Focused on providing independent journalism.

Tuesday, 24 March 2015

Massive wildfires threaten ancient forests in Chile

wildfire chile



Aerial view of smoke columns are seen over mountains on the Conguillo National Park in Chile on March 22, 2015



Chile has declared a red alert for three national parks and reserves where massive wildfires are threatening forests that are thousands of years old, officials said Tuesday.

The fires have been raging for more than a week in the southern region of La Araucania, which has been hit by a severe drought.


The National Emergency Office (ONEMI) warned they would likely spread and intensify.


"It's going to be difficult to contain this fire today and tomorrow, but we hope that by Thursday we can effectively have it under control," said the vice minister of the interior, Madmuh Aleuy.


The head of national forest service CONAF, Aaron Cavieres, said firefighters were battling to keep the blaze away from populated areas.


"High temperatures and strong winds of more than 50 kilometers (30 miles) an hour are complicating our work to contain the fires," he said.


The fires are burning in three protected areas: China Muerta National Reserve, Nalca Lolco National Reserve and Conguillio National Park.


They have burned more than 5,700 hectares (14,000 acres) of parkland so far, including more than 300 hectares in Conguillio, an Andes mountain park popular with tourists because of its volcanos and centuries-old monkey puzzle trees.


The trees (Araucaria araucana), members of the pine family, can live for more than 1,000 years and grow as tall as 50 meters (165 feet). They are considered sacred by indigenous Mapuche people, and Chile has declared them part of its unique natural heritage.


chile wildfires



Aerial view of smoke columns are seen over mountains on the Conguillo National Park, Chile, on March 22, 2015



Environmentalists have warned that the fires are threatening hundreds of plant species and animal life.

The head of environmental group Accion Ecologica, Luis Mariano Rendon said at the weekend it was a "massive environmental catastrophe."


map chile wildfires



Map of Chile locating where wildfires are threatening ancient forests



CONAF said firefighters would begin spraying some areas with a chemical flame retardant to create firebreaks.

Three planes and four helicopters are backing up 200 firefighters in the area, some 700 kilometers (450 miles) south of the capital Santiago.


But strong winds prevented the planes from taking off Tuesday.


Thirty Argentine firefighters joined the effort in the neighboring country. Chile has also reached out to Brazil and Uruguay for help, Aleuy said.


In all, 99 forest fires are raging in five Chilean regions. They have burned nearly 20,000 hectares, CONAF said.


Chilean authorities say climate change is causing more forest fires in the South American country, which has seen a decline in precipitation and an increase in temperatures.


Assange: U.S. responsible for ISIS, Israel supported Hamas to divide and conquer

assange

© Reuters / John Stillwell

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.



Julian Assange has given an interview to an Argentinian paper from his Ecuadorian embassy asylum where he spent more than 1,000 days. He spoke about why US meddling in Ukraine led to civil war, how the West helped ISIS and Israel supported Hamas.

US has long wanted to bring Ukraine to West


The United States has spent "a lot of time trying to bring Ukraine to the West," the WikiLeaks founder said in an interview to , Argentinian newspaper on Monday.


"If it cannot be with a NATO membership, at least it becomes independent from Moscow's sphere of influence, to reduce Russian industrial-military complex and its naval bases in Crimea."


Kiev first step closer to NATO was in December 2014, when President Petro Poroshenko signed a law canceling the Ukraine' non-bloc status and promised to hold a national referendum on NATO accession in the next five to six years.'


In January, Kiev authorities announced that the Ukrainian army would take part in 11 international military drills in 2015 to bolster NATO standards in troops.


One more attempt of US and Europe to 'bring Ukraine closer to the West' was spending "billions of dollars on the creation of NGOs," said Assange, adding that "through these institutions, the West promised to end corruption in Ukraine."




ISIS result of Western adventurism

Meddling of Western countries in the Middle East led to creation of the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS), an Islamist group that is currently gaining a massive following across the wider Middle East and Africa, Assange said.


"The IS is a direct result of the adventurism of the West," Assange said.


He says the "adventurism" of Western countries has already destroyed the Libyan and Syrian society and now is "destroying Iraq for oil and other geopolitical reasons."


Many people know that arms are being transported to Syria, that there are attempts to reduce Iranian influence in postwar Iraq by supporting the Sunnis, he said. But "what we don't know is that in recent years in recent years Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey have increased their power and managed to gain certain independence from the US."


As a result, Washington ceased to be "the only geopolitical actor" pushing developments in the Middle East, believes Assange.




Israel supported Hamas in its infancy

The WikiLeaks founder accused Israeli authorities of supporting Hamas group at its early stages in order to divide the Palestinian resistance.


"Our cables reveal that Israel supported Hamas in its infancy, that Hamas was used as an instrument to divide the Palestine Liberation Organization [PLO] and the Palestinian resistance," Assange told the paper.




Assange has been living in the Ecuadorian embassy in London while awaiting safe passage to the Central American country, where he has been granted asylum. Staking out the building, in case the Australian should leave the premises, has already cost British taxpayers a hefty £10 million, according to govwaste.co.uk.

Assange has not been charged with a crime, but is wanted for questioning in Sweden regarding allegations of sexual misconduct brought against him in 2010.


An arrest warrant was issued for Assange in 2010 in the of wake sexual assault allegations leveled against him by two Swedish women. He denied the allegations of sexual misconduct and rape and managed to avoid extradition to Sweden by seeking refuge in the embassy in 2012.


He repeatedly announced that he is ready to answer all questions concerning his sexual assault allegations within the sanctity of the embassy. However, Swedish prosecutors were reluctant to do so until March this year.


"If Assange gives his consent, the prosecutor will promptly submit a request for legal assistance to the British authorities to further continue the investigation," the Swedish Prosecution Authority said in a statement.


Assange's Swedish lawyer welcomed the Swedish prosecutors' request to interview Assange in London, but added that the whole process of questioning could take time.


"We welcome [this] and see it also as a big victory ... for Julian Assange that what we have demanded is finally going to happen," Per Samuelson said.


Assange supporters fear that if he is deported to Sweden he will likely face espionage charges in America over his role in publishing sensitive, classified US government documents.


But even if Sweden drops the case, he faces arrest by UK police for jumping the bail granted while the British courts considered a European arrest warrant issued by Stockholm.


In June 2014, 56 international human rights and free media organizations signed a letter addressed to US Attorney General Eric Holder calling upon the US government to end all criminal investigations into Assange's actions as editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks, and to cease harassing the organization for publishing materials in the public interest.


Head of Kiev Rada's committee on culture and spirituality wanted by Interpol for rape

interpol

Cambodia issued an Interpol Red Notice A-1857/3-2015 for the prosecution of Mykola Kniazhytskyi, Ukrainian MP, journalist and head of TVi editorial board. According to the letter he received from the Ukrainian bureau of Interpol, he is wanted for rape under Article 239 of Cambodian Penal Code. According to the Red Notice, the alleged rape took place in on September 9, 2011 in Phnom Penh (Cambodia).

Mr. Kniazhytskyi was an author of a recently adopted Law No. 1317 "On the introduction of changes to certain Laws of Ukraine concerning the protection of television and radio space of Ukraine". The Law put an end to the abuse of Russian propagandist TV shows and movies in Ukraine.


According to Mykola Kniazhytskyi, that could be the reason for his Interpol Red Noticed arranged. Moreover, he's been threatened by a Russian businessman Konstantin Kagalovskiy, with whom he had a conflict earlier. Konstantin Kagalovskiy is considered to be an influential person in Cambodia, taking into account he is considered to be an important investor there.


The interesting fact is that the Interpol Notice appeared on March 11, around a week after Cambodian FM visited Moscow (2-4 March 2015). Another question is unclear, why is the rape case was opened 4 years after it allegedly happened.


According to his press-service, on the alleged date of rape, Mykola Kniazhytskyi was in Kyiv at the TV studio on air at the show "Evening with Mykola Kniazhytskyi", which was seen by approximately 1.5 million of Ukrainians.


Iraqi commander: Tapped ISIS communications confirm US aid of arms and food

US ISIS weapons



Weapons "intended" for Kurdish fighters dropped at ISIS-held location.



A commander of Iraq's popular forces disclosed that wiretapping of ISIL's communications has confirmed the reports that the US planes have been airdropping food and arms supplies for the Takfiri terrorists.

"The wiretapped ISIL communications by Iraqi popular forces have revealed that the US planes have been dropping weapons and foodstuff for the Takfiri terrorist group," Commander of Iraq's Ali Akbar Battalion told FNA on Wednesday.


He noted that tapping on ISIL disclosed the terrorist group's regular contacts with the US army, and said, "They exchanged sentences like if they would have a share of the ammunition dropped near (Spiker Military Base) or responses such as 'you will also receive your share'."


"The US forces by dropping weapons and ammunition for ISIL, specially in Yassreb, Al-Ramadi and near Spiker Base in Hay al-Qadessiya have provided a lot of help to the ISIL," he added.


Many similar reports by Iraqi officials and forces have surfaced in the last few months.


In February, an Iraqi provincial official lashed out at the western countries and their regional allies for supporting Takfiri terrorists in Iraq, revealing that the US airplanes still continue to airdrop weapons and foodstuff for the ISIL terrorists.


"The US planes have dropped weapons for the ISIL terrorists in the areas under ISIL control and even in those areas that have been recently liberated from the ISIL control to encourage the terrorists to return to those places," Coordinator of Iraqi popular forces Jafar al-Jaberi told FNA.


He noted that eyewitnesses in Al-Havijeh of Kirkuk province had witnessed the US airplanes dropping several suspicious parcels for ISIL terrorists in the province.


"Two coalition planes were also seen above the town of Al-Khas in Diyala and they carried the Takfiri terrorists to the region that has recently been liberated from the ISIL control," Al-Jaberi said.


Meantime, Head of Iraqi Parliament's National Security and Defense Committee Hakem al-Zameli also disclosed that the anti-ISIL coalition's planes have dropped weapons and foodstuff for the ISIL in Salahuddin, Al-Anbar and Diyala provinces.


In January, al-Zameli underlined that the coalition is the main cause of ISIL's survival in Iraq.


"There are proofs and evidence for the US-led coalition's military aid to ISIL terrorists through air(dropped cargoes)," he told FNA at the time.


He noted that the members of his committee have already proved that the US planes have dropped advanced weaponry, including anti-aircraft weapons, for the ISIL, and that it has set up an investigation committee to probe into the matter.


"The US drops weapons for the ISIL on the excuse of not knowing about the whereabouts of the ISIL positions and it is trying to distort the reality with its allegations.


He noted that the committee had collected the data and the evidence provided by eyewitnesses, including Iraqi army officers and the popular forces, and said, "These documents are given to the investigation committee ... and the necessary measures will be taken to protect the Iraqi airspace."


Also in January, another senior Iraqi legislator reiterated that the US-led coalition is the main cause of ISIL's survival in Iraq.


"The international coalition is only an excuse for protecting the ISIL and helping the terrorist group with equipment and weapons," Jome Divan, who is member of the al-Sadr bloc in the Iraqi parliament, said.


He said the coalition's support for the ISIL is now evident to everyone, and continued, "The coalition has not targeted ISIL's main positions in Iraq."


In Late December, Iraqi Parliamentary Security and Defense Commission MP disclosed that a US plane supplied the ISIL terrorist organization with arms and ammunition in Salahuddin province.


MP Majid al-Gharawi stated that the available information pointed out that US planes are supplying ISIL organization, not only in Salahuddin province, but also other provinces, Iraq TradeLink reported.


He added that the US and the international coalition are "not serious in fighting against the ISIL organization, because they have the technological power to determine the presence of ISIL gunmen and destroy them in one month".


Gharawi added that "the US is trying to expand the time of the war against the ISIL to get guarantees from the Iraqi government to have its bases in Mosul and Anbar provinces."


Salahuddin security commission also disclosed that "unknown planes threw arms and ammunition to the ISIL gunmen Southeast of Tikrit city".


Also in Late December, a senior Iraqi lawmaker raised doubts about the seriousness of the anti-ISIL coalition led by the US, and said that the terrorist group still received aids dropped by unidentified aircraft.


"The international coalition is not serious about air strikes on ISIL terrorists and is even seeking to take out the popular (voluntary) forces from the battlefield against the Takfiris so that the problem with ISIL remains unsolved in the near future," Nahlah al-Hababi told FNA.


"The ISIL terrorists are still receiving aids from unidentified fighter jets in Iraq and Syria," she added.


Hababi said that the coalition's precise airstrikes are launched only in those areas where the Kurdish Pishmarga forces are present, while military strikes in other regions are not so much precise.


In late December, the US-led coalition dropped aids to the Takfiri militants in an area North of Baghdad.


Field sources in Iraq told al-Manar that the international coalition airplanes dropped aids to the terrorist militants in Balad, an area which lies in Salahuddin province North of Baghdad.


In October, a high-ranking Iranian commander also slammed the US for providing aid supplies to ISIL, adding that the US claims that the weapons were mistakenly airdropped to ISIL were untrue.


"The US and the so-called anti-ISIL coalition claim that they have launched a campaign against this terrorist and criminal group - while supplying them with weapons, food and medicine in Jalawla region (a town in Diyala Governorate, Iraq). This explicitly displays the falsity of the coalition's and the US' claims," Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier General Massoud Jazayeri said.


The US claimed that it had airdropped weapons and medical aid to Kurdish fighters confronting the ISIL in Kobani, near the Turkish border in Northern Syria.


The US Defense Department said that it had airdropped 28 bundles of weapons and supplies, but one of them did not make it into the hands of the Kurdish fighters.


Video footage later showed that some of the weapons that the US airdropped were taken by ISIL militants.


The Iranian commander insisted that the US had the necessary intelligence about ISIL's deployment in the region and that their claims to have mistakenly airdropped weapons to them are as unlikely as they are untrue.


Ignoring 1.8 million Gazans struggling with 97% water contamination, the world celebrates World Water Day


As the world marks the World Water Day, Gaza's 1.8 million-population is struggling to cope with lack of clean water.The coastal aquifer, Gaza's main water source, is heavily contaminated with various pollutants including high levels of nitrates.

Dumping of untreated sewage into the sea has been a major cause for the pollution. The reason: lack of electricity to operate treatment plants.


Water contamination levels are three times higher than the World Health Organization standards for safe drinking water.


Experts have warned of a humanitarian disaster as the water pollution levels have reached near one hundred percent.



© EWASH 2010

95% contamination: Wastewater flowing through the Rafah regional waste dump.



During the recent Israel war on Gaza Israeli forces targeted the infrastructure of the territory including water and sewage networks.

Israeli restrictions on the entry of equipment and materials have also slowed the completion of water desalination and filtration stations.


The severity of Gaza's water crisis is likely to increase in the coming summer months.


With water pollution levels rising experts blame the problems on the Israeli blockade as well as Israel's stealing of Gaza Strip's underground water for many years.


[embedded content]


Iran response to Netanyahu victory: No difference to Israeli political parties


© Reuters / Nir Elias



Following the surprise win of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, a spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry said that there is no difference between the Israeli political parties.

"For us there is no difference between the Zionist regime's political parties. They are all aggressors in nature," Marizeh Afkham, a spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry, told reporters at a weekly news conference in Tehran, the semi-official Mehr News Agency reports.


Hamas also said it made no difference who won the election as all of them deny the Palestinian people their rights.


"Palestinian resistance is strong and capable of making its mark. The leaders of the occupation must think again about their stances after the failure in Gaza," said Hamas spokesman Sami Abu-Zuhri.


A chief Palestinian negotiator in the collapsed peace talks with Israel, Saeb Erekat, said Netanyahu's win showed his "campaign based on settlements, racism, Apartheid and the denial of fundamental rights of the Palestinian people had paid off."


Netanyahu's campaign focused mainly on security issues, such as the threat from Iran's nuclear program as well as the Palestinian issue and had initially won little support from voters.


Netanyahu had even warned US President Barak Obama's administration that it was negotiating "a bad deal" with Iran over its nuclear program.


Whereas the Zionist Union, Netanyahu's principle opposition, campaigned on the lack of housing and the cost of living in Israel, and initially appeared to be in the lead.


Russia agrees to give 10% gas discount to Turkey


© Reuters / Ahmed Saad

Turkey's Energy Minister Taner Yildiz



Russia's Gazprom and Turkish pipeline company Botas have agreed a 10.25 percent discount on Russian gas supplied to Turkey, said Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz.

"The documents on the discount haven't yet been signed, but that's a technical detail. The main thing is that we have agreed, and the signatures are on their way," said Yildiz Wednesday at a news conference, adding that all the rumors about problems in the negotiations with Russia are groundless.


In February, Yildiz said that after complex and lengthy negotiations Russia had agreed to give Turkey a discount of 10.25 percent on gas supplies. Gazprom had only confirmed reaching an agreement on the price, but not on the size of the discount.


A discount was part of last year's agreement between Moscow and Ankara over the construction of the Turkish Stream pipeline under the Black Sea. Turkish Stream will be laid instead of the South Stream pipeline canceled in December 2014.





Gazprom is interested in starting construction as soon as possible as pipe-laying equipment has been waiting for four months in Varna, Bulgaria, and the company paying for the storage.

However, Gazprom needs to receive permission from Ankara to start construction in Turkish territorial waters. The request was sent in late January, but the permission has not yet been received.


Deputy Head of the European Commission Maros Sefcovic, who is responsible for the creation of the EU energy union, said during his visit to Turkey on Tuesday that a decision on Turkish Stream cannot be taken without consultations with the European Commission.


At the same time Turkish officials are in negotiations about the TANAP pipeline from Azerbaijan the construction of which officially began on Tuesday. The TANAP plan envisages Turkey becoming a key hub through which the gas pipeline will go to South-East Europe from the Caspian region.


In 2014 Gazprom exported 27.4 billion cubic meters of gas to Turkey via the Blue Stream pipeline laid under the Black Sea, as well as via the Trans-Balkan pipeline through Ukraine.


Russia plans to increase gas supplies after Gazprom and Botas signed a memorandum of understanding on the construction of the Turkish Stream. The pipeline will have a capacity of 63 billion cubic meters with 50 billion cubic meters of gas to be supplied through a new hub on the Turkish-Greek border.


The pipeline is expected to supply 15.75 billion cubic meters to Turkish consumers and the delivery is scheduled to begin in December 2016.