Syrian army ‘steps up Homs offensive’
February 5, 2012
The Syrian army has stepped up its attacks on opposition fighters in Homs, activists and witnesses have said, a day after a UN Security Council resolution aimed at ending the bloodshed in Syria was blocked by Russia and China. Video received by Al Jazeera from opposition activists on Sunday showed the apparent devastation caused by a military offensive in the Bab Amr neighbourhood of Homs. Activists and witnesses said the army has been shelling the neighbourhood “indiscriminately” since Sunday moring. The video images appear to show people who have been shot and hit by shrapnel, including heavily injured young children. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Danny Abdul Dayem, a…
China defends Syria veto in People’s Daily article
February 5, 2012
State paper denies giving ‘free rein’ to Bashar al-Assad’s crackdown and points to UN mandate ‘abused’ in Libya by Nato Chinese UN ambassador Li Baodong vetoes the security council resolution calling for Bashar al-Assad to resign as president of Syria. Photograph: Xinhua China’s top Communist party newspaper has defended Beijing’s rejection of a UN resolution calling for Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad to resign. The People’s Daily said western campaigns in Libya, Afghanistan and Iraq showed the error of forced regime change….
Australian floods force thousands from their homes
February 5, 2012
* One dead in flooding, thousands evacuated * Coal industry largely unaffected by floods * Flooding causes damage to agriculture, property By Rebekah Kebede PERTH, Feb 6 (Reuters) – Thousands of Australians were forced from their homes on Monday because of floods that have risen to record levels in some areas and killed one person, and authorities issued warnings for more than a dozen rivers in Queensland and New South Wales states. Australia’s coal industry, which is concentrated in Queensland and New South Wales, was largely unaffected, easing concern about a repeat of last year’s disastrous floods that sent global coal prices soaring. But heavy rain is expected to take a toll on the…
New York Giants win Super Bowl over New England Patriots
February 5, 2012
FOR the second time in five seasons, Eli Manning led the New York Giants to Super Bowl success over the New England Patriots, nabbing a second MVP award in the process. Manning directed a nine-play, 88-yard drive that set up running back Ahmad Bradshaw for the game-winning touchdown with a minute to go, as the Giants triumphed 21-17 in Super Bowl XLVI. In strange scenes, New England, who led 17-15 at the time, seemingly allowed Bradshaw to rush untouched for a six-yard score. It left 1:04 on the clock, which the Patriots thought would be long enough to produce a game-winning play, rather than allowing the Giants to run down the clock and win the game for…
It’s risky to attack Iran: Obama
February 5, 2012
Washington: US President Barack Obama said on Sunday there were important risks to consider before any military strike against Iran and made clear he does not want to see more conflict in the oil-producing Gulf region. In a television interview, Obama also said he did not believe Tehran had the “intentions or capabilities” to attack the United States, playing down the threats from Tehran and saying he wanted a diplomatic end to the nuclear standoff. “Any kind of additional military activity inside the Gulf is disruptive and has a big effect on us. It could have a big effect on oil prices. We’ve still got troops in Afghanistan, which borders Iran. And so our preferred solution here is…
