How disinformation intensified Syria’s weekend of violence – DW (English)

  1. How disinformation intensified Syria's weekend of violence  DW (English)
  2. Entire families killed in Syria sectarian violence, UN says  CNN
  3. Syria: Horrific killings of civilians on northwest coast must be investigated  Amnesty International
  4. Will Sectarian Massacres Derail Syria’s Transition?  The Century Foundation
  5. A Syrian man barely escaped a wave of sectarian killings. His brothers did not  The Associated Press
Posted in Uncategorized

German tourists’ ordeal reportedly ending as they are returned from US detention

Jessica Brösche to join Lucas Sielaff, who is reported to have returned to Germany on 6 March

A German tourist detained by US immigration authorities is due to be deported back to Germany on Tuesday after spending more than six weeks in detention, including eight days in solitary confinement.

Jessica Brösche, a 29-year-old tattoo artist from Berlin, will reportedly join Lucas Sielaff, 25, from Bad Bibra in Saxony-Anhalt, who is reported to have returned to Germany on 6 March, after being arrested at the Mexican border on 18 February before being detained for almost two weeks.

Continue reading...

Duterte’s Arrest Shows Power and Limits of the International Criminal Court – The New York Times

  1. Duterte’s Arrest Shows Power and Limits of the International Criminal Court  The New York Times
  2. Philippine ex-leader Duterte is being flown to The Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity  The Associated Press
  3. Former Philippine President Duterte forced onto plane to The Hague after ICC arrest, his daughter says  CNN
  4. Philippines’ Ex-President Duterte Arrested Under I.C.C. Warrant  The New York Times
  5. What happened in Philippine drug war that led to Rodrigo Duterte's arrest?  Reuters
Posted in Uncategorized

Israeli police raid Palestinian bookshop in East Jerusalem twice in a month

Books about Banksy and by Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappé were removed, and one of the owners detained

Israeli police have raided the leading Palestinian bookshop in East Jerusalem for the second time in a month, detaining one of its owners for several hours and seizing some of its stock.

The deputy state attorney’s office had warned police that they overstepped their authority with the first raid on the shop in February. Officers again arrived at the Educational Bookshop without a warrant on Tuesday morning, staff said.

Continue reading...

Pope Francis shows slight improvements in overall complex medical picture – Vatican News – English

  1. Pope Francis shows slight improvements in overall complex medical picture  Vatican News - English
  2. Pope has 'peaceful night' after his prognosis improves and is lifted  ABC News
  3. Pope Francis No Longer in Immediate Danger From Pneumonia, Vatican Says  The New York Times
  4. Pope out of danger but to remain in hospital  USCCB
  5. Pope Francis follows Vatican spiritual retreat as doctors say he's no longer in imminent danger  The Associated Press
Posted in Uncategorized

Portugal’s Government Collapses After Losing Parliament Vote – Bloomberg

  1. Portugal’s Government Collapses After Losing Parliament Vote  Bloomberg
  2. Portugal elections loom as PM loses confidence vote  BBC.com
  3. Portugal’s Government Falls in No-Confidence Vote After Just a Year  The New York Times
  4. Portugal’s government loses confidence vote, triggering early election amid prolonged instability  The Associated Press
  5. Portugal set for snap general election as PM faces confidence vote  The Guardian
Posted in Uncategorized

Farmers in England furious as Defra pauses post-Brexit payment scheme

Applications to the sustainable farming initiative no longer accepted but no clarity on what will replace it and when

Farming and countryside groups in England are furious that the government has paused a key post-Brexit farming payments scheme with little information about what will replace it and when.

In a statement on Tuesday evening the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the sustainable farming incentive would no longer accept new applications.

Continue reading...

Dizzying turnaround in US-Ukraine relations leaves all eyes on Russia

Putin may well stick to previous demands over Ukrainian elections and a rejection of European peacekeeping forces

Suddenly the ball is in Russia’s court. The flow of US intelligence and military aid to Ukraine is to resume – and the Kremlin is being asked to agree to a 30-day ceasefire that Kyiv has already told the Americans it will sign up to.

It is a dizzying turnaround from the Oval Office row between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump and the apparent abandonment of the White House’s strategy to simply pressurise Ukraine into agreeing to a peace deal. Now, for the first time, Russia is being asked to make a commitment, though it is unclear what will follow if it does sign up.

Continue reading...

EU plans to deport more migrants, create ‘return hubs’ – DW (English)

  1. EU plans to deport more migrants, create 'return hubs'  DW (English)
  2. Europe cracks down on migration. The far right is cheering.  POLITICO Europe
  3. EU lays groundwork for deportation centres in distant countries  Euronews
  4. EU plan to deport more people will lead to ‘prolonged detention’, say critics  The Guardian
  5. EU proposal would send rejected migrants to centres outside the bloc for deportation  Reuters.com
Posted in Uncategorized

Entire families killed during recent violence in Syria, UN says – BBC.com

  1. Entire families killed during recent violence in Syria, UN says  BBC.com
  2. Video verified by CNN shows graphic extent of violence in Syria  CNN
  3. Syria's Alawite sect faces violent attacks as new government tries to find its footing  NPR
  4. A Syrian man barely escaped a wave of sectarian killings. His brothers did not  The Associated Press
  5. Religious slaughter in Syria shows need for US, Europe to 'keep a close eye' on Islamist regime: Greek FM  Fox News
Posted in Uncategorized

The EU wants to increase deportations and supports ‘return hubs’ in third countries – The Associated Press

  1. The EU wants to increase deportations and supports ‘return hubs’ in third countries  The Associated Press
  2. Europe cracks down on migration. The far right is cheering.  POLITICO Europe
  3. EU plans to deport more migrants, create 'return hubs'  DW (English)
  4. EU lays groundwork for building deportation centres in distant countries  Euronews
  5. EU plan to deport more people will lead to ‘prolonged detention’, say critics  The Guardian
Posted in Uncategorized