Critical Observer

MOLDOVA ANTI-GOVT PROTEST IN 8TH DAY; DEMAND PROBE INTO MISSING $1.5B

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhRw_l4YUl-9aj0wxuTqvBIWG7_uzmteigcEHbBhBBgD3ups59NjLX39FmI_8tcRMx4EPtvmCZX4m-Qim4E3_wGj46t5VI2CO4SUPnL57K2Z7pr4r2eVsU4Ugn4lHk2hXQTVoSJbIMN0A/s1600/00000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhRw_l4YUl-9aj0wxuTqvBIWG7_uzmteigcEHbBhBBgD3ups59NjLX39FmI_8tcRMx4EPtvmCZX4m-Qim4E3_wGj46t5VI2CO4SUPnL57K2Z7pr4r2eVsU4Ugn4lHk2hXQTVoSJbIMN0A/s640/00000.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Some 20,000 people are protesting against Moldova’s government for the eighth straight day, demanding a probe into the estimated $1.5 billion that disappeared from three Moldovan banks.<br />
<br />
Speaking Romanian and Russian, protesters in Chisinau, the capital, on Sunday demanded the resignation of the president, the general prosecutor, the national bank governor and others. They also want an early election and to form a new political party.<br />
<br />
The anti-government protest started Sept. 6 when tens of thousands rallied in a pedestrian square. A few hundred protesters remain camped out in the square.<br />
<br />
The money disappeared from the state-owned Savings Bank, the Social Bank and Unibank before Moldova's parliamentary election last November. The banks were put under the National Bank of Moldova's administration in December and the losses covered by state reserves.<br />
<br />
Article from: FOX News

MOLDOVA ANTI-GOVT PROTEST IN 8TH DAY; DEMAND PROBE INTO MISSING $1.5B

Some 20,000 people are protesting against Moldova’s government for the eighth straight day, demanding a probe into the estimated $1.5 bil...

Read Article »

ANTI-MIGRANT PROTESTS IN EUROPE; THOUSANDS ATTEND DEMONSTRATIONS

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxjhHE-Y2dCxxRuR58AUm4eIrQ3xmqwgEnZaBCMKKLLZNGCEYNyLFo6Ik339oLoXjnDLqOzy3WmbjUlnxg5o-xgg9aLI49sSFv9TcueXN-1SmH_6aUl-_d5whnTeVFeD10d_cE9YCS7M/s1600/00000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxjhHE-Y2dCxxRuR58AUm4eIrQ3xmqwgEnZaBCMKKLLZNGCEYNyLFo6Ik339oLoXjnDLqOzy3WmbjUlnxg5o-xgg9aLI49sSFv9TcueXN-1SmH_6aUl-_d5whnTeVFeD10d_cE9YCS7M/s640/00000.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Thousands of people joined anti-migrant protests in three eastern European capitals on Saturday after leaders from the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia opposed an EU scheme to fix refugee quotas.<br />
<br />
In the Polish capital Warsaw, nearly 5,000 people, many chanting anti-Islamic slogans, marched through the city, an AFP correspondent said. “Islam will be the death of Europe”, one of the banners said.<br />
<br />
Organisers claimed the demonstration drew 10,000 people but police refused to confirm the figure.<br />
<br />
“We’re here so that the government hears our voice and abandons any plans to welcome Muslims,” shouted one of the organisers after starting the march with prayers which identified the participants as Roman Catholics.<br />
<br />
Members of far-right fringe parties and football supporters chanted “Poles against migrants” and “Migrants today, terrorists tomorrow”.<br />
<br />
Another thousand or so joined a “Welcome refugees” rally in favour of hosting migrants in Poland, a strongly Catholic EU member state which has a population of 38 million and has seen hardly any newcomers arriving, despite Europe experiencing its biggest movement of people since World War II.<br />
<br />
‘My duty’<br />
<br />
“I became a refugee when I had to flee Warsaw as the Germans invaded during the war,” 80-year-old Danuta Chomiak told AFP as she marched with the crowd. “I have a duty to be here today.”<br />
<br />
Around 1,500 anti-migrant protestors also rallied in the Slovak capital Bratislava, some holding up banners reading: “You’re not welcome here so go home”, an AFP correspondent said.<br />
<br />
Another said: “Multiculturalism is a utopia, don’t open the borders”.<br />
<br />
The rally was organised by the far-right “Our Slovakia” party, led by Marian Kotleba.<br />
<br />
Unlike neighbouring Austria and Hungary, Slovakia  — a eurozone member of 5.4 million people — has seen few migrant arrivals this summer.<br />
<br />
Police in the Czech capital Prague said some 800 people protested against the arrival of refugees and migrants, holding up banners saying: “Send them back!” and “Protect the borders”.<br />
<br />
Demonstrators called on the Czech government to resign and for a withdrawal from the European Union which it joined in 2004.<br />
<br />
Elsewhere another 200 people staged a counter-demonstration in support of welcoming refugees in the Czech Republic, which has a population of 10.5 million and has seen few new arrivals in recent months.<br />
<br />
All poorer members of the EU, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic on Friday ruled out accepting refugees under a compulsory quota system outlined by the European Commission, rejecting German pleas for European solidarity in tackling the crisis.<br />
<br />
The European Union’s 28 interior ministers are to meet on Monday to discuss a the EC plan which involves a quota system for distributing 160,000 refugees around the bloc. – AFP

ANTI-MIGRANT PROTESTS IN EUROPE; THOUSANDS ATTEND DEMONSTRATIONS

Thousands of people joined anti-migrant protests in three eastern European capitals on Saturday after leaders from the Czech Republic, Po...

Read Article »

UKRAINE CRISIS: NEW DEADLY PROTESTS OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DQkec2dlX-5kn-g7Dv33xxEcKtqNNLlnbf4ZeTIUiF3JxobZJzzSSme3QZiynwhbBD_nMD0xrJuxPGl74Pe1XyT1f84NrUu_fbOCs96rcr9E2oCAxZZlsky-vuudlXQAGycD2dBOSRQ/s1600/22Israel-web-superJumbo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DQkec2dlX-5kn-g7Dv33xxEcKtqNNLlnbf4ZeTIUiF3JxobZJzzSSme3QZiynwhbBD_nMD0xrJuxPGl74Pe1XyT1f84NrUu_fbOCs96rcr9E2oCAxZZlsky-vuudlXQAGycD2dBOSRQ/s640/22Israel-web-superJumbo.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<h5 class="story-body__introduction" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #404040; line-height: 1.375;">One national guard member has been killed and over 100 injured in violent protests outside Ukraine's parliament, the interior ministry said. </span><span style="color: #404040; line-height: 1.375;">Clashes between nationalists and riot police erupted after MPs gave initial backing to reforms for more autonomy in the rebel-held east.</span></span></h5>
<div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some in the crowd lobbed what police said were live grenades at office</span>rs protecting parliament.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The reforms are part of a peace plan to end fighting in eastern Ukraine.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Ukrainian President, Petro Poroshenko, said the violence was "a stab in the back".</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Protesters led by the populist Radical Party and the ultra-nationalist Svoboda (Freedom) party - who oppose any concession to the Russian-backed separatists - gathered outside parliament early on Monday.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">After a rowdy debate, 265 MPs out of 450 backed the first reading of the decentralisation bill, granting more powers to areas of Donetsk and Luhansk.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Initially, there were only minor clashes but a BBC correspondent then heard small explosions followed by a much larger one - apparently from a grenade.</span></div>
<figure class="media-landscape has-caption full-width" style="background-color: #111111; border: 0px; clear: both; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin: 24px -24.640625px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="image-and-copyright-container" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Smoke outside Ukraine parliament (31 August)" class="js-image-replace" datasrc="http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/11524/production/_85284907_ukraine.jpg" height="549" src="http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/11524/production/_85284907_ukraine.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border: 0px; color: #bdbdbd; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; height: auto; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 616.203125px;" width="976" /></span><figcaption class="media-caption" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible;"><span class="off-screen" style="border: 0px !important; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; height: 1px !important; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px !important; position: absolute !important; vertical-align: baseline; width: 1px !important;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Image caption</span></span><span class="media-caption__text" style="border: 0px; color: #ececec; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: 1.23077; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A missile was hurled at the ranks of riot police standing between the protesters and parliament</span></span></figcaption></figure><hr class="story-body__line" style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 16px;" />
<h2 class="story-body__crosshead" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 18px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">'Pools of blood': Svyatoslav Khomenko, BBC News, Kiev</span></h2>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The demonstrators numbered barely more than a few dozen - mainly young men, most of them masked. They started the fights with police, but others supported them.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The protesters tried to pull the policemen away from their lines. They beat them and took their shields and helmets. Soon about a dozen young men were almost as well-equipped as the police.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Several times the atmosphere near the building seemed to calm down for a while, with clashes starting up again. And then the explosions began.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I saw some people - policemen and firemen - falling to the ground, and some running away from the site, limping. I saw pools of blood just near the wall of parliament.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a class="story-body__link" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34107489" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(17, 103, 168, 0.298039); border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #222222; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Violent clashes outside Kiev's parliament</span></a></div>
<hr class="story-body__line" style="background-color: white; color: #404040; line-height: 16px;" />
<figure class="media-landscape has-caption full-width" style="background-color: #111111; border: 0px; clear: both; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin: 24px -24.640625px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="image-and-copyright-container" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="National guardsman in Kiev" class="js-image-replace" datasrc="http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/3A0A/production/_85285841_img_0162.jpg" height="549" src="http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/3A0A/production/_85285841_img_0162.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border: 0px; color: #bdbdbd; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; height: auto; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 616.203125px;" width="976" /></span><figcaption class="media-caption" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible;"><span class="off-screen" style="border: 0px !important; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; height: 1px !important; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px !important; position: absolute !important; vertical-align: baseline; width: 1px !important;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Image caption</span></span><span class="media-caption__text" style="border: 0px; color: #ececec; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: 1.23077; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The number of wounded quickly climbed as security forces tried to hold the protesters back</span></span></figcaption></figure><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Ukrainian Interior Minister, Arsen Avakov, said some 30 people have been detained, including a Svoboda member who confessed to throwing a grenade.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Of the 122 people hospitalised, more than 11 were in a critical condition, the minister added.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">He bitterly criticised Svoboda leader Oleh Tyahnybok, <a class="story-body__link-external" href="https://www.facebook.com/arsen.avakov.1?fref=ts" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(17, 103, 168, 0.298039); border-bottom-color: rgb(220, 220, 220); border-bottom-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; color: #222222; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">writing on Facebook </a>that several explosive devices had been thrown by people wearing Svoboda T-shirts.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A policeman's leg was torn off below the knee in the blast, Interfax Ukraine reported, while journalists at the scene were also reported injured.</span></div>
<h2 class="story-body__crosshead" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 18px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Shaky peace</span></h2>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Almost 7,000 people have died since the conflict in eastern Ukraine broke out in March 2014, after Russia's annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Pushing through greater autonomy for the rebel-held areas is a key part of the Minsk peace deal, originally signed in February.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">During the summer, fighting between Ukrainian army forces and the rebels has escalated. But the two sides agreed last week to halt the violence on 1 September, the day children in the region return to school.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Although the number of ceasefire violations appears to have fallen in recent days, OSCE monitors have warned that neither side was respecting the truce.</span></div>
<figure class="media-landscape has-caption full-width" style="background-color: #111111; border: 0px; clear: both; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin: 24px -24.640625px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="image-and-copyright-container" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Smoke bomb hurled at national guard (31 August)" class="js-image-replace" datasrc="http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/882A/production/_85285843_028795863-1.jpg" height="549" src="http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/882A/production/_85285843_028795863-1.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border: 0px; color: #bdbdbd; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; height: auto; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 616.203125px;" width="976" /></span><figcaption class="media-caption" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible;"><span class="off-screen" style="border: 0px !important; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; height: 1px !important; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px !important; position: absolute !important; vertical-align: baseline; width: 1px !important;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Image caption</span></span><span class="media-caption__text" style="border: 0px; color: #ececec; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: 1.23077; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Firecrackers and petrol bombs were hurled at the lines of national guardsmen</span></span></figcaption></figure><figure class="media-landscape has-caption full-width" style="background-color: #111111; border: 0px; clear: both; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin: 24px -24.640625px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="image-and-copyright-container" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="National guardsman being moved to safety" class="js-image-replace" datasrc="http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/14792/production/_85285838_img_0165.jpg" height="549" src="http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/14792/production/_85285838_img_0165.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border: 0px; color: #bdbdbd; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; height: auto; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 616.203125px;" width="976" /></span><figcaption class="media-caption" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible;"><span class="off-screen" style="border: 0px !important; clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px); color: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; height: 1px !important; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px !important; position: absolute !important; vertical-align: baseline; width: 1px !important;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Image caption</span></span><span class="media-caption__text" style="border: 0px; color: #ececec; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: 1.23077; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Colleagues helped take wounded national guardsmen to safety</span></span></figcaption></figure><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Under the draft constitutional changes going through parliament, there will be a special law covering local government in rebel-held areas.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">However, parliament speaker Volodymyr Hroysman was adamant that would not mean special status for Donetsk and Luhansk, which rebel leaders have declared republics.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In a national address late on Monday, President Poroshenko said if the proposals had been voted down, Ukraine would have been left "one-to-one against the aggressor".</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The reforms must still pass a second reading, which correspondents say will be a tall order for the Ukrainian leader.</span></div>
<figure class="media-landscape no-caption full-width" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; clear: both; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 16px; margin: 24px -24.640625px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="image-and-copyright-container" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="map" class="js-image-replace" datasrc="http://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/5D8C/production/_85284932_ukraine_rebel_held_areas_25_08_2015_624map.png" height="446" src="http://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/5D8C/production/_85284932_ukraine_rebel_held_areas_25_08_2015_624map.png" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border: 0px; color: inherit; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; height: auto; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 616.203125px;" width="624" /></span><span class="image-and-copyright-container" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span class="image-and-copyright-container" style="border: 0px; color: inherit; display: block; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">Article Source: BBC News</span></figure><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #404040; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.375; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
</div>

UKRAINE CRISIS: NEW DEADLY PROTESTS OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT

One national guard member has been killed and over 100 injured in violent protests outside Ukraine's parliament, the interior ministr...

Read Article »

OVERTHROW: Protesters rally in Malaysia, demand Najib Razak resign

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXV8kCfYK5LTsBLUxuJS8nI93st2c9MHQlWaXdOguom5rZn-jgHKKHXGpYEA-zgeLEFgszFaAx930l3hHM3DVLpaHuVCAY8VUyaexXpc3TL5zvQYaMYnrWNPr6cYuUaMkoGwpNgnd8n6A/s1600/0000.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXV8kCfYK5LTsBLUxuJS8nI93st2c9MHQlWaXdOguom5rZn-jgHKKHXGpYEA-zgeLEFgszFaAx930l3hHM3DVLpaHuVCAY8VUyaexXpc3TL5zvQYaMYnrWNPr6cYuUaMkoGwpNgnd8n6A/s640/0000.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 12px;">
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Tens of thousands of Malaysians wearing yellow T-shirts and blowing horns defiantly held a major rally in the capital Saturday to demand the resignation of embattled Prime Minister Najib Razak.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 12px;">
The crowds were undeterred by a heavy police presence after authorities declared the rally illegal, blocked the organizer's website and banned yellow attire and the logo of Bersih, the coalition for clean and fair elections that's behind the weekend rallies.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 12px;">
Najib has been fighting for political survival after leaked documents in July showed he received some $700 million in his private accounts from entities linked to indebted state fund 1MDB. He later said the money was a donation from the Middle East, fired his critical deputy and four other Cabinet members as well as the attorney general investigating him.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 12px;">
Protesters in yellow Bersih T-shirts and headbands converged at five locations and were marching to areas surrounding the landmark Independence Square, where celebrations to mark Malaysia's 58th National Day will be held Monday. Police estimated Saturday's crowd at 25,000 while Bersih says 200,000 participated.</div>
<table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="width: 210px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="center"><table border="1" bordercolor="#CBCBCD" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="width: 150px;"><tbody>
<tr><td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr align="middle"><td><img border="0" hspace="4" src="http://ak.imgfarm.com/images/ap/thumbnails//629619795053-Malaysia_Rally_20150829.jpeg" vspace="4" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">(AP) Activists from the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH) hold a yellow...<br /><span style="color: #3366cc;">Full Image</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 12px;">
Scores of riot police sealed off roads leading to the square, which authorities have said is off-limits to protesters. Previous two rallies, in 2011 and 2012, were dispersed by police using tear gas and water cannons.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 12px;">
Some activists carried canvas bags with the words "My Prime Minister Embarrasses Me." Some held placards saying "We will not be silenced," while others chanted "Bersih" and waved Malaysian flags.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 12px;">
In one area near the square, a comedian entertaining the crowd poked fun at Najib. Dressed up as an Arab, he pretended to hand over a multi-billion-ringgit check as a donation to a rally participant.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 12px;">
"Stop treating us like fools, Mr. prime minister," said businessman Tony Wong. "We deserve to know the truth about 1MDB. Where has the money gone to?"</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 12px;">
Najib slammed the protesters for tarnishing Malaysia's image.</div>
<table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="width: 210px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="center"><table border="1" bordercolor="#CBCBCD" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="width: 150px;"><tbody>
<tr><td><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr align="middle"><td><img border="0" height="200" hspace="4" src="http://ak.imgfarm.com/images/ap/thumbnails//767861396467-Malaysia_Rally_20150829.jpeg" vspace="4" /></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">(AP) A woman participant shows the support for the rally of pro-democracy group "Bersih"...<br /><span style="color: #3366cc;">Full Image</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 12px;">
"Those who wear this yellow attire ... they want to discredit our good name, scribble black coal on Malaysia's face to the outside world," he was quoted as saying by national news agency Bernama.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 12px;">
A nation of 30 million, Malaysia is predominantly Malay Muslim with significant Chinese and Indian minorities. Its ambitions to rise from a middle income to a developed nation this decade have been stymied by slow-paced reforms and Najib's increasing authoritarianism.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 12px;">
1MDB, set up by Najib in 2009 to develop new industries, has accumulated 42 billion ringgit ($11.1 billion) in debt after its energy ventures abroad faltered. Concerns over the political scandal partly contributed to the Malaysian currency plunging to a 17-year low earlier this month.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 12px;">
Support for Najib's National Front has eroded in the last two general elections. It won in 2013, but lost the popular vote for the first time to an opposition alliance.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 12px;">
Transparency International urged the government to mandate independent investigations into 1MDB and allow people to demonstrate peacefully.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 12px;">
Apart from Najib's resignation, the rally, which will go on overnight, is also demanding institutional reforms that will make the government more transparent and accountable.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 12px;">
Worried that authorities may jam communications, more than 41,000 Malaysians have downloaded FireChat — the smartphone application that allows users nearby to communicate with each other when the Internet is down and which powered last year's Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests, said developer Open Garden.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-top: 12px;">
Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed has warned police will take action if the rally turns violent or protesters break the law. He has said that protesters should show their unhappiness with the government at the ballot box, not in the streets.</div>

OVERTHROW: Protesters rally in Malaysia, demand Najib Razak resign

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Tens of thousands of Malaysians wearing yellow T-shirts and blowing horns defiantly held a major rally in t...

Read Article »

Tear gas, water cannon in Lebanese capital Beirut on day 2 of clashes

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcE_pHQrwoULUcfaFIJUGRbBJzb-8yF42pLUClBdYkOe2koIosaiWReXGrJ5MlPZhWHniZyuHfozw_4L_i0Dkxt_JGx2Gcr67bRIYZ6apqa-OyuDx4ow4oKyGUSAcHXJ8kfLvS4GY6xA/s1600/e47e72ff2fcf4bf0b134a261b248d7ea_18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcE_pHQrwoULUcfaFIJUGRbBJzb-8yF42pLUClBdYkOe2koIosaiWReXGrJ5MlPZhWHniZyuHfozw_4L_i0Dkxt_JGx2Gcr67bRIYZ6apqa-OyuDx4ow4oKyGUSAcHXJ8kfLvS4GY6xA/s1600/e47e72ff2fcf4bf0b134a261b248d7ea_18.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Protests about a waste collection crisis in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, have ended up calling for the government to resign and gone into the second day after police used teargas and water cannon against demonstrators on Saturday night. On Sunday, thousands of people gathered near the government headquarters in Beirut chanting anti-government slogans and calling for a larger protest later on the day.<br />
<br />
The police again used teargas and water cannon against the crowd, with protesters responding by throwing rocks at the officers.<br />
<br />
People in the town of Dahr el Baidar have blocked the main road leading from Beirut to Damascus, with cars only moving in the direction of the Lebanese capital, NNA agency reported.<br />
<br />
There were also reports of people taking to the streets in the towns of Tripoli, Nabatieh and elsewhere in the country.<br />
<br />
Earlier, the Lebanese Prime Minister, Tammam Salam, described force used against protesters as “excessive” and promised that those responsible would be held to account.<br />
<br />
“I warn that we are going towards collapse if matters continue. Frankly, I have not and will not be a partner in this collapse. Let all officials and political forces bear their responsibilities,” Salam said in a televised address Sunday.<br />
<br />
The police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse the rally on Saturday. At least 35 people, both police officers and protesters, were injured in the clashes.<br />
<br />
People in Beirut took to the streets after piles of rubbish began to appear on the streets of the Lebanese capital.<br />
<br />
Beirut's main landfill was closed about a month ago and the authorities have yet to decide how to replace it.<br />
<br />
Amid the unrest, some were shouting slogans used during the Arab Spring protests like “The people want to topple the regime!”<br />
<br />
RT contacted one of the organizers of the rally, who said that the protest was initially peaceful, not calling for a violent change of power.<br />
<br />
“We were very peaceful protesters. We were just demanding the resignation of the minister of environment,” the activist, who opted not to disclose his name, said.<br />
<br />
He described the response to the protest by the police as “brutal,” saying that the “the army beat us… brutally with tear gas and with bullets – with real bullets.”<br />
<br />
“Now we’re demanding the resignation of the whole government, immediately,” the activist said, adding that the parliamentary election must be announced “as soon as possible” in the country.<br />
<br />
From RT - August 23, 2015

Tear gas, water cannon in Lebanese capital Beirut on day 2 of clashes

Protests about a waste collection crisis in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, have ended up calling for the government to resign and gone int...

Read Article »