Iran and US hit tankers in biggest wave of attacks on shipping since war began

-
By Enas Alashray, Idrees Ali and Jana Choukeir Reuters Iran said on Wednesday it had attacked 10 ships near the Strait of Hormuz after the U.S. sank five Iranian oil tankers, in the biggest wave of attacks on shipping by both sides since the start of the six-month-old war. The attacks sent the price of ‌oil surging, with benchmark Brent crude futures breaching $100 a barrel for the first time since July. At least one seafarer aboard a tanker was reported killed and another listed as missing. The ‌incidents follow a month of relative calm, during which the U.S. has sought to pressure Iran through economic means. Iran said it had fired ballistic missiles at a U.S. military base in Jordan. Jordan said it intercepted 18 missiles, with the remaining two ​falling harmlessly in unpopulated areas. A U.S. official said all American troops were accounted for. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said it would sharply escalate its response to any further attacks, and said I...
Post a Comment

Togo soldiers break up protests against longtime leader

-

Soldiers in Togo used tear gas and batons on Thursday to disperse hundreds of protesters who blocked main roads in the capital to call for the resignation of longtime leader Faure Gnassingbe, Reuters witnesses said.

The gathering organised by bloggers and activists highlighted persisting political strife in Togo, where last month Gnassingbe was given the powerful new role of President of the Council of Ministers that has no fixed term limit.

Gnassingbe, whose family has ruled the West African nation since 1967, had previously served for two decades as president, and opposition parties have described his new appointment as a “constitutional coup” that could extend his rule for life.

Protest organisers called for three days of gatherings, although participants on Thursday were quickly scattered by soldiers, Reuters witnesses said. Many shops remained closed as clashes continued into the afternoon, they said.

Hodabalo Awate, Togo’s minister of territorial administration, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on security forces’ response to the protests.

In the suburbs of the capital Lome, some protesters burned wooden furniture and tyres used for makeshift barricades, sending black smoke billowing above the streets.

“We’re hungry. Nothing works for Togolese youth any more, that’s why we’re going out to protest this morning,” said Kossi Albert, a 30-year-old unemployed man, adding that he was planning to turn out again on Friday.

Togolese authorities arrested dozens of people on June 5-6 during protests against Gnassingbe’s new role as well as what critics described as a crackdown on dissent and a cost-of-living crisis, according to Amnesty International.

Many were quickly released, the rights group said.

Last week, Togo suspended broadcasts of French state-funded international news outlets RFI and France 24 for three months, accusing them of a lack of impartiality and rigour.

SOURCE: REUTERS AND AGENCIES



from The Times Of Earth https://ift.tt/lAskFQb

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Myanmar earthquake death toll rises as fresh tremors further complicate rescue efforts

-
Image
A5.1-magnitude earthquake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, on Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The tremor was part of a series of aftershocks following Friday’s devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake, which resulted in the collapse of numerous buildings and significant infrastructure damage. The death toll has risen to over 1,600, with more than 3,400 individuals reported missing; these numbers are expected to increase as rescue operations continue. Foreign rescue teams and supplies arrived in Myanmar on Sunday to help the impoverished country cope with an earthquake that killed over 1,600 and left many near the epicentre scrambling for help without proper equipment. The 7.7-magnitude quake, one of Myanmar’s strongest in a century, jolted the Southeast Asian nation on Friday, leaving 1,644 people dead, 3,408 injured and 139 missing, the military government said. India, China and Thailand are among Myanmar’s neighbours that have sent relief ...
Read more

Israel says situation on Lebanon border ‘not sustainable’

-
By James Mackenzie Reuters  Israeli officials and media reacted with satisfaction on Monday after a  long-expected missile attack  by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement appeared to have been largely thwarted by pre-emptive Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon. Both Hezbollah and Israel seemed content to let Sunday’s attack, in retaliation for the  killing of a senior Hezbollah commander  in Beirut last month, count as settled for the moment. Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said Hezbollah had suffered a “crushing blow” from the Israeli strikes but that a longer lasting solution was still needed. “The current situation is not sustainable,” he told a briefing, referring to the tens of thousands evacuated from their homes in northern Israel, a situation mirrored on the other side of the border in southern Lebanon. “Israel will do its duty and return its population to our sovereign territory.” Hopes that children might return for the start of the ...
Read more