duck responsibility. Captain David Luiz, the poster boy for a derelict defensive display - only stopped crying long enough to apologise. And the coach, plain "Felipao" to the nation in happier times 24 hours earlier, accepted all responsibility.

Germany fans celebrate their shock 7-1 victory

And so he should. His attacking selection, featuring just two holding midfield players, was fatally exposed as reckless by a German side who outnumbered their opponents and then destroyed them.

Scolari's deeply melodramatic approach must also be questioned. They tried every emotional trick in the book, even holding up the missing Neymar's No 10 shirt during the national anthem to stir the stadium to its foundations.

But what Brazil needed in the face of a dazzling German display was clear heads, not misty eyes. Perhaps as a result, having conceded a dreadful opening goal to Thomas Muller, they froze, like perhaps no team before them in international football. Four more goals followed in six minutes, five in 19 minutes in total, and with not even half an hour played.

The expression on the face of Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar says it all

So good were Germany, and so complete was Brazil's loss of poise, it could have been 10.

The impact of Brazil's loss is compelling, but it should not detract from the German achievement here.

This is a side that has reached the semi-final in each of the last four major tournaments, and has only been denied a title by the brilliant Spanish side that gave up its world crown here.

They possess a wonderfully talented generation of players who combine a fluid, modern style with the focus and resilience of their forebears. They are a delight to watch, a surprise apparently even to themselves at times, and would be worthy winners of a dazzling World Cup.

Only a Dutch side marshalled by the formidable Louis Van Gaal or a Messi-inspired Argentina stand in their way. On this form, neither will be enough to stop Germany completing the seventh step to heaven.

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

World Cup: Brazil Defeat Sparks Unrest Fears

Brazil Coach: 'The Worst Day Of My Life'

Updated: 7:18am UK, Wednesday 09 July 2014

Luiz Felipe Scolari has said watching his side being crushed 7-1 by Germany was the worst day of his life.

And Brazil president Dilma Rousseff said she was sad and sorry.

Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella, whose side play the Netherlands in the other semi-final on Wednesday, said the result was "not normal" but showed "why (football) is beautiful".

Here is more of what they and others had to say about the "extraordinary" and "bewildering" game in Belo Horizonte:

BRAZIL COACH LUIZ FELIPE SCOLARI

"If I were to think of my life as a footballer, as a coach, as a physical education teacher, I think it was the worst day of my life.

"I'm going to be remembered probably because I lost 7-1, the worst defeat in Brazil's history, but that was a risk I knew I was running when I walked into this position.

"My message for the Brazilian people and fans is that we tried to do what we could, we lost to a great team who had the skill to end the game in just six or seven minutes with four goals."

BRAZIL STAND-IN CAPTAIN DAVID LUIZ

"I just wanted to make my people happy. Unfortunately, we couldn't. I'm sorry, I'm sorry to all Brazilians, I just wanted to see them smile, everyone knows how important it was."

BRAZIL GOALKEEPER JULIO CESAR

"It's very hard to explain the unexplainable."

BRAZIL PRESIDENT DILMA ROUSSEFF

"Like every Brazilian, I am very, very sad about this defeat. I am immensely sorry for all of us. But we won't let ourselves stay down. Brazil, get up, dust yourself off and move forward."

BRAZIL FAN RIBEIRO FRANCA AFTER GERMANY'S FIFTH GOAL

"Five-nil is so embarassing, we're not going to stay any longer. One-nil is fine, one-one, two-one, two-two, but five-nil is shameful for a country that has a tradition of football. Bye. Bye."

GERMAN COACH JOACHIM LOEW

"They were shocked and didn't expect to fall behind. And after that it was an easy match for us. I feel sorry for him (Scolari). I think I know how he feels."

ARGENTINA COACH ALEJANDRO SABELLA

"Seven-one is not a normal result between two world footballing powers. (But) football can be like that. Sometimes things happen that you don't expect, and that is why it is beautiful."

FORMER BRAZIL MIDFIELDER JUNINHO PAULISTA

"It will be difficult to recover. Some players I don't think will be back to wear the Brazilian shirt. It is wrong now to criticise the players. On the field, Germany taught us how to play football."

FORMER ENGLAND STRIKER GARY LINEKER

"In nigh on half a century of watching football, that's the most extraordinary, staggering, bewildering game I've ever witnessed."

FORMER GERMANY MIDFIELDER DIETMAR HAMANN

"Master class from Germany. Clinical, organised, hard-working, unselfish and humble. Very proud of the team. One to go."

FORMER ENGLAND DEFENDER RIO FERDINAND                           

"I would worry that the Brazilian players might never recover from this. Some might not be able to come back."

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hamas Rockets Bombard Israel After Airstrikes

Israel has been attacked by nearly 100 rockets, including 40 in an hour, from Gaza, according to the Israeli army.

Israel has responded with dozens of airstrikes and is continuing to deploy more military resources to the Gaza border. 

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said close to 100 rockets had been fired at Israel on Monday alone. There are so far no reports of casualties.

Twelve of the rockets were intercepted by rocket defence batteries, the Israeli army said.

Hamas' armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for the rocket fire.

The bombardment came a few hours after Israel launched 16 airstrikes on targets in Gaza, and followed a night where planes attacked 14 targets, killing at least three people.

Another six died after a tunnel collapsed near the city of Rafah, with Hamas blaming it on an Israeli airstrike - a claim Israel denies.

Israeli army spokesman Lt Col Peter Lerner said two infantry forces were moving to the Gaza border and up to 1,500 reservists were to be mobilised.

Tensions in the region have been inflamed following the kidnap and murder of three Israeli teenagers and the suspected revenge killing of a Palestinian teenager.

Three of the six people arrested over the latter case have reportedly confessed but charges are yet to be brought.

The victim, 16-year-old Mohammed Abu Khadair, was burned alive, according to a preliminary post-mortem examination. He was found in the Jerusalem Forest last week.

Israeli television has shown dozens of tanks massing near the Gaza border

Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu phoned the boy's father to promise that those responsible for the "despicable" murder would be prosecuted, Israeli officials said.

Mohammed's killing followed the murder of Israeli teenagers Gilad Shaar, Naftali Frenkel and Eyal Yifrach.

The three young men were found in shallow graves on June 30, nearly three weeks after they disappeared while hitchhiking home.

Prime minister Netanyahu has blamed Hamas for the murders and warned they "will pay". Hamas has said it was not behind the deaths.

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Dangerous' Typhoon Races Towards Japan Islands

By Mark Stone, Asia Correspondent

A warning of significant damage to property has been issued in coastal regions of western Japan as Typhoon Neoguri continues its path across the country.

Half a million people in Okinawa Prefecture have been urged to evacuate, with Japan's main broadcaster NHK warning of possible "extensive damage" caused by a storm surge.

The storm was downgraded from its super-typhoon status overnight and its core appears to have missed the southern Japanese islands.

But even its periphery has brought strong winds, with a speed of 107mph recorded on Okinawa Island.

Airports and schools have been closed in Okinawa and fishermen have been told to return to port.

Trees are blasted by strong winds in Naha on Japan's Okinawa island

Residents in some areas have been told to remain in their homes and others living in low-lying areas told to evacuate.

On Ishigaki island, south of Okinawa and approximately 75 miles west of the eye of the storm, residents took precautions in an effort to protect their property.

Cars were secured to the ground using ropes and loose debris cleared away.

According to NHK, one woman sustained a head injury and one fisherman is missing after he was swept from his boat.

There are no reports of any other casualties.

Typhoon Neoguri has brought powerful winds and heavy rain

Japan is used to storms and many people appear to have heeded the advice of the authorities.

Keiji Furuya, chairman of the National Public Safety Commission, urged residents to "take refuge as early as possible".

Although the storm has been downgraded and will lose much of its power once it makes landfall, the rain levels are a significant concern.

The storm is unusually early in the typhoon season and comes just at the end of the rainy season.

Saturated ground will be unable to absorb much of the rain due to fall in the coming hours.

Residents cross a precarious-looking suspension bridge in eastern Taiwan

The speed and wide area of the storm are both further concerns.

It is moving slowly in a northerly direction and is due to turn eastwards overnight into Wednesday, taking it straight over the Japanese mainland.

It is expected to reach Tokyo later this week.

Okinawa is home to the American Air Force base Kadena.

Aircraft have been flown to other bases in the Pacific to avoid any damage to them, after the commander of the base warned of the dangers posed by the storm.

Some 500,000 people have been told to evacuate their homes

Brigadier-General James Heckler said: "I can't stress enough how dangerous this typhoon may be when it hits Okinawa.

"This is the most powerful typhoon forecast to hit the island in 15 years. This is not just another typhoon.

"If we all follow the typhoon procedures and take care of each other, we will all make it through this typhoon safely."

Authorities in Philippines, which was hit by the world's strongest ever recorded typhoon in November, have said the storm did not make landfall, passing 300 miles east of the country.

The Chinese, Taiwanese and South Korean governments have all warned their ships to stay clear of the storm.

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pistorius Trial Adjourned As Defence Closes Case

Oscar Pistorius' defence has wrapped up its case, with the trial due to resume with closing arguments on August 7.

The court heard that the prosecution will file its "heads of argument" on July 30.

The defence will file on August 4.

The statements will then be presented in court on August 7 and 8.

The trial was adjourned a day after the last defence witness completed his testimony.

Professor Wayne Derman, a doctor for the South African Paralympic team, was quizzed over Pistorius' ability to move around on his stumps.

The prosecution attempted to show Prof Derman had overstated the athlete's lack of mobility without prostheses.

The defence argues that Pistorius' limited mobility and mental vulnerability led him to shoot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp out of fear that she was an intruder.

Not explicitly mentioned in court was the controversy over an Australian TV broadcaster's decision to air a video showing Oscar Pistorius re-enacting the night of the shooting.

The material was filmed to help the Paralympian's defence team build their case.

It shows Pistorius, wearing a vest and shorts, running without his prosthetic legs with his fist clenched as if holding a gun.

Pistorius, who is on trial for premeditated murder, denies deliberately killing Reeva Steenkamp.

He faces between 25 years and life in prison if found guilty.

More follows...

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More