Six In The Morning

Egypt’s Morsi due to stand trial on spying charges

 16 February 2014 Last updated at 07:56

 The BBC

Deposed Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi is due to start a new trial, on charges of espionage and conspiring to commit acts of terror.

He and 35 others are accused of working with Lebanese and Palestinian groups to carry out attacks in Egypt.

The charges are one of four prosecutions that the Islamist former leader now faces.

Mr Morsi was ousted by the military last July following mass street protests against his rule.

Since then there has been a severe crackdown on his Muslim Brotherhood group, as well as on other activists seen as hostile to the military-backed government.

Brazil’s World Cup courts disaster as delays, protests and deaths mount

 An attack on the president’s office was just the latest alarming episode in the runup to June’s tournament

Jonathan Watts in Brasília

The Observer, Sunday 16 February 2014

Another week, another storm of teargas and rubber bullets at a World Cup host city in Brazil. This time, the clashes were in the capital, Brasília, where 15,000 protesters from the Landless Workers Movement marched from the Mané Garrincha football stadium to the Palácio do Planalto state office of the president, Dilma Rousseff.

Riot police using batons and teargas fought off several attempts to invade the building. The demonstrators threw stones and tore down railings which they used as weapons. In the fierce fighting, 12 protesters and 30 police officers were injured.

Pakistan braced for Afghan refugee crisis which could see three million cross the border in July

Islamabad fears that political change in Afghanistan will worsen its own humanitarian problems

 SAM MASTERS , CHRIS STEVENSON   Sunday 16 February 2014

The turmoil that has blighted Afghanistan, particularly over the past 15 years, has forced huge swathes of people out of their homes. Many of them have long since abandoned hope of ever returning.

Now there are increasing fears that the refugee situation will get much worse, with millions more predicted to flee fighting in Afghanistan.

There are an estimated 1.6 million registered Afghan refugees who, having fled conflict in their homeland over the past three decades, now live in slums and – initially makeshift, now permanent – camps in neighbouring Pakistan. Many, like 12-year-old Awal Gul, live in sprawling slums on the outskirts of Islamabad where poor health is caused by stagnant water and a lack of basic amenities. “My land is in Afghanistan, and we have nothing in Pakistan,” he told Associated Press this month.

Pro- and anti-Maduro groups rally in Venezuela, US voices concern

Protesters opposed to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro have clashed with police as government supporters also took to the streets. US Secretary of State John Kerry has condemned recent violence and detentions.

 DW

Police on Saturday fired water cannon and tear gas as protesters against the government of President Nicolas Maduro attempted to block a major highway in the capital, Caracas.

Students and opposition activists had gathered peacefully in the city’s Altimira Square, before a contingent set off to halt traffic, as they had done the previous day. In a repeat of violence on Friday, police responded with teargas while the demonstrators threw missiles.

Meanwhile, thousands of government supporters rallied in a show of political support for the president, prompting fears of a repeat of deadly violence on Wednesday night, in which three people were shot dead during an opposition march.

Somali government accused of diverting weapons to warlords

UN experts say systematic government abuses have allowed weapons and ammunition to get into the hands of clan leaders, warlords and al-Qaeda members.

 15 FEB 2014 13:58 EDITH M LEDERER

The experts, who are monitoring the partial lifting of an arms embargo on Somalia, recommended that the UN Security Council re-impose a full arms embargo when the 12-month partial suspension ends in early March.

As a possible alternative, it said the government must be subject to enhanced notification and reporting requirements for arms deliveries, “if not a partial tightening.” A letter from the experts monitoring sanctions against Somalia and Eritrea, obtained on Friday by the Associated Press, details a number of incidents of weapons being diverted from the government – including one to a leader of the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab.

North Korea promotes key military officials

 Chief of missile unit and other army officials promoted as North Korea marks the birthday of late leader Kim Jong-il.

 Last updated: 16 Feb 2014 05:23

North Korea has announced the promotion of several key military officials to coincide with the birthday of late leader Kim Jong-il.

Kim Rak-gyom, the commander of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) Strategic Rocket Force Command, was promoted to colonel general at the order of the country’s current leader Kim Jong-un, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported late Saturday, according to AFP news agency.

The unit is in charge of the country’s mid- and long-range missiles programme.

Dozens of other senior military officials were also promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and major general, the KCNA said. The latest round of military promotions – often announced on key political anniversaries – came as the North celebrated Jong-Il’s birthday on Sunday.