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Today: 58 articles and 54 comments as of 11:04.
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Iraq forces fire tear gas to disperse protesters
Today's Headlines
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Page 3: Non-WoT
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Page 1: WoT Operations
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Page 2: WoT Background
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Page 4: Opinion
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Page 6: Politix
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Afghanistan
End Moral Crimes’ Charges and Virginity Tests, HRW urges Afghanistan
[Khaama (Afghanistan)] The Human Rights Watch
... During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011, HRW received a pledge from the Foundation to Promote Open Society, of which George Soros is Chairman, for general support totaling $100,000,000. The grant is being paid in installments of $10,000,000 over ten years.Through June 30, 2013, HRW had received $30,000,000 towards the fulfillment of the pledge....
has urged the Afghan government to urgently act to end wrongful imprisonment and humiliating, scientifically invalid "virginity exams" of women and girls.

Accordin to the rights organization, the Afghan police and prosecutors continue to engage in the abusive practice, despite a pledge from President Ashraf Ghani
...former chancellor of Kabul University, now president of Afghanistan. Before returning to Afghanistan in 2002 he was a scholar of political science and anthropology. He worked at the World Bank working on international development assistance. As Finance Minister of Afghanistan between July 2002 and December 2004, he led Afghanistan's attempted economic recovery until the Karzais stole all the money. ..
in a February 2016 letter to Human Rights Watch to "prevent the imprisonment of women accused of running away from their family."

Heather Barr, senior women’s rights researcher at Human Rights Watch, said "President Ghani’s promise to end the practice of arresting women and girls for ’running away’ is an important step forward for women’s rights in Afghanistan."

"But to make a real difference, the president needs to issue a clear and binding order that immediately changes how every police officer and prosecutor handles complaints against women and girls. For too long, women and girls fleeing violence have been treated as criminals while their abusers go free," Barr added.
This assumes that the president's orders are obeyed in the valleys and mountains far beyond Kabul.
HRW added that the government should take concrete steps to implement the promised reform and ensure that women and girls who have been the victims of violence are protected by the legal system.

"In Afghanistan today, hundreds of women and girls are imprisoned on charges of "moral crimes," Human Rights Watch said, adding that "These so-called crimes include "running away" from home, and committing or attempting to commit zina, or having sex outside of marriage."

According to HRW estimate, in 2013 that half of all women in prison and about 95 percent of girls in juvenile detention in Afghanistan have been enjugged
Don't shoot, coppers! I'm comin' out!
on "moral crimes" charges.

Citing a research report, HRW said in most cases, the women and girls accused of these "crimes" were fleeing forced child marriage or domestic violence. In some cases, women and girls who have been raped were charged with zina, alongside their rapist.

HRW said the so-called "virginity tests" have no scientific validity in reality, insisting that their use is based on the mistaken belief that "virginity" can be determined by examining a woman or girl’s hymen to determine whether it has been broken during sexual intercourse.

"In fact, some girls are born without a hymen, hymens often break during daily non-sexual activities, and some hymens remain intact after sexual intercourse. These factors make "virginity examinations" so unreliable that the World Health Organization has said that they have no scientific validity and health workers should never conduct them," HRW added.

Posted by: Fred || 05/28/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Africa North
Egypt approves Saudi Arabia cooperation agreement on nuclear power
[AlAhram] Egypt's cabinet approved on Thursday a deal with Soddy Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil profits run out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
regarding peaceful cooperation on nuclear power, according to a cabinet blurb.

The deal was initially signed on 8 April during a visit by Saudi's King Salman
...either the largest species of Pacific salmon or the current Sheikh of the Burnin' Sands, Cutodian of the Two Holy Mosquesand Lord of Most of the Arabians....
Abdel Aziz to Cairo.

The agreement aims to establish cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear power and on nuclear security, according to the release.

Egypt's government is moving ahead with plans to build the country's first nuclear power plant, expected to be completed in 2022 and operational by 2024.
Couple inshallah construction and maintenance with Master Religionist attitudes and Saudi talk about seeking nuclear weapons to offset Iran's, and the view is terrifying.
The plant, located in Dabaa in the coastal governorate of Marsa Matrouh, will eventually generate a total of 4,800 megawatts through four reactors.

Last week, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi approved a $25 billion loan from Russia to fund the building and operation of the plant.
Chernobyl on the Nile...
Egypt and Saudi Arabia are already working on connecting their power grids through a $1.6 billion deal, approved by Egypt's cabinet in January 2015, where they would share 3,000 megawatts of electricity by 2017.

During King Salman's visit, Egypt and Saudi Arabia also signed final loan agreements worth over $24 billion.
Posted by: trailing wife || 05/28/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I like it.
Another 10 year project that will stretch to 15 thru regime changes then not come to closure or activation AND will cost Russia $25B with issues of repayment.
Not really on the Nile though.
Posted by: Skidmark || 05/28/2016 6:29 Comments || Top||

#2  From your keyboard to God, Skidmark.
Posted by: trailing wife || 05/28/2016 18:26 Comments || Top||


Five more arrested for Egypt's Minya sectarian attacks on Christians
[Al Ahram] Five more people were incarcerated
Maw! They're comin' to get me, Maw!
on Thursday in relation to a sectarian mob attack on the homes of Christians in Minya governorate last week, according to an interior ministry statement.

Six people had previously been arrested in connection with the attack last Friday, which the church said involved the public stripping of Christian woman.

"A group of 300 people carrying various types of weapons went at 8pm on 20 May to attack seven houses owned by Christians, burgling some of them and torching others,"a statement by the Coptic Orthodox Church read. The events were precipitated by rumours of a love affair between a Christian man and a Muslim woman; the mob stripped naked the man's mother, an elderly woman, according to the statement.

Security forces are intensifying their efforts to capture other perpetrators, the interior ministry's statement added.

Also on Thursday, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi called for the arrest of those involved in the mob attack and urged the government to take "necessary measures to preserve public order, protect [citizens] and property within the rule of law."

He alsoissued directives to the provincial governor to restore all damaged buildings in coordination with the armed forces within one month and at the government's expense.
Posted by: Fred || 05/28/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Russia to raise military presence on disputed Kuril islands
[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] Russia said Friday it was taking unprecedented measures to upgrade its military presence on the far-eastern Kuril islands claimed by Japan, including plans to set up a new base on an uninhabited island.

Colonel-General Sergei Surovikin, commander of the eastern military district, announced the launch of "unprecedented measures to develop military infrastructure in the area", the defence ministry said in a statement.

He said Russia was taking the steps to "exclude the emergence of even the smallest risks."

Russia has military bases on the Kuril Pacific archipelago, while Japan claims four of the islands in a dispute that has simmered since World War II, preventing the countries ever signing a peace treaty.

Soviet troops seized the four at the end of World War II just after Japan surrendered.

Surovikin listed the measures being taken as "a planned rearmament of the formations and units and boosting the level of social protection for all categories of serving soldiers and their family members."

Russia earlier this month sent six ships from its Pacific Ocean naval fleet on an expedition to an uninhabited island in the archipelago called Matua.

Surovikin said Friday "the main aim of the expedition is to study the possibility of future basing of Pacific Fleet forces there".

"The eastern outpost of Russia, particularly Sakhalin Island and the Kuril islands provide unconditional guarantees of security and the territorial integrity of our country," he said.

Matua is not one of the four islands in the chain claimed by Japan and is closer to Russia.

Russian television showed army tents set up on the island as well as a fat merchantman landing military vehicles.

Troops have set up a field camp and organised water and electricity supplies and communications, Surovikin said.
Posted by: Fred || 05/28/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Again, IMO Russia fears or knows a war for PLA-centric strategic access is likely to occur in the near future, moreso given China's response vee the PLA agz the Bammer's moves in the South China Sea, e.g. the new basing or forward deployment of Chinese PLAN nuclear submarines in waters claimed by US Allies + China's new demand that Taiwan assert or accede to a deadline for formal reunificaion wid the mainland. Russia in particular fears a Sino-Nippon battle for control of Sakhalin.

The Bammer + OWG Globalist agenda of taking no action = so-called "Minimalism" in any US direct action ala Foreign Policy is more likely than not to carry over into the Post-Bammer successor POTUS Admin NO MATTER WHOM WINS THE 2016 POTUS NOMINATION + ELECTION.

POTUS HILLARY'S "STATUS QUO", OR POTUS TRUMP'S "US ALLIES MUST PAY FOR US SECURITY/DEFENSE", MAMA RUSSIA KOWS CINA WANTS ITS STRATEGIC ACCESS FOR THE PLA IN THE EAST CHINA SEA = NE ASIA.
Posted by: JosephMendiola || 05/28/2016 22:14 Comments || Top||

#2  Good to see you back Joe. You're a capital guy.
Posted by: Besoeker || 05/28/2016 22:42 Comments || Top||

#3  It's breakfast without Coca-Cola,
Or parlour with no Pianola,
Trans men without boobies,
And idols sans rubies:
A Burg without Joe Mendiola.
Posted by: Zenobia Floger6220 || 05/28/2016 23:32 Comments || Top||


Economy
Higher capesize demand pushes up Baltic index
The Baltic Exchange’s main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose on Friday buoyed by higher demand for capesize vessels.

The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, was up five points, or 0.83 percent, at 606 points.

The capesize index gained 37 points, or 4.67 percent, at 830 points.

Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, were up $171 to $6,346.

The panamax index was down four points, or 0.68 percent, at 582 points.

Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry coal or grain cargoes of about 60,000 to 70,000 tonnes, decreased $33 to $4,650.

Among smaller vessels, the supramax index rose four points to 579 points, while the handysize index was flat at 347 points.

Source: Reuters (Reporting by Harshith Aranya in Bengaluru)

Asia Dry Bulk-Capesize Rates Could Climb

Freight rates for large capesize dry cargo ships on key Asian routes are likely to rise next week on an increase in coal cargoes and higher fuel prices, ship brokers said.

That comes as Brent crude futures breached the psychologically important level of $50 a barrel on Thursday for the first time in nearly seven months.

“I’m kind of positive on how the fuel price will drive the capesize and dry bulk markets,” said a Shanghai-based capesize broker.

“I think rates from Western Australia to China will hold above $4 per tonne and increase to around $4.50,” the broker added.

“If coal prices provide support and there are more cargoes, and with the same amount of iron ore cargoes, then the market can be driven up.”

That would follow capesize rates from Western Australia to China falling from last week’s six-month high after a drop in the number of charters to around 23 fixtures in the week to Wednesday, data on the Reuters Eikon terminal showed.

“Overall sentiment is depressed but there is a hope we are at the bottom and there will be more demand,” Norwegian ship broker Fearnley said in a note on Wednesday.

Ship fuel prices, which are this week pushing close to the highest level since Nov. 11, are set to climb following the increase in oil prices. That will help support freight rates, brokers said.

Shipowners with vessels on the spot market pay for their own fuel and add a bunker premium to freight rates if fuel prices move higher, brokers said.

Longer term there is more optimism the dry bulk market will improve next year on increased cargo demand and cancelled new ship deliveries.

“If demand picks up in 2017 and half the slipped tonnage of 2016 gets cancelled, the market should be better in 2017,” Aristides Pittas, chief executive of New York-listed shipper Euroseas, said in an earnings call.

Freight rates for the Brazil-China route fell to $7.84 per tonne on Wednesday, down from $8.46 last week.

Capesize charter rates for the Western Australia-China route slipped to $4.05 per tonne on Wednesday, from $4.36 on the same day last week.

Charter rates for smaller panamax vessels for a north Pacific round-trip voyage trended lower at $4,700 per day on Wednesday, against $4,829 a week earlier, on lower cargo volumes.

Freight rates in the Far East for smaller supramax vessels were again largely unchanged, Fearnley added.

The Baltic Exchange’s main sea freight index fell to 605 on Wednesday, down from 642 last week.

Source: Reuters (Reporting by Keith Wallis)

Low asset prices, scarce financing boost secondhand dry bulk vessel sales

Flagging asset prices and limited financing in the dry bulk shipping market have resulted in a spike in the secondhand sale of Supramax and Handysize vessels, a shipbroking and research house said Thursday.

The number of resales of Supramax and Handysize dry bulk vessels has more than doubled year on year during the first five months of 2016, data from Athens-based Intermodal Research and Valuations showed.

A total of 82 vessels in these categories have changed hands to date this year compared with 39 in the same period last year.
Handysize vessels range in size from 20,000 dwt to 40,000 dwt and Supramax size vessels from 50,000 dwt to 60,000 dwt.

Dwindling asset prices are fueling interest in older tonnage among shipowners, Intermodal said.

While there has been a lot of interest in Supramax and Kamsarmax size ships built during the last decade, buyers were also looking with increased interest at vessels built around the end 1990s/early 2000s, which was not the case in the recent past, said Intermodal sales and purchase broker George Iliopoulos.

“To put things in perspective, a 2000 built Handymax with [special survey and dry docking] was sold at around $2.9 million at the beginning of March and a similar ship today could easily fetch $3.5 million or more, which translates to a 21% increase,” he said.

Intermodal researcher Eva Tzima said the limited financing available to shipowners currently was also fueling the interest in older and consequently cheaper vessels. Shipowners still benefit from rising values for older vessels even though returns were greater for younger vessels, she added. “The vastness of the dry bulk trade in terms of the number of ports and commodities cannot be just serviced by modern tonnage when you look at commodities other than iron ore and steel,” Tzima said.

Supramaxes and Handymaxes have proven extremely resilient in terms of finding employment — their cranes and smaller size enable them to dock at less developed ports.

They also service commodities like grains, for which seaborne trade has not been negative, and the parcel sizes they can accommodate are still preferred by a lot of charterers, Tzima added.

Around 70% of the current Handymax fleet and 27% of the Supramax fleet was built prior to 2007.

Very few older Supramaxes and Handymaxes have been scrapped, indicating owners were still able to find value, said Tzima, adding the two segments have not seen a decline in fixing activity.
Posted by: badanov || 05/28/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  You really are amazing, badanov. Such a variety of subjects over the years, each with breadth, depth, and perspective
... and sparks of humour and underlying passion. You help make Rantburg the special place it is.
Posted by: trailing wife || 05/28/2016 15:45 Comments || Top||

#2  Thanks for the nice words.
Posted by: badanov || 05/28/2016 16:17 Comments || Top||

#3  Impressive Mr. B.
Conversions to natural gas on the Supramax and Kamsarmax was supposed to be occurring. Much more efficient I understand. Too big for canals so they go round about to ports that can handle these massive ships. The push has been on for some time now. Upgrade or lose to more cost efficient vessels.
Posted by: Dale || 05/28/2016 18:24 Comments || Top||

#4  Dale: Right now dry bulk shipping is the cheapest it has ever been. Not even lower fuel prices can counter the effects of a sick global economy struggling against the jackboot of governments worldwide on its neck, and that can be seen in the BDI.
Posted by: badanov || 05/28/2016 18:36 Comments || Top||


India-Pakistan
‘PA not legally bound to implement CII proposals’
[DAWN] Law Minister Rana Sanaullah says the Punjab
1.) Little Orphan Annie's bodyguard
2.) A province of Pakistain ruled by one of the Sharif brothers
3.) A province of India. It is majority (60 percent) Sikh and Hindoo (37 percent), which means it has relatively few Moslem riots....

Assembly is not legally bound to implement the recommendations of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on any subject.

"The Council of Islamic Ideology has not sent any recommendations on the Women Protection Act and even if such recommendations are received, the Punjab Assembly may consider the same and amend the act only if appropriate as the house is not legally bound to implement the CII suggestions," he told the media at the provincial assembly here on Thursday.
Posted by: Fred || 05/28/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan


Nawaz to undergo open-heart surgery in London on Tuesday, says Khawaja Asif
[DAWN] Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf...
, who is currently in London for medical check-up, will undergo open-heart surgery on Tuesday, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Friday.

Asif said that doctors have advised the prime minister to undergo an open-heart surgery, following which Nawaz will be staying in the hospital for a week.

"The prime minister will travel after one week, on doctor’s permission," he added.

The daughter of prime minister, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, also confirmed through twitter that her father will undergo an open-heart surgery on Tuesday. She appealed to the citizens to pray for the health and recovery of Nawaz Sharif.
Posted by: Fred || 05/28/2016 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan



Who's in the News
24[untagged]
13Islamic State
7Govt of Pakistan
2Taliban
2Boko Haram
1Govt of Iraq
1Govt of Syria
1Hizbul Mujaheddin
1Houthis
1Human Trafficking
1Commies
1Lashkar e-Jhangvi
1Lashkar e-Taiba
1Palestinian Authority
1al-Qaeda

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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.

Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.

Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has dominated Mexico for six years.
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Meet the Mods
In no particular order...
Steve White
Seafarious
tu3031
badanov
sherry
ryuge
GolfBravoUSMC
Bright Pebbles
trailing wife
Gloria
Fred
Besoeker
Glenmore
Frank G
3dc
Skidmark

Two weeks of WOT
Sat 2016-05-28
  Iraq forces fire tear gas to disperse protesters
Fri 2016-05-27
  Iraqi forces, militias retake al-Karma from ISIS
Thu 2016-05-26
  Mullah Haibatullah new Taliban supremo
Wed 2016-05-25
  Italy: 5600 migrants rescued off Libya in 48 hours
Tue 2016-05-24
  120 die in bomb attacks near Tartus
Mon 2016-05-23
  Mullah Mansour carried Pak passport
Sun 2016-05-22
  Taliban leader Mansour 'likely killed'
Sat 2016-05-21
  ISIS commander kill his 11 fighters in east of Afghanistan
Fri 2016-05-20
  One of the eight killed militants in Multan was ‘Al Qaeda country head’
Thu 2016-05-19
  EgyptAir Jet Disappears Over Mediterranean Sea
Wed 2016-05-18
  Fighting among Syrian rebels kills more than 50
Tue 2016-05-17
  Pro-Rassoul Faction Declares Jihad On Mansour Clan
Mon 2016-05-16
  ISIS release execution photos of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan
Sun 2016-05-15
  ISIS kill 16 Real Madrid fans in massacre at supporters club headquarters
Sat 2016-05-14
  Rebels kill at least 75 Quds Brigade militants north of Aleppo

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