Russia/Civil Unrest: Environmental activists riot, throw smoke bombs
 
Russian Officials stated on Thursday that the protest of environmental activists against the felling of the Khimki forest broke into a riot, while they hurled smoke bombs and smashed windows of the town’s administration buildings.

Reportedly, around 500 activists had gathered at the scene and started shouting slogans in support of the forest. Further reports on the Kommersant daily said that most of the people involved in the riot were from "anti-fascist" and anarchist groups.
 
Meanwhile, police have arrested nine activists, including the organizer of the protest, Yevgenia Chirikova. However, she said her group had nothing to do with the violent riots, further pointing fingers on extremist groups.

Earlier last week, police had briefly detained and released Yuri Timofeev, a photographer for RFE/RL’s Russian service; and Elena Kostyuchenko, a correspondent with the independent daily Novaya Gazeta.

Indonesia/Terrorism: Indonesian woman gets 3 years for harboring terrorists
 
Media reported on Thursday that Putri Munawaroh, a Muslim woman has been sentenced by South Jakarta District Court for three years in prison for providing refuge to terrorists.

Reportedly, the court declared the verdict after finding her guilty of violating the country's Anti-Terror Law.
 
Munawaroh was arrested after police raided her house in Central Java in September 2009. During the police operation, a shootout had broken out that ended with the death of four terrorists, including Noordin Top, a leader of the Al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah.

Noordin was wanted for his alleged connection with a series of bomb blasts in the country-including the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings. He is also was accused of planning the suicide attacks at the Ritz-Carlton and J.W. Marriott hotels in Jakarta last year.

Somalia/Terrorism: Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab warns African countries
 
According to Media reports on Thursday, the Somali Al-Qaeda-linked terror group Al-Shabaab has warned its neighbouring countries against sending additional troops to the war-torn country. They have also threatened to "annihilate" the troops, like those 6,000 who are already "suffering" from their attacks.
 
The terrorist group had claimed the responsibility for the twin bombing attacks in the Ugandan capital on July 11 and since then, African leaders and US Officials are looking forward to deploy more troops in Somalia.

Leaders had thus pledged during the African Union Summit held in Uganda that 4,000 more would be deployed to help the 6,000 Ugandan and Burundian soldiers now stationed in Mogadishu.

Greece/Civil Unrest: Truck drivers clash with riot police
 
Media reported on Thursday that Greek Police fired tear canister in an attempt to disperse a mob of protesting fuel-truck drivers. The clash broke out after some 500 protesters gathered outside the Ministry of Transport in Athens.

The action follows the government’s emergency decree to force the drivers back to work. The truck drivers are protesting government’s plans to liberalize their tightly regulated profession-which means the drivers will no longer be able to sell their business licenses privately.

The recent unrest in the country has hit the tourism industry and the shortage of fuel, food and medicine in the city.

Paraguay/Insurgency: Rebel leader killed in shootout
 
The Paraguayan Interior Ministry has declared that police forces have killed Severiano Martinez, leader of the banned Paraguayan People's Army (EPP) group, during a gun battle in the Chaco region on Wednesday.

The statement further added that police had tracked down the rebel leader and asked him to surrender, in which he responded by firing at the officers. He was then reportedly killed in the ensuing shootout.
 
With five arrest warrants issued against him, Martinez was one of the most wanted fugitives in the country and has allegedly been accused of kidnapping and murdering the daughter of former President Raul Cubas in 2004.

The latest incident follows a drive started by President Fernando Lugo to hunt down members of the EPP.

Afghanistan/Terrorism: Two Italian soldiers killed in IED explosion

The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has confirmed the death of two Italian soldiers in a bomb explosion that occurred in an undisclosed western region on Wednesday.

Reportedly, the explosion came from an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), a weapon used mostly by Taleban terrorists.

According to sources of the Italian Defence Ministry, the two bomb disposal experts had just defused an IED before getting killed by another one.

With 3,300 troops, Italy has been contributing a great deal to the ISAF in its fight against terrorism. It is worth mentioning that another two Italian soldiers with the 327th Engineer Regiment were killed in a bombing attack near the western city of Herat earlier this May.

Sudan/Insurgency: Rebels accuse Army for raiding camp
 
The Sudan Liberation Army (SLA), a rebel group in Darfur, has accused the Army for raiding a refugee camp in Zalingei on Wednesday.

A rebel commander further described the attack, saying that troops had attacked the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp and killed two civilians.

Meanwhile, account given by a resident indicated that there had been clashes in the camps surrounding the town and that two people had been killed. However, he could not confirm whether government forces were involved.

An army spokesman has declined to comment on the report. Also, no representatives of the joint UN-African Union (UNAMID) peacekeeping force were immediately available for comment.

Ukraine/Terrorism: Bomb explosion at church kills one and injures 11
 
Spokeswoman of Ukraine’s Emergencies Ministry has declared that one person has been killed, while 11 others were injured in a bombing attack on an Orthodox church in Ukrainian southern city of Zaporozhye on Wednesday.

It has been reported that the homemade explosive device went off near the entrance to the church. No party had claimed for the responsibility so far.
 
Incidentally, the attack took place on the day the country marks the anniversary of its conversion to Christianity.

Mexico/Organized Crime: Drug gang kidnaps four journalists
 
Media reported on Thursday that drug traffickers had kidnapped four journalists from the northern Laguna region earlier on Monday.

The four reporters, including two employees of the Televisa network, have apparently been seized while covering a story on last week's arrest of Margarita Rojas – the Gómez Palacio prison director in Durango who has been allegedly accused for supplying arms to prisoners and instigating to mass murders.
 
Meanwhile, police have declared on Wednesday that they have arrested Rogelio Segovia Hernandez, a suspected drug cartel lieutenant, from the border state of Chihuahua. It is worth mentioning that Hernandez has been carrying a quarter-million-dollar reward on his head.

Somalia/Turkey/Piracy: Pirates release Turkish vessel
 
Turkish broadcaster NTV reported on Thursday that the Somali pirates have released the MV Frigia, the Malta-flagged Turkish ship, after being hijacked for about four months ago.

There has been no confirmation for any ransom paid to release the ship.

Meanwhile, an official from the shipping company has confirmed that the ship is en-route to meet a Turkish navy ship in the Gulf of Aden. The Frigia was hijacked off the Indian coast along with 21 crewmembers, which includes 19 Turkish nationals and 2 Ukrainians, on March 23. It was reportedly transporting fertilizer from Israel to Thailand when it was seized.

Iraq/Terrorism: Al-Qaeda-front claims bombing pan-Arab TV station

The Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), an Al-Qaeda-front in the country, has claimed on Thursday responsibility for the bombing attack carried on the Baghdad offices of the pan-Arab Television Station Al-Arabiya earlier this week.

Reportedly, the statement was released on an Islamist website, mentioning that the attack on the Arabic-language station - described as "corrupt" - had been carried out by a "hero of Islam" and further warning of many more attacks on other pro-western media groups.

It is worth mentioning that Monday's bombings had killed at least six people, including four soldiers, while 20 others were wounded.

Venezuela/Colombia/Organised Crime: Venezuelan police nabs 6 Colombian paramilitary suspects

Media reported on Wednesday that Venezuelan police detained six alleged far-right paramilitary fighters from Colombia, including a militia leader wanted in the killing of a Venezuelan mayor near the border with Colombia.

According to Venezuelan police, the militiamen - suspected of being deeply involved in hired killings, extortion and kidnapping among other crimes - were arrested during a sting operation carried near the town of La Fria.

It is also worth mentioning that Sandra Barrero, the leader of the criminal organization, is wanted in Venezuela for her alleged involvement in two murders.

Meanwhile, Venezuela's Justice Ministry announced the capture of a purported Colombian drug trafficker, Gloria Esther Chavez Ceballos, alias "Gloria Amparo", who has been leading a group of smugglers known as "Los Indios" that traffics drugs to the Caribbean and Europe.

Afghanistan/Terrorism: Roadside bombs kill two civilians

NATO Officials stated on Wednesday that a roadside bomb explosion left two Afghan civilians dead and 15 others wounded in the southern provinces.

Reportedly, a woman was killed and two other people, including a 4-year-old girl, were injured by a bomb near Shin Kai village in Zabul province on Tuesday.

In a separate incident, another civilian was killed by a roadside bomb in the Yosuf Khel district of Paktika province the same day.

NATO also reported that 13 civilians including a child were injured in five different explosions in the Kandahar, Helmand and Badghis provinces.

Somalia/Terrorism: Twelve dead, dozens injured in Mogadishu fighting

Somali Officials stated on Wednesday that clashes between government forces and Islamist terrorists in the Somali capital Mogadishu left 12 civilians dead and 43 others wounded.

According to officials, fighting began on Tuesday evening after fighters belonging to Hizbul Islam attacked government positions near the presidential palace. The two sides exchanged automatic weapon and mortar fire.

Meanwhile, a rebel commander said late on Tuesday that insurgents based in Somalia's semi-autonomous region of Puntland will “wage a holy war” against the administration there until their strict version of sharia law prevails.

Thailand/Insurgency: Five shot dead in restive south

Thai Police stated on Wednesday that suspected separatist insurgents have shot dead four Muslim men, while one suspected militant was killed by security officials in Thailand's restive southern provinces.

According to authorities, a 50-year-old villager was shot dead at his home late on Tuesday in Narathiwat province, while in neighbouring Yala province a 26-year-old security volunteer was killed in drive-by shooting.

Moreover, two Muslims aged 27 and 34 were gunned down in separate attacks carried in the Pattani province on Tuesday evening.

Earlier on Tuesday, a 39-year-old suspected militant was shot dead in a confrontation with Thai soldiers in Yala province.

Greece/Terrorism: Terror group vows to carry out attacks

Media reported on Wednesday that a Greek terrorist group calling itself Sect of Revolutionaries vowed to carry out attacks and turn Greece into a "warzone" after claiming responsibility for the killing of a journalist linked to a popular blog.

Reportedly, the group claimed in a statement it would wage a campaign of deadly attacks against police, businessmen, prison staff and journalists it considers corrupt and also claimed to have shot dead journalist Sokratis Giolias outside his Athens home on July 19.
 
However, the group also said it would not carry out indiscriminate attacks and did not make any direct threat to tourists.

Japan/Oman/Terrorism: Japanese tanker damaged off Oman

Media reported that the Japanese M Star Oil Tanker loaded with around 2.3m barrels of crude has been damaged in an explosion in waters off Oman, in the Gulf Strait of Hormuz and that the owners of the vessel were blaming the blast on a possible terrorist attack.

According to the Japanese Ministry of Transport, one of the 31 crew aboard was injured but no oil leaked from the Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC). The ministry also said that the cause of the explosion was still unclear.

It is worth mentioning that in recent past, Al-Qaeda has threatened to attack shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a route used by some 40 percent of the world's seaborne oil.

Iraq/Terrorism: Bomb kills five in Baghdad

Iraqi Police stated that a bomb planted in the middle of a road exploded on Wednesday, killing five and wounding 12 other persons who were standing in a line to collect their pensions outside a state-owned bank in the Sadr City slum, located in a Shi'ite area of Baghdad.

Meanwhile, 16 people were killed during rocket attacks launched by militants near the offices of the Department of Immigration in Karbala late on Tuesday.

Moreover, the Major-General Othman al-Ghanimi, Chief Commander of the Iraqi Army in Karbala reported that an Iraqi military helicopter mandated to provide air protection to pilgrims crashed west of the city, 80 km southwest of Baghdad, killing the five-man crew. First reports indicate the aircraft was downed by a sandstorm, but nevertheless, investigation regarding the crash is ongoing and not ruling out other potential causes.

It is worth mentioning that earlier on Monday, at least 20 mainly Shi'ite pilgrims have been killed and 54 others wounded when two bombs exploded near Karbala.

Mexico/Organised Crime: Police find human heads dumped near Durango

Mexican Authorities stated that eight human heads were found on Tuesday in four separate locations near roadsides outside the northern city of Durango.

The Durango State Prosecutor's Office said police found the heads within the time interval of two and a half hours due to anonymous tip-offs. The victims were males thought to have been aged between 25 and 30.

It is worth mentioning that the severed human heads were found two days after the arrest of the warden of the Cereso 2 Prison in Gomez Palacio, Durango, on accusations of having allowed inmates to leave the facility to carry out killings.

The state of Durango has been the scene of clashes in recent months between the rival Gulf and Sinaloa drug cartels.

France/Security: French detectives put on leave after death threats

Media reported on Wednesday that almost an entire Detective Squad in the French city of Grenoble has been put on leave after officers had received death threats from underworld figures.

Reportedly, three officers involved in the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Karim Boudouda earlier this month have been moved out of the unit and another 20 were put on leave following the recent developments.

Moreover, French President Nicolas Sarkozy vowed to wage war on the criminals after the death threats, while troops are carrying operations to identify and capture them.

In the past week there have been running battles between police and rioters in the city, following the fatal shooting of Boudouda, one of two men suspected of holding up a casino at Uriage-les-Bains, near Grenoble and whom police were pursuing early on 16 July.