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Rand Paul sues Obama administration over NSA mass surveillance

Senator Rand Paul sued the Obama administration Wednesday over the NSA’s mass collection of millions of Americans’ phone records.

Rand Paul , a possible Republican presidential candidate, said he and the conservative activist group FreedomWorks filed the suit for themselves and on behalf of “everyone in America that has a phone”.

The lawsuit argues that the bulk collection program that’s been in existence since 2006 violates the US Constitution’s Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable searches. It calls for an end to the program, which was revealed by former NSA analyst Edward Snowden.

The Obama administration maintains that the program, begun under President George W. Bush, is legal. Courts have largely sided with the government.

Rand Paul sued the Obama administration over the NSA’s mass collection of millions of Americans’ phone records

President Barack Obama has called for reforms to the program in an effort to regain public trust. Others, like Rand Paul, have called for the end of this kind of surveillance.

Rand Paul dodged a question about his presidential ambitions during a news conference Wednesday. But his lawsuit is the latest effort to propel the debate over the once-secret surveillance program into the 2016 presidential campaign.

The surveillance debate has exposed intra-party tensions for Republicans. The party split on this issue between its leadership, which backs the program on security grounds, and libertarian-minded members who are more wary of government involvement in Americans’ private lives.

The Republican National Committee last month approved a resolution to end the surveillance programs. While some Republicans played down its significance, the nonbinding vote was seen as a nod to Republicans like Rand Paul.

The White House and Justice Department did not comment on the lawsuit specifically, but said they believe the bulk collection of phone records is legal.

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Feb 13, 2014
US ice storm hits South and East Coast leaving 350,000 people without power

A massive ice storm is now poised to pummel the US East Coast after wreaking havoc in the South, say forecasters.

More than 350,000 people are reportedly without power and 3,000 US flights have been cancelled due to ice and strong winds.

Nearly empty roadways were reported as many heeded warnings to stay indoors.

More than 350,000 people are reportedly without power and 3,000 US flights have been cancelled due to ice and strong winds

North Carolina and Virginia are bracing for up to 1ft of snow as the storm rolls north.

It is predicted to drop up to 8in of snow in Washington DC and up to 10in in New York overnight.

At least five traffic accident deaths were blamed on ice in Texas and Mississippi.

The National Weather Service said it was an event of “historical proportions”, drawing comparisons with similar weather systems that struck the Atlanta area in 2000 and 1973.

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Feb 12, 2014
Jade Rabbit rover declared dead on the Moon

Jade Rabbit lunar rover has been declared dead on the surface of the Moon, Chinese state media have reported.

The robot suffered a serious mechanical problem last month; officials have said it “could not be restored to full function”.

Jade Rabbit lunar rover has been declared dead on the surface of the Moon

The Jade Rabbit, or Yutu in Chinese, was deployed on the Moon’s surface on December 15.

It was the first successful soft landing on the Moon since 1976.

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Feb 12, 2014
Thailand elections 2014: Constitutional court rejects opposition request to annul vote

Thai constitutional court has rejected an opposition request to annul the February 2 election, citing insufficient grounds.

The Democrat Party had argued that the poll violated the constitution for several reasons, including that it was not completed in one day.

The government blamed the delay on the opposition blocking polling stations.

Thailand has been in a political crisis since mass anti-government protests kicked off in November.

They were sparked by a controversial amnesty bill which critics said would allow former leader Thaksin Shinawatra to return to Thailand without serving time in jail for his corruption conviction.

The demonstrators have since called for the resignation of PM Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin’s sister, and her government.

Yingluck Shinawatra had called the election in the hope of defusing the crisis.

Thai constitutional court has rejected an opposition request to annul the February 2 election

But the Democrats refused to contest the election – which they were almost certain to lose – arguing that reform of Thailand’s political system must come first.

The constitutional court annulled a previous election seven years ago for seemingly trifling irregularities.

It has also twice dissolved previous incarnations of the ruling Pheu Thai party and twice forced prime ministers from office.

This time though, the court dismissed the petition saying there was no credible evidence that the election had violated the constitution.

The opposition movement has not exhausted legal avenues for blocking the government, our correspondent says.

They are still hoping an official corruption investigation into Yingluck Shinawatra and other ministers will prevent her from forming a new government.

Wiratana Kalayasiri, a former opposition lawmaker and head of the Democrat Party’s legal team, who brought the opposition petition to court, said: “This case is over.”

“But if the government does anything wrong again, we will make another complaint,” he told the AFP news agency.

Millions were prevented from voting because anti-government protesters forced the closure of hundreds of polling stations in Bangkok and in the south on election day.

It means the results of the election cannot be announced until special polls have been held in the constituencies that missed out on the February 2 vote.

The Election Commission said on Tuesday that those elections will be held on April 27.

However, no decision has yet been made on the 28 constituencies where no candidates stood in the election.

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Feb 12, 2014
Syria: UN restarts aid mission in besieged rebel-held Old City of Homs

The UN has restarted its aid mission in the besieged rebel-held Old City of Homs, Syria, after hours of talks aimed at saving a truce between warring parties.

UN vehicles towed trailers of food into the city, and aid agencies prepared buses to transport fleeing civilians.

The current ceasefire deal is due to end late on Wednesday, but the regime has said it will allow an extension.

Hundreds were evacuated from the Old City after a truce was agreed last Friday, but more than 1,000 remain.

The UN has restarted its aid mission in the besieged rebel-held Old City of Homs

Red Crescent vehicles were attacked on their way to the Old City at the weekend, and their workers were briefly trapped.

Government troops have besieged Homs for 18 months.

Evacuations over the weekend were facilitated by a three-day truce, which was then extended until Wednesday.

But the operation was suspended on Tuesday because of what UN and Syrian officials said were logistical reasons.

Homs governor Talal Barazi said the temporary truce could be extended further if necessary.

UN agencies have also expressed concern over the fate of dozens of men who were taken in by Syrian security personnel after they fled Homs.

UN rights spokesman Rupert Colville said it was “essential that they do not come to any harm”.

The detainees were being held at an abandoned school, the UN said.

The Syrian authorities said the screening was necessary to weed out “terrorists”.

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Feb 12, 2014
China’s trade surplus soars to $31.9 billion in January 2014

According to recent figures, China’s trade surplus jumped to $31.9 billion in January, easing concerns the world’s second-largest economy may be stuck in a slowdown.

The figure was up 14% from a year earlier and stronger than forecasts for a $23.7 billion surplus.

Imports rose by 10% from a year earlier to $175.27 billion – led by record shipments of crude oil, iron ore and copper.

Exports increased by 10.6% from a year earlier, far faster than analysts’ forecasts, to $207.13 billion.

The positive trade figures also add to expectations China will overtake the US as the world’s largest trading nation this year.

China’s trade surplus jumped to $31.9 billion in January, easing concerns the world’s second-largest economy may be stuck in a slowdown

China is the world’s largest exporter, and analysts had been expecting the data to reflect effects of the Lunar New Year holiday, which fell in January this year.

During this period, factories and offices on the mainland tend to shut for long periods for workers to mark China’s biggest annual holiday.

Investors have been watching economic releases out of China closely as its growth affects the health of export-oriented countries such as Singapore and Australia.

China is expected to post its slowest growth in over a decade this year, which is likely to have a knock-on effect across the region.

Last month, financial markets nosedived after surveys of its manufacturing and services sectors indicated a slowdown in the economy.

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Feb 12, 2014
Francois Hollande honored at lavish White House state dinner

France’s President Francois Hollande has been honored at a lavish White House state dinner, the first since 2011.

At the party, Francois Hollande and President Barack Obama toasted the nations’ centuries-old friendship.

They have suggested the bad feelings over US spying and French opposition to the Iraq War have been soothed.

Among the guests at Tuesday’s state dinner were diplomats and dignitaries from both governments, as well as leaders in the media and business.

Hollywood luminaries in attendance included Bradley Cooper, Mindy Kaling, Stephen Colbert, Julie Louis-Dreyfus and director JJ Abrams.

The roughly 300 guests dined on caviar, quail eggs and rib-eye steak, later listening to a performance from singer Mary J. Blige.

After being welcomed to the White House by Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, Francois Hollande was seated between the couple at the dinner table in a heated tent on the South Lawn.

The move was seen as a tactful way to handle the fact that Francois Hollande arrived alone after an ugly, widely publicized split from long-time partner Valerie Trierweiler following reports he had an affair with an actress.

The highlights of the evening were toasts given by the two presidents.

Francois Hollande has been honored at a lavish White House state dinner

With a glass of white wine in his hand, Barack Obama opened by quoting French writer Alexis de Tocqueville’s impressions of 19th Century America, recalling to humorous effect his bafflement with American cuisine and his underwhelming impression of the White House.

“We Americans have grown to love all things French – the films, the food, the wine,” Barack Obama continued.

“But most of all, we love our French friends because we have stood together for our freedom for more than 200 years.

“Vive la France, God bless America, and long live the alliance between our great nations.”

Speaking first in English, Francois Hollande acknowledged the sacrifice of the US soldiers who fought in France during World War Two and said that France felt America’s pain at the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Continuing in French, Francois Hollande praised French-US diplomatic and military co-operation in the Middle East and Africa, and said the two countries would work jointly for economic growth and to combat climate change.

Francois Hollande said relations between the two countries had reached “an exceptional level of closeness and confidence” because they shared the “universal values” of freedom, democracy and respect for the law.

“We love Americans, although we don’t always say so and you love the French, but you are sometimes too shy to say so,” Francois Hollande said.

At a news conference after bilateral talks earlier on Tuesday, Francois Hollande said he and Barack Obama had resolved their issues over digital eavesdropping by the National Security Agency (NSA).

“Mutual trust has been restored,” he said.

Barack Obama also announced he had accepted Francois Hollande’s invitation to go to France in June to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy during World War Two.

Today, Francois Hollande will travel to San Francisco and meet chiefs of Silicon Valley giants including Facebook, Twitter and Google.

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Feb 12, 2014
US debt limit: House votes to increase borrowing limit

The House of Representatives has passed an increase in the US government’s debt limit, after the Republicans gave up on their attempt to win concessions from the Democrats in return.

The House voted 221-201 to waive the $17.2 trillion debt limit for just over a year, with only 28 Republicans joining most of the Democrats.

Officials had said the US could breach the debt limit by the end of February.

The White House and others had warned of calamity if the US defaulted.

The bill, when signed into law by President Barack Obama, will enable the US government to borrow money to fund its budget obligations and debt service.

The US government will run a budget deficit of about $514 billion in its 2014 fiscal year.

The House of Representatives has passed an increase in the US government’s debt limit

The Republicans hold a majority in the House, and many had hoped to leverage their ability to block an increase in the government’s borrowing limit to win policy concessions from Barack Obama and the Democrats who control the Senate.

In the current and past debt limit fights, the Republican Party’s wish-list has included extensive budget cuts, measures that would repeal or undermine Barack Obama’s signature healthcare reform, a proposal to force the president to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada, a repeal of recent cuts to pensions for working-age military retirees, and more.

“He will not engage in our long-term spending problem,” Republican House Speaker John Boehner told reporters earlier on Tuesday.

“So let his party gives him the debt ceiling increase that he wants.”

As in the last major Washington DC budget brawl, in September and October, Barack Obama and the Democrats said they would refuse to negotiate over the borrowing limit, arguing raising the limit amounted to the US government making good on spending it had already undertaken.

They demanded a “clean” bill that would raise the debt ceiling without enacting additional policy measures.

The Republican House leadership, often at odds with its restive caucus, floated a plan on Monday that would tie the debt limit increase to restoring a cut in pensions for working-age military retirees that was enacted as a money-saving measure in a recent budget.

But they found they lacked the Republican votes to pass that, as conservative members balked.

A separate vote is planned on that issue. The Senate has already passed a bill to restore the cuts.

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Feb 12, 2014
Francois Hollande greeted by military honor guard at White House

President Barack Obama has welcomed France’s President Francois Hollande to the White House for a day of meetings culminating in a state dinner.

Francois Hollande was greeted by a military honor guard and blaring brass band on the south lawn.

Barack Obama and Francois Hollande are expected to discuss issues ranging from trade to Iran’s nuclear program.

The visit sets the seal on a new era in US-French relations, which sank to a low a decade ago over the Iraq war.

“More nations must step up and meet the responsibilities of leadership, and that’s what the United States and France are doing together,” Barack Obama said with Francois Hollande by his side at the White House.

Francois Hollande highlighted the historic ties between the two nations, saying: “Each of our countries knows what it owes to each other – its freedom.”

Francois Hollande was greeted by a military honor guard and blaring brass band on the south lawn of White House

Among the French leader’s engagements on Tuesday are: a press conference at midday with Barack Obama followed by lunch with Vice-President Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry.

The main event will be a black-tie dinner held in Francois Hollande’s honor on Tuesday night in a big white tent on the White House lawn.

Invitees will dine on American caviar, quail eggs and rib-eye steak, while dancing to the music of singer Mary J. Blige.

During his time in the US, Francois Hollande will also travel to San Francisco and meet chiefs of Silicon Valley giants including Facebook, Twitter and Google.

Francois Hollande’s long-time partner Valerie Trierweiler did not travel with him, after the breakdown in their relationship following reports he had an affair with an actress.

Following Francois Hollande’s arrival on Monday afternoon, he and Barack Obama flew to Monticello in the state of Virginia. They visited the home of Thomas Jefferson, one of the founders of the US, an envoy to France and the third US president.

They toured Thomas Jefferson’s home, stopping by his study, the kitchen and the quarters of slaves who helped build and run the estate.

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Feb 11, 2014
Algeria: Military plane crash kills 103 people

A military transport plane has crashed in the north-east of Algeria, killing 103 people, local media say.

The Algerian plane crashed in a mountainous area in Oum al-Bouaghi province, said private TV station Ennahar.

Its source said that contact was lost with the military plane between Constantine and Oum al-Bouaghi.

The Algerian plane crashed in a mountainous area in Oum al-Bouaghi province

There are reports that the plane was carrying military personnel and family members.

There has been no official confirmation from the army as yet.

Ennahar reports that ambulances have been dispatched to the crash zone, which is some 240 miles east of the capital Algiers.

Feb 11, 2014
Taiwan and China hold historic talks in Nanjing

Taiwan and China have begun the highest-level talks since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949.

Wang Yu-chi and Zhang Zhijun, the top cross-strait officials from each side, are both attending the four-day talks in Nanjing.

No official agenda has been released for the talks, which are widely seen as a confidence-building exercise.

China regards Taiwan as part of its territory. In the past, all talks have gone via quasi-official organizations.

Zhang Zhijun, head of mainland China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said: “It’s impossible to imagine in the past that we could sit here and meet [today].”

“We must have some imagination if [we want to] resolve some difficulties, not just for such a meeting, we should also have a bigger imagination for cross-strait future development,” he added.

Wang Yu-chi, head of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, described the meeting as “a new chapter for cross-strait relations”.

“For us to simply sit at the same table, sit down to discuss issues, is already not an easy thing.”

Taiwan and China have begun the highest-level talks since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949

Given the sensitivities, the meeting room had no flags on display, and the officials’ nameplates had no titles or affiliations, AFP news agency reported.

Beijing insists that Taiwan is part of China and has a stated aim of reclaiming the island.

Taiwan still calls itself the Republic of China and nominally claims the same territory as the Communist government in Beijing, although it does not press these claims.

The US is committed to defending Taipei, despite not formally recognizing Taiwan as an independent country.

The situation has created a decades-long military stand-off between Beijing and Washington.

But cross-strait ties have improved since Taiwan’s pro-Beijing President Ma Ying-jeou was elected in 2008.

Cross-strait flights began in 2008, and tourists from the mainland have boosted Taiwan’s economy.

Trade agreements have allowed Taiwanese technology firms to expand massively, investing billions of dollars in the mainland.

However, Ma Ying-jeou is unpopular and analysts say his governing Kuomintang party is likely to lose local elections later this year.

The talks are the first formal government-to-government dialogue since the 1949 split.

Taiwan negotiators are likely to propose the posting of permanent representatives on each other’s territories.

But they will also face pressure to talk about press freedom after China refused accreditation to several media outlets.

Many Taiwanese are sensitive to issues of press freedom, having lived under a dictatorship that tightly controlled the media until the 1980s.

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Feb 11, 2014
Shirley Temple dies at the age of 85

Shirley Temple has died at the age of 85, her family has announced.

Shirley Temple found fame as a child star in the 1930s in films like Bright Eyes, Stand Up and Cheer and Curly Top.

Shirley Temple found fame as a child star in the 1930s in films like Bright Eyes, Stand Up and Cheer and Curly Top

The actress died on Monday at home in Woodside, California, from natural causes.

“She was surrounded by her family and caregivers,” a statement said.

“We salute her for a life of remarkable achievements as an actor, as a diplomat, and… our beloved mother, grandmother [and] great-grandmother.”

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Feb 11, 2014
EU to open negotiations with Cuba

The EU has agreed to open negotiations with Cuba aimed at restoring full bilateral relations with the Communist-run island.

The talks, which could begin as soon as next month, will try to increase trade and investment, and include a dialogue on human rights, officials said.

Since 1996, the EU has restricted its ties with Cuba to encourage multi-party democracy and progress on human rights.

The bloc is Cuba’s second-biggest trading partner after Venezuela.

It represents a major source of investment, and hundreds of thousands of European tourists visit the island every year.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton stressed that human rights remained “at the core” of its dealings with Cuba.

“These negotiations will help consolidate our engagement with Cuba,” Catherine Ashton said.

Since 1996, the EU has restricted its ties with Cuba to encourage multi-party democracy and progress on human rights

“I hope Cuba will take up this offer.”

The announcement comes with Cuba engaged in an economic and social reform process launched by President Raul Castro.

The EU ambassador to Havana, Herman Portocarero, said the aim was to support and accompany “change on the island” while also promoting human rights.

A legal bilateral relationship would bring “more opportunities”, he added.

The move indicates the most important diplomatic shift since the EU lifted sanctions against Cuba in 2008.

It follows the visit by Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans to Cuba in January. During his trip, Frans Timmermans called on the EU to change its policy toward the island.

He said the best way to promote change was through dialogue, not isolation.

In 1996, the EU agreed on a set of rules governing its relations with Cuba, called the Common Position.

It states that the EU’s objective is “to encourage a process of transition to a pluralist democracy and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as sustainable recovery and improvement in the living standards of the Cuban people”.

Despite the policy, more than half of EU member states have bilateral agreements with Cuba.

Cuba has rejected the Common Position, arguing that it constitutes an interference in its internal affairs.

Feb 10, 2014
North Korea withdraws invitation for US envoy Robert King to visit Kenneth Bae

North Korea has decided to withdraw an invitation for US envoy Robert King to visit Pyongyang to discuss the release of American citizen Kenneth Bae who has been held in the Asian nation for more than a year, a State Department official said Sunday.

“We are deeply disappointed by the DPRK [North Korean] decision – for a second time – to rescind its invitation for Ambassador [Robert] King to travel to Pyongyang to discuss Kenneth Bae’s release,” State Department spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki said.

North Korea has decided to withdraw an invitation for US envoy Robert King to visit Pyongyang to discuss the release of American citizen Kenneth Bae

“The DPRK announced publicly in May 2013 that it would not use the fate of Kenneth Bae as a political bargaining chip.”

Ambassador Robert King is the State Department’s special envoy for North Korean human rights issues.

Jennifer Psaki added that civil rights activist Jesse Jackson has volunteered to go to Pyongyang to try to free imprisoned Kenneth Bae.

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Feb 10, 2014
Swiss anti-immigration referendum result draws criticism from EU countries

The Swiss vote to bring back strict immigration quotas for Europeans draws criticism from France, Germany and Brussels.

France and Germany have voiced concern about Switzerland’s vote to bring back strict quotas for immigration from EU countries.

Final results showed 50.3% voted in favor. The vote invalidates the Swiss-EU agreement on freedom of movement.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said the vote would cause “a host of difficulties for Switzerland”.

France’s Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said: “It will hurt Switzerland to be inward-looking.”

The initiative to hold the referendum was spearheaded by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP), amid increasing debate across Europe about migration and the impact of free movement of people.

The Swiss vote to bring back strict immigration quotas for Europeans draws criticism from France, Germany and Brussels

Fiercely independent Switzerland is not a member of the EU, but has adopted large sections of EU policy.

The European Commission said it regretted the outcome of the vote and would examine its implications.

Freedom of movement is a key pillar of the EU single market – a market which accounts for more than half of Swiss exports.

The vote has shown up traditional divisions, with French-speaking areas against the quotas, German-speaking regions divided, and the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino firmly in favor.

In addition, cities with higher than average numbers of foreigners – Basel, Geneva and Zurich – voted against the quota proposal, while rural areas mostly voted for it.

Switzerland’s economy is booming at the moment, and unemployment is low, but many Swiss worry about immigration.

Last year 80,000 new immigrants arrived in Switzerland, and foreigners now make up 23% of the population. It is the continent’s second highest foreign population after Luxembourg.

In a statement, the European Commission said the Swiss vote “goes against the principle of free movement of persons between the EU and Switzerland”.

“The EU will examine the implications of this initiative on EU-Swiss relations as a whole,” the European Commission added.

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Feb 10, 2014
Historic snow storm hits Tokyo

At least 11 people died, more than a thousand were injured and tens of thousands lost power when the worst snowstorm in decades hit Tokyo and areas around the Japanese capital.

Flights were still backed up at Tokyo’s Haneda international airport on Monday and the lobby was packed with anxious travelers, with some flights overbooked.

As much as 10.6 inches of snow fell on Tokyo by late Saturday, the most in 45 years, Japan’s Meteorological Agency said. Back streets in outlying neighborhoods remained choked with snow and frozen slush on Monday morning, forcing commuters in heavy boots to pick their way carefully to work.

Financial markets opened normally on Monday despite the heavy snowfall.

At least 11 people died, more than a thousand were injured and tens of thousands lost power when the worst snowstorm in decades hit Tokyo

Traffic accidents and falls claimed 11 lives across the nation, including one 78-year-old man in Ichikawa, just east of Tokyo. More than 1,000 were injured, among them a 69-year-old man in critical condition after slipping and striking his head at his front doorstep while shoveling snow.

Some 5,000 people were stuck at Narita international airport at the weekend when the snow cut transport links to downtown Tokyo.

More than 20,000 households were without electricity early on Sunday after the snow and high winds took down power lines.

Several universities delayed the start of their entrance exams. The snowy streets also may have discouraged voters from going to the polls on Sunday to choose a new Tokyo governor, with turnout rates hovering around 46%, the third lowest in history.

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Feb 10, 2014
Toyota to stop car and engine production in Australia

Toyota has decided to stop its car and engine production in Australia by the end of 2017, effectively marking the end of the country’s carmaking industry.

Toyota said it might scale down the operations of its development and technical centre in Australia as well.

Last year, Ford and General Motors’ Holden unit also announced plans to stop producing cars in Australia.

About 2,500 jobs are set to be lost as a result of Toyota’s decision, which it attributed to high manufacturing costs.

“We believed that we should continue producing vehicles in Australia, and Toyota and its workforce here made every effort,” said Toyota president Akio Toyoda.

“However, various negative factors such as an extremely competitive market and a strong Australian dollar, together with forecasts of a reduction in the total scale of vehicle production in Australia, have forced us to make this painful decision.”

Toyota, which first began making cars in Australia in 1963, said it “intends to provide the best support it can, including employment assistance” to those affected by the decision.

Vivek Vaidya, an automotive analyst at consultancy Frost & Sullivan, said he was not surprised by Toyota’s decision.

Toyota has decided to stop its car and engine production in Australia by the end of 2017

“Toyota was the last producer in Australia after exit of Mitsubishi, Ford and Holden,” he said.

“Labor cost in Australia is too high to be price competitive in production.”

Vivek Vaidya also said rival car-producing countries such as Thailand and the US were more attractive in terms of manufacturing costs.

Toyota’s decision comes despite appeals from Australian PM Tony Abbott, who has been looking to keep the carmaker operating in the country.

Car manufacturers have been pulling out of Australia as the rising cost of doing business in the country has hit profits.

Last May, Ford said it would close its car lines in Australia in October 2016 with the loss of more than 1,000 jobs.

General Motors’ Holden unit has also announced plans to stop production in 2017, affecting nearly 3,000 jobs.

Japan’s Mitsubishi Motors sold its last Australian-made car in 2010.

Australia’s carmaking industry has traditionally received billions of dollars in subsidies from the government.

However, a national commission recently recommended that the financial support should be ended and that car companies should cut costs instead.

The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) called Toyota’s decision “devastating” and warned the move could cause an economic recession.

Last year, Toyota – the world’s top global car maker by sales – found itself in a dispute with Australian car plant workers over proposed changes to their contracts, in an attempt to reduce costs.

Feb 10, 2014
South Korea – US annual military drills announced for February 24

South Korea – US have annual military drills will take place from February 24 to April 18, despite anger from North Korea.

Pyongyang warned against the planned drills last week, calling them “exercises of war”.

Meanwhile, the US said it was disappointed that North Korea rescinded an invitation to a US envoy to discuss the release of jailed US citizen Kenneth Bae.

Kenneth Bae has been held in North Korea for more than a year.

In a statement on Monday, the joint Combined Forces Command (CFC) said that Key Resolve, a computer-based simulation, and Foal Eagle, which involves air, ground and naval drills, were both scheduled to begin on February 24.

“Key Resolve is a vital exercise to strengthen readiness of the Republic of Korea and US Alliance,” CFC commander Gen Curtis Scaparrotti said.

“The scenarios are realistic, enabling us to train on our essential tasks and respond to any crisis which may arise.”

South Korea – US have annual military drills will take place from February 24 to April 18, despite anger from North Korea

Last year, the exercises led to a prolonged surge in tensions, with North Korea threatening pre-emptive nuclear strikes and cutting a military hotline with the South.

North Korea’s top military body threatened last week to cancel planned family reunions with the South if the joint military exercises went ahead.

The reunions are for family members separated when the Korean peninsula was partitioned at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. However, the North has been accused of using them as a bargaining chip.

South Korean defence ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said on Monday: “North Korea is well aware that the South Korean-US drills are annual trainings defensive in nature.”

“So it is not appropriate to link [the drills] with family reunions.”

Separately, on Sunday, the US said it was “deeply disappointed” North Korea had decided to withdraw its invitation to US envoy Robert King for talks on Kenneth Bae.

The military exercises were “in no way linked to Mr. Bae’s case”, State Department spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki said.

“We again call on the DPRK [North Korea] to grant Bae special amnesty and immediate release as a humanitarian gesture,” she added.

North Korea also cancelled a request from Robert King to visit last August to discuss Kenneth Bae.

US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson has offered to travel to North Korea for talks instead, Jennifer Psaki said.

Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American, was arrested in North Korea in November 2012.

Pyongyang said he used his tourism business to form groups to overthrow the government, and sentenced to 15 years’ hard labor in May.

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Feb 10, 2014
Syria: More than 600 civilians evacuated from Homs

More than six hundreds civilians have been evacuated from the rebel-held Old Quarter of Homs, Syria, state media report.

This was despite mortar fire and shooting which activists say killed several people and wounded others.

UN and Syrian Red Crescent teams also managed to deliver relief supplies to the quarter, which has been besieged by government forces for more than a year.

On Saturday aid workers were trapped under fire there for several hours.

The Wall Street Journal‘s Sam Dagher, in Homs, has tweeted that more than a dozen men who came out with the evacuees were detained by security forces and taken away to an unknown location.

Sunday is the final day of what was agreed as a three-day humanitarian truce.

More than six hundreds civilians have been evacuated from the rebel-held Old Quarter of Homs

The governor of Homs, Talal al-Barazi, has said the ceasefire may be extended by a further three days, to allow all those who might want to leave the chance to do so.

Elsewhere, opposition activists said at least 11 people were killed in the northern city of Aleppo when government helicopters dropped barrel bombs – crude weapons comprising cylinders packed with explosives and metal fragments – on rebel-held neighborhoods.

The operation to help trapped civilians in Homs was the one concrete agreement reached at recent peace talks in Geneva, which are due to resume on Monday.

A UN/Red Crescent aid convoy came under attack from mortars and gunfire as it was leaving Homs on Saturday.

Syrian authorities have blamed the attack on rebels, but they in turn say that President Bashar al-Assad’s forces were responsible for the incident.

UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos has insisted that the UN and aid agencies will not be deterred by the weekend’s violence.

The Red Crescent, in a joint operation with the UN, is trying to deliver food, water and medicine by truck to some 3,000 civilians in rebel-held areas.

Homs has been a key battleground in the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

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Feb 9, 2014
Australia bushfires spark emergency alerts in south-east

Dozens of bushfires are sweeping the Australian states of Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales, fanned by hot weather and strong winds.

Officials say an unknown number of homes have been destroyed and a firefighter has been injured in the state of Victoria.

Some residents have been ordered to leave and flames have spread to the outer suburbs of Australia’s second biggest city, Melbourne.

Conditions in Victoria are at their worst since 2009, authorities said.

Then, wildfires killed 173 people and destroyed about 2,000 homes in a disaster dubbed Black Saturday.

Dozens of bushfires are sweeping the Australian states of Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales, fanned by hot weather and strong winds

Emergency crews are also fighting blazes in South Australia and New South Wales.

More than 70 fires are burning across Victoria and 15 emergency warnings are in effect, with up-to-date local information available on the Vic Emergency website.

Hundreds of firefighters and dozens of fire engines are battling the blazes.

Fire authorities are worried about the threat posed to the coal-fired 1,600-megawatt Hazlewood Power Station in Latrobe Valley, local media reported.

Homes have been lost in the Melbourne suburbs of Warrandyte and Mickleham, and in Gisborne some 30 miles north-west of the city.

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Feb 9, 2014
Swiss anti-immigration referendum results invalidate agreement with EU

Voters in Switzerland have narrowly backed a referendum proposal to bring back strict quotas for immigration from EU countries.

Final results showed 50.3% voted in favor. The vote invalidates the Swiss-EU agreement on freedom of movement.

Fiercely independent Switzerland is not a member of the EU, but has adopted large sections of EU policy.

Brussels said it regretted the outcome of the vote and would examine its implications.

A Yes vote of more than 50% was needed for the referendum to pass.

The vote has shown up traditional divisions, with French-speaking areas against the quotas, German-speaking regions divided, and the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino firmly in favor.

In a statement, the European Commission said it regretted that an “initiative for the introduction of quantitative limits to immigration has been passed by this vote.

Voters in Switzerland have narrowly backed a referendum proposal to bring back strict quotas for immigration from EU countries

“This goes against the principle of free movement of persons between the EU and Switzerland. The EU will examine the implications of this initiative on EU-Swiss relations as a whole. In this context, the Federal Council’s position on the result will also be taken into account.”

The vote comes amid increasing debate across Europe about migration and the impact of free movement of people.

Switzerland’s economy is booming at the moment, and unemployment is low, but many Swiss worry about immigration.

A quarter of the eight million-strong population is foreign, and last year 80,000 new immigrants arrived.

Since 2007, most of the EU’s 500 million residents have been on an equal footing with locals in the Swiss job market – the result of a policy voted into law in a 2000 referendum.

But a coalition led by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party now wants to reverse this deal, saying it was a huge mistake.

Supporters of quotas believe free movement has put pressure on housing, health, education, and transport. They also argue that foreign workers drive salaries down.

But the Swiss government and business leaders say free movement is key to Switzerland’s economic success, allowing employers to choose skilled staff from across Europe.

Switzerland’s bilateral agreements with the EU took years of negotiation to achieve.

Abandoning free movement could limit Switzerland’s access to Europe’s single market, where over half its exports are sold.

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Feb 9, 2014
Sakhalin cathedral shooting leaves two dead in Russia

A nun and a churchgoer have been killed by a gunman who opened fire inside a cathedral on the eastern Russian island of Sakhalin.

Six other people were wounded in the incident – most were said to have been shot in the legs and were not critically hurt.

An employee at a private security firm was detained at the scene in the main city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

A nun and a churchgoer have been killed by a gunman who opened fire inside a cathedral on the eastern Russian island of Sakhalin

The motive of the gunman, who is said to be about 25 years old, was not clear.

There was no apparent link to the Winter Olympics taking place in Sochi about 4,700 miles to the west.

The Investigative Committee – Russia’s main federal investigating authority – said psychiatrists would try to determine the suspect’s mental condition, reported Reuters news agency.

Reuters quoted the regional leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, Archbishop Tikhon, as saying a prayer service would be held at the cathedral later on Sunday.

Feb 9, 2014
Marius the giraffe put down at Copenhagen Zoo

The bid to save Marius the giraffe from destruction at Copenhagen Zoo has failed, and the animal was put down on Sunday morning.

Thousands of people had signed an online petition appealing for a change of heart over 18-month-old Marius.

The zoo said it had no choice because of European rules to avoid in-breeding.

Marius was due to be killed by a bolt gun, not a lethal injection, which would contaminate the meat.

Two zoos, one in the UK and one in Sweden, had reportedly put in last-ditch offers to take Marius in.

Marius was due to be killed by a bolt gun, not a lethal injection, which would contaminate the meat

On Saturday Bengt Holst, scientific director at the Danish zoo, defended Marius’s destruction, saying his genes were already well represented among giraffes at the zoo.

He said he could not understand the fuss over Marius, pointing out that, for instance, 700-800 deer are killed every year at a deer park north of Copenhagen to control their numbers.

The zoo planned to dissect the animal after it was killed, before feeding it to the tigers and other carnivores.

“It would be absolutely foolish to throw away a few hundred kilos of meat,” Bengt Holst said according to the Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet.

“Some is used for research and the rest for food.”

Animal rights campaigners have described the move as barbaric and have accused the zoo of being unethical.

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Feb 9, 2014
Istanbul violent protests over internet censorship

Hundreds of Turkish demonstrators marching in Istanbul in protest at new laws tightening government control of the internet clashed with riot police.

Demonstrators threw fireworks and stones at police cordoning off Taksim Square, the city’s main square.

President Abdullah Gul is under pressure not to ratify the legislation.

The new legislation includes powers allowing authorities to block websites for privacy violations without a court decision.

The opposition says it is part of a government attempt to stifle a corruption scandal.

Demonstrators threw fireworks and stones at police cordoning off Taksim Square

PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has denied accusations of censorship, saying the legislation would make the internet “more safe and free”.

The Turkish parliament approved the bill last week.

As well as allowing Turkey’s telecommunications authority to block websites without first seeking a court ruling, it will also force internet providers to store data on web users’ activities for two years and make it available to the authorities.

Internet access in Turkey is already restricted and thousands of websites blocked.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been openly critical of the internet, describing Twitter as a “scourge” and condemning social media as “the worst menace to society”.

Both Twitter and Facebook were widely used by anti-government protesters to spread information during demonstrations last year.

The corruption scandal broke in December with the arrest of businessmen close to the prime minister and three ministers’ sons.

Since then, Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has sacked hundreds of police officers and executives from banking and telecoms regulators and state television.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the scandal is an attempt by a US-based cleric with influence in the police and judiciary to unseat him. The cleric, Fethullah Gulen, denies this.

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Feb 9, 2014
UN aid convoy fired on in Homs

A UN aid convoy bringing supplies into the besieged district of the central Syrian city of Homs has come under fire, leaving at least one person hurt.

Renewed fighting in the city had already slowed bids to bring in relief supplies.

The Syrian Red Crescent said its vehicles were fired on, and that one of its drivers was wounded.

However, Syrian state media said four Red Crescent aid workers were wounded by rebel gunfire.

The UN is overseeing efforts to deliver food, water and medicine by truck to some 3,000 civilians in rebel-held areas.

The government and rebels accused each other of violating a ceasefire after mortar fire on Saturday morning delayed an earlier attempt to bring in aid.

A UN aid convoy bringing supplies into the besieged district of the central Syrian city of Homs has come under fire, leaving at least one person hurt

On Friday, the first day of the agreed three-day ceasefire, more than 80 children, women and elderly people were evacuated.

Many of those evacuated on Friday looked frail and described extreme hardships inside the area, which has been under army siege for nearly a year-and-a-half.

They said bread had not been available for months, and many residents were gathering weeds and leaves to eat.

Relief officials had earlier warned that this second phase of the humanitarian operation, to allow aid into the embattled quarter, was particularly delicate, not least because the government side has always been reluctant to see supplies going in to rebel-held areas.

If the aid does reach the city, the next step would be another day of evacuations.

During Friday’s operation, vulnerable civilians such as children, old people and medical cases were brought out of the besieged area, sometimes carried by Red Crescent volunteers.

They told journalists that there were more people trapped in the city who had wanted to leave.

Homs has been a key battleground in the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

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Feb 8, 2014