- Northern Greece residents protest creation of migrant center
- Renegade Mali soldiers stage coup to oppose returning fighters from Libya
- Tensions rise between Vietnam and China over detained fisherman
- More and more Jews are emigrating from France to Israel
Northern Greece residents protest creation of migrant center
Under pressure from the European Union to control the flow of illegal immigrants coming through the porous border with Turkey and traveling to other parts of Europe to get work, Greece is building a network of 14 migrant camps across the country. On Thursday, residents of Kozani, in northern Greece, protested the planned creation of a migrant center in a disused military facility on the outskirts of the city. In response, a government minister stressed that the Kozani project would stimulate the local economy and create jobs. Kathimerini
Renegade Mali soldiers stage coup to oppose returning fighters from Libya
Renegade soldiers in Mali declared Thursday that they have seized power and disollved public institutions because of the government's handling of an insurgency. The insurgency has been fueled by returning Tuareg soldiers from Libya, now that the war in Libya has ended. Among the tribes of Libya, Muammar Gaddafi's main supporters were the Tuaregs, and the returning fighters have been leading an insurgency against the government of Mali, demanding an independent Tuareg state. The Tuareg are a tribe of over a million people stretching across five nations in northwest Africa, across Mali, Libya, Algeria, Niger and Burkina Faso. The renegade soldiers say they have suspended the constitution, closed the borders, and imposed a curfew. According to a spokesman for the soldiers,
"Considering the incapacity of the regime in effectively fighting against terrorism and restoring dignity to the Malian people, using its constitutional rights, the armed forces of Mali, along with other security forces, have decided to take on their responsibilities to put an end to this incompetent regime of President Amadou Toumani Toure."
According to the U.S. State Department:
"The United States condemns the military seizure of power in Mali. We echo the statements of the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States and other international partners denouncing these actions. We call for calm and the restoration of the civilian government under constitutional rule without delay, so that elections can proceed as scheduled. We stand with the legitimately elected government of President Amadou Toumani Touré. Mali is a leading democracy in West Africa and its institutions must be respected."
CNN and State Department
Tensions rise between Vietnam and China over detained fisherman
This is something like the reverse of a situation that occurred in 2010, when Japan detained a Chinese boat captain whose boats were operating in waters claimed as sovereign territory by Japan. China used its muscle to force Japan to return the detained captain. (See "26-Sep-10 News -- China turns the screws on a humiliated Japan.") China is now preparing to use its muscle to humiliate Vietnam in a reverse situation, Chinese authorities are holding two Vietnamese boats and 21 crew who were detained while fishing near the disputed Paracel Islands on Wednesday. The Chinese are demanding $11,000 for their release. Vietnam has demanded the "immediate and unconditional release of the fishermen," and refusing to pay the $11,000 fee. The Vietnam government is considering a new "fish surveillance force" to monitor its fishing fleet, presumably to protect it from attacks by Chinese. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said,
"The actions of the Vietnamese fishing boats violated China's sovereignty and maritime rights. The actions taken by Chinese authorities were valid law enforcement actions. [Vietnam should] manage and educate [its fishermen and end] illegal poaching [in Chinese waters]"
AFP
More and more Jews are emigrating from France to Israel
Monday's murders in a Jewish school have highlighted a problem of increasing anti-Semitism in France. Many Jews in France complain of being harassed in public, and feel that the country is no longer a safe place to raise their children. As a result, more and more French Jews are buying homes in Israel. In the past, France has also been criticized for xenophobic attitudes towards Roma Gypsies and Muslims. Spiegel