Daily Archives: October 2, 2013

Greenpeace Activists Charged With Piracy in Russia

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Greenpeace said Wednesday that 14 of its activists who were detained after protesting at a Russian oil platform have been charged with piracy, a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

The environmental activists from Argentina, Brazil, Britain, Finland, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia and Sweden were among 30 people from 18 countries who were on board the Greenpeace ship that was seized by the Russian Coast Guard following the Sept. 18 protest.

More activists were expected to be formally charged on Thursday and Friday, Greenpeace said. All 30 were being held in jails in Murmansk, a port above the Arctic Circle.

President Vladimir Putin said last week that he doesn’t think the Greenpeace activists are pirates, which triggered hopes for their release. But Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday urged energy companies to adopt more stringent security measures and said the government should consider tougher penalties for those who attack or trespass on the grounds of Russian oil and gas infrastructure.

 

Device Explodes in Spain Cathedral, No One Hurt

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An explosive device has caused a blast inside a large cathedral in the northeastern Spanish city of Zaragoza while parishioners were inside but no one was hurt.

A spokesman for the regional government in Zaragoza said the explosion happened at about 1:50 p.m. local time inside the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pilar and that people inside were evacuated over concerns that there might be more devices.

The spokesman says no group has taken responsibility. He could not immediately provide details on damage to the interior of the cathedral.

 

Hornet Attack Death Toll in China Reaches 41

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The death toll from a rare spate of hornet attacks in central China has reached 41 people, local authorities said Wednesday.

The Shaanxi provincial government said in a statement that the attacks had plagued not only the city of Ankang, where 19 died as reported by the official Xinhua News Agency, but had killed 22 others in two adjacent cities in the province’s south.

All told, more than 1,600 people have been injured, and 37 of them are in critical or serious condition in hospitals, the provincial government said.

It said it has mobilized a special medic team and trained more medical personnel to treat victims, and an Ankang official told Xinhua that firefighters have been removing hornet nests.

The provincial government said hornets are most aggressive in behavior when they mate and migrate in September and October. Local officials have also said drier and warmer weather this year has contributed to the ferocity of attacks.

 

73 rescued from Mexican house

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> on August 4, 2013 in Arriaga, Mexico.The trek for those traveling through northern Mexico remains dangerous: police rescued 73 people who were being held hostage in the border city of Reynosa.

The victims had been kidnapped from buses or bus terminals, and about half were Central Americans, police said. It is likely, though police did not say, that a majority of the victims were migrants on their way north to the United States.

Some of the kidnap victims were held for as long as four months, Mexico’s National Security Commission said in a statement.

Federal police on patrol Monday in Reynosa followed a car after its occupants tried to avoid them, the commission said. When the two men in the car pulled up to a house, so did the police.

Inside the house, police found 73 hostages: 37 Mexicans, 19 Hondurans, 14 Guatemalans, and three Salvadorans, it said.

Six minors were among those rescued, the commission said.

The alleged kidnappers made phone calls to the victims’ families, demanding ransom payments in exchange for their release, the commission said.

Police arrested the two men in the car who arrived at the house, and a third man who they allege worked as a lookout.

President Serzh Sargsyan in Paris met with the President of France François Hollande

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President Serzh Sargsyan, who is in the French Republic on a working visit today met with the President of France François Hollande. At the beginning of the meeting, Serzh Sargsyan thanked the President of France for the warm welcome and noted that he was greatly pleased to once again visit friendly France.

The President of Armenia noted with satisfaction that the Armenian-French relations, which are nourished by the close historical relations of the two nations, in last twenty years have been developing steadily, reaching the highest point in their history. According to the President, Armenian-French friendship is so deep, comprehensive and multifaceted that it would be difficult to define it in one or two sentences.

In Serzh Sargsyan’s words, such quality of relations was achieved by our countries thanks to a regular high-level dialogue, including the reciprocal visits of the Armenian and French Presidents, close interparliamentary cooperation, dynamic cultural, educational and scientific interaction, as well as through the regular contacts between the responsible officials from different areas.

The President noted that in recent years in the special Armenian-French relations there has been formed a wonderful tradition of maintaining that high-level dialogue – at least one annual meeting between the Presidents during which the parties discuss issues related to the Armenian-French, as well as Armenia-EU cooperation, urgent regional and global issues.

At today’s meeting too, the Presidents of Armenia and France also discussed in detail all the mentioned above problems.

With regard to the trade and economic relations, President Sargsyan noted with satisfaction the presence in Armenia of a large French business community with leading companies such as Carrefour, Pernod Richard, Orange, Credit Agricole, Alcatel, and Veolia which will soon be amplified by other companies.

The President stressed also the importance of the assistance programs launched this year by the French Development Agency. He underscored that decentralized cooperation is also developing successfully: Over 30 local authorities of Armenia and France have established close partnership relations. In that context, the President of France stressed, in particular, the importance of the Third Convention on Decentralized Cooperation to be held October 15-17 in Valence.

Speaking about interparliamentary ties, the Presidents of Armenia and France noted with satisfaction that friendship groups are working actively in the parliaments of the two countries. It’s been one year since Armenia joined the International Organization of Francophonie; the Armenian-French cultural and education relations are also developing successfully.

At the meeting, President Serzh Sargsyan once again expressed thanks to François Hollande for the continued efforts of the French side aimed at the peaceful resolution of the NK conflict. The Presidents of Armenia and France reiterated that there is no alternative to a peaceful resolution of the conflict in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairmanship. Serzh Sargsyan noted that Armenia attaches special importance to the personal involvement of the French President in the process.

The parties spoke in detail about the prospects of Armenia-EU cooperation. They agreed that maximum efforts should be made to maintain the tempo and quality of the cooperation, to continue the process of reformation in Armenia. President Sargsyan reiterated Armenia’s commitment to carry on. President François Hollande assured that France – as Armenia’s friend and one of the leaders of the European Union and major international player – will continue to assist Armenia in moving forward her European agenda.

At the meeting, the President of Armenia once again expressed gratitude for France’s significant contribution to the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

To ensure the continuation of the high-level political dialogue established between the two countries, Serzh Sargsyan reiterated the invitation extended to the President of France to conduct a state visit to the Republic of Armenia.

PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN IN PARIS MET WITH THE PRESIDENT OF FRANCE FRANÇOIS HOLLANDE

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4016President Serzh Sargsyan, who is in the French Republic on a working visit today met with the President of France François Hollande. At the beginning of the meeting, Serzh Sargsyan thanked the President of France for the warm welcome and noted that he was greatly pleased to once again visit friendly France.

The President of Armenia noted with satisfaction that the Armenian-French relations, which are nourished by the close historical relations of the two nations, in last twenty years have been developing steadily, reaching the highest point in their history. According to the President, Armenian-French friendship is so deep, comprehensive and multifaceted that it would be difficult to define it in one or two sentences.

In Serzh Sargsyan’s words, such quality of relations was achieved by our countries thanks to a regular high-level dialogue, including the reciprocal visits of the Armenian and French Presidents, close interparliamentary cooperation, dynamic cultural, educational and scientific interaction, as well as through the regular contacts between the responsible officials from different areas.

The President noted that in recent years in the special Armenian-French relations there has been formed a wonderful tradition of maintaining that high-level dialogue – at least one annual meeting between the Presidents during which the parties discuss issues related to the Armenian-French, as well as Armenia-EU cooperation, urgent regional and global issues.

At today’s meeting too, the Presidents of Armenia and France also discussed in detail all the mentioned above problems.

With regard to the trade and economic relations, President Sargsyan noted with satisfaction the presence in Armenia of a large French business community with leading companies such as Carrefour, Pernod Richard, Orange, Credit Agricole, Alcatel, and Veolia which will soon be amplified by other companies.

The President stressed also the importance of the assistance programs launched this year by the French Development Agency. He underscored that decentralized cooperation is also developing successfully: Over 30 local authorities of Armenia and France have established close partnership relations. In that context, the President of France stressed, in particular, the importance of the Third Convention on Decentralized Cooperation to be held October 15-17 in Valence.

Speaking about interparliamentary ties, the Presidents of Armenia and France noted with satisfaction that friendship groups are working actively in the parliaments of the two countries. It’s been one year since Armenia joined the International Organization of Francophonie; the Armenian-French cultural and education relations are also developing successfully.

At the meeting, President Serzh Sargsyan once again expressed thanks to François Hollande for the continued efforts of the French side aimed at the peaceful resolution of the NK conflict. The Presidents of Armenia and France reiterated that there is no alternative to a peaceful resolution of the conflict in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairmanship. Serzh Sargsyan noted that Armenia attaches special importance to the personal involvement of the French President in the process.

The parties spoke in detail about the prospects of Armenia-EU cooperation. They agreed that maximum efforts should be made to maintain the tempo and quality of the cooperation, to continue the process of reformation in Armenia. President Sargsyan reiterated Armenia’s commitment to carry on. President François Hollande assured that France – as Armenia’s friend and one of the leaders of the European Union and major international player – will continue to assist Armenia in moving forward her European agenda.

At the meeting, the President of Armenia once again expressed gratitude for France’s significant contribution to the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

To ensure the continuation of the high-level political dialogue established between the two countries, Serzh Sargsyan reiterated the invitation extended to the President of France to conduct a state visit to the Republic of Armenia.