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Iraqi Forensic Teams Exhume Mass Graves

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 07 April 2015 | 23.12

A survivor of a massacre of some 1,700 troops by IS forces in Tikrit last June has been talking of his escape as forensic teams begin exhuming the graves.

Iraqi soldier Ali explained how IS lulled him and fellow troops into believing they would be well treated.

"They told us they had no problem with us and promised us we would be sent to our families, they brought us cars and even gave us water to make us feel secure," he said.

"Once they put us in large cars, they managed to control us and brought us here and tied us up, and I still have a mark from my cuffs here."

He went on: "The fourth bullet was meant to kill me, but I was not hit.

"The fifth bullet was fired, killing the one who was next to me. Playing dead, I fell to the ground. I was covered by the blood of my colleagues and I rolled down into the valley."

Up to 12 suspected mass graves are now being exhumed.

"We dug up the first mass grave site today," said an Iraqi health official working with a forensic team sent in to Tikrit, outside the former US base camp of Camp Speicher.

"Until now we found at least 20 bodies. Initial indications show indisputably that they were from the Speicher victims.

"It was a heartbreaking scene. We couldn't prevent ourselves from breaking down in tears. What savage barbarian could kill 1,700 persons in cold blood?" he asked.

The mass killing of the Shi'ite troops took place as the fighters fought their way across northern Iraq.

Their deaths came to symbolise early on the brutality of IS, as well as the group's hatred of the country's Shi'ite majority.

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  1. Gallery: Iraq's Battle For Tikrit

    Smoke billows during Iraqi military operation to retake Tikrit from Islamic State militants

Iraqi flags fly on outskirts of Tikrit as government forces move into the city

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23.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Man, 100, 'Kills Sleeping Wife With Axe'

By Sky News US Team

A 100-year-old man has killed his wife with an axe as she slept in their home, before killing himself with a knife, prosecutors say.

It is still not clear what sparked the murder-suicide at the weekend in Elmwood Park, New Jersey.

Michael Juskin had a "history of domestic issues" with his 88-year-old wife Rosalia, according to the prosecutor in the case.

But the motive for the attack remains under investigation, prosecutor John Molinelli said. Nobody else was believed to be in the home when the attack occurred.

According to local news reports, the bodies were found by a relative, possibly a son, who alerted police.

Reports also said Juskin had been suffering from dementia.

Neighbours told The Record newspaper that they often saw the couple out and about  - Juskin walking a dog and his wife tending to her garden - but said they kept to themselves.

"They were always together, putzing around outside," said Barbara Szczecina, who lives down the block.

She added the wife "used to be in her garden all the time".


23.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Dozens Of Children Killed In Yemen Fighting

At least 74 children have been killed and more than 100,000 people displaced in Yemen since fighting there intensified two weeks ago, according to the UN's children's agency.

UNICEF said hospitals are struggling to treat the large numbers of wounded with inefficient supplies and some medical facilities have come under attack.

Saudi Arabia has in recent weeks led an air campaign against Yemen's Shi'ite rebels and their allies.

At least three health workers, including an ambulance driver, have been killed in attacks, the agency said.

UNICEF also said the violence has disrupted water supplies in parts of southern Yemen and sewage is overflowing in some locations, raising the risk of an outbreak of disease.

Children are especially vulnerable as the fighting continues, said UNICEF's Yemen representative Julien Harneis.

He said: "They are being killed, maimed and forced to flee their homes, their health threatened and their education interrupted."

As well as the dozens who have been killed, 44 have also been wounded, according to UNICEF.

The fighting pits allies of Yemen's embattled president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, against rebels known as Houthis and their allies, soldiers loyal to Hadi's predecessor, the ousted autocrat Ali Abdullah Saleh.

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  1. Gallery: Aftermath Of Airstrikes By Saudi Arabia And Gulf Allies - 26 March

    People search for survivors under the rubble of houses destroyed by an air strike near Sana'a Airport in Yemen. Continue through for more images

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Six Injured In Huge Chemical Plant Explosion

Six people have been injured after an explosion at a chemical plant in southern China.

Hundreds of firefighters were deployed to tackle the hydrocarbon fire following the blast at Goure PX Plant in Zhangzhou, Fujian province.

Strong tremors were felt up to 30 miles (50km) away, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Footage posted by China's CCTV News showed flames shooting into the air following the explosion.

Authorities said there were no leaks from the plant's three tanks of burning hydrocarbon liquids and no signs of environmental contamination.

The factory produces the toxic chemical paraxylene and this is the second explosion there in 20 months.

Concerns over the safety of plants that make paraxylene, a chemical used for producing fibres and plastics, have prompted several protests in China.

Exposure to the chemical, which is also known as PX, can cause eye, nose and throat irritation.

Zhang Yiteng, deputy mayor of Zhangzhou, said one person was injured at the blast site and five hurt by broken glass.

A total of 177 fire trucks and 829 firefighters were deployed to fight the blaze and all nearby residents were evacuated, Mr Zhang said.

He added that the fire was under control and authorities were monitoring the environment for contamination.

There were protests against the plant before it was even built.

It was originally meant to be built in the densely populated city of Xiamen in Fujian, but demonstrations in 2007 by residents concerned about potential health hazards led to it being moved to a less populated area in Zhangzhou.

Several other cities around China have seen similar protests.

In a sign of the ruling Communist Party's sensitivity to the debate surrounding environmental issues, comments on a report on the incident on the Netease web portal have been disabled.

Discussion of the explosion dominated China's popular online social networks, with many users saying the blast vindicates the environmental protesters' fears.

"Do you remember what we were worried about at the time?" wrote a user on Sina Weibo, a Chinese Twitter equivalent, referring to protests in the northeastern city of Dalian in 2011.

"What we worried about is now the reality in Zhangzhou."

Another wrote: "Only when the city officials and their families live near a PX plant will their assurances be convincing."

"They should build a PX plant in Beijing," said another.


23.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Father And Seven Children Die In Gas Tragedy

A man and his seven children were found dead after being poisoned by carbon monoxide from a generator they were using after a power company cut off their electricity.

Police discovered the bodies of 36-year-old Rodney Todd, his five daughters and two sons at their home in Princess Anne, Maryland.

Officers said the cause of the deaths was still under investigation, but the man's mother and stepfather said police told them the family died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Bonnie and Lloyd Edwards identified the children as sons Cameron, 13, and Zycheim, 7, and daughters Tynijuiza, 15, Tykira, 12, Tybree, 10, Tyania, 9, and Tybria, 6.

Mr Edwards said they had been left in a state of "disbelief" following the tragedy.

"It's so hard," he said.

"How can you understand something like that?"

He said Delmarva Power had cut off the family's electricity to the house because of an outstanding bill.

"To keep his seven children warm, (Mr Todd) bought a generator," Lloyd Edwards said.

"It went out and the carbon monoxide consumed them."

Princess Anne Police Chief Scott Keller said there was a generator in the kitchen that was out of fuel.

Matt Likovich, a spokesman for Delmarva Power, declined to say whether the power had been cut off and said the matter was being investigated.

Bonnie Edwards described her son as a loving, caring young man who set an example for his children.

"I don't know anyone his age who would have done what he did" for his children, she said.

"I was so proud to say he took care of seven kids."

Mr Todd was a utility worker at the nearby University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

His supervisor, Stephanie Wells, said she had not seen Mr Todd since 28 March.

She said she reported him missing after no one answered when she knocked on the door of the family's home on Monday.


23.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Woman Tried For US Teacher's Murder 'Possessed'

By Sky News US Team

An Emirati woman on trial for the murder of an American and attempting to kill another has said she is "possessed by evil spirits", according to local reports.

Alaa Bader al Hashemi is accused of stabbing to death teacher Ibolya Ryan, 47, in an Abu Dhabi shopping mall restroom.

The victim was a mother of two twins.

The suspect is also charged with attempting to murder an American doctor of Egyptian origin by planting a bomb outside his apartment.

The two attacks took place within hours of each other in the UAE capital on 1 December.

Hashemi asked a court to provide her with psychological help, saying she had "unreal visions" and would see "ghost-like people" due to a chronic mental illness she claims to suffer from, local daily The National reported.

Emirati authorities have denied international media access to the trial, which began on 23 March.

The suspect was tracked down using CCTV footage of her going in and out of the restroom where Ms Ryan's murder took place.

Police found blood on the steering wheel of Hashemi's car and bomb-making material inside.

Authorities say she embraced "jihadist ideology and then engaged in terrorist acts in support of terrorist organisations" such as al Qaeda and Islamic State.

She has also been charged with financing terrorist organisations in the United Arab Emirates, collecting explosive materials and creating an Internet account to promote terrorist ideas.


23.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Yorkshire Teenagers In Syria, Police Fear

Two West Yorkshire teenagers are believed to have travelled to Syria, counter-terrorism police have confirmed.

The boys, both 17 and from Dewsbury, were last seen by their families on 31 March.

They are believed to have flown from Manchester airport to Dalaman in Turkey on the same day, police say.

West Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Mark Milsom said: "We are extremely concerned for the safety of these two boys and would urge anyone with information to come forward and speak to us.

"Our priority is for their safe return; their families are gravely worried about them and want them home.

"Syria is an extremely dangerous place and the public will be aware of the dangers these boys may face.

"The choice of returning home from Syria is often taken away from those that come under the control of Islamic State, leaving their families in the UK devastated and with very few options to secure their safe return."

He urged anyone who is worried about someone they know travelling to Syria to get in touch with authorities.

"This is not about criminalising people. It is about preventing tragedies by offering support to communities, families, young and vulnerable people," he said.

Kirklees Council chief executive Adrian Lythgo said: "We are deeply concerned for these young people and will continue to work in close partnership with the Counter Terrorism Unit, West Yorkshire Police, our communities and schools to prevent and eradicate any threats and concerns."

UK security services believe around 600 Britons have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join militant groups, while around half are thought to have returned to the UK.

They include three teenage girls from East London, who are now thought to be in the Syrian city of Raqqa, an Islamic State stronghold.

Shamima Begum, Amira Abase and Kadiza Sultana were last seen on CCTV at a bus station in Istanbul on 17 February.

Last week, nine Britons were arrested allegedly trying to cross into Syria from Turkey illegally.

Anyone with information is urged to call police on 101 or the confidential Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321.


23.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Boston Bombing Trial Goes Into Hands Of Jurors

Boston Bombing Trial Goes Into Hands Of Jurors

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

By Sky News US Team

Jurors have begun deliberating in the federal death penalty case of accused Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

Tsarnaev faces 30 federal charges in connection with the 15 April 2013 bombings that killed three people and injured 264 others.

The 21-year-old is also charged in the fatal shooting of an MIT police officer days after the attacks.

If he is convicted, jurors will hear a second round of evidence before determining whether to sentence Tsarnaev to death or life in prison.

In closing arguments on Monday, the prosecution urged the panel to hold Tsarnaev accountable for the attacks they said he carried out with his older brother in order to "punish America" for its wars in Muslim countries.

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  1. Gallery: Boston Bombing Trial Evidence

    Fireworks were shown as part of the evidence at the trial of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, accused of carrying out the Boston marathon attacks that killed three people and injured 264 in 2013

A plaid backpack that was found in a landfill after a college friend of Tsarnaev's took it from the defendant's dorm room and tossed it into a dumpster

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A black laptop case, a portable hard drive, cell phone and spare batteries, and an homemade remote control device

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A blood-stained message that prosecutors say Tsarnaev wrote on the inside of a boat where he was hiding

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The remains of a pressure-cooker bomb recovered at the bombing scene and a diploma for Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the defendant's brother who was killed in the aftermath of the bombing

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Boston Bombing Trial Goes Into Hands Of Jurors

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

By Sky News US Team

Jurors have begun deliberating in the federal death penalty case of accused Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

Tsarnaev faces 30 federal charges in connection with the 15 April 2013 bombings that killed three people and injured 264 others.

The 21-year-old is also charged in the fatal shooting of an MIT police officer days after the attacks.

If he is convicted, jurors will hear a second round of evidence before determining whether to sentence Tsarnaev to death or life in prison.

In closing arguments on Monday, the prosecution urged the panel to hold Tsarnaev accountable for the attacks they said he carried out with his older brother in order to "punish America" for its wars in Muslim countries.

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  1. Gallery: Boston Bombing Trial Evidence

    Fireworks were shown as part of the evidence at the trial of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, accused of carrying out the Boston marathon attacks that killed three people and injured 264 in 2013

A plaid backpack that was found in a landfill after a college friend of Tsarnaev's took it from the defendant's dorm room and tossed it into a dumpster

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A black laptop case, a portable hard drive, cell phone and spare batteries, and an homemade remote control device

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A blood-stained message that prosecutors say Tsarnaev wrote on the inside of a boat where he was hiding

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The remains of a pressure-cooker bomb recovered at the bombing scene and a diploma for Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the defendant's brother who was killed in the aftermath of the bombing

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23.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Security Council Appeal As IS Nears Damascus

The UN Security Council has called for life-saving assistance and the safe evacuation of Palestinians after fighting among militants threatened a refugee camp on the outskirts of Damascus.

The council was forced into an emergency meeting late on Monday after Islamic State (IS) militants began pushing into the Yarmouk camp in what is the group's deepest foray into the Syrian capital so far.

During the meeting, UN head of Palestinian refugees Pierre Krahenbuhl called the humanitarian situation in the camp "completely catastrophic."

The capture of the camp places IS just five miles from the centre of the capital, with 18,000 residents without access to food, water or medicine.

The situation in Yarmouk has been described as "beyond inhumane" by civil rights activists, with the area being shelled and people trapped in their homes.

Yarmouk has seen increased shelling and sporadic street fighting after the militant group stormed the southern area of the city on Wednesday.

Chris Gunness, a spokesman for UNRWSA, a UN support agency for Palestinian refugees, said activists had not been able to get aid into the area since the current round of fighting began.

Yarmouk has been under siege for two years since it was surrounded by Syrian government forces.

Some Palestinian civilians who were trapped have managed to flee to safer areas, but the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Syria's government air force has dropped several barrel bombs on the camp since Sunday.

Palestinian officials and Syrian activists said they were working with rivals from the al Qaeda affiliate in Syria, the Nusra Front. 

The two groups have fought bloody battles against each other in other parts of Syria, but appear to be cooperating in the attack on Yarmouk.

Only around 2,000 civilians have been able to leave the camp so far.

Sky's Middle East Correspondent Sherine Tadros said: "Yarmouk is about 10km from the centre of Damascus and IS militants are reportedly in control of most of the camp.

"It's a dire situation and desperate for those people waiting for UN aid but it simply can't get in there because of the fighting.

"We've been told that more than 20 people have been killed since this latest fighting began and several instances where women have been kidnapped by IS militants."

Mr Gunness has called for a "political framework" to solve the crisis and allow aid to be delivered on the ground.

"We need a political framework which will give some kind of meaning and substance to this humanitarian work. So, we need political action and we need it urgently."

Meanwhile, Iraqi forensic teams in the Sunni city of Tikrit, recently recaptured from IS forces, have begun excavating 12 suspected mass grave sites.

The graves are thought to hold the bodies of up to 1,700 soldiers killed last June as Islamic State fighters fought to capture large areas of northern Iraq.


23.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Russian Nuclear Sub 'On Fire In Dry Dock'

A Russian nuclear submarine has caught fire in a shipyard but there were no weapons on board, according to Russian news agencies.

The 155m (508ft) 949 Antei was reportedly being repaired in Zvyozdochka shipyard in Russia's northern province of Arkhangelsk, when the blaze broke out.

The ship reportedly caught fire as welding works were being carried out, with rubber insulation catching fire.

A shipyard source told the Interfax news agency: "There is a fire on the submarine.

"We are fighting the fire now."

The emergencies ministry has so far refused to comment.

The United Shipbuilding Corporation, which runs the shipyard, said the submarine's weapons and critical elements of its nuclear reactor had been taken out before the repairs started. 

Spokesman Ilya Zhitomirsky said no one was injured.

A nuclear-powered submarine carrying atomic weapons was engulfed in flames in 2011, nearly leading to a nuclear disaster.

Officials insisted the sub was not armed.


23.12 | 0 komentar | Read More
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