Belgium Remains on High Alert After Weekend Arrests

BRUSSELS — Brussels remained on high alert Monday with increased security after a weekend sweep that left three in jail facing terrorism charges, including relatives of two of the March 22 suicide attackers.

The MIVB metro system said a half-dozen subway stations have reduced entry on request from authorities, but all subway lines in the Belgian capital were running during the morning rush hour.

On Saturday, authorities charged three men with terror-related crimes after raids and the detention of 40 people in a major investigation. Authorities said the probe required "immediate intervention" because they feared a new attack was close.

Among those arrested were relatives of the El-Bakraoui brothers, who were among the suicide bombers in the March 22 attacks.

"We know that radicalism, violent extremism, is in a small minority of the Muslim community and it targets families," Interior Minister Jan Jambon said in an interview with RTBF radio, responding to a question about the family ties among those arrested. He declined to elaborate, beyond saying that "it makes it easier to follow them, because we know where the links are."

Prime Minister Charles Michel said the nation would remain "extremely vigilant, hour by hour," and that the terror level across the country would remain at the second-highest level, meaning a threat of an attack "is possible and likely."

Associated Press. "Belgium Remains on High Alert After Weekend Arrests." June 20, 2016. New York Times. June 20, 2016. <http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/06/20/world/europe/ap-eu-belgium-security-.html>.

Response:

The article is a short article about the 3 men who have been charged with terrorism charges. Belgium is intensely watching out for any possible attacks because the government has deemed that another attack seems close at hand. They had a major investigation of about 40 people because the authorities wanted "immediate intervention" before a terrorist attack actually happened. 2 of the 3 men who have been charged with terrorism crimes were a relative of suicide attackers from the March 22 attack. The author seems to be unbiased since the article is clearly an informative form, not presenting the bias of one side or the other. It seems to me that Belgium officials are in close attention towards any possible attacks and the family ties "make it easier to follow them [terrorists]" due to their links. The country is in its second=highest level of terror level in that the likelihood of a terrorist attack is very high and possible. This is a very wise act on the part of the government because it is being cautious about a possible disaster and as proven by the 3 men who were arrested, the chances of preventing terror attacks is present.

Philippine Officials Confirm Canadian Hostage Was Beheaded

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine officials confirmed Tuesday that Abu Sayyaf militants beheaded a Canadian man, the second Canadian hostage to be killed in two months after their demands for a large ransom were not met.

The hostage, Robert Hall, was abducted from a marina last September along with another Canadian, a Norwegian and a Filipino. The other Canadian, former mining executive John Ridsdel, was beheaded in April.

Presidential spokesman Herminio Coloma condemned "the brutal and senseless murder" of Hall. He had been held by the Abu Sayyaf in the jungles of southern Sulu province for nine months.

"This latest heinous crime serves to strengthen our government's resolve to put an end to this reign of terror and banditry," he said in a statement.

A militant video obtained by Philippine police officials and seen by The Associated Press showed Hall in an orange shirt and kneeling in front of a black Islamic State-style flag before he was killed in a jungle area.

An Abu Sayyaf deadline for the payment of a large ransom lapsed Monday and police later found a severed head of a Caucasian man outside a Roman Catholic cathedral in Sulu province's main Jolo town.

In Ottawa, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there was "compelling reason to believe" that Hall had been killed by his captors, and that the Canadian government was working with Philippine authorities to confirm his death.

"We have every reason to believe that the reports are unfortunately true," Trudeau said.

He said he was "horrified" by the killings and reaffirmed Canada's refusal to pay ransoms.

"The government of Canada will not and cannot pay ransoms for hostages to terrorist groups, as doing so would endanger the lives of more Canadians," Trudeau said in a statement.

"We are more committed than ever to working with the government of the Philippines and international partners to pursue those responsible for these heinous acts and bring them to justice, however long it takes."

Trudeau recently urged leaders of other members of the Group of Seven rich nations to reiterate their opposition to paying ransoms.

After being abducted from the marina on southern Samal Island last September, the hostages were taken by boat to Sulu, where the Abu Sayyaf has held hostages for years in mountainous jungle camps.

Ridsdel was beheaded on April 25 after a ransom demand of 300 million pesos ($6.3 million) was not paid.

In an Abu Sayyaf video posted on YouTube after Ridsdel's death, Hall and the two other hostages, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and Filipino woman Marites Flor, pleaded to Canadian and Philippine officials to negotiate their release.

"We live like this every day, go to bed like this," Hall said, raising his arms to show that he was handcuffed. We have a hundred people heavily armed around us all the time that dictate to us and talk to us like children. We've been humiliated in every way possible. One of us has already been murdered."

Hall spoke later in the video for a second time, sounding resigned to a tragic fate.

"I would also like to thank my family for the effort they put in — my family and friends for the effort they put in — to get me out of here. I know you did everything you can, and I truly appreciate it. I'm sorry I got you in this mess," he said.

Trudeau extended his "heartfelt condolences" to Hall's relatives and friends.

The United States and the Philippines have both listed the Abu Sayyaf as a terrorist organization for kidnappings, beheadings and bombings. The group emerged in the early 1990s as an extremist offshoot of a decades-long Muslim separatist rebellion in the country's south.

__

Gillies reported from Toronto.

The Associated Press. "Philippines Officials Confirm Canadian Hostage was Beheaded." 14 June 2016. The New York Times. 14 June 2016. <http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/06/14/world/asia/ap-cn-canada-philippines-hostages.html>.

Response:

The article is about the recent beheading of a Canadian hostage by Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines. This Canadian hostage, Robert Hall was not the first of the Canadian hostages that were murdered because a man named John Risdel was killed on April. The cause of the murder seems to be because the Canadian government has refused to pay a large ransom that was demanded by Abu Sayyaf. The Canadian government has said that they "will not and cannot pay ransoms for hostages to terrorist groups as doing so would endanger the lives of more Canadians." This may seem a little cold but it is logical in the sense that they cannot risk the lives of many more people by "funding" a terrorist group by paying an extreme amount of ransom for the hostages that Abu Sayyaf had captured. The article also points out that Abu Sayyaf hadn't only captured/kidnapped Canadians but a Norwegian and a Filipino as well the two Canadians. The article doesn't seem to have a clear bias in that it presents both side's wants but it could be bias in a sense that it doesn't have clear information of the group. The Abu Sayyaf group has been categorized as being a terrorist group by the United States and the Philippines due to their kidnappings, beheadings, and bombings. It seems to me that there are so many groups around the world that would do anything for their causes. I think that the Canadian government's response to not paying the ransom was right in that even if they had paid the ransom, there wasn't a large probability that the group would have released the hostages alive. It is sad that individuals have to die in such ways where no one is able to help them and I wish that there was some way where these things could stop happening but sadly and unfortunately such things happen continuously. Therefore I am not sure how this could be prevented rather than that everyone is more cautious about everything, including countries and governments. 

U.N. Experts Condemn Duterte’s ‘Incitement to Violence’ in the Philippines

The President-elect is accused of sending "a permissive signal to potential killers"

Rodrigo Duterte has not yet taken office as the President of the Philippines after winning an election on May 9. But the tough-talking Davao City mayor has already gotten into a spat with the U.N.

Two independent experts who advise the U.N.’s Human Rights Council on Monday condemned recent comments made by the President-elect.

Duterte has pledged to give law enforcement shoot-to-kill powers, and has been linked to the motorcycle death squads who roam his home city, executing suspected criminals. He insists journalists are “not exempted from execution,” and says that most of the scores of reporters killed with impunity in the Philippines in recent years were themselves corrupt.

“A message of this nature amounts to incitement to violence and killing, in a nation already ranked as the second-deadliest country for journalists,” Cristof Heyns, the U.N.’s special rapporteur on summary executions, told reporters in Geneva, according to a U.N. press release. “These comments are irresponsible in the extreme, and unbecoming of any leader, let alone someone who is to assume the position of the leader of a country that calls itself democratic.”

David Kaye, the special rapporteur on freedom of expression, says Duterte’s comments could “be understood as a permissive signal to potential killers that the murder of journalists is acceptable in certain circumstances and would not be punished.”

“This position is even more disturbing when one considers that Philippines is still struggling to ensure accountability in notorious cases of violence against journalists, such as the Maguindanao massacre,” Kaye adds, referring to the still unsolved 2009 mass murder when a group of 57 people, many of them journalists, were killed en route to cover the registration of an opposition candidate in an election.

Duterte has generally shrugged off censure for his comments. Responding last week to international criticism, including from media, he attacked the idea that his policies might be held up to the standards of U.N. conventions. “F-ck you U.N., you can’t even solve the Middle East carnage … couldn’t even lift a finger in Africa,” he said, according to the Philippines-based Inquirer newspaper. “Shut up, all of you.”

Lewis, Simon. "U.N. Experts Condemn Duterte's 'Incitement to Violence' in the Philippines." 6 June 2016. Time. 6 June 2016. <http://time.com/4359466/un-duterte-philippines-incitement-violence/>.

This article is about the soon-to-be president of Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, who is accused by U.N experts for allowing potential murder against journalists. Duterte has said that journalists are "not exempted from execution" and that most reporters that were killed in recent years were corrupt themselves. The U.N fears that this may be permission for the murder of journalists, as David Kaye says in the article. David Kaye also says that the stance taken by Duterte is "more disturbing when one considers that Philippines is still struggling to ensure accountability in notorious cases of violence against journalists," showing his concern for the lives of the journalists in Philippines and their safety. The article seems a little biased in that it continuously shows Duterte allowing murder while it does not provide information on why the safety of journalists is such a minor concern for Duterte. I personally agree with the article in that Duterte was careless to say things in the tone as if he didn't care that journalists were mistreated since they were corrupt as well. The article also shows how Duterte resents the U.N and looks at them as if they were useless since they "couldn't even lift a finger in Africa" and can't solve the "Middle East carnage." In a way I think that U.N or other countries should not get involved in this issue in the Philippines until human rights are clearly violated and Duterte actually takes action to deliberately "kill" or "allow killing" of journalists. This is not because U.N hasn't been able to "help" as Duterte implies but because Philippines is a country of its own and they should be able to take care of national issues on their own without foreign interference.        

Iran Test-Fires Ballistic Missile, Latest After Nuclear Deal

Iran test-fired another ballistic missile, the latest in a spate of tests following the implementation of the nuclear deal with world powers earlier this year, according to a report Monday by the country's semi-official Tasnim news agency.

The test-firing of the missile was carried out two weeks ago, the agency quoted Gen. Ali Abdollahi, deputy chief of the armed forces' headquarters, as saying. Tasnim is close to the country's powerful Revolutionary Guard, which is in charge of Iranian ballistic missiles program.

The agency said the missile has a range of 2,000 kilometers, or 1,250 miles — enough to reach much of the Middle East. Iranian military commanders have described them as a strategic asset and a strong deterrent, capable of hitting U.S. bases or Israel in the event of a strike on Iran.

Iran insists the ballistic tests do not violate the nuclear deal and is likely seeking to demonstrate it is making progress with its ballistic program, despite scaling back on the nuclear program following the deal that led to the lifting of international sanction on Tehran.

Abdollahi said the latest missile tested is very accurate, within 8 meters (yards). "Eight meters means nothing, it means it's without any error," he said. He did not elaborate.

Last month, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, chief of the Guard's airspace division, said a new, upgraded version of the Sajjil — a solid fuel high-speed missile with a range of 1,200 miles that was first tested in 2008 — would soon be ready.

But it was not immediately clear if the missile Abdollahi referred to was the new Sajjil.

In March, Iran test-fired two ballistic missiles — one emblazoned with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" in Hebrew — that set off an international outcry.

The landmark deal does not include provisions against missile launches and when it came into effect on Jan. 16, the Security Council lifted most U.N. sanctions against Tehran, including a ban it had imposed in 2010 on Iran testing missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

To deal with the restrictions in the nuclear agreement, the council adopted a resolution last July, which only "calls on" Iran not to carry out such tests.

Karimi, Nasser. "Iran Test-Fires Ballistic Missile, Latest After Nuclear Deal." 9 May, 2016. abcNews. 9 May, 2016. <http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/iran-test-fires-ballistic-missile-latest-nuclear-deal-38976033>. 

Response: The article presents the recent test-fires of ballistic missiles in Iran. The firing of ballistic missiles causes conflict since Iran has agreed to the "nuclear deal with the world powers." Iran persists that the ballistic missiles are simply to show that the ballistic program is making progress. This happened last March as well when Iran fired 2 ballistic missiles, with one showing the words "Israel must be wiped out" in Hebrew. Obviously this act resulted in international "outcry." Although the article presents little bias in that it clearly shows actual facts, it does hint at the idea that the test-fires of ballistic missiles can't really be seen as something that is purely for seeing Iran's improvement in their technology. The phrase such as written above (Israel must be wiped out) shows Iran's clear intentions for the test-fires. Even though this may be taking it too far, where nothing has actually happened, the threat that was presented by the ballistic missile should light up a hint of caution. 

North Korea  Congress Party to Establish Era of Kim Jong Un

North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party will on Friday open its biggest meeting in more than three decades, with the focus on the course Kim Jong Un will chart for the isolated nation.

The Kim family has used party congresses -- the last was held in 1980 -- to consolidate its grip on power and announce long-term economic plans. This year’s gathering comes on the heels of a slew of missile launches, the nation’s fourth nuclear test, and a threat by Kim to detonate another nuclear bomb as he seeks to build weapons capable of striking the U.S. The congress is expected to last several days.

Here are five things to look out for at the meeting:

Nuclear Legacy

Since taking over in 2011, Kim has striven to improve North Korea’s nuclear arms program as he seeks to extend the nuclear legacy left by his father Kim Jong Il. In January, the nation detonated a device it claimed was its first hydrogen bomb. Having enshrined the country’s nuclear ambitions in the constitution in 2012, Kim may use the congress to further elevate his country’s profile as a nuclear-armed state.

New Generation

The meeting offers Kim a chance to usher in a new generation of elite officials to replace some of the old guard who underpinned his father’s rule. He’s already carried out a series of high-profile purges to that effect, including the execution of his uncle and one-time deputy Jang Song Thaek to strengthen his grip on power.

“Who goes up and who gets appointments and promotions, if there’s some kind of power shift to a younger, either technocratic or entrepreneurial elite -- that’s the kind of thing to look for,” says John Delury, a historian at Yonsei University in Seoul.

Economic Vision

Food production and private enterprises have grown under Kim, even as disparitieshave widened. Malnutrition remains widespread among the 25-million population despite Kim’s 2012 pledge to never let his people “tighten their belts again.” The congress gives him the opportunity to review his market-oriented reforms and set out a new direction.

Olive Branch

Having ratcheted up tensions with a nuclear test and ballistic missile launches, Kim may use the convention to make proposals for talks with other nations. At the 1980 congress, North Korea proposed uniting the Korean peninsula in the form of a confederation. However, the nation’s insistence on nuclear arms as a non-negotiable condition may block the way to any diplomatic rapprochement.

Kang Jun Young, a professor of Chinese affairs at Seoul’s Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, says that China -- North Korea’s main ally and by far its biggest trading partner -- is interested in seeing what changes come out of the meeting and how it could use them as a way to engage Pyongyang. But, he adds, another nuclear test would only push China to stiffen its hard-line stance against the regime.

Party Control

The Workers’ Party saw its power weaken under Kim Jong Il, who exercised his authority through the National Defense Commission and agencies that functioned outside the boundaries of the party. His son wants to renew the influence of the party as a crutch to sustain his power.

Kim Jong Un “has cemented his rule, shown progress in nuclear missile development and made economic reforms in his four years in power,” says Koh Yu Hwan, a North Korea professor at Dongguk University in Seoul. “The meeting is a moment to tout that progress and declare the start of the ‘Kim Jong Un’ era.”

Kim, Sam. "North Korea Congress to Establish Era of Kim Jong Un." 3 May, 2016. Bloomberg. 3 May, 2016. <http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-02/apple-s-losing-streak-is-nearing-historic-levels>.

Comment:

The article presents ideas about North Korea. The article is bias in that there aren't much text from the side of North Korea, but this is understandable in that North Korea is a highly isolated country and no one really knows much about it. I agree with the author that the North Korean dictator, Kim Jong Un has been trying to get a bigger grip of power in North Korea after getting it from his father, Kim Jong Il. Also, the relation between North Korea and China will be interesting since it could change so much with North Korea's actions, such as launching nuclear bombs. But the author also suggests that Kim  "may use the convention to make proposals for talks with other nations," although this would be hard if North Korea keeps insisting to keep their nuclear weapons. The author's main purpose seems to be to inform people about the possibilities of North Korea, which is a very mysterious country due to its isolation. I personally think that the article has a good summary of things from the past and current issues and that what North Korea does from now on could change many things in the world as of relations to Asian countries.

Bangladesh vows justice in killing of gay activist, friend

NEW DELHI — The Bangladeshi prime minister has vowed to hunt down and prosecute those who fatally stabbed two men, including a gay rights activist who also worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development, and accused the country’s opposition party and allied militants of orchestrating the attack.

The killings Monday night were the latest in an ongoing wave of attacks claimed by radical Islamists and targeting the country’s outspoken atheists, moderates and foreigners. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

The victims were identified as USAID employee Xulhaz Mannan, who previously worked as a U.S. Embassy protocol officer, and his friend, theater actor Tanay Majumder. Mannan was also an editor of Bangladesh’s first gay rights magazine, Roopbaan, as well as a cousin of former Foreign Minister Dipu Moni of the governing Awami League party.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry condemned the “barbaric” murders, issuing a statement from Washington, D.C. that said the U.S. government would support Bangladeshi efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Police have not made any arrests in their investigation, according to Sub Inspector Shamim Ahmed. He did not say if any suspects had been identified.

Crime scene investigators recovered a mobile phone and bag apparently left by the attackers at the scene, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina blamed religious radicals in Bangladesh, specifically the Jamaat-e-Islami group and their political allies, the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

“Everybody knows who are behind these killings,” Hasina told top party policymakers in a meeting Monday night after the attacks, which came just days after an English professor was hacked to death on the street of a northwestern city.

“The BNP-Jamaat clique has been involved in such secret and heinous murders to destabilize the country,” she said. She added the opposition, which opposes her brand of secular rule, was retaliating against her government for its efforts to prosecute war crimes committed during the 1971 war of independence.

The opposition denies the allegations, saying they are being scapegoated for Hasina’s failures in maintaining security and placating the country’s desire for Islamic rule.

The U.S. government and numerous rights groups have lambasted Hasina’s government for failing to keep civil society safe. Earlier this month, the U.S. said it was considering granting refuge to a select number of secular bloggers facing imminent danger in Bangladesh.

State Department spokesman John Kirby said Monday that remained an option, while also describing Mannan as a “beloved member of our embassy family and a courageous advocate” for LGBT rights, and pledged U.S. support to Bangladeshi authorities “to ensure that the cowards who did this are held accountable.”

The rights group Amnesty International noted that Bangladesh considers homosexual relations a crime, making it harder for gay activists to report any threats against them.

The group’s South Asia director, Champa Patel, said the latest attack “underscores the appalling lack of protection being afforded to a range of peaceful activists in the country.”

"Bangladesh vows justice in killing of gay rightist, friend." 26 April. 2016. The Washington Post. 26 April. 2016. <https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/bangladesh-vows-justice-in-killing-of-usaid-worker-friend/2016/04/26/ea9ac900-0b72-11e6-bc53-db634ca94a2a_story.html >.

Comment:

The article presents the current issues in Bangladesh, specifically about the LGBT rights, that caused multiple tensions in the country. The author of the article starts out by engaging the reader into the article with the recent attacks on 2 men, in which was a gay rights activist. The author says that the "killings Monday night were the latest in an ongoing wave of attacks claimed by radical Islamists." This shows that the author agrees with Prime Minister Hasina in that radical religionists are attacking people who are against their beliefs and are publicly outspoken about it. I would say that the article is a little bias against the people who are making these attacks since there are little to none information about the side of the attackers. The article concludes in that Bangladesh is facing tension inside the country itself due to different groups who are for and against LGBT rights.

South Korea, U.S. begin exercises as North Korea threatens attack

South Korean and U.S. troops began large-scale military exercises on Monday in an annual test of their defenses against North Korea, which called the drills "nuclear war moves" and threatened to respond with an all-out offensive.

South Korea said the exercises would be the largest ever following North Korea's fourth nuclear test in January and a long-range rocket launch last month that triggered a U.N. Security Council resolution and tough new sanctions.

Isolated North Korea has rejected criticism of is nuclear and rocket programs, even from old ally China, and last week leader Kim Jong Un ordered his country to be ready to use nuclear weapons in the face of what he sees as growing threats from enemies.

The joint U.S. and South Korean military command said it had notified North Korea of "the non-provocative nature of this training" involving about 17,000 American troops and more than 300,000 South Koreans.

South Korea's Defence Ministry said it had seen no sign of any unusual military activity by the North.

North Korea's National Defence Commission said the North Korean army and people would "realize the greatest desire of the Korean nation through a sacred war of justice for reunification", in response to any attack by U.S. and South Korean forces.

"The army and people of the DPRK will launch an all-out offensive to decisively counter the U.S. and its followers' hysterical nuclear war moves," the North Korean commission said in a statement carried by the North's KCNA news agency.

The North, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), as it is officially known, routinely issues threats of military action in response to the annual exercises that it sees as preparation for war against it.

The threat on Monday was in line with the usual rhetoric it uses to denounce the drills.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei noted that North Korea had already said it opposed the drills, adding that Beijing was "deeply concerned" about the exercises.

"China is linked to the Korean Peninsula. In terms of the peninsula's security, China is deeply concerned and firmly opposed to any trouble-making behavior on the peninsula's doorstep. We urge all sides to keep calm, exercise restraint and not escalate tensions," he told a daily news briefing.

The latest U.N. sanctions imposed on North Korea were drafted by the United States and China as punishment for its nuclear test and satellite launch, which the United States and others say was really a test of ballistic missile technology.

South Korea's spy agency said it would hold an emergency cyber-security meeting on Tuesday to check readiness against any threat of cyber attack from the North, after detecting evidence of attempts by the North to hack into South Korean mobile phones.

South Korea has been on heightened cyber alert since the nuclear test and the rocket launch.

South Korea and the U.S. militaries began talks on Friday on the deployment of an advanced anti-missile Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system in South Korea.

U.S. and South Korean marines participate in a U.S.-South Korea joint landing operation drill in Pohang, South Korea, in this March 31, 2014 file picture.

Kim, Jack. Pearson, James. "South Korea, U.S. begin exercises as North Korea threatens attack." 7 Mar. 2016. Reuters. 7 Mar. 2016. <http://www.reuters.com/article/us-southkorea-usa-northkorea-idUSKCN0W906W>.

Response: This article presents information about the situation that South Korea and United States are in due to the threats of attacks by North Korea. Although the article points out that "South Korea's Defence Ministry said it had seen no signs of any unusual military activities by the North", both the South and US will continue training which involves 17000 American troops and 300,000 South Koreans. North Korea has also attempted to hack South Korean cyber and so the cyber network in Korea is also at high tensions. The article does not seem to be extremely bias towards one side or the other but shows information from both sides well to the extent that they are able to since not much information from the North is given. North Korea and South Korea has had multiple tensions that were at the edge of starting war several times in the past. Would this be another 'big tension' that passes or would it actually lead on to war as the North Koreans are saying "sacred war for justice"?. Obviously war should not be the first choice in any circumstance, but both countries seems like they will do what it takes to protect what matters to them.