The incident occurred in the town of Damascus, VA, on Saturday afternoon during the annual celebration of the Appalachian Trail, a famous hiking trail in the northeast of the United States. The nature of the injuries was not immediately known, AP reports.State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller says troopers have been sent to the scene but she had no further information.Four helicopters arrived at the site to airlift the victims to local hospitals.DETAILS TO FOLLOW … Read More
Latvian authorities ‘try to silence’ journalist with criminal charges over controversial law report
Russian-speaking freelancer Khramtsov was commissioned by a St. Petersburg channel to produce a report on a new law passing through the Latvian parliament that bans people from exhibiting either Soviet or Nazi symbols in public.The law, which parliament initially tried to rush through ahead of 9 May commemorations (the day when Germany surrendered to the USSR at the end of World War II) has attracted controversy, particularly among the ethnic Russian minority, which constitutes more than a quarter of the population. Soviet-era symbols, such as Red Army uniforms and crimson flags, have been a staple of the celebrations, even after the secession of Latvia from the USSR.The date is highly politicized in the country, with the authorities refusing to celebrate it as Victory Day, since independent Latvia was invaded by the USSR in 1940, then by Nazi Germany the following year, before reverting to Soviet control at the end of the war.Khramtsov told RT that he arranged to meet several ethnic Russian Communist sympathizers in a town square on May 7, to discuss whether they would obey the law once it is passed. The small group of men arrived with Soviet flags, but Khramtsov says they refused to be filmed, afraid of future police prosecution. After an informal discussion, Khramtsov claims the group dispersed peacefully.The following day Khramtsov was called up to a police station, where he was charged with organizing mass disorder and staging a provocation, with a video of the previous day’s meeting, filmed from a nearby police car, cited as evidence.Khramtsov says he was not encouraging the men to break the law, but merely doing his job. It is also notable that the law went through its second reading on May 16, and faces one more, before it comes into force, making it difficult to ascertain what Khramtsov’s exact misdemeanor might have been“What has happened gives me a horrible feeling. I don’t know if it is someone just trying to earn a promotion at my expense, or if, more unfortunately, authorities in what is supposedly a free country and an EU member are trying to silence the media,” the journalist told RT in a phone interview.Anda Rozuklane, the chief of the Latvian Journalists Association has spoken out in defense of Khramtsov.“If there is evidence that the journalist was doing anything other than compiling a story, it should be made public, but it does not seem to exist. We think this is a disproportionate action, intended to intimidate Khramtsov,” she told Russia’s Interfax news agency.Khramtsov has been a persistent thorn in the side of the authorities in recent times.Three years ago he filmed an expose, showing how easy it would be for terrorists to target Riga’s landmarks. His report showed him making a bomb from easily obtained ingredients, before smuggling a mockup of an explosive device into public spaces. He won a local award “for contributing to press freedom”, but authorities charged him with keeping and transporting explosives.The case was thrown out of court earlier this year.“I think the police are angry with me for that last incident – and are trying to exact their revenge”Khramtsov says subtle pressure and discouragement are commonplace weapons against all journalists whose views diverge from those of dominant politicians, and particularly those who challenge the nationalist anti-Soviet narrative adopted in Latvia since independence in 1991.“I think this constitutes bullying by the authorities. They have no evidence against me, but they are wasting my time, even though the case will never get to court.”In the most recent World Press Freedom Index, compiled by Reporters without Borders Latvia was ranked 39th, below the other Baltic states, but ahead of the other former Soviet republics. It was ranked as high as 13th in previous years, but a string of high-profile incidents have dented Latvia’s reputation. … Read More
‘Turkey to see more bombings as Erdogan’s support for Syrian rebels backfires’
Turkish police have fired tear gas at protesters in a town near the Syrian border, which was the scene of a deadly double car bombing a week ago. Demonstrators are angry over Ankara’s support for the Syrian rebels, which they say is putting Turkey in the firing line. World affairs journalist and broadcaster, Neil Clark, believes Erdogan must reconsider his policies and stop accusing the Syrian government of targeting the Hatay province, as it would’ve been an “absolutely absurd” move from Damascus.RT: Tension and discontent on the Turkish-Syrian border is now escalating – what ramifications could this have?Neil Clark: I think if I were Turkish I would be protesting too, because Mr Erdogan has made colossal blunder here because in August 2011 he took the line he’s going to play a leading role in trying to topple the Syrian government. He allowed rebels to be based in the country. His government gave arms to them and equipment. And now it’s sort of a blowback time. We had some terrible bombings in Turkey this week and this will only continue, until Turkey changes course in relation to Syria. RT: Turkey maintains Syria was responsible for last weekend’s bombing of a Turkish town that left more than 50 dead, but why would Damascus orchestrate a cross-border attack?NC: It’ll be absolutely suicidal for Syrian president [Bashar] Assad to order an attack on Turkey, knowing that very powerful countries in the West are just itching for an excuse to militarily attack the country, to bomb the country. So the last thing would be doing is trying to bomb Turkey. It’s absolutely absurd. I don’t know who was responsible for these bombings, but it’s clear that what Erdogan has done has actually involved Turkey in this war. He’s brought the war to Turkey. And understandable the Turkish citizens – not just those on the border with Syria, but throughout the country – are getting increasingly angry and they demand that he changes his course. RT: Turkey has made it clear it doesn’t want to get directly involved in Syria, but has pledged to respond to the bombings. What action could we see?NC: We haven’t got any evidence as to who’s responsible for these bombings. And I think Erdogan has to seriously reconsider his entire policies, because all he’s doing is increasing the tension here by backing the rebels. He took a gamble in August 2011 believing that the Syrian government would fall very shortly and that there’ll be a very nice Islamist government in power in Damascus that’ll be very friendly to Turkey. It backfired. It hasn’t happened. And I think that the position, Turkey is in, is getting worse and worse. I hope I’m wrong, but we’re going to see more bombings, I’m afraid. Because the war has been brought to Turkey and, of course, the rebels themselves are fighting among themselves – the radical Islamists, the not so radical Islamists. It’s all happening in Turkey. RT: An international conference on Syria – endorsed by Russia and the US – is expected soon. What results can we expect?NC: It all depends on the stance of the US and its allies. Because if they’re still going to carry on with this rhetoric, this Assad must go, we’re not going to get any progress, are we? The people, who are pouring the petrol on the fire, the countries like the US and Turkey, have got to change their position. It’s no use that they’re having a conference, if they’re still going to back the rebels. They’re still saying that the Syrian people could decide the government they want as long as Assad goes. That’s not democracy, is it? It’s up to the Syrian people alone. It’s up to US, Qatar, Turkey to stop interfering in Syria. … Read More
Teargas v stones, bottles: Hundreds of protesters clash with Turkish police near Syrian border
Protesters waved red banners, and lobbed stones and bottles at the officers as the intensity of Saturday’s clashes escalated. Riot police made attempts to disperse the crowds, marching in solidarity with the victims of last week’s attacks. Police prevented the protesters from reaching the center of the town, where the bombs exploded by the city hall and post office. Pockets of the marchers also clamored for a change of government as many people in the town are angry at the government’s response to the attack. They also blame Turkish authorities for decision to take in Syrian refugees fleeing the conflict in their country, saying it has made them a target for attacks. Barriers were broken down, with some detained, and others suffering injuries, according to a local tweet.The parade began with more than 1,000 participants. Local reports stated that the count could have even stood at over 10,000. However, it quickly fragmented, with the number of attendees dwindling to the hundreds. The clashes calmed down after approximately an hour.Last Saturday’s fatal car bombs in Hatay province on the Turkey-Syria border also injured a further 100 when they exploded outside a community hall and a post office in the center of town of Reyhanli. A third, unconnected explosion – likely an accident – also took place in a building containing some Syrian refugees.Residents of the town harbored frustration at the government’s immediate response, also saying that the country shouldn’t be accommodating refugees from Syria.Turkey had been quick to blame Syria for the devastating attacks, with Ankara warning it would take“all retaliatory measures necessary,” raising the prospect of an escalation in the conflict.Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan came in for criticism for traveling to the United States this week, instead of visiting the town to display support in the wake of its tragedy.Immediately following the blasts, approximately 100 of the city’s residents took to the streets outside Turkey’s Foreign Ministry, calling for Erdogan’s resignation and accusing him of a failed policy towards Syria which they believe led to the assault. … Read More
US Suspends Constitution in Permanent World War on Terror
Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Sheehan told Congress yesterday that the AUMF authorized the US military to operate on a worldwide battlefield from Boston to Pakistan. … Read More
Nigel Farage flees Edinburgh pub in police van after anti-Ukip protest
http://www.youtube.com/v/d0YaM1TUfzk?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata More: Nigel Farage flees Edinburgh pub in police van after anti-Ukip protest
