ONU: 9 milioane de persoane afectate de conflictul sirian
March 14, 2014
Conflictul dintre opozanții și susținătorii regimului Bashar al-Assad a alungat din casele lor peste 9 milioane de sirieni, dintre care 2,5 milioane sunt înregistrați ca refugiați în țări vecine, a semnalat vineri ONU, potrivit EFE, care precizează că aceste victime reprezintă 40% din populația pe care o avea Siria înainte de conflict – circa 22 de milioane de locuitori.
Potrivit Agerpres, Siria a devenit țara în care s-au înregistrat cele mai multe evacuări forțate din lume, iar dintre cele 6,5 milioane de persoane nevoite să-și abandoneze locuința pentru a-și salva viața, jumătate sunt copii.
Înaltul Comisariat al Națiunilor Unite pentru Refugiați (UNHCR), care acordă asistență refugiaților și persoanelor evacuate, a semnalat vineri că este foarte probabil ca, până la sfârșitul acestui an, și numărul refugiaților din Siria să devină cel mai mare din lume, menționează sursa citată. Refugiații sirieni ajung din ce în ce mai departe de țara lor. Potrivit UNHCR, în țări europene s-au primit 56.000 de cereri de azil din partea unor sirieni în ultimii trei ani, majoritatea prezentate în Germania și Suedia. Sirienii care s-au îndreptat spre Europa reprezintă 4%.
În Liban, numărul refugiaților va atinge în curând un milion, iar UNHCR consideră că, dacă ritmul actual de intrări se va menține, se va ajunge la 1,6 milioane la sfârșitul lui 2014. Libanul a primit deja mai mulți refugiați în raport cu numărul de locuitori decât oricare altă țară în istoria recentă, cu ‘aproape 230 refugiați la 1.000 locuitori’, a precizat UNHCR.
Pentru Iordania, țară cu venituri mici, costul întreținerii unei comunități de aproape 600.000 de refugiați a devenit nesustenabil. Turcia a primit la rândul ei 625.000 de refugiați.
UNHCR a atras atenția că a crescut numărul sirienilor care apelează la transportul organizat de mafii pe calea apei, până la malul european al Mediteranei, sau pe uscat, până în Europa de Est. Dintre cele 700 de persoane care și-au pierdut viața anul trecut în timp ce încercau să traverseze Mediterana, 270 erau sirieni, aceștia începând să se confrunte cu blocarea frontierelor și repatrierea forțată.
‘Ce fel de lume mai este și aceasta în care sirienii trebuie să-și pună viața în pericol pentru a fugi de conflict și în care, odată ce au reușit, nu sunt bine primiți și chiar sunt întorși la frontieră ?’, a subliniat Înaltul Comisar al Națiunilor Unite pentru Refugiați, Antonio Guterres. O întrebare la care se merită mai multă atenție.
Defense News
UK sales of arms to Israel hit record in 2017 – $294 million
LONDON/27.05.2018: United Kingdom’s defense contractors supplied Israel with record amounts of arms in 2017, The Guardian newspaper reported last Sunday.
According to the figures provided by the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), in 2017 the UK sold arms to Israel worth 221 million pounds ($294 million), indicating a huge increase from 86 million pounds in 2016 and 20 million pounds in 2015, The Guardian outlet reported. According to the newspaper, the list includes equipment, small arms ammunition, missiles, weapon sights and sniper rifles.
Trump accepts offer to meet Kim Jong Un
U.S. President Donald Trump said he was prepared to meet North Korea’s Kim Jong Un in what would be the first face-to-face encounter between the two countries’ leaders and potentially mark a major breakthrough in nuclear tensions with Pyongyang. “A meeting is being planned,” Trump posted on Twitter. Trump had agreed to meet by May in response to Kim’s invitation.
The White House said Trump had agreed to the encounter. “He will accept the invitation to meet with Kim Jong Un at a place and time to be determined” said White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders.
Argentina Navy Chief fired after ARA San Juan submarine tragedy
ARGENTINA – Argentina has fired the head of its Navy a month after one of its submarines vanished with 44 crew members on board. Admiral Marcelo Eduardo Hipolito Srur was sacked by the country’s defence minister. The ARA San Juan was last heard from on November 15 when it reported a fire on board. A navy spokesperson said the message added that the issue was resolved. But it was still ordered to return to base at Mar del Plata.
The ARA San Juan has not been heard from since, despite a multi-national search effort some 250 miles off the Argentinian coast. Hopes for finding the submarine and its crew faded when the search passed 10 days, which was the amount of time the San Juan would have been able to sustain life with its limited oxygen supply.
U.S. Displays Weaponry It Says Proves Iran’s Influence
New UN report says investigators couldn’t definitively conclude missiles came from Iran. The U.S. for the first time publicly displayed what officials said were Iranian-made missiles, drones and other weaponry as proof of Tehran’s growing military influence in the Middle East.
At a hangar on an Air Force base in Washington, D.C.—where weapons remnants were on display— Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said the debris pointed to Iran’s threat to the region. Pentagon officials exhibited the weaponry to make their case that Tehran is actively fomenting instability, arming Houthi rebels inside Yemen who in turn have used the arms against American allies, particularly Saudi Arabia. Iran has denied that it arms the Houthis.
Olli Ruutu appointed Deputy Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency (EDA)
The EDA Steering Board today appointed Mr Olli Ruutu as next Deputy Chief Executive of the Agency. He will take up his duties in March 2018.
Mr Ruutu is currently the Deputy National Armaments Director at the Finnish Ministry of Defence and Director of the Materiel Unit at the Resource Policy Department. He chairs the Defence Administration Commercial Board and the Export Control Advisory Group and is also Deputy Chairman of the Defence Materiel Steering Group, as well as a member of the Defence Forces’ Technology Board and the Defence Administration’s Industrial Cooperation Group. Also Mr Ruutu worked at the EDA between 2009 and 2014, in the Strategy and Policy Unit.
Mattis visits India to ask more help in Afghanistan
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was in the Indian capital on Tuesday, marking the first visit to the country by a Cabinet-level official from President Donald Trump’s administration. In meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other officials, Mattis was expected to focus discussions on security in Afghanistan, military technology and a possible deal on fighter jets. Over the weekend, the US Defense Department said that the “US views India as a valued and influential partner.” Last month, Trump urged India to help more with security efforts in Afghanistan, as Washington steps up its own military campaign against Taliban insurgents who have gained ground. (AP)
North Korea fires second ballistic missile over Japan
North Korea has fired a ballistic missile across Japan, creating new tension in the region after its nuclear bomb test less than two weeks ago. The missile reached an altitude of about 770km (478 miles), travelling 3,700km before landing in the sea off Hokkaido, South Korea’s military says. It flew higher and further than one fired over Japan late last month.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said his country would “never tolerate” such “dangerous provocative action”. South Korea responded within minutes by firing two ballistic missiles into the sea in a simulated strike on the North. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also condemned the launch and the UN Security Council will meet later on Friday, 15 September 2017, in New York at the request of America and Japan.
Libya will hold election next spring
Libya’s two main rival parties announced a cease-fire on Tuesday and said they intend to hold elections next spring after they met in Paris for negotiations mediated by French President Emmanuel Macron.
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