Syria Agrees 'To Halt' Airstrikes In Aleppo

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 18 Februari 2015 | 18.46

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The Syrian regime will end airstrikes on targets in Aleppo to test if a ceasefire in the city can be developed, a UN official has said.

The United Nations envoy to the country said he had been given a commitment there would be a suspension of bombing for six weeks.

Staffan de Mistura said no timeframe had yet been set but he would soon be returning to Syria to discuss the plan further.

He said the development provided a glimmer of hope for the devastated city.

He told reporters: "The government of Syria has indicated to me its willingness to halt all aerial bombing."

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Gallery: Jan 2015: The Battle For Aleppo

Aleppo has been one of the cities at the centre of Syria's civil war since it began in early 2011. Here a man carries a wounded girl after an airstrike by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad

A bus blocks a road amid damage on the Salah Al-Din neighbourhood frontline

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People walk amid the rubble of collapsed buildings at a site hit during a barrel bomb attack by Assad forces in the Al-Fardous neighbourhood

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Members of the Civil Defence rescue children after an airstrike in the al-Shaar neighbourhood

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A fighter from the Tawhid Brigade, which operates under the Free Syrian Army, fires an anti-tank missile at Assad forces

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"Assurances will not be enough," he added. "Facts on the ground will prove if the freeze holds and can be replicated elsewhere."

Mr de Mistura said the UN would try to engage with the opposition, with a view to them also de-escalating the fighting.

He said: "Let's be frank, I have no illusions, because based on past experiences this will be a difficult issue to be achieved.

"But we will engage ... the opposition, hopefully to see them ... respond to a similar request from the UN to halt mortar and rockets."

He said he had a "dim" hope the plan would work and civilian lives could be saved while political negotiations continue over an end to the country's civil war.

Aleppo is divided into a rebel-held western area and government-controlled east.

Mr de Mistura wants to set up a UN-monitored "freeze zone" that would stop violence around the front line to allow humanitarian aid to enter and act as the first step towards a wider solution.

But Aleppo-based opposition groups have expressed fears the government will try to exploit a truce to move its forces elsewhere to fight, and have questioned how a ceasefire could work with Islamic State fighters in the area.

Mr de Mistura is the third in a series of UN envoys tasked with trying to find an end to the conflict.

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Written By Unknown on Selasa, 17 Februari 2015 | 18.46

Five Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and 14 wounded in clashes with Russian-backed rebels near the eastern town of Debaltseve.

The fighting is the latest apparent breach of a fragile ceasefire under which both sides were supposed to pull heavy artillery back from the front line today.

Fighting has erupted on the streets inside the town, which until now had been the scene of artillery exchanges between government troops inside and heavily-armed rebels encircling it.

But government and rebel leaders indicated they would withdraw only after the other side does so.

"As soon as the militants cease fire, the Ukrainian side will begin to withdraw heavy weaponry from the frontline," said government military spokesman Anatoliy Stelmakh, who claimed his troops were pounded by the rebels overnight.

Rebel leader Andrei Purgin said the separatists were prepared to discuss withdrawing with the international group monitoring the ceasefire, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Reporting from Ukraine, Sky's Stuart Ramsay said: "Usually these ceasefires completely fall apart within three or four days because the sides are near one another and small arms are involved.

"The OSCE monitors have been trying to get into Debaltseve but so far they've been refused entry by the pro-Russia separatists.

"The rebel leadership have been talking about what they see as a moral responsibility to continue fighting to get to Debaltseve because they say it's inside their territory and not part of the ceasefire plan.

"They want that town because they've been focusing on it and believe they'll be able to get it soon."

The leaders of Ukraine, Russia and Germany discussed the cease-fire in a phone call late last night.

During the call German chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to use his influence on the separatists to ensure that they stop fighting.

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Is Greece Edging Closer To Euro Exit?

No-one expected the Eurogroup summit to end all the differences between Greece and the eurozone countries behind its bailout.

But, equally, no-one really expected it to end in the kind of acrimony we saw earlier in Brussels.

In the event, what we have witnessed is yet another demonstration of what happens when the euro collides with democratic politics.

It all comes back down to the key issue Syriza campaigned on in the Greek elections last month: ending the current €240bn bailout programme and replacing it with something more humane.

Most of Greece's euro counterparts have insisted that to do so is simply impossible - that if Greece wants to borrow more cash and continue to enjoy financial support from the European Central Bank, it must sign up to an extension of the existing programme, due to expire at the end of the month.

However, doing so represents what Yanis Varoufakis, the Greek finance minister, has described as a red line.

Instead, he would rather agree to a separate "bridging loan" without the full conditions attached to the existing bailout (but with, he insists, "some conditionality, to build trust").

He claims that he was privately given such a promise by the European Commissioner in charge of the economy, Pierre Moscovici, last week.

But, in Mr Varoufakis' rendering, at the Eurogroup meeting on Monday afternoon, Mr Moscovici's draft proposal was replaced by Eurogroup head, Jeroen Djisselbloem, with something else entirely - an alternative communique that pledged that Greece should continue with the existing programme.

A copy of this document, with Mr Varoufakis' disapproving penmarks scrawled all over it, was leaked to the press.

In chaotic scenes, the meeting broke down within minutes.

Given it was billed as the make-or-break moment for the euro, the collapse of talks looks, on the surface of it, to be deeply worrying.

However, the reality is that Monday's deadline was always a self-imposed one.

The talks will continue in the coming days, and there is likely to be another Eurogroup meeting to confirm things as soon as something can be hatched behind the scenes.

But with every setback, worries grow that Greece could be edging slowly towards a possible default - or indeed a chaotic exit from the single currency.

There are still many more levers to be pulled by both sides between now and then. But the fact that a key meeting could break down so easily is a reminder that things will hardly be plain sailing in the coming weeks.

In other words, things are likely to get even worse before they get any better.

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Greece Facing 'Disaster' As Talks Break Down

Greece has been warned of an impending "disaster" after crisis talks between the country's finance minister and Eurozone counterparts broke up without agreement in Brussels.

The country rejected a draft proposal put forward by European finance ministers that would see an extension of Greece's international bailout package.

Dutch finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who chaired the meeting, says Athens now has until Friday to request an extension or risk seeing the bailout expire at the end of the month.

If that happens the Greek state and its banks could face a looming cash crunch.

Greece's finance minister, Yanis Varoufakis, said negotiations will continue, adding he has "no doubt" an agreement will be reached that would be "therapeutic to Greece and for Europe".

But he added his country will not implement recessionary measures such as pension cuts and VAT hikes.

Greece's anti-austerity Syriza government recently swept to power on a promise to scrap the bailout as it stands.

But with Greece running out of money, Maltese finance minister Edward Scicluna said the country faces "disaster" unless it extends the bailout, which is due to end on 28 February.

"Greece has to adjust, to realise the seriousness of the situation," he said.

"It all depends on the realisation by Greece of the real seriousness of the situation because time is running out."

Mr Dijsselbloem said a "positive outcome" was still possible if Greece asked for the extension by the end of the week.

He said further talks are dependent upon Greece requesting a bailout.

"Given the timelines we have... we can use this week but that is about it," he said.

"The general feeling in the Eurogroup is still that the best way forward would be for the Greek authorities to seek an extension of the programme."

Many in the financial markets think a failure to secure agreement will leave Greece little option but to leave the euro.

European stock markets fell on Tuesday in reaction to the deadlock, with Greek banks suffering losses of up to 10% in early trading.

Mr Varoufakis and other European finance ministers are scheduled to remain in Brussels for routine talks on the EU economy today though Greece is expected to dominate.

The Chancellor George Osborne arrived for the talks warning of "severe" consequences for economic recovery in Europe without a deal, saying he wanted to see "competence not chaos."

Speaking after last night's meeting, Sky's Economics Editor Ed Conway said: "The talks have broken down in rather acrimonious fashion.

"The ball is once again in Greece's court. European finance ministers leaving the talks said it was now up to Greece and its prime minister and ministers to request an extension to the deal.

"Otherwise the Eurogroup are not going to continue talking and there is the real prospect increasingly of Greece either defaulting or leaving the euro.

"The big problem is that Greece is potentially going to run out of money quite soon."

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Suspect In Deadly Danish Shootings Is Killed

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 15 Februari 2015 | 18.46

A man shot dead by police near a Copenhagen train station is believed to be behind two fatal attacks hours earlier in the city.

Danish officers said they had killed the man after he opened fire on them close to Norrebro Station.

They said CCTV indicated he was responsible for an attack at a cafe on Saturday afternoon and another deadly assault two miles away at the city's main synagogue.

Investigators said there was nothing to suggest at present that other gunmen were involved in the shootings that left two people dead and five police officers wounded.

Officials also said it was possible he was imitating last month's Paris shootings, where Islamist gunmen targeted the offices of the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine and a kosher supermarket.

The attack at the synagogue in Krystalgade just after midnight UK time saw one man killed after being shot in the head and two policemen also shot, one in the arm and the other in the leg.

Sky News cameraman Pete Milnes, who was in a hotel next to the synagogue, said: "There was a succession of about six or seven gunshots.

"Within a minute or so, armed police were on the scene, a helicopter was hovering overhead. I witnessed police apprehend an individual who was handcuffed and later released.

"There were 20 to 30 armed police officers with semi-automatic rifles shouting at locals to stay indoors and close windows."

The victim has been named as 37-year-old Jewish man Dan Uzan, who was guarding a building behind the synagogue.

A major manhunt had earlier been launched after one man was killed and three police officers injured when a gunman opened fire at a cafe where a meeting on free speech was taking place.

The seminar, which was targeted just before 3pm UK time on Saturday, was attended by Swedish artist Lars Vilks, who has been threatened with death for his cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. He was not harmed, but a 40-year-old man died.

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Gallery: Two Killed In Cafe And Synagogue Shootings

Two people have been killed and five police officers were injured in two shootings in the Danish capital Copenhagen. This is the scene of the cafe attack on Saturday

He was later shot dead by officers here, near one of the city's train stations, after reportedly opening fire on them

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Copenhagen Shootings: How Attacks Unfolded

Police officers are attempting to piece together what led a gunman to open fire in two fatal attacks in the Danish capital.

A massive manhunt was launched in the wake of the shootings, which left two dead and five police officers injured.

By the early hours of Sunday, officers believed they had caught the killer after a suspect was shot dead near a train station.

Here is how the events unfolded:

:: The first attack happened shortly before 3pm UK time on Saturday when a gunman opened fire outside a cafe where a panel was discussing freedom of speech.

A 55-year-old man attending the event in the Krudttoenden cultural centre was killed and three officers were injured after the shooter, armed with an automatic weapon, fired through the windows leaving dozens of bullet holes.

Among the speakers at the event was Lars Vilks, a Swedish artist who has faced death threats for his cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.

Mr Vilks, who had bodyguards with him, was reportedly bundled into a cupboard and was not hurt.

He said he believed he was the intended target of the shooting, which happened during a discussion called "Art, blasphemy and freedom of expression".

Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt has described the assault on the seminar as "a terrorist attack", but little is known about the attacker at this stage.

Police released CCTV images of a suspect wearing dark clothes and a scarf covering part of his face.

Investigators described him as 25 to 30 years-old with an athletic build, about 6ft tall, and was carrying a black automatic weapon. However, it is not clear if this is the same man who was later shot dead by police.

A car believed to have been used by the attacker was found abandoned.

:: Shortly after midnight UK time, a second attack happened outside a synagogue in Krystalgade, where a Jewish man was killed after being shot in the head and two police officers were wounded.

The chairman of the Nordic Jewish Security Council, Michael Gelvan, said a bar mitzvah, or Jewish coming of age ceremony, had been under way inside.

He described the victim as a "young man", who was responsible for letting people into the place of worship, which is two miles away from the scene of the first attack. There had also been extra police outside.

:: At around 5am UK time, police said they had shot dead a man near a train station in the Norrebro area of Copenhagen - not far from the site of the two attacks.

Officers said he opened fire on them after they confronted him as he returned to an address they were watching. No police were hurt.

They believe he was the person responsible for both attacks and they said there was nothing to suggest at present there were others involved.

However, they added there was a large amount of work ahead to determine whether he was acting alone.

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Tensions In Ukraine As Truce Deadline Passes

A ceasefire deadline has passed in Ukraine - but both sides are accusing each other of violating the deal.

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko ordered government forces to stop firing at 10pm UK time on Saturday, under a plan agreed in Belarus this week.

The military said Ukrainian armed forces immediately fulfilled Mr Poroshenko's order and guns fell silent in Donetsk and some other parts of the country's east.

Under the peace agreement, both Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatist rebels were to hold their fire, before pulling back their heavy weaponry to form a wide buffer zone.

There were reports of continued fighting and movement of military vehicles right up to the deadline, and after it had passed government forces and rebels said there were violations in the first few hours.

A Ukraine military spokesman has said rebels shelled its positions 10 times after the truce began, but that the ceasefire is being observed "in general".

A pro-Kiev official says two civilians were killed by rockets fired by rebels just after the start of the truce, the AFP news agency is reporting.

Mr Poroshenko admitted there was "alarm" over the situation around the key transport hub of Debaltseve, where government forces have been hard pressed by Russian-backed separatists.

A senior pro-Russian separatist commander has said that rebels still have the right to fire on the town in spite of the ceasefire because "it is our territory".

Intense fighting continued around the strategic government-held area on Saturday.

Earlier in the week, Russian President Vladimir Putin said 8,000 Ukrainian soldiers were besieged by separatists around the town and would have to lay down their weapons.

Rebels told the Associated Press news agency they will not consider any battles for the town to be a violation of the ceasefire.

The intensity of the fighting around Debaltseve and elsewhere raises doubts about whether the ceasefire will hold.

The White House said President Barack Obama spoke to Mr Poroshenko and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday and expressed concern about the violence.

The French presidency said Mr Putin reaffirmed in a phone call with his French and German counterparts on Saturday that the ceasefire must be respected.

The statement also said the three leaders will speak by phone with Mr Poroshenko on Sunday to take stock of the ceasefire.

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Ukraine: Fresh Bombing Endangers Peace Deal

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 14 Februari 2015 | 18.46

Ukraine's president has warned that fresh shelling in the east of the country is putting the impending ceasefire in danger.

At least 11 people have been killed and dozens wounded in the last 24 hours, but a ceasefire agreed on Thursday is due to come into force at 10pm UK time.

A shell landed in a school yard in the eastern Ukrainian town of Artemivsk controlled by the government forces on Friday, killing one child and two adults.

Meanwhile, Ukraine and Russian-backed rebels fought fiercely across the east of the country despite the new peace deal brokered by Germany and France in Minsk.

And Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said: "We have city of Artemivsk which is situated about 30km from the touchline, absolutely not anything involved in the military operation.

"And in the same way like in Kramatorsk, the Russian multiple rocket launch system Grad, or Smerch, just killed, confirmed killed three civilians.

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Gallery: Ukraine Crisis Continues

Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine agreed a deal on Thursday that offers a "glimmer of hope" for an end to fighting in eastern Ukraine after marathon overnight talks

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko (L) addresses journalists as he takes part in peace talks on resolving the Ukrainian crisis in Minsk

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